#so it is. so refreshing to see them address it like this. with every character in this sequence actually

[5-pp-man]

FINALLY someone said it.

[infohazardouz]

DEMON WALLY DESIGNS! im still working out his design but here’s a general vibe hehehahe as well as some thought provoking sketches... HUUUGE infodump about the design & demon wally au below!

below i explain my choice of representing hindu designs as opposed to christian ones! if you want to skip to the relevant information pertaining to the actual au, jump to the big bold JUMP HERE paragraph!

alright, to address the elephant in the room: no, this isn’t the typical demon/devil design you may be used to! i was originally going to keep within the red-horned pointed tail kind of mythos that generally stems from christianity/christianity aligned concepts, but then i realized i honestly don’t know much about that stuff and don’t really feel qualified to handle it in a narrative. i also know that, especially within the welcome home fandom itself, a lot of people have religious trauma that generally tends to be from various branches of christianity, so i thought this would be an interesting solution: seeing as i know a fair amount about hinduism, wally’s design is inspired by concepts about demons in hindusim in general! that way, it’s easy to write and hopefully refreshing/non-triggering to the audience! also it’s fun!

JUMP HERE: Wally’s design in the demon AU is inspired by Asura in hindu mythology! That’s why he’s got like a billion hands- I’m looking at adding jewellery/a tail/other stuff, but it’ll fall in that general theme. in terms of lore relevancy: asura in hindusim were not strictly evil, which you will find reflected in my story. wally isn’t evil per say; the neighbourhood is his turf, and he will protect it from outside threats. that being said- he is generally self-serving for now and may not always have the best intentions for his fellow neighbours. what his overarching goal is and who exactly his enemy is (as well as Home’s relevancy to the story) is being left to you to discover as the comic goes on! themes of puppetry, where wally darling ends and the asura begins, and stuff like that is left ambiguous for now! puppetry will also play a role in the story, as well as self-awareness and meta themes. hinduism and religion WILL NOT play a role in the story itself. anything i think might need contextualizing will be contextualized in the description of every update; honestly im just pulling the asura elements for Wally’s design and part of his character! this will still be a very accessible comic to people of all backgrounds. if you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to send them to my askbox or leave them in the comments!

[actualhumantrashcan]

I can understand a silly workplace comedy about pirates not being everyone’s jam but I really can’t understand the amount of queer people I see hating on ofmd.

like for one thing most of the debates turn into gatekeeping queerness (which I think has a lot more to do with the ages of the main couples than actual concerns about authentic representation but that’s another post) and the rest are just hateful because it doesn’t directly name or label it’s queer characters but like why do we need that at this point?? listen I love heartstopper with all my heart but it is exhausting to watch them explain queer identities sometimes (even though I do think it’s super useful for younger audiences I’m just not the target demographic!) and ofmd is an explicit, violent, adult show that doesn’t NEED to explain it’s character’s identities.

queer people past their 30’s are usually very well aware of their queerness and have had (hopefully) plenty of time to go through the arc of discovering that. so why would we need to see Stede or Lucius or Ed going through turmoil because they’re attracted to men when they have already come to terms with that at this point in their lives?? i for one find it so fucking refreshing to watch a show where the characters being queer is not their main arc, they just ARE queer and life is still happening to and around them. maybe that’s just the millennial gay in me talking, but it gets emotionally exhaustive to watch show after show where the queer character’s arc is overcoming homophobia. yes obviously homophobia still exists and yes obviously if ofmd was trying to be historically accurate these characters would be living in a very dangerous time to be queer but it isn’t trying to be accurate!! it’s trying to be fun and diverse and kind!!

and also, they aren’t pretending homophobia doesn’t exist!! it’s just addressed in a different way. Stede was emotionally abused by his father for his entire life for being “soft” and then was chased down by his homophobic childhood bullies, one of which explicitly told him that he “defiled” the great pirate Blackbeard by simply falling in love with the man behind that name. Meanwhile Ed was forced into the world of piracy at a young age and developed the entire persona of Blackbeard (who fits the toxic, violent masculine stereotype of the time) to hide the fact that he’s actually an incredibly sensitive and deeply queer man! and is told multiple times by male figures in his life that sex with other men is fine but it is absolutely unacceptable to be in love with a man. both of their arcs contain homophobic rhetoric that is still present in society today, but its never presented as a problem that they have to wrestle with. they don’t have to come to terms with what it means to love each other, they just have to overcome some trials that go along with the complicated lives they both lead as a pirate and former aristocrat. the homophobia in ofmd is woven into the backstory of each and every character, it shapes them into the people they are at the beginning of the show when all of their walls are up and they are performing the “pirate” roles they are supposed to play. and then we get to see them grow and realize that they are in a safe space, part of a community not just on the ship itself but in the life of piracy (which in the show is pretty much explicitly an allegory for queer lifestyles.)

anyway, I could rant about this all day but just truly why do we have to tear people down for enjoying something? why do we have to find reasons to hate something so obviously created with sensitivity to it’s queer audience and with so much queer joy? if historically inaccurate gay pirates going on silly adventures and falling in love are not your thing, fine! but perhaps just let people enjoy things and find your own things to enjoy.

[judgeanon]

So About That BATGIRL #1...

I put this review up in another site, but since folks here on Tumblr seem to be realizing I have a lot of Thoughts about Lady Shiva, I figured I'd transplant it here. So here's how I feel about it. The short of it is that I think it's a strong start with a few small quibbles because I'm not sure how much of Shiva's writing is her being intentionally OOC and how much is Brombal trying to humanize her.

The long is here:

Now, one of Shiva's main issues as a character ever since they finally split her from the League of Assassins (God bless you Bryan Hill) is that, instead, writers have stapled her to Cass. Literally every major Shiva appearance since 2017 has involved Cass in some way. That is a problem not so much for Cass, who gets to have her own stories and series with and without the Batfam (although mostly with), but for Shiva, who doesn't get nearly as much exposure as her daughter. If there's a Shiva comic coming out, odds are it's gonna have something to do with Cass. Well, except for the other Shiva comic coming out this month that's gonna suck shit.

But at the same time, I don't think that means nobody should ever do another Shiva/Cass story, because I still feel like that's rich soil that nobody has had the time, space or desire to really commit to mining. Hill in Outsiders was writing a whole ensemble cast and couldn't linger too long on them. Writers like Grayson and Cloonan/Conrad both teased Shiva trying to reconcile with Cass but never took it anyhwere. A Shiva/Cass story can still be compelling and interesting as long as the writer is willing and able to Actually Write It.

So when literally the first panel of this new issue is Shiva addressing Cass and their relationship directly, I'm already perked up. Right from the get go, you can tell that Tate Brombal is absolutely here to tell a story about these two women and pretty much nothing else, and also that Tak Miyazawa and Mike Spicer are a killer art team. I adore how hard Tak's figures look without (usually) being stiff, thanks to some solid body language and expressions. And Spicer's colors have a cool kind of dark-but-vivid look. The last leg of the issue, with everything illuminated by fire, is especially cool.

Going back to the opening, it's curous how despite this being an issue #1, there's very little in the way of character introductions or set up. There's no slow burn here, no lengthy creeping intro like previous Shiva/Cass stories. And while I can't help but feel that it must be a little awkward for readers unfamiliar with them or their current situation, I think it also accurately reflects one of my favorite parts of the comic, which is Cass' being just absolutely fucking DONE with her mom.

After years of hyper dramatic standoffs and tearful moments of cheap heartbreak, it's fun to see a Cass who has no time for her mother, who's not interested in what she's got going on, and who's confident enough in herself to even be a little shit about it. It's fun and refreshing and fits Cass very nicely.

That not-quite-breakneck but still fast pace keeps up when the Unburied show up after just a few pages of setup and you know, in a couple of interviews, Brombal mentioned being influenced by Daredevil. And this is the page that made me go "Ah, yeah, that tracks." 'cause brother, those are some MILLER-ass ninjas.

Why Shiva fears these guys or thinks Cass can't handle them is not yet explained, but her desperation to keep Cass around does lead to a small but very meaning-heavy moment: the first punch in this series is not thrown into the face of the new enemies, but it's Cass decking her mom in the face and Shiva loving it.

It's an excellent touch and a perfect mission statement about the series. I love it as much as I love the ensuing fight, full of cool moves in big and small panels, but the most fun thing to me is how it's choreographed as Cass fighting her mom almost as much as she's fighting the Unburied. And on top of being a great fight, it ends with a small nod to QUESTION #1 or the 'Tec '88 Annual, in case I was somehow not sold enough already.

And while I still love Cass being so willing to call Shiva out on her lies, it does bring up one of the small gripes I have with this issue: I don't like it when Shiva lies constantly. I think she's best when she's strong and confident enough to not need to lie, when she just lays everything out on the table the way this comic is almost doing. It's good for Cass, as it keeps showing her as someone who has grown to understand her mother, who sees Shiva for who she is and what she does. And it does set up a slightly heartwarming scene at the end.

Of course, that's personal preferrence, and I'm not gonna say this is a bad comic because it doesn't follow my own idea of what works best for Shiva, especially since it's clear that Brombal is writing her with a lot of intention here. But that leads to the other big-ish issue I have with this issue: it's a bit hard to tell, from this story alone, how much of these moments are Brombal building his own personal version of Shiva and how much of it is Shiva, in-universe, acting out of character for the sake of some hidden scheme. After all, Cass points out that twice in the issue Shiva backs down, first from a moral fight and then from an actual fight.

So it's possible that even the constant lying is Shiva playing a role in favor of a grander scheme which will be revealed in later issues. Which, fair enough, I'm willing to see where it goes. But that second moment of yielding does lead to what's maybe my biggest problem with BATGIRL #1, and it's the Unburied themselves.

There's nothing in that initial fight with the Unburied that suggests Shiva and Cass would've had trouble dealing with them. Hell, there's very little to suggest even one of them would've had trouble with them. Now, I'm not suggesting that this issue should've started with the titular character and her mom getting their asses handed to them. But it feels like there's just not enough to these new enemies yet to justify the escape. Ninjas show up, Cass and Shiva beat them without getting hit once, more Ninjas show up and Shiva self-defenestrates herself.

Again, entirely possible that Shiva has something up her sleeve here, and issue #2 did promise to show us the main villain behind them, but as it stands it leaves me with this weird mix of not quite intrigue, not quite disappointment. It's just odd. They could've had, I dunno, a bomb set in the building or some other reason for Shiva to exit the venue like that.

Speaking of odd things, however, I did NOT expect to be reading a comic that brings up Shiva's cult from Puckett/Scott's BATGIRL #25. It's an "Order of Shiva" now though, with chapters and temples and stuff. Which is a bit of a change, since back in #25 they came off more like a gang of fanboys than an order of servants or anything like that. And after being summarily disposed by Shiva in that same issue, they were never really explored again.

So this is Brombal not just bringing back a bit of old lore, but also shifting it slightly, turning it into a more organized group... and then summarily disposing of them one panel later.

Also, I don't know what it is but I *LOVE* this panel. Shiva's face, her "wut" pose, the O.O, it's just... beautiful.

Anyway, once they're in the temple for the last bit of the issue, I start to see a bit more of what Brombal's doing. Like Gail Simone and Bryan Hill, Brombal seems to want to soften Shiva up a little, to make it clear that deep inside, she does have at least a bit of a heart, or enough of it to feel sadness at the wasteful death of people she may feel like she owes something to. Compare it to BIRDS OF PREY #62 for example:

This one is not quite as dramatic or vulnerable, but it's clear that Brombal wants to write Shiva with a slightly more human heart. Which, again, I'm not opposed to but I don't think it's the best thing you can do with her. I prefer Shiva being more detached in regards to death, like the most she'll do is see it as a waste but she's not gonna get emotional about it, she's going to be way more matter-of-fact. Death happens and such. But I think that kind of aloofness often gets interpreted as monstrous disdain for life by writers trying to make Shiva into a villain, and if I had to choose between what Brombal's doing and what, well, what Tom King's probably gonna be doing in a few weeks, I'll take this anytime.

Anyway, I also didn't expect to see the apprentice from BATGIRL #26, having apparently gotten a promotion somewhere in the last 20 years. Good for him! Less good for him is the shitload of arrows he eats two pages later but oh well.

The last couple of pages lead to a nice moment of sheer badassery for both Shiva and Cass and one last showcase of Miyazawa and Spicer's glorious team effort. Those two work really well together and I'm excited to see more of them in future issues. And while we're at it, I gotta give props to Miyazawa for being one of maybe two artists to draw a visibly older Lady Shiva.

