#regardless of how much effort I'm actually putting in

[thethingything]

"I know you keep saying you're doing stuff to help your mental health, and I know you try to track your moods and have a routine and stuff but you really need to try harder to not get so stressed about things" bestie when I say I'm trying to help my mental health, yeah I'm doing that stuff, but I'm also:

using DBT techniques to improve my emotional regulation, which takes a lot of energy because I have to focus on taking a step back and doing that while experiencing strong emotions that make that hard

actively unlearning unhealthy coping mechanisms and trying to replace them with healthier reactions to things, which once again requires catching myself doing stuff while experiencing strong emotions that make it harder to think rationally

working through shit like core beliefs to figure out why I act in certain ways and then challenge those beliefs to slowly fix things from the ground up (have you ever dug into core beliefs? it's a great way to end up sobbing for 2 hours straight while half your life suddenly clicks together and makes sense in a way it never had before)

basically improvising exposure therapy for various triggers because I don't have access to actual therapy so I've gotta DIY this shit if I actually want to get better at handling my triggers

having to work through processing years of trauma, abuse, etc, most of which gets brought up randomly and then I have to deal with it whether I'm in a good place to do that or not

and a whole bunch of other exhausting shit I can't remember off the top of my head because I'm brain foggy and have a migraine right now

and I'm having to do all this on top of repeatedly getting so ill I can't keep up with basic chores and experience the kind of symptoms and pain levels people would normally go to the hospital for on a daily basis and just having to try and carry on as normal anyway because I have no other choice, not to mention all the various stressors piling up in the background that I'm having to process and deal with.

"you need to try harder to not get stressed about things" says the person who won't even begin working on their own deeply unhealthy behaviours that negatively effect everyone around them because "that's a lot of work and I don't want to have to do all that"

[gu6chan]

maybe its sample bias but i think it's kinda funny how most people I've seen who've played drakengard because of nier are making ending e THE endgoal and more often than not the main if not only reason they're playing the game at all and when they finally get it they're like "this is it the single most impactful, greatest moment of all gaming. im wiping tears from my eyes this is it" and then you see the drakengard fans who've played drakengard because they like drakengard and you ask them about ending e and they're like "eh. it was okay, i guess"

[warblogs17282]

Apparently people are saying that Blitz's feelings for Stolas somehow came out of nowhere, so here's some of the more obvious moments that show that Blitz always had feelings for Stolas throughout the show.

That entire part in s1 e5 where Blitz stumbles over his words constantly trying to explain that it's a 'transactional fucking', all while Moxxie and Millie laugh with each other and also share a knowing look with each other, already giving us our first sign that their relationship is more than just 'transactional fucking' to Blitz, even all the way back in s1 e5.

I just have to mention the kiss in s1 e6, it drives me insane (positive) every time I see it because it really just goes to show how much care and effort Blitz actually puts in when they get into that kind of mood with each other tbh, plus showing that Blitz very much enjoys the time they spend fucking each other as well. So we can take this as another kind of obvious hint as well.

Simply the fact that Blitz secretly took a picture of Stolas sleeping at some point and has kept the image on his phone, just basically everything about this image we first see in s1 e7 tbh.

The blush that Blitz has for a brief moment upon Stolas transforming into his human disguise.

Blitz's reaction upon finding that out Stolas got pretty badly hurt, and his reaction to finding out that Stolas can indeed also get hurt.

We literally had an entire song where that shows the fact that Blitz is incredibly excited to fuck Stolas again after multiple months of the full moon arrangement not happening.

And there's a lot I could point to in s2 e10 to show my point here, but I think I'll stick to Blitz's response to Millie saying 'the bird got to you that bad, huh?', you know, that scene that basically kinda amounts to Blitz telling Millie that he does have feelings for Stolas.

Obviously, there's more examples I could point out in this post, such as the scene when Blitz and Fizzarolli are tied up in s2 e6, and just s2 e9 in general, but I just want to keep this post brief because I'm hearing that people are actually saying that Blitz's feelings for Stolas came out of nowhere, regardless of the fact that the show has literally been showing us that Blitz has feelings for Stolas for a while now.

[saoirseyun]

⸝⸝ x fem reader

. . . Dreaming about noble!dazai whose eyes physically cannot leave yours once catching glimpses inside one of many brothels to see you gracefully await in lounge. You're exceptionally gorgeous, radiant—even. Mannerisms delicate and rather elegant at once, as Dazai further watches you for brief. A rare thing among courtesans who've desired the position merely for fine status and wealth—actually presentable of what is expected of them.

. . . Sure, noble!dazai wasn't exactly sure if that were the case of things but could he be blamed for being attracted immediately for what was naturally beautiful? Speaking of, Dazai notices the light usage of makeup on your face. The white powder and bold red lipstick remains—yet it wasn't as exaggerated, or much more "proudly worn."

. . . You've presented yourself so intricately. Like, a woman of true class. He wasn't able to put a clear pin on it but you alone serve such respect and dignity towards anyone regardless of status or wealth. Behind the scenes? Oh, now we're talking sass. You've got quite the fun personality too! Dazai can't be helped.

. . . You're an one-out-of-a-hundred. At least, noble!dazai was certain enough to believe so anyway. Don't you know how hard it is to find women like you? Dazai's previous having all those same characteristics turns out to be a slut.

. . . Additionally, noble!dazai found you to be much more precious than the usual courtesan bought from brothels. There was another thing about the way you've performed arts for him or provided entertainment.

. . . Professionalism in every sense. You held together acts with such exquisite excellence. noble!dazai found himself in a hefty state of daze closely watching your darling performances—crafted carefully act by act to be done so gorgeous by one beautiful woman. (The fact that you were doing this all for him made his ego grow further.)

. . . Typically, noble!dazai could not simply afford to have some kind of proper love between his purchased women whilst a thousandth or so mistresses long to be called his. For once, however, Dazai might as well give you a chance.

a/n: okokok fr this time I'm sticking to this style of writing hcs bc the astronomer!zai post needed more effort than necessary :/

hey! small question,

please send an ask if so!

thank you all for your support<3

[demon-country]

The fact that I have already seen a good number of people complaining about how mean Stolas was supposedly being to Blitz in his song and thinking that he legitimately believes that Bliz is a wretched little worm that he owns is just. Utterly baffling. I'm genuinely unsure how anyone could miss the fact that it was an act. It was all a ruse he threw together on the fly in an effort to protect Blitz, wherein he pretended to be a big, bad, masterclass manipulator who was just using Blitz as his pawn.

