#sorry but i can't unthink this lol

[apparently-artless]

⚾⚾ WEEK #08 OF #WEEKLYDAIYA ⚾⚾

Daiya no Ace Act II DVD Volume Cover Icons

[credits to Remi (kithsune) for the dividers]

[sskk-manifesto]

Finally got around to watching ep 11 (´；ω；｀)

[britneyshakespeare]

You know. Sorry for another sporadic unprompted post about that friend who has caused me so much trauma in the past year. But I remember this one time his old high school friend I met once, he's really nice I liked him a lot. Cool guy. But he lives far away so they don't meet up a lot but they text. One time he sent this friend some pictures of us that were taken at a cooking class that he'd been bothering me into going to despite that it was all the way in Boston, there was a lot of walking to get to it, etc. And I was like constantly feeling sick and run down and exhausted from having Covid recently. He texted his friends those pictures of the two of us and his friend asked "Are you and Diana dating lol" like pretty innocently but honestly curious.

And he just replied "Are you fucking high" and he showed me and told me about it. Like. Like it was uncomfortable for HIM to be asked that.

Like his response isn't SUPER INSULTING TO ME.

[fandoms-writings]

For your requests, how about "You're not as bad as everyone says you are."  with biker!Bucky? Only if it sparks ✨ inspiration ✨ for you my love ❤️❤️

I know this prompt was under fluff but this turned out wayyyy more angsty than I intended - i'm sorry lol

Pairing: biker!bucky x reader

Word count: 1.2K

Warnings: angsty, a look at bucky's internal turmoil, they're going through it right now, descriptions of the aftermath of the nefarious things bucky has to do but nothing too descriptive. bucky's really sad in this i'm sorry

Masterpost || Bucky Masterlist || Event Post

When Bucky had to do the unthinkable for the club, he had a certain 'ritual' to help him cope with it. 

You'd come up with it actually, something to help him not spiral into the self hatred that his actions could bring. Keeping his head above the sea of nasty words his self conscious liked to try and drown him with.

He'd come home, his choices from the day wearing down his shoulders, making him drag himself into the bedroom where he'd peel off his leather cut and toss it to the chair in the corner. Usually he'd sit there hunched over his knees for hours, stuck in a mental spiral, replaying the events from the day. Screams echoing in his ears. A stickiness to his fingers, his nails and knuckles stained red. 

But in times like this, when you weren't speaking to him, he'd remember what you would do.

You'd pull him into the shower, washing the day off of him before making him eat a sugary snack, something sweet to get the endorphins going again. Then you'd sit him down on the couch with the show he loved watching with you and you'd snuggle up to him, combing your hands through the length of his hair, scratching his scalp. 

He looked around the room, traces of you still there. Your necklace on the nightstand. A sweater discarded in the same chair his cut lay. One of your bandanas that you'd wear under your helmet tied to the bed frame. 

And your helmet. 

It sat out on the dining table, untouched in almost two weeks - since you went back to your place saying you needed time. 

He understood. You had every right to be mad at him, he just wished he knew how to fix it. 

But being late to date night and showing up a bloody mess is kind of hard to fix. 

So, he sighed, gathering himself before he stood and headed to the shower. He peeled his clothes off, leaving them in a mess on the floor while he got under the water - he would deal with them later, it was one thing at a time right now. 

With you not being here, he liked using just a little bit of the soap you'd left, it being the only way he got to smell you until you came back - if you came back. He stood under the water, watching the suds and pink droplets swirl down the drain as the look of disappointment on your face flashed in his mind. 

He hadn't meant to forget about date night, he really didn't. He'd just gotten roped into some club business, and when he tried to explain it to you, you shook your head. The anger in your eyes was unlike anything he'd ever seen - he'd never see you mad before and it'd frozen his feet in their place. 

"If this is going to work," You'd gestured between the two of you, throwing your bag over your shoulder, open, "you need to figure out how to balance club life and our life. I'm not going to be the girl waiting for you to come home in one piece, if at all." 

"I can't just not handle business when it needs to be handled," He'd argued, his tone rising in his heart's cry for you to put your bag down and stay. "I can't abandon the club when they need me." 

"That's not the problem," you pushed past him, "You didn't call, you didn't text. I was at the restaurant for two hours, James. Two." You turned and pointed to him, "You abandoned me tonight."

"I'm sorry, okay?" He followed you around the house as you gathered random things of yours, shoving them in your duffle bag, "I'll make sure to call next time." 

"Next time?" You spun on him, a look of bewilderment in your irises, "You're assuming there's a next time?"

Dread filled his chest as he swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Suddenly, it didn't matter what he was going to say. He just wanted you to stay, not to leave. Not to leave him. 

"Bucky I was left at that table, in the dress you picked out," You shoved a finger in his chest, "for two hours while you were off doing whatever it is that you do." Your hand gestured to the red stains on his pants. "And you'll never tell me what you're doing out there, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out it's dangerous." 

He waited as you took a breath, zipping up your bag with a huff as your shoulders shook. 

"I'm sorry," He muttered again but your head shook. 

"I don't care," You turned to him with tears in your eyes, "You can be sorry all you want. But I didn't even know if you were coming home at all tonight. Or if you were headed to the morgue in a body bag." 

It was that comment that punched him in the gut, and still replayed in his mind when things were too quiet. You weren't really mad about date night. He was supposed to be your calm, your safe space. He wasn't supposed to cause you anything but happiness and pleasure. But he hadn't even given you the courtesy to call you and tell you what was going on. 

You walked out after that, saying you needed time to figure out if you wanted to come back at all, and as the days passed, he was starting to think your side of the bed would remain cold forever. 

You were it for him, he didn't want anyone else, and he never would - he knew that.

But on nights like this, while he scrubbed the blood out from under his nails, he wondered if you knew it. 

Did you know how far gone he was for you? How he'd do anything for you, that if it wasn't you in his life, it was no one. 

He wondered if he could have both. You and this life he'd created. You, in your tender adoration. The way you cared for him. Loved him. And his life with the club. Being part of a stronghold like that. Being a nightmare for some. Seeing the things he did. Doing the things he had to. Making the necessary decisions no matter how morally questionable they were.

He knew people talked badly about him around you, warning you to stay away from him. That he was dangerous. A bad man. And he knew some of it was true. 

He was dangerous, not trusted by most. 

But you told him something once, the first time you'd seen him come home from club business covered in bruises and blood, seeing the internal turmoil those choices caused him. 

"You're not as bad as everyone says you are."

With those words replacing the agony that had been swirling his head, he gets out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed with a purpose. 

He was going to see you, and make sure you know you're it for him, no matter what. As long as you know that, your choice is yours.

But first, he needs to pick up a sweet treat. He decides he'll pick up your favorite. 

Maybe, if things work out, you'd share it with him. 

[shepherds-of-haven]

hi!! So. i like writing for Trouble and my MC but i spend so much time clowning on him and making up silly scenarios that now i have no idea how to write him actually catching on to one of the moves she makes and what kinds of moves he cant explain away. Please do you have any tips or crumbs to throw my way to help? I need to write him making out sloppy style w my girl PLEASE!!

Anyway I really love shoh and I think about Trouble and my MC almost every day so tysm for the lovely gift of him <3 i also wrote this ask intending to be silly but if it sounds demanding or rude i am SO sorry I would never demand anything of u and will love anything you may kr may not respond with whether that be in 17 minutes or 17 years 🩵

Aw, thank you so much for this sweet message, it made me so happy to receive! 💖 Please don't worry about sounding rude at all, your words were so kind and made me grin ear-to-ear, so thank you!

To answer your question, I like this excerpt from the old novels to explain how I think Trouble can be in a romance: I usually envision him being casual or friendly and light-hearted, and then catching onto something--some shift in the mood or a lingering glance--and then kind of abruptly shifting into a more intense version of himself. It's not a side of himself he shows very often--we're mostly exposed to the goofy, jocular Trouble, but that 'intense' dominant Trouble is there, lurking underneath it all, and that's kind of the part that he struggles with because it's also tied up in his ferocious past and his temper. It's the same Trouble who can go from smiling and laughing with his friends in a bar to completely unsmiling and intimidating when he overhears some guy being a dickhead to a server nearby, except obviously in these scenarios it's sexual/romantic tension he's responding to (even if he doesn't fully know it's that) rather than regular like situational tension. I don't know if you have access to the alpha build, but the scene in the cave in Chapter 7 when he's warming up MC's hands or the abrupt change from "yay we're having fun" to "something just happened" in his latest day off (when Cordy flirts with you) are good examples of this, too! This sort of stilted "everything is great 95% of the time and then 5% of the time something happens and he can't control it" that's impeding him and MC's easy friendship is what's really throwing Trouble for a loop; he starts to feel guilty and confused and tormented about it because he thinks he's the only one feeling these things and getting in the way of what should be a smooth companionship, so he's just... feeling a lot of things and not knowing what to do with them, lol.

