#tohru's grandfather

[the-sage-libriomancer]

just occurred to me that Tohru's grandfather calling her by her mother's name is almost exactly what tohru herself was doing as a three-year-old: forcefully infusing a piece of the dead person into your vocabulary to remind a loved one of the dead person. Tohru did it by deliberately copying her father's speech patterns, while her grandfather faked senility in order to get away with regularly using Kyoko's name. Tohru's grandpa outright says that he started doing it because Tohru looked like she was on the verge of falling apart after her mother's death, which is exactly why toddler Tohru started copying her father! it's got me thinking about genetically predisposed habits and generational trauma and how family tends to be alike even without trying.

[ghosthippie27]

Children absolutely understand. They know contempt when they hear it.

[runawaycarouselhorse]

Please don’t sort people into categories based on things like that, and use them to keep your distance.

[likealittleheartbeat]

talk to me about the theme of emotional isolation for zuko and aang

It's the main reason I'm obsessed with the show tbh.

Can we overstate Aang's isolation within the show. He's not only a survivor--a sole survivor--of a genocide, he's also knocked out of time and history. These are the facts of his physical isolation. But his emotional isolation is such a different beast. It began before any deaths did. He is set apart by the monks and by the whole world as a savior. Shortly after his status as the avatar is made known, his peers exclude him, his power too great. His humanity is denied because he's too divine. Only Gyatso seems to still regard him for who he is rather than his gifts. Of course, that's why the council decides Aang needs to be further separated from worldly relations like that, and vote to send him off. For Aang, it's the last straw. He can't bear further exile from others. To regain some sense of control, he tries to run away from the heavy burden and those who have put it on him. At least this time, he's the one choosing his loneliness. It has become so clear that no one can understand his feelings about the Avatar State.

This is the emotional state he enters the series with, icon rather than human. He starts off concealing his revered identity in an attempt to indulge in simple pleasures, penguin sledding, coy fish riding, etc. But the shame is secretly right there at the surface. He's lovable but mercurial. Friendly and animated with everyone when he first meets them but in a way that's fleeting. The knowledge that he will have to leave the village, in an episodic fashion, having helped the members of the town, even having sacrificed himself for their well-being, is an understood fact of the plot and his life. At most he sheds some of his grief by putting it into words with Katara's encouragement. But despite the whole world fighting through their own grief from the fire nation and Katara's sole-survival of her own culture's genocide, they each have people in their families and cultures who, however bitterly, hold them and hold the broken memories together with one another. No one is as physically isolated as Aang, but, more importantly for his character development, no one is as isolated by their significance to the world.

No one, except Zuko. Zuko, the banished prince. Isn't that what Aang as the Avatar is in many ways: a spiritual prince, an heir by birth to power and legacy, who has been banished from his inheritance. Only, Aang's inheritance would be peace. Zuko's would be the Fire Nation, but because of his humanity, Zuko, like Aang, is without a nation. This is one reason Zuko and Aang are such incredible narrative foils. Aang is rejected from humanity's compassion because of his divine status while Zuko is rejected from divine rule because of his human compassion and failures to demonstrate perfection. (If you're interested in this dynamic in media, Fruits Basket has fantastic explorations of these themes with Kyo vs. Yuki and Tohru vs. Akito.)

How early did Zuko start to notice the disappointment he brought to his father and grandfather? As early as we can see, Zuko seems alone. The episode with that phrase in the title reflects back on his childhood, which, noticeably, lacks the friends Azula manages to keep. He mimics and mocks her cruelty, as well, in an attempt to impress his mother. His insecurity seems already set, a sense that no one can understand. While Aang recognizes that everyone thinks he's too good to belong, Zuko lives in an environment in which he's not good enough to belong.

The reactions to their rejections correspond, too. Zuko's reaction of antagonistic pursuit of anyone and everyone--like Aang's reaction to run away (literally and sometimes emotionally with a smile or joke)--helps keep others in a framework of enemies so he can control his exile rather than the other way around. Yet these behaviors put them in dynamic relation to one another--Zuko is drawn to the endless pursuit of the strangely kind Aang, whose instinct is to behold others while remaining untouchable, while Aang becomes clearly intrigued by the person who refuses to treat him like an untouchable hero, the person who refuses to give up on the possibility that the Avatar can be flawed and fail, no matter how many times he slips away proving his divine destiny.

It's obvious that Zuko is supposed to hate Aang, as the Avatar. "The Headband" illustrates how education in the Fire Nation portrays him if the fact that Zuko's only possibility for regaining his title under his father is bringing the Avatar back isn't enough evidence for you. But Aang ought to hate Zuko just as much, if not more. Instead, they are drawn toward one another with an remarkable intensity, established within the first half of the first season, "The Storm" x "Blue Spirit" combo punch! In fact, the blue spirit episode really reveals what they can mean to each other. Not only in Aang's question at the end that invites Zuko back into the past with him, but in the way that Zuko is made to be the divine entity for a brief period while Aang is helpless in the fort. Then, that question at the end: "Do you think we could have been friends?" Isn't that the opposite of the isolation they feel. In the woods, without a nation or an allegiance, Aang, remembering the people and time that he was forced to leave asks Zuko, who has just betrayed the people who banished him, in another version of life where they were both simple people rather heirs of vast power, if they could have formed a kind of union that would have dissolved the loneliness that consumes both of them. But it's momentary and they have to return to the world that defines them as the Avatar and the Banished Fire Prince.

This becomes one of the cores of the show, as echoed in the finale, where Zuko and Aang consummate their friendship, but by then, through traveling the winding road toward one another and aiming to take on a part of what the other person represents, they have found a balance that refused the binaries of divinity and fallibility that had previously separated and defined their lives, binaries that exiled them from connecting with others, binaries that built towers to isolate them from the world. The victims and survivors of genocide, the subjects of colonial violence, nor the sufferers of abuse need be pure to claim their pain, nor must the people who want and work towards justice be saints to do that work. Harder for many audience members to absorb, despite their love for Zuko who's arc is meant to emphasize the point, there is a spark of divinity in everyone, from the most unloved to the most violent and tyrannical. This second fact must exist alongside the first, or else the premise won't hold. How you choose to act and engage with that spark of divinity is a human choice we each make on our own, but that does not deny it's existence. The divine ideals must be allowed to fall apart into comedy and tragedy, while the mundane, the profane, and the cruels horrors of life must be allowed to be seen as something that hold the possibility to become beautiful and part of a grander design. The Avatar must be allowed to be Aang and Zuko must be allowed to be the Firelord so that we can have Avatar Aang (the last title of the series) and Firelord Zuko (the most celebrated character arc of the series). They need one another to assuage the fear, isolation, and dread that black-and-white perfectionist thinking boxes us into.

[kogji]

Kazuma Sohma; The father

It isn't common to see a caring parent in manga/manhwa. Usually the characters deal with their problems alone and their parents are either dead, absent or abusive. That's why Kazuma Sohma from the Fruit Basket manga was a very nice surprise for me.