For anyone who doubts it, here's the truth straight from the song writer's mouth:

This is literally the same exact ploy he pulled in Truth Seekers. He came in at the last minute and put on a big show to convince the people threatening Blitz and the rest of I.M.P that he was a big, scary demon who was so much more powerful than them (which he is) and practically owned them as his minions used to carry out his evil deeds (which he doesn't).

Though, perhaps I shouldn't be too surprised, since pretty much everyone I've seen talk about that scene fails to realize that that and his "who dares threaten my impish little plaything?" and "what's the matter, demon hunter? Never seen a real demon before?" comments were nothing but an act and he didn't actually believe any of it, too.

In Mastermind, he was trying to make sure that all of the blame would be put on himself, so that, as shown above, they would give Blitz the same treatment the others got when Blitz claimed they had nothing to do with it and were just following his orders.

In Truth Seekers, he was trying to intimidate the humans and make them so scared he wouldn't need to resort to violence to stop them. Why else would he put on that whole horror movie display and announce himself and his relationship with Blitz at all, if his entire goal was anything other than to incapacitate them with fear? If all he wanted was to get I.M.P out, he could have quickly and easily killed them without saying a word. Calling Blitz his plaything and saying that he was a real demon served to a) establish that he was the kind of person who had playthings, because that's the kind of cruel, domineering creature that most humans expect demons to be, and b) further intimidate them by implying that he was exponentially more powerful than the demons who just decimated their whole entire team.

He didn't mean any of it either time (except for when he called Blitz an idiot, maybe); those weren't things he actually believed. Why would he legitimately think of Blitz as his plaything and someone he owns when in both cases it was far enough in the timeline that he was already in love with Blitz and wanted a real, genuine romantic relationship with him and not just the fleeting taste of one he got while restrained by the full moon deal?

Those were classist/racist things to say, of course, and that was the point. That was language he deliberately used because it fit the persona he was using to appear villainous. Where he went wrong the first time and how his actual internalized racism came into play was in how he didn't for even one single second think about how those statements would look to the members of I.M.P, because he'd never once had to think about the fact they must get those kinds of demeaning comments all the time and had no way of knowing that he was faking. Calling them "little creatures" while he was scolding them probably wasn't part of the act though, and he didn't realize that it was classist/racist to say those things at all, regardless of intent, so he never apologized or reassured them that he didn't actually believe Blitz was his plaything or that they weren't real demons.

But with the power of hindsight and a more omniscient view of the characters that we get later on, it's so clear to see that all of these comments were only said as part of his theatrical portrayals of a villain, rather than things he truly believes, because he doesn't talk like that after Ozzie's when he realized just how much he had unintentionally been hurting Blitz. Don't fall for his ruse, guys, especially not when it's as blatantly obvious as it was in Mastermind.

[the-s1lly-corner]

Making flower crowns for various crps (1/?)

I'm making these like. No bake granola balls and omg I tried some before I put it up and it's so good I'm so excited to try them when they're ready

Characters: slenderman, splendorman, ticci toby, masky, hoodie

Notes: reader is gn, this may be split into 3 parts for the characters , we will see, writing this while in a massive motivation slump chat i am struggling

CWs: none

SLENDERMAN

he already knows what youre doing long before you approach him with the crown... he does feign some level of surprise just for you albeit in the form of lightly raising his brows- he... doesnt emote that often...

he wears it for a while just for you, though he does eventually hang it somewhere so it can dry out and be preserved. he WILL raise hell if someone comes into his woods and steals it like they do his pages. it was a gift you made for him, hes not going to let some wandering hiker steal it from him

just say the word and he will bring you flowers to make more crowns, or better yet take you to where a lot of flowers tend to grow in the woods!

leaves flowers in your room or at your home for you whenever he gets the chance to gather some

SPLENDORMAN

oooooooo did you make that for him? give him a second to make one for you so the two of you can match! no really he only needs a minute or two, hes for the speed and efficiency to make one much much faster than you ever could- whether from experience or excitement or simply being built different... you werent sure!

will loop it around his hat so it rests on the brim.. will point out the specific flowers you wove into it and asks if the choices were intentional... even if they werent hes going to compliment your choices and if youre interested ramble about the meanings of the flowers you did choose

he loves daisies and sunflowers! they look so... "happy" as he puts it!

will dry the crown out so he can keep it long term

MASKY

why would you make him this? not to make him sound ungrateful, he moreso means it in a confused sense because... what use is there to wear this? it is nice, though....

dont even try to snatch it back off of his head hes going to either evade you or grip it to his head in his hands- possibly the most... expressive... youve seen him be in response to non-dangerous things

keeps it stashed away somewhere when he needs to take it off to go into the woods and do his work

he... finds himself making one for you... the process is actually quite calming for him... half of the flowers he picks are actually weeds- not that he cares about the difference. a flower is a flower regardless of where it grows

HOODIE

he likes it! you... think... the mask makes it hard to tell and he just... let you put it on top of his head- you get the feeling that he already knew you were making the crown

keeps it in a safe space, but somewhere visible so you know that he didnt through it out or trash it or whatever- he knows you put time and effort into this and hes going to let you know that hes not going to disregard it... will dry it out like his boss

one night he comes home with all sorts of plants- flowers, weeds, grass, everything he could get his hands on- in his arms and dumps them in front of you- and he starts signing...

...he wants you to show him how to make a crown too!

TICCI TOBY

initially acts like its not that big of a deal or that its really something hes interested in it... but hes shutting you down when you offer to take it back

wears it even when he goes out in the woods, will throw hands if someone snatches it off of his head or damages it in some way. he does NOT care if theyre just flowers!

attempts to dry the crown out, likely fails somewhere down the line and he feels so distraught- he knows that it was going to happen eventually but god does it do nothing to take away the disappointment.. his ass does not know how to effectively preserve plants

you both sit together making crowns

[genericpuff]

no stop this article is too funny

this is from 2020 and while it talks about webtoons in general as a platform and medium, there's an excerpt from Rachel that's ironically and hilariously telling on herself when it comes to her priorities as a creator and how her work has aged incredibly poorly in the past 4 years:

She may as well just be saying, "I like Webtoon because they don't have any quality control" and "the trad publishing market had standards that I couldn't live up to, so instead of actually trying to live up to them, I went with a platform that has zero standards and was willing to make me into the standard regardless of my own qualifications and lack thereof."

