#thought post

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Some long, big thoughts on Kazuki, Rei, and being “Fathers.” - SPOILERS!

I really think this episode is when Kazuki and Rei really face the reality that they are Miri’s FATHERS. Like, it finally sunk in.

The lady here uses otou-sama, which is a very formal way to address the two of them, very stuffy. But also very...Japanese. In Japan, it is very commonplace nowadays for little kids to use papa and mama when addressing their parents, but those are still seen as loanwords. They don’t carry the same weight as being referred to, and seen as, FATHERS.

That question and how they would be perceived by others really hit them here. They aren’t just playing house at home anymore, they are out in society and are going to be perceived as this Miri’s fathers. That may also come with the assumption that they are a couple or in a relationship with each other. 

They both look uncomfortable here at that realization, but neither one really denies it either. Of course, this daycare is very unwelcoming and the lady far more judgmental than Anna. So that also likely plays a part in how they feel and react here too. The first daycare they go to  focused more on the business side of things. 

The room is huge, but empty, the walls are colorful, but not bright. Miri is sent off to play with blocks and the lady never directly addresses her or asks for her thoughts on things. Everything about this daycare is unwelcoming and uninviting and unaccepting, so Rei and Kazuki act coldly to this initial realization and the usage of the word FATHER here, seems very fitting.

It’s not a happy, bubbly, childlike, and even fantastical like the word “Papa” is. And the lady interviewing them, was definitely judging them, even before Miri started mentioning some more...suspicious stuff, lol.

Now, when they go to Aozora Daycare, Anna also addresses them using the word father in Japanese, but she goes with otou-san, still formal, but not stuffy and far more common and approachable. It’s still not “Papa” though. She only uses “Papa” when she talks to Miri about Rei and Kazuki. 

(In the Japanese she directly addresses Kazuki first by calling him otou-san and then stating that she was asking Miri, not him, haha). 

We are met with understanding here, though. Not judgement. The walls of Aozora are filled with children’s art projects, a piano that indicates singing and dancing time as a group, and warm smiles and comfy clothes. Everything that indicates a child-first daycare center. 

The whole interview process ends successfully. The daycare views them as suitable parents and Miri got accepted into the school. 

And while Rei looks disinterested during this entire interview. He was paying just as close attention to everything as Kazuki was, and if watch the high-five scene with a good eye, you can see that Rei actually has his hand up and waiting for Miri’s high-five before Kazuki.He understands her and her flow so well.

The rest is going under a Read More due to length.

Next we see them navigating all the prep work. And even though Rei did fall asleep at one point, we see that they both put in as much effort and energy as they can to get everything right for Miri and her first day of daycare. They both read through the handbook, write her names on things, even Rei did some sewing too. They exhaust themselves out. 

They think they make a great first impression on that first day:

But they make a lot of faux pas in the world of Japanese parenthood (specifically in a space that tends to be dominated by motherhood).

Arriving by car = ✘

Wearing suits that aren’t black = ✘

Having Miri wearing clothes that look expensive = ✘

Arriving by car is equated to wealth and money, and even to showing off, as opposed to riding a bike.

Wearing suits that aren’t black is associated with the underbelly side of Japan, men that work in the red light district or with the yakuza. An exception to this would be like, in many places, the entertainment business.

Dressing Miri up in clothes that look expensive plays into the whole “yakuza daughter” vibes, but also makes it so that she stands apart from the other children. It can also make it so that Miri has a difficult time putting the clothes on and off herself, which could take up class time when coming in from play time, getting ready to go home, and etc.

I worked at a juku (cram school) with a daycare. Most of the students I cared for there were native Japanese kids between 2 - 4 years old whose parents were working in America. My boss would often get annoyed when parents would bring their (usually daughters) in wearing fancy shoes that looked pretty, but hurt the child’s feet and were hard for the child to take on and off themself. 

Kids around Miri’s age are also shown to be aware of economic and social class on some level as well. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Rich, poor, middle class. Parents often believe it’s their responsibility to shield their children from economic differences and social class.

But new research shows children as young as five years old are not economically blind. In fact, by the time they reach prekindergarten, kids know the difference.

This group of primary school kids already knows what money can buy.

Combine that with the (thirsty though they were) mothers who probably advised their children to not get on Miri’s bad side because of her dad’s, and her outfits that set her apart, and scenes like this one:

Don’t seem so out-of-place.