His version isn't just aged but hardened by that age, looking stern and determined without having to rely on gritted teeth or angry looks. And on top of all that, he still finds more than enough moments to give her the kind of cocky smiles that bring out the more playful side of Shiva that some stories tend to either gloss over or turn into outright sadism.

Man... I just love to see that momma smile.

Other than that, there's a couple of minor quibbles I have with the issue. There's a funny moment where Cass pulls a Batman on her own mother (who charmingly acknowledges Bruce's influence) but it's undercut by Cass poofing back into existence on the next page. And there's also the weird, almost surreal emptiness of the city around them. Even after a building explodes, there's literally nobody on the streets other than Shiva and Cass.

On one hand, it speaks to the intentions of this run. This is VERY much a two-woman show so far, with no room for much else. But it's still glaring enough to be distracting.

However, it's that intentionality that ultimately wins me over. Even with all my personal little issues with Shiva's characterization, it's obvious from the start that this is a writer who is genuinely trying to write her as a character, who is ready to engage with her and with her relation with Cass on a deeper level than just hero and villain, or good daughter and evil mom.

Brombal, Miyazawa & Spicer have put some meat on the grill, and although I don't think the biggest pieces are there yet... I'm ready to let them cook.

[olderthannetfic]

I feel like such a hypocrite reblogging all these posts about how people like male characters more than female ones even if they have similar personalities/roles/wtv, but I read about this stuff precisely because I relate to it. "People think everything men do is cool and everything women do is either weak or Mary Sue" -- yes, it's me, I'm people. It's not like I do it deliberately or I'm proud of it, but I can observe and acknowledge the empirical fact that female characters just produce a very different emotional reaction in me than male ones.

I guess I like the safe distance of projecting onto characters who 1. are more obviously not me and 2. are judged less harshly than me (bc everything men do is cool) and that's not my fault, it's the patriarchy's, but then I can't challenge it. I can't say "women can be just as cool and we shouldn't be judged more harshly", I can only say "yea women suck let me forget I am one" like I'm still in my 9gag nlog tween phase -- or well, I can *say* the former, but I keep *acting and feeling* like the latter. And btw I'm not just talking about consuming media, where all you can choose from is what's on offer; I'm also talking about creating my own fanfics, which are all about men.

--

The reason a lot of those posts are so obnoxious is that they're just people wallowing in guilt and projecting.

The fact is, lots of people do like female characters. There's plenty of fiction about women. There's plenty of fic about women. There is not, in fact, some grand, existential problem where nobody cares about the ladies. If you aren't seeing this fic or original media, that's different from it not existing.

Two, your own fanfics? FFS. If you consume media that is a sausagefest, then of fucking course, your fic will be about dudes.

Just the other day, I spotted a story I hadn't read by a fantastic fantasy novelist. I hadn't looked her up much beyond buying her trilogy, and what do you know: she actually says who she is in fandom openly!

I was entertained to find out that her big thing is kylux. You really wouldn't guess based on her pro work, which is about a harried female doctor taking care of supernatural patients. I remember those books being a refreshing change from my usual diet of nothing but slash fic. It's not just that there's a female lead but that they take a nuanced look at female characters.

Personally, as a writer, I wasn't ready to write much about women until I was better at writing overall, and my more self inserty characters aren't usually going to be women anyway unless they're like Julia from the Hilary Tamar series.

--

If you're uncomfortable with yourself, you can try to change, sure.

But fandom is full of this obnoxious plague where people think that it's the job of each person to make there be more female characters. This isn't necessary. Even if we want media or fic to be more balanced overall, it doesn't follow that each person needs to produce a balanced body of work.

Why should you in particular care about female characters?

--

But beyond all that, oh my fucking lord, I am so tired of that species of post that's like "Gosh, why is slash fandom, where people go to be horny over dudes and/or have self inserty feelings about them, not more full of stuff about ladies? It's so tragic how we all want to get rid of our boobs and wear men's clothing and be addressed as sir, just like all the other girls. What's up with that? It must be misogyny."

With a totally straight face.

Every god damn time.

[pernesophe]

Wind Breaker Boys x Touch Starved Reader

(Minors, Ageless and Blank Blogs DNI)

Characters in this post:

Choji Tomiyama (TW: violence for one scene, Choji saves reader, fluff, comfort)

"The breeze carried your scent, and with it the refreshing vision of water droplets glistening on velvety, intense green leaves. A crosswind brought him an unexpected whiff of juicy blackcurrant, and Choji could feel his mind and hands become stained with the deep purple hue of you."

(The description above was taken from Fragrantica.com for Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori, and then I made it fit Choji / the story)

Song: July for the Whole Year by Devon Cole (this is the song I listened to while writing this, and what I would pick for Reader and Choji's song)

Synopsis: How the Wind Breaker boys would handle a touch averse / touch starved S/O. I went overboard on the last three chapters, so I'm splitting them up! This one is super indulgent and filled with tons of imagery and poetic devices, because why not!

Master List (I have no rights to these characters, the works they come from, or the art/screenshots/manga panels used in this post)

(~9060 wc)

The day you moved to Japan had you feeling worse for wear, but an unlikely individual breathed new life into the world around you. Recently, you had moved out of the States, because you wanted to ‘see the world’ and ‘broaden your horizons’. Of course, your mother had called you naive and insane for going so far away from home. Without missing a beat you promised her that you would come right back if you couldn’t handle it. 

Though you loved your mother dearly, she has never been the “doting” type. Honestly, if you had to describe her then you would probably use words like icy, transactional, wintery.

What you didn’t tell her was that by ‘see the world’ and ‘broaden your horizons’, you actually meant ‘get away from my overbearing mother, even if that means fleeing moving to the other side of the world’... So, of course, when you did finally land in Japan with a job and apartment already set up, you thought you were doing swell - really handling yourself. 

Until you couldn’t find your new job, with your new apartment located above it, which was apparently located in the very dodgy pub district in town. To add insult to your self-inflicted injury, all of your belongings had been delivered to this new address that you just couldn’t find. And what’s more if life didn’t throw a little salt in that wound by sending every sleazy looking guy your way.

A chorus of “where you headed, sweetheart”s followed you through the streets; and “you look lost, wanna come stay with me for a night”s were shouted after you while passing bars with roll up doors; and “come a little closer baby - let us show you a good time!” simmered out of darkened alleys as you rushed by. Poorly hidden panic brimmed in your eyes, your trembling hands shoved to the bottoms of your pockets.

As you entered a particularly deserted area in front of a dilapidated building, you hadn’t noticed the silent sneakers trailing behind you. The sound of rubber scuffing asphalt alerted you too late as you were suddenly yanked backwards by your hair. A pained cry shot from your mouth as your back met the hard ground while something large and heavy fell on top of you. On instinct, you began clawing and kicking outward, but it felt like you were fighting something wild whose movements were jerkier than yours. Swatting your hands and knees away as its uncalculated maneuvers pinned your hands above you.

But just as quickly as the attack came, it ceased all at once. Darkness had clouded your vision under the weight before, but now the weight was gone and a burnt orange sky expanded above you. A series of thuds sounded from your right, and as you turned your head you could see some guy dressed in a dark black t-shirt scrambling on all fours towards the alley before pushing himself onto two feet again - terror emanated from every one of his movements. 

A few feet away stood a young guy in an orange coat with black detailing, mocha locks swept up from his previous actions, with a mandarin-red glow which emitted an ethereal aura all around him. It reminded you of this painting you saw recently of Amaterasu Ōmikami stepping out of the sun itself to enter the mortal plane. If someone informed you that he was that goddess’ son, you would believe them without hesitation.

“Hey, are you alright?” He called out while jogging over to crouch next to you. His head blocked out the setting sun, but everything about him still shined so brightly. Humming softly as you pushed yourself into a sitting position, and then you nodded at him after taking stock of yourself. Only a few bumps and bruises, but luckily you weren’t seriously hurt.

“Ye-yeah, I’m okay. Thank you,” murmuring softly as you threw him a grateful smile. A faint blush crept over his cheeks when he heard your voice ring out like a bell, but he swiftly regained his composure. 

“I’m Choji Tomiyama,” he introduced himself while offering you his hand to help you up. Gratefully, you took it and he easily hoisted you to your feet. Immediately, a medley of fragrant marine wood, peppery citrus, and juicy rose swirled about you at first. Then, as you stumbled even closer in proximity, you were hit with notes of sweetened grass, spicy herbs, and aromatic conifer. Though the air had started to turn cool with the dawn of Autumn, it felt like you were standing in a balmy breeze that carried with it the Scents of Summer.

“Thank you, I’m Y/N L/N,” you replied in kind with an easy going smile. As you swayed within his orbit to regain your footing, a delicate potpourri of balsamic greenery, something nectarous, as well as sharp lemon peel tickled his nose. As you teetered onto the flats of your feet, a soft breeze of floral strawberries, a hint of treacle greenery, something distinctly herbal and earthy drifted around him like the first warm morning in spring. Choji seemed struck by you for a moment, before shaking off his revere. 

“Do you live around here Y/N?” He queried with a curious tilt of his head, and you felt your cheeks growing warm by your name on his tongue. But then it dawned on you that you didn’t really know where you live as you threw him a sheepish smile.

“Well, about that…” shamefully you recounted to him about your day-long excursion since leaving the airport, and how you’ve had no luck finding your job, apartment, and by proxy - your belongings. Your face grew impossibly red by the time you told him that you actually had no idea where you even were. 

Choji couldn’t hide his amusement as you regaled your day to him, finding the way you talk and express yourself to be immensely endearing. A few times during your story he caught himself becoming transfixed on how the setting sun made your eyes sparkle and illuminated your hair, or how, when you leaned closer notes of sugared, creamy jasmine and fresh fruits went straight to his head. Forcing himself to blink just so he could focus on your words once again, which wasn’t much better when the sound of your voice was like a cleansing bell to him. With every syllable uttered, his mind would clear completely, except for the overwhelming presence of you.

Once you’ve finished your tale, Choji requested the address and then offered to walk you to your new apartment. Turns out for how long you had been running around, the store was only a few blocks away from where Choji saved you. Luckily, the owners of the Konbini were extremely understanding of your ordeal and assured you that your belongings had safely arrived. 

After confirming that you were in the right place, you thanked Choji profusely for all of his help today. Briefly, he hesitated - gaze drifting over your bright eyes and saccharine smile - before telling you it was no big deal and heading on his way. The whole walk home he kept getting the faintest whiffs of blossoming oranges and musky lavender swirling around him - your spring redolence clinging to him the whole way. Maybe that’s why his night was filled with  dreams of misty dawns and you. 

Quickly after that, you got into your groove working at the Konbini and living in the apartment above it. You worked every day for the time being, but the owners insisted that you work half days so you can get out and live your life, also because they didn’t want you closing up in an area like this alone. You were grateful to them for that, and for the fact that you got a lot of time to explore, but truly, the only thing - or person - you wanted to see was Choji. The boy made of sunbeams and pure joy plagued your mind for weeks to come.

It took Choji about 21 days to start visiting you at the Konbini, but who’s counting. The first day he strolled in, laughing in a lively manner to a rather tall, muted friend with long raven locks. As soon as your eyes met his, the air seemed to spark and warm around you, and your entire body tensed with excitement. Choji seemed to feel the same way since he bounded right up to the counter with the brightest of smiles directed at you.

“Y/N! How are you liking the job? And the neighborhood?” He asked excitedly, bouncing on his heels as he awaited your response. You reported to him about the job, the neighborhood and the apartment - letting him know that you’ve really enjoyed everything so far. Then, he introduced you to his friend, Togame Jo, who kindly nodded to you, but didn’t say much more than that. Just as quickly as he came, he left, and the Konbini grew colder and quieter once more. But after that day, Choji started coming to the Konbini weekly. 

For you, the days of the week passed slowly, like the seasons. Mr. Sun Incarnate would usually come in on Mondays, so Tuesday-Wednesday felt like Autumn as the days started to cool while dew frosted on the store windows. Thursday-Saturday felt like winter as the days dragged on, the air was borderline frigid with your breath clouding in your face. Sundays were Spring, pushing daffodils and tulips through thawing soil just for a chance caress from the warming afternoon sun. 

Finally, Mondays were sweet and earthy like Summer. The day felt long as the first rays of light peaked through the Konbini window, and the breeze felt warmed with the scent of gourmand citrus and herbaceous musty roses, thickened with the promise of a bountiful harvest.

By the time your long awaited customer strolled through the door it felt like August. As he stood by the counter while you leaned your elbow on the same laminate with your chin fit snug in your palm, the dead heat swirled in the air and seemed to never end. Peppery herbs and ambrosial grass baked and stretched in his everlasting sun. Choji’s bright eyes shined nourishing rays over your abundant crops in the form of lively banter to the point where you thought it truly may never end. 