Like y'all, take this as advice from someone who's had their fair share of rejection letters... the print industry dumping your unsolicited portfolio in the bin isn't gatekeeping, it's the nature of the business. The way Rachel describes it here - albeit I'm sure it's simplified for the sake of being an interview answer, but still - makes it sound like she was just expecting to walk right into the trad publishing market without an agent, without a completed manuscript or pitch, without any professional representation, and just slam her portfolio of mid-2000's art on the desk expecting them to hire her on the spot.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of barriers that prevent people from getting into the trad market, hurdles that can often be outright unfair (lacking the funds, lacking the connections, etc.) but... there's also a reason many of those barriers are there in practice.

First of all, fun fact: the reason why many publishers don't take unsolicited manuscripts isn't just to help them filter out the spam and low-effort submissions and prevent an overload of submissions (because if they took submissions from anyone and everyone, the overviewing system would break entirely), but it's also for legal purposes so that they don't get sued. Because if Joe Chucklefuck sends in an unsolicited manuscript that just so happens to include a plot point about the multiverse, and then a new book series or movie comes out that is about the multiverse, Joe Chucklefuck might get the sense they're being stolen from and attempt to sue them for plagiarism. This is why it's stressed so much by publishers that any unsolicited manuscripts will not just go unread, but will be thrown straight into the bin.

But second, many publishers simply don't want to take the financial risks on random start-up creators whose only experience is running their own personal projects on Tumblr, much less personal projects like Rachel's, half of which are fetish-content and all of which are unfinished. Of course they weren't gonna take Rachel seriously back then, she hadn't done anything to build up her presence in the industry.

In that sense, yes, self-publishing or pursuing a platform gig like Webtoons probably was Rachel's next best option which would be perfectly acceptable on its own, but it's just so, so telling that she thinks it's a "perk" for Webtoons to lack so much in the way of quality control, and we would ironically see the glaring evidence of that "perk" 3-4 years later in LO's final season when every single element of it as a "professional" piece of work turned to shit. It's no wonder she liked Webtoons in 2020 for letting her do anything she wanted, because what she wanted absolutely would not fly with an actual editor and publishing agency that cared about putting out a polished piece of work. The only way she was able to get "in" with a professional publisher was through Del Rey after Webtoons brokered a deal for her to have LO put into print, and even that level of prestige can't hide the fact that LO sucks ass in print. It's almost like under normal circumstances and without Webtoons carrying her on their shoulders above every other creator on the platform - many of whom actually do have experience in both tradpub and self-publishing - Del Rey wouldn't have paid her any attention. Without Webtoons, no one would take her seriously because she doesn't take what she does seriously, and it shows in her priorities as a creator who simply wants to just do whatever she wants without any sort of reasonable oversight like research or editing which are, again, necessary expectations within the tradpub industry, because it's not just about being a free-thinking self-expressive artist anymore in that industry - it's a business.

Of course, Rachel is probably now laughing from her soapbox over the fact that she now technically helps run an imprint, so haha "poo on the meanie trad market", but considering that imprint has still not launched and has been put on the same "coming soon" track that the LO television show has been on for the past 4+ years on a loop, I'm not holding my breath that it's actually going to amount to anything substantial.

(gotta love how they asked if Rachel was gonna create any more stories and her answer was RSP, which will help other creators bring their stories to life. so at best she didn't answer the question which is nothing new for her, at worst she gave away the fact that she's gonna be acting as some kind of producer who will be given all the credit and praise for other creator's works and efforts lmao no thankssss)

And god knows what the quality control of this imprint is gonna be like if Rachel's attitude toward the trad market overall is, "Nooo they won't let me do what I wantttt :((((" when she admittedly never even broke into the trad market to begin with and had zero experience working within that industry prior to LO.

And even then, Webtoons still doesn't give her as much freedom of choice as she claims to have. I mean ffs, this is the same person whose moderators stated that the Swarovski crystal dress from the finale was done as a "fuck you" to Webtoons for not letting her draw Persephone nude all the time.

She's obviously still being prevented from doing what she wants to do, when a lot of what she wants to do is better off not passing the vibe check and making it into the comic.

Quality control exists for a reason, Rachel. And "letting you do what you want" isn't necessarily a "flex" that Webtoons can claim over trad publishing when that "flex" is forgoing the traditional barriers that would usually prevent someone like you from failing upwards into manufactured fame the way that you have.

And that's my big bag of cents on that.

[couldyouimagine-that]

Take a Moment

Genre; hurt/comfort, fluff

Word count; 1.8k

Warnings; description of reader feeling overwhelmed, reader having a little doubt as to why Gabriel is helping them so much.

Pairing; Gabriel (Supernatural) x Reader

Gabriel who is absolutely smitten with the reader sees they are feeling overwhelmed whilst researching a case and offers to take them somewhere quiet – comfort and cuddling ensues.

I’m back! I really enjoyed writing this one (I'm rewatching Supernatural at the moment and my love of Gabriel has been rekindled) and I’m considering doing something similar with Lucifer – let me know if that’s something you would want to read. Enjoy!

Masterlist

-

You didn’t even have to say anything for Gabriel to know something was wrong. Castiel was never likely to notice, but the archangel had to forgive him that. His brother wasn’t the most perceptive when it came to emotion. The Winchesters were very perceptive, but they were only human and you were covering your discomfort well. Your breathing was regular and steady, there were no signs of a tapping foot or a repetitive hand movement, or anything that would signal how you felt.

But Gabriel could actually feel how you felt, one of the perks of his true form being an enormous series of celestial wavelengths. It was incomprehensible to you, he was sure, but you understood enough about angels to get the gist. He watched as you sat at the end of the table in the bunker’s library, having put yourself there so that no one would sit down next to you. You had your legs crossed tight at the knee, your arms crossed where you leaned forward on the table. Your posture looked closed off, but there was a mug of coffee by your side and you had been reading lore for hours. The others would assume you had slept poorly or were bored senseless. What that posture really meant was that you were protecting yourself, consciously or not.

Nothing had happened to trigger it, but it was clear to Gabriel that you felt incredibly overwhelmed. He stayed were he had set himself up by one of the bookshelves, one hip cocked against it. He had seen you leave situations like this in the past, when things finally did get too much and you needed some space to yourself. Equally, he had seen you try to tough it out and pretend everything was fine more times than he wanted to count. He truly wishes you knew you didn’t have to, regardless of if that meant you wanted his help or not.

Sam and Dean were sitting far enough down the table that it didn’t seem to be affecting your clear need – or clear to Gabriel, at least – for personal space. Castiel was browsing books along the shelves on the other side of the room, so whilst Gabriel wanted desperately to intervene and help you, he was glad for a moment to think that he wouldn’t need to.