So I imagine 'heated makeout' tends to happen during one of these sudden changes to 'intense Trouble,' when he catches on to something he can't ignore--but I generally don't think it happens because of an outright flirtation or hint of MC's, because he can usually just laugh those off as them just joking around, so he doesn't really respond to those like one might expect? He's dazzlingly good at not catching on to things like that (short of an outright serious confession), so maybe that's why you're having trouble imagining it! I tend to imagine it happening entirely randomly, during some moment of unthinking intimacy, like in the cave in Chapter 7 or during a mission when emotions are high or something like that. Here's another example of what I'm thinking of!

...Or something like that, idk lol! Obviously take all of this with a huge grain of salt and don't let me influence you; however you write Trouble and MC's romance is fantastic! Hopefully some of these tips help you in some way!

[glimmervoi]

A SEALED FATE: EMERALDS AND BLOOD - XI Escape

masterlist

e&b masterlist

notes: sorry that it took me so long to upload this! i've been so busy lately that I just havent been able to sit down and focus on this. im not too pleased with this chapter, but then again what else is new lol. i hope that you guys enjoy though. <3

It felt like an eternity since Hoseok had departed, leaving you to gather your composure in the solitude of the supply room before venturing out to fetch their tea. Rae had already departed, expecting you to be in the kitchen working on their refreshments.

After serving their tea, you swiftly made your exit, heading straight for the maids' chambers. There, you found Rae pacing anxiously, with Alice by her side.

Upon your arrival, the two maids' eyes widened in relief. Rae hurried towards you, her hands gripping your arms as she checked you over frantically. "My God, I was so worried!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with concern.

"Did he do anything to you?" Her voice trembled as she released your arms, scanning you for any signs of harm. Relieved to find none, she continued, "That was incredibly bold of him to follow you out like that in front of his mother and his brother. Imagine what could happen if his mother decides to mess with you!"

Alice stood silently behind Rae, her expression inscrutable as she studied you. You shook your head, feeling your lower lip wobble with emotion. "He didn't do anything to me," you started, your voice unsteady, "But he did something to..." Your words faltered as the haunting images of Lady Pyke flooded your mind once more.

"He did something to...?" Rae prompted, leaning forward with concern etched across her features. Taking a deep breath, your hands shaking, you recounted to her what Hoseok had said to you.

Rae's expression twisted into one of sheer horror as your words filled the air. Alice, her hand trembling, instinctively covered her mouth. As you concluded recounting Hoseok's words, Rae exhaled a heavy sigh, her hand finding its way to her chest, her eyes reflecting a mix of shock and disbelief.

"I can't wrap my head around it," she murmured as she shook her head in disbelief. Her lack of interrogation brought a wave of relief, her immediate belief a comforting balm to your unease. As you nervously intertwined your fingers, a chilling realization sliced through your thoughts, sending shivers down your spine.

"Could he... could he possibly do the same to me?" you whispered, your eyes glistening with tears of fear. "I turned him down so many times... What if I've angered him? He made these ominous warnings. What if... what if he intends to harm me like he did Lady Pyke?"

Alice shook her head, her expression pensive. "I don't believe he'd resort to the same extremes with you," she assured, her eyes meeting yours. "His fixation on you seems romantically driven. It's unlikely he'd risk losing you by taking your life. It's possession, not destruction, that drives him."

"He's playing a dangerous game by engaging with her openly before the Queen," Rae remarked, her gaze probing as she studied you intently. "The Queen holds tight reins on marriage prospects for her sons, allowing only those she deems suitable. As a maid without status, if you disrupt her plans by becoming the focus of Hoseok's affections, she won't hesitate to eliminate you."

You wrapped your arms around yourself, suddenly feeling colder than you ever had before. Fear gripped you tightly. Your stay in the castle hadn't unfolded as anticipated, but now it was spiraling into something far more ominous. What had once been mere grievances—a harsh supervisor and monotonous routines—now paled in comparison. Instead, you found yourself entangled in the unsettling fixation of a Prince whose motives remained inexplicable. He had committed unthinkable acts for you, his threats hanging heavy in the air. And looming over it all was his formidable mother, a presence radiating danger. Any association with the prince, coerced or not, would only draw her unwanted scrutiny, placing you in perilous waters.

Rae turned to Alice, her expression a mix of seriousness and contemplation. "Do you think... maybe... we should consider sending her away from the castle?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Staying here would only be a death sentence for her."

Alice's eyes widened slightly, and a strange look flickered across her face before she slowly shook her head. "I don't think that would be the best idea," she said, fidgeting with the edge of her white apron. "If Hoseok is truly this obsessed with her, he would go to the ends of the earth to find her. She could be in even more danger if she runs."

Rae placed her hands on her hips. "Yes, but staying here puts her directly in the Queen's path. Hoseok might be crazy enough to chase after her, but the Queen will outright kill her once she learns about her son's infatuation. And she will find out—he's being far too obvious about his feelings."

You frowned as you listened to their debate about your possible fate. Both made valid points. Running could endanger people outside the castle—Hoseok would surely kill anyone he suspected of helping you. But if he continued to be so bold, especially in his mother's presence, the Queen herself would end your life.

It was selfish, but... you did not want to die. That was the entire reason you had come to the castle in the first place. Your home village was a death trap due to the lack of resources, and the city offered no opportunities unless you could miraculously learn a new skill overnight.

You were bound by a five-year contract with Sanria, though you had not seen the irritable old maid in some time. It was not as if you could simply flee the castle on your own.

You wished to escape and needed assistance. Clearing your throat, you steadied your voice and fixed your gaze on Rae and Alice. They turned their attention to you, their argument fading away.

"I do not want to die," you said, clutching the hem of your white apron. "I'm sorry, but I don't. I want to leave, please. I know it's a risk, and I know it could put you both in danger, but I..."

Your voice cracked slightly, and you took a deep breath. Rae's eyes were understanding, and she nodded. Alice, however, did not look pleased. Rae spoke before Alice could refuse.

"I understand," she said, taking your hands in hers and giving them a gentle squeeze. "I promised to do my best to keep you safe when you first arrived. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't uphold that promise?"

Tears welled in your eyes as you pulled the red-haired maid into a hug. "Thank you," you whispered into her shoulder. She ran her hands soothingly down your back, and you held each other for a long moment.

When you pulled apart, Rae turned to Alice. “Inform your brother. We have another girl to make the journey.”

"Promise me you'll send a letter as soon as you get settled," Rae said, giving your arm a reassuring squeeze. You nodded, sniffling as you tightened the brown cloak around your body. The chill from the hidden hallway was slowly seeping into your tired bones.

"Of course, look for a letter from someone named..." You paused, tilting your head in thought. Then, a giggle escaped your lips. "Miss Ear. It's Rae backwards."

Rae laughed quietly, though Alice remained silent behind her, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Nerves twisted in your stomach as you glanced at the heavy stone door that would allow you to leave the castle undetected. You wished to maintain a lighthearted demeanor for Rae's sake, but deep down, you were terrified.

You feared that your escape would be traced back to Rae and Alice. If Hoseok discovered their involvement, their lives would be in jeopardy. By fleeing, you were placing them in grave danger. Yet, if you remained, you risked your own life—a selfish decision, but one you felt compelled to make.

Should you manage to execute this plan successfully, Rae and Alice would be safe. How could Hoseok possibly prove they had aided in your escape?

You turned to Alice, offering her a grateful smile. "Thank you again," you said sincerely. Without her and her family, you would have nowhere to turn. Alice seemed to barely register your words, lost in thought as she chewed on her lower lip.

You could understand her lack of focus. You were putting her family at risk as well. Turning to Rae one last time, you murmured, "Truly, I am so grateful for all that you have done for me here." You pulled her into a tight embrace, her arms encircling your waist as you heard her sniffle against your chest.

"Be safe out there," she replied, giving you one final squeeze before releasing you. She nodded towards the cloaked man standing by the door, his face concealed. He had remained silent the entire time, but when you looked at him, he shifted slightly.

"Joseph will escort you down the river. He will drop you off at the field just beyond the riverbank, where there should be a horse waiting for you. It belongs to the stables, but she is an old mare, so her disappearance should not cause much distress. Ensure she is fed and allowed to drink from the river regularly, and she should fare well," Rae explained.

"Alright, I'll be sure to take care of her," you said, your fingers brushing against the leather pouch hanging at your side. It contained some of your own supplies, such as dried meats and berries, and a water satchel that you would need to fill after leaving the castle.

Rae took a step back, her eyes damp as she looked you over once more. "It's time for us to go," she said, grasping Alice's hand. The physical contact seemed to break Alice from her haze, and her eyes flickered to meet yours.

"When you arrive in Esteria, go to the house with the green door," she said quietly, her voice holding a strange tone. "Knock three times. When the door opens, repeat what was written on the piece of parchment I gave you."

You nodded, your mind flashing to the short sentence written in an unfamiliar language.