He is the grandson of the previous cat, and he feels guilty for not taking a cooky from his caged grandpa for fear of getting cursed. He regularly visits the grave of his grandfather, who isn't even allowed to be buried in the Sohma cemetery. When Kyo loses his mother, he takes him in as an opportunity to repent.

Kazuma is a calm, humble, and wise person. He feels responsible not only for Kyo, but for the rest of the zodiac children who are being discriminated against and abused. Unlike Kyo's father who sees him as a monster and his mother who doesn't let him leave the house, Kazuma treats him like a normal child, introduces Kyo to the world around him, spends quality time with him, and isn't afraid to hug him. He teaches him karate as a mean to control his anger and channelize it. Soon Kyo learns that he can trust this man and knows that if he runs to him there are arms open to embrace him. He wishes that kazuma could be his father.

One of the things I love about Kazuma is that he doesn't just see Kyo as a victim and believes that he needs to change, stop denying his true self and running away from it. He wants Kyo to stop blaming Yuki, and believes that one day he will be loved and respected but he should earn it first.

Even when he realizes Tohru's feelings for Kyo, he worries that it is nothing but pity because he knows that the reason his grandmother married the cursed, caged cat was just pity. He would rather Kyo be alone than be loved at any cost.

He enjoys pulling Kyo's leg and deliberately says things to provoke him. He no longer hugs the teeanage Kyo, but he always caresses his head. His affections are so obvious and unfailing that others also notice the genuineness of his paternal feelings. He is a strict instructor though.

He considers Kyo as a troublesome child who should wait patiently for him to grow up and mature. He allows Kyo to fall and rise from the bottom and does not pressure him. His acceptance and patience despite his own discomforts and fears for his son's future is admirable. He suffers from Kyo's bitterness, smiles and gets over it.

Even though he knows that his decision to reveal Kyo's true form to Tohru could ruin his relationship with him forever, he accepts the risk of being hated for Kyo's sake. He knows that if Kyo cannot accept his true form and understand that he can be loved even in his monstrous form, he will never be able to change.

When he attends the parent-teacher meeting, he is different from other parents. Although he has his own doubts and worries, he jokes that he cannot see his son as an employee or a student and only asks Kyo to inform him of his decision.

Being clumsy at home after raising a son fo r a decade is pretty funny. He doesn't even know how to make tea and always burns the fish. For a boy who grew up with burnt fish, Kyo turned out to be a very good kid.

[cinderella-ish]

Let's Talk About Kyoru!

I shared a little while ago (in my first-ever analysis post!) that I don't really have a lot in common with Tohru or Kyo, and I didn't really "get" them or their relationship right away. Today, someone asked on Reddit "What are your personal thoughts on Kyou x Tohru?" and I wrote out a long comment explaining how I grew to love them. So, here's an expanded and edited version of that comment, edited for Tumblr!

I loved both Tohru and Kyo as characters from the start. How could I not? Kyo is an endlessly meme-able, over-the-top tsundere cat-boy with a heart of gold, and Tohru is a lovable, overly-giving people-pleaser who's also a total space cadet prone to some very funny mishaps (that are maybe a little less funny once you understand her character).

What I didn't see at first was how their romantic relationship was an essential part of both Tohru's and Kyo's character development. Their arcs couldn't really have ended any other way, with how Takaya-sensei set them up.

See, Tohru begins the series in denial about the reality of her mother's death and unable to ask for or accept help, even from those closest to her, and even when people offer their help or support up front. She risks her own health and even her life to avoid burdening others, likewise risking herself to protect her memory of her mother (represented by the framed photo).

And Kyo begins the series convinced defeating Yuki will erase his past "sins," or alleviate his guilt from both Kyoko's and his mother's deaths. It's a Sisyphean task and he knows it, but he keeps at it because it's better than the alternative (actually dealing with his trauma) and possibly because he thinks he deserves to suffer defeat after defeat. He's in an extremely fragile place, having just returned from his trip to the mountains, and he truly believes he only hurts the people he loves.

I also think there's some small part of Kyo that's fighting to keep going, even from the start of the series. It's a twisted way to go about living, but he is still trying to live. He has the possibility of a life outside the Cat's House, and he's working his ass off to try and achieve it, even if it's most likely impossible. To me, that's not a character who's given up or accepted his fate.

Similarly, I think there's a small part of Tohru that knows she'll eventually need to accept that her mother is dead and make the decisions that are best for herself. It's harder to see this inner desire in Tohru than in Kyo, but I think it becomes clear when she chooses to stay with the Sohmas rather than return to her grandfather's house. She believed, at that point, that her grandfather was the only person left who knew and loved her mother, yet she knew she would be happier continuing to live with Kyo, Yuki, and Shigure. With the encouragement of her grandfather (and with Kyo and Yuki's heroic rescue mission), she moves forward on the path that will make her happiest.

It took me really digging deep and understanding each of their individual arcs to love them as a couple as much as I do now.

On first pass, it was obvious to me how much Tohru meant to Kyo, and the ways she directly countered his extremely low self-esteem and overwhelming guilt. However, I didn't really understand what Tohru liked about Kyo in a romantic sense.

I think this was probably due to my own anxiousness around men who yell, which strongly put me off of Kyo as a romantic lead. I also didn't like how he promised to protect Tohru again at the end, but that was again due to my own hangups. I have a strong dislike of being "protected" by my romantic partners (it feels patronizing and usually is done without asking or considering my own feelings about being protected). But I'll come back to that.

We know from the start that Tohru tends to reject attempts to care for her, or simply makes sure no one will be in a position to offer that care to her. She doesn't ask to stay with either of her best friends and she doesn't remain with her family during the renovations.

And Kyo is the only person who not only recognizes when Tohru's diminishing her own needs, but he's also the only person who consistently makes sure she has the support she needs, even if she initially refuses it. He tells her it's okay to get angry, asks her to vent her frustrations to him, and reminds her it's okay to be selfish.

I think with anyone else, she would have burned herself out and cut off most of her uncomfortable emotions. Kyo takes care of Tohru, and that's what she needs, because Tohru Honda has very different needs than I do (and that's okay!).

Also, Kyo doesn't yell nearly as much after the first season, but something I realized while writing my series on Kyo and Momiji's relationship is that most of Kyo's yelling is him trying to protect her and the others he cares for (like Momiji). He yelled because he was terrified of hurting her again, or of letting her get hurt through inaction. He'd yell at her when she did something that could've gotten her hurt, or he'd yell at others when they did something that could hurt her. That poor boy was carrying so much guilt over Kyoko's death, he made it his entire personality to try and protect Tohru, including from himself.

At Kyoko's grave, when he promised to protect Tohru for life, I initially read that as a step backwards for him. Wasn't that just a recipe for more guilt? After all, he couldn't possibly protect her from everything. But after some reflection, I think that was him finally internalizing the lesson from that last fight with Yuki: he was protecting her all along by making her smile and being there for her. That's Kyo recognizing that his presence is good for Tohru, and it's a huge shift in how he sees himself and his own self-worth.