That was until the idiot brothers decided to open their mouths.

“Hey Y/N, did you find anything on that weapon?”

Gabriel would have liked to snap Dean’s mouth shut. You told him that you hadn’t with a small smile, short but not unkind. Gabriel could see the effort it took for you to regain your focus on your reading. Just a few minutes later and Sam was the one to interrupt you, asking for the title of a book you had mentioned to him the previous day. This time it was harder for you to concentrate on your task again. It was when Dean disrupted your work for a third time, asking if you wanted more coffee as he stood and made his way to the kitchen, that you couldn’t take it a second longer.

Your refusal was decisive and your chair legs scraped against the floor as you pushed back from the table. You left the room quickly with a muttered excuse about going to look for a different book. Gabriel took his chance and flew ahead of you, leaving the library without anyone noticing. He was leaning against the wall outside your room when you arrived in a flurry from the speed at which you had been walking. You jumped in surprise when you rounded the corner to see him standing there and promptly tried to push straight past him in an effort to get a moment by yourself.

“Sorry Gabriel, I just need a minute.” Your words were quiet and your breathing had turned heavy. He knew that he would be making things worse for you in the moment, but he also knew he could help in the long run.

“Hey, sugar…” he murmured, voice even softer than it normally was when he spoke to you. “You wanna go somewhere quiet?”

You paused, hand on the door to your little closed in space in the bunker. No windows, not much by way of fresh air, and a whole group of people in the library just waiting to interrupt your alone time. You trusted Gabriel, knew he would never do anything to hurt you. And you desperately needed a break from it all.

He could have jumped for joy when you nodded, but he kept his reaction contained. He offered you a hand, palm up, which you took hold of immediately. The bunker was gone in the time it took you to blink. Instead, you stood in the main room of a sunny villa-like house, all open plan and large windows. Orange sunlight streamed in from a setting sun and to your right, double glass doors led out onto a sprawling patio. Bright blue pool water glimmered from its centre.

Gabriel let your hand slip from his as you took a few steps into the room, looking around with a beautiful if not tired smile.

“Is this yours?” You asked, a hint of wonder in your words that made Gabriel’s chest swell.

“Just a bit of real estate I have over in Cali.” He gave you his classic playful smirk as you looked back at him, amused by his dismissal of such a nice place. “Make yourself at home, sugar. You want a drink?” You seemed to consider something for a moment, rolling the sentence around in your mouth.

“Actually, I – this is probably silly, but can we just sit down for a minute?”

We.

You wanted to sit down with him until you felt better. That was how much you trusted him, how safe you felt with him. Outwardly, he just gave you a smile and sauntered over to one of the couches arranged artfully around the room.

“Course we can! And don’t ever worry about sounding silly with me.”

He held an intense moment of eye contact with you to make sure his message sank in. You took a seat on the other side of the couch and Gabriel couldn’t resist stretching an arm out along the back of it, behind your head. Not touching, but the invitation was there. You smiled to yourself at his less than subtle antics. He grinned like a cheshire cat when you shifted further towards him and rested your head on his shoulder. He slid his arm around your shoulders and pulled you in close, resting his cheek atop your head. You in turn curled into him fully and wound an arm around his neck.

Gabriel didn’t bother to fight the warm feeling in his chest. He felt no need to deny to himself how fond he was of you, instead just enjoying the moment. He felt you relaxing against him physically, but he also felt your mind becoming calmer. His breath shifted your hair as he took in the scent of your shampoo. He had years of experience passing time in the company of humans, but this little display of trust you were putting on meant more to him than a lot of that put together.

His other hand alighted on your hip as you moved closer still, mindlessly seeking comfort. You tucked your legs up onto the couch and the movement allowed you to put more of your weight against the archangel. He wrapped an arm around your waist and you reached your own up over his shoulders. He smiled at you ever so warmly as you tucked your face into his neck, watching your eyes close as you let out a contented sigh. He began to card his fingers through your hair, lightly scraping his nails over the back of your head, and all but basked in the way your head tilted further forwards onto his shoulder.

“You know you can talk to me when you feel like that, right? Or any time. I’m always here if you need me to be.” You tightened your hold on him for a brief moment. “And you can come here whenever you want, just give me the word.”

You leaned back a little at that, catching his eye.

“Gabriel, thank you. Really, thank you, but… why are you doing all this for me?” He rolled his eyes playfully without missing a beat.

“Oh no, the big bad archangel Gabriel looks like he might actually give a crap about some human.” He waved his hands around for dramatic affect before placing them back on you. He then tilted his head forward, narrowing his eyes and raising a brow. “Seriously?” The half shrug you offered had him muttering heatedly to himself in Enochian. “Seriously? Is it really that shocking that I give a damn about you? Why is this coming as such a surprise?” You were planning on not answering that verbally but he refused to let you look away. “Come on, sugar. You must know I care about you by now.” Gabriel’s hand started on a steady path up and down your back, waiting for your answer. You stumbled around your words for a lot longer than you would have liked, still unhappy with what you settled for in the end.

“I – didn’t really realise.”

“You think I bring anyone else here when I can see they need some space to breathe?” He wasn’t mocking, or even upset, he was just being direct.

“I’m surprised you brought me here,” you muttered, very quiet. He didn’t deign to answer that in words, but the look he gave you said come on. You gave a soft sigh of your own. “Gabriel, look. I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t realise you cared about me so much, I really didn’t.” He went to hit back, likely with something disparaging, so you tapped his nose to get his attention. The self-righteous expression of how dare you had a grin pulling at your lips. “You can complain about me not realising later, alright? You were a much more calming influence when you weren’t saying anything.” He repeated that back to you, absolutely exasperated by your nerve, but you tucked your face back into his shoulder instead of replying. You felt him shake his head, even as his arms wound back around you.

You knew you wouldn’t have much time left before you needed to return to the bunker, but for the time being, you simply enjoyed your moment of peace.

[gaoau]

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.

[cloudnineminusnine]

so, i tried a little something based on that and it's comments (づ_ど)

bm! sun wukong x gn! reader | slightly suggestive so no minors allowed.

(it's poorly written since english is not my first language!)

not getting any response made the monkey king uneasy, specially given the faint blush that made it's way down to your soft cheeks. you've been acting a little suspicious for a few days now, he could say. in a way that left him intrigued. the sudden touch of your hand on his face startled him, just enough to not pull him away.