But then, his genial and tender goodbye as he lingered by each aisle to share one last parting joke or quip, that was September. Sweet hay sprouting under each step taken and pink peppers dangling from the ceiling over every tile where he paused. When his hand finally gripped the handle on the door, and you heard the bell ting over his head as he threw you one last effervescent smile and with it the last harvest of the season. You watched as golden delicious toppled from his pearly whites along with the apple blossoms that floated from his shaggy locks to cover the floor. 

Though the remnants of him would last the rest of the day, it was then, in your heart of hearts you knew that summer was truly ending. That was the first cool day in October. Sadly, once the door closed and he was walking back to his life, stealing every bit of sunlight with his departing steps, you were still stuck in that first cool day. Because the following seasons were always so much longer, and filled with this primal need to just see the sun one more time, that it felt like a year passed before the following Monday came around again.

Fortunately, Spring came early one Saturday morning, maybe 2 months after moving to Japan, when Choji nonchalantly strolled into the Konbini. Immediately, your entire face lit up when you saw his familiar mocha locks and broad grin. To your delight his face lit up too.

He strolled straight up to the counter and leaned on it with his forearms as he looked up at you through thick lashes, breathtaking Sepia irises sparkling at you. The second he leaned on the laminate, Choji was struck with notes of fresh mint leaves and forest greens with a hint of sweetness. Inhaling a deep breath despite his attempts to be cool, he is then submerged in a heady, warm, and earthy aroma. 

Choji could almost envision the galbanum leaves that arched high above and hung over your head, and the delicate Lily of the Valley sprouting from the display case you just straightened. Honeysuckle vines its way from the floor, where it wrapped itself around your thigh, and then stretched along your forearm to curl around your fingertips. Choji felt the soft tips of the flowering vine stretch over the counter to tickle his own fingertips as it began wrapping around his hand. Wild sage sprouted from the floor haphazardly from the entryway, and grew plentiful the closer he got to the counter until he stood in a thicket of delicate, beryl green leaves. With the sun illuminating the dust particles that floated through the air, Choji truly felt like he stepped into a misty, April Morning.

“Y/N,” a shiver ran down your spine as it did every time your name left his lips. “I was wondering if I could give you my number?” He asked with raised brows and a slight tilt of his head, expression innocent as ever. Your heart soared so high from the implication, but you were far too familiar with the story of Icarus. So you shoved it down before his radiance could melt those wax wings, lest you crash back into the earth, and just silently stared at him in surprise.

“I’ve been worried about something happening, or you getting lost, and not having anyone to call,” he explained with a gentle smile. Hiding the mounting apprehension in his chest quite well as he went on to say, “you could call me if you ever get in trouble, or if you just need… anything.” His voice betrayed him at the end, as he was trying to be nonchalant, but he could feel the desperation leech into his voice. The blatant desire to have more of you.

Gleefully you agreed, and Choji sighed a silent breath of relief before the two of you exchanged contact info. And then, just like when he’d visit on Mondays, he lingered by the aisles, sweet hay grew under his feet wherever he tread. Threw longing glances your way as he breathlessly joked and bantered his way to the door, bright red lychee busheled in his hands and fell forgotten to the tiles below, as he bided his time in your presence.

Finally, as his hand grasped the door, a chilly coniferous wind smacked you right in the face as the first cool day set upon you again. He departed, taking the sun and summer with him, and you began to fret whether tomorrow would be spring or not. Did today break the cycle? Would your seasons be out of whack? 

Anxiety plagued your every step, every thought, every breath throughout the rest of your shift. When it finally ended, instead of going out like usual, you went straight up to your apartment and settled on the couch. Pure terror thrummed in your veins as you typed out a message to your new contact.

Y/N L/N: hey it’s Y/N - from the Konbini. I know you said I can call you when I’m in trouble, but can I also just call you to talk? 

Y/N L/N: I think you’re really, really fun! 

Nervously, you bit your nail and curled up tight on your couch as you awaited a response. Unbeknownst to you, the moment the first message came in Choji was quite literally bouncing off the walls of Ori. All he’s been thinking about since that first day he met you has been you. He had to exercise some control, which is why he would only visit you once a week rather than every day - which was what he truly wanted to do.

It took him several minutes, but when he did respond it was a Big, Fat Yes accentuated by exclamation points, and some emojis that made your screen light up with confetti. You weren’t sure if that was on purpose, but you were over the moon nonetheless. 

The following weeks were much sunnier than before, especially the days between his Monday visits to the Konbini, because your mornings started with a ‘good morning :)’ from Choji. Banter and photos that reminded you of each other in the form of texts filled the day before it ended with a ‘good night :)’ message from him as well.

The owners even mentioned that you seemed much cheerier as of late, and said they hoped whatever (or whoever) is making you smile so much keeps it up. Bashfully, you told them that it was just the friend who showed you where the Konbini was, and the couple chuckled at you while sharing a knowing look.

About four weeks passed like this - you smiling down at your phone Tuesday-Sunday, until Monday came around, which is when you would eagerly glance at the door all day until Choji would stroll in. His usual sunshiny grin plastered on his face, and directed at you, every time. But today when Choji strolled up to the counter you could tell he was nervous because his smile wasn’t as bright and seemed a little forced.

When you inquired if something was wrong, he uncharacteristically began rubbing the back of his neck and averting his gaze apprehensively. It took him a moment, but after releasing a quiet sigh he met your gaze again with a determined look on his face. You were expecting the worst, but then - in a stilted voice - he asked if he could take you out on a date. Tonight.

Of course you were quite stunned, not expecting Choji to be interested in you like that, but it only took a beat before you were nodding your head vigorously and gushing about how excited you were. Choji’s shoulders dropped in relief as he exhaled a long, slow breath before flashing you his signature, brighter than the sun smile - stealing the air right out of your lungs. He was practically bouncing as he told you to text him when you get off work and that he’d iron out the details by then.

Choji discreetly messaged Umemiya about where he should take you, since it would be getting dark shortly after you got off work, and Shishitoren district is filled with pubs and unsavory characters by then. Umemiya shot back, immediately, ‘take her to Furin! There’s a street festival here for the night!’

So, when you got out of work later that day, Choji was waiting outside for you, and asked if you’ve ever been around Furin. Though you’d heard about the Furin neighborhood, and Bofurin, you hadn’t made it over there yet. Honestly, you felt a bit anxious from the rumors you’ve heard about them being traded in the Konbini.

Choji just grinned wide at you when you quietly related to him what you’d heard, and then assured you that Bofurin were really good people, and his friends. Immediately you perked up at the word and cheerfully followed Choji under the train tracks towards the festival.

On the way, he told you a bit about Shishitorn, Bofurin and why they’ve become a necessary part of each of their communities. You listened intently to him dispelling each rumor you’ve heard, so by the time you two arrived at the brightly lit street lined with booths, you felt excited to see the neighborhood, and maybe the people that Choji spoke so highly of.

The evening began with booth games, which Choji was unsurprisingly good at, since you finally requested a break after he won you a plush rabbit, a traditional animal mask, and a candied apple. At some point you had to tell him that you just wouldn’t have enough hands to carry any more prizes. He laughed boisterously, but then something caught his attention, and before you knew it you were dragged over towards whatever an, “Ume-chan!” was.

Suddenly, the two of you came to a halt in front of a rather tall, white haired guy clad in black and green who greeted Choji the second he appeared. The two of them seemed like old friends, so you enjoyed watching them interact with one another, and then Choji excitedly introduced you to the guy who turned out to be leader of Bofurin: Umemiya Hajime.

You greeted him with a bright grin and expressed to him that you’d heard so many good things about him and Furin - not mentioning all of the rumors Choji dispelled on the way there. Umemiya was kind, welcoming, and posed plenty of questions about you while guiding the two of you around the street festival. Along the way, you were introduced to a few of the “Furin Kings”, and you even spotted Togame conversing with a black and white haired teen in a Furin uniform with a couple other Furin members as well.

As the tour of the festival, and Umemiya’s questions, came to a close the three of you wandered over to a group of picnic tables on the edge of the festival. Seated around one table were Hiragi and Tsubaki - the “Furin Kings” - as well as Togame, Sakura, Suo and Nirei. Umemiya and Choji were kind enough to tell you the names of the two-toned teen and his friends, who were conversing with Togame earlier.

Before you knew it you were seated at the picnic table with Choji, surrounded by the upper echelon of Bofurin and Shishitoren, as they all traded stories about their younger days. Of course they asked about you as well, but you were less interested in telling them about yourself, and more interested in finding out that the guy who’s been faithfully visiting you once a week is the leader of Shishitoren. 

A rather strong ‘team’ who fights thugs and keeps riffraff out of their community. You shouldn’t have been surprised, especially when you met Choji through him saving you. Still you were utterly shocked when Umemiya stated that Choji was hands down the strongest guy in Shishitoren. The mocha haired boy just bashfully smiled at your wide-eyed expression, and then shrugged when you exclaimed, “you never told me that!”

All in all, it was a wonderful night, and you were thrilled that Choji had brought you a little more into the fold of his life. As you left, Umemiya made you promise to come around again soon, to which you happily agreed. As well as a chorus of ‘nice to meet you’, ‘please come back again soon’, ‘treat her well Choji!’ followed both of you down the street. 

On the way back to your apartment, you couldn’t help but gush to Choji about how cool you think he is, and that you had no idea that he could fight like that. Barely a full breath entered your lungs as you went on to compliment Shishitoren, Furin, what they do, and his friends. Choji was rather quiet on the way back, only giving one word answers that would keep you talking, as he serenely watched your features light up while you talked about him. 

It was something he noticed from the first time he walked into your Konbini. Yes, you may smile and have a kind conversation with a customer, but for him it was like you were a sunflower and he was the sun. You’d beam, tilt and lean whatever way just so you could bathe in a little more of his light. Choji didn’t quite understand it, how you could exude so much joy just from being in his presence, but he couldn’t deny the warmth that filled his chest every time he’s caught in your gaze.

The following months passed with Choji picking you up on a weekly basis from your Konbini to take you out. He was always lively in whatever the two of you ended up doing - walking at the canal, renting bikes to ride around the city together, going to see the cherry blossoms, and a weekend festival, or two - all adventures when you were with Choji Tomiyama.

The entire time you got to know him, surprisingly, your issues around touch never really surfaced since your sunshiny friend never crossed any physical lines - even when he took you out. It was obvious that Choji enjoyed spending time with you, but he didn’t try to grab your hand or kiss you on any of the excursions he’d take you on. Honestly, you started to believe you misread the signals he was sending, until one particular date he took you on.

It was a late-night adventure, which was a little out of the ordinary for your typical excursions, but Choji assured you that it would be a good time. Instead of picking you up after work per usual, you had a few hours to get ready, so you decided to really go all out for this one. By the time your sunshiny friend came to pick you up, you were wearing a lacy, cream corset top with a pair of rosey-floral printed pants in an apricot hue. The color palette you chose for your makeup had a similar springtime vibe, and the new mascara you picked up for tonight really made your irises pop.

The second he saw you he had to do a double take, but even with a second look he could barely muster any words other than, “you look really nice,” with wide coppery eyes. To him, it looked like early morning dew sparkled on the curve of your cheeks, and the way your teeth shone through your bright smile felt like you were handing him a breathtaking bouquet of white flowers. 

It was hard not to feel absolutely stunning as Choji walked you towards the canal, since you kept catching him sneak peaks of you out of the corner of his eye before quickly averting his gaze as his cheeks reddened like apples in the midday sun. Once you arrived by the water way, you thought the two of you would just be enjoying a simple stroll, but instead Choji continued to lead you over a pedestrian bridge and then up a little dirt path towards a wooded area of the park. 

Funnily enough, you couldn’t help but notice the last fireflies of the season dipping and dancing around his head and under his arm as he’d point something out by the canal. It felt like watching old companions say their final goodbye, with the promise that they’d look for him come next year.

As the two of you delved farther into the woods, you watched with mounting intrigue as the trees, ferns and remaining greenery seemed to be reaching out towards Choji. As if they were trying to grasp the last dregs of September’s warmth. You couldn’t blame them though, you should have been shivering in a crisp fall breeze, but you barely felt a chill as you trailed behind him swaddled in the balmy air that clung to him ceaselessly. 

At first you felt a little uneasy, but Choji had never steered you wrong before, so you quietly followed suit. The artificial lights that lined the canal, bridge and some of the dirt path had started to thin out the higher you climbed. By the time the two of you had reached the top of the hill, all of the street lights were left far behind as he started leading you between tall trees and through long shadows. 