So that's really why Kyo and Tohru are so perfect together. Kyo needed someone to help him see his own worth, and Tohru did that simply by needing him. Meanwhile, Tohru needed to prioritize her own needs and happiness, and she did that by admitting how much she needed Kyo. It's a loop that feeds back into itself. The more they care for each other, the more they overcome their initial mistaken beliefs about themselves.

I once shared in response to an ask that I believe Tohru needed Kyo even more than he needed her. Thinking of how badly she was suffering during the hospital arc, when she thought he'd rejected her, and how much she repressed her heartbreak during that time, I think it would've destroyed her if he hadn't decided to try and move forward with her. It would've taken a long, long time before she would've been able to open up to anyone like that again, and she may not have been able to ever again, given how hard it was for her to admit her feelings for Kyo in the first place.

So, I love them. Took me a while, but I'm fully aboard the Kyoru train now.

[imagineanime2022]

Tohru's Cousin

Shigure Sohma X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3821

Requested: @twilightlover2007

Requested: Ok, I've been ITCHING to see this. Your writing for fb is FANTASTIC! I would love to have Tohru meet her cousin on her mom's side, her cousin locates her and they set up a meeting.

I'd love to see headcannons of her meeting a few of the Sohma's. While some, Kyo, might be worried she's more like her mother's wild side she's actually quite a bookworm. I'd love for her to end up with Haru or Shigure whichever you think would be best! Please and thank you!!!

Warning: Parent death, no mention of a father, reader is injured, this is long!!

How The Boys View Tohru's Cousin

You sat at your desk looking at the letter that your mother had left you, she had said that there were things that she had never found the right time to tell you, though she figured that you should know. Things about your family and the reason that she very rarely spoke about them. Part of you wondered if you should just leave it be but the only person that you had was your mother, you had never been an outgoing person and when your mother got sick it was an excuse to stay in the house and deal with as few people as possible. That would get lonely now though with literally no one in the house. Even if you didn’t talk, having your mother there made up for it.

Finally you leaned forward taking the letter in your hands you took a deep breath and opened it, you smiled at the familiar handwriting of your mother’s:

My Dear (Y/N)

I know that I should have told you this in person when we were both there to make amends but I’m too much of a coward to approach this subject head on. The sicker I get the more I realise that you will be alone by the time you read this, I can’t leave you like that, not when I know that you still have family out there, a cousin. Younger than you and an aunt out there hopefully, with any hope they will be willing to give you the family that you need now.

When I was younger, I didn’t realise how much she needed help, your aunt was the leader of a gang back then and to me it was pointless and dangerous and for the most part did only bring trouble to us all, that was what prompted me to cut ties with her but as I got older I knew that I had just abandoned her and left her to whatever fate befell her.

Then she sent me a letter asking me to meet with her and a picture of a small girl, her name was Tohru Honda, that was what she had told me. When that letter came through it reminded me of the fact that I had walked away and still she wanted to make it better, she is a better person than I am, that’s why I send you to her now.

As you can tell I never accepted the offer and she never attempted to contact me again but I hope that she’s still in the same place, you will at least have someone to reach out to if you need them.

The letter went on to give you the address that your mum had last known your aunt to be living at as well as your grandparents last known address. You decided that you had nothing better to do then to go and at least apologise for the way that you mother had behaved right?

You were starting to regret ever trying to find your long lost family. It had you socialising with more people then you had ever wanted to, in fact when you knocked on the door of the apartment was not your aunt but your grandfather and grandmother both of whom seemed to recognise you for your resemblance to your mother. “We were told that she had passed, we were in the process of getting a letter to you ourselves.” Your grandfather had said “with everything else going on, we sent it out later than we hoped.” “I see, well my mum left me a letter explaining that my aunt was trying to reconnect, I don’t know if she still wants to or not but I at least wanted to apologise for my mother ignoring her all these years and you it would seem.” You explained. “Your mother was a good girl even when she was younger, Kyoko was the troubled one, it was no wonder that your mother separated herself from her and us, we spent a lot of time chasing after Kyoko while she chased after us all. Eventually she fell behind. I don't blame her for the distance between us, I’m just happy that you want to get to know us.” Your grandmother explained. “I wish that there was some other way to tell you this but your Aunt has passed as well.” Your grandfather informed you. “But her daughter Tohru is still here in fact, we are having out house renovated so that she could move in, maybe you could too if you like here.” “How are you so accepting after everything that my mother did?” You asked. “You are not your mother, you should not answer for what she has done not to mention your here, you want to be different do you not?” Your Grandfather asked. “You should meet Tohru, she'd be happy to have someone other than us around, you may be able to connect with her a little more, even if you are older.” Your grandmother suggested. “Okay, I can leave my number, I have to check in for the room that I booked but she can call whenever she wants… If she wants.” You explained as you stood from where you were sitting. “Thank you for seeing me today.”

You had only been settled into your room for about 2 hours before there was a knock on your door, you frowned not really knowing who would be knocking on your door “Are you (Y/N)?” A voice asked before you had even gotten a look at the body it belonged to. It only took a second for your eyes to fall on the girl with mid length brown hair, brown eyes and soft features, behind her was a taller blonde girl and another girl dressed in all black with black hair and a mysterious air about her. “Yes, that’s me.” You finally answered, waiting for whoever of the three to speak. “I’m Tohru, I know that you left your number to call but I couldn’t wait to meet you.” The brown haired girl said, your eyes widened. “These are my friends Saki and Arisa. Do you mind if we come in?” “Oh of course.” You stepped aside allowing them all to come in “please um, sit anywhere.” “You seem surprised…” Tohru frowned. “I just wasn’t expecting that you would want to meet me, you know considering it was my mother who cut connections with everyone, it wouldn’t be unfair for you to want nothing to do with me.” You shrugged. “No, I don’t think that it’s your fault that all of that happened and Mum always talked about the fun that she had with her sister before they grew apart, she missed her and I promised that if we ever met that I would try to make it work, honestly I thought that you would never contact us.” Tohru explained. “I didn’t know about you, when mum left I wasn’t born, she kept you a secret from me, only told me in a letter that she left me after she died.” You answered. “I’ve never been good at talking to people or making friends so really I don’t have anyone back home, I thought that maybe I could make some friends here and fix what my mother had broken.” “Well then we can be your first friends, Grandpa said that he offered you a place to stay, so why don’t you stay for a little while and see if you like it here.” Tohru suggested. “There are some other people that I could introduce you to as well.”

When Tohru sat down to eat with the Sohma’s that evening they could all tell that she was distracted but Kyo was the one to point it out “what is wrong with you?” he asked, causing Tohru to jump looking at him. “Oh sorry, I was just thinking, I met someone today, she needs some friends, I was hoping that maybe I could introduce her to all of you.” Tohru explained. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Yuki asked. “I don’t think her touching you is going to be a problem, she’s very reserved, it’s just that she’s my cousin and her Mum died, she doesn’t have anyone else, so I want her to feel welcome here, so she can stay close to the family that she has left.” Tohru explained. “You are always thinking about someone else.” Shigure smiled. “I don’t see the problem with you bringing her here as long as these two behave.” “Us!? What about you?” Kyo asked. “I don’t go around starting fights with everyone I meet.” Shigure dismissed him. “No, you just flirt with them instead.” Yuki muttered as the three launched into an argument which had become common at the table only stopping when Kyo launched across the table at Shigure, almost knocking everything everywhere.