"taking a closer look..." you starts in a soft whisper, as if it were your little secret, while your dark eyes crossed each and every detail of his partialy furred face "i can conclude that you really are the most beautiful creature i've laid my eyes on."

out of nowhere.

could it be that you were joking?

actually you used to tease him so much over so many things – as much as he did to you – that it naturally was the first thing that occured to him.

you said things like that before but never in such an intense way... plus your brown eyes held too much sincerity for you to be joking. it felt cozy and unsettling at the same time.

this kind of interaction souldn't have any major effect on him. you were only caressing his face in the most lovely way ever, with the light touch of your fingertips, so why was he suddenly having so much trouble over breathing in a steady pace? that reaction was definitely deviating from his usual demeanor. he was only feeling that way because you caught him off guard, that's it!

in the morning after there was a different aura surrounding both of you. the monkey king seemed to be annoyed by something he couldn't put his finger on, while you were behaving more introspective, as if your mind was so full that you couldn't escape from it even if for seconds.

sometimes you would feel like losing it, fantasizing on being even more intimate with him or touching him in a less innocent way – dear lord, he couldn't imagine the absurdities that inhabited your mind even if he tried. which was good! who knows what kind of reaction he'd have if he knew just how much you wanted him to have his way with you?

poor thing, you needed to do something as soon as possible. before your unbridled passion for him could consume you entirely. then, with that resolved, you could put your efforts into overcoming your feelings. it was ridiculous to even imagine that the sun wukong would reciprocate you.

a few days later, when your relationship with him finally seemed to be less awkward, you saw the perfect opportunity in front of your eyes. and took it.

you two were stargazing while chatting about anything and everything like you used to do, and it was like the things had never changed between the two of you. being able to hear that boisterous laugh again warmed your silly little heart – those pointy canines of him were terribly adorable so what could you do?

on that night specially his gaze towards you seemed to be sweeter than normal. he would also stop and stare whenever a loud laugh came out of your mouth, which was kind of strange from your perception. impossible.

you needed to take action and you did.

without any warnings you then started talking about how you ended up becoming attached to him regardless of his arrogant nature and, as if the "i fell in love with you" wasn't shocking enough, you went even further by ending the lengthy confession with a conformed "i'm determined to get over it".

you would definitely be rejected by him anyway, so why not get that out of your way? it would be even easier to forget him once you parted ways. perfect plan!

with a baffled tone to his voice, sun wukong promptly confronted "why would you get over it?" he forced a scandalous laugh, trying to feel more like himself. "so you're not even going to try to court me? now that's weirder than you just confessing your feelings to me." of course he would end by joking his way out.

how dare him?

your usually relaxed eyes were now fully open in surprise "so you want me to court you? that's a good one!" you let out a hearty laugh, not believing your ears or the audacity of him. "if i already know that i don't stand a chance then why should i try?" that was obvious, wasn't it? well, maybe not for him and his big ego.

his eyes gleamed, as if challenged by your words. sun wukong approached his face close enough to mix in your breathing and with a suggestive whisper he declared "heh, i only thought you were bold enough to lure me in..." his nails brushed slitghly over your exposed arm, causing a deliciously chilling sensation. you felt your legs go weak as a giggle reached your ears.

what's gotten into him? where did that came from?

even though your heart almost gave in to desire, you remained firm in your decision. that would be better. sun wukong was obviously making a fool of you, even if both his sultry gaze and provocative touch tried to make you believe otherwise – in your defense he seemed too flirtatious, like he'd never been before.

the next day the embarrassment was so much that you choose to act as if nothing happened, as if his touch wasn't ghosting over your wrist since the night before when with a sudden grip he tried to stop you from leaving him behind. you tried your best to hide how shaken you've been, not wanting to put any distance towards sun wukong who, somehow, seemed to be restless since that fatidic event. you couldn't and wouldn't go back on your plan – too prideful –, but he sure made you think on changing it...

without any discretion, he would analyze your behavior constantly while searching for any glimpse of what've been confessed by you. his eyes started to gravitate towards your figure more than he would like to admit, as if he was under some kind of spell.

whenever you caught him staring he would try to appear as indifferent as you appeared to him. his ego seemed to be hurt and it was honestly funny to think that it could be because of you. at first you were weirded out by wukong's behavior but now you could only be amused by his reactions.

"i may not be the smartest person out there, but i have a feeling that you've been staring at me quite a lot lately." unfortunately for his pride, that's how the first conversation related to that topic began. "may i ask what do you want from me, almighty monkey king?"

now that was bold of you. too bold for his liking. bold in an annoyingly enticing way. your lazy eyes were so full of expectation and need that it made his insides turn, oh, you still wanted him so bad! he just knew it.

now he was fully determined to make you regret on saying that you would get over him. just you wait and see.

[gremlinmodetweeker]

Eldritch!König's Ever-Watchful Eyes

I'm writing this as I'm about to get an IUD inserted, so please pray for me here. Last time the pain was so bad I had to go to the hospital. Either way, I'm channeling my fear of pain into my fear of Summoned!König, so that's what's keeping me stable. Most likely half way through I'll be in an Uber home (or if I'm feeling extra, the bus).

Edit: I took the bus.

Story below the cut.

Tw for disturbing imagery, mental torture, insects

Under His Watch

König watched your scurrying out of the corner of one ice cold eye. He found it amusing, how you seemed so desperate to please a party that saw no worth in so much as the air that passed through your lungs. Really, Summoner, you're just another cog in a machine. You could relax a bit, if you'd like. You didn't need to spend hours assembling finger sandwiches and preparing jugs of cucumber water. If you wanted to have high tea, he could have a full table set for you in a snap of his fingers, but you always refused his help. It was starting to irritate him, actually.

"Watch the skins," he drawled as he watched the winds blow through fields of canola flowers, "Srgt. Blackstone is picky about his apples."

You didn't bother asking how he knew this, instead taking out a peeler without a word.

König raised one bushy eyebrow at your diligent obedience. You were such a good pet, weren't you? You hung on every command he gave you, but he knew this blind obedience would soon be your downfall. You needed some semblance of a spine if you wanted to climb from your current rank. Or rather, he'd need to plant one in you, whether you liked it or not.

"Don't add so much cress," König closed his weathered eyes, "it will throw off the balance."

"Will it?" you questioned, but put the sandwich aside regardless.

"It will," König confirmed.

He watched you hurry back and forth, a mindless ant playing house for a faux queen. He could squash you all with the twinge of a thumb.

In truth, König considered the entire display mindlessly absurd. You were laughably pathetic in your attempts to charm your superiors. You could spit on their boots and they'd clamber for so much as an acknowledgement from you. Didn't you realise how much power you held over them? You had him, didn't you?

