would rather kms than make my only winbre post be about Suo's stupid ass, so it's time to talk about Nirei cause i love him. i read a post and my blood started boiling i dont fuck around so now i gotta defend him with my life. also cause im sick and tired of him not being deemed marketable enough to be included in merch and collab illusts when he's a whole—if not the most important—third of the main trio. (theres something to be said about Tsugeura too, considering they don't use him but love using Kiryuu, but that's a different conversation.)
anyway, on Nirei and the exceptionality of being ordinary.
manga spoilers btw also disclaimer im not eloquent at all i just say things.
there's something about Nirei that just simply isn't special and i think that's wonderful. not in a mean-spirited sense; Nirei is the most regular out of anyone in Furin, so much so that he had to buy an ugly shirt he didn't even like to stand out. he's just a kid with a notebook and a simple backstory trying to follow a hero's example. he's nothing extraordinary, especially seeing the people he's surrounded by. physically, he's very limited, which he knows and doesn't ignore at all, so he can't do much in fights. no one is more acutely aware of his own limits than Nirei. i was reading the first couple chapters again and it breaks my heart to hear his efforts be dismissed as "playing hero," because Nirei is the biggest hero in this whole manga.
it's true, yeah, he can't fight. he's more like another average citizen of Makochi than he is a Bofurin member sometimes. he lacks fighting abilities, his diplomacy isn't particularly the best, and he's two seconds away from going into cardiac arrest at almost all times. but it's not like he gives a shit. every single time he gets beaten into the ground, he picks himself back up immediately. he takes hit after hit, time and time again, because no matter how battered or defenseless he is, his drive to stay and protect the town is ridiculously strong. he does go down when he can't take any more (keel), but it's with improvement and training that he manages to throw his first—albeit useless—punch (noroshi or whatever this arc is called idk). improvement that, mind you, comes from recognizing his own limitations.
some have called him reckless (Suo), but i disagree, because Nirei is right. i know the kids would rather look out for him and have him uninjured by the end of a scuffle, but he doesn't need to be coddled. everybody else jumps into a brawl and gets a broken nose regardless of their fighting skills. Nirei isn't any different. he knows he's limited, he knows he can't fight, he knows he's nothing special. he risks it all anyway, because even though he wasn't built for fighting, he's more than prepared to try over and over again until his efforts are enough to make a difference. he's looked at Sakura's back and thought he couldn't match him, that Sakura gets back up even when he's almost fully tapped out, that he's not needed because Sakura's stronger and will be okay without him.
maybe he's right about this, too. i'm inclined to disagree, but i understand where he's coming from. Nirei chases, Nirei can't stop running because he'll fall behind all these phenomenal beasts that can hold their own. i'm so glad the conclusion he reached was "okay, i gotta step up my game," but i'm not really surprised. this is Nirei Akihiko we're talking about and, i think Suo put it best, he wants to become stronger more than anybody.
he's been at a disadvantage this whole time, "playing hero" rather than being an "actual" hero, but he has a goal. if he has to tear himself apart to stand next to Sakura, he will. he doesn't have to, of course, he's already more than useful the way he is, but when you're so ordinary that you get lost in the crowd, standing beside someone so exemplary makes you want more.
honestly, Nirei's fucking wild. lil bro's actually crazy. we've seen characters go apeshit, but no one in this entire manga is nearly as insane as he is. i appreciate Suo telling him to slow down and chill out, cause he was fully intending to kill himself learning how to fight with zero foundation. my guy was more than ready to actually fight Endo. he meant that. it's a good thing he's properly learning how to defend himself, considering he probably lacks the muscle to go on the offense. those are his limits and he knows that. it frustrates him, but it definitely does little to stop him, because look how big his back is. i hope somebody tells him, after all of this is over, that he's doing more than enough, more than great.
to be fair, fighting isn't even where he shines, and that's okay. he's not strong enough to beat anyone's ass and he doesn't need to be, either. he doesn't need to be a leader like Sakura or a devotee like Sugishita or mimic whatever the fuck Suo's got going on. in the words of my favorite pink curse, the real heroes are the ones who support from the back, and that's exactly what Nirei does. he's said it himself, he wants to guide Sakura all the way to the top and he can, because he thrives in being another citizen of Makochi. he's a regular person and i think that's what makes him so compelling and important.
there's something so fascinating about his simplicity. he really is nothing more than just an ordinary kid. put him in a normal high-school classroom and he'll pass his midterms with a 75. he recognizes what he's good at, of course, he knows the town inside out and it's very useful, especially to Sakura. he's amazing support. it really doesn't seem like it and people love to completely dismiss him, but i wanna be outrageous and call him the backbone of these kids. he was Sakura's first friend and he continues to be the one pushing and prodding to make sure he stands back up every single time. he's more necessary than anyone gives him credit for. i have no doubt in my mind that, if it weren't for him, Sakura wouldn't be able to do half the things he's managing. even Suo, who's out here acting like he knows the secrets of the universe, has to stop and reorganize his ideas when Nirei talks.
