#they would be so awkward…. but that makes them sillier…

[threedaycharter]

something about those s1 aus where five is actually 13 and viktor being his older brother and then them being brothers stops the apocalypse

[mncxbe]

Can you write how the hunting dogs would react if jouno is a complete sweetheart to his S/o? If not, That's okay, don't stress yourself ((: <3

Aww this is so sweet I love it. It's a bit sillier than I intended it to be but it kinda matches the group dynamic of the hunting dogs. Hope you enjoy♡

°☆○

7:24♡

𝑱ō𝒏𝒐 𝒙 𝒇𝒆𝒎!𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: fluff/ silly♡

𝑻𝒆𝒕𝒄𝒉ō

let's start off with our sweet boy

I feel like he's quite unfazed by Jouno's saccharine affections; he knows that at heart his colleague is a good person

but he still feels awkward sometimes

he's lowkey happy for the two of you and the fact that Jouno finally has a safe space to express his love

Tetchou likes to observe the sweet, little interactions between you (especially when you think no one's watching) and smiles so gently

if Jouno is especially annoying one day he'll tease him about it; "Jouno how can you be so nice to Y/N but so mean to me?"

It was Monday morning and Jouno was once again smothering you with kisses. He only indulged in these affections when he wasn't at the headquarters.

The three of you were currently on a mission and decided to take a coffee break. You and your boyfriend were on one side of the wooden table and Tecchou on the other; awkwardly tracing the outline of the cup he was holding.

"Darling do you want a sip of my coffee? Or maybe a slice of cake or another kiss?" asked Jouno in a playful voice as he leaned in, placing another peck on your plump lips.

"Sai please stop we're in public" you protesed but the tender tone of your voice hinted the opposite. You were enjoying this display of affection just as much as he did; a rosy colour tinting your cheeks as soon as your partner pulled away from you.

Tetchou couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy around you. He felt like an intruder, interrupting such a private and peaceful moment. Nevertheless he felt a warm feeling blooming in his chest as he watched the two of you.

He was happy that his colleagues found comfort in one another and enjoyed your sweet interactions. A childish smile rose to his lips as you leaned in, kissing Jouno's nose.

𝑻𝒆𝒓𝒖𝒌𝒐

she always makes snarky comments about the two of you and teases Jouno, saying that he's growing soft and all that

but in fact shs's really supportive of your relationship

the first time she saw him willingly kiss you in front of them after a mission her heart exploded

if you ever go out together she's like mama y papa, mama y papa

You and Teruko were just about to end one of your infamous girls' night out. Spending half of your salary on expensive dinners and elegant dress you were probably never going to wear was something you did at least once a month.

"Shall I call us a cab, Y/N?" asked the woman as you exited the dimly lit restaurant.

"Actually Jouno's going to pick us up. He said he can also drive you home."

Teruko's brows furrowed, a look of obvious concern on her face "How does a blind man even get a driving license? Is that possible?"

"I dunno. Beats me" you chuckle "But it's Jouno after all."

"Fair enough"

Soon enough a car pulled in front of the two of you and your boyfriend stepped out of it. With a wide smile on his face he pulled you in for a hug, twirling you once.

"How's my beautiful girl doing tonight? Did you have fun?" he asked in a tender voice as he placed you back on the ground.

"As per usual we had a great time" you beamed, urging Teruko to get into the backseat.

Jouno quickly opened the passanger door and, with a bow, gestured you to take a seat.

"Wow Jouno I didn't know you were such a gentleman. Looks like Y/N trained you well" teased the rosy haired woman as your boyfriend occupied the driver's seat, turned on the engine and drove off.

In the rear-view mirror she could see her colleague's lips curl into a sly smile at the sound of her words

"I am always well mannered with beautiful ladies, Teruko." he replied in the same tone.

"But you never opened a door for me or- Wait. Are you saying that I'm ugly you idiot" yelled the young woman, causing you to burst out laughing.

"Just wait 'till we're out of the car Jouno I'll beat your ass." pressed Teruko.

"Hey guys, be civil" you added between giggles.

Teruko pouted, crossing her arms over her chest as she laid back in her seat. She caught a glimpse of Jouno's smirk in the mirror but didn't dare say another word as not to ruin your wonderful evening.

"You're lucky I like your girlfriend. You'd be dead otherwise."

"Yea, yea kiddo. Don't forget to fasten your belt." mocked the man.

Teruko didn't find this conversation amusing; she hated being given a taste of her own medicine but she couldn't deny how happy she was to hear your laughter. You've been friends ever since you joined the Hunting dogs and she knew that getting together with Jouno was the best thing that happened in your life; probably in his too. So she was willing to let the man's jokes slide.

As the three of you drove home Teruko's gaze remained fixated on your pinky, which was loosely interlocked with your boyfriend's on the shifter; a smile rising to her lips.

𝑻𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂

out of all the hunting dogs he's the most confused and shocked

what happened to the cold hearted Jouno? he could be arguing with Tetcho about some trivial matters but the second you step foot in the room he has a wide smile on his face and hugs you???

nevertheless he's happy for the two of you and constantly reminds you of that

he does sometimes tease Jouno about it tho but in a sweet way

Tachihara had his suspicions about Jouno's crush on you but he didn't expect you to start dating so soon. It's been two weeks since he last saw his fellow colleagues and he was shocked to find you and Jouno cuddling on the cushioned couch in the back of the conference room.

"Uh... What's that?" he asked Teruko, barely able to conceal his surpirse as he pointed at the two of you.

"Oh them? They've been at it for a week now. Jouno's all over her all the time really they're quite enamoured."

Before he got the chance to reply, the captain stepped foot in the room and announced the beginning of the meeting.

You and Jouno haistly rose from the sofa and occupied your designated seats opposite to his.

During the meeting he kept stealing quick glances at the two of you: that giddy smile never left Jouno's face for a second.

As soon as Fukuchi dismissed you, you all went to your offices to finish the last reports for the day. Tachihara decided not to let this opportunity go to waste and walked after Jouno.

"Hey man. How're you doing?"

His colleague nodded "Quite well actually. And you?"

Tachihara had never heard Jouno sound so light-hearted in his entire life; a sense of pride and joy washed over him.

"I'm great too actually. It's good to be back. What I wanted to say... Congrats. I'm happy for you and Y/N."

Jouno's face turned a light shade of pink upon hearing his words, his lithe fingers adjusting the collar of his vest.

"Thanks, Hara. I'm happy too."

𝑭𝒖𝒌𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒊

secretely hoped that the two of you would date from the beginning

he's still surprised by how affectionate Jouno is with you

gives you that half smirk of his (y'all know what I'm talking about) when he sees you holding hands under the table during a meeting or hugging throughout the day

tries to avoid pairing you up on missions cuz there's a big chance y'all get distracted

It was a usual Friday afternoon and Fukuchi had summoned you all in the conference room to hold the weekly debrief meeting.

"So. What's the status of your missions?" he asked in his usual stern voice.

Tachihara was the first to speak. He talked about the Mafia's plans and recent activity but soon started rambling on about what the other mafia members were doing in their free time. Fukuchi didn't interrupt him and actually tried to pay attention to what the redhead was saying but his throughts slowly drifted off to the bottle of sake hidden in his desk.

To take his mind off of the alcohol he scanned the room; his gaze slid idly from Tachihara to Tetchou, who was doing pushups behind his chair then to the opposite side of the table: to you and Jouno.

His lips curled into a smirk when he saw that the white haired man was toying with your fingers in his lap, tracing their outline.

You were doing your best to remain composed as your boyfriend glided his nails along the skin of your forearm. Everyone knew how ticklish you were.

Seeing this innocent display of affection truly pleased the old man, who secretely rooted for you ever since you joined the team. He was however surprised by how doting Jouno was; always by your side, holding your hand, kissing your forehead when he thought no one was watching, allowing you to doze off on his shoulder after a straining mission or buying you cups of coffee from a nearby shop when you needed an energy boost.

Tachihara's voice suddenly snapped him out of his trance.

"Captain, are you still listening?" inquired the redhead.

He quickly striaghtened his back and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Yes, please go on."

And so Tachihara went on detailing Port Mafia's plans while he tried his best to ignore the hushed words you shared with Jouno.

[lacrimosathedark]

As a big time Radioapple shipper, I would love it if Radioapple writers didn't like, bash Lilith?

I've seen a handful of writers make Lilith downright abusive. Saying Lucifer's ducks are ridiculous, that his dreams are outlandish, even going so far as to say he's useless or pathetic. This is often used to highlight the difference between Lilith and Alastor when Alastor is shockingly understanding, as if Lilith wouldn't be and is portrayed as and ice queen. Which is nothing like what little we know of her.

