#kami head canon

[aromanticannibal]

watching disappointed shippers (bc that's what the dudebros saying izuku sucks bc he didn't bag ochako are) act like their ship is dead and everything sucks because it wasn't clearly confirmed is so funny like. do I have to do the job for you? the meetcute is so obvious dude the possibilities are endless but these people are too used to having their ship handed on a silver platter to them. use your imagination

[bones4thecats]

Hi, I would like to request Goku, Bardock, and Gohan play fighting with their child/children if that’s ok?

The Saiyans Play-Fighting w/ their Kids

Characters: Son Goku, Bardock, and Son Gohan Requester: @crispy-qw A/N: I drank an entire bottle of water writing this. I'm pretty sure I mentally sobbed writing all this fluff... ⚠️ Spoilers/Trigger Warnings for: Pure tear-jerking fluff ⚠️

Disclaimer: The timeline in Bardock's part is diverse from the canon

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Son Goku ══════════════════════════════╝

🍜 When you found out you were pregnant, Goku was very happy. Ever since he heard stories from ChiChi about how her father raised her when they were younger, he just wanted that bond with someone

🍜 It was at the time your oldest boy, Gohan, was born that Goku's nerves all calmed down. While he was nervous that someone would come down and harm his family, these nerves just got pushed away in favor of spending time with you and his boy

🍜 Goku is an amazing father, no doubt. And this is always proven when he would play fight with his two boys. Gohan would normally spend his time reading and learning while Goten, your second, would want to train with his dad and Uncle Piccolo

🍜 That day in particular, you had come home from a check-up with Bulma, who was making sure your third-baby, an unnamed girl, was doing well in your womb. You had just closed your door when you heard the sound of cheers coming from your backyard

🍜 Walking outside once again, you saw your husband and two sons messing around. They certainly weren't using their full strength as they messed around. Goku would mainly wrestle them in the air as they tried escaping his grasp, testing their physical strength

🍜 You smiled as the boys played around. It was always nice to see the three of them bond, especially since in nine weeks you would be delivering the second girl of the family. They needed to get their manliness out sooner rather than later

🍜 While you would normally sit down and watch them play, you needed to get some sleep, spending over an hour around Vegeta, Bulma, and Trunks could get exhausting for a woman after all... especially when Vegeta was being held down because he was sick

🍜 As you closed the backdoor behind you, you could hear the three boys laughing together along with a crash of them landing on the ground. This was the family you always dreamed of having. Thank Kami you got it

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Bardock ═══════════════════════════════╝

🛡️ Bardock and you always knew you wanted children, but as you were both warriors, this had to be held back for a while. And when you guys finally settled down, you had your two boys, Raditz and Kakarot

🛡️ Raditz was far more into being a warrior than Kakarot, as he would be out wrestling with other Saiyans while your younger would train by himself, only being joined by a select few of other Saiyans he considered to be friends

🛡️ Due to the power your husband sensed in them, he began to train his sons very diligently. Almost always helping them outside while you would mainly stayed inside and would handle more medical-related topics, almost always being called away to treat some Saiyan warriors who's pride went to their head

🛡️ You were called away the same day that Kakarot and Raditz were home from training with the army. Bardock had been with them due to an injury that came to his legs during a battle, leaving him to be home-ridden for a few days

🛡️ When you finally arrived home from handling almost fourteen whole teams of warrior's injuries, you could hear laughing and smashes coming from behind your home, leading you to laying your supplies down and walking out to find your family of boys training together

🛡️ Well, training isn't the best word. They were more tackling and wrestling one another. And it was so cute for you to watch after seeing so many grizzly injuries on your people from fights planets away

🛡️ Bardock eventually excused himself from his sons, telling them to keep up their skills. He then turned from his bickering children to his wife, whom stood there as her tail swayed gently in adoration at their actions together

"Welcome home, Y/N."

"It's good to see you bonding with the boys, Bardock."

"I know. I'm enjoying this time with them."

"You better. I did not spend so much time helping create them for you to not like them." You said.

"Don't worry, I don't just like them. I love them, they're the best sons a Saiyan could ask for."

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Son Gohan ═════════════════════════════╝

📚 Because Gohan's job took up a lot of his time, he couldn't always be around as much as he wanted to be. But whenever he did have free time, he would grab you from behind and cuddle with you, relaxing and talking about whatever's been going on in your personal lives

📚 But, after you gave birth to your daughter, Pan, Gohan had been trying to be around her more. It was difficult, but he did succeed at bonding with her most of the time

📚 You could not be more happy than to watch her bond with both her father and the man he considered to be a part of your family, that being your Namekian-ally, Piccolo

📚 Just watching as Piccolo trained her was nice, but seeing your husband take some time off to help with his daughter's development was just better in your opinion. Witnessing the closeness that your family had, no matter is blood relation was involved, was beyond wondrous

📚 One lovely day, your mother-in-law, ChiChi, had wanted to spend some time with you, to which you agreed and called up Piccolo, asking if he could babysit Pan while you left and Gohan was working. The Namekian agreed and said he'd arrive shortly, allowing you to get ready and leave

📚 You spent around two hours with your in-laws before you left, missing your daughter and husband dearly. Stepping in the backyard, you were shocked to see Gohan in his old uniform, trying to teach Pan how to throw a punch gently. He always said he hated fighting while you were together, but he did love his daughter, so maybe his love for her surpassed that

📚 Walking up and sitting beside Piccolo as he watched the two human-Saiyan hybrids, you asked how long they had been doing this and what he did to get Gohan out of his office

"Just Pan's baby-eyes did the trick. They've been doing this for around 20 minutes, Gohan's been teaching her simple fighting moves. Kicking, punching, even slapping... don't know why the last one though."

"Eh, you never know." You giggled.

📚 Piccolo smiled as Gohan tried teaching Pan to fly, resulting in her falling on her butt and him panicking and looking for any kind of wound on her body. You sometimes wonder if you married a hypochondriac

[renren-006]

ADMIRATION

Bakugo Katsuki x fem reader (AGED UP)

✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎

plot: Katsuki was someone to be admired

a/n: I just watched Ep 149 and omg! anyways kinda inspired by it

NOT manga canon. For this story, no specific quirk is mentioned for the reader

You always admired Katsuki. When you were young and joined UA, of course, you ended up in Class 2A. You watched everyone in Class A become stronger, and soon you stood by them. Katsuki never noticed your presence in class or in training for a very long time. Once he finally did it was hard to know where he stood in regards to liking you or thinking you were a dumbass. Mina had to drag him over and apologize to you before the blond-haired boy told you he thought you were pretty and walked away. You remember Mina stood there for a solid five minutes before screaming towards the older boy about how that wasn't what they had planned. 

“SHUT UP PINKY. I can confesse how I want” while he continued to walk further and further away. You two didn't talk for three days before you cornered  him after practices.

“If you wanted to take me on a date you should have asked” you had told him. 

“I thought that was implied dumbass”

You two had a lot to work on communication-wise, seeing as he held a lot of emotions close to the chest. Gradually he opened up and gradually he wanted to show you off to his friends. 

“Look here. I've got a girlfriend and you dont” he would joke when he would sit down and toss you into his lap in front of his squad. 

“It's not fair Baku-bro” Kaminari would sing, “If I had the confidence you had I'm sure I would”

“In your dreams” Bakugou shot back. You held in a laugh.

“You should just tell Jiro how you feel kami”

“Don't encourage him” Bakugo would say, never truly meaning it. You knew he cared about them. 

“I cant” Kaminari said, Kirishima patted the poor boy on the back consoling him. Sero just looked down in the dumps about not having anyone. 

As the years went by the entire squad soon had significant others and soon they were all graduating and moving on to become pro heroes. 

You took one of the lower ranks, being content with keeping the work small and community-based, as well as doing your hardest to help with disaster zones. Bakugo made it to one of the top spots, his personality made it harder for him to exceed the Number 5 spot he sat at. 

You loved watching him continue to grow and work alongside his friends in those high-ranking spots. You were watching one of the news channels doing their nightly debrief on what had happened that day when Bakugo had entered your shared home. His face popped up on the TV before he entered the living room. 

“Why are you watching this shit?” he asked, giving a small kiss to your head.

“Because I like admiring you: you told him, he froze. 

“You..admire me?”

“Of course I do. I've admired you since UA, since you battled with everything you had. You're amazing.”

“You never told me that,” he said softly

“I didn't think I had too,” you said, turning to face him now. “I've always admired you, regardless of being together, you're an amazing hero katsuki. I can't wait to watch you continue to grow”

That night was spent cuddled up in bed with a movie in the background, neither of you paying attention. You were too busy telling Bakugou everything you admired about him, and he was too busy looking at you with love.

[misdeliria]

he lets you paint his nails | k. bakugou

> pairing: katsuki bakugou x reader

> word count: 995

> concept: college au (aged-up), established relationship, domesticity, gn reader, canon divergence

> summary: bakugou lets you paint his nails

> warning(s): smoking weed

> author’s note(s): so i'm noticing i prefer college au's because the idea of writing a high school pov is so funky monkey to me. also, this was inspired by art I saw on instagram, but I forgot the artist.

You love spending the day at Bakugou’s place.

When you first started the student-hero routine, you collaborated with Kaminari and Mina on when to schedule your patrols, so you could work with either of them. Unfortunately, Bakugou decided on an opposite schedule to his roommate, so he would only have to cross paths occasionally.

That meant whenever you were working, Bakugou was off. And when you were off, Bakugou was out of the apartment.

This weekend was different, though. He switched patrols with Kirishima, who needed his shift covered, and went home early.

He already knew you would be at his place. He asked you last night over the phone and then confirmed with Kaminari.

When he unlocked the door, the smell of weed knocked him back. He scrunched his nose in irritation, but it quickly died when he caught sight of you stirring something on the stove, swinging your hips to music in your head.

You turned around when he shut the door behind him, and you dropped your spoon. Your eyes were red and glazed over, but he could read the pleasant surprise on your face.

"Katsuki," you breathed, smiling. "You're home."

"It reeks in here." He frowned darkly, dropping his duffle bag and uniform next to the couch.

"You're usually not here to smell it," you confessed whimsically, unbothered. You go up to him and bring him into a tight hug. The type of hug you gave when you were inebriated and wanted to literally melt into him. He slowly eases into it. "You're not going on patrol?"

"I would have if I was assigned an area," he muttered. "Eiji needed me to cover another time for him, so he took this shift."

"Remind me to thank him later," he heard you mumble against him.

Bakugou chuckled softly, petting the back of your head. "You miss me or something?"

"Always, asshole." You pull away from him, but he keeps his arms around you. "You're reckless."

He glares at that. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," you say quickly, pecking his lips. "We're in Kami's room. Mina's here too."

"Goody," Bakugou remarks dryly, allowing you to drag him to Kaminari's room. The smell only got stronger the deeper you went into the apartment.

"Blasty boy is here!" Mina screeched when you showed up in the doorway. Kaminari was in the middle of a bong rip when his eyes met Bakugou's glare, and he choked.

Bakugou felt a brief sense of satisfaction as he watched Kaminari cough until tears ran down his cheeks.

"You're not supposed to be here," Kaminari wheezed out once he could speak.

"Why does the place smell dank?" Bakugou glared darkly.

"We do this every weekend. Chill out," you speak up, taking a spot on the ground next to Mina.

Every weekend? "How have I not smelled it?"

"Because your sense of smell isn't as impressive as you think." Mina giggles at your clap back as she takes the bong next.

"We were gonna smoke and then paint our nails," Mina tells him. Bakugou leans against the doorframe and glances at you, but you're preoccupied with choosing a color. "Can I paint your nails, 'Tsuki?"

"Not a chance, Pinky." He lowered himself next to you, nodded when you showed him your color, and wordlessly asked for his opinion. He looked over the options, a combination of the three of your collections, all scattered on the floor between them.

He picked a basic black and passed it to you, which you took with confusion.

"Can you do mine this color?" He could feel the rush of heat crawling up his neck when Kaminari and Mina began squawking at how soft he was for you.

You silence them with a look, which he's grateful for, and smile warmly.

"Of course. I'll paint yours, then mine." You shifted, facing him, and took his hand into your lap. "Oh, wait. I'm gonna take a rip first." You paused as you reached for the bong, glancing at Bakugou briefly to check for disapproval.

He smiled and gave you a wink, enjoying how your lips pulled back into a wider grin as you grabbed the bong by the neck.

He thought you looked pretty when you handled smoking like an expert. Even though he didn't smoke, he thought it was amusing when his friends got high. And when you got high, you laughed at everything, and Bakugou loved your laugh.

"So, when is the shift you're covering for Eiji?" You ask him after starting on his nails.

"Sometime next week," he mutters, although he probably should let Kaminari know too. "I think it's during one of your shifts."

"Oh, maybe we can pair up then," you smile, keeping your focus on his nail so close to your face that you're nearly cross-eyed. "Can I add some orange? I'll make it look nice."

"Whatever you want," he tells you, makes your chest swell.

It makes his stomach flip when he realizes how dainty your hands are compared to his, and he can feel his cheeks get warm. With his other hand, he brings it against your face and pulls you closer to press a kiss on your forehead.

"What was that for?" You laugh breathlessly. You feel his body shrug across from you.

"Felt like it."

Off to the side, Mina is pretending to show Kaminari a video on her phone, but she's really recording this sweet moment where you're painting Bakugou's nails.

Bakugou loves that you painted his nails. As the week begins and you two return to your everyday routines, Bakugou checks his nails constantly.

He's careful and makes sure the polish doesn't chip off. He checks for hangnails every hour and uses oil on his cuticles.

When he's in class, and it's been a while since he's seen you, he'll start rubbing the side of his index finger against the nail on his thumb. Something about feeling the smooth paint gives him relief.