You seemed so desperate to please these vermin above you. You had the most powerful summon in the entire continent, maybe even hemisphere, and yet you seemed desperate to try and gain the respect of ticks that were determined to burrow into your side. If only you knew how much power you commanded.

König snorted when you scrambled towards the knock on the door. You squeaked as you broke a glass statue in your hurry. Once you'd turned the corner, König twirled a finger and the statue was set to rights on the table.

You didn't mention the statue when you led your commanders back to the kitchen, instead focussing on keeping your eyes down to avoid angering the old ones. When they turned to look at König, they quickly averted their gaze. At the very least, they knew their place before him. They'd just need to learn that you were just as much a force as he was.

However, he could sense how fearful his mate seemed. You were so nervous, and his presence o ly seemed to amplify your anxieties. He mercifully faded into the shadows, and like all humans, out of sight out of mind. It saddened him how your shoulders relaxed when he had left your sight.

The great old ones sat at the table you set for them. You served each of them as the mindless drone you were, but they paid no attention to your desperate attempts to pacify the forces above you. Instead, they focussed on the avatar in their midst.

You sat at one end of the table, opposite from the space you'd so thoughtfully given to your commander. Now that your summon was out of sight, they focussed on honing their strength and focussing on your pitiful presence.

"You made great efforts to prepare yourself for us," the Admiral mused as his own summon sniffed the sandwich you'd prepared. Once the summon nodded, he took a tentative bite.

"You used no help from your summon to prepare for us," a commander observed.

"I didn't want to offend," you admitted weakly.

This got the attention of the old ones. You didn't want to offend them? König could smack you for being so oblivious.

"Well you have done well," the Admiral observed before narrowing his equiline eyes, "so far."

"I hope I will only continue to please," you mindlessly agreed, a fateful amen to the powers that reigned above you.

König could hear the whisperings in your commander's minds. It sickened him. If it were up to him, he'd have you pressed over this table beneath him, claiming you to prove who you were truly loyal to. The fact that they dared to picture you between their legs made him want to castrate each and every one of them. He'd teach them later, once their heads hit their pillows. Until then, he'd watch over you silently.

"A summoner as powerful as you could advance quickly,' the admiral's eyes glinted, "we certainly think you have potential, based on the results here."

"Really?" you blinked owlishly.

"There is no doubt in your abilities," the Admiral took another sandwich, cream cheese and lox, "as long as you can prove your dedication, you could easily be sitting among the people you see here within a year."

A year? The thought was so alien to you that it took you an entire minute to process it. You, an old master, in just a year? It was unheard of.

"But that's impossible..." you heard the words come forth, but your face was numb.

"Not so, summoner," the admiral's teeth gleaned in the afternoon glow, "I think we could find good use for you. How would you like to join us?"

König saw you nod your head, a good little pup. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"All we need are a few favours," the old master spun his web, "nothing egregious, just some things to ensure your abilities."

You perched on the edge of your seat, an alert retriever waiting for your masters command.

"We only ask one simple request," the Admiral leaned forward, "and that would be your summon."

"My summon?" you frowned. They wanted you to hand over König? Your heart clenched, and everything within you screamed in protest.

"Your first attempt to summon brought you an avatar of chaos," a general pitched in, "with more training and guidance, imagine what you could summon next?'

"You could have an army of angels at your fingertips," another added.

You could always get another summon, but give up König? Something churned within you.

"I'd have to think-"

"No."

The sunlight was snuffed out around you, leaving you in complete darkness. Tendrils crawled around your throat, loving chains binding you close.

"I am not some pet to be passed," a voice echoed by each old one present, "not a single one of you, not with your armies of summons or all the arcane knowledge in every library of earth can bind me to your command."

The Admiral screamed as a cloud of gnats bloomed from his throat.

"You are all toddlers playing with matchbooks."

A general was bound to his chair with thick, slimy tentacles as centipedes crawled from his ears and into his mouth, stifling his pleads for mercy.

"This summoner is my mate."

The other general went slack-jawed as images of maddening carnage flashed through his eyes.

"Now bow to me."

All ten old masters immediately dropped to their stomachs. Their hands were stretched up above them, small antenna reaching up to a higher power that held nothing but disdain for them. It was a wretched sight, too horrid for your little brain to comprehend.

As soon as it came, the sunlight slowly filtered in with carefree abundance. The fields grew brighter than before, the clouds outside particularly billowy in their columnus mirth.

The remnants of lunch had turned to rotten mulch on rusted trays. Insects crawled through the piles with gleeful delight. As the old masters slowly climbed up the table legs to their feet, they shook and shivered like mice in cats of oil.

The admiral's eyes met yours, then a pair of eyes behind you."

"You may leave."

They were gone in an instant.

AU Masterlist

[moonsaver]

Imagine S/O GN!reader gifting Dr. Ratio fancy chalk for his birthday! Everyone else thinks it's a weird gift but Ratio tears up cuz it's his favourite kind of chalk to write with❤️❤️

https://youtube.com/shorts/uFuQS9aOo38?si=GgvszDedg0qvwkev

Hello anon! I haven't clicked on the link and watched the video, but I'm guessing its the "mathematicians are hoarding chalk all over the world and here's why"?

To be honest, he would love that. Considering the amount of chalk he probably throws at.. anyone, he probably runs out of them in the most inconvenient times. I like to hc that some of his students have an inside joke to cope with their miserable studies with that whenever a lecture is running particularly long, the chalk disappears right before he explains a very important concept just to give the students a tiny break.

Regardless, onto chalk. And birthdays.

Ratio doesn't seem like the type who'd go out of his way to celebrate it, but personally I imagine he'd like a small get together instead. No one makes it a big deal and all of you just get to hang out. He isn't the type that looks forward to flattery or expensive gifts either, but in all honesty if you put a lot of thought and effort into your gift, he'll (subtly, depending on how much went into it) appreciate the gesture.

Ratio would actually be impressed with it. He would be surprisingly pleased by the quality of the chalk, the utility of your gift, thoughtfulness behind it and so on. He's actually quite pleased with the gift, regardless of what people may say. He's a professor after all. He's also slightly over the moon at the fact you actually listened to him and made a note of the fact he'd wanted good quality chalk. He keeps it neatly stored somewhere and only ever uses it whenever he really needs to "get into the zone" or whatever.