The intro says she inspired demonkind. In the pilot, there are posters of her encouraging Sinners to resist against the Exterminations. Charlie is so sure that Lilith would support her hotel. The paintings in Lucifer's office show a loving, happy family.

People who love each other can grow apart without either being outright abusive.

Lucifer's Fall came with a great deal of despair, exacerbated by the cruelty he saw in Sinners. His depression was in direct opposition to Lilith's hopes.

And then there's his AuDHD, which probably leads to him focusing on one thing or another and losing track of time, time he could be spending with his family. Not like he means to be away, it just happens.

And of course he's so socially awkward and Lilith is inspirational, so any "royal duties" probably fell on Lilith's shoulders rather than Lucifer's.

That's a lot of strain on the relationship without either one being particularly cruel or at fault. Just drifting apart.

It's possible Lilith kept Charlie from Lucifer when they split, but there's so many reasons she could have done that. If he got focused on something, he might not pay enough attention to her and she get hurt for example. There's also the possibility of anything Lilith was doing behind Lucifer's back to help Hell have something to do with Charlie.

And Lucifer is still wearing his ring, keeps up family portraits as a reminder. If there was any resentment for her at all, he could have covered up Lilith. We've seen Blitzø scribble out his own face in photographs and scribbled over Verosika on his calendar, and Stolas cover all portraits and revealing only Octavia. It's not out of the realm of possibility. But he didn't and he keeps that reminder of her with him.

And while very much not canon, I've seen Viv like fanart of Lucifer showing his ducks to Lilith and her loving them. Lucifer is adorable and do you think he was any LESS silly before his hopes were shattered? No! If anything, he was probably SILLIER when she fell in love with him. All that creative power and imagination, only scolding to dampen his sparkle, and not scolding from Lilith. He would tell her all about his funny ideas and would she have married him if she didn't love that about him?

Lucifer and Lilith were very much in love at first. The only hint we have that Lilith is actually a horrible person is that the person that is presumably her made some deal with Adam and has been chilling somewhere outside of Hell for the last seven years without telling her daughter anything at all. Which there could be so many reasons for.

And that dark look she gave to Lute doesn't have to be her being annoyed at having to go back to Hell to her family. Lute is a bitch, and also just called Lilith's daughter a bitch. Like...do you expect her to smile at her??? Lute sucks. (for the record, I hate her as a character, which I think means she's a good character. And her voice is AMAZING and I need to hear her sing more after You Didn't Know because WOW)

All that is to say, a separation doesn't have to be from abuse and it can still be hard to move on. AND you don't have to hate your ex to move on to dating someone else.

You don't need to villainize Lilith to make Alastor look good. Part of Alastor's appeal is that he's a complex contradictory bastard. If you want his behavior compared to something to make him look good, use his past actions. If he's getting kinder, sweeter, more understanding, his old antagonism would contrast it. And if you want to use someone else, Adam's right there! And he SUCKS! (I like him as a character tho, he's hilarious)

I don't like shipping Lucifer with Adam, but I know some people do, and I also like the idea that they were friends before everything fell apart. But Adam is all the negative things Alastor is not.

Both of them are prideful, but so is Lucifer. And Alastor generally wields his pride with grace while Adam never shuts the fuck up about himself.

Adam clearly has little to no respect for women, just by how he treats Lilith and Vaggie and even Charlie. Alastor holds women in high regard, and most of the people he seems to have actual relationships with are women, Niffty, Rosie, Mimzy, and even Charlie.

Adam is always talking about sex and bragging about how much he fucks, and says that Charlie and Vaggie's relationship is "hot as fuck" which, ew. Alastor, meanwhile, is (obliviously) asexual, has a general disregard for sexuality, and open disdain for hypersexuality.

Adam is very openly uncouth and brash and rude and constantly swearing. Alastor is vicious, but he is charming and genteel all the while, and swears a whole of three four times in season one. First, the "Fuck you" to Lucifer in Episode Five (it took him that long to swear ONCE), and then twice in Episode Eight, once when first letting loose in his fight against Adam, and second when he was stunned right before getting wounded (edit addition: and also once in Episode Seven when he called Susan an "ornery old bitch" and I have NO IDEA how I forgot that). Adam drops cunt in the first episode.

Adam is also an open book where Alastor is a puzzle hidden behind a smile.

If you wanna compare Alastor, or anyone else you'd ship Lucifer with, to someone he might have been close to from all the way back in Eden times, Lilith isn't the only option there.

Let Lilith say one word before you decide she's evil, yeah?

[amazingmsme]

Okay, image this, Ares being a smart mouth shit to Athena and Hephaestus, his older siblings, since he's the God of War and is very much egotistical.

Athena and Hephaestus wreck him at times to humble him a bit, sometimes just because he's having a sour attitude over something.

Athena is shown to be stronger than Ares, and if he overpower her, she'd probably be five steps ahead and have a way to turn the tables.

Hephaestus, being a blacksmith, is just already strong as hell, and he has the chain he used on Ares and Aphrodite. He can set up a tickle trap too

Also, I like the idea of Athena purposely going soft on tickle because she knows Ares can handle pain and a lot more rougher things, so her slowly tracing and wiggling her fingers on him would drive him literally insane (also because he probably hasn't got gentle touch in thousands of years he's been alive. Tocuhe-starved War God >:3)

KSGFRKBALCBSKS I’M HYPERVENTILATING FINALLY SOME ARES LOVE!!!!! Seriously, I love him so much & he is so severely misunderstood in media & really enjoy what we’ve seen of him in epic!

But he loves to piss off his older siblings & instigate petty quarrels between them, but it doesn’t always work out how he planned. He does have a bit of a superiority complex & acts like he’s invincible, & it’s exactly that kind of cocky behavior that gets him caught

You’d never expect it, but Ares is actually quite the talker when he wants to be. (He likes listening to himself) & it just so happens to annoy both of them, so why would he shut up? Athena & Hephaestus are constantly having to put him in his place & remind him who the baby brother is & it flusters pisses him off so bad!

If they notice he seems particularly upset, then they take a gentler approach, or at least try to. They’re all awkward af. Hephaestus gets uncharacteristically goofy when he tries to cheer up his siblings. Sure he starts out pretty sincere & asks why they’re upset, & if it’s not super heavy he’ll proceed with the plan. He asks if they can smile, & if they don’t or say they can’t he starts to act a lil sillier & asks if they’ll ever smile again. Ares knows this game by heart, but he always holds out til the last second, claiming that no, he really will never smile again, fuck off (he doesn’t mean it) & Hephaestus knows that he’s playing along, but doesn’t call him out on it. Instead he just tickles him until Ares assures him that yes he feels better & that is a real smile on his face, no he’s not faking it, you asshole!

If Athena notices that he’s upset, she just goes up to him & asks if he wants to spar. He always says yes, & it’s fairly common for them to still train together. But while fighting she’ll try to bring up fond memories from battles or training sessions. She waits until he’s in a bit of a better mood before completely switching tactics. She’ll wait until she has ahold of him or pinned him down & then yell “tickle fight!” & digs in before he even realizes what’s happening. She doesn’t care if she’s collateral damage, she just wants to have some fun like old times & take his mind off things. & she loves to bully him about it the whole time, so it’s a perfect excuse

Ares is a pretty even match with both of them, so he really does have to put up a fight if he wants a chance at escape. But if they’re working together? Yeah dude’s a goner

& you are SO right about light tickles being his weakness! Especially because when he thinks of tickling, he automatically thinks of the more rough, hysterical laughter kind rather than the light grazing, giggle your head off kind. & that lowkey makes him short circuit & go completely mad. He’s not used to any kind of soft touch, so he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He gets soooo squirmy & giggly, it’s definitely the easiest way to get him flustered

& ever since he’s been with Athena, he’s a lot less touch starved. So don’t worry about him, she made sure to make up for lost time & show him what he was missing

[keicordelle]

Yuki and Performativity: the autistic mask

(aka the analysis I've been trying to figure out how to format for like 3 weeks)

Okay, so now that Yuki's autism has been ~established~ (here, but I'm just going to pretend everyone was following along), I'm really really interested in the subtle ways that that presents itself in his characterization.

Because Re:member does a really great job of making it obvious, because it's written in Yuki's perspective (at least in vol 2) and so heavily flavored with his own though process. But It's equally present in his characterization in the anime (and I assume the game, but I'm not caught up so we're just going based on the anime here). And a lot of that time, that characterization is so delightfully subtle that I didn't even pick up on it the first time through. But now I'm obsessed and I'm Noticing Things and y'all must suffer with me. so.