(im definitely projecting, but i hope you enjoyed)

[platoniccereal]

some notes on the wanderer/scaramouche's characterisation~

i first and foremost made this for myself since every time i touched upon the wanderer's speech something felt amiss. but i also hope these notes may be of help to any content creator in their characterisation of our favourite an-emo boy!

while writing these notes i went through phrases scaramouche/the wanderer utters to establish his choice of words and thoughts that may be hidden behind them! i also provided utterances themselves for almost every point i made so that his speech can be copied easier. besides, i tried to guess how this can be utilised in our head canons! :)

please keep in mind that these are still my notes of something that stood out to me, not absolutely everything. additionally, i still may misinterpret something + our interpretation may be different + you can see something as a stretch. that's ok! also, i listened to the english va + i speak of the balladeer and the wanderer as Two Different hypostases of a character, not the same continuous character.

hope you find it helpful!

INVERSION OF GENESIS.

★ when the balladeer/the wanderer is angry, he rarely raises his voice. he starts to whisper and even speak softer instead (it's about the english voice, but afaik it's also true for other voices, too). when he wants an emphasis on certain words, he whispers, too. this isn't true for battles, though, as he is very loud in his wanderer and shouki no kami hypostases.

★ his usual sarcastic structure is to state something he'd expect and then illustrate that someone is acting against it (as in, stupid). e.g. «ah, so if it were up to you, you'd finish the job? guess i had you all wrong. there i was thinking you were just getting cold feet,» «it's not every day you see people questioning the god of wisdom's judgment. just when you think you've seen it all.»

★ when he wants to threaten a person or make them do something, he isn't necessarily uses imperative sentences. he uses «i'd like you to» in «in return, i'd like you to answer a question for me» and still gets what he asks for. other examples are his «so why don't you relax your guard a little?» «let's cut each other a little slack, shall we?» and «so maybe you should think about backing off a little.»

as illustrated, instead of describing painful consequences, he undermines them instead. («a little» is his favourite word, it seems.) as evident later, it is coupled with his, err, laid back attitude towards threats to him. basically, he just lets people act stupid and walk into his traps.

from what we've seen from dottore, he also uses the same structure: «i suggest you keep your true feelings to yourself.» maybe, he was the one scaramouche copied.

★ overall, his sarcasm is what you'd usually see from people. it should be kept in mind that sarcasm is his initial response and he will use it as often as possible even if he could simply explain. there won't be any examples here, though, as there would be too many. but his conversations with nahida, paimon and signora illustrate it well. i believe sarcasm is his way to assert power since it builds on «common knowledge + the inversion of that» hence implying the opponent doesn't have this common knowledge -> they are stupid, he is not.

★ he is extremely professional and focused on completing the task successfully. he knows how operations (which the traveller suggests he was assigned when he was the harbinger) are carried out and follows the strict algorithm. e.g. «(to nahida) we will now proceed to the heart of irminsul», «permission to begin searching for information?»

he isn't easily swayed when he works and tries to get this attitude out of the traveller and paimon, too, just asking them not to fall behind.

★ he follows the agreement with nahida: how they will walk into the irminsul and what his tasks will be. he completes them without any chatter and keeps nahida updated as he should. even after the revelation about the tatarasuna's history, he still is able to proceed with his task.

★ «you can't have your prisoner knowing too much,» «i understand that prisoners have to put up with harassment from the guards,» it may be a stretch, but from these sentences + how he talks about his relationships with the fatui i can conclude that he easily justifies abuse towards himself. the balladeer/the wanderer isn't the person who just lets people do that, but whenever abuse happens, he easily explains it by the natural order of things and weaklings suffering from the strong ones because they deserve it. hence, whenever he ends up being the weak one, he believes he deserves this abuse. this can seep through into in his further interactions with people who care about him should any fight occur.

★ «sometimes it's you using them, other times it's them using you.» it comes in a direct parallel to niwa's words about dottore's attitude towards kabukimono: people of tararasuna didn't want to use him, hence it's the doctor who altered scaramouche's perception of human relationships. the balladeer/the wanderer believes in mutual gain and uses it to: 1) get what he wants from the traveller, 2) pay back for nahida and the traveller's help.

thus, it's safe to conclude he uses this principle as a moral compass in every social interaction he comes across. he could use this law to navigate his personal life instead of his emotions.

★ «most of human relationships are this way… certainly the stable ones are.» it is easier for him to predict when he stops being valuable to someone and toss other people out when they are not useful to him, so there is no sudden abandonment. it is easy to see how it corresponds with his trauma. this principle gives him the illusion of control since he can calculate everything, and gaining control over situations that may lead to the repeated trauma is a response real abuse survivors have. hence, it's safe to conclude the wanderer will try to find what other person gains in his more sincere relationships and, what's worse, may use other people who care about him out of habit since it's a natural order for him.

★ even though he earned the reputation of someone who doesn't bite his tongue when he should he doesn't backtalk or lie when it isn't beneficial to him.

★ he admits to managing «cordial conversations», so while the wanderer may avoid participating in small talks at all, it isn't unreal to picture him having one and not imploding. this is also something confirmed by his first appearance in the unreconciled stars event where he handles a friendly conversation perfectly - so the friendliness is just something he knows (and studied intently as kabukimono) but ignores on purpose. social skills are there.

★ the balladeer and possibly the wanderer, too, is sadistic in a classical sense of the word. he admits to enjoying stomping on the pests, meaning bringing pain and destruction to people. this can also be confirmed by one of the husk of the opulent dream's pieces. there, it is stated that «he also loved watching expressions of terror and helplessness play across human faces, and it was perhaps precisely because of this imbecilic underling's expressiveness that he had kept them around.» as the balladeer, he let some of his subordinates stay not because of their usefulness, but because they were funny to abuse. (also. hot.)

thus, it can be possible that in a less hostile environment of the akademiya the wanderer can struggle with this side of himself, hurting people on purpose. this can also become something he has to fight in relationships with people he cares about.

★ before his memories are restored the wanderer is polite and reserved. he apologises, calls his boss properly and tries to do his part. we can notice the similar behaviour of the balladeer but weaponised to imitate friendliness (e.g. unreconciled stars). there isn't any features of a classical shy character, he doesn't stutter or use abrupt phrases.

★ «i ran into him out in the wilderness during the storm, and he let me take shelter in his cart. in return, i said i'd be his helper for a while.» even before he gets his memories back and remembers principles the fatui likely taught him, the wanderer navigates his relationships with others through understanding what he gets and what he must give in return.

it is clear that he spent some time in the shop already and made enough work to make the merchant uncomfortable for exploiting him. thus, the «for a while part» isn't quite true. the wanderer has nowhere to go so he has every intention to pay back more than he needs to, to just stay somewhere.

hence, he can continue using this principle in his relationships with others, creating a conflict where he is dead set on paying back with little to no regard for his own feelings.

★ «i don't deserve your protection.» it seems that even before he restores his memories and is only told about his sins, the wanderer already despises himself enough to reject help. this attitude may exist later, when the wanderer restored his memories, with an added «i'm not that weak» but this is only my speculation.

however, this phrase may be another example of him carefully weighing what others give to him and what he should return.

★ «(uttered by the jester) what you are, truly, is a weapon, one that can be wielded with an iron will…» to further ingrain the thought that the balladeer is a tool, not a person, the jester proposes the idea of seeing himself as a weapon to kunikuzushi. coupled with dottore saying someone will eventually use kabukimono, it seems this was the strategy that was used to keep the balladeer in the harbinger ranks.

thus, we can see that the balladeer continued to suffer abuse due to 1) his beliefs in the strong dominating the weak, 2) his illusions that he is a person shattered by events of tararasuna, hence he perceives himself as an object, a weapon that must endure. the latter is a bit of a speculation but i don't think it is far off the mark:

★ «now that i've had a taste of just about every flavour in this world, i've found that actually… bitterness is the one i like best,» and the whole bitterness discussion in the teapot are the example of him pushing himself to his limits in order to being able to handle the true bitterness of life. (also, it lies in a nice parallel with ei/shogun's «illusions shattered» thing, but i diverge.)

★ «(uttered by the jester) or, you could continue to drift aimlessly.» another tactic fatui used to win kabukimono over was his obvious lack of any goals and place to go. we can see that the wanderer finds himself in a similar position, staying with the merchant because he had nowhere to go. long time ago, the balladeer stayed for these very reasons with much, much more dangerous people than a common merchant.

★ «i'm harsh on myself and everybody else.» while the former comes from the low self-esteem and believing himself to be weak, the wanderer also won't be patient with anyone's blunders. i suspect especially if it's about someone in his charge or if it's about work. i also suspect that an easy way to get on his good-ish side is to act this way as well and not let any mistakes slide.

★ «utility to others is what makes me worth.» as soon as his memories were implemented into him, he is reverted back to his harsh principles ingrained into him by the fatui. it seems there isn't any other tool he could use to measure his worth. the base principle that any life is worth something does not exist for someone who didn't see himself as an alive being for several past centuries.

hence, it can lead to reckless behaviour driving him to his limits which will cause stress to someone who cares about him.

★ «oh right… i almost forgot. you're the good guys. you're into justice and all that.» this is his answer to the traveller trying to argue with how the wanderer sees his own worth. i believe there's some division between what he thinks good guys deserve/what the wanderer himself deserves. thus, while it is possible he will agree that life's worth is life itself after some long argument, he still won't apply this to himself. i believe it's a somewhat common coping mechanism to think «people don't deserve X, but i deserve X.» (i'm not talking about his crimes, btw.)

★ «no nonsense. i like it.» he approves when the traveller doesn't argue with the «let them stab the blades into my chest if they so desire. maybe that's how it always should have been.» while the wanderer might need support in his life and changing his self-destructive perspective might be of great help to him, it seems he still wouldn't appreciate a direct approach to that.

VOICE LINES.

★ one of the most consistent features of the wanderer is despising the idle chatter, as evident in this idle voice line, «it's rather pathetic to force a conversation just to occupy silence.» another example is the husk of opulent dream's description: «the youth, hating chatty humans the most, gave his subordinate a backhand slap.»

so, the balladeer/the wanderer despises small talk even if he can participate in one. he would likely appreciate people who are just focused on the task and don't say anything that isn't related to their common goal at the moment. perhaps, it can be used to form a wordless bond between him and people who hang out with him.

it seems that he is quite harsh in his criteria for the idle chatter since his subordinate asks quite a normal question of where the harbinger is heading next.

★ looking through every voice line about other people, it can be argued that the wanderer's initial algorithm to describe someone is to trash them. but i believe we should also remember most of his voice lines are about the harbingers, and he's never had particularly warm feelings towards his colleagues. other four are yae miko and raiden shogun, and he isn't fond of them both, and kazuha and nahida. last two are the only people he doesn't despise, and these voice lines are pretty tame, while not an open praise.

★ «i have no need for food. save me the trouble and take care of yourself and that small thing floating next to you.» this can be perceived both as him not wanting the traveller getting in his way like the balladeer's subordinates, or genuine, poorly expressed care. thus, the wanderer may say dubious phrases with that intention whenever he expresses his care.

★ «so, you're still stewing over our run-ins from before? huh. well, what are you going to do about it? take your time. i'm in no hurry.» the wanderer's attitude to threats is quite unique. other examples of that are his lines from the trailer, where he answers «sure i will» and «i look forward to that» to the threat that he will pay for his attitude. also, «fine by me – come one, come all, i say. as a matter of fact, i'm somewhat looking forward to it.»

basically, you can read his behaviour as «you can be stupid enough trying to attack me, and i won't stop humans from being stupid, and the outcome is their fault.» it's basically all over his trailer where he waits until the fatui attack first.

★ when it comes to answering for his sins, though, i would rather see it as accepting his punishment. it is also evident in his falling voice line, «the price for my sins.»

★ «the gods aren't guided by any kind of rationality or moral compass. haven't i shown that to you already?» i believe he doesn't mean ei or nahida here, two archons he is connected with, because he didn't show us anything in regard to them. (we dealt with problems with them ourselves) what he might mean is shouki no kami. this also may be evident in his battle ost and, «(about his actions) after all, gods have never been needed to be reasonable.» so this phrase may indicate irony he feels regarding his actions as an archon.

★ overall, it seems that he's rather profiling everybody for us rather than giving his pure opinion.

★ «anger, whether it be from others or myself, is too convenient and useful as a tool.» while the balladeer went as far as becoming a god only to become emotionless, he now learns an actually legitimate way to deal with anger. the first step to do it is to learn that anger is a normal emotion and how to channel it instead. thus, he can also learn this about other emotions and that each one of them is ok. knowing he uses the utility of everything as a compass, the utility of emotions may be something that will help him accept them.

★ «don't you know that's only asking for trouble?» coupled with the phrase from his birthday letter, «has she ever stopped to think about what an «experience» it is for others to meet me?» it is apparent that while behaving highly unsociable due to detest for idle chatter, he also wants to shelter others from his presence since he believes it is nothing pleasant. i believe he also thinks it will only bring suffering in the end – to them.

★ «it's not so much that i have nothing to say… i just have nothing fun or positive to share,» explains another reason he avoids conversations – he just doesn't believe himself to be someone people would usually have as an opponent.

★ «if you don't mind, perhaps… we could sit here together for a while,» coupled with «the scenery here should be quite breathtaking» from his birthday voice line lets me think that his favourite quality time with others is to peacefully enjoy some scenery (he truly is a cat who just likes to be in someone's presence).

★ «are you so dumb as to have forgotten that i'm not human?» this is a less useful observation but i find it rather funny that he is annoyed not by the fact that the traveller may try to poison him but by the fact that they chose an ineffective method. if we wanna extract something useful, though, it can be said that if the traveller tries to kill him and fairly wins, he is ok with that as he is the weak one in this situation. but that's quite a stretch.