"It’s time," Joseph said, his deep voice startling you. You glanced at him, exhaling a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. You wanted to embrace Rae once more and thank Alice again, but Joseph was right. It was time to go. If you didn't leave now, you would only continue to hesitate.

Rae gave you a small wave, accompanied by a watery smile. Alice simply stared at the ground as you whispered one last farewell before disappearing through the stone door that Joseph had opened for you.

The air outside was frigid, knocking the breath from your lungs. If you had thought it was cold in the stone corridor, the air here was like an icy version of hell. Through the thick, snow-covered trees, you could hear the distant sound of the rushing river that surrounded the castle.

You heard Joseph closing the door behind you as you stared up at the full moon. His boots crunched over the frozen grass as he approached, stopping at your side.

"Ready?" he asked. You could feel his gaze on you, even as you continued to stare at the sky. You wanted to shake your head. Your legs were beginning to tremble, and the weight of your decisions pressed heavily on your heart.

You swallowed and nodded. "Yes."

He made a sound of acknowledgment before beginning the walk into the forest. You followed quietly, staring at your own worn-down boots as you put more and more distance between yourself and the crazed, lovesick prince.

It didn’t take long for you to reach the riverbank, where a rickety old wooden boat sat waiting. A lantern on it flickered to life as Joseph lit it before gently pushing the boat into the water. You stared at it, apprehensive. Light would surely draw attention to your escape.

Sensing your thoughts, Joseph nodded toward the trees. “The river is mostly concealed by the forest. By the time the lantern becomes visible, you’ll be far enough away from the castle.”

You made a sound of acknowledgment as you allowed him to help you into the boat. It wobbled beneath you, and you sat down quickly, fearing you might plunge into the icy water.

Joseph joined you a moment later, picking up a wooden paddle from the boat's floor. The river was calm here, so he had to row the boat himself. The silence was broken only by the sound of Joseph’s quiet grunts as he pushed the boat further and further from the large castle. You did not look back at the massive building as you drifted past the tall, bare trees.

You found yourself shivering as you tried to avoid staring into the darkness for too long. The last thing you needed, especially as you were about to begin your journey alone, was to frighten yourself with imaginary monsters hiding in the shadows.

After what felt like hours of nervously fidgeting and biting your bottom lip, Joseph pulled the oars from the water and placed them back on the boat's floor. You had reached the bend in the river that would lead you in the direction of Esteria.

The pace of the water quickened here, and the boat began to move much faster. The lantern attached to the boat swayed, its light flickering and casting strange shadows against the wood.

You had become so accustomed to the silence that when Joseph spoke, it startled you. You were so tense that you yelped and nearly tipped the boat over. He didn’t seem to mind the disturbance, merely holding the sides of the boat to steady it as he spoke.

"My sister didn’t give me an exact reason as to why you wanted to leave the castle," he murmured. He wasn’t directly asking, but you could tell he was curious. You hesitated to answer. He was helping you escape, yes, but this was no simple case of wanting to get out of a contract or getting involved with a low ranking Lord.

You were now the target of a prince’s affections, a prince who had brutally murdered a lady. Anyone who got in the way was in severe danger. If you told him, would he turn the boat around and force you to go back?

As the trees began to thin, revealing a frostbitten landscape of dead grass and bushes, you sighed softly. It would be rude not to tell him, especially when he was helping you with such a risky escape. He had the right to know exactly why you were running like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked. You whipped your head to face him, your mouth falling open slightly in disbelief. Your worry was temporarily forgotten as you watched the man examine you.

"Do I look pregnant?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. He regarded you silently for a moment, and you quickly covered your mouth, realizing how your response might have sounded.

He laughed softly, his eyes crinkling in a manner reminiscent of Alice’s when she was pleased. "No, you do not appear to be pregnant," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Occasionally, when a nobleman becomes too friendly with a maid, she finds herself…with a child. Typically, she or another maid will come to me for assistance before Sanria learns of the situation. I help them escape."

His voice was gentle and soothing, which eased your nerves somewhat. You tightened your cloak around yourself and nodded slightly. "I understand. It’s kind of you to risk your own safety to help."

Joseph glanced at his hands, worn and calloused from years of labor. "When you are the elder brother to two sisters, you inevitably develop a protective instinct for other young women who remind you of them."

"That’s very noble," you murmured, offering him a small smile. "Aren’t you ever afraid that you might be caught? That you might face severe punishment for your actions?"

He nodded, his expression darkening. "Of course I am. Alice could suffer repercussions for my actions as well. Even worse, my family in Esteria could be in danger if the nobles or even the royals find out about my little scheme. Despite the risks, I believe it is worth it. I save lives. These young women do not deserve the fate they’ve been handed."

Another pang struck your heart, and you nodded. He was putting himself in significant danger to save these girls, to save you. The least you could do was share with him the full reason for your escape.

You swallowed nervously. “I’m leaving because… well, a Prince confessed his love for me,” you muttered. Your heart began to race. Joseph's face went expressionless, and he remained silent for a moment. The only sound around you was the rush of blood in your ears.

Then, a look of alarm and dread quickly overtook his features. “What?” he asked, his eyes even darker than before. His face had turned noticeably paler. Had it been a mistake to tell him?

“A prince cornered me earlier,” you said quietly, staring at your lap. “And he confessed his love for me.”

“Why?” was all he managed to ask. His foot knocked against the oar on the floor of the boat, and you wondered if he was tempted to turn the small vessel around. You prayed to whatever God that lived in the sky that he wouldn't.

“I don’t know,” you breathed, shaking your head. You looked up at him, frowning. “We had only spoken twice before his confession. He said it was love at first sight.”

Joseph turned away, seemingly at a loss for words. Did he believe you, or did he think you were fabricating an elaborate lie? Would he return you to the castle, or would he continue down the river?

From his reaction, it was clear that this was an unprecedented situation for him. The uncertainty only heightened your own anxiety. If no other maid had faced such a predicament—at least not one that attempted to flee—did that mean Hoseok’s feelings were genuine? How could he have developed such intense emotions so swiftly?

Joseph rubbed his face roughly. “Which prince was it?” he asked, his voice heavy with fatigue. You couldn’t help but feel a pang of shame at his reaction. You were a burden, an unexpected complication that he likely didn’t want to deal with.

“Hoseok,” you replied quietly. His head jerked up, his mouth falling open in disbelief. He repeated the name twice, his voice rising in volume. Your eyes widened. While you had not been expecting an excited reaction, you had hoped that he would have been a little more understanding than this.

“Shit,” Joseph huffed, his frustration palpable as he picked up the oar. Your heart dropped for a moment as he dipped it back into the freezing water. “Of all the princes, why did it have to be Hoseok?” he groaned. “This is exceedingly dangerous.” Then, he began to push the boat faster down the river.

You buried your face in your hands, a sigh escaping your lips. “I know,” you whimpered, tears threatening to spill. “I don’t understand why this is happening. If I had known that coming here would endanger so many people, I would have stayed in my small village.”

Joseph shook his head. “You’re incredibly fortunate that Rae arranged for you to leave so quickly,” he said, fixing you with a stern look. “That Prince... he may appear kind on the surface, but his heart is dark.”

“Do you think he’ll realize that Alice and Rae were involved in my escape? Do you think he’ll even care after a few days?” you asked, shaking.

Joseph hesitated for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh. “Hoseok is an obsessive man,” he said gravely. “If he sets his sights on something, he will stop at nothing to obtain it. Had you stayed at the castle, he would have made you his in no time.”

The rocky shore was drawing closer, signaling the end of the first leg of your escape. “Listen carefully,” Joseph instructed, removing the oar from the water again. The boat began to drift toward the shore on it’s own as the waves of the river grew softer and slower.

“You are not to leave Esteria,” Joseph instructed firmly. “No matter how much time passes, you must stay hidden. Hoseok will never stop searching for you. He possesses a dark soul. Your only chance of safety is to remain concealed. Do not return to the castle.”

The boat gently bumped against a large stone, rocking slightly before coming to a halt. Joseph climbed out onto the rocky ground and helped you onto the shore.

“For your own safety and that of those you care about, you must be exceedingly cautious with your decisions from now on.” He said his voice soft. “You will be okay if you can manage to stay quiet and hidden.”

You nodded, your voice hoarse as you murmured, “I understand. If anything happens, please don’t hesitate to turn me in. I would prefer being returned to the castle if it means ensuring your safety, as well as Alice’s and Rae’s.”

Joseph averted his gaze, conflicted between agreeing with your request and arguing against it. The silence was broken by the distant sound of a horse neighing.

You turned swiftly toward the noise, surprised to find the old brown mare tethered to a thin tree nearby. You hadn’t noticed her when you arrived at the shore.

Seeing this as your cue, you moved towards the horse, eyeing the small packs that sat by its side. Joseph followed close behind, his boots crunching over the small rocks and dead grass.