I think it's fair to say that Yuki's blunt and cold nature are features of his autism. Also probably the fact that he is extremely awkward when it comes to emotions and, notably for this discussion, expressing them. (oh to be a fire extinguisher)

But he's also really good at acting. And I'm making some assumptions here based on my own experiences, but I figure this comes in large part from the amount of effort he puts into trying to read others. He picks apart other people's interactions to figure out why they're reacting certain ways because he doesn't Get It.

And so he uses that in his every day life. Like, you wouldn't really figure someone so extremely autistic and introverted would make for a very good idol, what with the whole "having to interact with people all day every day" thing -- and he didn't want to be an idol! He just wanted to make his music and have people appreciate it! In fact, he looked down on idols at first, which probably had more to do with him undervaluing their artistic integrity (or at least I imagine that's how he would frame it), but he is very explicit about how he doesn't like how people fawn over him (read: idols) because of their looks rather than on the merits of the music.

Anyway. One of the key features of his characterization is that he's always acting. Always. There are a handful of moments we see him in the anime where he's not playing a role, even and particularly when he's off stage.

I've talked before (here) about Re:vale's introduction and how from the very first moment we see them, they're On. Not just in their initial prank on i7 where they pretend to be serious and scary, but also in the bubbly happy personas they present afterwards. They drop one mask for another, and at no point are they ever not wearing their idol stage personas. This is relevant to i7 for reasons but for this discussion rant it's relevant because this is how Yuki engages with the world. There are only a handful of times where we ever see him truly drop his guard -- usually only when he's alone with Momo, and occasionally around Yamato, which will be relevant in a bit. (And one other very notable time towards the end of season 3, but we'll get there.)

Anyway. He's only ever comfortable when he's playing a role. Which is never explicitly established, and I love it all the more for that, because they're totally content to just let you pick up on that without shoving it in your face. But they introduce it in ways that are subtler than I even thought at first. Because at first I was like, "okay, well he's got his stage ikemen persona, and he's got his sillier tsukkomi routine, and he's got his darker prankster who genuinely seems to be enjoying your discomfort persona (which is probably the one among them that's closest to his reality, because he really does seem to enjoy teasing and making people uncomfortable even when he's not On)

But literally any time he has to engage with someone, he falls back on a performance. A myriad of them, in as many different faces as he needs. And even when he tries to be genuine, he'll fall back on that performative role as soon as someone offers him an out. He will become whatever other people need or want him to be, so long as it doesn't involve being himself.

We see this particularly clearly while Yamato's struggling with his role in Mission and Yuki comes to him in a genuine effort to help

You can see the transformation in Yuki's face : Yamato has offered him a role, and he is now going to take that and run with it.

He steps into that role as easily as that, and from there on out, everything he says, while still true to his own beliefs, is very heavily shaded by his new performance as a criminal psychologist. It makes it easier for him to express himself, because he's no longer Yukito Orikasa, fumbling his way through emotions that he's been told time and again that he doesn't express properly, he's Yuki, criminal psychologist, and that's something he can figure out how to be.

You can even see it in his gestures; from then on, they get extremely dramatic, very much what you'd expect in a stage play (moreso even than in a movie). Which works well considering this is an anime and dramatic gestures suit the medium, and that's probably part of why I didn't really notice that at first. Even his tone becomes more dramatic. You can hear it flowing up and down the scale of emotion, rather than his usual low, teasing edge. Really great direction all around tbh

We see this same sort of transformation in the next episode, while Yamato's staying with him, and honestly this scene makes it a whole lot clearer. Yuki does actually start off more himself in this episode because he's in his own home. He doesn't really want to go out of his way for Yamato, he's mostly helping him out of obligation, so the mask slips a bit.

He flits in and out of a couple different personas fairly rapidly at the start of their interaction. Even Yamato remarks on this, which I actually didn't realize until just now when I was skimming through to find the shot I wanted to reference. He's never fully seen Yuki with his metaphorical hair down before, and the change is remarkable

He offers Yamato some advice, rather against his own will. His countdown here is his "speak now if you want me to listen to your problems or else I'm leaving" ultimatum, and he fully intended to when he gets to zero. But he doesn't (which I think surprises them both), and when Yamato calls out to him, he stops and actually offers genuine advice, no persona there to filter it. And it's harsh, like he usually is when he's unfiltered, because he's Autistic As Fuck and doesn't really know how to be anything else no matter how hard he tries (as is very explicitly laid out in Re:member : he has tried, hard, and he just can't figure it out)

And then he immediately falls into another role, when it's clear he's going to be trapped in this conversation that he doesn't really want to be having. Which is equal parts to soothe himself and to piss of Yamato, I think. Maybe heavier on the piss-off-Yamato side of things, because for all that he's helping him, they really really don't like each other, and Yuki's really kind of an asshole at heart

And from here on out he fully embraces the mocking asshole persona he's chosen to adopt. The same thing happens: he becomes more expressive both in voice and gesture, and it both softens the blow of the harsh things he says and makes it worse.

And you can then see the exact moment Yuki realizes that he's Fucked Up this conversation and pushed things much much further than he expected or intended to

(a shot which is on the screen for like less than half a second and that I had to clip and go frame by frame through to get because my own autism is now Activated)

The next scene is, I think, rather intentionally ambiguous (at least at the start) as to how genuine Yuki's responses are. It's fairly well established that, despite his aichmophobia, Yuki doesn't really have a ton of self-preservation instinct when it comes to fights, so it's seems entirely reasonable that his continued efforts to poke at the already enraged bear are just, what he'd do and not a persona he's putting on

However, it becomes clearer further into the scene that this is indeed another performance for him. First here, somewhat subtly, where in the actual line of dialogue, he calls Yamato "Yamato-bocchan", which, while appropriately mocking, also places him very firmly in a role other than his natural disposition.

From here on out, it becomes fairly clear to me that he's reverted back to his role from Mission. Yukito Orikasa is shed once more (if he was ever truly present here), and Yuki the Criminal Psychologist has taken his place. Yamato's breakdown follows a similar script to his character's here, though his is genuine -- but Yuki reads the similarities and falls back into his psychologist role.

He then offers Yamato some advice that actually references Shizuo's own words, which is... a huge Dick Move in this moment but that is actually a super neat and subtle reference, especially because he genuinely thinks he's helping.

he's not.

And this part is fun because it then becomes a lot less clear if Yamato's clued in to the role he's playing and is now playing along with his part in the movie, or if he's really just genuinely doing this (it's the latter, but it teases the possibility for most of the scene)

But anyway, the point kind of got away from me. You see Yuki fall back on this acting any time he's in a situation he doesn't know how to handle -- or, well. Not just then, actually. Pretty much in any situation. He's more comfortable pretending to be someone else than he is being himself, and he'll default to that whenever he can get away with it. He maintains it even when he's alone with Momo a lot of the time (I have an headcanon about Momo knowing what it is he's doing and allowing him it, as a sort of kindness)

Of course, his dealings with Yamato are hardly the only time we see this so clearly presented. He draws any number of roles over him like a mask, and falls into whichever suits his needs -- perhaps most notably at the very end of season 3, where he dons the caricature persona of a thug in order to try to protect Momo. Which is, uh. Maybe not the best idea he's ever had but hey, it works, kind of, so more power to you, Yuki.

He (arguably) adopts this same sort of thuggy image earlier in the season, for much the same reasons, when he waits outside Ryo's apartment with a baseball bat (that he definitely does not know how to use).

However! Of particular interest is the scene where he confronts Touma, where he's actually not assuming some sort of role. This scene is pure, unadulterated Yuki, and that frightens Touma and Torao exactly the same way as it puzzled Yamato above.

This scene itself is more a commentary on his relationship with Momo than it is Yuki's performative nature, really, because it highlights very well the fact that he's willing to do anything for the sake of his partner. It's pretty clear to me that when he walks into the dressing room and when he first confronts Touma, he's not Yuki the Badass, he's Yukito Orikasa, desperately trying to track down his partner.