★ «i can see the great deal of effort you put forth,» «thank you for trying to look out for me. go get some rest,» and «it's generous of you to host me in your home. the least i could do is be grateful,» show pretty clearly that even after the wanderer restored his memories he is still able to express gratitude without exploding, and i don't believe he finds it useful to be mean when it isn't of any need.

★ «hey, you own this place. what are you so nervous about? it's not a good look,» coupled with «look at me, coming around here, criticizing your lifestyle choices.» everybody noticed how nice the wanderer is in the serenitea pot (as shown in the previous point). but this also reveals that while he enjoys being painfully straightforward and kept people around just because they suffered prettily, he doesn't enjoy when at least the traveller doesn't put up any fight. maybe it's about the subordinate/the equal difference. basically, he seems to respect people with strong personal boundaries. the ones who don't try to justify their own home where he is just a guest, at least. that would be logical since it's evident he navigates his life through «weak/strong» division.

★ «this is your home. arrange it as you wish,» this and previous voice lines illustrate once again that he isn't unnecessarily mean, at least not all the time. he understands the dynamics of a place he is in and how to be a grateful guest instead of shitting on every player's choice.

★ «the fact that things didn't work out doesn't make my past self a fool for hoping in vain that they would, does it?» and «you're a god. do you think i'm evil?» depending on whether we see the former as rhetoric or not, this may show that even though he is quite old, he still looks for guidance whenever it comes to more vulnerable topics. he looks for this guidance in people he respects, such as the traveller and nahida. and at least with nahida, he listens intently because the answer truly matters to him. maybe, if there wasn't any mechanic restrictions, he would listen to the traveller, too.

PRE-IOG SCENES.

★ «for just a small price, they get the feeling of controlling the world. trading their life for supreme power… pretty good deal, don't you think?» there isn't much to analyse as the utterance is pretty clear, but i just find it funny because this is what he ended up doing with shouki no kami. so either he fell into the same trap or he truly believed in what he said then and wasn't just mocking teppei.

★ «[haypasia] peered into my consciousness and saw my past. someone like that is qualified to become my first follower.» while this qualifies haypasia as a follower, having one also qualifies him as a god. but this can be perceived differently. haypasia saw his past and stayed devoted and didn't leave her god. it is my speculation, but this may be something scaramouche is after - this is a twisted form of acceptance. as the wanderer, he still may harbour such desire to be seen and accepted, leading him into healthy relationships or unhealthy obsessions. still, the whole haypasia sequence demonstrates that scaramouche is still a loyal individual, he just didn't have anyone to grant this loyalty.

★ on the same note, it should be said that scaramouche openly admits and expresses affection to haypasia. a mortal, a feeble human, mind you. because, of course, she is his first and only follower. thus, he can show such feelings honestly and without shying away if he deems it necessary, which might be useful for creating his future bonds with other people and maybe he will be much more open with them than we'd initially thought.

★ «has anyone ever told you that you're not good at sowing discord?» and «you're still too naive if you think a few words will be enough to convince me to destroy the doctor,» imply that before the revelation in 3.3, scaramouche wouldn't let just anyone get him on bad terms with the doctor and manipulate him into that no matter how much abuse by dottore he endured. no matter how bad his relationships with his colleges are, he will handle them himself. this is a note purely for me and my future writing of the wanderer, but it seems that even after 3.3 getting him out of the dottore's mental grasp will be a demanding task.

SMALLER DETAILS.

★ his idle emotion and his character picture are him smiling, so it isn't unusual for the wanderer to do it and even more natural - maybe, at least when he is alone.

★ whenever the wanderer finishes the task, he prefers to shortly say «done» without any chatter.

★ when it comes to speech, he doesn't divide his sentences much and uses compound, very complex ones freely. whenever he needs to explain something, if it isn't something he deems stupid, he does it fully and doesn't hold back.

★ scaramouche always calls nahida buer, perhaps as the way to show himself being above «demon gods», while the wanderer calls her lesser lord kusanali, which sounds more respectful as it is her title.

★ overall, i think the approach hoyo use for their characters is choosing one main characteristic (if you think about any character, you can remember One main thing about them) and then building their interactions around situations where it feature shows and situations where it is an exception and they act against it.

if we focus only on one type of these situations, we mischaracterise the character. thus, if we choose, say, the wanderer being mean as his main feature and focus on it, we miss out on times where it isn't true. for example, his respect for the traveller's realm or his desire to help others in a parade of providence. if we focus only on nice exceptions like that, we mischaracterise him as well.

updates:

★ now that we have both the second birthday story and his tcg lines, it appears to the wanderer is no stranger to doing something just to make someone happy. and then say it was only because he's got nothing to do. e.g., reading books someone recommended to him, «some vahumana students were trying to push some book recommendations onto me. i don't have anything else to do, so i'm just idly flipping through them» or playing a duel because he thinks it makes the traveler happy, «can a game like this really make you so happy? childish... if you want to play, then be quick about it,» «all smiles after winning a game like this? ha, so easy to satisfy,» «and the boring game is finally over... you happy now?»

[kustas]

Do you have reccs for "ugly" art (manga, comics, movie, etc.)? Thanks for the Tekkon recs btw I really liked it

That really depends on your own personal media landscape and what your definition of "ugly" is! As a random example, I've seen many people call ONE's art ugly because of the wobbly linework when I think it's lovely. Ugly could also mean something a bit shocking/crass in its themes. Etc, etc... I'm going to go with the definition of "something that's a bit jarring to look at or go through" here :)

Disclaimer: a lot of these tackle sensitive topics, sometimes for fun and not always tastefully. If there's themes you really can't handle in media, do your research before looking into them.

Manga

I keep recommending yes because it rules but Dorohedoro and its scratchy messy art and gore galore. talking about the manga exclusively here the anime is too polished for my taste

God's Child (Kami no Kodomo): tbh this one is for the art only I hated the writing. very gruesome & unique looking short story

I hesitate to recommend this one because it's edgy as hell but I shan't lie I had a lot of fun with Hellsing. it's "bad" in the same areas as something like berserk but unlike that one it does not take itself seriously

if you liked Tekkon i strongly suggest trying out more stuff by its author (saying this with immense biais). the most ugly/messy thing i've read of his, which isn't a lot because i find his work very delicate, is No. 5 which i would less describe as "good" than "very compelling to me". i also recommend this wonderful essay tearing it down

Comics (non JP)

FLEEP: a short story about a man who wakes up in a phone cabin seemingly encased in concrete. one of the comics i always recommend for its length and storytelling. (link leads to the artist's website where you can read it for free!)

The Astonishing Exploits Of Lucien Brindavoine: a young artist gets drafted in the first world war and goes through a series of almost supernatural adventures. beyond the adventure book aspect, a harsh criticism of nationalism/patriotism that's still awfully relevant

Animation

Ruben Brandt: Collector: a psychiatrist suffers from strange art related nightmares ruining his life. his clients, a bunch of high profile criminals, decide to help him fight off his demons by organizing one long vacation where they steal every painting involved. extremely unique visually, a fun heist movie with thriller elements.

Junk Head: goofy post apocalyptic movie about a man on a quest to save, who keeps losing sight his goal because cartoony violence episodes have his head tumble into new lows, literally. this is, perhaps, one of my favorite animated films ever, it's earnest and fun and lovingly crafted. very unique of a watch

The Apostle: freshly escaped from prison, a thief is on a mission to find treasure hidden by his old cellmate, and finds himself stuck in an ancient village who's strange looking elderly inhabitants are way too insistent on his stay. classic spooky folktale with its millennial curses and foreboding warnings, it's also a nice peek into the culture of Galicia and old world medieval weirdass catholicism. you can buy a DVD on their website

MKFZ: dumb as hell high adrenaline animated B movie with excellent animation. there's a plot about alien living undercover in fantasy california but you don't watch this kind of film for the plot. fair warning this is adapted from a french comic so of course, it's crass and racist

Blow to the Head - Lightning bolt: awesome music video (YT link)(warning for flashing/strobing lights if you're sensitive to that!)

Canon Fodder: from the Memories omnibus film. little slice of the life of a fantasy war obsessed industrial nation

with its new movie on the horizon, it's a great time to get into Mononoke, despite traditionally pretty visuals its got a unique style and gets pretty offputting

Live action cinema

7:35 in the morning: short film about the fear in improvised musical numbers where you don't expect any. it's on youtube in bad quality

The Draughtsman's Contract: an artist is hired by a Lady to draw several vistas of her house, in exchange for money, good drawing condition, and the Lady. follows a good hour of cunts in powdery wigs being awful to each other for their own gain. if you're into dark humor it's a good test, otherwise it has a really satisfying murder mystery to follow too.

Three Kings: during the gulf war, a group of US soldiers decide to steal Hussein's gold for themselves under the mighty standard of kuwait's loot repatriation. extremely caustic take on good ol murican international politics. i was shocked at how far it goes and it's express, low budget treatment which i did not expect from a hollywood film. the movie tires itself fast and becomes less good in its second half but the it's opening acts are interesting

Delicatessen: a sliver of humanity survives in an old timey stone building in the middle of nothingness on top of a functional butcher's shop. gossip follows the arrival of a new roommate. how does one even maintain a butchery in a no man's land? weird film with a unique(ly goofy) take on the post apocalyptic genre

Other

For traditional artists, I like the works of Beksinski (<3), Schiele, Giger. For modern artists Oleg Vdovenko (heavy gore warning for that one), Jeff Simpson

I'm less a fan of the MV and live performances they got infamous for than their music proper but I really like the band Cardiacs, who's judged by many of my friends to be extremely hard to get into lol.

[takeyourcyanide]

Starving (Chapters 1 & 2)

AO3

Fandom: Soul Eater

Characters: Spirit Albarn | Death Scythe, Franken Stein, Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Original Characters, Original Human Character(s)

Word Count (so far): 1 813

Tags (whole fic tags): Mutual Pining, Pining, Porn With Plot, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Heavy Angst, Teen Angst, Angst and Romance, Hurt No Comfort, Emotional Hurt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Resentment, Neglect, Misogyny, Internalized Homophobia, Insecurity, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, One Night Stands, Drinking, Bars and Pubs, Clubbing, Mildly Dubious Consent, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Passive-aggression, Denial of Feelings, sex scene, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe

Summary: Despite Spirit’s persistent denial and Stein’s difficulty with understanding such a foreign feeling, a mutual romantic attraction had been brewing between the two for years. Spirit continuously relies on Stein to care for him in the wee hours of the morning after his drunken sexual endeavors, leaving him to question the possibility of Stein feeling neglected in some way. It took years for Stein to properly dissect his feelings, and still, he hasn’t an exact clue as to how to go about them, especially not when his partner is always too busy seeking validation from his “frat-boy-esc” peers. This fic could be described as depicting the results of this all. I’d also like to add that this is somewhat of an alternate universe in the sense that Kami isn’t really in the picture. They’re around 18, though Stein is implied to be a little younger than Spirit in the series, so he is around 16-17 in this fic. And also in the sense that we have no idea whether or not they have seasonal breaks.

See Notes on AO3 for more context/information.

Notes: It’s a miracle at this point that I was even able to write these two, fairly short chapters. Here, have them before erosion takes completely over. It took forever and a lot of miserably failing at processing thought for these two.

This is based on @/mellancholy-morose’s ask they sent in pertaining to an imaginary fic game. The word was starving.

“Another date?” A monotone, and yet passive-aggressive voice managed to freeze Spirit’s startled body in place, his hand on the silver knob of the front door.

The dim and ever-flickering lights of their kitchen painted Stein in a suitably unnerving way, the shadows cascading across the room and his face making the slight downturn to his lips rather overt.

“Why? Are you jealous?” Spirit feigned a conceited smirk, familiar pangs of guilt running achingly up and down his now slumped spine.

“No, I was just curious as to where you were heading off to this time. Knowing whether or not you’ll be going to a bar, a restaurant, a brothel.. it will help me determine if and when I’ll have to prepare myself to carry you to what might as well be your porcelain throne at this point,” Stein glanced up from the teabag he was whirling around in a little grey mug filled with scorching water - one which he had painted stitches all over - a disturbing grin on his face as he stared through Spirit, one filled with emotions that he was sure his meister could not quite grasp; a mixture between petulance, sardonicism, jealousy, and even mild resentment.

Spirit playfully rolled his eyes, hoping to alleviate some of the awkward and chilling tension in the air, which was so potent that Stein could likely dissect it with the help of one of his ‘pride and joys,’ as he so often called them. “It’s summer break, what can I say? Maybe you should just get out more. You know, Marie-“

“I don’t want to go out with Marie, Spirit.”

“Then-“

“I have absolutely no desire to spend a whole lot of time outside. It’s sweltering, why would I do that to myself?”

Spirit adjusted the black tie around his neck, flattening each individual fold in his dress shirt. “I’m, uh.. I’m just going to a bar with some friends,” he sighed, his brows pinched, begrudgingly observing the way in which Stein’s body tensed as he abruptly ceased his fussing with the teabag, observing how his breath hitched, observing how unnaturally controlled his posture became, as if to conceal something.

He dug his nails into his palms, the rising guilt forming into a ball nestling itself uncomfortably in his throat, barely able to fit inside.

“You’re welcome to come, Stein.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline,” he blew on his steaming tea, which smelled of a minty lavender.

“Yeah,” he huffed out a breathy chuckle. “I know that’s not really your scene.”

Franken set down his glass carefully, avoiding any loud clanking sound. He lifted his gaze to meet Albarn’s again, a more solemn and analytical glint in his eyes, replacing the petty one formerly present. His hands were outstretched on opposite ends of the countertop, relying on the faux marble to hold up his weight.

“No, it isn’t. And if I’m being entirely honest, I’m not sure that it’s exactly yours either.”