When Kazuki and Rei pick Miri up at school, her answer to “How was your first day? Have fun?” being “I dunno yet.’ Set’s off alarm bells - even with Rei.

His brows are furrowed. He knows that something is off and wrong with that statement. They don’t know what they did wrong, and they don’t know how to fix it. Miri gets quieter and sadder and this is the first time they’ve had to actually deal with Miri on a deeper, emotional level. 

That feeling like you are failing a child (whether your own, one of your students, or just a child in your care) is such a devasting feeling. This episode expresses it well by having these scenes all take place on the way home from the daycare, when the sun is setting. 

Thankfully, Kazuki is open to listening to what Miss Anna has to tell him, and she is so supportive. She doesn’t judge them or treat them like they are incompetent or incapable. She just gives them the push in the right direction, with “insider info” in a way, to get them and Miri acclimated correctly. And Rei and Kazuki jump on it. They love that they’ve found this place with a bunch of good quality cheap shit that can help them and make their lives easier.

And after this, Miri goes to school in regular clothes. Kazuki goes to the play area in the regular clothes, and he is just genuine and authentic with the kids. He doesn’t dress Miri up in a way that sets her apart anymore (on a class level, in a way that makes the other kids think she is “saying” “don’t play with me.”). 

Kazuki, especially, isn’t trying to “fake it until he makes it anymore.” He isn’t trying to give the impression that they are rich. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he also felt a bit more pressure to get everything right because he and Rei are two guys raising a kid together - two FATHERS. 

But then he realizes letting Miri and him and Rei just be themselves is enough.

This was very much so a Kazuki issue that ended up negatively impacting Miri. A situation I’m sure every parent (or even teacher, like I’ve been before) has experienced on some level. It’s one of the harsher parts of being a parent and trying to help your child and do what’s right.

And now, he and Rei have one foot further into parenthood, since they know about this new shop and:

Gave Miri her own room.

That is such a big deal. Similar in a way to how people say not to name an animal unless you plan on keeping it as a pet. Not because Miri can be compared to a pet or an animal in any way like that, but because of what it implies on both an emotional attachment level and a “she is now a permanent part of our household” level. 

That's a fully decorated room, filled with toys and plush dolls and games, a bed, books, a rug, even a desk. A desk filled with stationary supplies for her to learn and something which is viewed as a necessity for children to have at home when they are in elementary and junior high school (especially). 

Rei and Kazuki have gone from being Miri’s “Papas” on a sort of imaginary, “playing house” level, with very limited outside and real-world/societal interactions to being her fathers. They have integrated her and themselves as her parents and fathers into society on a large level now. 

By investing in that room, they are investing in Miri, and are openly choosing to be viewed as her fathers - as partners. Even if they don’t necessarily view each other in that way, it doesn’t matter to them in the end, because Miri is what’s most important. 

(Note: I will link to the news article and report that stated that information about children and economic class recognition in the comments).

[sleeplessv0id]

is it just me, or does anyone else feel like a spectator to their own life?

[xanderomeister]

I've been obsessed with Alien again. This time the score.

I HIGHLY suggest this vid on the score, it's pretty damn interesting

And the full main theme is absoloutely glorious

In general, the film is very impressive for the circumstances it was made in, and it's one of my very favourite films. The creature itself is easily one of the best monsters of all time.

There is also a cat. Jonesy, truly smart and wise.

(Not really, but I do find cats seriously interesting because of how different they are from dogs, as a dog owner)

[chronicsyd]

I've seen people say it seems "cheap" to have Vander come back as Warwick (like the whole "just let him die" argument and all) and on that take... I have to disagree. Because it seems like the purpose of Vander Was for him to become Warwick. like it doesn't seem like a "ohhh it would be cool and he has a past with Jinx and Vi anyways" idea that just spurred out of nowhere, it seems more like a deliberate decision on the writers parts of having Vander Become this, like that was their entire game plan for him, if that makes sense. and with people calling him things like "Hound of the Underground" when he was alive just furthers my thought process on that.

They just needed more of a... connection between the three of them than they already have established in game. Because in game there's just simple dialogue that had fans connecting those dots; but there wasn't anything Too concrete about it. However, in the show he was their surrogate dad, so it's more emotional When he becomes Warwick (because they aren't having him become this and then Not having him have a scene with Vi at the very least like come On! Chekov's gun and all that...)