Like, this is very much Yuki's real personality, not one of his endless roles

And that is precisely what gives him the edge here. Touma and Torao are really not expecting him to be so cruel and careless. They're used to Idol Yuki, handsome and flippant and appeasing. Not Yukito, entirely willing to stomp all over the law if it means saving Momo from danger

This is one of the only times that Yuki lets his true colors shine so obviously true. Usually Momo or Rinto is there to remind him to be aware of his station and to keep himself in check, but Momo is in danger and Yuki Does Not Care about the consequences, because at the end of the day, he's cold and calculating and absolutely nothing like the friendly persona he puts on, and he's only really doing this because he's passionate about music, not because he loves being an idol

Anyway. I guess all that sums up into: Yuki, first among the Autists, hides behind different masks so often that everyone around him is startled when he drops them, including himself a lot of the time. And that the show (and presumably the game) does a really incredible job of presenting this incredibly subtly

[symphonic-scream]

I have more of the Okujima Fake Dating thing

(summary; Makoto and Haru are uni roommates (and friends w/ benefits but that's not something they address) and to avoid her relatives finding her a partner, Haru lies and tells them she's gay (not a lie) and has a girlfriend she's serious with (mega lie))

Like. Makoto takes this job so seriously

She asks Haru for the guest list and photos so she can remember who is who and she studies, and by the time they arrive she's figured out which relatives to bow to, or shake hands, or offer a fist bump

Haru: you didn't have to do all that,

Makoto: any partner of yours should put in this much effort. Otherwise, they're not worthy of calling you theirs

The room booked for them has one bed, a real nice shower, and a jet tub. They go to bath houses together with their friends, so it's not as awkward as either assumed when they spend a night soaking in the tub together, jets turned on the lowest setting. It's even less awkward when they share the bed, since, well, they've done worse. And besides, Haru has learned over the last two years that she's hella touch starved and has abandonment issues, and Makoto? A very cuddly sleeper. It's, almost like they were designed to work well together (ehe)

Haru's relatives also adore Makoto. Both as a person, and for Haru. They all met Haru after her dad died, before she went off and made friends in uni. They met sad high school Haru. And she's so different from the lady in front of them, not hiding the little snort in her laughter as one of her cousins close to her age teaches Makoto a goofy dance, and she makes it look sillier with how stiff and awkward she is

Haru's cousins from her aunt are three boys. One is married with two kids, one is getting married, and one is her age. The middle and youngest get along with her best, the youngest being a musician, the middle a dancer, and the oldest a gym teacher, former athlete

She's got twin cousins from Uncle 1, her mom's twin. Both just younger than her. A boy, who's going to be an aerospace engineer, and a girl, who wants to be a lawyer. Overly smart little seniors

And uncle two? Two daughters. One older, one younger. The older one is married and about to have a son, and the younger one just started a business ethics degree

There are two more aunts. One, married no kids, the other? Single as hell

Haru's grandparents are there too, and they love Makoto so much. They missed out on so much of Haru's life cause they lost contact with their daughter after she married Kunikazu, and, they're just happy to see she found someone that's as respectful and loving as Makoto

Makoto: do you think your family would mind if I wore a suit?

Haru: nope. My aunt is gay, after all. Her wife will be wearing one too

Makoto: seriously? That's so cool!

Haru: mm! They're the mothers of the groom, so you'll see plenty of them this trip

Makoto: amazing,

Oldest cousin: hey, Haru? Can you watch these two for a moment? I have to go talk to my Mama

Haru: oh- Uhm, okay?

Makoto: here, hand me the little one. Hey, bud

Haru: *gay staring*

By the wedding itself they're fully together. Acting the exact same, but they acknowledge why they stare at each other so tenderly

They'd call the others, their friends from uni, from time to time

The opening of it would be Haru having to admit she fucked up to her bestie Ryuji, and Ann

All head in arms, asking either of them to help her out and Ryuji says he would but he's not exactly a gal, and Ann is spending the summer with her fiancee in Europe, checking out venues for a wedding

Ryuji: why don't you ask Makoto? She's single, and your roommate. It'd be way less awkward than asking anyone else

Haru, not willing to admit the "Friends with Benefits" thing: ...do I really have no other option??

Ann: there's Futaba-

Haru: ugh. I'll ask Mako-chan,

Makoto keeps panic calling Joker or Yusuke after things on the trip like: DOES THIS MEAN SHE LIKES ME??? DO I LIKE HARU?? SEND AN AMBULANCE SHE KISSED ME AND IT FELT REAL I THINK IM DYING

At one point Goro picks up and just growls at her to "woman up, go the hell to sleep, or die. Whichever I don't care stop calling my boyfriend at 2 am"

No weird jealousy plot either just. Them realizing on their own

Like. The way Haru asks, too

She comes home, finds Makoto cooking and humming, a box from the campus bakery on the table, and Haru knows her roommate picked up her favourites, probably just because she *noticed* how off she's been, and. She knows Ryuji is right. Makoto is the best choice to help her with this fuck up,

She walks up behind her, wraps her arms around her hips, grunts in a way that's nearly a whine, plants her head between those strong shoulder blades

"Hey, welcome home, Haru. How was your day? You had your advanced statistics class today, right?"

"Mm. Mako-chan, I, have to ask for your help."

"What's up? Oh, is it that time? I can get the hot water bottle, run out to get more pain meds for you-"

"I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend."

...

...

"Huh? Haru, what-"

"My cousin is getting married. And, I may have lied to my grandparents, about dating someone, so they wouldn't try to set me up with someone. And, they want to meet her. The tickets and hotel are paid for already, just, I don't want to have to tell them I lied,,"

"Well, I wasn't planning to go anywhere but visit my sister, so I'm free for it."

"What."

"Yeah, tell me the details after dinner? The ramen is nearly done."

Makoto is secretly having a mini panic attack inside

She texts Yusuke later like "I CANT SAY MUCH BUT GOD IM GAY"

And Yusuke just texts back a photo a counter on his wall that reads "Makoto says she's gay; 1026"

The wedding is in Okinawa, where the bride is from, so they have to bring bathing suits for the beach, and, Haru does ask Makoto to help her pick which one to bring

Makoto sits there, face red, hands digging into her knees as Haru makes comments about one of them maybe making her look more chubby, maybe she should stick to a one piece-

Makoto: you're gorgeous. Every part of you. If you like how it looks on you, screw what anyone says

Haru: ...but. do you like it?

(Reminder. They are "Just Friends")

Makoto coughs a bit, looks away: y-yeah. I like it,

Haru: ...LETS PRACTICE KISSING

Makoto: R-RIGHT

Makoto *was* wearing her bathing suit top and swim shorts. Haru did get a chance to admire her muscular thighs in the shorts. She's a sucker for how muscular her roommate is

Just. When they get home and have to tell all their friends they're dating now and

Morgana, Joker's little brother, age 16: YOU WERENT TOGETHER???

Just. Man. How they were just naturally domestic from the start, and how naturally being affectionate comes to both of them, but differently than with their other friends, and

Makoto: hey, since we're "dating", does that mean I have to tell you I've slept with Ann?

Haru: you WHAT

Makoto: it was over a year ago! And Shiho knew and agreed to it!

Haru: you SLEPT WITH ANN TOO?!

Makoto: TOO?!

and they both laugh, cause they've known this, it's a bit they do, and Haru nestles back under Makoto's chin, and they go back to snuggling. They're in Makoto's bed in their apartment. It's later the night Haru asked, and, okay yeah they maybe did *it* again, but. Things feel weirdly right between them as they lie there together, softly talking out the details of the plan

Like. There's a reason so many people already thought they were dating, and why it sells so perfectly to Haru's family

I'm attached to this already dear lord

[just-a-carrot]

Hi Carrot so I was thinking about character designs and stuff but wanted to ask.

Do the Ow cast have any lasting fears or scars from their Time in wonderland ?

Like Iggy getting uncomfortable when people have or wave around scissors.

Or just occasional awkward tension between some of them when smt gets mentioned that connected to their death ? Since I think they would sometimes have déjà vu if I remember correctly.

Actually what are their fears ?

Also side questions would any of the cast get tattoos or piercings? Idk why I could kinda imagine Orlam having a ton.

hope you have a good day/night.

omg many questions lakdsjfa

some of these actually i've answered before if i remember correctly, i shall go look...

these were their fears:

Iggy: needles (and also doctors/hospitals in general to an extent), general fear of the dark

Genzou: (depressing one) dying alone, (sillier one) clowns, because he watched peewee's big adventure on tv when he was a kid lakdjfad

Orlam: being publicly humiliated/chastised, people yelling in general, but also when things are too quiet

Gidget: very very large things, heights (tho can force themself if they have to)

Bucks: ghosts and phantoms etc (she's super superstitious about that kinda stuff and enjoys scaring herself with it; she probably longs to go on ghost hunting treks and scare herself silly)

the other question i have answered here, tho it's not a great answer so i apologize (but there's some better discussion in the notes:

and as for the overarching question of whether or not they have lasting fears/scars, i think so. like they definitely experience a variety of deja vu moments, random flashes of memory. i think it says at some point in the epilogues that like, sometimes iggy just becomes overcome with an intense feeling of melancholy that weighs him down. so i think that lasting fears would definitely be part of this. i can't really think of any specific ones off the top of my head, but i think that in general, anything similar to or objects/locations related to a horrific experience they had in wonderland would be likely to dredge something up. even if they're not strong enough to make any of them actively afraid or actively avoid certain situations/places/objects, it would certainly summon guttural feelings of anxiety or sadness, which they'd probably all respond to differently. iggy would likely either want to be alone for a while or if with someone he feels safe with, just be held for a while. genzou i could see pretending he's not affected until later and then just going melancholic the rest of the night/having trouble sleeping. orlam i could see the opposite in that he'd probably try to overcompensate for it by being extra exuberant. gidget would want to talk to someone they trust. and bucks would probably cry (i see bucks as being much more prone to crying in general in the updated timeline than in the original)

[lorethebookworm]

Since my PJO brainrot is back in full swing I went back to check out my notes on the sun and the star and let me tell you as an Italian that book was a whole experience ( I mean it mostly in a positive way I swear )

Allow me to elaborate

Nico, my man , my bestie, my dude is actually called NICCOLO. I know this doesn't seem like much but it's such a normal regular name I was stunned speechless. Do I know someone named Percy? Or Annabeth? Or Even Bianca?No. Do I know someone named Niccolo?? YES. Don't ask me to elaborate further , this was just extremely weird

Then there was this part were Nico tells us his mother had him learn Dante.