if Suo is the heart (debatable, but okay, whatever bro says) and brain, i'd like to think Nirei is the spirit and the soul. there's no chance the kids would work so smoothly without Nirei around—which, yes, arguably the same could be said of all of them, but i've seen Nirei be dismissed as a Zenitsu looking ass gag character and i've never had to hold back a kys so hard. idk for sure what the general consensus on him is cause i've only ever seen him used in the context of ships and never on his own, which honestly makes me a little sad. especially after seeing the popularity poll cause he didn't even make it into the top 5 with not even 1k points personal offense tbh i need a word with the voters. what i've gathered is that aint nobody gaf about his ass im devastated Suo has to fuck off (13k votes is crazy gang come on). which i don't understand. take him out of the equation and everything falls apart. Sakura's the sword, Suo's the strategy, and Nirei is the ambition, the desire, the force, the feelings.
there's much to be said about how he's treated, not only in-universe, but also by the people consuming the media and the pr team. i don't fuck with shipping, but when i'm scrolling through my timeline, Nirei only exists in the context of somebody's favorite ship. and don't fucking get me started on the mischaracterization. look me in the eye and tell me Nirei doesn't have more conviction than any of these dumbass kids. yes, he gets scared and he's fucking horrified most of the time, but motherfucker he's fighting. he's out there in the frontlines, making himself useful, biting more than he can chew and then some. i dare you to treat him like wittle baby that needs protection.
if not for his uniqueness, look at him for his regularity, because i find it endearingly wonderful. i think there's something so special about the ordinary. he deserves a lot more than what he's getting so these mfs better put him in all collab illusts cause if i have to see Kaji in his place one more time i will personally book a flight. okay thank you thats all i promise ill never come back here have day.
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Some Mountain and Ifrit fluff because i feel people kinda forget Mountain was also part of the Popestar ghouls and I need more of those two interacting.
Mountain's lips twitch up when the smell of cedar and caramel fills his nostrils, a second before strong arms wrap around his waist from behind.
"Hello, Ifrit. Everything alright ?"
The fire ghoul pushes his forhead between Mountain's shoulderblades with a small noise. It's an awfully warm day, everyone sweating bullets, and yet Mountain wouldn't dream of pushing Ifrit off him, as hot - in every ways- as he is, the fire ghoul's skin feeling like he laid down under the sun for hours.
Still bent over a wooden table in the greenhouse, Mountain checks one last time the state of the struggling plant he attempted to save for the better part of the day, before straightening and turning around in Ifrit's hold despite the fire ghoul's dramatic whining.
They both realize how the other is dressed at the same time, eyes raking up and down the other's frame.
Well, as for Ifrit, "dressed" is a generous word. In nothing but very short bright pink shorts with the ghost logo printed on the ass, hidding absolutely nothing, the fire ghoul looks positively slutty.
"Why are you dressed like those oversexualized characters in action movies ?"
Ifrit snorts.
"Just missing the shirt tied in a knot right under my huge tiddies, uh ? 's comfy. You're one to talk, looking like a victorian wet dream."
Mountain glances down at his brown pants, held by leather suspenders over a widely opened flowy white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and admits to himself that he does look nice.
"Point taken. Is there something I can do for you, firebird ?"
Ifrit grins, retrieving a bag he probably dropped to hug Mountain, from which he extirpates a reusable bottle with lemons and daises doodled on it. With a flourish, he hands it to the earth ghoul.
"Lemonade. Zephyr made it. They thought you'd be thirsty, working your ass off in that weather."
The bottle is blissfully cold in Mountain's hands, probably kept that way by the air ghoul's doing, but he doesn't even have time to thank anyone before a box is shoved in his arms.
"And that's from me. Cupcake. Pistacchio and raspberries. Fresh out the oven. They're still a bit hot though, so you can wait to eat them since it's like, so freaking hot already, but anywa-"
Mountain cuts Ifrit off with a kiss, tasting the raspberries the fire ghoul indoubtably snatched while cooking directly from his lips.
When Mountain leans back with a smug smirk, Ifrit just blinks at him, mouth hanging half opened and cheeks flushed.
"...what was that for ?"
Dragging Ifrit toward an old bench, Mountain huffs.
"That was a thank you."
With a wheezing laugh, Ifrit sits right after Mountain, not questioning the manhandling for a second.
"Remind me to cover you in gifts then."
The box of cupcakes is swiftly opened, filling the greenhouse with its mouth-watering smell, bottle uncapped just as quickly.
"We're sharing this," Mountain anounces.
Ifrit opens his mouth to protest, but the earth ghoul is faster, shoving a cupcake in the fire ghoul's mouth before any sound can be uttered. Only barely avoiding to drop it, green frosting smeared on his nose and upper lips, Ifrit cackles, nearly slipping off the bench and dragging Mountain with him in his attempt to keep his balance.
"You- mrgh - absolute bastard," the fire ghould chuckles in between bites.
The lemonade tastes divine in the suffocating atmosphere of the sun-drenched afternoon, the cupcakes a welcome sweetness after long hours of work, but better than anything, Mountain thinks, is Ifrit smiling soft and tender at him, eyes crinkling in the corners, his laughter bouncing off the greenhouse's glass panels.
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