I've also seen people strangely upset over the lack of tied ends after the S1 finale. to me the entire season was for Building the conflict of the prospect of war between Piltover and Zaun (like they have the idea just budding during Act 1 and after the time skip in Acts 2&3 it just gets worse and worse until it eventually just blows up). And S2 seems to be focusing about showing the answers to the questions that were left after Jinx blew up the Capitol and showing the actual war itself between the two. I mean, the specificalities are still left Very much in the dark because Arcane does what it does best with that teaser of answering Some shit and telling us Absolutely nothing at the same time...

(Also i mean it's not like this is the first time a show has left on a cliffhanger that leaves the audience with a bunch of questions and almost no answers)

[monstersholygrail]

You are literally trying to kill us by too much horny ily so much for it.

It is my favorite form of torture :3

[damagederudite]

I just had a thought, but what if Shiv acts harshly to Gerri because Gerri was the one who was there.

She has issues with her mother, Caroline was not around in her teen years and she was never affectionate, but Gerri was always there. Even if she wasn’t there for Shiv, she was always physically there in the later years when Caroline wasn’t even in the same country as her. And, to make matters worse, Gerri had her own children - two daughters - who must be somewhere around Shiv’s age.

Shiv can take out the anger she felt towards Caroline on Gerri as a surrogate mother. She is displacing all that rebellious energy and hurt from her youth. Is it fair on Gerri? No. But I think Gerri accepts it to some extent.

She has kicked her and she probably won’t come back but she is there, and that’s enough for Shiv to take her anger out on.

Nothing about it is healthy but no relationship in Succession appears to be, certainly not the staff’s (primarily Gerri’s) relationship with the family as they always appear to come before their own families or even their existence outside of their staff to do their beck and call.

[like-sands-of-time]

Wilson loves that House only truly loves him and his company. He loves that House tolerates his employees or cuddy or the other hospital staff, finds them amusing at times and annoying at others, but he always comes back to him, wilson. He loves that all he has to do to get House's attention is make him notice something different, even the slightest thing. House is the opposite of every man on the planet, because he notices when Wilson gets a haircut, when he switches soaps or colognes. Wilson likes making a scene to get House's attention, likes seeing how far he goes just to figure out what could possibly be different. He feels important, needed, but also wanted.

He likes that House just sort of looks at him quietly when he's talking, and there's the faintest hint of a smile on his lips, but it's mostly in his eyes. Everything about House can be figured out from his eyes. When he's really mad, or frustrated, or fond, Wilson can read his eyes even when his body or his words contradict himself. He likes that he's the only one who can do that. Wilson knows that House is actually very easily amused, but he doesn't want other people knowing that because it destroys his reputation as cold and heartless. Wilson likes that he's the only one that gets to see all of that, unreserved.

He likes House's abrasiveness, bluntness, and inability to follow a normal social contract. He likes that even though House goes out of his way to make Cuddy feel good about herself in her outfits, and he comments on his fellows' looks sometimes, that Wilson is the one he can't take his eyes off of, either when he's in the same room listening, talking, or when he's walking away and House doesn't know Wilson knows he's staring. He likes how good and desirable that makes him feel after so long of knowing each other, that House still picks him.

He likes that House, for as long as they've been living and working in Plainsboro together, has regularly bought them tickets to shows, ranging from monster trucks to the opera, anything the both of them will enjoy. He likes that House just pays for it, doesn't ever say anything about it being a favor that should be repaid. And in turn Wilson buys their lunches, because he likes that House spends the entire time leaned forward so he can reach his hand across and steal food. It gives him an even closer view of House's beautiful blue eyes. He likes when their legs brush together, or their feet tangle under the table. It's silly and juvenile and it's exactly the sort of thing House knows he likes.

He likes that House cares for him as much as Wilson cares for House. It's not equal, it'll never be split 50/50 because House will need help for the rest of his life with his leg and sometimes his insomnia is so bad he can't help his mood swings, but at the end of the day House is there for Wilson whenever he needs him. House is the only one who sees Wilson for every good and bad thing, and still chooses him. No one else sees that, but Wilson does. He can never explain why they're actually perfect together, someone so cold and aloof with someone so emotive and sympathetic.

[limbobilbo]

Currently contemplating if making youtube videos where I just explain my various worldbuilding projects in depth would allow me to get my much needed ‘ranting about my lore to people’ catharsis.