And honestly this feels like Rick looked up "Italian+author+hell" and went along with the first thing that came up. Rationally I know that he probably put a little more thought behind this but to me this felt so random. I don't know how things were in the 1930s but I'm pretty sure people didn't just read those books to literal children. Yes ,the Divine Comedy was very important in the development of the Italian language but my brother is eight years old and guess what? I'd never read him those books. We don't even know about them until middle school. Unless Maria di Angelo was a very passionate literature teacher I really don't see why she would read those books to Nico. I'm laughing so hard at the mental image of Rick going " Yes, Italians probably love this man so much that they have parts of his works memorized from an early age" like babe no we immediately forget about him one day after finishing high school.

3. Not happy, Rick then proceeded to say this about Dante's inferno , which honestly made me laugh so hard

If you want to warm up your kid to the idea of Underworld you should just not use these books and not just because of Dante's non-existent survival skills. They are extremely gory, the souls there are obviously full of despair and they get tortured in the most awful and depressing ways it's very much not appropriate for a child. I'm imagining Maria tucking her sweet little son in and then opening the Inferno and going " these people were awful in life so now they rot in a swamp and eat each other for all eternity :)) Get your sleep so tomorrow we can read about those who were doomed to lay in flaming tombs and the ones that are eternally teared apart by ravenous dogs :)))"

4. Back to a sillier note we have this infamous word that killed me

Listen, I have no idea who Rick's source is but they have it very much wrong. On the other hand Maria's Italian is from the 1930s so it's most definitely me who's in the wrong , but still. Nowadays the spelling is "figliolo" and it's still kind of and awkward word that is being used less and less. This particular spelling makes it sound even more ancient and dramatic so I was immediately taken aback.

Now that I've thought about it a little more I'm pretty sure this spelling still exists but it's from a dialect, not proper Italian, so you use it only if you want to sound very dramatic. Tbh I've only ever heard southern Italian grannies say that so it checks out

[chibishortdeath]

General Simon brainrot sketch page :3, as per usual, explanations under a cut. Apologies if my posts tend to be kinda huge and difficult to scroll past, I try to do the cuts to make sure they do the least inconvenience to anyone! (>-< ;)

Just the whole page in full ft. My thumb lol

Expression practice! Simon is feeling the weight of his situation rn alas :(. I’ve always imagined him being panicked the whole game; the overarching entire game timer really gives a pretty good feeling of dread imo. The two doodles at the bottom were attempts at multiple ideas I’ve seen floating around about the curse, but they’re kinda bad in execution looking at them no tbh. But the first one is based on the idea that the curse gives some vampire traits like sharp teeth and would probably lead to proper vampirism if he were to die from it. The second was general attempt at like skull practice and comparing facial features to skull structure, but oh my god the page kept smudging and I tried making it look ok with some random blood on there but it just made it look even sillier 💀.

These next two are based on two random like liminal space images I ran into on Pinterest and I drew them mostly because I suck at backgrounds and idk Simon’s Quest itself is like Castlevania: Liminal Space Edition a lot of the time, so it fits X,,,,D. The first one I really liked the composition of the path on the far side contrasted to the trees. Imagine the water is the purple cursed swamp :3. Hopefully Simon has laurels just standin around in there.

This second liminal space for Simon to be in was this neat nighttime photo of a graveyard! Trees are HARD TO DRAW, especially just in pencil and a solid black background. There’s blood on the ground and stuff cause he was just fighting some monsters, probably those two headed lizard guys. It’s the awkward stillness after clearing out an area of enemies.

The pose for this one is based on the LOL~lots of laugh Miku figure lmao 💀💀💀

Simon is very fun to put in exaggerated poses! Especially cause you have to exaggerate them more to get the same ratio of pose to negative space because muscles and armor. I had no idea how to make metal belt armor thingies sit in a like legs up floating sort of pose like this so they kinda bend a little weird but eh he looks cute otherwise. The other doodles present are one that says “brainrot” which is kinda making fun of my own dedication to an NES character 💀 and also cause haha rot like the curse. Also, teeny tiny Simon with a heart!!! :3

Yippie! Simon posing again! I think the first pose was inspired by this like random old anime style angel figure??? Idk I think she was just an original character figure and the pose was pretty different, I just used the reference mostly for the arm position. Anyway, he’s vibin, just sitting curled up and momentarily comfy. Alas, the horrors persist in the second doodle that was an attempt at showing how the curse kinda deteriorates him but he just kinda ended up having a scarily snatched waist and it looks more stylized than like sick. Also the armor kinda bends around him in a way that makes it look like it shrunk with him which is so dumb lmaooooo (XwX). I’ll have to revisit the concept eventually idk, just look at his face for this one XD. Hahaha tiny doodle based on Larval Rin on the left there, nothing to see here—

The main doodle is just Simon looking into the distance bewildered and holding the whip, standard stuff. There’s also a side profile doodle and an attempt at drawing crying again cause I was getting kinda rusty at both of those things.

Simon Belmont but if he was 2000s anime lol. A fun little style experiment, I might keep this as like another secondary art style. There’s also some doodles of a hanged man skeleton, the eyes of Vlad, a skeleton hand, and a couple little chibi Simon’s of various expressions.

More 2000s anime Simon, but in a more silly way like the art style change for joke sections. One is him just goofily holding up Dracula’s head, but it’s contrasted immediately with a more gritty usual art style doodle of him with harsh shading lol. Get you a man who can do both I guess 💀

I gotta practice more on backgrounds and composition and stuff, probably also get some curse effects consistent augh. Lately I’ve been on and off working on random things or just staring into space tired, getting back to using social media is hard and an exhausting uphill battle unfortunately (_ _ ;). Sometimes I feel like I should probably split these up into multiple posts to make things more visible and to put more focus on specific drawings, but idk I don’t really want to, it just feels weird to me breaking up a doodle page like that, if that makes sense??? Eh idk.

[cangrellesteponme]

NOVEMBER 3RD - NEEDED ADVICE

(read this on AO3 here)

dadbastian week day six! the penultimate entry, already?

this one is... there is not much going on. one of my sillier renditions of sebastian being an idiot in agni's vicinity, essentially.

in which sebastian asks a good friend for help when his young master gives him the cold shoulder.

enjoy!

When his friend opens the door, Sebastian doesn’t give himself any time to back out of this — it is not quite a matter of life or death, but being inherently exempt from both, he feels that the situation is dire enough to warrant the same kind of attention.

“Mr. Agni, I need your help.”

“Mr. Sebastian, is it nice to see you… alone? How unusual. Is your young master—”

“He is well,” Sebastian immediately cuts in. “I… have been dismissed for the day.”

Agni stares at him in disbelief, but after a few seconds — long enough for Sebastian to feel uncomfortably seen, scrutinised, and dissected — he seems to accept it as the truth it is.

“…I assume this has something to do with your visit, then.”

No time like the present. “He is terribly mad at me.”

The following silence is awkward in a way that forces Sebastian to interpret it as a call for further explanation.

“And this wouldn’t usually be a problem, especially since he doesn’t ask anything of me that interferes with my duties as his butler, or the oaths that bind me to him.”

Silence, again. Sebastian thinks Agni looks very unimpressed with the formal, impersonal phrasing he chose, so he adapts.

“…But I don’t like it.”

This is going to be difficult, Agni thinks. Though he holds a particular fondness for his friend, the theatrics of his constant bickering with the earl are migraine-inducing on a good day. It has only gotten worse as he has grown warmer and more affectionate towards the boy — which is going about as well as it possibly can, so terribly. 