“After a day’s worth of travel, you should come to a fork in the path. You’ll have to go to the left, away from the water. That means you need to take as much water as you can before reaching that fork.” He said, loading the small packs onto the horse.

“After another half-day’s journey, you’ll encounter another fork. This time, veer to the right. Continue straight until you reach the village. You’ll know you’re approaching when you see smoke rising from chimneys,” he finished.

“Understood,” you murmured, committing the directions to memory. “Follow the river for a day, then turn left at the fork. Walk for another half-day, turn right at the next fork, and look for smoke.”

Joseph nodded with a reassuring smile. “Exactly. And... be safe,” he added quietly. He then assisted you as you climbed onto the back of the mare. “I’ll have Alice make sure you’re mentioned in her next letter home.”

You attempted to smile at him, but it faltered, unable to mask the concern and sadness you felt. Before you could utter a final farewell, Joseph gave the horse a firm slap on the rear. The mare whinnied and surged forward.

Caught off guard, you had no opportunity to look back as you focused on steadying yourself. It took a few moments, but you eventually managed to regain your balance and guide the horse to a more controlled pace.

As you traveled down the old path, you silently prayed to any higher power that things would turn out well. There were more lives at stake than just your own, and you feared you would struggle to live with yourself if anything were to happen to those who had helped you.

[majimasleftasscheek]

Hi, im very sorry if this has already been answered or established somewhere else but im curious, with your Kazumaji stuff, around what time did they start dating (i.e. after the events of Yakuza 0 and all that) and how?

tbh, I dunno!

I don't really have an established date for that cuz sometimes I'm like man they'd be really cute during y0 and then other times I set it between post y0 and the beginning of y1. The latest they would start me thinks is some months after the events of y1 but in general it sorta depends on how I'm feeling and what silly scenarios play in my head

ideas under the cut tho 👀

if we're talking y0: I like to think Kiryu has to go to Sotenbori for some reason, be it business or he's there with Nishiki for some partying. he sees Majima at the Grand being depressed and is like "damn girl those bags under your eyes makes my dick go *boing sound effect*" and asks him out 🥺 Kiryu gets rejected immediately cuz Majima's in this cycle of 'I deserve nothing but pain and suffering' but Kiryu can't read the room so he is persistently showing up at the Grand despite Majima very obviously wanting to kick his ass. eventually he relents and goes on cute™ dates with Kiryu and realizes oof maybe human intimacy be kinda gucci

if between y0 and y1: Majima's fresh in his mad dog era starting shit with people just to be annoying and Kiryu's one of his targets mainly due to the events of y0. he's kinda like "lol this goober really did some important plot stuff, huh?" and his curiosity gets the better of him because Kiryu is an enigma who eats bugs and Majima cannot suppress his need to get some sense of understanding on this weirdo. in this timeline, it's more one-sided affection from Majima that comes in the form of stabbing while Kiryu is desperately trying to fight the gay allegations and failing. eventually he caves but it's a sorta unofficial, on and off thing that Kiryu doesn't really know how to evaluate for himself. Majima doesn't really care what they are since he's high on life atm and has a cute dude with big boobs on his arm

if during y1: literally just everything Majima Everywhere. Goromi. GOROMI 😩💦 Kiryu is all: I LIKE PUSSY but everyone's like okay big man then why's Majima pole dancing for you huh. the two braincells he has start to click and he realizes maybe Majima wants to hold hands or something unthinkable like that. ngl I like to think Kiryu's thing for Yumi is like a demisexual bi thing where he's like, I do love her but she don't zap my brain quite like the bowlcut freak who knows how to punch me real good and it becomes sorta his personal introspective journey during this time. Majima is also floating in the space of am I doing this for his benefit cuz "training" or am I falling for this dork. he's pretty sad about it cuz of the Saejima reminder vibes but eventually Kiryu falls into his own person that Majima really meshes with and the two of them struggle to actually voice how they feel all the while their pants are down in some dirty alley

if after y1: (going to insert shit from a fic I'm working on) Kiryu's absolutely devastated with what happened in the Millennium Tower + now having to take care of Haruka that he's shut himself off from everyone and everything other than doing the bare minimum to live. in comes Majima being a menace like yo you can't like, let a child parent herself you gotta get outta this slump and Kiryu's all fuck you stop breaking into my house. so it's a long pain in the ass process to help Kiryu deal with his grief while Majima keeps unintentionally making googoo eyes at him and both of them are like boy I sure hope this doesn't awaken anything within me. there's also a lotta dadjima stuff going on and Kiryu's like wowie zowie so you do have a heart and Majima's like no way loser while being just 😳👉👈

[clangenrising]

the absolute chokehold this blog has on me is seriously crazy im soo in love with your work.

youve probably been asked this before, and if thats the case i apologize- but im curious... considering the canonical Cat Homophobia amongst the city cats, how does Scorch feel about it? I mean we all know that girl is queer and has flirted (albeit playfully) with women in the past but being around #1 Bigot Razor all the time can't be a good thing for... anyones moral standings, internalized or not.

either way she has some serious issues to work through before jumping into another relationship i fear. sorry scorch not even a pretty women can solve ur Various Issues... we will get there eventually girl i believe in u.

(ps i know towing the line in asks between trivia/clarification questions and "this is something i want to be extrapolated upon in the text rather then just telling you" questions is hard so if this is one of those i totally get it lol, and im sure i speak for most of us other askers as well ^_^)

Wow I have so many people in chokeholds it seems XD I'm flattered. Also, I appreciate the understanding. Luckily, this is something I feel comfortable answering.

Lucky for Scorch, she grew up in a completely different town with a much chiller community. As a kit she was taken in by a group of female cats who raised their kits communally and at least some of them were in romantic relationships with each other. So she doesn't have the sort of unthinking, automatic 'that's weird' response that cats in Razor's city tend to have.

You're not wrong that being around Razor definitely had an effect on that but the effect was mostly her realizing she had to tone it down when she was in town. There were rumors originating in her earlier days in the city that she swung both ways (we learn that in one of the early Aldertail POVs) but she mostly played it off and escaped too much flack for it.

But yeah, her issues are a lot more with just general intimacy and the seeds were there even before she came to Razor's city. To some degree, it made not being able to be queer in the city easier because Scorch doesn't consider romantic love to be anything she would be interested in. She's a real Romance Pessimist, you know, like the kind of woman who starts a rom-com being like 'love is fake and I'll never fall in love' XD Hopefully she'll follow the rest of the rom-com arc

Oh my god new Hallmark Movie AU where Saoirse goes to a tiny town on business and meets handsome lumberjack-or-whatever, Rayna, who convinces her to love Christmas and leave her shitty business boyfriend. Fuck I want fanart of this now. 100 RisingBucks to anyone who delivers

[fluffle-writes]

For weirdcore au

How do some of the mouthless experience taste? Do the hungering flames have preferences? Like flammability versus how clean it burns (oils and grease can burn easy but not cleanly, not all wood burns the same either with some leaving fine ash versus lumps of char or even residue from sap and oils). Or maybe it's based on the contents? Magic or mineral or just plain ol texture? Or maybe they do taste the chicken in the smoke and ash and they eat up some crispy tenders just like us?

What if plant types? Do they have a preference? Or even Idia? Does he have favorite memories to consume?

Sorry if there's a lot of questions 😅 i just really like this

Don't apologise for asking questions! Answering them is TONS of fun! It gives me an opportunity to dig into lil nooks and crannies of my mind palace to find good answers about how their weird lil world works! :D

Weirdcore AU Masterlist Here!

The way that these guys experience taste...

I feel like the plant guys would likely have something going on that's based on how butterflies or octopuses have taste buds on their feet/tentacles, where the plant guys have taste buds on the roots that they consume their food with! These taste buds are incredibly strong, so it's common for beings who eat this way to be picky about their food. (For example, Cater vehemently dislikes sweets, and Trey can't stand mustard!)

Ones who eat with fire can only taste foods that last long enough in the fire - so things like cotton candy would burn away too quickly to be tasted. But ice cream resists burning for a while, so the taste lingers! Things like onions may also be caramelised by the heat, which makes the flavour more complex and appealing to the person eating it. Wood and oil can be a staple food for younger or weaker beings with this feature, as it can help them maintain more energy and keep their flame strong and in good health!

Any residue from the burnt food is swallowed and further digested - it's like how cows have more than one stomach to properly digest the grass that they eat. Beings like Malleus will have a digestive system specifically designed for digesting ashes and burnt remains of the food they consume. For larger chunks of ashes, they may either regurgitate pellets like barn owls owls do with indigestible parts of their food, or they could simply swallow those chunks whole like snakes, crushing them in their throat as they do so.

Idia's sense of taste, when he uses his tech to eat, is more artificial (for normal food consumption, at least.) Like if he eats a banana or a strawberry, the flavour will be more artificial. This is why he may prefer more artificial foods when he eats with his mouth - it's what he's used to tasting.