Still, you held faith that your friend wouldn’t lead you astray. As you watched him flit under darkened foliage, throwing a glance back every now and again to make sure you were still with him, it felt more akin to the nighttime games kids would play in the summertime. If you had a flashlight in hand, you could’ve easily been playing flashlight tag with him. 

As if hearing your thoughts out loud, Choji piped up over his shoulder, “It’s not much farther - just up ahead,” he nodded towards an opening between two aged cypress farther up along the path. The moment you stepped in between them, the air was knocked right out of your lungs as you were finally able to see where Choji was taking you.

A clearing opened up before you, dark except the light filtering in from the moon, and in the center grew what had to be at least a hundred year old Ginkgo tree. Fan-like leaves were already turning golden yellow with the changing seasons and scattering the ground at the base like a beautiful carpet. A little ways away from the trunk of the tree, laid out over the leaves, was a picnic blanket, a basket, and what looked like… a telescope? Whipping your head to Choji for an explanation, but he was already beaming at you with an amused expression.

“There’s a meteor shower tonight, so I thought you might want to catch it,” he explained as he gestured towards the telescope set on the blanket. The entire area was set perfectly so that once you two were on the blanket, you would be able to see the meteors up close with the telescope. But when just sitting your view would be split between the falling stars and the golden leaves arching and stretching to cover the little makeshift area. 

“I really, really do!” Exclaiming excitedly at him before you bounded over to the telescope - taking stock of the area and sky. Choji hung back for a moment just to watch your excitement. His reverent copper gaze studied the way the moonlight made you glow like dew on a crisply unfurled leaf, accentuated by the golden array of the ginkgo. 

Suddenly, the wind rustled the fan like leaves above you, which created a resplendent waterfall all around. The breeze carried your scent, and with it the refreshing vision of water droplets glistening on velvety, intense green leaves. A crosswind brought him an unexpected whiff of juicy blackcurrant, and Choji could feel his mind and hands become stained with the deep purple hue of you. After a moment, you looked back at him as if to say, ‘what are you waiting for’, and suddenly it felt like a beam of soft morning light shined through pure crystal just to bathe him in your radiance.

“Sorry, sorry! I’m coming,” he chuckled to you before coming over to show you the telescope and settling on the blanket with you. 

The midnight blue sky streaked with bright lines of white light, which felt like you were staring an entire galaxy in the eye. Choji thought they were cool too, but he was more focused on how your expression changed from joy, to wonder, and then to unfettered gratitude as you stared into the heavens above. Discreetly, he snapped a photo of you with the stars reflected in your eyes, just because he thought that was the most wonderful thing he’s seen his whole life. 

On the way home, Choji was uncharacteristically nervous and fidgety. He kept opening his mouth to say something, only to stop short and turn away to hide his vibrant blush. Patiently, you waited for whatever he needed to say - pushing your anxiety away that it could be the worst case scenario.

Finally, as you turned on the street where the Konbini and your apartment were, Choji stopped in his tracks. Pausing next to him, you shot him a questioning look, only for him to open his mouth and shut it tightly once more. Then, he looked at you with such determination that you jumped a little.

“Y/N,” he spoke in a low tone, and of course that all too familiar shiver ran down your spine as you willed yourself to focus on his next words. “I-I really, really like you…” he admitted, a little scared, as he watched your expression intently. A long pause passed before his words sunk in, and then you were reduced to a blushing mess.

“I-I li-like you too Choji!” You exclaimed while bouncing on your heels lightly in excitement. Choji’s anxiety dissipated from his muscles in an instant.

“Thank God…” he sighed out in relief before returning a bright grin. And then, all at once, his anxiety returned to his face as he spoke the next words, “would you want to be my girlfriend?” He proposed tentatively as he tilted his head awaiting your response. Another long moment passed, but just because you were stuttering too much to form a coherent response. Choji’s anxiety was replaced by amusement as he watched you struggle with your words.

“YES!” You finally managed to whisper-shout at him through your sputtering, the excitement pumping in your veins was absolutely palpable by this point. Choji just beamed at you giddily as he bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet.

For the first time, Choji walked you to your apartment door to bid you goodbye, and though you expected him to try to kiss or hug you - he just wished you a goodnight with his typical smile and wave before heading on his way. You were relieved to not have to deal with that hurdle just yet, especially when your relationship was so new. The biggest change in your relationship is that Choji set his wallpaper on his phone to the photo he took of you under the Ginkgo tree, which he was often caught staring at in pure adoration. 

In reality, Choji wouldn’t be making any moves towards you until you explicitly gave him the okay. Before you came into his life, your boyfriend had his fair share of difficulties. One of them being hurting the people around him, and that was the absolute last thing he wanted to do with you. So, this was okay with him - just being in your presence - he was accepting of that, especially if guaranteed that he wouldn’t hurt you. 

The next few weeks of your relationship passed much the same as your friendship had: Choji messaging you good morning / goodnight and cute quips or photos in between. Fun little adventures during your off time spent with your sunshiny boyfriend by your side, and weekly visits to your Konbini while you worked. Still, there was no progression as far as touching Choji.

The notion didn’t really cross your mind other than on that first date, until you went to watch some fights at Ori one day. Choji and Togame were telling you about the different opponents, their fighting styles, and their signature moves while the three of you sat in the front row of worn red theater seats.

As the fights went on, the bandages and after-fight supplies in the corner began to dwindle, so you offered to grab some more from upstairs. Choji told you someone else could do it, but you swore that it was fine. Everyone here came to watch the fights to size up each other’s styles, and you were just a spectator.

In the rec room upstairs, while rummaging for more bandages and antiseptic, you heard a couple of voices out in the hall. It’s not like you meant to eavesdrop, but they were speaking so loud that you couldn’t not hear them.

“Yeah they’re dating, but I never see them touch or kiss each other… I wonder if she just won’t let him?” The voice filtered in causing you to halt in your movements completely. Standing perfectly still, not wanting to give yourself away, and half hoping they weren’t discussing you. 

“I dunno, all I’m saying is if I was dating a girl who looked like that, it would be hard to keep my hands to myself. I don’t know how Choji is managing,” the voice chuckled out the last bit which was met with a mocking titter in return. Then, all you could hear were the sounds of receding footsteps.

When you returned to the auditorium Choji noticed straight away that something was up, but you told him that you were just getting a headache. He let it go, but obviously didn’t believe that was the reason since he kept fidgeting and peering at you out of the corner of his eye. Even Togame felt on edge with the tension that seemed to bloom out of nowhere between you and his captain.

After the fighting came to an end, Choji offered to walk you home, and with a slight smile you agreed. Much the same as when you returned to the auditorium, the way back to your apartment was quiet and tense. Your boyfriend only barely hid his fraying nerves over what he could’ve done wrong.

When you arrived at your apartment door, Choji was preparing his goodbye, terrified that this would be the last one. But then you suddenly turned to him with a notch in your brow and politely requested that he come inside. Bewildered, Choji silently nodded and followed you into your living room. After offering him something to eat and drink, to which he declined both, you found yourself standing in your kitchen with Choji on the other side of the bar. Looking at you expectantly. 

“Choji,” murmuring softly as tears welled up along your lash line, and your boyfriend immediately froze in place. “I’m so sorry…” uttering the words out as the first tears began to drip down your cheeks. Choji shook his head lightly as a crease formed in his brow.

“What…?” He uttered in complete shock, head cocking to the side and expression completely questioning.

“I-I’m no-not touc-touchy-feely, an-and,” heaving in a huge breath so you didn’t devolve into a sobbing mess. “It mus-must seem like I-I won’t le-let you… And yo-you must fe-feel li-like I do-don’t even wa-want you! I’m so so-sorry,” blubbering out as you flattened your palms on the counter to ground yourself.

Salty tears splattered the laminate as your vision blurred and you bowed your head to hide your face, and shame. At some point you couldn’t hear yourself speaking anymore, but you knew that you were spilling out every anxious thought you’ve felt today and you just couldn’t stop yourself.

Choji stood on the other side of the bar, stunned, as he watched you break down into sobs through the cut out window. Every muscle tensed, breath caught in his lungs, as he watched you apologize and mutter terrible things about yourself in a warbled tone - confessing all the terrible ways you’ve treated him. He didn’t understand it, how you could think so terribly of yourself, but the way you were breaking down was familiar to him.

Uncertainty muddied his every movement as Choji walked around the bar and gently pulled you into his arms, squeezing as tightly as he could. Hoping this was what you needed. The moment you were surrounded by this unfamiliar pressure, your entire body tensed from head to toe, but your sobbing stopped.

For a moment. Then, it started again, but softer this time. A primal fear overtook Choji when he felt you tense and then heard your sniffling anew. Immediately he loosened his grip and pulled back to look you over for what injury he may have caused.

“Oh God, Y/N, I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?” He asked urgently as he gripped your shoulders lightly while peering over your tear stained face and the parts of you that he thought he crushed. Gently, you reached forward to grip his shirt in your fist and tugged him closer to you, resting your forehead on his chest. Choji stilled completely, not wanting to hurt or scare you.

“I’m sorry… plea-please don’t stop hug-hugging me,” pleading softly as you stepped closer to him. Silently, he wrapped you back up in his arms, and when you started crying harder he tightened his grip. Though eventually, he scooped you up and took you to the living room to cautiously lay on the couch with you on top of him.

Once there, Choji held you oh so tightly and let you cry it all out. He was still terrified, but you weren’t wincing or saying ‘ow’, so he assumed you weren't physically hurt. After you calmed down and were just laying snugly on his chest while Choji smoothed down your hair, he finally broke the silence.

“Did I do something wrong?” He questioned you gently, not a trace of judgment or hurt in his voice. Quickly you shook your head and hummed out a no. “Do you wanna talk about it?” He offered after a moment, his warm hand still comfortingly petting the back of your head. A pregnant pause passed filled with the sound of your steady inhale, followed by his. Then your steady exhale, followed by his. 

Ever so slowly, you sat up until you were sitting on your knees next to him with your hands clasped in your lap peering down at him anxiously. Choji sat up slightly against the arm of the couch so he was a little closer, one arm still slung around your legs and hip to keep you securely on the couch.

“Today I heard,” murmuring quietly before your bottom lip quivered as you inhaled a breath to stay your tears. A deep, worried crease formed in Choji’s brow as you struggled to speak. 

“I heard some guy at Ori say…” you informed him about the guys - you weren’t sure who - were talking about the fact that you and Choji don’t touch or kiss. Ever. Your jovial boyfriend was uncharacteristically serious, and calm as he listened. Then you went on to tell him that they speculated that you won’t let him touch you, which made you worried that that’s how Choji feels too. Immediately, his face softened as he started to reassure you, but then the notch returned in his brow when you told him there’s more. 

“I heard them say, ‘I dunno, all I’m saying is if I was dating a girl who looked like that, it would be hard to keep my hands to myself. I don’t know how Choji is managing,’ and I guess I just got anxious that I’m making you feel unwanted.” You murmured sadly as your bottom lip quivered again while you squeezed your hands together to distract yourself from the hollow feeling in your chest. Choji’s eyes darkened as he watched you squirm from something some of his guys said, but he drew in a slow, calming breath before flashing you a gentle, reassuring smile.

“Y/N,” he murmured softly, and suddenly the hollow feeling started to lessen as your name was swaddled in his voice once again. Your gaze met his coppery one earnestly as you leaned forward to listen more intently. “You’ve never made me feel unwanted, in fact, you’ve made me feel very wanted.” He spoke meaningfully as he squeezed your hip for emphasis, a small gasp tumbled from your lips as your eyes widened.

“Really?” you whispered back in disbelief, begging for his reassurance. A small notch formed in his brow at your surprise, but a kind smile tugged at his lips.

“Yeah, of course.” He chuckled at you, a little incredulous, but when he saw the genuine shock on your face he was spurred to ask, “why would you think that I felt any other way?”

“We-well, because…” you murmured softly as you began to twirl your thumbs in your lap. Then, you explained the relationship with your mother, and how for everything she expected you to achieve she never really gave you anything in return. 

One clear memory that you regaled to him was when some of the kids in your class were bullying you and you came home crying. You ran straight to your mother for a hug, but she just looked at you and said, ‘Why would I do that?’

And then told you not to cry over frivolous things, or to at least not bother her with them. Choji’s gaze exuded rage, but he continued comfortingly rubbing your hip through your tearful confession. 

“... So, it’s not that I don’t want to be touchy-feely, it’s just that I don’t have a good experience asking for it, and I get worried that I’ll scare you off. But, I’m also worried that if I don’t give you physical affection then you will feel unwanted…” finally admitting your biggest anxiety of all as you met his mahogany irises with your watery ones. Choji nodded slowly in understanding as he sat up more and cupped your cheek, you leaned into his palm as he gently pressed his forehead to yours.