Not for the first time since he met him, Agni wishes Sebastian could be less obtuse.

“The first step to redeem yourself in his eyes is quite simple, my friend.”

Silence stretches between them as Sebastian merely watches Agni realise very few things are quite simple when it comes to his… social relations. To his credit, he does get back on track quite fast.

“If you’ve truly done wrong, then an apology is in order. Reassure him of your intent to do better in the future, and hopefully he will believe and forgive you.”

“I have already tried that, actually.”

“Ah. I must say I’m glad to see so much personal growth, even if it apparently hasn’t gone too well?”

“He refuses to hear a single word from me, and insists on having me dismissed as soon as the bare minimum of my work is done.”

Sebastian does not want to think about what he must look like right now, defeated and resigned by a moody child’s refusal to talk. Part of him knows it is understandable to feel this way, as this is not any child, but one he would almost dare to consider his, but most of his thoughts revolve around the sheer ridicule of the situation.

Agni gives him an undoubtedly pitying look and Sebastian feels a bit like a wounded, confused animal. Something small, with a fast heartbeat. The thought gives a warm tinge to his embarrassment.

“What you need is a peace offering,” Agni eventually says, in that light and clear tone of his that means he wants Sebastian to listen and learn. “Of course you’ll run into closed doors if you make no effort to open them.”

“…Are you recommending bribery, of all things? I thought I’d never see the day.”

“Not bribery, no, it’s… extending an olive branch, of sorts,” Agni corrects, though he looks somewhat flustered at the accusation. “The ideal branch being something that he likes, but cannot have without you providing.”

“There is not much he can get without me, really.” Surprisingly easy. Do all emotional problems come with odd but simple solutions?

“...Right. One of these days, you and I are going to have a talk about that.”

As that sounds particularly unpleasant, Sebastian immediately starts coming up with ideas instead.

Eventually, they come to agree that Sebastian should bake whatever sugary monstrosity his young master likes the most. Agni watches with no small amusement as Sebastian stands, and almost reaches for his coat, but seems to remember something. After blinking slowly at the clock for a few seconds, he turns back to Agni, looking most contrite.

“I am also essentially banned from the manor for the next… six hours, still.”

Agni sighs. How does such a small child hold grudges so fiercely?

He truly considers ignoring his own morals and being unhelpful for the sake of having a peaceful day. However, his exasperation is far outweighed by his fondness and sympathy for his friend, who is in clear need of a helping hand — despite his… rather intense love for cats, Sebastian reminds Agni of a dog left in the rain on most days. So, he decides to provide.

“…You may stay and use the kitchen here, if you’d like.”

As Sebastian returns to the manor, his steps are light with the feeling of a job well done.

Even though the “cake” would be better described as a condensed block of all kinds of chocolate, he knows it is to the earl’s taste — as in, too sweet to be reasonable — and will please him greatly.

When, at last, nothing but a door stands between him and his young master, he can’t help but think of the incredible irony of feeding delicacies to the boy who essentially is his very own chocolate cake. It is a ridiculous thought. Perhaps the hunger is getting to his head.

(It would be more accurate to say it has been getting to his head for more than a handful of years now, and these days he can’t quite distinguish the ache of hunger pains from his newfound yearning. Not that it will matter, in the end.)

Sebastian cautiously knocks. No answer.

“I’ve come with cake. Your favourite, specifically.”

“...Come in.”

Naturally, the child is still mad despite the cake, as these things take time. However, the offering is enough for Sebastian to be given back the right to stay by his side as usual, and that is more than enough.

The relief he feels makes Sebastian understand his boy’s love for all things sweet.

[uranium235s]

its me AGAIN! i come to thee bearing the questions about the structure of the universeeeeee..... but actually, let me ask you this: you mentioned in chester's intro post that he and arcade grow closer over the game events. but. how DID they end up together? what's their dynamic?? how fast did they start to get along???? how chester reacted to arcade's backstory?????? were they together when arcade introduces the courier to daisy??? tell me everythiiingggggggggg 😫😫

YAYYYYY I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS SO MUCH THANK YOU!!!!! long post incoming

wellll, they honestly don't get along great at the start. Chester asks *a lot* of questions and for someone like Arcade, who feels the need to obfuscate the reality of his past and his nature, it's kind of grating, I imagine, to be interviewed constantly at the drop of a hat. on Chester's end, he finds Arcade's guarded nature to be aggravating because he feels like he should know more about this stranger watching over him. Chester, asides from his cloudy past with the legion, is very much an open book and loves to talk and share and partake in things with other people, and for all of Arcade's random rambles about the wasteland and his little introductory monologue, Arcade doesn't match that. Chester always dominates in conversations

Arcade clearly feels an obligation to make sure Chester stays safe out there, but Chester's been given no source of devotion in return. He feels guilty that he's apparently in such Critical Condition that this guy he knows nothing about jumps at the chance to take care of him, and in a less severe way feels a bit patronized by his doctoring behavior

eventually they have an argument about it after meeting Benny at the Tops, when Chester tells Arcade he's got it figured out from here and "feels better" (not true) and if they're not friends/partners in adventure then why is Arcade still here (he's not in the best state after benny screwed him over. again), leading to Arcade admitting he does consider them close and that this sappy emotional stuff doesn't always come easily to him, and Chester apologizing for prying all the time, knowing Arcade isn't at that point yet

i would sayy that from this point onward they have a more positive relationship founded on more equal footing, and it gets homosexually tense from there on out. they don't actually get into a relationship until after the game ends. kind of a "we're passably safe enough to actually acknowledge our feelings without setting up our doom" kind of thing. they have a bit of an awkward period afterwards where they're like . figuring out their dynamic again but it's much sillier than some of their rocky patches. after, they're pretty much blissfully unbothered until dead money and the fallout thereafter, but they work it out :)

AS FOR DAISYYYYY, chester actually lives in Novac whenever he's not traveling or participating in the plot, so he'd met her lots of times, but upon learning about her relationship to Arcade is a bit more awkward around her because he's suddenly really nervous about making a good impression 💀 kind of silly since they aren't even in a relationship at that point. fellas is it gay to want to impress your totally platonic adventure companions remaining maternal presence and make her like you and approve of your completely friendly relationship with her pseudoson. be honest

and as for learning about Arcade's past, Chester pretty much took it in stride. He had already confided in Arcade about his own questionable past by this point (the two had to talk about it after Chester had a breakdown after visiting Fortification Hill) and it had kind of left a bit of a hole between them that closed over with this new information. Chester really sympathized with Arcade's feelings of longing for a time that wouldn't be back and loving people who did bad things because they're your family who raised you anyway. Chester himself didn't particularly miss anyone from the Legion, but the nature of his relationship with Attilius kind of haunted him. those kinds of emotions give Chester a headache to contemplate, but he tries. being an unwilling youth caught up in an evil scheme much larger than yourself is something he really relates to, and he makes it clear to Arcade that he doesn't think his feelings are unjustified, but that he sees and will always see him as more than the shadow of his father, or any of the remnants for that matter. he's an adult. he's a fully realized person. where he came from can only define him so much. it must, or they're both doomed! El oh el

heres some additional random stuff:

playlist for them <3

fun fact i have actually had them as a couple in my mind palace since I created chester in 2019 so have this doodle from a couple years ago (2021? 2022?) but happy 5 years to my obsession with them

and additionally here's this little thingy that everyone does

I WILL GLADLY ELABORATE ON ANYTHING SO DONT HESITATE IF THERES INFORMATION THAT SEEMS MISSING AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ASKING!!!!

[mermaidsirennikita]

Can you recommend historicals where the heroine is more like silly? Not that she's stupid or anything just that she does or says things that are funnily awkward

When a Girl Meets an Earl by Elisa Braden immediately comes to mind. The heroine is like, super beautiful and every man wants her, but she's OBSESSED with this stoic Scottish earl. Because he's BIG. Like, she sees him lift another man off the ground by his neck to defend her friend's honor, and she's like "MY GOD. I NEED THAT DICK" and basically sets out to have him. To a hilarious degree. And he's very resistant, lol. But this bitch also doesn't even know he's Scottish until like, they're about to get married (due to her machinations)??? He drops the English accent and uses his natural one to freak her out and she's like "OH. YOU'RE SCOTTISH?" I love her.

Elisa Braden heroines are often kinda silly in general, with some exceptions. The Temptation of a Highlander has a heroine who constantly says accidental double entendres because she's so into the hero. The issue is that they're obviously not alone often? So she usually says them in a public setting? Like "hahaha you could certainly break me in half" and everyone falls silent. The poor girl is nothing but Freudian slips because she's so desperately horny.