Memories are somewhat different though. The memories of an unthinking animal is somewhat plain, like eating plain white bread or a rice-only diet - it's filling and a good part of a diet, but memories of more intelligent prey gives him other forms of energy that are vital to his health. I'm not sure what memories would be his favourite... Possibly memories from childhood, of untethered joy. Those ones are particularly sweet.

Sad memories are more bitter, while memories of love have fruity or floral flavours, and memories of victory often taste meaty - like a good steak. But like I said, Idia prefers the sweeter memories (his favourite food is sweets so I'm pretty sure our guy has a sweet tooth lol)

[lostcauses-noregrets]

There's just something so delicious about Erwin losing Levi (missing or dead; temporarily or permanently) and I think it's because, well, first of all we already saw what losing Erwin did to Levi and I believe they are different in a way. Levi's character mostly revolves around losing people and still fighting, he probably knows he will outlive the people he loves and cares about and he accepts that, he's used to losing people yet he is also a very emotional character who can't stop himself from caring and loving despite that. And at the end it still huts and crushes him. On the other hand, I believe Erwin successfully managed to distance himself from other people to some degree otherwise he couldn't do what he does. He is still upset and it still hurts when he loses soldiers especially friends like Mike, but this distance he created helps him to deal with his grief and guilt better. BUT I think Erwin really believed that Levi is too skilled to die in action, that he would outlive them all and this might be the reason he let Levi get close to him, allowed himself to let his guard down around Levi, accepted his love and loved him in return. Because even though he knew the others like Hange and Mike longer it always felt like he wasn't that close to them compared to his relationship with Levi. Maybe it's just me, I don't know. So, anyway, it feels more mysterious and interesting to guess Erwin's reaction to losing Levi, when the unthinkable happens, even if it's temporary (even better because I have a weak heart). I don't know, it's weird that Levi's more emotional yet he deals with loss more... internally? (Excuse my poor English) A part of me believes that Erwin's grief can be more... destructive? Does this make sense lol Also, are there any fics like that? I'm sorry if you got an ask like this before and like I said forgive my poor English :)

Anon, you have absolutely nothing to apologise for. You expressed this so beautifully and almost broke my heart in the process. Erwin's death almost destroyed me, but the thought of Erwin losing Levi is just devastating. You're right about Erwin dealing with grief and loss by closing himself off from these emotions. It's only to Levi that he shows the true depths of his despair. This is just one reason why Kamiya Hiroshi described Levi as the last stronghold of Erwin's humanity. I also think you're right that perhaps Erwin knew that Levi would outlive them all and that's why he opened his heart to him.

@huxandthehound’s has written a stunning fic that captures these emotions and the awful impact of Levi's death on Erwin. It's called Like a God, Raged and @lordirrelevant has created this beautiful art for it.

I've also written a few versions of this scenario here:

A Greater Death  Beautiful Broken ETA @rodio_se_mis on twitter has also written a "reverse Return to Shiganshina" fic that deal with the ramifications of Levi's death on Erwin, and which was inspired by Kamiya Hiroshi's quote.

No Exit by Mysh_mysh

[koolkat9]

I just begun rewatching Dreamtaila for what feels like the millionth time to cure my boredom and I just got to our handholding buddies and of course, my brain does the unthinkable.

What if Italy holds Germany’s other hand and France holds England’s other hand and let’s make it a big love square called GerEngFrIta? Of course I walked away from these thoughts but it keeps coming back whenever the handholding is mentioned, I’m not sure what my brain was thinking but I can say that’s what I get when I haven’t watched Dreamtaila for a long time.

I mean I'm not really into Ger//ita even when it's part of a polycule so I'm not going to speak on that...But I do love Fran getting in on GerEng's relationship and making in Gerfruk. Even joked about GerFruk in Dreamtalia during one of my rewatches.

Though still...I kind of liked the RusFra vibes they had going on so GerEng could shine on their own.

Maybe I'm too much of a purist because it was what got me into gereng lol. But you're valid my dude, sorry I can't talk on it more...

[invisiblegarters]

Only Friends Character Rankings - Ep 7

WHY can't I stop laughing? Oh this ep gets even more fun the more I think about it.

(except for you, Sand. You are just annoying me)

Favorite Characters (From Most to Least Fave atm):

MEW. I don't care, he was doing the most this ep and I loved it. I love that he matched his outfits to his new villain arc. I love a guy with a great sense of the dramatic. Like just keep bringing this energy Mew.

I am not mad about a single thing he did this ep. You keep slaying, sweetie.

On a more serious note, I feel bad for him. Dude is suffering and he really doesn't have anyone who just wants to be there for him. Boston and Top are right out because they're the cause, Ray ain't it because frankly, all he cares about is finally getting Mew for himself just like he always wanted, Chueam is way too busy thinking about how this makes her a bad friend...

This isn't just Mew's revenge arc. He's gonna spiral and he's not around the right kind of people to see that and help him. Ray won't care because he's also spiraling and he's incapable of not dragging down whoever's closest to him by virtue of the way he's spiraling, we already know that Chueam is kinda useless.

It would be kind of funny if Top winds up being the only one who cares enough to yank him out of his downward trajectory.

Ray. All he do is win, win, win, no matter what. Got Mew's love on his mind and he can never get enough. And when he sees Mew's on the rebound, every hand he has goes up

I can't even be mad at him. Dude is getting what he wants - he had Sand crawling up his ass and being sweet right after his accident and taking care of him like he likes without even having to pretend to be sorry for being an asshole, and he gets to worm his way into Mew's affections the way he's always wanted. And the most he'll probably suffer for it is Sand being pissy at him for five minutes. Like. if Mew hadn't been so fucking hot all over this ep I would have to do the unthinkable and put him in as number one.

I am also getting a huge kick out of the fact that Boston was right. He did exactly what Boston said he'd do, hahaha gosh I know I said I don't like being right but that was a lie, I feel so validated in pretty much everything I ever said about Ray and his feelings for both Mew and Sand. He's awful. You go baby.

On a slightly more serious note, the dad was about what I expected, although frankly he wasn't as bad as he could have been. He kinda reminds me of all of Ray's friends, in that this has been going on forever and he just doesn't know what to do anymore. But there's still the thing with Ray's mom - did he not care about her? I just don't know. But if he did, seeing Ray do the same shit must be heartbreaking.

The fact that he was more upset about the car than his kid makes me think not, though, lol.

Also I want him to have offered Sand money to keep Ray out of trouble and for Sand to take him up on it. I know I won't get that but gosh, it would make me respect Sand a whole lot more and it would make his continued involvement with Ray make more sense to me.

Boston. Yes, you read that right. I actually felt really bad for him this ep. Yeah he knew no one would like what he did with Top, which is why he hid it, but I genuinely started getting upset that everyone keeps recording him and then threatening to (or actively) using it against him. Like yes, yes, he did take photos and video of Ray and Mew kissing, and that was wrong. But that's the thing. Both the show and everyone else treats it like it is wrong. Literally no one is acting like what happened to Boston is. And it is. It's fucked up.

Also, while I enjoyed Boston getting yeeted into the pool and I'm not mad at Mew for having some revenge, I feel like we got some real insight into Boston this ep. I think he genuinely just doesn't view sex and relationships the way his friends do. Like he really thought that Mew would just yell at him and get it out of his system and that would be that. It's just a disconnect on a fundamental level. I also find it interesting that he's still calling them friends even after the bust up.

Also, I just like him.

Top. He fucked up, he knows he fucked up. I haven't been mad at him for a while and I still think he actually likes Mew. I remember way way back when he slept with Boston I was waffling between his utter fury either being about feeling played or because he was genuinely hurt. Not that either makes it right, I'm just thinking now that hurt was what it was, maybe he thought it was a fun time before but shit got real fast and now he's sitting there half heartbroken because he actually went and started to like the guy that he maybe only thought was a challenge. Oops.

I don't know. Top can be nasty, he does a great job playing the prick when he wants to and I'm not really into his and Ray's pissing contests over Mew, but I also feel like he'd rather be the guy he is with Mew.

Chueam. She was better this ep and I laughed my ass off at her trying to hose down Top when he and Ray got into it. I also liked that she was the one who was like "great so do we want this fucking A or not?" about the hostel. But girl, if you're planning the party next ep you should know better.

Nick. Baby boy. Honey. You are such a mess but I kinda feel for you, finally. I really enjoyed his breakdown with Sand. It's pathetic but well at least he owns it, I guess. He should fuck Sand and Papang's character to get over his feelings. But please don't bug either of their cars babe.

Sand. So my trajectory on Sand this ep was WILD. I appreciate that he owned his responsibility in the whole blowup at the bar (probably a little too much but well, that's Sand for you) and with Nick. What he did to Nick in particular was shitty and he knows it and he should own up to it (yes Nick recorded the thing I'm not discounting that or acting like it isn't awful. Still).

But he's really frustrating me right now. I said I would defend all his wrongs and that is still true, you can't help who you fall for and for whatever reason Sand is all in on this loser and he won't stop. I get this.