It was only a week later that Tohru arranged for you to come over for dinner, she had made a huge meal for you all to enjoy and hoped that you would be able to find a friend in Shigure who was closer to your age then she was. What she hadn’t expected was for Hatori and Ayame to be there as well, when she entered the house with you, she had expected Shigure, Kyo and Yuki but she was face with the other two as well, she didn’t mind but it seemed that you did. “When you said meet other people, I assumed they would be other girls, are you trying to get me a new friend or boyfriend?” You asked. “O-oh I wasn’t trying anything, I swear!” Tohru panicked as she waved her hands around. “Is everything okay Miss Honda?” Shigure called over as he caught sight of your hushed conversation. “Everything is fine, we just weren’t expecting such a large group.” Tohru answered nervously. “Oh don’t worry we’re harmless, I promise.” Shigure smiled, his eyes caught on the book tucked under your arm “you like to read?” “I am better at reading than making friends.” You explained. “Maybe that will change here.” Shigure shrugged, “My name is Shigure Sohma.” “(Y/N) Honda.” You answered. “Well this is going to be confusing if we have to call you both Miss Honda.” Shigure muttered his hand coming up to his chin as he talked. “You can just call me (Y/N).” You suggested “there’s no reason for all the formalities.” “Then in that case please call me Shigure.” He smiled as he turned to the other two that he had been sitting with “Those two are close friends of my Hatori Sohma and Ayame Sohma. There are two friends of Tohru, Kyo Sohma and Yuki Sohma.” “Wow, such a big family.” You observed. “Not as close as some may think but yes we are a big family.” Shigure nodded as he led you over to the other two where he offered you a seat “what did you do back home?” He asked. “I had odd jobs, mostly working from home, especially after mum got sick.” You answered. “What do you all do?” “I have a shop in town where I design clothes, you should stop by sometime, I’m sure I could make something you like.” Ayame declared, you smiled softly, he seemed nice. “I’m a Doctor though I primarily work for the Sohma family.” Hatori answered and you nodded. “Shigure?” You asked and he smiled as he looked at you. “I’m a writer.” He answered. “Writer?” You asked. “That’s right.” He nodded. “I don’t suppose that you’ve read anything from me.” “I have a large collection, it’s highly likely that your books are in there too.” You answered with a nod “I’ve never been good with names, even if they write some of my most loved novels… Sorry.” “No need to apologise, all I ask is that you enjoy the work that I put out.” Shigure smiled softly as the conversation continued for the rest of the evening.

By the end of the week you had decided that you would stay, you didn’t move there straight away instead taking some time to move everything that you needed to your new home and finally finding a job, with the small amount of money that your mother had left you, you were able to secure a place to stay without a job but you still needed one to live. It didn’t take long to get a job at a small bookstore, with your knowledge of books and opinions on the subject when asked. You became better with the names of the writers and had even read all of the books that Shigure had written and even some that he had recommended. You were in that very shop now, you were the only one working that day, it was a small shop but the woman who ran it was old and had no children to help her. You were shelving some of the new stock when the door opened “well don’t you look at home.” You recognised the voice as Shigure’s. “What are you doing here?” You asked. “I was actually looking for someone.” He answered, “I believe that her shift ends soon.” “Her shift does end soon but what could you possibly need with her?” you asked as you turned to glance at him. Since meeting him a few months ago, you had become good friends and often teased each other. He was a flirt but the distance he kept between the two of you gave you the impression that that was all it was flirting. “Well I was hoping that she would join me for dinner tonight.” He said as he leant against the counter of the small store. “Dinner?” You asked. “What’s the occasion?” “Nothing you need to worry about… Dinner?” He asked again as he watched you place the last of the books on the shelf ready for the next day. “Sure, let's go.” You nodded.

The next day you were in the shop as usual, it was a slow moving day but when your next customer came in you were glad of the fact “You. What’s your name?” She asked, she seemed to darken to the entire shop as her shadow stretched from her feet. “My name is (Y/N).” You answered. “You're the one he talks about, the one he sees.” She moved closer and you suddenly felt as if you weren’t safe. “The one who stole him from me!” You gripped the counter behind you as you tried to stand your ground, you hadn’t taken anyone, she definitely had the wrong person. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what you're talking about.” You tried to say but as you hands lifted in a sign of surrender she grabbed your wrist, grip tight as she pulled you closer. “He was always by my side, what is so special about you!?” If venom could be fashioned into words those would be the ones, almost as if she wished she could kill you with them. “Who?” You asked. “Akito! Let go of her!” Shigure. He was the one that she was talking about. “She stole you from me!” Akito yelled. “No you pushed me away, she had nothing to do with the way our relationship has progressed, now let go of her!” Shigure ordered. Akito yelled, sharp and dangerous before throwing you to the floor, the speed and angle that you fell caused a sharp pain in your wrist, you were even sure that you heard it break. “We’re going home.” Akito ordered. “No, you are going home, I am going to make sure that (Y/N) is okay.” He answered as he walked past her crouch near you, there was another growl before you heard her step retreat. “Can you move?” “Who was that?” You asked pushing yourself up on your good arm to get into a proper sitting position. “The head of the family, she’s been a vile person to know for a long time now, the rest of the family had pulled away from her long before now but I had no one to pull back.” He answered. “Come on, we have to get your wrist checked.”

The next morning your wrist had been casted and you were back at the store, you hadn’t spoken to Shigure and you didn’t expect to instead it was Hatori who came to see you on the first day. “I’m only here to check on you.” He promised. “How are you holding up?” “I’m fine.” You answered. “And your wrist?” He asked. “Those painkillers work wonders.” You answered. “You know that he never meant for this to happen.” Hatori finally said “he is sly and cunning but he would never have wanted you to get hurt.” “Doesn’t matter, he’s not here you are. He never wanted me anyway, your head of the family had it all wrong.” “Is that what you think?” Hatori asked. “You are very much like Tohru from what I hear. It doesn't run in the family.” “What are you talking about?” You asked. “Tohru told us about her mother and while I didn’t know yours it would see that they were both similar, it was why they clashed so much maybe.” He suggested. “Maybe.” You answered. “You are nothing like that, you would rather let go of what you want if it meant that he’d be safe.” Hatori answered. “Sometimes the best course of action is not to take action at all.” You explained the door to the shop opened signalling the arrival of another customer.