“Wha-“

“Go, Spirit. You can go. I’m not going to hold you hostage. I was just curious.”

“Oh- uh.. okay?”

He placed his hand tentatively back around the doorknob, utterly dumbfounded and at a loss for any coherent words to string together.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

“Uhm..”

“Goodbye, Spirit. I’ll see you later.. maybe.”

Maybe?

“Bye…”

Spirit closed the door quickly and promptly behind him, refusing to even so much as look at Stein, as he left.

‘How does that bastard always manage to make me feel like I’m openly running around on him,’ he narrowed his annoyed, culpable eyes, growling internally as he monologued to himself. ‘We’re not even together. What the hell? How can I cheat on someone I’m not even with? Stein doesn’t feel romantic shit. He’s not a romance guy. Yeah, sure, there’s somethin’ there, but I’m not gay or anything. It could just be a product of our partnership, couldn’t it? And even if it weren’t, I’m not gay. I’ve only ever liked women. So, It’s impossible. Yep. It’s impossible. Why would either of us be fucking gay? That’s laughable. He’s just jealous I have other friends. He just wants my attention ‘cause I’m fun to experiment on. Yeah. Fun to toy with. Does he even want my attention? Is it possible that he has those needs just like everyone else? Maybe he’s just the jealous type, I don’t fucking know. He’s always been possessive over his test subjects. That’s all it is.

No. I don’t think he’s even jealous,’ he pursed his lips childishly at the thought. ‘He’s just annoyed that he has to hold my hair back all the damn time. I’m just a burden, that’s all it is. Yeah. He’s not the helping type either, is he? No. I’m forcing him to take care of me. He’s just annoyed. I was just misreading things again. That’s all it is.’

-

Pondering, Running, Chasing

Alcohol reminded Spirit of a butterfly, of a caterpillar. It typically began unpleasantly at best, and downright gag-worthy at worst, only to break free from its cocoon and become a beautiful butterfly.. well, the dizzying effects it brought forth were the beautiful, sought after butterfly. Perhaps the butterfly would allow his whirlwind of emotions a piggyback ride, and would graciously flap away with them.

“Hey,” two long fingers came to snap loudly in front of his face. “Spirit.”

He rolled his wrist in a circular motion, his eyes fixed on how his whiskey swirled around in the shimmering glass he held, splashing up and swimming back down over and over again.

“What is it?” His words came out more like a shy murmur than a confident acknowledgment.

“Y’see that girl over there, right?”

He forced his eyes to follow the man’s index finger, which lead them to some ditzy-looking brunette giggling and whispering to her friends, occasionally glancing mischievously, intently at him.

“Yeah, I see her.”

“She’s been staring at you since you walked in, dude.“

He guzzled down the rest of his drink, gasping for a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding.

“Aren’t you gonna go up to her? She looks easy.”

“Wouldn’t that only make it more boring? There’d be no challenge,” another man, the one sitting off to his left somewhere, chimed in.

“Well- hm. Who fucking cares honestly? Sex is sex, and why waste time on some bitch who’s just gonna… I don’t know. At least the easy ones will do whatever the fuck you want. Might not be as much of an ego boost, but hey, I’ll take what I can get.”

“I’m gonna go get another drink,” Spirit wobbled up off of the couch. “Be right-“

“Hey, what’s wrong with you tonight? Where’s all your… fire? Arrogance? I dunno, but what’s with you?” The snapper seemed to sneer at him, eyes narrow in scrutiny, as he tugged Spirit back down by his arm. “You’re bringing the whole mood down.”

“I’m just kinda tired tonight.”

“Well, why don’t you go wake yourself up, then?” He smirked, nodding his head over in the direction of the brunette.

“Uh, I don’t kn-“

“What are you, gay now or somethin’? Who would let an opportunity like *that* go? And what’s with that fucking face?”

“What face?”

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. If you don’t fuck her, I will.”

“I’m gonna fuck her, damn,” he nearly choked on a manufactured laugh. “Just give me a second. I want another drink first.”

“She’s not the kinda girl you wanna drink a lot before fucking, Albarn.”

“Yeah, I think you’d wanna remember that one.”

Spirit’s entire body shook with a sigh. “True,” he shoved his empty glass into the snapper’s hand. “Hold my drink.”

They finally allowed him to stand, to leave, slapping him and patting him on his shoulders and back, whistling even, as he adjusted his suit jacket, making sure to walk with a zealous and self-assured saunter.

The farther he went, the closer the girl’s flushed cheeks came into view. He turned his head, as bashful or apprehensive as it may have came across, an entire line of giggling people all seated in barstools, multiple large crowds stumbling over both their words and their own feet, duos, trios, singles all hoarding the bathrooms, rushing in and out.

He mentally prepared himself, gently tapping her on her bare shoulder. It was a gesture he knew Stein would find moronic, given the fact that it was obvious he had her attention from the very beginning, and that she was well aware of his approaching presence.

Perhaps the supposed stupidity of social protocol and what it was sure to lead to would rip the seemingly disappointed face polluting all of his thoughts and behavior from out of his mind.

But wasn’t he only misreading things?

“Hello?” She smirked, lifting a playfully judging eyebrow. “You there, sweetheart?”

Spirit shook his head violently from side to side, dragging a dramatic hand down his face. “Oh, yeah, shit.. Sorry. I’m just all over the place tonight.”

“It’s okay, no worries. You shoulda seen me before *this* absolute godsend,” the woman laughed, lifting her shot glass, which sparkled under the warm lighting of the bar. “I’m Lavinia.”

“Spirit.”

“…Well, why don’t you sit down?”

Spirit ran his hand through his hair, noiselessly, though deeply inhaling. He glanced over to where the group of young men were seated. They were watching him, smirking and chuckling knowingly. They were whistling, bossily nodding their heads, the one sat in the middle pumping his fist, and the one on the left making uncomfortably suggestive hand movements.

He averted his gaze from them, flashing the girl his usual glib-full smile, as he lifted the vent of his suit jacket, his arm coming to rest against the chilled, sleek wood of the bar.

-

“It sucks that your meister’s such a killjoy. My apartment’s a mess,” she dragged him by his hand down the old, somewhat dirty cobblestone sidewalk, lined with antique street lights. They marched past a musty alleyway, turning a corner and entering a much cleaner sector of the city; the one closest to the DWMA, the one filled with numerous apartment buildings utilized as dormitories.

“Well, at least your roommate isn’t there.”

Lavinia released Spirit’s fingers from her grasp, fumbling with her keys, distractedly drawling as she responded with, “True…”

She stuck the wrong key into the hole at least three times, awkwardly and nervously giggling.

‘Maybe she forgot which key was the right one?’ He questioned to himself, a creeping, foreign vulnerable, nervous, and perhaps even insecure sort of feeling encircling, kissing the lurking guilt incessantly stalking him.

There was something about that guilt that brought with it achy pangs of longing- or perhaps it wasn’t. It wasn’t longing. And if it was, it had not a thing to do with guilt. It had everything to do with the opportunity gesturing him inside.

[ginnyw-potter]

7 Scandals and a Baby

Regency AU, sneaking around, premarital sex, secret pregnancy

Hinny + canon Weasley side-ships

Explicit

16 Chapters

87K words

There are 6 scandals that help Ginny grow closer to Lord Potter, the Marquess from across the street she has loved since forever. All of those scandals are caused by her brothers. With their heads turned, there is Lord Potter to entertain her, in many different ways. The 7th scandal is entirely her own, and when they find out that she has been ‘compromised’, her brothers scramble to find her a husband who will accept her. They eventually land on Lord Potter, while having no clue how much he is responsible for her ‘situation’.

Chapter 13: To the estate

Ginny could only summarise her honeymoon as ‘good’ especially to her family she was about to join for dinner. Details would be scarce, because spending most of your time in bed with a husband you allegedly do not love and spending the remainder of your time on the couch with said husband having deep conversations, was not something you could share at a family dinner with someone who had married you off to save you from ruin.

[deusvervewrites]

Saiyan AU

King Piccolo could tell with one look that All for One was going to steal his wish when they were making the plans regarding the Dragon Balls. So the second he sensed Tambourine coming back with the last one he had his kids grab the rest and headed out to wish for eternal youth.

It also helped that Piccolo could sense multiple ki signatures bearing down on their location, one of which he could tell was Kami, so he knew that he had to make his wish very quickly or someone would steal it.

It's a threat he's canonically aware of so it makes sense

[lizzle-the-edu-gamer]

BibliophiLe accomplishment post!

100 KUDOS?! 🎉🎉🎉

I couldn't even fit that many people in my house.

Enough people like my story that I'd need to throw a party at the park!

Thanks to anyone here who has given me some love on it! You're such a homie!

What's some tid bit of info I could give to celebrate this?

A lot of people who comment say they love the characterization.

Let me pull back the veil on one of those characters:

My husband has ADHD and a bad case of the extroverts mixed with spontaneity.

He is, 100%, my Kaminari.

Before I wrote Chapter 11, I wondered, "Do people actually crash into walls when they're too excited and want to talk to you?" Like Kaminari does when he snags Monoma in the hallway.

That week, my husband was quickly running up the stairs to talk to me, and was so excited he stumbled into the wall.

How else doth my husband exude this Kami's spirit?

- He rode a homemade zipline and broke his foot

- He's jumped over a hedge and misjudged space, twisting his ankle

- He would do all of it again because he says things like, "Jumping is fun!" And "I bet I could make that!" And "I'm going to do a flip on the bed/couch!"

- He owns a pair of adult sized heelies (the shoes with wheels in the heels to roll around)

- He quotes Romeo and Juliet at least once a week, if not more.

- He wants to buy us longboards so we can leisurely skate around the neighborhood.

- His diet has a large portion carved out for candy and cookies.

- He has so many ideas bubbling in his head that sometimes he'll switch topics so many times he'll forget where he started.

- He can get so warm I need to physically push him away cause of that electric body. Legitimately. The guy explodes with heat sometimes.

- He loves Pokemon. (That's just canon people!)

- He had an after school care job with little kids where he actually made up songs for them on guitar. Tiny children love him.

- He can expend so much energy talking that it seriously looks like he powers down, essentially "short circuiting" until he has eaten, relaxed, or both.

- He infamously asked professors in college if, instead of writing essays, he could write poetry. They let him.

Some days, when I was writing, I would just thank him for being my Kaminari.

I hope you like him as your Kaminari too.

If you want to check out my lil My Hero Academia fic with a big heart and an angsty/fluffy slow burn between this guy and Monoma that will warm your soul by the end, check out BibliophiLe!

[themissakat]

ALOY ON THEMISSAKAT’S BLOG, THIS IS NOT A DRILL

i fuckin love horizon. seeing aloy in your style is something i didnt expect to see but it’s amazing

did you pick up zero dawn recently and then forbidden west right after? or have you played zero dawn a while ago and then played forbidden west recently?

please share any and all thoughts you want to share abt the games cause it’d be cool to hear what you think abt the games.

horizon cool games

I had zero dawn sitting in my steam library for maaaybe the better part of 2 years?? (i got it on sale ages ago) some friends were playing hfw and it inspired me to finally pick up hzd. I beat hzd a few months ago, mayyybe 2 or 3 months before forbidden west dropped on Steam?

I can't say any other series has gut punched me so many times and so well. I think overall I liked the first game better, just for the impact of the reveals (the data point talking about the Faro machines and the dolphins haunts me) but the addition of new characters in the second game plus expansion of the world and just MORE of aloy and her friends is so good.

gonna do a read more for hfw spoilers through the end of the game and maybe some burning shores?(hi kami dont look)

I can no longer live without Beta she is wonderful and my beloved and I want to replay hzd but the fact that Beta wont be there makes me SAD. The compare/contrast between Aloy and Beta is such an interesting concept and expands upon their relationship to Elizabet (in particular the pressure of her legacy) in such a fun way. I love taking a nature/nurture look at how they are as people and how they were raised, so similarly isolated and yet SO DIFFERENT because of their environment and the few people that were present.

I've been contemplating writing a character study drabble/ficlet from Beta-pov about Aloy throughout the game. I was screaming SISTERS at them during every interaction and then the ending with the PAYOFf just AHH.

I wish burning shores had a "chat with beta" option, I can only headcanon that Aloy and Beta chat or watch Beta's media in the evening when Aloy's resting.

The character development of Aloy learning how to interact with and trust other people is good soup. I could wax poetic about my head canons for her particular flavor of queer (given the time to organize my thoughts). I'm incredibly curious to see how they handle Seyka/Aloy going forward into the second game, in part because Aloy is such a goal-driven person, I can see her struggling to reconcile her own "selfish" motivations with the looming threat of the end of the world. (because like. girl if the world is ending you need to cherish every second you have with the people who matter to you. but also yall need time to figure out if you can beat nemesis. do be a tough dilemma there.)

I want to roll around in the brainrot more but its a struggle bc i'm a very au-centric fanartist/writer and the world of horizon is so good on its own i cant even put myself in the au mindset. for now i have to be happy with drawing aloy's amazing hair. its so beautiful i love it so much

but yeah. overall. horizon cool games.

[powerful-niya]

— (prσmísє ríngs.)

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚hαppч nαruhínα mσnth єvєrчσnє!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟿: 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 + 𝙲𝚞𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜 - (𝙽𝙷𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝟸𝟹)

Link to Oneshot below ↴

Wattpad | AO3

Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Naruhina

Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡Naruto and Hinata solidify their commitment by exchanging promise rings, signifying a profound step in their relationship. However, the night progresses further as the two sought to make their promise of being together forever tangible in the sheets.