But damn he's so pathetic. What he's doing isn't romantic. It's just sad, and the worst part about it is that he doesn't have a friend to tell him he's being pathetic. I would like to tell him he's being pathetic. Nancy, take it away:

I'm not even mad at him. I just - I've seen way too many people do this shit in real life to find it cute or sweet or think anything other than Sand is a moron who needs to learn to value himself and his time a lot more than he does. We can't choose who we love but we can choose how we let them treat us, and this letting Ray use him whenever he's bored or in need of a caretaker thing just isn't a good look.

I'm not mad, Sand, I'm just disappointed.

Relationships (Fave to Least Fave atm)

Sand & Nick. I want them to make out.

Mew & Nick. I wonder if they will talk again. I liked their one scene together. I was shocked Nick told Mew about the second sex tape but I guess by that point he was just done with it. Maybe that was Nick washing his hands of Boston. I mean, I doubt it. But it would be nice if one of the Pathetic Duo got his shit together.

Mew & Boston. Look whatever that scene at Boston's house was hot and I need them to fuck about it.

TopMew. What can I say, they're finally doing it for me. The preview has me seated, I don't care about Top and Ray's pissing match but I do like Top being there for Mew at his lowest. Genuinely, if we're gonna come out of this with endgame ships and not just everyone going their own ways I now think it might be these two who manage it. And that is insane to me.

BostonNIck. These two are weird to me, because I feel it, but it's like - Nick wants Boston to love only him which he also translates into sleeping with only him. Boston might actually wind up in love with Nick but monogamy just ain't his style. Truly though I think that the biggest problem that they have is that Nick bugged Boston's car. LOL I feel like if they'd had that "I just want you to love only me" discussion in any other context they'd actually come out differently. And honestly I agree with Boston what the FUCK, Nick. I do love me some mess so maybe it's that part of me talking but if you weren't planning on using the recording why even fucking bother? Just to hurt yourself? What's the point?

MewRay & SandRay. I genuinely don't know which I like worse, lol. I do think that Mew will make Ray cry though so I'm into that. Mew's rebounding hard and sorry but Book's not playing it like Mew even wants Ray (although that dancing scene was nice they are very pretty together), he's playing it like he's settling for someone he knows will never leave him. But I saw somewhere that Ray's probably gonna get even more possessive about him after this and yep. Probably.

I would like Sand to make Ray cry but he won't. I used to have hope that it would be Sand to finally get tired and walk away but now I'm thinking it'll have to be Ray, because Sand is to Ray what Ray is to Mew. At least with Ray > Mew I understand it. But I don't get what Ray brings to the table that has Sand so all in on him, aside from that's how the script says it's gonna go. I thought I did for a bit, but it feels more and more like Sand isn't a character when it comes to Ray, he's a cipher. He just loves Ray because we need someone to love Ray and give us that sweet sweet pining angst we all love so much. Doesn't matter if it makes sense, we'll just cast First Kanaphan in the role and no one will care because he's lovely and he does pining so well.

And i get what people are saying about how this show is deconstructing all these relationship tropes, but it still doesn't explain to me why Sand even wants this guy, sorry. He's done the bare minimum and Sand's over here googly eyeing and I'm just.

What I wish is that Sand decides fuck it and takes dad's money to try to sober Ray up, but my guess is that he already said no because Sand has already said that he doesn't put a price on either friendship or love. Too bad he's the only one who feels either when it comes to this particular relationship. But my guess is that Ray will find out that the offer was made and flip out as if Sand took it because all that matters to Ray is Ray.

Well. So long as Sand doesn't do something epically stupid like getting himself arrested for property damage or taking the blame for Ray's mistakes, in ten years he'll look back on this time in his life and just be like "wow, I was really fucking stupid huh." Frankly if that's all he has to deal with he's doing better than the rest of these losers.

Well. Maybe not Mew.

In Conclusion

I think we're heading for a true everyone alone ending and I love that for all of them. Jojo you legend.

[psychewritesbs]

I think one of the reasons I love Jujutsu Kaisen because it feels like a reverse-parody of shounen, atleast to me. Gege takes common shounen tropes and instead of doing the same thing as the writers before him, he takes those tropes seriously instead of just using them as clutches to make things happen.

For example Sukuna, he isn't just an evil magic battery inside our main hero to get him out of tough situations who gets tamed with time but a fully realized character with motivations of his own. Or the failed older generation that reflects and mirrors the current trio (Nobara is still alive and nothing can take this delusion away from me) who are not just copypaste with a minor twist to them. Gojo isn't just the strongest character who our protagonist will have to eventually overcome and the world doesn't revolve around Yuuji, like literally 7 other characters could have been the main characters as well. Even with the KennyMommy twist we got nothing but a crushing irony that Yuuji was made to be expendable instead of being the most special character out of them all. (Even if there is more to the story -which is very likely, but who knows because it's Gege- and he was in fact more special than that, it still works because next to someone like Maki or Yuta, it's like nothing lmao)

I also love the grading system and how realistict it is, the special grade curses/sorcerers are treated more as monsters than the goal the characters should work towards, I never once felt that grade 1 sorcerers were ever disregarded or degraded to constantly up the power scale. Grade, technique, curse level or even domain expansion isn't the ends of all means, every fight is unique and fresh, unlike in some other shounens were the fights start to feel like dick measuring after a time.

Also also our main character isn't the moral epitome of the whole world with writer's clairvoyance, who knows everything better than everyone else. No, he isn't always right and his approach isn't always the right one or the only right one, something that was showcased with both Megumi, Junpei or even Mahito. When he faced the awakened Junpei, he didn't want to accept his actions and preeched without knowing anything, it is only when Yuuji tried to understand Junpei is when he made a big push through, which was handled greatly in my opinion. It's understandable that Yuuji rejected him at first and I don't neccessarily see it as a flaw, but him trying to connect to Junpei is what made him a great protagonist in my opinion. Everything is chaotic and gray in JJK, there is no clear right and wrong, there is only your side and their side, or more accurately you vs them. There are no one-dimensional bad guys who suddenly turn one-dimensional good guys once they are defeated (which I'm so thankful for, my god). Curses, for fuck's sake this universe has curses which could have been the faceless unthinking monsters the heroes could massacre en masse without ANY moral implications, then Gege went ahead and said Lmao, Lol even, here, kill these innocent civilians made by a sentient curse that's the manifestation of humankind's fear and hatred for our own kind while you are there and then things just went further downhill after that. (I just want to say, when Nanami and Yuuji defeated those curses without knowing their true nature, I really cried seeing those poor people suffer, I can't wait to see the Shibuya arc being finally animated. Maybe this time Nanami and Nobara won't die if I am delusional enough).

Sorry for rambling, I may not have worded things exactly the way I wanted them but writing in English is not my greatest expertise. Also idk if someone has already made this point or not, I try to avoid the JJK fandom as much as possible because 90% of it is just SatoSugu or Character x Y/N and I'm not interested in either of those (no hate towards the fans tho)

HOLA anon! Ehem...

So... when your ask came through I was getting ready to go Cancun+ing, but I promise that even while my skin scorched under the sun (I am sunburnt af 🥲) I was in deep thought regarding your magnificent ask because.................

HOLY DAMN YES!

Welcome to another JJK-Sunday Confessionals.

I love it! Thanks for sending your #thoughts. I honestly don't even know that I have much more to add to this other than saying that I love how you've captured many of the #things I love about jjk.

Ok, jk, have we met? I vomit words and words I shall vomit under the cut.

Gege takes common shounen tropes and instead of doing the same thing as the writers before him, he takes those tropes seriously instead of just using them as clutches to make things happen

I love this so much and I've been thinking about what it is about how Gege writes that is so refreshing and I think it defo has something to do with how he fleshes out the tropes he uses in detail.

Perhaps he understands that tropes are at their core experiences. And where most mangaka rely on tropes at face value, he re-imagines new ways of expressing the same core concept. i.e. the Kurama vs. Sukuna example you shared.

Honestly, this is one of the reasons I like jjk so much. I simply cannot predict it to a t. There's a lot of media that I simply do not indulge because, as soon as I am able to predict the story because of the tropes used, I get bored.

the failed older generation that reflects and mirrors the current trio

Ok but listen. What if Kenny, Tengen and Sukuna were such a trio? Same trope, take it back, way back. There's something about how Gege is writing about Tengen (especially in relation to Kenny) that is interesting in that there's this sense that fate has been repeating itself for many, many years.

I haven't been able to gather my thoughts on it but... something about it...

the world doesn't revolve around Yuuji, like literally 7 other characters could have been the main characters as well. Even with the KennyMommy twist we got nothing but a crushing irony that Yuuji was made to be expendable instead of being the most special character out of them all.

Just today I was thinking about how Yuji is such a refreshing and unique take on his trope as the mc of a battle shonen. Like Megumi, he is all the #things that define him according to his trope, and yet he does it in a way that is unequivocally Yuji.