The next day Ayame was the one to come and see you “Now why are you hiding away in here dear?” Ayame asked. “I’m not hiding, this is my job.” You smiled as he walked over to the counter. “And yet I don’t see you anywhere else.” He argued as he leaned against the counter. “You should have been given half the confidence that the rest of your family seems to possess.” He sighed. “What are you talking about?” You asked. “If only either one of you were brave enough to take what you wanted.” He sighed. “He’s worse than usual without you around, more antagonistic and annoying.” “It’s been two days, he’ll be fine.” You answered. “Can you blame me for wanting to keep the rest of me intact.” “I guess not.” Ayame sighed “but this has nothing to do with keeping yourself intact, your family has never been good at self preservation, Tohru has shown us that.” “I’m not Tohru.” You reminded him. “(Y/N) what are you still doing here dear, you need to pack.” The old lady who runs the store Miss Okai said. “I told you I didn’t need the extra time.” You smiled at her “it’s only a trip back to my old town to see some old friends.” “Go, now child the quicker you leave the quicker you see them.” She smiled, pushing you towards the door “go”.

“Shigure!” Ayame yelled as he all but fell into the living room of the small house. “You have to stop her!” “Who?” Shigure asked his eyes moving to the man who was seemingly heaving breaths. “(Y/N)! The curse has been broken, you don’t have to worry about Akito, I know what happened but she’s leaving, she said that she’s going to see old friends.” Ayame explained. “What’s the problem with that?” Shigure asked. “Shigure she has no friends back home remember, if you let her leave now you might not see her again, are you really okay with that?” Ayame asked. “You should go and see her.” Tohru said from where she was in the kitchen. “She spoke to me today, she said that she would probably be gone for a while, that I could call her whenever I wanted but that she would be here.” “You're worried?” Shigure asked. “This was the first place that she’s belonged to for a long time and Akito made her doubt that.” Tohru answered “I’m worried that if we let her leave now, she’ll never find somewhere to settle again.”

You sat on the sofa bag packed in the corner, some of the things that you thought you might need on your travels, you had decided that you needed a break even if that meant leaving everyone behind for a while. Your train left in the morning so you had to wait until then even if you were given a half day at work. “They were right about you leaving.” Shigure, you hadn’t heard that voice for a few days and only now do you realise how much you miss it. “What does it matter to you?” You asked, you didn’t bother to ask how he had gotten in, you were sure that he’d side step the question. “You didn’t tell me that you were leaving.” He said as he walked towards you. “I wasn’t aware that I needed to.” You frowned. “They all think that you need me, I don’t think that's true.” Shigure said as he came to stand in front of you “it’s me that needs you.” “What?” You asked as he leaned forward, hands placed on either side of you keeping you pinned to the sofa. “I need you.” He answered, pressing a kiss to your temple “I want you.” Another to your cheek. “I love you.” the last a kiss on the lips, soft, tentative as he one of his hands came up around the back of your head to hold you in place, pressing harder now that you were pushing him away exploring more of you than anyone else ever had, his tongue swiping gently against your bottom lip asking for entrance only pulling away when you needed to breathe. “You love me?” You asked. “More than you could ever know.” He promised “for a long time I chased Akito but she never wanted me, not the way I wanted her and then you came along, innocent and unburdened, you got to know me as Shigure and I loved every moment of you, my best memories are the ones I share with you.” “Then we should make some more?” You suggested, it sounded like a question and he hated that. “We will make more, no matter who tries to stop us.” He promised his hand moving down to gently rest on the cast on your wrist. “We can still see the world if that is what you want but I won’t let you do it alone.” “I leave tomorrow.” You reminded him and he smiled as he flopped down in the seat next to you. “We leave tomorrow.” He smirked, pressing another kiss to your cheek, his hand playing with your hair and drawing you closer “and then once we come back we’ll show everyone that we are the best thing that ever happened to each other.”

Request Here!!

[cooltmoney95]

Don't mind me, just wanted to take a moment to fanboy over two of the most misunderstood main characters in fiction.

The fact that both Aang and Tohru faced hardship in their lives (Aang being a genocide survivor, and Tohru losing her parents while being treated as the black sheep amongst her blood relatives except her grandfather.). Yet both still choose to go on with life through love, compassion, and understanding is the kind of strength I wish I had.

[omnitheist27]

FULL EPISODE: Kevin 11 ⌚️ Ben 10 ⌚️ Cartoon Network

@the-ravenclaw-werewolf

Here are a few questions I would like to ask you about The 40′s reaction to this Ben 10 episode. (Take your time with this one)

How do you think The 40 would react to:

- Ben’s initial attempt to play the Pre-release version of the new Sumo Slammers video game by saying that he’s a “beta tester”, only for the security guard to be unconvinced.

- Ben obviously ignores his grandfather’s warning of using the Omnitrix to sneak into the room to play the video game only to lack the foresight that he’ll be caught if the security guard hears the noises coming from the room (which is what happened).

- Ben being unremorseful of the fact that he got him, his grandpa, and his cousin kicked out of the hotel by saying it’s “no big deal” despite losing possibly over $350 (under ¥50,000 according to the 2023 converter), since it was a 4-star hotel in New York; all because he wanted to play a video game that hasn’t been out yet. 

- Adding onto the above question; the fact that Ben tries to justify his misuse of the Omnitrix by stating that [he] used the watch for good over 100 times and why can’t he just use it for his own benefit for once, only for Grandpa Max to criticize that mindset; “it’s not about how many times you use it, it’s how you use it.” To my interpretation, Max was warning Ben of the dangers of developing a slippery slope regarding power misuse from the Omnitrix (e.g. like a person trying to limit themselves on the use of something addictive only to continually abuse it to the point there’s no more restraint).

- Ben being grounded by Grandpa Max from being allowed to enjoy any Super Slammer stuff for two weeks, with Ben calling out the unfairness of it only for Grandpa Max to retort that it’s also unfair that they got booted out of a 4-star hotel that he already paid for (especially with the implicitly of why they got booted out in the first place), with Ben giving a lame retort that Max should just take it out of his allowance (even he doesn’t get an allowance)

- Ben escalates the argument to the point where he lashes out by telling Grandpa Max that he can’t tell him what to do all the time since it’s his summer time to enjoy life and that he isn’t his father to both Grandpa Max and Gwen’s shock. Especially the reactions of the members of The 40 who suffer from parental abuse to where if they speak out of turn even just a little it’ll warrant big trouble (i.e. Nagisa, Zuko, Killua, etc.) and those who are estranged from their parents/grandparents and/or lack them (i.e. Edward, Senku, Legoshi, Tohru, etc.). (Also, given the majority of the characters being Japanese or the fantasy equivalent, “honor thy parent” is a huge deal along with having the utmost quiet respect for authority figures regardless of their true feelings in East Asian cultures)

- The obvious emotional hurt that Grandpa Max felt from Ben saying that he isn’t his dad (as seen where he’s stammering afterward that if he was his dad) and Ben being completely unrepentant of it because he only cared for his own feelings.

- Seeing Ben throwing a temper tantrum and having the gall to believe that he’s being unfairly punished by his grandfather for simply wanting to play a video game while conveniently forgetting that 1) he ignored the security guard’s warning that he isn’t allowed to play and Grandpa Max’s warning to not sneak in to play the videogame and misuse the Omnitrix for an illegal activity, 2) got him, his grandfather, and cousin kick out of the 4-star hotel that Max had already paid for (and it’s definitely a lot given it’s for a one night stay at a 4-star hotel in New York), and 3) finally straight-up tells his grandfather that he isn’t his dad in a fit of rage despite Grandpa Max being his paternal grandfather and his current legal guardian during the summer trip. 