“I’m so sorry that’s been your experience so far,” he murmured softly as he thumbed away a few stray tears. “I’ve never once felt like you didn’t want me, and I’m sorry I haven’t tried to give you any physical affection either,” apologizing genuinely, sepia eyes brimmed with remorse. Before you could assure him that you were okay, he sighed admonishingly and opened his mouth to continue speaking.

“I have a history of…” he trailed off as he tried to gather the correct vocabulary, “hurting others.” Finally, he relented softly, shamefully. Your brow creased softly against his forehead, but you didn't speak.

“I use-used to be… obsessed with being the strongest. Being ‘Free’ is what I called it,” he chuckled mirthlessly, voice laced with persisting shame.

“As Shishitoren’s Captain, I used to kick anyone out who… lost.” He muttered quietly, averting his gaze away from yours, but keeping his forehead pressed close and his palms gently cupping your face. You remained totally and utterly silent, listening intently. 

“I-I think I was just… depressed?” Whispering hoarsely, a lump formed in his throat. “It’s not any excuse whatsoever, but I think that was the reason…” his eyes slowly met yours again, tears threatening to fall now. “Umemiya, and some others from Furin, beat us after we picked a fight… Umemiya, fortunately, knocked some sense into me and I’ve been a lot better since.” He promised with a slight smile, but his gaze was still sad and remorseful.

“But I haven’t tried to touch you, because I’m afraid.” His voice cracked as tears dripped to the ends of his long, thick lashes. “I don’t want to hurt you, ever, and I’ve just been terrified that I would. Or that you’ll think I’m dangerous, or that I’ll hurt you… And I never want you to feel like I think less of you, because the guys said I used to make them feel that way, a lot.” His breathing had become shuddery causing his words to be stilted as tears began falling down his cheeks. Oh so gently, you brought your hands to cover his over your cheeks as you pressed your forehead into his a little more.

“Not once have I felt, or thought, that you were dangerous. Or that you could hurt me,” you assured him firmly. “And I have never, ever felt like you thought less of me for… anything, really,” you chuckled out softly, voice steeped in care as you squeezed his hands gently. 

“I mean, look at how you’re touching me right now,” you murmured, eyes drifting to his gentle hold on your face as you sit securely tucked into his side. “I feel so safe,” you giggled out softly as a few happy tears fell into his palms. 

“And you look at me like I’m the Sun. How could I feel anything but desired around you,” he murmured while a small, disbelieving smile pulled at his lips and laced his voice. Immediately your mouth dropped open in shock before you swiftly regained composure.

“Because you are the sun,” you whispered back, almost inaudibly, but you knew he heard when he chuckled softly with a shake of his head. His thumb traced over your cheek gently as his coppery eyes turned downright loving.

“Well if I’m the Sun, then you’re Spring.” he mused so softly, breath fanning your lips, as he pulled you back down on top of him. Nose to nose with him now, you giggled softly while peering at him questioningly.

“Maybe, but the Sun is more important,” you scoffed incredulously as your cheeks burned and a shy smile tugged at your lips. The joking glint in Choji’s eye vanished as his expression became completely serious.

“Nobody would care about the Sun if it weren’t for Spring.” He insisted earnestly. “You bring everything that people cherish, we wouldn’t have crops or flowers without spring - I’m just lucky enough to be the one who gives you a little light.” He murmured gently as he caressed the pad of his thumb along your cheek, and before you could respond, Choji closed the distance between the two of you. All protests died on your tongue as his warm lips pressed gently to yours while tightening his grip around you once more.

The rest of the evening passed by Choji laying with you snugly tucked into his chest. Savory balsamic greens mixed with spicy vanilla as he pressed chaste kisses into your hair, to your forehead, and finally to your plump, soft lips. Herbaceous fruits mixed with sharp, grassy roses endlessly as the first day of August set upon you. It felt like being wrapped up in a perpetual summer sunset - deep marigold hues, reds and pinks splashed across your living room walls while you slipped further into Choji Tomiyama’s warm embrace. 

Floral earthy notes mixed with a musky blend of lavender, rosemary and eucalyptus as the hour grew late. Dew clung to Choji’s hands and lips as he held you impossibly close. A hint of nectarous greens and spiced wood hung in the air as your living room turned into a grassy glade on a gentle spring morning.

Sweet hay grew in the vast clearing, encircled by tall cypress trees that housed vining honeysuckle, as well as bushels of bright red lychee hung low on branches interspersed in various places throughout. Galbanum, sage and Lily of the Valley grew with abandon wherever they saw fit with coriander sprouting some places in between. 

A cross breeze brought with it the scent of drying pink pepper, apple blossoms, and salty waves from far off in the distance that ruffled the hay which threw droplets of dew in every direction. Despite the thick mist, fireflies danced happily above the fluttering grass, and underneath the galbanum leaves crickets chirped delightedly. High up in the cypress, and nestled behind the honeysuckle blooms, cicadas sang of the union between Spring and Summer.

The next morning came with you still held tightly in your boyfriend’s arms, and luckily a rare day off ahead. For the first time in your relationship, maybe in your life, you leaned into the warmth of another and slept the day away.

After this, Choji makes sure to give you big pressure hugs often, especially after a really stressful day at the Konbini. In public he starts holding your hand regularly and patting your head when you do something cute, which always makes you go wide-eyed and blush a deep rouge. He gives you big dramatic kisses on your cheeks when he thinks you need to laugh, because it always works. Tender, treacly kisses on the forehead are saved for when you’re feeling vulnerable. To which you always reach out and hug him, even though it still surprises him every time you reach out to touch him, he’ll instantly wrap you in his arms and bury his nose in your hair.

Eventually your mom got worried that you weren’t coming home, and flew out to see how you were living. She was a little appalled to see you working in a Konbini and living above it, but knew better than to make a scene or be impolite to those who’ve taken you in.

Honestly, after you got off work and showed her around, she was incredibly shocked to see just how many people waved and greeted you. Her world was filled with transactional relationships, so it was just so foreign to see how many people genuinely wished you well, just because. 

Then she got to meet Choji, which was the biggest surprise to her of all. He was warm, inviting, and reminded her of summer just the same as he did you. Your face lit up in a way she’s never seen before when you waved him over while the two of you were strolling the canal walk together. Seeing you so happy and carefree stirred something in your mother she’s never really felt before… Joy, maybe? Pride? A mix of both, most likely. 

When she left, you really thought she would try to convince you to come back home, but instead she just wished you well. Genuinely. Even told you to let her know if you need anything, which was completely out of character for her so all you could do was just nod silently.

But before she was gone you made sure to ask what her opinion of Choji was, and suddenly you were that little girl again caring about her mother’s approval. Standing before her with clasped hands, expectant gaze and your lower lip caught between your teeth.

“I like him,” she mused while throwing you a gentle smile. “Though I was a little worried at first, because the two of you should be a Greek Tragedy,” she laughed quietly, voice filled with mirth. When you cocked your head in confusion, a little taken aback by her words, she chuckled lightly before explaining herself.

“Spring is always chasing after Summer, I mean they’re never supposed to overlap, so in a sense you two would be a Tragedy. Except for the fact that he’s constantly making sure you’re right beside him, because of that the seasons just meld into one when the two of you are together,” she simpered softly as she spoke - Motherly Love and pride apparent in her expression.

It surprised you to say the least, to experience this soft, kind version of your mother. But you were relieved too, as it seemed like the wintery frost around her heart had finally thawed a bit. After this, it didn’t really matter what season it was outside, because when you were with Choji it always felt like Summer.

[trafficblr-confessions]

I'm sorry I just can't keep it in anymore, I need release - people need to Shut Up about the content creators and their personal dynamics.

A comment on one of the Takeout Trio/Skranchers vods (Jimmy's vod to be specific) was complaining about how they're so refreshed seeing him playing with people that are "actually nice" to him and how they're sick of all the picking on him and it just.. Jesus christ, butt out? Jimmy is a 27 year old man. He has known his friends for years and doesn't need any of us policing him on who he spends time with or how he spends time with them!

I get it, I really do: I love Jimmy and I love seeing how he's improved and am happy to see him keep going! That moment during the Hermit x Empires crossover when everyone kept saying the best parts of Tumble Town were the pranks genuinely made me feel a bit sick in my stomach because it's just really tough.. but I just click off. Because I know that we see a very limited portion of the interactions between these people in real life. Because I know that if anyone was genuinely uncomfortable about something, it wouldn't really be our business and that the CCs can talk to each other about it off camera.

Beyond that, I love seeing what the fandom does with it! I love seeing the angst, I love seeing the hurt/comfort, the hurt/no comfort.. but then people make it about the CCs or they completely mischaracterize the characters and it's just so-- disheartening.

This happens with a lot of CCs and Characters, but I'm more specifically thinking about Jimmy and Joel (mostly because they're who I watch a lot and I love these silly guys) and how everyone seems to think that nothing but malice stands between them and it's so? Telling? Of how many perspectives they get?

If you just watch Jimmy's or any-outside-the-dynamic povs you might think Joel is Just mean to him,, but like,, good GODS these MEN make me INSANE. First of all, all forms of Joel express their love via pranks and tomfoolery and whatnot. Have you HEARD some of his intros? How he talks about himself between player Joel and editor Joel?? He is mean, yes, but it's GENUINELY like a love language for that man I swear. Jesus christ. What is his deal. Additionally, anytime he visited Tumble Town to prank Jimmy, he almost always ends up complimenting the buildings and how far Jimmy has come and Oh My God this MAN.

Fuck this, this confession is turning into a Joel fan rant. I love Joel. All my homies love Joel. That silly man is an ogre with LAYERS. He has loyalty, but where it lies is less within session to session and more season to season. He can be careless, but it doesn't mean he doesn't Care. There's so many moments in so many series and it's just YAHAGEGEH. Mans is SO... GRGRGGRGRGRGGAAAAAAGH.

One of his intros was literally addressing the fans with "You're all stupid, I love you." completely deadpan. LET THIS MAN. LET THIS MAN OKAY. LET THIS MAN.

"Am I socially awkward?" YES. YES YOU ARE. YES HE IS. HE IS SO FUNKY AND HE LOVES HIS FRIENDS HE IS JUST AWKWARD AND SILLY. I DONT NEED TO BE COHERENT JUST WATCH HIS VIDEOS AMD YOU'LL KNOW.

Also I can't find the post or remember who posted it, but know that whoever the person is that said something about how in every universe and every life Joel recognizes and loves his wife and then there's just his death game assigned soulmate Etho, know that I love you.

End of confession or I won't shut up.

.

[tellmegoodbye]

Hello everyone,

Happy LONE STAR DAY!!

I have a few housekeeping things to talk about before I return to our usual Music Monday format, but I know we're all excited for tonight so I will try to keep this brief.

If you would like to check out our playlist for the countdown event you can find that here.

Since we are getting new episodes now, I thought it would be a cool idea for a new way to participate in the tag. If you have a song that you relate to the new episodes, share them with us!

Please continue to refer to this post for any new Music Monday info, or if you just need a refresher on how the tag works.

Here's a quick overview of what Music Monday is for those of you who are new here. You share your songs that you relate to the show, its characters, storylines, fanfics, etc. All songs are added to their respective playlists and your explanations are added to the docs I have created for each playlist.

Reminder: Make sure to either tag me in your posts OR you can use the 911ls music mondays tag so that I can find and reblog your contributions.

Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, onto my songs for the week!

---

Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park

I dreamed I was missing You were so scared But no one would listen Cause no one else cared After my dreaming I woke with this fear What am I leaving When I'm done here?

Don't be afraid I've taken my beating I've shared what I've made I'm strong on the surface Not all the way through I've never been perfect But neither have you So, if you're asking me, I want you to know

When my time comes Forget the wrong that I've done Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed And don't resent me And when you're feeling empty Keep me in your memory Leave out all the rest

This song is a reflection on the way we live our lives and how we will be remembered when we're gone. When I think about these lyrics in the context of Lone Star, they could really apply to any character, but Gabriel is who specifically comes to my mind for this song.

To me, this is Gabriel's message to Carlos. He's spent a lot of time reflecting on his own mistakes and has struggled to express the love he has for his son, but he hopes that Carlos will remember him as someone who never stopped trying and who always strived to be better. He didn't always get it right, but he looks at Carlos and feels so much love and pride, and he wants Carlos to know that and to see that.