As for the other main characters, that's what I love about them. It's like they are all the protagonists of their own lives. There are a few plot devices in the story, but for the most part Gege's character writing is absolutely fantastic.

Also. Crushing irony is abso-fucking-lutely on point lol.

Grade, technique, curse level or even domain expansion isn't the ends of all means, every fight is unique and fresh, unlike in some other shounens were the fights start to feel like dick measuring after a time.

YES. I have to half disagree about how the fights don't feel like dick measuring tho.

There's something very ironic and absurd about Hakari vs. Kashimo and Gojo vs. Sukuna that is 300% dick measuring but in this very Gege-kind-of-egotistical-way 😂. I personally love it tho. No complaints here.

Also also our main character isn't the moral epitome of the whole world with writer's clairvoyance, who knows everything better than everyone else.

Loved this 🥲. All of it!

I can't wait to see the Shibuya arc being finally animated. Maybe this time Nanami and Nobara won't die if I am delusional enough.

oh hey! it's like me thinking Tokyo Babylon's volume 7 will have a different outcome if only I read it enough times. I have not successfully managed to manifest a different ending but shall keep trying lol.

So relatable.

Sorry for rambling, I may not have worded things exactly the way I wanted them but writing in English is not my greatest expertise. Also idk if someone has already made this point or not, I try to avoid the JJK fandom as much as possible because 90% of it is just SatoSugu or Character x Y/N and I'm not interested in either of those (no hate towards the fans tho)

Nah, please ramble away. Thank you for sharing your #thoughts with me.

You are using British English, does that mean you are on the other side of the world (Europe/Asia)? Also I'd say you write quite well in English :) better than many USAmericans actually lol.

Yeah so... about the fandom.

What I'll say is that I have had several negative experiences that have left a very sour taste in my mouth. It's gotten to the point that sometimes people will comment on my content with inoffensive messages and I immediately get defensive because I think they're being mean when they aren't. It actually makes me sad to react like that and it is something I'm working on.

For that reason I've stayed here in my little Tumblr corner for the vast majority of my fandom experience and interacted with others very little because I found some posts and attitudes to be too triggering.

But alas, I've come out of my shell and have met good friends/moots through here as a result. So thank you to my Tumblr moots for helping make my jjk experience better!

I also only recently started interacting more on twitter with others in the fandom. So I have a small circle of mutuals who share the same level of understanding as me but it isn't always easy to find people I vibe with in such a large ocean of loud voices.

It's interesting to note that the most popular content for jjk isn't necessarily the kind of discourse I enjoy. To your point, sometimes I see a a very popular post that is specifically about satosugu and I wonder whether it would be as popular if it wasn't about the ship. So I totally share your feelings about the state of the fandom on all levels.

And while I personally do enjoy "shipping", I also like to explore and understand the characters as individuals. That is not to mention I consider myself to be on camp ship and let ship.

What I've learned is that you have to curate your content experience and I get the feeling you're already on it for yourself.

Anyways anon! Thank you so much for dropping by!

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on why you love jjk and look forward to hearing about what other #jjk thoughts you might have.

[astxrwar]

i care about quentin beck so much please keep telling us about your thoughts and ideas. i am so totally not normal about him, he just has so much potential!! i adored your third chapter of ties that bind, i love the way you write him and you have such a way with words. its just very well done and im so glad there’s at least one other person on this planet who thinks about him <3

AHHHH THANK U ILY we can be deranged about him together <3

rn i'm working on chapter 4 (which is already at fucking 7k! that's not even counting the like 4k+ miscellaneous stuff I already have written that will go in later chapters!!! im on such a writing bender rn it's insane)

manic brain puke (SO MUCH OF IT. SORRY!!! i have the normal amount of thoughts.jpeg) about the details below the cut if you're interested

buttt basically premise is there are a few scenes covering from like december to about march, next semester stuff, etc, some Plot Details (for once! lmao) about trying to figure out PhD stuff that will be Relevant later on and then when you have to stay late again in like. march. right before spring break when banner's off at a conference in toronto for two days you end up forgetting your apartment keys in his office so they're like. locked in there until he gets back. anyway basically all alternative plans end up not working out and you end up just going with quentin to his apartment which you both are sure (well HE is sure, you're less sure than you are Determined lmao. you are both fucking Wrong) will change things exactly Zero Percent.

(spoilers. it does actually change things a non-zero-percent. are you,,, perhaps,,, friends now??? unthinkable)

anyway my thoughts are basically 1. atp you guys finally exchange phone numbers 2. you both realize actually hooking up in somebody's apartment (either of yours) is way better than hooking up on the sly in the bio building and then 3. your hot water boiler goes out in may and you end up there AGAIN for like a WEEK and stuff changes MORE and then 4. there starts to be some light angst and like. non-platonic feelings on both ends. shit starts to get messy because you start thinking about doing your dissertation in stark's lab and quentin is like. "absolutely fucking not and no I won't explain why <3" because of course they have beef.

quentin did his postdoc under tony in this au lol. he hates him because tony fucked up a patent for something quentin invented during the postdoc and it lost him a lot of money; obviously tony is stupid fucking rich (he owns and funds an entire university! insanely rich) but quentin is Not so it like. kind of irreparably broke their relationship. tony feels Bad and that's why 1. quentin is tenured despite being technically too young and gets paid a stupid amount for academia; like at least 100k. 2. he's not required to take on undergraduate researchers in his lab (a hassle, requires lots of teaching, usually a requirement for academic research) and 3. doesn't technically have to take on PhD students either. but he does not really tell you any of this explicitly, the details kind of just come together over time, and he definitely does not say why the thought of you joining stark's lab has him being like "absolutely fucking not lmao". a big part of it is that quentin is like... aware that tony just kind of Collects smart people (like him, bruce banner, basically the entire staff + his PhD students and postdocs) and in quentin's stupid little emotionally stunted baby brain he's like "he can't have this one!!!! this one is mine,,, >:((" and does he communicate this at all? no! mans is pathologically allergic to normal emotional availability sldkfsd

so despite historically avoiding taking on PhD researchers he's like. I will let you do your work in my lab if you don't go join stark's lab. But then the issue becomes like... dude you can't be my PhD advisor, we're fucking. that's not allowed. even just fucking your PI (lab manager basically) is a massive no-no and if it got out it would bring into question the reliability of literally all of your research (the fact aside that Quentin would never lie about science for anything. even for love. fuck that shit the way that he cares about people is by absolutely tearing their work to pieces not by pretending bad science is good. literally why he bothers you all the fucking time That's How He Cares It's Incredibly Dysfunctional but i digress) but i'm imagining that it's not really explicitly outlawed in the official code of ethics because it's tony stark's university lmao. He Is A Whore i'm sure he's fucked a lot of his PhD students/postdocs/etc. (Im thinking of having quentin and tony maybe have a past history when he did his postdoc. bisexual quentin supremacy. but also because it adds another layer to the whole "i do not want you to be around him At All" because he knows that tony is functionally incapable of having normal relationships with students. it's the ways that they are very similar but also very different etc etc) basically it becomes a whole deeply emotionally fraught Mess. bruce banner agrees to still be your PhD advisor despite you not doing work in his lab which is uncommon but not unheard of, but it's still like. either you and Quentin need to Stop Fucking or you need to agree that you're never going to have a bad breakup (I say this as if it's even a mutually agreed upon relationship and not just two morons incapable of admitting they care about each other) because it would absolutely ruin both your careers. angst(TM)

I probably will not make it an unhappy ending because I hate those. I have no idea how I'm going to end it though tbh

[the-priestess-of-dawn]

is there a reason you prefer the chrom sealing grima ending over the robin sacrifice ending? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a chrobin fan that likes that one more before :0

Oh boy... Well... I think this is a very unpopular opinion, but I'll explain my thoughts. (If anyone here follows me on Twitter, you may have seen me rant about this before lol)

Alright, in the context of the narrative, the sacrifice ending is quite compelling, I'll admit... But...

It's... kind of an incredibly fucked up ending, and the fact that I've seen many people call it the "good ending" of the game really upsets me. Oh, sure, we all say it's the "sacrifice" ending, but... It's really more of a "suicide" ending. When Robin speaks to Grima, their exact words are "The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I—we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!"

And like... I'm sorry, but WHAT? This is not Robin triumphantly sacrificing themself for the world; this is Robin feeling GUILTY and like they owe their life for their sins??? (And also, this is way worse if you don't think Robin is Grima's soul reincarnated, because if Robin isn't Grima then saying that they share the blame is just straight-up not true; Robin didn't do ANYTHING wrong in this timeline. If Robin IS Grima then at least we can be like, okay yeah, you sure did commit some atrocities a thousand years ago...) In any case, I hate the "Redemption Equals Death" trope, and is that not exactly what Robin is attempting to pull off here?