Content Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Accidental Stimulation • Bed-sharing • Blank Period • Body Worship • Boyfriend/Girlfriend • Claiming • Canon • Clit Play • Clit Stimulation • Condoms • Couple Goals • Couple Rings • Cuddles • Cunnilingus • December 3 • December 9 • Dirty Talk • Exploration • Fluff • Feel Good • Love • Love Making • Multiple Orgasms • NHMonth • NHMonth23 • NSFW • Oral Sex • Overstimulation • Praise Kink • Promises • Promise Rings • Protected Sex • Rings • Romantic • Tooth-Rotting Fluff • Vaginal Sex • Vanilla • 2023 •

Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚9.8k.

Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚6.5k.

Preview ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

Illuminated by the gentle moonlight, Naruto and Hinata strolled hand in hand through the enchanting streets of Konoha, their steps echoing with the rhythmic harmony of anticipation as they journeyed toward the doorstep of their new home.

The air was crisp, and the night held a certain magic that only those deeply in love could truly appreciate. 

They had been together for a year now, navigating the twists and turns of life side by side, and tonight marked a significant milestone in their journey. The couple had taken each step at a measured pace, savoring the growth of their relationship.

Setting out on the adventure of purchasing a home and moving in together marked a significant leap for both of them.

Surrounded by thoughtfully selected furniture and shared spaces, Naruto and Hinata cherished the uncomplicated joys of living together, relishing in the delightful routine of shared meals and intimate moments as they embarked on the journey to build a better life together.

It embodied all they had ever desired, and they found joy in the realization that the steady pace of their relationship was progressing seamlessly–a promise that it would endure and eventually evolve into something even more meaningful.

During their night time stroll home, fingers entwined, Naruto found himself unable to resist stealing glances at Hinata–the love of his life. Her cheeks held a rosy hue, and her lavender eyes sparkled with a delightful mix of excitement and adoration.

Naruto felt a surge of giddiness each time he turned his head, gazing at his midnight-blue-haired beauty beside him. It stirred a sense of emotional turbulence deep within him. 

He felt like an emotionally unbalanced teenager again, where every look stole his breath, leaving him eager to experience it once more. To look at her again and again.

His heart thundered wildly in his chest, a symphony of gratitude echoing for the woman by his side, who had stood by him through thick and thin.

Clad in formal attire fit to keep them comfortably warm, they had just concluded a sumptuous date at Ichiraku Ramen that left them pleasantly full. 

As the night unfolded and the temperature continued to drop, the couple eagerly anticipated returning home. The prospect of indulging in some much-needed alone time beckoned, offering a chance to digest the fine meal they had shared. 

However, before diving into the comforts of home, there were other plans in store.

Naruto looked up as they approached the familiar streets leading to their humble abode, the place they both could now call home.

He couldn't contain his excitement.

Naruto cheered, turning his head to spare a glance down at his lover, "Kami, can you believe we live together now, Hinata-chan?" 

A broad smile illuminated his whiskered face, a grin that cannot be contained, "Now, we get to come home to one another after missions, a-and see each other every single day!" Naruto exclaimed in jubilation. 

The blonde ninja's excitement was palpable, his lips set wide in a boyish grin, and his whiskered cheeks elevated in sheer joy.

The profound happiness Naruto felt in this moment was unparalleled. The very idea of coming home to someone, living with someone he loved, and having that person committed to caring for his every need filled him with an indescribable sense of elation. It was an experience he had never known before, a departure from the loneliness that had characterized much of his life.

The realization that he was no longer alone, coupled with the certainty that Hinata stood by him, prepared to join him in creating a shared home and life together, brought so much happiness that Naruto felt like he was on the verge of exploding. 

The presence of Hinata, residing with him, became a constant affirmation that his life was veering onto a path he had always dreamed of.

He couldn't possibly contain his happiness, not in the slightest.

So, before Hinata could utter a single word, Naruto quickly reached over and swept his strong arms around her, lifting her off her feet and cradling her bridal style, propelled by an outburst of uncontrollable enthusiasm.

Hinata responded with laughter, her cheeks ablaze with embarrassment caused by Naruto abruptly sweeping her off of her feet, her long midnight blue hair fluttering through the cool wind, draping down from her orange, bushy toboggan. 

Naruto, caught up in the joy of the moment, then began to spin her around and around within his arms along the sidewalk, causing her white winter jacket to sway to and fro in the rhythm of their shared delight.

"Naruto-kun!!!" 

"Isn't that great, Hina?" 

"Yes! It's amazing, Naruto-kun! It's a dream come true, my love!" Hinata exclaimed amid laughter, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, her head pressed against his chest as he spun them both.

Round and round he spun, the cool wind rushing to embrace their faces. Yet, the burning sensation of their smiles and the rosy hue of their cheeks brought warmth, a surge of adrenaline coursing through their veins, amplifying the happiness within them.

Taking the initiative to further kindle their warmth, Hinata moved forward, surprising Naruto as she planted her lips firmly upon his own, initiating a kiss that stopped him in his tracks.

His spinning came to a halt almost immediately. 

The kiss Hinata initiated was nothing short of passionate, a fervent embrace that brought them even closer together, something they've yearned to be every ounce of each day. 

The kiss ignited warmth within their bodies amid the nightly winter chill. Their heads intertwined, and their clothed bodies pressed close together, creating an intimate connection that transcended the coolness of the season.

The kiss, though brief, marked only the beginning of the very intimate night ahead of them, and Naruto, unwilling to part from Hinata, continued to carry her all the way to their home. 

He held her close as he stepped off the sidewalk, traversed their lawn, and took a halt in front of their shared residence. 

Adorning the door was a gracefully crafted winter wreath, proudly displaying their intertwined names: Naruhina.

Below, a charming welcome mat lay, its inviting message declaring:

"Love and ramen–the heart of our home sweet home!"

-The Uzumaki Family

The mat, with its warm hues, offered a humorous invitation, creating an immediate sense of comfort as one stepped into Naruto and Hinata's shared haven. 

The intricately designed wreath echoed the season's spirit, with delicate touches of frost-kissed leaves and subtle accents of love, symbolizing the union of Naruto and Hinata, displayed for all to see.

Before their home, Naruto carefully set his precious girlfriend down, allowing her to land before the door with a clatter of her boots, regaining her standing once more.

With a cheerful exclamation, Naruto hopped back upright, wearing the same broad grin as before, "Whew! Well, this is our stop: home at last!"

Hinata pulled one hand up in front of her mouth, giggling sweetly, "Oh, you're so cute when you're excited, Naruto-kun. Just hold on, let me fetch the keys." She declared, before leaning down to shift the welcome come over, to locate their home's key tucked beneath. 

However, before she could secure it, a warm hand suddenly clutched her moving arm, halting her in her tracks. 

She lifted her body up, turning her head, only to be greeted by a subtle smile from her blonde boyfriend, his cerulean gaze carrying a sudden solemnity. 

He smiled warmly, a hint of red tinting his tanned cheeks due to the cold. His blonde locks were neatly tucked under a white toboggan resting on his head, while an orange winter coat embraced his broad form—colors intentionally chosen by the two to create a harmonious and complementary blend in their attire.

"Um, before we go inside…" Naruto started off, "I have something I've been wanting to give you." 

His voice lowered, the coolness of the outdoors turning his breath visible as he spoke. There was a noticeable shift in Naruto's voice, an undertone of nervousness evident in his words.

Naruto brought one hand up to rub the back of his neck, attempting to soothe the mounting nervousness within him as his lover's gaze bore into him. 

The moment has arrived. 

The moment has come, to finally reveal the surprise he had worked so hard to craft and put together. 

But, he was so nervous. 

Surprised by Naruto's earlier declaration, Hinata gasped and with that, abandoned the search for their home's key. Instead, she pivoted away from the door to fully face Naruto.

"Hm? There's s-something you wanted to give me, Naruto-kun?" She repeated, tilting her head, an adorable expression. 

"Y-Yeah." Naruto responded with a nod, "You know, I'm not good at pl-planning or, um, surprises for that matter. I've never done anything like this before, but I wanted to do this one thing for you."

Naruto was nervous, it wasn't hard for Hinata to tell. 

His current demeanor mirrored hers when she felt uneasy or flustered, yet instead of tapping his fingers together like her habitual gesture, he found solace in rubbing the back of his neck—a nervous habit uniquely his own. It was so cute, and Hinata couldn't resist a giggle at his adorableness.

Hinata perceived that whatever Naruto had in store for her must be quite the surprise, as it even caused him, typically composed, to feel nervous. Her heart began to thump in her chest, filled with anticipation.

Hinata watched as he delved into the pocket of his orange winter coat, retrieving the only object that was inside. Hinata glanced down at his fallen hand in response, curiosity and excitement growing within her for what Naruto had in mind. 

Hinata bit her lip, "Wh-What is it, my love?" 

It was only then that Naruto finally revealed the surprise he had in store for Hinata, holding it up in his hand.

"This, Hinata-chan."

It was only then that Naruto's fingers carefully revealed a small dark blue velvet box, smooth to the touch, and Hinata's gaze immediately fixated on it. Her heart quickened, at the sight, her cheeks burning red in no time. 

"Oh, y-you-" The midnight-blue haired kunoichi faltered, rendered speechless, her gaze remaining planted on the jewelry box cradled in the palm of her lover's hand—a container concealing the true secret surprise Naruto had for her nestled within.

Naruto's eyes moved from his surprise back to her, presenting a warm, but nervous smile, "Hinata-chan, I've been thinking a lot about us, about our journey together," He began, his voice carrying a gentle sincerity.

Hinata's eyes widened with anticipation, "N-Naruto-kun..."

With a deliberate yet gentle motion, he opened the box, to finally reveal the true surprise he had for her. Finally revealed, there it lay, presented in all its glory for Hinata to feast her eyes upon. 

A ring.

Encased in the deep blue velvet box lay a captivating silver cluster ring, exuding a subtle elegance. The ring sparkled with the radiance of three distinct jewels—a beautiful lavender amethyst nestled at its core, flanked by two shimmering white diamonds.

Varying in size, the white diamonds adorned the cluster ring like the gleaming stars in the midnight sky, augmenting the ring's overall dazzling effect. 

The meticulous arrangement of the jewels, both at the center and along the ring, orchestrated a harmonious interplay of luminosity and splendor, rendering the ring a truly enchanting masterpiece.

It was a sight that left Hinata utterly breathless, finally witnessing such a masterpiece up close and personal—an affirmation of how far Naruto was willing to go and sacrifice in the name of love.

Hinata let forth a sharp gasp, one hand of hers flying up to cover her mouth in surprise. Tears formed in her lavender eyes almost immediately, threatening to spill.

"Oh my kami! It's so beautiful, Naruto-kun." She exclaimed into the palm of her hand, her lavender eyes shimmering with a blend of astonishment and joy as she meticulously examined the ring, almost tempted to pinch herself to verify if her reality was indeed real.

She has to be dreaming! 

She has to be! 

The realization that Naruto had taken the effort to select, no, purchase such a valuable gift deeply touched Hinata. She knew it wasn't Naruto's usual forte, especially when it came to orchestrating surprises, let alone scouring stores for an item in the romantic department—particularly a ring—for her.

But he did.

He did it anyway. 

Despite Naruto's inherent lack of experience and sometimes oblivious nature when it came to romantic gestures and surprises, he consistently went above and beyond for Hinata.

The clear fact that Naruto pressed forward and ventured into this new territory of romance, with her on his mind, despite lacking experience in such an area, made Hinata feel incredibly content—like the happiest woman in the world.

It surpassed any gesture she had ever experienced, surpassing anything anyone had ever done for her.

For that, she was deeply grateful.

For a moment, Hinata just marveled at the intricacies of the silver ring Naruto held out for her, studying the lavender and white jewels that adorned it. 

The more she examined it, the stronger her connection to Naruto grew, evolving into something even more profound. She found herself even more drawn to the man before her, appreciating the profound thought he had invested in such a gift—a symbol of his love.

Hinata's eyes welled more and more with tears, a mixture of joy and overwhelming love filling her being, "Oh Naruto-kun, you shouldn't have. Th-This is-"

Naruto chuckled nervously, once more rubbing the back of his neck, "Y-Yeah, I know it's a bit much. The ring was pretty expensive, almost broke my pockets—but hey! That doesn't matter!" He abruptly cut himself off with a loud exclamation, prompting a soft giggle from Hinata.

"Instead, what matters is that," His voice trailed off as he stared deeply into her eyes, losing himself in them, "I would do anything for you, anything at all, Hinata-chan, just as you would for me. I'm willing to sacrifice my all to ensure that you are happy." He declared, his cerulean gaze solemn, "I am willing to go to any lengths to show you just how much I love you."

His eyes fell down to the expensive ring in his possession, and his smile widened, "So, I wanted this to be something special, something that reflects how much you mean to me." He expressed with profound emotion, "I had help, of course, bringing this little shindig to life, but I did it, and I did it for you." 

At that moment, Naruto gently brought the jewelry box closer, presenting the ring and all its splendor to her fully.

Hinata stared in awe the entire time, her heart pounding in her chest, her cheeks growing redder and redder. Her eyes never left Naruto; they remained fixed on him as he held the ring he had chosen for her in his grasp, extending it toward her.

"Hinata-chan, I wish to offer you this ring, but I want you to understand that it's not just any ordinary ring; it's a promise ring."

"A promise ring?" Hinata questioned in awe, her eyes shooting from the beautiful cerulean eyes that bore into her and the ring held out for her below. 

Naruto nodded, "Yes, it's a ring that signifies a promise from me to you. A promise that I will always be by your side, no matter what obstacles are thrown our way, no matter how challenging life gets—I will stay here, with you."

The spiky-haired ninja beamed, a smile so big and warm that it made Hinata feel like she was going to melt, her hand falling down to her chest. 

"Oh kami," Hinata marveled.

Naruto sighed softly, "Yes, we've been together for a year now, and I want you to know that I've cherished every day I get to spend with you. Every moment," He reached out, cradling the jewelry box in one hand. 