Zzyzx Rd. - Stone Sour

Propped up by lies and promises Saving my place as life forgets Maybe it's time I saw the world

I'm only here for a while But patience is not my style And I'm so tired that I gotta go

What am I supposed to hide now? What am I suppose to do? Did you really think I wouldn't see this through Tell me I should stick around for you Tell me I could have it all I'm still too tired to care and I gotta go

I'm over existing in limbo I'm over the myths and placebos I don't really mind if I just fade away

I'm ready to live with my family I'm ready to die in obscurity 'Cause I'm so tired that I gotta go

This is a song written from the perspective of someone struggling with addiction. The narrator addresses his loved ones with a sort of brutal honesty about his feelings towards life, but it's also a song about love and support at the same time. It's about someone who is there for you even when you're in your worst moments and can't see a way out.

This song reminds me of TK and Owen in s1. Owen is ready to do whatever he has to do in order to help TK, and TK lets him in as much as he can, but these lyrics are also an realistic viewpoint on the state of his mental health in the aftermath of his suicide attempt. He knows Owen loves him and is there for him, but he still needs to find that healing outside of that support.

Impossible - Nothing But Thieves

Love, it stings and then it laughs At every beat of my battered heart A sudden jolt, a tender kiss I know I'm gonna die of this And that's because

I could drown myself in someone like you I could dive so deep I never come out I thought it was impossible But you make it possible

I'll take the smooth with the rough Feels so fucked up to be in love Another day, another night Stuck in my own head but you pull me out You pull me out

I really hit y'all with a couple angsty gems today, so I should probably round this post out with a more upbeat song. This song screams Tarlos to me, and reminds me of the early days of their relationship where everything is new and overwhelming, but it also just feels right at the same time. They've come to that realization that what they have is something special, and that they might have found their soulmate. Before they met, such a notion felt impossible to them.

@strandnreyes @lemonlyman-dotcom @bonheur-cafe @heartstringsduet @herefortarlos

Tags!

@eclectic-sassycoweyes @literateowl @carlos-tk @paperstorm @guardian-angle22

@ironheartwriter @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi @whatsintheboxmh @firstprince-history-huh

@nancys-braids @captain-gillian @alrightbuckaroo @theghostofashton @sweettkstrand

@toomanycupsoftea @corsage @certifiedflower @goldenskykaysani @reeeallygood

+ open tag

please tell me if you would like to be added/removed from my tag list

[citrineghost]

While I'm on my ofmd critical soapbox today, the next thing I wanna bitch about is the fact they split up Olu and Jim.

I had a pretty strong impression that the reason they did this was because they're two of the bi-est people on-board and season 2 had an explosion of female characters. The vibes, to me, were, "Oh, well, they're good friends anyway so it doesn't matter if they stay together romantically." Which irritated the fuck out of me.

Every other romance in the show feels like the romance takes precedence over the actual friendship between the characters. That's fine. That's a lot of people's cup of tea. But, as a demisexual, it was really nice and refreshing to see a couple of characters be best friends before getting together. Their dynamic was really solid and relatable and interesting to me. They were playful and silly but still clearly madly in love with each other.

The second season fucking poached their romance.

The fact that it's never even addressed, really.

I support people who like the new relationships they're in in season 2. If you felt represented or saw yourself in those relationships, or just thought the chemistry was good, that's great. I'm glad you got something out of it.

To me, it felt really forced. It felt like they were only put into these relationships to make a romantic space for the female characters in the show.

There were a million other ways they could have improved on the amount of women in the cast without cutting out Olu and Jim's romantic relationship. Imagine the intensity of their reunion if neither of them had connected with anyone else. Imagine the heartache of seeing them reconnect after thinking the other was dead.

Instead, there's this kind of patched-up awkward conversation about them both liking other people now - not even an emotional conversation. They never mourn what they lost, they act as if it never happened almost. Like they were always only ever friends who just happened to fuck once or twice.

Do not even get me started on the "forced closure" vibes of Jim trying to help Olu get back with Yi Sao. Fuck.

[ziorre]

✨Commission info✨

I'm ready, I'm rested, I'm refreshed! And I'm completely charged to take care of your new ideas and characters!! Especially for this, I'm trying to expand the ways to bring your characters to life so that you can see them and be convinsed that they exist! I truly believe that every character is awesome and original and deserves to be shown with their own story! And I'll try to help you with this in a way that is more convenient for you! You just pick one below ;)

✨ PRICES:

- SEMI-REALISTIC STYLE (for the cases, when you want it looks more real without much stylizing)

- USUAL STYLE (for the cases, when you don’t mind it looks more stylized and a lil sketchy)

- STORYBOARD (for the cases, when you want to tell a story and don't mind to do this in very sketchy stile)

(this is a new way to tell your story in several frames. It'll look like still frames from a video, where you can show the dynamics of the scene and insert replicas in the form of subtitles. The form and type of storyboards can be redesigned. Keep in mind that frames will look very sketchy and with visible inaccuracy! DM me for more details ;))

Aaand...

👀COMING SOON!!!👀 - 3D MODEL OF YOUR CHARACTER

* you can find more examples on my page by commission tag and more examples of storyboards by rita diaz tag ** a helpful post describing a right order for your refs

✨ DEADLINES:  After you DM me with a brief description of your idea, I’ll tell you the approximate date when I’ll be able to proceed with your commission   !!!!Always warn me in advance if I need to draw art by a certain deadline!!!

✨ PAYMENT:  What: USD or RUB When: full pre-payment (when you sent me the email and we approved the art idea) Where: Boosty (russian platform, supports payment via PayPal)

✨ THE PROCESS: You write to me in private messages on Tumblr, briefly tell me your idea of our future art, what style and what slot you want (full body / half body / bust). Then I give you my email address and you send me an email (with your Tumblr name as the topic please) with all necessary references (your character's face claim, their pose, clothes, background etc.). You describe the idea of the art in details, where it takes place, and other things that I need to know so that I can base the sketch on all that info, because after you approve the sketch, I don’t change art much in the further stages of the work, just some details. I send you the payment link on my Boosty page. Send you the sketch. After you confirm that you like the sketch, I finish the work and send it on your email😊

✨ OTHER:  - I don’t correct the art after you approved the finished version.  - I don’t copy other artist’s work or poses from their work.  - I publish every commission on my social media, if you don’t want it to be published, just let me know.  - If you’re not sure about art idea, I can suggest you 4 sketches with different poses/concepts/angles for extra $20 and you pick the one you like the most.  - For significant corrections or a lot of small ones at any stage of work, an additional fee may be charged (this doesn’t apply to some small adjustments or details witch I missed). There are 3 free changes at the each stages of the work (sketch, finished version), further - $2-$5.

___________________________________

And of course I can't skip to say a huge thank you to those who commissioned and continue commissioning art from me! It means a lot! For real! This is not only material support, but also moral one, saying that I’m not wasting my time and energy in vain, that I’m moving in the right direction, that people like what I do! I can't tell how inspiring it is!! 300 commissions! I’ve never imagined that one day I would draw so many art for others! Just.. wow!! Thank you again so much for trusting me bringing to life your ideas! I truly appreciate it!😌

____________________________________

I think this is it, right? If you have any questions, feel free to DM me ;)  

I’ll be VERY grateful for your reblogs!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤ (and thank you very much for this in advance, it helps me A LOOOOOOOOOT, I see each and every one of them! You’re the best!!!) Thanks for your attention! Have a good day =)

[starlightmeissa]

hello! i love all your writing so much - your characters are super unique and refreshing, i was so excited when i saw your new naruto si/oc. do you have any fic recs (any fandom)?

TY!! i dont really make rec lists often but here's some now!

(sidenote, i keep almost ALL of my bookmarks public on ao3, so if you ever want to see what i'm reading you can probably find it there)

I'll just stick to naruto recs for now!

Naruto

Stretch, Fold, Expand by SenjuMizusaya

Kazue has not always been Kazue, but this does not make her less of a Nara, or less of a kunoichi, or less of a sister. Only less gullible. (Semi-SI into the Narutoverse.)

self insert into shikamaru's sister. there's only three chapters right now, but the clan political intrigue is super promising, as well as addressing a lot of canonical sexism.

Fallow Fields by zarinthel

For every rising star that the shinobi world produces, a hundred other geniuses are chewed up and spit out. Seiko crawls out of that grinder, only to find that she still has the rest of her life to face head on.

another si that is named seiko. completely embarrassed that i used the name as well without realizing, especially since this fic is so excellent and i would hate to cramp on the author's style.

a fic that is more focused on a slice of life story than an endless power grind, though the si does get a chance to be badass and awesome.

Glass Marionette by Haunted_Frost

It takes time to process the memories, but by the time Kankuro becomes a student at the Sunagakure Academy, he's certain he knows: he's in the Naruto universe, a village away, and he's standing next to a ticking time bomb at all times. One that he has an unfortunate urge to hug and tuck in for bed. Well, at least he gets to indulge in his inner theater kid with the whole puppet thing. That's a bonus. If he can just manage to wait out the worst of it, he might even become strong enough to make a difference in the upcoming war.

si into kankuro methodically destroys canon and makes a happy ending for people in under 100k words. marvelous, gay, and it's suna centric.

If 3 Reincarnated Ninja Were Fighting a Moon Goddess and One of Them Got Killed With a Rock, Would That Be Fucked Up Or What by mordox

Three random idiots were transmigrated into bodies of Konoha toddlers during the kyuubi attack. Each thinking they’re the only one who remembers a past life, they each try to hide it. Coincidentally, they are all assigned to Hatake Kakashi’s genin team since they were only average academy students and don’t have parents to complain about their children being failed via bell test, which happened with the last three teams he was assigned. What follows is three fools trying to hide their knowledge from each other and their jounin-sensei while desperately trying to reach chunin fast enough that Kakashi can teach the actual team seven, and a jounin-sensei who is very confused by his three genin but has so few (read: zero) points of reference for normal twelve year olds raised during peacetime that he can’t tell if they’re weird or not.

fucking hilarious. i'm not usually into multi-inserts but oh my GOD these three are disasters, and kakashi is just so confused. a series of assumptions from all three PLUS kakashi convincing them all that they're Normal.

"i sure hope no one realizes i just used the acronym PTSD, as in the english letters in the middle of my japanese sentence." "oh, i didn't know PTSD was a term in naruto. wow."

it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. you can't look away.

The Scorpion and the Frog by zarinthel

Maybe the fate of Uchiha Itachi and the Uchiha Clan could have been changed if Itachi had just had one more family member he could trust -- someone as powerful, invested in Konoha, and devoted to the clan as him. Someone with a little extra knowledge up her sleeve. Unfortunately for Itachi, the Uchiha's abysmal luck with siblings has given him… Kaeru.

another zarinthel fic bc they are a super skilled and i appreciate them. completed fic. a genuinely good subversion of usual si tropes while still making the si op and kick ass. she's just uh. a little mentally ill about it. the entire time. and we love that for her.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW! i hope you enjoy these!

[maybe-boys-do-love]

The Trainee Episode 8, Tensions

I had a premonition from this week's episode about what online reactions to the conclusion of The Trainee will be, and I want to take this chance to preface the discourse. Episode 8 lays out all the tensions The Trainee utilizes to drive its plot and character development. Because of the specific topics it explores and their relevance to both our lives and our tv viewership, I expect no matter how the show ends, people are gonna have oPiNioNs. To me, that relevance is a sign of a show's success, whether I would make the same decisions or not, especially when the show addresses it with as much thoroughness as The Trainee does and braids them all so well together into every element of the show. Spoilers ahead.

Personal vs. Work-life

These values hold the biggest tension in the series, as we saw how unhealthy balance between the two caused so much conflict last week. This episode gave us more balance. After the last couple episodes, I had started wondering if we had forgotten about Ryan's homelife (I miss Ink :'(). How refreshing to get so much time outside of work in this episode, then!

Of course, we now know two characters live at the same location as their family's businesses. We get Ryan doing his printer duties at home again--interestingly dressed in blue after GMMTV this week officially released his "green guy" color scheme in the series (check out @respectthepetty 's rundown of character color schemes and their meanings for the show). This color change suggests Ryan's confidence and security with his home business duties. We also got to see that Ba Mhee's grown up in a home business environment in the form of her family's restaurant. This gives us an unexpected parallel between them. It personally had me considering their relationship to workplaces compared to the other characters.

Despite their different attitudes towards it, both Ryan and Ba Mhee seem to represent the potential for growth in a workplace environment instead of depending on pure passion and confidence in a field. They grew up in workplace environments that they didn't get to choose and where they were likely expected to do basic jobs to support without needing to be dedicated in a way that they caused them to feel married to the occupation and kept them from living their own personal lives. They don't necessarily think of a workplace as an environment where they need a professional version of their self to be "turned on." It's quite the opposite from their mentors and romantic counterparts Jane, Judy, and Tae.