- Seeing Ben then blowing off to the arcade while telling Gwen that he “doesn’t speak dweeb” when she tries to stop him, while Ben and Gwen do have their typical squabbles, that moment should be considered mean-spirited after the argument.

- After witnessing Ben’s horrible behavior during and after the argument and then him taking off to the point that some members of The 40 would lose their patience and seriously considering harming a 10-year-old.

- Ben meeting Kevin Levin for the first time and The 40 getting a bad vibe of him, especially when the latter displays his powers by forcing an arcade machine to spill out tokens.

- Seeing Ben getting his ass knocked down by one of the gangsters when the latter tries to defend Kevin, despite his lashing out at Grandpa Max not long before.

- Learning of Kevin’s description of his powers to absorb energy (from anything) and dish it back out when he has to...or wants to.

- Seeing Kevin living on his own in an abandoned subway station hearing Kevin’s blasé attitude explaining to Ben that his parents were long gone as they weren’t too thrilled to have a freak for a son, and his adding that that means he doesn’t have to answer to anybody. And Ben’s reply that it sounds good to him. 

- Thinking that while Kevin being a bit smarter than he lets on and easy-going behavior in regards to his parental abandonment despite being 11-years-old can be chalk up to a form of psychological defense mechanism, The 40 would still think that there might be more to the backstory what Kevin revealed to Ben, either willing, unwilling, or a combination of both as his sociopathic tendencies are seen later in the episode.

- Seeing Ben and Kevin bond over not wanting to listen to authority figures and the obvious toxicity of enabling each other’s worse aspects. Leading to...

- Seeing Ben and Kevin sneaking into a warehouse at night and trying to steal the new Sumo Slammers video game only to have to run when security comes knocking

- Seeing Kevin getting suspiciously focused on the Omitrix after hearing Ben’s mention of it “sending out a special energy” upon activation, and him immediately proposing a partnership of doing crime together with Ben happily accepting.

- Watching the scene goes to Grandpa Max and Gwen seeing how much Ben is going to be in for it with Max being very pissed at Ben’s worst stunt yet and Gwen telling herself that she should be enjoying Ben’s upcoming misfortune with their Grandpa but can’t bring herself to.

- Seeing Kevin and Ben’s first stint as partners-in-crime by causing a train collision to steal money, only for Ben to point out that 100 innocent people will die with Kevin nonchalantly replying, “No pain, no gain”.

- Seeing Kevin making it clear that he won’t reconsider his plan and Ben coming to an epiphany of his own selfishness and trying to stop Kevin one way or another.

- Seeing Kevin getting the drop on Heatblast and absorbing the Omnitrix’s energy and turning into a half-Pyronite hybrid and him declaring his motive of making anyone who called him a freak pay.

- Seeing Kevin absorbing Four-Arms DNA and becoming a 3/4 Tetramand hybrid, with him and Ben fighting evenly for a while.

- Four-Arms nearly timing out and unleashing a brutal beatdown on Tetramand Kevin which causes the latter to start “crying uncle” despite enjoying the brawl between them beforehand.

- Seeing Tetramand Kevin gets surprisingly remorseful from the power high and when Ben tries to help him, Kevin reveals that he was faking his remorse and calling out Ben for naivete while trying to pry the Omnitrix off only for the watch to send a feedback loop to defend itself.

- Seeing Ben genuinely apologizes to Grandpa Max for everything that happened in the episode and the latter solemnly accepting it as they’re family and nothing will ever change that. Though Grandpa Max does tell Ben that his trust is something he has to earn back, which Ben quietly accepts as again, he did go too far with him stating that Grandpa Max isn’t his dad and did commit a crime with Kevin by trying to steal the new Sumo Slammers video game.

- Seeing Kevin plotting his revenge story and showcasing that he did absorb the 10 alien DNA from the Omnitrix.

- On a side note, the absurdity of the Sumo Slammers videogame being so important to the point that a security guard has the Tennyson Family banned from the hotel due to Ben sneaking in to play it without a pass and warranted a SWAT team in response to Kevin and Ben breaking into a warehouse to steal a few pre-release copies.

[tinysnailtales]

Thoughts from reading Yona of the Dawn Ch. 4

Ch.4 in summary: the symbolic end of childhood, the (Yona, Hak, Soo-Won) trio backstory, and the history of Yona's loneliness and circle of support

The child left behind.

"Please don't cry, father. Mother's gone, but I'm still here"

When one parent is lost, the burden can fall especially hard on the child as the surviving parent relies on them and/or grows absent. In a way, the loss of one parent is the loss of both.

"You're not alone" – a BIG THEME for the story.

"I need to stay cheerful so my father doesn't cry"

I usually do the The Apothecary Diaries connection, but surprise! Here I'm calling on Fruits Basket and Tohru with how Yona must be there and behave a certain way for her father's benefit like how Tohru did for her mother after her father died.

"You're not alone. And...I have Soo-Won with me" – Yona has Soo-Won as a friend and a support and she has Hak, which we are repeatedly shown but Yona never seems to address (at least not yet or when looking at the past). Could it be she's simply taking him for granted? Has him as such a staple that he isn't noteworthy or "special"? I take it she doesn't realize how important he is to her yet. These two, both in denial in some regard.

"That's amazing, Hak! You cheered Yona right up" – no notes, just genuinely hilarious. And shows off that Yona-Hak dynamic we've come to know. The teasing and comfort.

"Where's my father?" "His majesty is extremely busy. He only just ascended the throne, remember." – poor Yona :( She tries to be there for her father, but feels a bit abandoned by him.

But! If King Il only recently ascended the throne and his wife recently died...is it possible that Soo-Won's father is behind Yona's mother's death?

Even in this memory/flashback, all is not well and there's a lot happening in the background that young Yona probably doesn't understand. This is ultimately a feel-good memory, but Yona is missing the full picture as she focuses on her personal relationships and trauma (not that I blame her).

Yona, Soo-Won, and Hak really are a trio of best friends.

"Lately I've been holding Yona's hand while we sleep, so this is just like normal" "You do that? I think I should leave. I'm in the way." "What?! All three of us should hold hands!" – Hak is already feeling some jealousy and his "I'm in the way" is very much the outline of his future approach to the Yona and Soo-Won situation. And Soo-Won's obliviousness to the lines being drawn within their group is also very telling.

Soo-Won is doing all this and expects us to believe that the way he acted with Hak and Yona was all a lie. Look at those hearts. He is a lil bean excited by everything.

"I didn't know he was your grandfather." "I'm an orphan. Grandpa and I aren't actually related." – Soo-Won didn't know about Hak's connections and status, these things didn't really matter to these kids. Only Hak already feels like he isn't "really" the heir to the Wind Tribe. He feels unworthy and like an outsider.