He gently placed his extended hand on her cheek, giving it a caress with his thumb.

"every second," He breathed.

Naruto looked deeply into her eyes, and with sincerity, he continued, "You've single handedly changed my life completely. You have revealed so much to me, Hinata-chan." He began, his own eyes tearing up." 

"You’ve shown me what true love feels like.  You have shown me what it feels like to have a life where I have a family to come home to, to take care of, to love as my very own."

He bit his lip, racing his thumb back and forth along his lover's cheeks just watching as Hinata slowly but surely came undone due to his words.

"Hinata-chan, you have brought nothing but love and compassion into my world, fulfilling everything I have ever wanted. You are my happiness, my love, and I want to stay with you, continuing this journey together, no matter what, ya know?"

Naruto couldn't resist a gentle coo as Hinata began shedding tears in response to his heartfelt speech. The fresh, wet tears cascaded down her already flushed face, words no longer enough to express how deeply touched she was.

Such tears flowed down Hinata's cheeks like shimmering streams, each droplet a visible affirmation of the profound emotions welling up within her. They glistened under the soft moonlight, tracing a path along her flushed face as a visual expression of the overwhelming joy and love that Naruto's words had stirred within her.

She began to cry, but Naruto stood prepared to comfort her; to wipe such tears away. His thumb moved ever so gently across her cheek, spreading the damp essence into her skin.

"And so, I don't want us to stop here, Hinata-chan. I am willing to forever be yours, if only," Naruto swiped his thumb across her face once more, marveling at the beauty in his possession. 

His blue eyes twinkled, caught in the gorgeous pool of lavender, "you’ll be mine."

"Yes." Hinata proclaimed without hesitation, leaning her head further into his touch. She pulled her own hand up to drape it over Naruto's, to cradle his hand on her cheek, warming her up further.

"Oh Naruto-kun," She uttered once more, "I have been wishing my entire life for this very moment to come. I have loved you for so long, wanting to walk beside you, wanting to hold your hand in this world, and bring you the happiness you know now." She continued, "And now I have, and it has been a dream come true."

She sobbed, "You have been a dream come true, my love."

Naruto's eyes widened, his heart skipping several beats. 

Hinata sniffed back her tears, raising her hand to gently caress his cheek, tracing her fingertips over each of his whispered birth marks.

The dark haired kunoichi hummed, "I, too, cherish every moment we've shared. It's everything I've ever wanted." She declared with croaks in her voice, but that didn’t stop her. 

"My wish is to continually offer you all that you yearn for—love, happiness, warmth. I want to be there for you, always, in every aspect of life. You've become my everything, Naruto-kun, and I want to be your unwavering support, always by your side, in joy and in sorrow."

Naruto's eyes widened even further, if that was even possible at this point. Hinata's heartfelt revelations caused his heart to thud against his chest with an intensity that he feared it might break free from its confines. 

He couldn’t believe his ears. He couldn’t contain his joy. 

Hinata smiled. tightening her grip on his hand. She nodded with a tender affirmation, "So yes, I want to be yours forever, Naruto-kun."

In that poignant moment, as Hinata spoke those words, time seemed to momentarily freeze. 

Naruto's breath hitched in the realization that the woman he cherished, the love of his life, was affirming his sweet declaration with a resounding yes. 

His world felt transformed, bathed in the radiant glow of Hinata's acceptance. 

Naruto found himself utterly captivated, unable to do or think of anything but marvel at the wonderful woman standing before him.

Nothing but gratitude flooded his entire being for having a lover like Hinata, one who not only wished to be with a knucklehead like him but was ready to embark on a journey of forever with him.

He couldn't resist reveling in the realization that Hinata was his promise girl, his precious girlfriend, and he eagerly anticipated the prospect of her becoming his wife—the future mother of their children.

The mere thought filled Naruto with a happiness so powerful that words couldn’t come close to expressing it. It was the kind of joy that made him want to leap onto the rooftops at that very moment, and scream to all of Konoha that Hinata was his lover, his beloved, his everything. 

He yearned to proclaim to the entire village just how much Hinata means to him, hell, proclaim to the entire world.

A wide smile stretched across Naruto's face, nearly revealing all of his pearly white teeth, his whiskered cheeks aflame with the warmth generated by the sheer breadth of his lips. An antsy excitement pulsed through his body, urging him to dance and celebrate.

In joy, Naruto let out cheers, ones that could be heard from miles away.

"Oh kami, you have no idea how much that means to me, Hinata-chan! Arigato!" In that moment, he yearned to finally slip the ring out of its box, and slid it on Hinata's finger, to solidify their promise.

But before he could proceed, it was Naruto's turn to be stopped.

Hinata softly shifted her hand from his cheek to gently nudge his shoulder, a light giggle escaping her lips as Naruto froze in his tracks, his eyebrows furrowing with a hint of concern by her gesture. 

"Wh-What is it, Hinata-chan? What's the matter?" He asked, a touch of worry coloring his words. Hinata, however, maintained her reassuring smile, signaling that there was nothing to worry about.

She shook her head, her midnight blue hair swaying with the movement, "Um, b-before we proceed, I th-think it's safe now for me to reveal that I too have a surprise."

"You what?" Naruto exclaimed loudly, genuinely taken aback. This was certainly not something he was expecting. 

His heart skipped a beat. 

"You do?" He questioned, his curiosity piqued.

Hinata giggled sweetly, "Yes, my love. And I believe it's best if we exchange our surprises at the same time. I think it would be more fitting that way." 

The mischievous glint in Hinata’s eyes introduced an element of intrigue for Naruto, leaving the blonde eagerly anticipating what Hinata had in store for him—a plot twist indeed.

He rocked about, twisted, and danced in his spot, his excitement building as he watched Hinata turn away from him to retrieve something from her coat's pocket. She rummaged inside, getting what she needed in no time flat. 

She rummaged inside, swiftly finding what she needed. But as she searched, Naruto couldn't resist leaning over, extending his body to catch a glimpse of what Hinata had retrieved, his excitement getting the best of him.

Sensing a shadow looming over her, Hinata glanced back, instantly capturing Naruto's mischievous gaze peering over her shoulder.

It was a fleeting instant between them, but the moment her lavender eyes locked Naruto's blue ones, he swiftly averted his gaze, whistling nonchalantly, feigning innocence as if he hadn't been peeking.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at her boyfriend's playful silliness before she turned around, and presented the object she had retrieved—Naruto's own surprise—setting it in the palm of her hand before him.

"H-Here. I got you something too, N-Naruto-kun." She said with a shy smile. In that moment, Hinata revealed the surprise she had prepared, a sight that caught Naruto completely off guard. 

His eyes widened almost to the point of bulging from his head at what he saw, his mouth hanging open in sheer astonishment.

He pointed at the black box in her hand, his blue eyes widened.

"No way," He exclaimed, his disbelief evident.

"You got me a ring, but how is this possible? How did we get one another the same-" Naruto's words trailed off, leaving him speechless.

Certainly, right before him, Hinata also presented a black velvet jewelry box, embellished with gold embroidery along the edges. The box appeared to be of the same size as the one he had given her, the one concealing…

'A ring? But how? How did Hinata end up with the same gift I got her? How did she know?' Naruto pondered to himself in disbelief.

Hinata giggled sheepishly at the bewilderment on her boyfriend's face. 

She looked away, a hint of nervousness creeping in, "Um, well, I may have sort of..." She paused, briefly biting her lip, "heard you talking about the surprise you'll get me."

"What!" Naruto shouted in shock. He smacked his forehead, feeling like a complete baka, "Damnit, how could I be so careless-"

"Gomen!" Hinata apologized, "I came back from a mission just a few days ago. I then walked inside our home, went up to our bedroom, and heard you there, talking to yourself about a surprise you wish to give me." She nodded down at the box in her hand, "A ring." She pointed out.

"But that is all I heard!"

"Damnit." Naruto hissed, frustration evident in his tone. He kicked the ground with a pout, throwing a mini tantrum, "See, see!! I can't keep surprises; I always mess them up!" Naruto exclaimed with a groan, looking up at the sky, smothering his free hand over his face.

Hinata tried her best to suppress a giggle as her boyfriend seemed to revert to a child due to his inability to surprise her. 

Even frustrated, throwing a fit, Naruto looked so adorable to her.

The lavender-eyed kunoichi shook her head, clutching his shoulder firmly, "It's okay, Naruto-kun, my love, really." She reassured, her gentle touch a comforting presence, "It's actually better this way." 

Her lavender eyes sparkled with warmth as she looked up at him, offering a reassuring smile.

"How is it better?" Naruto whined, "I was supposed to be surprising you."

Hinata shrugged, "Well, I just figured now, wouldn't it be best if we got each other rings, ya know," She beamed, "as a couple!"

"Ahh, like couple rings, eh?" 

"Yes!"

Naruto hummed, intrigued to say the least. 

For the most part, he couldn't deny feeling a bit disappointed about not keeping the surprise he had planned for Hinata. He had hoped to seize that one moment to surprise her for a change. 

Now, all the planning, all the hiding, the rapid search in the village and neighboring ones for the perfect gift for her, the quest for inspiration, and even pleading to the Konoha gang for help—all seemed to be in vain.

'Hinata heard me talking to myself, really?' Naruto groaned, shaking his head in disbelief.

He wasn't used to living with someone else yet, he must admit, but having his grand surprise found out in the stupidest way ever only heightened his desire to go ahead and whack himself in the face.

But then, he looked back at Hinata's face and grew breathless at the bright smile that was upon it, radiating like a beam of sunlight breaking through the clouds. 

Her lavender eyes sparkled with joy, and the warmth of her smile seemed to illuminate the night, creating a captivating sight that deeply touched Naruto's heart.

At that moment, Hinata looked more beautiful to him than ever before.

And it was also in that moment that all the disappointment Naruto felt vanished, and instead, he was filled with happiness. 

He appreciated how Hinata had gone out of her way to get him a ring in return, showcasing the very qualities he loved about her—her selfless, considerable nature.  

The concept of couple rings seemed even more special now, and Naruto felt deeply flattered to receive such a meaningful and thoughtful gift from the woman he loved.

Naruto smiled. 

Hinata's smile widened in return, her head lowering to open the black box in her grasp, revealing the ring she had chosen for Naruto.

His gaze descended to observe the contents, and once again, his mouth fell open in astonishment.

"My kami."

"You've given me mine, and now, here is yours."

Before him, the ring Hinata had presented was crafted entirely in gold, with an orange citrine taking center stage—a fiery hue reminiscent of a blazing sunset, resonating with Naruto's spirited nature. 

The ring sparkled with intricate golden embellishments, each detail perfectly placed within its designated spot inside the case. 

Such an exquisite piece not only captured Naruto's essence but also reflected the warmth and radiance of their shared love, symbolized by the vibrant gem at its heart.

Naruto was utterly blown away as he fixated on the glistening ring before him, his eyes welling up with tears. 

He sniffed, overwhelmed, "It's... it's so incredible, Hinata-chan! You've truly outdone yourself, as always." He exclaimed, marveling at the ring, tracing its details with his gaze, "I love it, my love. This means the world to me. Arigato." He expressed gratitude, leaping in joy. 

Hinata giggled, her laughter resembling a sweet melody. She was thankful to see that Naruto genuinely appreciated her gift, savoring the twinkle of awe in his gorgeous blue eyes.

"You're welcome. Anything for you, Naruto-kun." She looked affectionately at the ring held delicately between her fingers, its golden hues twinkling with each gentle touch of moonlight.

Then, her eyes shifted to her own ring, still cradled in Naruto's hand.

She smiled, "Shall we exchange?"

Naruto's face lit up with excitement at that suggestion. "I don't see why not!" He cheered, pumping one hand in the air. “Yeah, let's do it!"

At that moment, they formally exchanged their promise rings.

Naruto handed his to Hinata.

And Hinata handed hers to Naruto.

Their hands trembled ever so slightly as they swapped rings, a symbolic gesture sealing their commitment and fortifying their promise. 

Naruto reached for Hinata's hand, sliding the silver ring he had chosen for her onto her ring finger. His touch was gentle, as if handling precious treasure, each movement deliberate and tender. 

The ring was a perfect match, smoothly gliding down Hinata’s finger and snugly settling into place.

Hinata reciprocated the gesture, sliding the golden ring she had chosen for him onto Naruto's ring finger. Like a perfect match, it snugly settled on his finger, both rings demonstrating the precision of their measurements.

"I'm yours, Naruto-kun," Hinata breathed, her eyes shimmering with emotion.

Naruto grinned, his azure eyes mirroring the profound sentiments within, "And I'm yours, Hinata-chan. Forever and always, and that's a promise."

"Yes, a promise," Hinata whispered, "forever made, and forever kept."

"Oh Hinata-chan." Naruto took a breath before stepping forward to seal their connection with a kiss, a manifestation of the deeper emotions his heart harbored.

Their lips melded in a perfect union, a moment that felt just right to both, drawing them even closer. 

Their promise, the exchange of their rings, and their very kiss marked the initial step toward a complete union, a merging of two souls into one.

Under the soft glow of the moon, they kissed, their lips meeting in a tender exploration of each other's emotions. The moonlight painted a silvery sheen on their entwined figures, casting a gentle radiance over the scene. 

Their kiss deepened in no time with the steady rock of their heads, eager to imprint their love on every inch of each other's lips, delving deeper to explore the inner recesses of their mouths. 

Naruto's tongue emerged, gliding out of his parted lips, granting Hinata's lips a gentle swipe—an unspoken request to enter her warm depths.

Hinata noticed Naruto's gesture and granted him access without any hesitation. She slightly parted her lips, enabling Naruto to slide his wet tongue deeply inside her mouth, exploring every nook and cranny—her teeth, gums, and eventually her own tongue.