Kleypas does a few silly heroines. Beatrix Hathaway definitely comes to mind, though I haven't done my re-listen of Love in the Afternoon yet and I remember literally nothing from that book besides letters. But she's obviously in Tempt Me at Twilight a lot, and the girl is batty. Obsessed with animals, prone to saying weird shit at any given moment. Pandora Ravenel is similar in Devil in Spring. She's really smart and super ambitious, but she's also seen as a little odd. I believe she also has an inner ear thing that makes it difficult for her to dance, so people think she's sillier than she is.

Grace Callaway is great for silly heroines. Olivia from Olivia and The Masked Duke comes to mind. Just hurtling herself into danger, constantly trying to aggressively flirt with her dad's friend who's like "PLEASE. STOP. TEMPTING ME." A true brat. The heroine from The Duke Who Knew Too Much (I think this is Olivia's parents book lol), Emma, is also similar ridic. I shall never forget the scene where she and Alaric are spying on people behind a curtain and she's all *eyebrows eyebrows* and he's like "WHAT???? BITCH NO" but she's already on her knees stuffing his dick into her mouth. Like, she literally does a full chubby bunny "try to cram as much of this thing into your mouth as possible" deal because she has no idea what she's doing and doing it behind a curtain with people in the room seemed like a good idea at the time!!!!

Naturally, Tessa Dare heroines lean towards silly a lot of the time, because her books are hilarious. The heroine from When a Scot Ties the Knot is very smart, but she has anxiety so a lot of people think she's silly, and she's also like? An illustrator who does scientific drawings of nature? And she's desperately trying to catch her lobsters fucking so she can draw lobster sex?

Eleanor from The Duke's Perfect Wife is one of my favorite heroines because she like, refuses to take a moment seriously (until she does). Literally jumps into a carriage with her ex-fiance, with whom she had this incredibly hot, intense relationship, and is all "I HAVE YOUR NUDES". And he just like. Blinks.

Sarah MacLean has a lot of somewhat batty heroines. Imogen from Knockout is really smart, but also legit insane and hilarious, And you have a hero who's just trying to keep up, lol.

Stephanie Laurens heroines are hilarious. I would for sure recommend Scandal's Bride on this front. Like, this woman is BATSHIT and says the funniest things. Again, this is the one I refer to as the hero being like "when that redhead gets freaky it DOES something to me".

[diwooc]

uhhhhhh can i get a.... Diluc #1, 3, 8, 17, 32, and 46? oh, and a 26 with Kaeya. aaaaand a large 25 with a side of 27. to go.

Canon I outright reject

So I'm not sure if there's a canon I outright reject - I do reject his cute baby face though, I am not going to lie.

I also outright reject that he's twunky and is more masculine. Thicker, muscular, but he is short.

Obscure headcanon

He is passively suicidal with very little to no self preservation (this is seen in canon, he actively puts himself in danger). If he were to die, his thoughts would not really be on the idea of survival but more, "Oh. Well, this is okay. Retribution for my own sins."

Also a sillier, cuter one: he makes anonymous donations to the new animal shelter in Mondstadt and has a big soft spot for them. The winery is just crawling with different critters and he has named each and everyone, including the pigs, and that goddamn rooster that chases him every morning. (He also likes to keep an eye on Diona if Kaeya cannot - makes sure she gets to Springevale safely if she's working at the Cat's Tail).

He has nightmares about the night he killed his father and is still hesitant to ever celebrate his own birthday.

I DO NOT KNOW if this is obscure either BUT it was Arlecchino he fought and it was Yelan who saved him and recruited him, tyvm.

Unpopular opinion about them

He's still good game wise. He's still fun, and Diluc is actually an incredibly nice person deep down. If anyone ever pays attention to the dialogue or have read his lines will know that he's a gentle soul, and there's still bits of the old him that comes out, but unfortunately he's learned to hide it and push it away.

Since fandom treats this as canon even though it's more a misunderstanding, I'm gonna say this:

Diluc does not hate Kaeya. Diluc is awkward and uncomfortable and awful with feelings, things are tense between the two of them but in no way does he hate Kaeya. In fact, he still cares about Kaeya (a lot) and vice versa. And will work with him on need to know basis.

ALSO he's not a dick to Venti. He's a lot nicer than what he lets on. His comments about Venti's bill is just him making jabs, Diluc is not the best in the beginning with joking or teasing so it falls short. Yes, he gets annoyed with Venti - quite often - but he respects Venti and does view him more as a friend and a guide than, "that annoying, homeless bard who keeps stealing from me". If he actually had any sort of issues with Venti pilfering from the Winery or leaving a large, open tab, he would actively do something about it. Archon or not.

He's not an asshole, he's emotionally repressed.

Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

Monster, No Longer You "My heart cracked in my body." Rupi Kapur, The Sun and her Flowers “ i have everything and yet i am unhappy. ” Rupi Kapur, The Sun and her Flowers "i barely feel like living." Rupi Kapur, The Sun and her Flowers you are a wild, unkempt thing

Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh

He really, really adores dad jokes. Animals. Lumine's presence (as the Traveler). Kaeya

The person they most admire

Adelinde. And Jean.

What they would do if stuck in an elevator with Kaeya

So - they wouldn't be stuck in the elevator for long. Both of these men - for as much as they care about each other in their own way - will work together to get the elevator unstuck. They're both very smart but Kaeya is the better planner, the brains if you will, while Diluc is the brawns.

They'd work quicker than the cops or fire department.

3 things they’d want to take with them if they were dropped off in the middle of nowhere

His Vision, some clothes, his claymore. He's had experience in the wild before, he knows how to survive. It'll suck but maybe there will be less bloodshed this time.

Their guilty pleasure

Romance novels.

(actually being interested in the day to day gossip of Mondstadt that has nothing to do with the Abyss Order or Fatui)

light novels from yae publishing house the isekai ones with the very long names leave him alone

ASK GAME

[mdhwrites]

What Would Corrupting Die (up to the end of character creation) Look Like Without Input?

Someone suggested that I potentially do a rewrite of the whole story that was my take if it weren't a Choices story once I was done. That is actually a compelling question though, uh, looks at how long the story already is Yeah, that'd be a lot of work for not a lot of point sadly. It did make me want to talk about how making it comment driven like this does change things. After all, while these sorts of stories absolutely exist, they're the minority for a lot of reasons. So, how much would change?

A lot. Like... A LOOOOOOOT.

Or maybe not?

If that sounds weird, it maybe shouldn't. A comment driven story is something you genuinely have to treat as different than a regular story. That malleability and openness to being influenced is going to inherently change a lot of things you do so even if two stories follow a similar concept and structure, there will be marked differences just by the fact that how the two are setup. The demands of one sort of story versus another.

As an example: I probably wouldn't have done these character creation chapters. Or they would have been a lot more awkward. Jacob still needs those early, corrupting roles to prepare him for play after all but I've used the structure of Choices to get around a LOOOOOT of talking. Jacob doesn't have to tell each girl about the races, classes, etc. because those happen between chapter/choice breaks essentially. You see the outcome, not the setup because then choice is the setup. I can have them have an idea before coming and that's what they discuss but then they focus more on the upcoming character rather than revealing more about themselves and who they are. I can of course mix the two but it also could become even more routine than these character creation chapters already were without a hook of the different decisions being made to keep people invested.

It'd be a problem I'd have had to tackle in a vastly different way just because the inherent pacing of the story is different. Because my tools and needs are different. After all, the choices on the characters here allow for a cascade effect into the game itself. What situations any character gets into is going to be dependent on the character they're playing. That makes it so that these early chapters will be all the more satisfying for the audience in a way that is just not a thing in a traditional story because you know I chose all the classes, races, etc. It's less important so spending THIRTY THOUSAND WORDS on this makes literally no sense. Ten thousand at most would be right for my style so as to get to the real meat of things.

And mind you, even with these justifications, I have been SWEATING BULLETS about these chapters. That they are causing too much focus on this element and the core thrust of the story might be lost. That it's maybe too much time gamifying things. That it's too much build up so the payoff can never measure up to it. Etc. Etc. People seem to be enjoying the pacing, especially helped by me using the time to present compelling characters who interact with Jacob in different ways, but will that make the transition to the smuttier, sillier times of the actual game harder because it's no longer what people want from this story?

This is why this question is hard for me to answer without just doing the original version. These are things I could only figure out by feeling out each potential option and seeing what feels natural or satisfying. It'd be a rare time where I could easily see myself having to rewrite a large swathe because whatever direction I take just doesn't cohere into anything that makes sense. It's almost like writing stories, and especially ensemble stories like these, are hard and so many choices you make about them affect just the inherent pacing required for your story at a fundamental level.