"But...Mundok came to see you. He must really love you, huh?" – yes, you tell him Yona! She is of course hurting on the inside because her father hasn't come to see her, but this is also a sweet moment between her and Hak. Don't let him be such a grump resigned to feeling unworthy!

Soo-Won's love and admiration for his father just pours out of him. He also admires Mundok and his strength, showing what Soo-Won values in a person and what he will try to emulate.

"Uncle Yu-Hon...he's so tough and stern. He's nothing like Soo-Won at all" – or so it seems, for now.

"Yon-Hi was determined to come too...But in her condition, it would be dangerous for her to fall ill, so I made her stay home" – what's up with Soo-Won's mom? Is she pregnant? What happened to her? Soo-Won (in present day) seems like he doesn't really have anyone.

"You mustn't make your mother worry. I want you to slaughter this sickness as soon as possible" – strength is valued above all else by Soo-Won's father too. It seems he is probably hard on his son too, at least having high expectations of him.

"It hurts so much, father...Don't abandon me."

Little Yona is a reflection of current Yona (and vice-versa) – in moments of hurt, she retreats into herself, becoming distant and depressed. She doesn't eat or take care of herself, as if life (or her life specifically) is not worth living/doesn't matter.

"Yeah...I'm sorry. I'm, sorry for thinking I was all alone."

More emphasis on Yona having Hak and Soo-Won– they're her people (along with her father, but he is not there for her as much).

But King Il does say Yona gets lonely when Hak (and Soo-Won) aren't there, and it's true��what does she do when they're gone? Loneliness is still a big part of her life. I said she lives for snatches of moments with Soo-Won, but moments with Soo-Won and Hak light up her life and drive her forward (though infatuated Yona seems to forget about the Hak of it all).

I wonder how Yona's loneliness shifts when Hak becomes her personal guard and is a more permanent fixture.

"Your father is the king. He's doing his job even at a time like this. I admire that." – Hak's words are to cheer Yona up, but I think he also demonstrates true admiration for duty.

Yona joyfully eating the terrible food her father made her really exemplifies how much she values acts of care from other people.

I said back in chapter 1 that Yona hasn't really thought of the future much beyond wanting to be with Soo-Won– she's not really ambitious or caught up in who she could be or what she could do, she's happy living for those small moments and the people she loves. She wants to love and be loved in return. She knows she's the princess in terms of the lifestyle she's gotten used to, but she hasn't considered the implications of being a princess– at least she hadn't until her father brought up that her position might put the ones she loves in danger.

I love the look exchanged by Hak and Soo-Won, expressing their mutual care for Yona.

A stab to the heart!

"I wish we could all sleep next to each other forever and ever, even if it meant having that cold" – and this from Soo-Won! At this point, he too had simple desires.

"We don't have to be sick. Staying together...is pretty simple." "You're right. Soo-Won...Hak...let's play again tomorrow. Let's play forever and ever..." –I love Hak being the one to point out that they can just choose to stay together and here we basically get a promise of that, an expression of the intention to remain close forever. Ouch.

Now that childhood and that promise is forever tainted. Yona (and Soo-Won and Hak) will never get it back.

I wonder if his father's death is what tainted it for Soo-Won and changed his heart. And now with the death of her father, Yona is forced to experience the same.

Soo-Won threw all of this, the love and the friendship, away. And basically ruined it for all of them, but I feel it isn't just his fault. Whatever we're missing from the story of King Il and his brother will shed some light on this.

It's sad that now even happy memories must be viewed through this new lens. Yona can't think of Soo-Won or her father without feeling the weight of what happened.

The pain continues when Yona wakes from her memory-dream-nightmare to find Hak gone. Her facial expressions are such a journey! From panic to relief at seeing Hak to feeling the full weight of sadness and grief as reality sets in.

She had her father, Soo-Won, and Hak, but now Hak is all she has left.

"The three of us...always used to gaze up at the sky together. That sky is nowhere to be see now." 💔

What was and the future that could have been are gone. And Soo-Won isn't unaffected, even if he pretends to be. He remembers it all too.

The symbolic end of childhood.

Soo-Won lets Hak and Yona go. "You're going to let them live?"

"Now that they've left the palace, there's nothing they can do to us. Anyway...we've got more important things to do." – In spite of everything, Soo-Won still cares for them but hides his affection behind practical justifications.

Our broken trio. Three different expressions.

Soo-Won is angry and determined to follow the path he has set on. Yona is lost and sad. And interestingly, Hak still looks to the sky.

Does he think of Soo-Won?

[antimonyantigone]

Grief, Re-Membering

My dad died in 2021 and my mother is still struggling with grief a lot. Last night, I introduced her to the idea of "re-membering" which is a very active method of grief, and I want to talk about it. Unfortunately, "re-membering" has the worst search engine optimization of all time and there is not so much about it, but I also think it is one of the most natural and helpful grief practices that you see spread across world cultures.

Re-membering is the practice of including the deceased in your life. In a certain view, it's like micro-dosing a little bit of insanity to make the rest of your life easier. It doesn't come from remembering as in memory, but re-membering as, "to make a member of your family or community again".

The general idea, as I understand it, is that grief is complicated not only because a person has died but primarily because your relationship had changed. Re-membering is about fostering the relationship with a person who is no longer there (which feels...well, crazy sometimes).

Despite the way it sounds strange, it shows up in our culture and media all the time. The examples that come to mind for me include...

"Pouring one out" - The practice of pouring a drink, usually alcoholic or symbolic in some way, out onto the ground in memory of a deceased loved one. Also done for living people who are absent for important events. This is bringing the deceased back into the night out, or into your dinner party.

Talking aloud to the deceased, by greetings or goodbyes - There is a wonderful example of this in Encanto, where Mirabel says good morning to a portrait of her deceased grandfather, who she has never met. He's dead, she knows that, but he is still a family member to her, and she tells him good morning and puts him in her routine! This is like, top tier re-membering practices.

Traditions that involve having a meal or a celebration at a gravesite are also classic re-membering. This is seen in Day of the Dead, and it's also seen in several scenes in Fruits Basket where Tohru has meals with her friends at her mother's gravesite. (Tohru also practices this morning greeting re-membering that is in Encanto.)

Setting places at dinner table for the deceased, even if you put no food there.

Getting Christmas ornaments (or similar decor, etc) that the deceased would like, or reminds you of them, etc.

Reading books the deceased loved or that you had previously read together. Ghost time book club, baby.

Doing these, or similar things, with intention is effective and it is a little bit like compartmentalizing things. You decide to feel sad, or remember a person, so that you won't get caught by surprise by grief gremlins later in the day. For me, it also makes running into things that remind me of my dad, or seeing people who look eerily like him all of a sudden, much easier. And it feels like, natural. It might not fit the the bootstrap time-heals-all and you'll get over it school of thought, but I think it works well.

Anyway...that's uh, re-membering.