[marchofmistria]

Hey I saw your requests were open and wanted to ask you if you could a do how would the bachelor's react to reader's/farmer's fuck ass haircut? I just cut my own bangs and it's all crooked and need some comfort 🥺

Hey I'm so sorry this has been in my inbox for so long!! Thank you very much for sending, this was so funny to think about. Hope your bangs have grown out since :') 

March

You already know March would be brutal. He's not good at expressing himself and, especially before you're an actual couple and he starts to put effort into not hurting your feelings, he wouldn't think twice about insulting your haircut.

If you came up to him after ruining your hair, he wouldn't be able to hide his confused scowl and ask "what did you do to your hair?" 

If you find it funny and laugh, he'll probably laugh as well and continue teasing you. He'd probably say something like, you shouldn't be allowed to smelt hot metal if you can't even cut your bangs correctly. 

He would laugh if you met him where he was and teased him back, especially about how he can't dye his own hair so he shouldn't be talking. 

If you had a different reaction, however, and got upset or embarrassed and walked away, he'd probably reflect on how you were likely feeling pretty self-conscious and realize that was a low blow.

He'd apologize next time he saw you, rolling his eyes and attempting to fix his comment a bit by saying "at least hair grows back." 

Ryis

Ryis would probably notice it right away. He pays close attention to you, and he can likely tell you're feeling self-conscious. 

He'd try to preserve your feelings the best he could. He'd ask about it lightly and casually. "Hey Y/N, did you get a new haircut? I like it."

You'd definitely blush and get super embarrassed, saying that you know the haircut sucks. Even though Ryis might secretly agree that it's not exactly the best look, he definitely would not agree to you putting yourself down like that. 

"What are you talking about, it's fine! You always look nice, so your haircut doesn't really matter, anyways."

If you're truly upset about it, he'd continue to reassure you and tell you that you look beautiful regardless. But thankfully hair does grow back if you truly don't like it!

He'll continue to compliment you as it grows back so you don't doubt whether he still finds you attractive. 

Eiland

Eiland is a sweetheart and would try to calm you down if you were upset about the haircut you gave yourself. A lot of reassurance about your beauty and his love for you regardless. 

He'd probably start telling you some interesting facts about historical hairstyles of Aldaria or something, as a way to distract you. You may or may not find it annoying in the moment. 

If you're still feeling unhappy, he'd offer to pay to get your hair fixed by Vera or some other expensive hairstylist in the Capital. 

He'd continue to attempt to reassure you that you look very pretty regardless and this sort of thing happened to everyone! In fact, he read on an Alda-period stone tablet that a woman once cut her own hair and....

Balor

It's rare that Balor loses his cool charm, but you see it waver in his face for a moment when you first see each other after the haircut. 

He'd try to deny it and turn the charm all the way up to compensate, telling you that you look absolutely radiant today (even though you look beautiful every day!). You'd see through it right away and call him out on it. 

He may try to deny it at first, but eventually agrees that it's not the best haircut. He does emphasize, however, that even something like a bad haircut couldn't detract from your beauty at all and you do still look lovely.

He'd hold back a bit of a laugh when you give him a blank stare from behind your crooked bangs, though. 

He just happens to generously gift you a set of beautiful gold hairpins from the Capital. Perfect timing. He'll tell you the hairpins compliment your eyes very well once he's no longer distracted by the funny-looking fringe. 

Hayden

Hayden wouldn't even notice honestly. He always thinks you look beautiful and wouldn't sweat small details like that. 

If you came to him and showed him how you messed up your hair, he'd probably laugh and tell you not to think anything of it!

"I cut my own hair all the time, Y/N. It's probably a mess but that's just fine by me!" He likes you however you are, with whatever you decide to do with your appearance.

If you were to tell him that you thought you looked unattractive or that you were embarrassed and didn't want anyone to look at you, he'd get genuinely upset. He truly doesn't understand how you don't see yourself as beautiful, and especially over such a small thing!

He'd continue to tell you not to pay it any mind, that hair grows back, and that no one would even notice. He genuinely thinks the latter because he wouldn't have noticed it had you not pointed it out. 

He'd lend you one of his big hats to cover your hair with while you wait for it to grow out, if you wanted. 

[becauseimanicequeen]

I love Yak in Wandee Goodday so much. He's probably my all-time favorite GMMTV character and I think it has to do with how much I see of myself in him.

For one, he knows and respects boundaries (even when they're not clearly stated). I mean, he apologized for taking Dee's keycard to find out where Dee was living when Dee was passed out drunk by the trash. He apologized again as he grabbed Dee's phone to answer the call.

Yak was also the first to ask about the rules of their FWB relationship.

Setting up rules is another way to establish boundaries. And Yak is respecting those rules/boundaries even though he's clearly struggling with the no-kissing rule (considering he takes every opportunity he can to stare at Dee's luscious lips, which is also relatable).

(Obviously, let's be honest, the rules will be broken at some point. But I'm pretty sure it will be because both Yak and Dee want them to be broken.)

Yak's respect for boundaries also flows into his approach to consent. He needs consent to continue, otherwise he won't.

Additionally, he's written to be a character who has genuine respect and equal care for those he's interested in (regardless of gender) and he's shown to respect, care about, and listen to both Taem and Dee (and look at them both with heart eyes).

Yak clearly likes Taem (to the point where Cher knew about it) and was willing to further their relationship. At the same time, he didn't hesitate to hook up with Dee (when Dee had sobered up a bit) and he, evidently, likes Dee a lot as well.

(I can't remember the last time I saw a QL where a main male character genuinely felt as if he could end up with either the girl or the guy. And even though Taem has already said she wants to keep their relationship as is, it still has that feeling for me. But, since this is a BL, I'm 100% sure they won't end it in any other way than Yak and Wandee being together.)

Also, Yak is dedicated to what he does (boxing). (I'm honestly not sure if he actually wants to box and win as badly as his brother does or if he's just boxing because that's what his brother and dad did, and that he's expected to gain the same successes, but he's definitely putting in the effort regardless.) It takes a lot of discipline to be as good as you can be at what you do. And even though Yak's discipline might be wavering slightly since he met Dee (relatable, lol), the hard work and discipline he puts into it is relatable to me (it's the reason I get out of bed and paint every day).

And last, but definitely not least, Yak seems to have a soft spot for beautiful messes.

And who can blame him?