Ryan's personal life, in the form of his best friend, waltzed into his work environment, which caused Jane's personal feelings--those things he tries so hard to bury deep down and keep out of sight of his coworkers--to emerge outside of his full awareness as he shouted orders directly to Ryan to the point that the clients noticed.

Whereas Ryan and Jane had thoughts of their professional life enter into their personal life, Ba Mhee had her professional world phsyically crash in on her personal life, as Judy met her unannounced at her family's restaurant. While I naively expected Judy to have breached that line to apologize to Ba Mhee for taking advantage of her mentor position, the show had different plans. I'm so intrigued to see how this dynamic plays out, and this moment in the episode was what led me to believe the show CANNOT resolve this tension adequately for all of its audiences because of the other two tensions the show is exploring, which have dramatic impacts on how we interpret an appropriate resolution of this first tension.

Maturity vs. Immaturity

I'm chose the language of 'maturity' specifically to point to the multiple questions the shows asked about these romances so far. We've gotten references to age between the two (Ba Mhee notes the significance of the age gap between her and Judy, Jane has not answered Ryan's question about his age). We see the differences in status and direct supervision roles at the office, which also comes with differences in knowledge about the field.

However, we also get to see the levels of maturity with which these characters deal with their problems and mistakes. Two trajectories have occurred in the show so far within this category. Ryan and Ba Mhee have grown in their abilities to take on responsibility, and I expect we will see how some of the aspects with which they entered into the office, while seemingly 'immature' are actually more mature and necessary to create a healthy and functional office environment. On the other hand, we have the peak ideal of professionalism Jane and Judy demonstrated at the beginning of the series. We can all admit that it was hot af to see people just getting the job done. The last two episodes are deconstructing the myth of these figures to give us more human characters with their own flaws and blind-spots. @dropthedemiurge has a great mini write-up about the contrast between the mature way the interns deal with their problems in this episode compared to the immature responses of the mentors.

I love that episode 8 is called "New Shoes" because we finally got to shift to Jane's perspective (and Tae viewed things from Ba Mhee's perspective). Everyone is becoming more understandable to one another in an equalizing fashion. Where does that equalization land us in the romance questions, though? How you feel about appropriate age gaps and office romance is, to some extent, going to be quite cultural. (Looking up Thai laws, it looks like a few things we've seen in the series, specifically with Judy if considered unwanted by Ba Mhee, would have crossed the line into sexual harassment).

Whatever your perspective, The Trainee has infused the series with the serious issues of sexual behavior in the workplace, from Ba Mhee and Pie's sexual harassment by a crew member, to Jane's less obvious sexual harassment by the company's client, Joy, to the client choosing to work with the company because of Judy and Ba Mhee's looks. To address and satisfactorily resolve these trends of sexual harassment fully would take quite a feat, and even then, in the way it will inevitably run up against the two romances at the heart of the show, its conclusion will have to wrestle with the final tension, which is...

Fantasy vs. Reality

The film industry is a dream factory, and this show absolutely ADORES contrasting dreams and reality. Look at Ryan and then Jane's confused daydreaming of each other throughout the morning. Look at how Ryan and Jane must stand-in for lovers for a lighting check. Look at how the stage lighting runs through the vents as they have their conversation about the shoes. We are constantly reminded throughout the show that the show itself is being constructed for our entertainment within a film industry itself. We love a meta romance!

Romance in life and in film lives in an in-between space between fantasy and reality. You have to give yourself over to romantic moments and believe in love and connection and magic, but you also have to work at relationships and compassion and paying the bills, etc. Actors and creators in romance have to make the audience believe in the reality of the love and affection on screen, and there's plenty of documentation of more than a few pairings occurring through the creation of romance works, with just as many people hating the people they're creating the appearance of romance with. The BL/QL world goes double for this confusion of fantasy and reality with the fan service of lead branded pairings and such.

Most important to The Trainee, though, is the history of the Boss-Employee trope in BLs. Its got its critics and its lovers, with great reasons on both sides if you ask me, and that's the biggest reason I can't imagine The Trainee pleasing everyone. It loves the tension between reality and fantasy, maturity and immaturity, and the personal and the workplace too much! It can't fully land on one side, and that's going to upset people on both sides. But I personally will relish it, however they choose to conclude, because few shows are taking on these kind of tensions with such dexterity and attention to detail.

[dont-f-with-moogles]

hello Terra ♡

new follower here (on Val's recommendation btw) discovering your works and enjoying them a lot so far!

can I request prompt 26 secret Santa gift exchange for the Survey Corps Vets? there's no way this would go smoothly with such a bunch of weirdos, right? you can include ships (I love them all) to pep up your story if you feel like it

thank you for taking prompts and happy holidays (*^‿^*)

Festive Fics 26: Secret Santa Gift Exchange

How Mike Stole Christmas (Canon Universe) Characters: Levi Ackerman, Hange Zoe, Erwin Smith, Mike Zacharius, Nanaba, Moblit Berner 602 words 

Mike seized the final scrap of paper lying inside a squat, cardboard box. Erwin placed the empty vessel on his desk before addressing the small group before him in the same formal tones that he used during every expedition briefing.

“And so concludes the drawing of names for this year’s Secret Santa. Now, just a few reminders with regards to the rules. 5000 yen spending limit. No items which include hazardous, corrosive or highly flammable matter. No conspiring to exchange names with one another.” At this he gave a pointed stare in Hange’s direction.

There came a derisive snort from the back of the group. Heads turned towards Mike Zacharius who glanced up triumphantly.

“Hey, Hange. Seeing as you’ve got me, don’t bother buying me a gift. Just swap outpost duty with me next weekend?”

Hange blinked; their eyes magnified alarmingly behind dark, square frames. “Huh? Surely your nose doesn’t possess that level of power, Mike… unless…”

“Well…” Mike strode with his hands clasped behind him and head thrown back so that his celebrated appendage was held proudly in the air. “...not only do I know that you do indeed have me Hange, but I’ve also figured out who everyone else has too…”

Stopping abruptly, Mike gave a sudden nod of his head.

“Levi didn’t put in a name or take one out. He doesn’t want to participate.” 

Levi scowled at him. 

“Never do. How’d you figure that much out?”

“I got a whiff of ink and paper from everyone here… apart from you.” Mike’s nostrils flared. “Standing next to you, all I smell is deception.” 

“Meanwhile, Hange’s expression was just like the first time they saw Levi using ODM gear.” Mike paused to inhale deeply. “The air is thick with awe and… pheromones.”

Beneath their misted frames, Hange’s face glowed pink. “Why thank you.” 

“...but that’s just because you slipped Levi’s name in the box when he wasn’t looking and you’re excited to see who picked it.” 

Levi closed his eyes in frustration. Mike continued his course, hesitating to sniff the air beside Moblit’s ear. Hange’s subordinate gave a visible shudder.

“Increased perspiration, panic and dread. You could cut the air with it,” Mike concluded. “Moblit pulled Levi’s name. Erwin drew Moblit…” 

The Survey Corps Commander regarded Mike coolly. “I thought I kept a remarkably impassive expression and maintained my body temperature throughout the whole ordeal.”

“But you can’t fool me.” Mike tipped his finger from his forehead towards Erwin. “I saw you mouthing ‘Moblit Brenner…?’ with obvious confusion.”

Moblit sighed. “It’s Berner. Sir, I’ve served alongside you for the past five-”

“And, lastly, I caught Nanaba’s clean, refreshing aroma of relief,” Mike cut across him. “She eyed up Hange’s frog crocs immediately after she picked their name. Nanaba’s been dying for an excuse to buy them a new pair. Those old things are falling apart so badly, they’re more hole than shoe by this point.”

“B-but they’re comfy!”

“And I drew Nanaba.” Mike waved his own slip of paper. “That’s why I need next weekend off. I’ve booked a little place outside the district…” He offered her a wink.

“So Mike single-handedly sank the whole thing?” Levi’s brows were contracted in disbelief.

“So, I didn’t get picked at all?” Erwin gasped faintly. “Hange, how could you just throw my slip out…?”

“Let’s punish him.” A glint of light flashed dangerously where it caught on Hange’s glasses. “Shall we draw the names again and leave Mike out this time?” 

“Wait, wait - ” Mike’s voice caught in his throat. “You can’t blame me! Blame my nose - it’s both a gift and a curse!”

[woundlingus]

Gabriel moments that make me ragingly feral (2)

We get like the tiniest little hit of vulnerability from Gabriel after he’s just been done sitting in the car being yelled at by Dean about family and duty and love, and sure he’s Dean Winchester but you know Gabriel looks at them and sees his brothers, so you could imagine it a little more like Michael snapping at Gabriel that he’s hiding instead of fighting for the family and the people he loves.

Lucifer is coming, he is going to kill everyone you care about whether it’s now or if Gabriel chooses to sack up and do something about it.

There’s something special to me about the relationship between Dean and Gabriel because he addresses the elephant in the room almost immediately. They’re the same, in a great many ways, and that does give Dean the edge to play the moral superiority card here because at this point Dean isn’t talking out of his ass at Gabriel about “doing the right thing” he instead meets him where he is. Family. Your family is inside that building, and they’re going to die.

It is scary, and we’re left on a very despondent scene of Gabriel sitting alone in silence. I’d argue it’s a top contender for saddest Gabriel scenes ever, beat out only by him crying when Lucifer stabs him- but that’s a disgenuine scene in hindsight whereas this scene in the car is all genuine where for the first time we actually get to see Gabriel without an audience. Dean turns his back to leave, and Gabriel reaches out for him. Too coward to say anything the moment passes and he’s forced to sit in silence without the mask on and confront what’s actually happening for the first time.

Maybe he really can’t save Michael and Lucifer. But he can save “Michael” and “Lucifer” (and I don’t mean Sam 👀). He’s not as helpless as he’s let himself believe, actually, he can do a lot just not the one thing he wants most so he previously decided he won’t do anything at all then. Here, he’s forced to confront that, and change something even if it’s profoundly terrifying because of what Gabriel does stand for is love to the detriment of his character then he can also decide to make a change for the exact same motives.

But for a moment, he’s not Loki he’s Gabriel, and the man in front of him flickers between being some asshole mortal and the holy visage of his brother, and he doesn’t want him to go.

Surprise, it’s also (3)

Why am I doing two in one? Well they’re part of the same episode and I think it’s a fun little draw together of the two scenes! Because we’ve already had “Michael” turning up for Gabriel in the car scene with Dean where he’s chided and given a more tough love approach to the situation at hand, and here we have Kali just before that scene with Dean.

To refresh your memory, here in this scene Kali is telling Gabriel that if anyone gets the end the world it’s her personally. Now I don’t know enough about her religion to get into that, but I am going to play into the narrative within Supernatural and it’s Kind Of Problematic but because that’s what the show does, I’m gonna point it out. The show centers around Christianity, obviously. Who else is a world ender? Lucifer.

We have Gabriel and “Lucifer” here. Sweet love, there’s an almost childlike way Gabriel has handled the situation with Kali where he loves her and he believes that she loves him and that’s enough to make a difference here and she won’t hurt him because in a simple world it would! Except she’s not that kind of person, and neither is Lucifer, but Gabriel still doesn’t get that- or doesn’t want to believe in it. Gabriel’s being sweetened, doted on with affection that’s rather patronising. He’s being talked down to here, and he still watches her adoringly. In the end, he’s stabbed with every intention of delivering a killing blow, love is not a factor in this equation because Gabriel is not on Kali’s side.

Gabriel is not on Lucifer’s side, and he can believe in loving his brothers all he likes and in the end it isn’t going to save him. Lucifer is going to strike him with every intention of killing him dead.

Uncoincidentally, Gabriel wriggles his way out of both situations in exactly the same manner. So when RSJ talks about that phone call immediately post hammer of the gods to tell him he’s not dead, this was it! He’s already shown us how he’s going to do it!

Conclusion?

Though I’m not implying any of this on a shipping level, personally for me it’s too shallow of an interpretation to take on such a complex and deep rooted issue on loss, grief and abandonment, you can have fun with this in whatever ways you see fit if you wanna give that guy psychosexual intimacy issues. I personally see it more as Gabriel being unable to grieve, I would argue he’s not even consciously aware of the choices he’s making here because that guy really wants to believe he hates his brothers. But it’s that bitter hatred that keeps him from seeing the truth of his reality, and it keeps him from grieving, keeps him chasing that same dynamic and playing it again the exact same way subconsciously to cling to the deep loss he’s suffered and refuses to acknowledge- to the extent of erasing his own entire selfhood in the hopes of erasing his family along with him. It’s that same naïveté from my last post that’s got him playing out ANOTHER scenario over and over again hoping that if he does just love enough maybe it’ll be different. It’s not. It never will be. He can’t face that.