But here's the thing... What about all the people relying on Robin in the present? Okay, depending on how you play the game, it's possible that Robin has no spouse or children (though Chrom still heavily relies on them regardless of whether or not he's married to them), but if you're doing a Chrobin playthrough, well, not only do you have Chrom, future Lucina, and future (past) Morgan if you did the paralogue, but you also have baby Lucina, the one child who definitively already exists in this timeline. Sorry but I actually think it's kind of bad to choose to die (when you absolutely don't have to) when you have an infant at home!

And look, people like to talk about how Chrom wants to "doom the world" for Robin, but honestly that's an overreaction. If it weren't for the machinations of the Grimleal, Grima wouldn't have been revived in the first place! And the Shepherds just finished killing the leader of the Grimleal, plus presumably a large number of the members were sacrificed to restore the fell dragon's body, then you also have however many died in the Endgame battle (because infinite Grimleal reinforcements get warped up to Grima's back). It kind of seems like the people most enthused about dying in Grima's apocalypse would probably have already given their lives for the cause? So it might well be that nobody will actually WANT to bring Grima back in a thousand years. And even if someone does, they might not be able to, if knowledge of key details has been lost. And even if they do have the knowledge, they might be stopped before they can succeed. And even if they aren't, Chrom is right... "[Grima] may rise to threaten the world again, but he'll never destroy it. One such as [Chrom], or the first exalt before [him]... One will rise up to challenge him."

(I'm going to be honest... it REALLY bothers me when people act like Chrom is somehow in the wrong for opposing Robin wanting to die. What is he supposed to do, agree that someone else should be killed for the greater good? Sometimes I see people using it as proof of how much Chrom loves Robin, but no, I'd say the proof is in every OTHER moment of the game. THIS is simply the proper response to ANYONE saying that they feel like they ought to kill themself to make the world a better place.)

Moreover, I feel uncomfortable with a lot of popular fanon portrayals of this ending... In particular, I can't stand the idea that Robin LIES about not sacrificing themself and then does it anyway. This is not in any way something you're required to do in-game, and I don't think it's super in-character given most popular interpretations of Robin, and to the extent that I can buy there being some universes where it indeed happens that way (you can, after all, hit the buttons to play it out as such in-game if you really want to), it ultimately suggests a complete lack of character development because y'know who else thinks their opinion about good and evil is the only one that matters? Grima. Additionally, in the Chrobin context specifically I think it's even more of an asshole move if you did the Chapter 11 automarriage...

I mean, it's not like I don't enjoy Robin being an asshole (I prefer Grima-flavored Robin, after all. And a lot of my fics do stem in some way from the sacrifice ending, though it's BECAUSE I think it's not a very good choice that I'm interested in it), but... Honestly, a lot of my dissatisfaction boils down to the fact that the game ends, and then Robin abruptly comes back after the credits, and then the game ends for real, and at no point are any consequences shown. Then fans declare that it's the "good ending," that "nobody chooses the other ending," that "they can't imagine Robin doing anything else." People wax poetic about the sacrifice ending as though it's the ONLY canon option and like, I have nothing against people who prefer it, it's just... there are also plenty of valid reasons to NOT prefer it. Stop telling everyone that nobody ever lets Chrom land the final blow!

Also, I'm going to make a bold assertion here, but... Chrom CG (which is the happiest he ever looks in Awakening) > the reprise of the meeting cutscene (which doesn't really make much sense in context anyway... Seriously, why are Chrom and Lissa rehashing the conversation they had when Robin was a stranger to them? Chrom should be in tears. I do love "Welcome back. It's over now." at the very end, but it's just hard for me to buy that everything before that goes exactly the same way as the first time they found Robin on a field.)

Furthermore, when you let Chrom land the final blow, I find it really heartwarming to see Robin's family affirming that they're happy Robin lived (and if you want to talk about proving Chrom's love for Robin, he's the only one who doesn't get additional dialogue if he's Robin's spouse... He just affirms his love no matter what.) After everything Robin has been through, it's just... a lot more satisfying to me to see Robin trust in their friends and family and choose to live even though they aren't sure it won't cause problems in the future. I mean, can ANY of us ever be completely sure that we'll never hurt anyone in the future? In fact, it's almost certain that we will. I still think life's worth living, even if it means we have to keep doing battle with the demons that continue to haunt us.

So yeah, the final line of the game when you let Chrom land the final blow makes me really happy.

"Don't you see? You belong with us. We want you here to share our present. ... And help create our future."

[vintageseawitch]

okay so this has been bugging me for a while. like, ever since my obsessive beast side clamped its jaws on Twilight like it never has before (for this franchise at least lol), & for more than anything, the Volturi. they're fascinating to me. when i found out Marcus' tragic backstory & finding out why he is the way he is? FREAKING CAT NIP. that clamping jaw isn't letting go anytime soon. i'm such a sucker for old sad bois as i've already stated on here more than once lol.

THE THING IS THO is that smeyers has potentially RUINED it for me at the same time if i were to only ever go by book canon (which i don't lol). as i stated above, the Volturi have become my favorite out of this outrageous franchise, but also quite a few other things that don't involve the main moronic trio. what a toxic dumpster fire that nonsense is lmao. the Cullens themselves fascinate me more than the ridiculous "love" triangle.

ANYWAYS you know how in the book Marcus was surprisingly surprised when he noticed Bella & Edward's bond & how "strong" it appeared? that bond that was formed by obsession, possession, power imbalance, control, & emotional abuse? yes yes YES, eddie boI is SO CONCERNED for her humanity & soul, but really, i think he LIKES having the power here. i don't think he consciously realizes this, but i can't unthink this theory. another thing: "realistically" (lol), would he be still as fascinated in her if she wasn't still in possession of her "heroin"-like blood? yes, her mind is amazingly silent, but that's not what ultimately kept him from coming back, was it? he was a massive asshole to her at first but kept coming back, gaslighting glory & all, & this young woman with poor self-esteem who had to grow up so fast because of a child mom & clueless dad (movie Charlie, i like you the most) somehow was able to overlook this. in the end, his being a supernatural being literally dazzled her to stick around despite his complete & utter bullshit. watching her while she slept?? SO ROMANTIC (she's such a 17 year old i can't even-). would she actually stick around with this ludicrous, angsty boy when she became a supernatural being herself?? BUT I DIGRESS. anywho so despite all this smelly emotional baggage (since Marcus' gift shows what's honestly there no matter what their own thoughts would show Aro), & Marcus thought their connection was like that of him & Didyme, what exactly does that say about THEIR connection?????

I'M SORRY, THIS IS PAINFUL BLASPHEMY, because i love Marcus so much & only wish for him to have peace & happiness, & i'm sure Didyme was lovely & wonderful, but smeyers has a penchant for thinking abuse & power imbalances make for true romance. there was a hint - can't remember if i read this in the twilight wiki or someone else's headcanon, sorry - that Didyme's power causes withdrawal when you're suddenly not around them anymore. not quite like Corin's, but enough, & that is partially why Marcus is essentially catatonic. Bella & Edward, while there may be some love there, is actually NOT a healthy love. it's sad, really. Bella has more personality with almost everyone else than when she's with Edward or hell, even the other Cullens!! it's not her fault, but her humanity makes her essentially inferior to these stunning, graceful, impossibly strong, supernatural beings. Edward has her on a pedestal & a completely unrealistic one at that. she has good qualities of course, but she's hardly perfect. they refuse to see each other, warts & all. theirs is a love that only belongs on paper because irl... yikes. so after all that, even "seeing the truth," Marcus compares himself & Didyme with these two dunderheads. smeyers i'm guessing was attempting to be beautifully poetic & earth-shattering here but it just makes it approx 57298592x more depressing, because i don't think Edward & Bella's love is beautiful & so by book canon i don't think Marcus & Didyme's was, either.

fuck you smeyers for doing this to Marcus & Didyme. i feel sorry for Bella too but you made her your self-insert who wasn't above being unbelievably self-centered (i gotta remember Bella's only a teenager but so many of her choices & behavior is just too much to handle. i actually kinda loathe her & i know i ranted about eddie earlier but ohhh boy i can shout about him even more lmao) so my sympathy only goes so far. but most of all for Marcus, who's just now kinda there, mourning for a love that rivals something so hideous. I HATE THIS.

i have a few WIPs that will give Marcus a second chance at happiness because while i've read some good fics both on here & ao3 & ff.net, there are still quite a few others who kill him off or outright ignore him. he has so much POTENTIAL. he fascinates me. i crave his happiness. i want him to find out that it's OKAY to find joy again. what happened with Didyme, & Aro being canonically the one to do it, ironically also fascinates me in a morbid way. i'll be doing what i want with that canon as well lmao i truly don't think Aro is that horrible, but not according to smeyers of course lol!

so in summary smeyers, your "epic romances" are really "epic romanticized abuse" & the tragedy here is you had to drag two beautiful characters into it for shock value. your books ruined them & many have corrected this crime & i'll be contributing my own writing to aid in this at some point soon 😤😤😤