It's a mess, just like this blog is. Sorry about that. See you all next tale and I hope you all enjoy Corrupting Die as we finally get to begin the game.

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I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[charmixpower]

Could you do Rivusa and Florelia for the ship bingo pls?

I have so MANY different feelings about them. I wouldn't say I'm conflicted bc I don't feel my feelings conflict but my emotions are everywhere

The something special that's missing is fucking screen time

Helia is absolutely insane and I love him for it and if Flora kept her insane botanist characterization chaos would reign, but it's like the show goes out of its way to make them as milquetoast as possible

For some reason whenever they're together there always shown to be just idk sweet but it's not like Brella that it's also showing there relationship it's like the Winx writers decided they wanted a "good" couple and decided it would be florelia

On the other hand that's not really Florelia's fault. Flora just happens to lose her insane science side in s2, Helia just doesn't get much screen time in the early seasons, and in s4 onwards you have soft boy Helia, whomst I hate and is nothing like "fuck around and find out" Helia and it's really unfair to compare the two

But!!! Soft boy Helia has WORLDS more screen time than original Helia, especially with Flora! So like??? It's really all I have

They are called the most mature couple by the wiki but they don't do anything! This isn't a drama thing btw, I hate drama, when I say they don't do anything I mean they don't have defining moments like Brella kissing/flirting competition. They also don't have like big season finale moments, no I'm not counting that shit from s5 Helia said like two words and it showed nothing about there personalities that weren't obvious from the entire fucking season. Like Rivusa got to be extremely awkward in their attempts to flirt because they're both socially clueless and I love them, Tecmy got the Omega dimension, Skloom got like so much bc main characters but the s2 finale is the stand out

Nothing happens between them in s3!!! They're used for fucking Rivusa drama!!! That's insulting

They're not even unproblematic favs, Brella and Tecmy are unproblematic favs, they are not allowed to have problems unless it's Flora being insecure. Like bro let them tease each other or something I'm begging you

If it was a spice it would be flour

But then there's the comics! And I haven't read them but Ive seen pictures and OH MY GOD it's so much better. They are silly!!!! They're not this perfect always demure couple, they are two dumbasses who forget everyone but each other exist sometimes and think testing new plant stuff on other people is acceptable

I want them to be sillier!!! Let them be stupid ass teenagers together I know you fucking want to!!!

Helia would trade favors to the specialists for information about Flora because he's a little insane and this is what I want to see people

In essence, I do not care for show Florelia but the comics FUCK

[driftwccds]

-ˋˏ ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ ── wanted connections ( again )

just a wee little disclaimer : my plots are very malleable and very open ended, meaning that if you have an idea that’s inspired by one of these but it doesn’t quite fit your character exactly i’m very open to changing details to ensure it fits both characters! i think it’s super important for plots to have balance so i tried to make everything written here separated from the personality/bio from the potential other muse so that way it’s easier to find something that works for everybody. i also prefer to write mostly via chemistry on the dash, so not everything needs to be worked out immediately either. i kept it a variety of age ranges/plot types ; some are a lot sillier/goofier and some are a little bit more entwined i think with who he is as a person, but again, i’m leaving everything open to ideas and i’m just hoping this inspires someone with something. 

( p.s. if you recognize repeats of plots i’ve asked for before look away i’m still waiting. )

tw for mentions of the boating accident bc unfortunately his whole personality is being sad

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS/OLD FAMILY FRIENDS/UNIVERSITY FRIENDS : rohan grew up in falmouth, england & went to school in both california & vancouver, but he’s travelled all over the place for career purposes, so there’s a lot of potential to be able to give reasons why him and any other character have known each other for a long time. it could be that they grew up on the same street as kids, or the other muses parents were also big scientists and they knew each other because their parents were colleagues, or they were roommates during university, or they worked on a project together and stayed in touch… any reason for them to have known each other for a long time works. it’s likely that after the accident that rohan cut most of the people off in his life that he knew, so it’s likely that he went no contact with anyone whom he was friends with prior… it’s also possible they lost contact even years before that.

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS/PAST PARTNERS ( SIBLING VERSION ) : as like an offshoot of the above plot, i think it would be a really interesting dynamic if there was a character who had been close with one of his two sisters in some capacity. he has two: an older sister (the one in the accident) and then his younger sister (she lives but he doesn’t talk to her much if at all). this could be a past partner that was around for family events and was close with the family or it could have been a younger/older friend of either sister as well… this opens the age range for the childhood friendship thing a little more and offers an interesting dynamic! the muse could have no idea about the accident or they could, depending on their bio and the tone of the connection we want to write! it’s all very open ended.

PAST ONE NIGHT-STAND ADJACENT PLOTS: in case anyone was wondering rohan is bitchless BY CHOICE!!! he does not need drew or luna or astrid or anybody’s help (at least that’s what he’ll say). realistically i just think between the traveling and the valparaíso-ing there’s probably some room for chance encounters. he’s pretty and got some ? weird guy ? rizz ?? (maybe?? i dont get to be the one who decides that). i don’t have a lot of specific ideas i think this something that would really depend on the likelihood of the characters coming into contact with each other but the only thing is that i think he’s very blunt & honest and would be pretty up front about not wanting anything to come from it if it was post-accident. it could be something that happened recently since he got to valpo or it could be something from when he was traveling down the coast, it could have gone poorly it could have gone well, maybe something almost happened but for whatever reason it didn’t? either way nowadays he’d be incredibly awkward probably around that muse and i think it would be FUNNY.

COLLEAGUES/SCIENTIFIC OR ACADEMIC PEERS : i think tbh this doesn’t have to specifically relate to the area of work that he’s in, and they don't have to be working together at all either for them to know each other via past projects or something. it would be funny to see him consulting with other people in other career fields on different things, but also people who’s brains he could pick i guess would also be it. smart people things ig. alternatively it could also be students who are studying in a field that's adjacent to him.

RESEARCH PARTNER : as another adjacent plot to the above one, if there’s a character that’s specifically into marine biology or conservation or would have a more specific project they could be working on that he is also working on, i think it would be really funny if there was someone that rohan got paired up with on a grant or something and he does not want to have to work with them. he probably doesn’t thrive with teamwork, especially nowadays, so it would be very funny to see him trying to work on a project with someone where he has to give up some semblance of control about it.

FELLOW VOLUNTEERS : one of the things rohan does through his job is work w/ a lot of conservation groups so i think he does spend some extra time working with those groups like volunteer wise, like on the boards or even just doing grunt work (continuing on his family’s work or whatever blah blah blah) anyway if there are characters who also have an interest who would volunteer in a similar sort of way then i could see him being a bit more likely to open up or befriend them??? less grouchy upon meeting LMAOOO an easier friendship.

EX-ADJACENT PLOT : this isn’t really like a huge part of his backstory but like it makes sense that at the time of the accident he would have had a long term partner at some point??? like maybe they weren’t anything really that serious bc they were both really focused on their respective careers but they were together for a while in that easy going capacity, but then for whatever reason they break up. (it could be because of the accident and him deciding he doesn’t want to lose more people like that blah blah blah but it could have happened before that too depending on if there’s a reason the other muse would have!)

SILLY CRUSH PLOTS / UNREQUITED PLOTS : this one is a little self indulgent and just generally silly because i personally like putting rohan in situations that raise his blood pressure so bare with me for a minute. i think it would be funny if there was a character that was a character that was younger than him that had a mild mild crush on him in the way that you do a coworker that you think is really cool. like you want shifts w/ them and you want them to think you’re really funny type thing. maybe crush isn't even the right word for what i'm trying to explain : admiration ? IDK and like he’s obviously oblivious to it but now there’s another young person following him around doing stupid shit and he feels like he has this entirely platonic but gentle moral obligation to make sure they’re doing ok. like when a baby animal starts following you around and you’re like oh i guess im responsible for you now. and in turn that just makes the whole situation worse. OR ALTERNATIVELY : an older muse that rohan gets really clumsy and nervous and weird around bc he thinks they’re good looking or charming or whatever but that feeling is 100% one sided and they’re just like hey buddy… are you doing okay... literally nothing serious about it. i just think either way it’s a really goofy dynamic.

UNLIKELY FREINDSHIPS/CONFIDANT : someone whom is very much the opposite of him but somehow they’re actually really good friends. one of the few people he like actually makes an effort to think about (to the extent that he does that which is very little.) it makes it funny bc why are you even friends? but it’s due to the niche interests they can info dump on each other about.

MISC : yet again i am asking for people who he would (very very badly) play music with (he has javi but i feel like there’s always an opening for more), people who aren’t there to drive him up the walls and are a little bit calmer that he can be friends with, the usual plots everyone always wants like neighbours and friends, etc etc