I don’t think it’s an accident that the people Gabriel draws in the most in his personal life are reflections of the family he misses deeply, and Sam is not a true reflection of Lucifer in any sort of capacity outside of birthright so I simply don’t factor him in here. A guy can claim he’s a runaway and wants nothing to do with his scumbag older brothers, but from where I sit it looks like he misses them an awful lot more than he’d be willing to admit to himself. Here is also where I conclude any Michael=Dean parallels in regards to Gabriel because I don’t think late seasons Dean when we see him again with Gabriel is even remotely the same man and his quest with Gabriel is solely of a selfish nature, there’s nothing Michael or brotherly about him to draw on in those conversations whereas everything Dean says to Gabriel, however cruel, do reflect the larger plot and Gabriel’s internal struggles and ultimate helps him define and better himself under that guidance. But it was cute while it lasted <3

[cartoonkitten]

my thoughts on 200% wolf because i have a lot of jumbled thoughts after finally seeing it after waiting 2 years

SPOILERS ‼️‼️‼️

i’m gonna tell you all right fucking now, that this movie is seriously so perfect and mind-blowing i’m not joking. it might be just me, considering a lot of outsider’s thoughts on it, which are now completely illogical to me cause i genuinely thought this movie was so fucking perfect in practically every way. like i’m shocked this comes from the same franchise i’ve been watching for 4 years (not in a mean way just in an insanely grateful way!!!)

OK I MUST ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. THE ANIMATION IS JUST AS FANTASTIC AS IT IS ADVERTISED. LIKE seriously!!! they weren’t lying when they said it was pixar-level, because IT IS. the production value for the entire film is incredible enough, but the visuals are seriously impressive. they are off the charts good!!! the animation is so beautifully, fluid, rhythmic and have such a good flow to them that make everything so eye catching. the character acting and attention to details in it every movement is so well thought out and contributed to each character well. the slapstick, bounciness, and toony nature of it too make it sooo fun!!! like the trailers and clips were one thing, but getting to watch the entirety of it, you just really get immersed with out visual stunning it is. such a thing to behold!

another thing i gotta point out is the score and pacing, which go hand in hand to me. the pacing in this movie is actually so refreshing and it all flows well together, with the score only amplifying every scene (seriously, the score in this movie is insane!). i honestly didn’t think any scenes dragged out too-too long or went by too overwhelmingly fast. of course, with the visuals and everything else (and me being autistic for this franchise) it’s easy to be distracted otherwise, but still. i actually found that very satisfying. it also makes the action and other really good scenes all the more fascinating to see.

even the beginning of the movie automatically set me up for a breathtaking experience. the pan over the moon’s surface, the moonspirits’ theme and role, along with moopoo’s introduction. the establishment already made me excited— AND FREDDY’S NARRATION AT THE BEGINNING IS STILL FUNNY TO ME. hardcore awesomeness. AND ALSO that whole blimp rescuing scene is genuinely so good and fun to watch, like the slapstick and action are so good and funny and such an exciting start. and freddy and batty’s dynamic is still my most favorite beloved thing ever.

"it’s easy for you to say, you’re 100% wolf!" and still, freddy is actually the realest one in the room. HES TRYING HIS FUCKING BEST. disabled trans allegory real.

AND WHEN HE BECOMES A WOLF HES LITERALLY SO SILLY. HIS MONTAGE OF SILLINESS. also moopoo tries to eat a crow for some reason after pissing off freddy and it’s even sillier. AND AGAIN, THE HUMOR IN THIS MOVIE IS ACTUALLY INCREDIBLY GOOD. LIKE it’s genuinely funny and works so well, especially with the slapstick.

THEN TO THE DOGS. though they’ve weirdly became irrelevant especially after being retconned from the series, seeing them again here is.. honestly awesome! like they’re actually really funny and entertaining in this movie!! TWITCHY GROWING A SOFT SPOT FOR MOOPOO AND ACTUNG LIKE HIS MOM IS VERY CUTE. also the traveling scene on the buses was actually so funny. AND BATTY BEING AFRAID OF BATS IS ACTUALLY IRONICALLY SILLY, especially with her friendship with gar-gar later on, which i love by the way, their scenes are so blessed (also gar-gar is so cute i love him, he’s so somft. his name reminds me of gor-gor from gwar).

ALSOOOO THE MOOPOO DREAMING SEQUENCE IS SO INCREDIBLE TO ME. LIKE ITS SO FUCKING SWEET AND IM OBSESSED WITH IT. I LOVE HIM AND HIS MOM AND THE LULLABY SHE SINGS HIM. EVERYONE HOWLING ALONG IS SOOOOO (PUNCHES THE FUCKING WALL).

also this is so silly to me but i love when max makes freddy do a trust exercise and he attempts to do a trust fall and plummets on the ground and she’s like "what are you doing? no, go fucking kill those dogs"

moopoo starts to become vaguely corrupted with the earth magic that lies within that area. and it’s leaving me to theorize that it probably only, or at least predominantly, effects anything that is or comes from some form of moon magic. that’s just my idea. cause moopoo didn’t use and spells he just started becoming evil for no reason so, yeah, that’s what leads me to believe that.

as for more extensive character thoughts. max is actually an incredibly good villain. she’s insanely badass, intimidating charming, funny and vicious, yet there’s a level of nuance with her— which is kind of why i genuinely would’ve preferred had they redeemed her if i’m being honest. i dug her almost character turn around, because it honestly wouldn’t be too far from realistic to push her in that direction. in character context, her betrayal /does/ kinda still make sense, but also with the fact that she’s humbled herself over the years serving her consequences, and even vaguely accepting her difference, she still admittedly does acknowledge that, despite not deserving the treatment she initially got, she still did bad things that hurt innocent people, fronting defensively out of hate or corruption (arguably both). it probably wouldn’t have been a very drastic change to the plot had they had her fight them after being "betrayed" first, show that freddy can use the magic and overcome the corruptions. then have freddy confront her on how "you can’t force respect, and you can’t earn respect either if you hurt other people that could have," still implying how him and moopoo are misfits like her, and respect her enough to search for her help. having her confront what she’s been too scared to admit all along, and be able to combat corruption herself. then she pushes the moon back into place. freddy goes to help moopoo, who is presumably still being corrupted by all the magic being thrown around, and thus, the rest can continue how it did. although, i’d prefer max not be given her wolf form back like freddy did. let her state accepting her consequence and that she’ll take her time re-earning her respect again. if this all makes sense. that’s really my main idea for max, i just thought it would’ve been cool, and also a subversion compared to all the other villains.

another thing i wanted to talk about it how i appreciate how they worked with freddy’s character. anyone that knows me knows how heavily critical i am of the first movie (which makes this incredible movie feel like a fever dream), and especially how i feel about the writing surrounding, weirdly enough, freddy himself. it was all kinds of disappointing and underbaked with the message totally mixed up. to be honest, this movie take that same message and redoes it more considerably i reckon. freddy doesn’t get inherently villainized for unrealistic reasons, and he honestly feels even more in character in this movie. like freddy is such a good protagonist and i feel like this movie molds him into the most fitting and well thought out way for him. i greatly appreciate it.

there is probably more i will be talking about later, but this is what my main thoughts are. this movie is fucking amazing and i can’t believe it’s real i’m gonna cry

[shunnao-addict]

Brandon Sanderson and his "genre-shaping" exaggeration

Let me start by a disclaimer: I actually enjoy Brandon's books, most of them get five stars from me. So please take it under consideration while reading. It's a criticism, not hating.

This post was something I've been thinking on writing for a long, looong time. Ever since Brandon took over The Wheel of Time (which is how I know of him) I got into reading his books, and enjoyed them. Then, over the years, I've read many articles praising him more and more, each book indicing newer superlatives, so when this year I've started re-reading his books (so I can read whole Cosmere in one go, awaiting final installment) I found myself disagreeing with most of them.

To sum it up, mostly he's being called genre-shaping because of:

Unusual, never seen before magic systems, that no other writer tops

Amazing wordlbuilding that also doesn't have anyone else standing up to him (some even call him "new Tolkien")

Characters that are complex, easy to remember, even easier to love and follow

Outstanding writing style

Ideas that no one thought before of, showing that fantasy still has something new to offer

I'll try to address every one of those, as to not get too tangled in my own thoughts.

Let's start with magic system. Now, Brandon's magic systems are unusual, that's for sure. They're complex, they're reaching into quite new ways of using world around us, they always have a high price, and boyyy, the rules they have! They're not, though, above some of the other magic systems I've seen in the literature. The Wheel of Time has just as complex system, with many new ways of using The Power appearing with each new volume (even before Brandon took over). N.K. Jemisin created her own system, that (in my own opinion, of course) is truly something we've never seen before. Trudi Canavan, with her blood magic, was also onto something that was refreshing and new. And don't get me started on Naomi Novik or Susan Dennard. What I'm trying to say - Brandon's magic systems are good, but they're hardly antyhing above average. Are they compelling? Yes. But did they change anything in the fantasy genre? Not really.

Cosmere, in its own huuuuge scope, created a whole plethora of worlds, each unique in its own way. Worldhoppers and idea of visiting different worlds stirred readers along the world, stating they've never read anything like this. Except, they could've. Because that's what Le Guin's Hainish Cycle is about. Each world having its own multicultural countries? We've got that in The Wheel of Time, in Eriksson's Malazan Book of Fallen, and in many other fantasy books (even those written by YA authors). So far, Brandon hasn't created anything original enough to call him another Tolkien, no one also took an inspiration from any creature he crated, and, sorry to say, with so many books being loosely tied to Cosmere it's hard to treat them as a whole. While Easter Egg hunting may be interesting for some, that does feel a little pushed. Personally, I dislike the fact that books I've read years ago as a stand-alone novels, are currently "Cosmere novels" with new content. Looking at it without any personal bias I can see those few ties, but it looks more like a marketing strategy, than actual "original" idea.

Now we get to my main pet peeve when it comes to Brandon's supposed brilliancy - his characters. I'm a big fan of character-driven stories, hence The Wheel of Time is my all-time fav, but Brandon... well, he doesn't know very well what to do with his characters. Take, for example, Mistborn. While there are two or three main characters that undergo a change, everyone else is a cutboard, two-dimensional stand-in that doesn't get much depth. I was truly intersted in Elend's advisors, but through two books I couldn't say more about them than "well, this one is smart, and this one is a coward". Also under his pen WoT's characters lost their depth, some of them becoming a caricature of themselves. I tried not to judge him by this, because, honestly, it's extremely hard to take over a story started by someone else, but this trend continues. Take Elantris - there are three characters I can think of, that were nicely written. Everyone else was just in the background, moving almost as if on strings. This isn't a bad writing - most of them were entertaining, lovely characters we could feel for, but when it comes to character-building (especially for characters that are not main characters) Brandon's writing is very, very average. Joe Abercrombie or Brent Weeks are much, much better in this regard.

While we're on topic of writing, I'm a fan of Brandon's style. He can easily convey hard topics, can keep you on your toes, is very quotable, and, in all honesty, his books are somewhere in between high and B-tier fantasy writing that doesn't force you to give 100% attention to what you're reading, but also doesn't allow you to skim easily over the text. It's a great balance, but you can't call it a penman mastership never seen before. It's a trait he's sharing with authors like Joe Abercrombie, Brent Weeks, Mark Lawrence or N.K. Jemisin. But it's nowhere near levels of Tolkien, Le Guin, Sapkowski or Rothfuss. Their style, their use of language or creating new terms is on a different level.

New ideas is a touchy topic, because (don't feel attacked) most people don't read outside of their chosen fiction genre. They don't even go outside of sub-genre. Which is why ideas that were introduced somewhere else (like Le Guin's ethnologists going around planets to get a feeling of their magic, politic and geograpy; or many science-fiction books where main hero goes to other planets for specific thing, like Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison) or plot-points (different takes on "how to prevent a war/obliteration", even on philosophical side), or even religion that is always a Big Thing in each of the books (also A Thing, e.g. Mark Lawrence's books or Malazan), or a character that seems to be the main character, but dies (GRRM)... Brandon just takes those ideas and shows us them in his own way, but the archetype? It's still there.

So while I would say that Brandon is an amazing writer, I wouldn't say he's a genre-shaping wonder. He plays around with the same toys as everyone else, and manages to sometimes get better, sometimes worse when compared to other authors. He definitely has bigger following, a true devoted fanbase, and lots of Tor's marketing went his way. He's also an extremely prolific author, who doesn't always produce high quality books (Skyward and The Reckoners being an example).

tl;dr he's an amazing writer, who has lots of good stuff going on, but originality isn't his strongest suit. And that's ok. Good book is always going to be a good book, even if it's about Tortured Boy Who Saves The World for the Nth time.