[xx-stark-xx]

I could just…recast these bitches fr

[storkofyore]

I’m going to be honest, I did not foresee my “not all men” fellowship post reaching the popularity that it did. If popular you might call it, of course. That was, one might say, not on my 2024 bingo card.

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Buddy Daddies - Episode 12 -SPOILERS! Family? - Let’s Talk About That Photo Scene!

A lot of people found this moment a bit odd. Kazuki and Rei look at each other (faces seeming a bit frowny) and Rei asks, “Family?” This question does seem a bit odd doesn’t. After all, they’ve been a family for 10 years, Rei even told his father that he wanted to become a true family with Kazuki and Miri, so why this response to a photo?

Well, let’s rewind a bit! Right before this moment we have this:

Miri standing in the middle of Kazuki and Rei and a little in front of them. This is their usual picture setup:

In Episode 9 for her Field Day Gold Medal Win:

In Episode 12 for her Daycare Christmas Party:

In Episode 12 (Bulletin Board) for her Junior High School Graduation:

This is their family photo setup and dynamic for pictures. And as Miri has gotten older, they’ve also placed a bit more distance between themselves and her. This makes sense. They are Miri’s papas, yes, but they are still papas and she is still an awkward pre-teen girl in junior high school. So, there may have been times when she felt she wanted a bit more space between them all. Also, as children age in Japan, skinship - physical affection - tends to lessen as well. So, as she got bigger and they didn’t need to hold her as close anymore, the distance in their photos got bigger.

So, in more recent years it seems like they may have gotten used to standing a bit farther apart from themselves and Miri in family photos. So, Miri’s insistence that they need to scoot together more, and Kazuki just being like, “It’s fine like this.” And then her insistence that it isn’t, then kind of makes the two of them look at each other. They are a bit confused now, because it has gone against what they’ve gotten used to.

Rei also tends to express his thoughts, especially if he is confused or uncertain about something, in more limited ways (single words, parroting, etc.). So, him questioning Miri, himself, and Kazuki here when it comes to what they consistute as “family” in regards to taking photos together just comes out as:

“Family?”

Then Kazuki acts like his usual self and goes all in:

And this is the result of their new family photo set up:

At least, for Miri’s high school years and as long as she is using a selfie stick, lol. But, much like everything else in the show, there is a focus here on change. As Miri enters different stages of her life, their family, it’s dynamic, and even how they do things like take photos and pose - all of that will continue changing, with Kazuki and Rei smiling right there beside her.

Before, Kazuki and Rei were on either sides of her - protecting her. But she is teenager now. She has more independence and won’t need that same level of protection and looking after. So we see her off on her own a bit, while Kazuki and Rei finally connect on a physical touch level that they’ve never done before.

Like, that’s practically a hug (and Miri looks quite pleased about that, lol). It’s almost like another development for Kazuki and Rei too, another level for them to move on to and get used to (obviously, Rei isn’t quite used to it yet, he tends to take a bit more time to adjust). It’s fun to think about how their family photos will grow and change as Miri ages, if she gets any significant others herself, has any kids, etc. There structure and dynamic will just keeping evolving and changing. 

The full version of SHOCK plays during this whole 10 years later sequence, and the lyrics really do match up with this. 

“Let’s live our lives, loving and being loved.”

[sleeplessv0id]

my favorite part about smoking, aside from the getting high part, is watching the smoke as I exhale it. It's a different kind of peace, watching the smoke dance. It's freer than I could ever dream of being.

[caseynotjoness]

just wanted to share a quick little something: yall might be inflating my ego too muchHFHDJFJ.

when i first started "seriously" posting my art online back in 2018/2019 ish, i was posting it on instagram. the instagram algorithm, as it was back then, was already trash, but it's only gotten worse over the years. my reach there, currently, is pretty much zero. not that im too bothered by it, but i'd like to reach, engage with, and inspire more people than just my inner circle of mutuals, yknow.

posting there now feels futile, compared to here, 'cause looking at the tags in the reblogs on some of my art makes me feel like what im making is actually worth it??? numbers aren't everything, that much is true, however i think a lot of us will understand its nice to be seen and truely be appreciated for the stuff you put out, even if its once in a blue moon. but since those kind messages gave me a bit more confidence, i MIGHT (might) post here more frequently than that.

thank you, peace 🫶🫶

[melodylee8794]

I’m tired of being so sincere, just to get bullshit in return.

[unidentifiedlyingobject]

I feel pretty but also not feminine and I want more of this