[lionhanie]

sungho as your boyfriend! ♡

boyfriend sungho x gn reader!!!!, fluffy fluff, he loves you so much :-(

word count: ~720

warnings: none

a/n: bf sungho everyone CHEERED!!!! i literally geeked writing the last point bc i'm madly in love with him... hope u enjoy ^_^ also he's actually so breathtaking in that pic im going crazy

likes ♡ and reblogs ↺ always appreciated!

i lowkey feel like in the start of your relationship he’s super … well mannered? not that he isn’t normally, but moreso ... the last thing he would want to do is make you uncomfortable so he goes out of his way to make sure he isn’t overstepping any boundaries until he knows you’re okay with something

the two of you are eating dinner with each other & sungho can’t stop looking at the sauce on the side of your mouth; he contemplates not saying anything about it because you look really cute when you’re enjoying the food so well…he eventually holds up a napkin by your face and he’s just like

“can i…?” once you understand what he's asking, you’re a little embarrassed because how long was there something on your face????? but regardless you give him a small nod & he gently wipes the stain off your face, as both of you struggle to keep the smiles off your own faces

always giving gifts with MEANINGS like boy will do his research and go above and beyond!!!!. and will always be so happy to explain said research if you happen to ask about it  

(im specifically thinking about their debut gifts to each other and sungho was so drawn to the Meanings of the flowers he got for woonhak rather than focusing only on what they looked like)

at one of your relationship milestones, he pulls out a jewelry box. there’s a dainty ring sitting inside of it, with two gemstones planted side by side in its center. you immediately gasp because IT’S SOOOO PRETTY? but you can’t help but wonder where he got it because it looks… handmade?

“where did you get this? the gems complement each other so well!”

“ah… taesan and i went to a jewelry making workshop a couple weeks ago, so i wanted to make something for our anniversary,” he grabs your hand to place the ring on one of your fingers, finding it to be a perfect fit. “it’s not the best, but i tried my hardest. i even put our birthstones on it!” 

even if sungho didn’t think the ring was perfect, it definitely was perfect to you <3 

when you give him gifts he will be OVER THE MOON, esp if it was something you got for him /just cause/. he falls in love with you even more knowing that you put in the same effort he does when it comes to gifts

a necklace? he never forgets to put it on before he goes out for the day. a framed picture of you two from your first date? it lives atop his dresser for him to see every morning :3 

i'm a firm believer that sungho will go out of his way to implement constant reminders of you throughout his daily routine (because you're obviously his favorite thing to think about), which is why he adores the things you get for him

u already know this man does not hesitate to serenade you whenever he gets the chance to. omygooooddd his angelic voice paired with a love song you just KNOW he is dedicating to you 

plus i feel like it’d be intimate as hell…. he’s gently strumming his guitar, playing the chords to one of your favorite songs, only breaking eye contact to take a quick look back at his fingers to make sure he plays the next notes correctly OHHHH i’m in love with him i fear

when the time comes for his weekly deep clean of the dorms, he swears he’s ready to propose to you right then and there as you help him tidy up everyone’s mess LOL 

sungho’s accepted the fact that he sometimes needs to clean up after the other members, but now that you’re wiping down the kitchen counters next to him as he washes the various pots and pans that have been piling up in the sink, he almost looks forward to it. it’s oddly domestic-- not that he’s complaining. 

“you know, you don’t need to clean up their mess for them. it’s not like you’re their mom or something,” he says as he places another clean plate on the dish rack beside him. 

“i mean, i know that. but you don’t need to either! i don’t mind helping you out if it means i get to spend some more time with you.” you shyly admit, spraying the counter with disinfectant. out of nowhere, he comes up behind you and places a sweet kiss atop your head, thanking you for everything you do for him. ♡

© lionhanie 2024 ; all rights reserved!

[pastelstrawberriess]

((HI ITS @THEFINALWITNESS)) UR TAGS FILLED ME WITH SUCH UNEXPECTED JOY I AM CHEWING AND GNAWING AT THEM. Y'SHTOLA RHUL IS SO SELF-DESTRUCTIVELY BENEVOLENT AND LOVING AND I AM GOING CRAZY FEELING LIKE SO FEW PPL SEE THAT!!! SHE LOVES THE WOL!!! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE INTERPRET IT PLATONICALLY OR ROMANTICALLY OR ANYTHING ELSE SHE *LOVES* THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT SO MUCH.

the way her dialogue with the player changes after reuniting in rak'tika will live rent free in my brain forever. i could not BELIEVE the shift but it struck out to me immediately how obvious it was she was lowkey reeling from a combination of "what is fucking happening to you" and "i can't believe i almost killed you" and "i'm so fucking happy to see™ you" and "i wish i could see™ YOU and not whatever is HAPPENING to you" AND IT'S SO!!!! HOW DOES THIS NOT REND PEOPLE TO SHREDS ON THE SPOT. HOW CAN ANYONE CALL HER BORING OR JUST THE COOL KNOWER OF THINGS. TAKE HER TO VANASPATI AND TELL ME SHE'S BORING OR ONE-DIMENSIONAL. I'M THROWING ROCKS (NOT AT YOU I'M OVERJOYED BY YOUR TAGS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RESTORING MY FAITH IN Y'SHTOLA NATION)

YEAH!! YEAH !!!!!

and regardless of platonic vs romantic interpretation, even her famously memeable moments are indicative of a genuine care for the wol. like, pre-shadowbringers y'shtola would not have made a casual sexual joke toward you, let alone several. that can be read as flirting or as the kind of dumb shit that two best friends say to each other, but it doesn't matter!! she's opened up to wol enough to banter on that level!! on urianger ass slap level!! but everyone just uses it as milf fuel! STAY AWAY FROM HER !!!!

the "I wish I had the echo so I could see into your heart without the need for words" moment! again, regardless of whether or not you read that as platonic or romantic, it's indicative of great care! she's saying "I want to understand you. actually, I do understand you because even without knowing what happened, I know that this was immensely painful and I don't want to inflict it upon you again." and then she prefaces asking the wol to recount the events with "when you're ready" .... I also vaguely recall a time (don't remember the expac so if someone knows pls say so) when everyone was ragging on alphinaud and y'shtola was the one to be like "okay hey, this is a bit too much. let's cut it out."

her calling out thancred during shadowbringers and holding him accountable for his behavior toward minfilia/ryne? love. always asking the wol to accompany her and help her observe ruins/artifacts/etc. and asking for their opinions (which is also keeping the wol in her constant sight™ in the event of the slightest change)? love. her being the one to voice that ryne should have her own name because she doesn't deserve to live in someone else's shadow? love. she's a lover. she's brutally honest and she's a reliable friend and everything that she does is rooted in love because she wouldn't ever put in so much effort or hold such high standards for something she didn't care about. one of the most layered and interesting characters in this entire game, not just waifu bait. god.