Hinata met his fervor with equal intensity, her hands finding their place on Naruto's chest, where she could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

The night enveloped them, and the outside world faded away, leaving only the two lovers immersed in the joy of their newfound promise. The night air carried a subtle chill, but the heat generated by their joined bodies made them oblivious to the outside world.

Naruto's hands gently traced the curves of Hinata's back, drawing her nearer, intent on eliminating any lingering space between them. Hinata reciprocated with a gentle moan of contentment, her fingers tracing a delicate path up his body, entwining in Naruto's hair.

The promise rings they adorned gleamed in the moonlight, gracing their respective ring fingers as symbols of devotion. Lavender and orange hues sparkled, reflecting the celestial glow of the night, an exquisite fusion akin to fire and ice colliding, creating something greater.

Passion ignited between them, accompanied by a plethora of muffled moans. 

Neither wanted the kiss to end.

Neither wanted to pull away. 

However, inevitability set in as their breaths ran out, their lungs aching, forcing them to reluctantly pull away.

But their separation did not signal the end of their night of intimacy; rather, it marked the beginning. They had a promise to fulfill, to solidify but now…

deep in the sheets.

Naruto's hand slid down gracefully, encircling the small of Hinata's back, his large arm enveloping her petite form. The contact made her gasp, and a blush colored her pale cheeks.

Naruto hummed, his dreamy eyes locked onto hers. He sent a nod toward their home's front door, his blue eyes narrowing in that way that always made her squirm in want. 

"Come on, let's finish this inside, shall we?"

The seductive shift in his voice sent a shiver down Hinata's spine, and she nodded eagerly, fully aware of what Naruto was implying–what both of them desired.

She hummed, "Yes, I desire that more than anything, Naruto-kun." She replied, her voice carrying a lingering promise.

With that, Naruto and Hinata finally headed inside their very own home to fulfill the rest of their promises in privacy, leaving the moonlit streets of Konoha all behind.

Continue Reading On Wattpad Or AO3.

— (⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆)

[mistbow]

Zestiria and Shinto

I think it’s very understated that Zestiria takes a lot after Shinto (compared to say, how people keep bringing up its Arthurian inspirations, despite those inspirations being superficial relatively), especially when it’s the essence of the game itself, but I suppose it’s easy for it to go over people’s heads if they don’t truly understand Shinto itself, which to be fair is a concept that is not equivalent at all to the religions widely known in the modern West.

As a preface, if I have to be quite honest, I’m not too fond of the localization of the terms in Zestiria. In isolation, “Shepherd” is a fine translation of “導師”, they both more or less mean a person who guides, though I’m not sure how much of that idea the word manages to get across. However, coupled with “天族” being localized as “seraphim”, the game lore becomes connotated with Biblical implications, which is unnecessary and not at all what is intended, though I’d have been hard pressed myself if I were tasked to localize these terms in a way that could convey the original intent in English, but that’s not the point. The point is, I believe this loss in translation contributes to the misunderstanding, and besides, despite what you might think, the seraphim are not angelic beings, especially of the Christian kind.

With that out of the way, I would also like to clear up something else: religions and religiosity, as defined in the Western culture, do not readily apply to Shinto. It has no single founder, no canonical scriptures that are authoritative like the Bible, it has flexible moral code (or rather, it lacks a rigid moral code) due to its nature, and it is not at all a monolithic system; it’s not a unified system where the people who adhere to the faith proclaim themselves as Shintoists, because it doesn’t work that way. It is literally the “way of the kami” (神道) in that the term is used to reference the practice of worship of kami. It is not at all odd for modern Japanese people to practice this kami-worship and the rituals associated with it while also practicing Buddhism or even Christianity, for example.

The two essential, “sacred” texts of Shinto, Kojiki (古事記, literally “Records of Ancient Matters”) and Nihon Shoki (日本書紀, literally “Chronicles of Japan”), are basically history books (and they were commissioned to be compiled by the government), but they do not encompass everything there is to know about Shinto itself, since there are other books chronicling other kami as well, especially local ones. Even between the two books, mostly because of the differences in intended audience and purpose, there are naturally differences in details and interpretation of the ancient Japanese mythology, some even are contradictory (there are even differences in variants of Shoki accounts of the myth, so let alone Kojiki and Shoki). Also, I say history books (and they for the most part are history books indeed), but it is more apt to say that they are written chronicles of Japanese myths, legends, oral traditions, folklores, and such, but I would say Nihon Shoki is the more “objective” of the two. I think this part inspires Celestial Record as well as Lxi himgnowlot uz Yniitruh (or “The description of Glenwood” in English), the travel notes included as one of the special items in the LalaBit Collector’s Edition of the Japanese version of the game.

Already you can see how the historiography of Glenwood is influenced by Japanese historiography, because of the belief that has been there all along since the prehistoric times. The subjective interpretations of the situations or even origins that are not immediately knowable, especially, since both of these books are clearly written by humans (that fact isn’t hidden at all), make them feel more like they act as notes of the world, just like Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and because of this subjective interpretation method, differences are bound to happen, even before getting to the differences of interpretations in individual readers. (By the way, the Japanese name for Celestial Record, 天遺見聞録, clearly implies this too, if translated a bit more literally, it means “the records of what is seen and heard as left behind in the Celestial.”)

Now, we get to the core of this, namely kami (神). Kami is often translated as simply “gods”, but this is, again, very misleading and not at all a good explanation of their nature. Kami, unlike the god(s) in other religions, do not come before or after the cosmos, they are the phenomena themselves and they are ubiquitous. A popular descriptor for them is “spirits or forces of nature” but even this is a simplification of what they really are. Kami describes the mind (心), an underlying principle (基本的原理), the divine to be worshipped (祭る), to be believed in (信じる), to be respected (崇める), to pray to (祈る), to be served (仕える), to be devoted (捧げる), to be given gratitude (感謝する), but most of all, kami possesses an eminent quality that is out of ordinary, that inspires the feeling of awe (畏怖) inside us all. To be in harmony with these awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of the way of kami, and all phenomena are candidates for this designation, e.g., the sun, moon, mountains, or even great persons, heroes or leaders. However, to experience the kami presence of any one of these aspects of nature requires a pure and bright heart (清き明き心), which is an emotional, mental, and volitional condition that is not easily attained.

Here, I want to sidetrack to one of the above descriptors, that is, kami are to be worshipped (祭る). If you notice, it is the basic verb form of the word “festival” in Japanese, “祭り”. This is because one of the most crucial deeds toward kami in Japanese view is 祭る. The Japanese tend to be more religious when it comes to ceremonies than to the daily life. Worshipping kami in Japanese sense is different from other religions; whereas for some faith, the worshipping rite seems solemn and preoccupied, on the contrary, many Japanese worshipping ceremonies are very energetic and festive. Though the sacrament can be broken down into two parts: solemn ceremonial ritual and exuberant celebration, only the second part allows many people to participate more. In Zestiria, one of the biggest examples of this is the Sacred Blade Festival (聖剣祭).

But back to kami as beings. They are noble beings to be venerated, and there is a concept of Yaoyorozu no Kami (八百万の神, literally Eight-Million Kami) because there is an infinite number (eight million represents uncountable, just like how 8 as a number is often used to describe “infinity” in many cultures) and it is impossible to know them all (and it’s not like that uncountable number is static either... since humans can turn into kami and kami can inhabit any kind of object, that number naturally expands). Of course, with that many number, kami can vary from one another—they’ve been described as jinkakushin (人��神), or divine beings that have human-like qualities in that they have personalities and emotions of their own. This means that there are both benevolent kami and evil kami, so to speak. They can both bring blessings or harm to humans, and this duality means that kami are both revered and feared. Again, awe-inspiring aspects of nature. Which means Shinto as a religion isn’t exactly concerned with the afterlife like many religions, but with the nature itself, with the current life, as it is our world that is sacred. This is also true for the seraphim and the world in Zestiria.

Another term that is borrowed from Shinto is kegare (穢れ), which I usually translate to “taint” but in the context of localized Zestiria, it is known as malevolence. This, I feel, is another case of the localization causing even more misunderstanding than necessary; the kegare in Zestiria might not map 1:1 to the same concept in Shinto, but they are both fundamentally not a form of moral judgement, and whether the kegare itself is caused by a deliberate act, as for example in the case of a crime, or by an external event, such as illness or death, is secondary. As such, it is wrong to equate it to, say, Christian idea of sin, which malevolence, as a word that inherently suggests evil, kind of conveys to people. Kegare in Shinto is impermanent, as they can be remedied through purification. The concept of purity in Zestiria upholds the same quality being uphold by Shinto, namely, “真” which can be translated as “sincerity” but more literally, it means “truth.” Being true to yourself. This idea is reflected in the aforementioned “pure and bright heart” (“清き明き心”) since “pure and bright” in this case implies something that is transparent, that which is clean and clear, from the kanji themselves (to easily explain this more: 清 means “clear” and the Japanese word for transparent, for example, is 透明, which contains 明).

The Armatus (神依, kamui), as the highest power a Shepherd could have and described as the divine might (神威, which can also be read as kamui), is then, alikened to kamioroshi (神降ろし) in Shinto. Like the name implies (it literally means “descent of kami”), kamioroshi is a divine invocation held in that deity’s honor, to take possession of the one who invokes them. Since seraphim, who are based on kami, are forces of nature beyond mortal understanding, the Armatus again incites both reverence and fear of its powers.

Speaking of the seraphim being said to be beyond what humans could possibly understand, I believe this is partly why the true nature of them isn’t fully revealed. Details like how they’re born (or reborn), how they grow, what they actually are... these are meant to be mythical. We will never know, we can never know for sure. Humans tend to try to make sense of their surroundings, but there are just some things out there that will remain as mysteries to us no matter how much we try to uncover it.

(This applies as well to humans not knowing their own true nature... for example, the true nature of malevolence, said to be an irony of the contradictions of humans.)

――天族について詳しく教えてください。 山本　人から転生したという天族がいたり、いくつかの方則側はあきらかになっていますが、明確にこういう種族だよ、ということはできません。どちらかというと、神霊のような存在となっています。だから、天族たちは自分はこうなんですとか転生したんですと言っていますけど、実は何をどうしたらそうなるかという部分は非常にあいまいだったり、ケースバイケースだったりします。そういう、ルールで割り切れない部分を持った種族ですね。

――Please tell us about the seraphim. YAMAMOTO: There are some seraphim who were reincarnated from humans, and some rules about it have been revealed, but it is not possible to say clearly what kind of race they are. If anything, they are more like divine spirits. That’s why, the seraphim are saying that they are like this or that they are reincarnated, but the truth is, the part about what to do to become like that can be very ambiguous or in a case-by-case basis. They are the kind of race that cannot be comprehended by mere rules.

――天族の成長は自身の思いにかかわってくるのですか？ 山本　自分の力の強い時期まで成長するんじゃないかという推測はありますが、ここも実は法則性はないんです。

――Is the growth of seraphim related to their own thoughts? YAMAMOTO: There is a conjecture that they will grow until they reach the peak of their own strength, but again, there are really no strict rules here.

And I understand how and why this would leave some people dissatisfied because they want to fully understand the inner workings of a fictional world to make sense of it, however at the same time, I think it’s not necessary for us to try pin down every detail to understand something holistically. Sometimes it’s fine to just feel it, to leave some things to our imagination even if it might seem hard to make sense of, but part of being humans is to appreciate beauty in these contradictions as well. Not everything has to have [human-knowable] rhyme or reason to it.

(While we’re at this, I would like to express a very subjective, very personal, and admittedly very biased opinion of mine: This is why I wish people would’ve been more appreciative of Zestiria as a standalone separate from Berseria, and not rely on Berseria to fill in the blanks of Zestiria. Berseria, to me, has a very distinct feel from Zestiria in the context of this, as the malakhim of Berseria don’t inspire the awe in me like how the seraphim are depicted in Zestiria. Everything in Zestiria that is supposed to evoke that sense of wonder, like the seraphim, Armatus, etc. is gone in Berseria, which tries to explain everything in a really mechanical, almost scientific way, and that beats the purpose of Zestiria with all its fantastical spirituality and vagueness that a lot of people hate but I personally really adore. And sometimes they can’t even do that right, as a lot of Berseria explanations directly contradict what is shown in Zestiria. This is also why I think intricate, overexplained worldbuilding is overrated; some details are better left hidden, imo. Even hidden is plain sight is better than directly explaining it to us.)

Of course, I can’t adequately explain everything that is inspired by Shinto in Zestiria, and this barely scratches the surface (and that’s not counting inspirations from other myths, religions, and philosophies like Arthurian Legend, Buddhism, Daoism, etc. that are also in the game), but I hope this can give you the rough idea! Zestiria, I feel, is a game that puts a great emphasis on the wonders of its world—it’s not that everything that we know is all there is to the world, and this world has lived for a long time, unimaginably so by humans, so there’s bound to be some things that we just don’t know, we just can’t know, but have been there all along, and you can feel them even if most of the times you can’t put it into definite words. If you think about how vast the world is, and that it keeps evolving in its vast history, some unrecorded... we become more aware and appreciative of how beautiful the world really is. And in the case of Zestiria, this is reflected in the curiosity of Sorey, the protagonist, of the world, along with its history, that opens up before him. The legends have and will always live, and someday they will become “hope.”

[bcbdrums]

unpopular head cannons?

Not sure which fandom you're asking for... I'll hit my main two right now, lol. And I don't know if they're actually unpopular or just...unique to me. So anyway...

Kim Possible

Drakken and Shego do in fact get married and want/have kids and get very domestic, post-canon. But. They remain in evil. They're just more lowkey about it.

Ron and Kim go to different colleges and break up for awhile. Ron starts seeing Yori seriously. Ultimately he realizes that yes, Kim IS the one for him, but he had to spend some time finding who he is without her to be his best self for her.

Ron also easily masters the monkey powers and they're not some big angsty problem for him. It's KP, come on. This is a lighthearted comedy cartoon.

Soul Eater

Stein is NOT some cannibalistic kinky blood-play neuro-divergent. He has some serious issues that never got addressed properly during his childhood, and so he struggles his entire life having to deal with these issues without any proper guidance. (Because burdening another child, Spirit, with that responsibility was a bad idea and sure as heck didn't work.) So he has his serious ups and downs since he has to figure everything out for himself, ultimately. But the common fandom treatments I often see of him just don't jive with what I see onscreen/on the page.

Stein didn't experiment on Spirit in the way it's implied. I think Kami convinced Spirit that worse things were going on than actually were out of jealousy, and I also think Spirit knew about the minor things that did go on. I think Spirit's comments to Blair about the experiments were drunken gross exaggerations, and he canonically does that (manga) soooooooo yeah. Lord Death simply wouldn't have kept Stein around if he was truly a threat, so the experiments couldn't have been that much. And I have plenty of ideas about just what went on...

Spirit did NOT sleep around!!! Now, hear me out. And I'll keep it brief cuz I could go ON about this! The man is a celebrity, and he is THE death scythe. He's gonna have adoring fans all over him no matter where he goes. Also, dancing with people??? Is a normal social interaction??? Since when does someone only dance with their spouse at a public gathering. The ONLY evidence we have of him "cheating" is the point of view of a five year old watching her celebrity dad interacting with people, when her mother isn't there. (Seriously...if Maka's fave memory of her mother is the divorce...where WAS the woman for her entire childhood???) And okay so moving past Maka's perspective and the fact that THE death scythe is gonna be surrounded by fans at all times (and you SoMa people y'all have the same headcanons about Soul so I know this isn't outside the realms of possibility) when we see Spirit in potentially compromising situations? What happens? His wife merely gets mentioned and he turns into a blubbering emotional disaster. You're telling me this man could have actually followed through on sleeping with another woman? In any case... His wife was simply not around, they had a loveless marriage that only occurred cuz of an illegitimate baby, and if he did seek attention elsewhere it's hard to blame him. But no, mister cries-at-the-mention-of-his-ex absolutely did not have it in him to sleep around. He's just a celeb trapped in a loveless marriage, and he's an attention whore. And yes this was me being brief.

Gonna stop there, ask again if you want more cuz boy do I have more! Thank you so much for the ask!!!

[justatalkingface]

I saw your answer for the ua sending kids to danger, especially war, and I raise you a different possibility (100% speculation on my part) "can we say for sure the others schools were asked the same thing but said no?"

Yes. We dont know anything about the others schools. Maybe they offer and Hori never show as we saw them entering in the war part 2: the eletrical bangaloo....but to be fair, it would be hard for them to sit in class and doing homework as war is literally in their grounds, streets and so forth.

But on part 1. We dont see the others students there. So again, my especulation, what if they had put feets down and said no?

But Nezu said yes? I can think of a few reasons for that. (Keep in mind I dont think Nezu is a smart as Hori and the fandom wants us to think)

1) could have been a power play of sort. "Only mys students can handle this" which well...could work as Nezu is not human and doesnt seem to care about the students on a whole (remmeber Mina and Kami vs Nezu? How fair was that?)

2) he genuinely thought his students would be an asset to the heroes and said ok. Which makes me believe even more he doesnt care for his students's safety.

3) he was forced. Ok, what could have made him agree to this? Blackmail comes to mind but what secret is si damn important you are willing to send kids to war?

Those are my top 3 reasons. And not sure if is canon this but I think the class A1 didnt know they were sent to a war...if this is true, then is anothet adult(non human) who failed Izu.

Like MHA is an accidental dystopia.

The thing is with Nezu is the age old standard of Int/Wis; Nezu is book smart, he has a lot of knowledge, facts, and ability to apply those facts to make a thing happen. That's Intelligence, the ability to use your mind, and he's probably only has even faintest hint of competition in his sheer Int score with Dr. Diabolus Ex Machina.

Wisdom, on the other hand, is when you go, 'But should I do this'?

At a memetically extreme example, a High Int, Low Wis character could find a door somewhere, decide to open it, and make a siege engine out of, I don't know, hamburgers and coat hangers to bust it open. This is certainly a thing they could do, and it'd work because they are, in fact, that spot.

Meanwhile, the character with higher (any) Wisdom would walk up to the door... and then try to open it like a normal person.

Intelligence is ability to use your mind, and Wisdom is what tells you how you should use your mind, and when you look at Nezu, you only really see Intelligence, and then no one in story ever seems to question his decisions, really, because he's really smart, but there's a real question if he uses his intelligence well? Because there are a lot of 'I can do this, but no one, including me, ever asked if I should do this' kinds of choices in UA, and if we're not just blaming it on bad writing, all of that comes down to Nezu, in the end. The literal cities they just... have? The robots that probably have killed people? The Sports Festival? All of those are thing with very questionable elements that UA does anyways, seemingly because they can and no one's ever stopped them from doing it.

That's looking at the question from the angle of 'Nezu, while well meaning, made a bad call'. There is, however, one other major option, and it starts with this: why does Nezu run a school? On a fundamental level, I'm not sure Nezu's goal in running UA is for the students, so much as he views the students as a step towards his goal.

Unironically, he's a sadist who enjoys low-key torturing human beings because of past trauma, which... before anything else, begs a question: is it just low-key torture he likes? Or is he just practical enough to realize than anything more would be more trouble than it's worth?

But, beyond that problem, let's look at his position: he's the head of UA, the biggest, bestest school for Heroes, which is a job that comes with a lot of publicity/power, which, inevitably, rolls back to him. His job allows him massive amounts of control over the development of the cutting edge of heroism, who by dint of their fame and success influence other heroes, all of which collectively influences Japanese society as a whole by a pretty significant degree.

Meanwhile, Nezu is: brilliant, deeply traumatized, likes torturing, and through that defacto controlling, humans. He's also not a human, and takes pains at times to point out that others are humans and he's not, while also having assumably inhuman instincts and priorities; almost certainly he has some level of anti-human bias.

There's... there's an obvious correlation here. Fundamentally, Nezu is a character who seems to be made to be complicated, imperfect, with dark depths to him. The way he's written, Hori clearly doesn't want him to be, but, well, he writes a lot of deeply flawed characters we're supposed to find no wrong with.

If you look at Nezu that way, where he views students more as an asset, or an investment, than as, well, students, or as people, then your point takes on a different light. Looking at it with cold logic, the students can contribute to the various conflicts; even if they die, for the greater good of society (which he lives in and benifits from), heroism as a career (which he is in a position to benefit from greatly, as well as influenced greatly), and quite frankly as a living being on Japan/Earth, that cost is more than worth the price if they help support the status quo; its not like there's not going to be more next year, right?

And that's the thing that really interests me; what the hell was Hori thinking when he made Nezu? With Bakugou and Endeavour, for example, you can see where they started off one way, and went another? Nezu though? His entire point as a character seems to be firmly as the 'nice but somewhat manipulative' principal, but it's a waste of his fundamental characteristics. Did he have a different role in the prototype? Because if I was writing Nezu as a character, here's what I'd write him as:

An enemy. Not evil, not a villain, but a obstacle for Izuku to surpass in UA; it's not that he's bigoted, like Aizawa is (or at least to the same extent), he just well and truly doesn't care about people and what they do as long as his bottom line is met. And Izuku isn't there to be a new hero, like Bakugou, about fame and wealth, he doesn't fit. Worse yet, if we're working off of the original, 'Quirkless Hero' framework? Fundamentally, he is a threat to the concept of heroes that is established, that makes people want to think outside the box, and the thing is? Nezu likes the box. He's one of the people who designed it; he'd like everyone to stay in the box, please and thank you.

There's this epic story we're never going to get of Izuku being a little revolutionary, fighting against the heroic establishment to change heroism for the better and for the rights of the Quirkless, and his first major enemies are: Bakugou, the bully, Aizawa, the biased teacher who enables Bakugou and attacks Izuku, and Nezu, who enables all of them, and barely gives a shit about Izuku at all but would absolutely murder him in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it, but is resigned to fact he can't just kill people because they mildly irk him.

To your last point, though, fundamentally MHA is exactly a dystopia, by design; it's dystopian nature is one of the main causes for almost all conflicts in the story, from the villains, to the heroes, to Izuku's core personality traits, but for some reason Hori got really scared to admit that so he covered all the bars and locks with confetti... only after he got all the ways he purposefully made it a dystopia looking all harmless and fun, he missed all the ways he accidently made it a dystopia. To this day, I'm still not sure if he designed the heroic pay system, what little of it we know, to be purposefully that fucked up, or he just did some basic work to support what happens in the story and missed how deeply disturbing those implications were.

[treepan0]

some random hcs for the characters I like writing for because why not? not all of them are here, this is just four characters I had some thoughts on.

note: I'm using a fully romanized version of the spelling of Baby's name (tone indicator removed to clarify) so it's less weird, also there's a lot of rare pairs and I am unapologetic about that.

Cooler:

let's be real here there is a reason why he and Bebi hardly show romantic affection in Chaos Magic, and it's not a discomfort actually. In reality it's because this man gives me the vibes it would be slow work for him to get to that point, he grew up with a family that was actively trying to kill each other, and is written as a stoic character, he's going to take longer than Vegeta to get comfortable with that.

I don't know why, but this man gives me demisexual energy and I cannot unsee it. (don't ask where this came from, I have no clue.)

please for the love of kami someone take this man away from his desk, he desperately needs a break thank you.

completely unaware people find him attractive most of the time, too distracted by work.

learned to control the movements of his tail, so Frieza and Cold couldn't read him like an open book.

Bebi:

I have mentioned this twice, but I like combining his sub & dub portrayals, errors and all.

speaking of errors from the sub he says "Big Bang Attack" while using final flash, on purpose because he knows it annoys and confuses people.

is he bi? is he pan? is he Omni? I don't see him caring much actually. I feel like he doesn't care as much due to his ability to reproduce asexually, while he still feels the needs and urges of the body he possesses (thus the way he is, pretty much I hc it's from vegeta who I see as bi, unless it's an au, I just leave that fact intentionally vague), he's more reliant on romantic attraction if he wants anything outside of that. I see him as panromantic to clarify

if I have an excuse to give him a tail I will, GT robbed me of it so I will do it myself. it's also fun to make him emote with it in a more subtle manner, like I do for some other characters. (Cooler, Janemba and Broly to name a few, I would say Bebi & Janemba are the most open of the four though, since Broly's is hidden)

I think he should have Janemba, android 13 and Hatchiyack as a friend group, as a treat, I think they could all get along with their own individual dynamics and everything.

Bebi & 13 can roast the ever loving crap out of people, Janemba & Bebi can be relaxation buddies who talk about general stuff, and Bebi & Hatchiyack I see as almost like a sibling relationship.

Janemba:

I usually go with the buu's fury background; where he was an organised crime kingpin, before he got caught up in the soul scrubber, outside of that I take from various places. I like to hc he ended up in there, because Beerus sealed him inside, just like elder kai and the z sword.

out of boredom one day I did give him an adoptive mother, since he had no pre-existing canon family. Her name is Koall, she's a succubus who's tired out of her mind and still grieving her loss, despite the passage of time being massive for humans.

just like Bebi I also hc this man gets around at times, and most of it is because of his design. (dear goodness super Janemba's design.....)

it's a common hc that he likes jelly beans, since the spirit shields resemble jelly beans. I actually enjoy this common non serious head canon, I think it's actually cute for him to do that.

kind of claustrophobic, especially with dark environments. however he can subdue it with some sort of activity, so it's not terribly intensive. he keeps a portable console where ever he stays, mostly so he can build blanket forts for Broly.

I straight up said "I don't see why he and kid Buu can't learn sign language, especially since dragon ball has a universal language." so they either use their native tongue, or use sign language. most of the time however they're guilty of saying stuff behind peoples backs in said native language, Cell & Koall are the only ones able to catch them.

has definitely tried to teach some poor unsuspecting soul, to swear in his native language because he thinks it's funny. think of someone teaching a baby swears, it's pretty much the same effect for him considering his age.

complete opposite of how I see Cooler with affection, he's just a tease. this man will smooch Broly in public an the only one who can stop him, is Broly himself and no one else.

DBZ Broly:

doesn't like his neck being touched in general, Janemba completely respects this and has adjusted to such.

when he's in base for an extended period of time by choice for the first time since he was a kid, he ended up being gifted a green rabbit plush from a friend, her name is Mint and she gives him comfort.

I chose a rabbit because I felt like he could empathise with them in general, he grew up in an environment where he had to ensure his own survival, just like rabbits have to since they're at the bottom of the food chain. (nothing to do with the symbolism connected with them)

he won't openly admit it, but he likes head scratches and pats. like almost anyone could touch his head for whatever reason, and he will expect either scratches or pats.

that red fabric around his waist is the only thing keeping people from seeing everything he feels, since he never learned to clasp it like most, nor did he learn to control the movements like I hc Cooler did.

finds small spaces comforting, since the pod trips would be what little time he had away from his father, outside of being dismissed or after Paragus' death.

I feel like after a long extended period of remaining in base, he develops likes and dislikes after time here's just a few I thought of: he likes rock and metal music, he dislikes the taste of coffee, he likes relaxing scents (i.e lavender and chamomile), he dislikes white chocolate. I have my reasonings for both of those likes.

most of the time he'll ask Janemba if he wants certain affections, he's too shy and ashamed to ask anything nsfw though. not that it hasn't stopped Janemba from coaxing him into the baby steps past that, so poor man doesn't make himself suffer in silence.

it's actually been a team effort to help him get to this point, with all sorts of people teaching him proper life skills, not that he's learned to calm.