[the-sage-libriomancer]

i've had dysfunctional Honda family on the brain lately, and i got to thinking about Katsuya's sister—better known as Tohru's bitchy aunt who had no respect for Tohru's boundries and treated her like shit. she and Tohru's cousins are set up as an inconsequential first boss, out of Tohru's life and the story halfway through the first act, and then she's barely in the series ever again. canon-wise there's not really much to be said about her: she's a shrill, selfish woman who's basically a Japanese Karen. there isn't anything more to her character, and in the context of the story there doesn't need to be.

but i just got to thinking—what was she like as a kid? what was it like for her growing up, when she had a strict and uncompromising father, a mother who died when she was a teen/young adult, and an older brother who grew up frustrated and repressed?

Tohru's grandfather said that he and Katsuya were always struggling, with Katsuya striving to meet his father's unfair expectations and Tohru's grandfather (who henceforth is going to be called Toshiro bc i can't keep typing out "Tohru's grandfather") unwilling to accept that his son wasn't the person Toshiro wanted him to be. imagine having to live in a house where your older brother and your father are always fighting, where your brother slowly becomes a different person over the years and your father won't stop pointing out everything that's "wrong" with your brother.

(i think it's also important to note that the story takes place approximately from 1999-2001, which means Toshiro is very firmly from the war generation. that almost certainly influenced his values and approach to life, from the sharp focus on education to how he expected "good etiquette" from his children. and i dunno—not to drag a far bigger can of worms into the mix, but i think there is something to be said about how horrific worldwide cruelty deflates into systematic national cruelty which trickles down into mundane societal cruelty that somehow becomes "just the way things are", which feeds nicely into the series' themes of generational trauma and how people come to normalize abuse.)

we don't know much about the Hondas' domestic life, but we do know this: Toshiro was unhappy with his kids and his kids were unhappy with their father. then the mother died and Toshiro lost what was probably his strongest connection to both of them. Katsuya and Toshiro didn't really get along until after Kyoko came into their lives, which was probably a good several years later. meanwhile, we don't know anything about Toshiro's relationship with his daughter, but clearly there isn't the same kind of bad blood between them as there was Katsuya and Toshiro.

and it's just. Katsuya's sister. his younger sister, the one who grew up beside him. a woman who married a faceless (but respectable) man, who has enough money to take vacations and hire private detectives and completely renovate houses, who looks down on Kyoko and can't stop judging her own brother's child for being raised by an ex-delinquent.

do you ever think about it? how the unnamed sister spent her formulative years in a house that was never at peace. her father was proud and stubborn, clearly not willing to deal with anything other than what HE thought was right. her mother likely tried to play peacekeeper, because that's often what the wife is reduced to in a fight between family members, and who knows what her relationships with her kids were like in the face of that. her brother started out as someone like Tohru, but slowly became a different person as their father's expectations pressured him into walling off entire parts of himself. she constantly heard her father talk derisively about Katsuya for being less than his ideal (maybe even to Katsuya's face). and she clearly comes from a high-status family who have no qualms with being assholes toward "unsavory" family members, if the flashbacks to Katsuya's funeral are anything to go by. every time she met with family—aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins, in-laws, what have you—she was reminded that you had to marry the right sort of person or you would be openly sneered at, receive no help or support, and be virtually disowned.

do you ever think about how she probably absorbed her father's ideas of an acceptable life because that's all she ever learned to value? how she took cues from her other family members and crafted a respectable persona that they would all approve of? that she possibly dotes on her family and supports her son's dream because she never got any of that love and acceptance for herself? her life is one of a stereotypical upper-middle-class suburban housewife, the kind who's obsessed with status and appearances to the point of becoming a shallow, cruel miniboss in a story about far worse cruelties and far less shallow motivations.

listen. listen. Tohru's aunt is an annoying person but also one that's easy to read. she felt "uneasy" around Kyoko. she wanted her son to succeed in life. she judged Tohru—a sweet girl who had literally never done anything of suspicion in her entire life—solely because of Tohru's parentage. she loved her father. she thought her father would support her in deriding the "distasteful" member of the family and she was wrong. she lost her mother at a young age. she refused to see Kyoko as worthy of respect. she thought Tohru was a delinquent like Kyoko who was shacking up with three strange men, but she still called to inform Tohru of Toshiro's illness and offered to go to the parent-teacher's conference with Tohru. her own father called her and her children "nasty by nature." she is a product of her childhood and also a deeply unpleasant person because she never chooses to extend compassion or kindness to others, much less any inklings of good faith.

and it all drives me a little nuts because Tohru's aunt is decidedly a minor character, and i don't think much thought was put into her characterization or backstory—she's the shitty judgmental family member who's there to be a roadblock for Tohru, and that's it. but the nuggets of information we get on Katsuya's past also creates a path for his sister's backstory, one that points to a quietly dysfunctional family, high pressure to be an acceptable member of society, and other unfortunate circumstances that led her aunt to becoming such a shallow, hardhearted person.

anyway. dysfunctional Honda family is very interesting.

[yell0wsalt]

A Rice Ball in A Fruits Basket

The ‘fun game’ played out right in front of me and I waited for rice ball to be called. I waited and waited… after all a rice ball could never be part of a fruits basket.

The kid teasing her as a kid had NO reason to specifically call Tohru a rice ball. Could’ve been anything else, but rice balls become a recurring metaphor in the show.

They look so plain on the front but when turned around they actually have their own unique flavors and shapes. Much like people. It’s so easy to see the winning qualities on other people while ignoring the ones you may have.

Beginning episodes of the show in particular drive the message you shouldn’t strive to be like others and instead realize, embrace and grow into your own strengths.

Although it came off as more of a gag, I kind of liked Tohru’s grandfather calling her Kyoko. 

Tohru and her mother look NOTHING alike. She looks a lot more like her dad and she takes to his mannerism more (a trauma response, but that’s a whole other matter)

So why does her grandfather do that? Maybe he sees through that wall she’s put up and naturally finds a lot more of Kyoko in her than Tohru’s willing to admit as she’s still handling her trauma in her own way.

But it’s okay to get discouraged or to be selfish every once in a while

This was probably one of the first episodes Tohru expressed both of those things. Discouragement that she didn’t fit in with her extended family and couldn’t logically fit in with the Sohma’s.

How did she express selfishness? By being open and honest with what she wanted. To stay with the Sohma family. She couldn’t call the place where her extended family lived “home,” but the Sohmas? the term “home” came naturally to her.

She found a place where she felt accepted.

An aside: I can’t get over the teacher allowing that kid to call Tohru a rice ball knowing damn well that’s not how the game works.

[kitkatt0430]

Tohru's grandfather says something about wanting to see her parents smiling again - wanting to go see them - gives Tohru trauma flashbacks. To when her mom got suicidal after her dad's death.

Whoops, grandpa totally didn't mean to do that.

Kyo finds her and cheers her up though :D

[petri808]

Just a quick ficlet for kyoru week 2023 cause I wanted to write something.

8/22 home movies @kyoruweekofficial

It’s more of a kyoru family story. Idk the idea is cute to me lol

“Hey mom, watcha doin’?” The six-year-old questions.

The woman stops wiping the shelf. “Oh, just tidying up.”

“What’s those?” The child points to a set of DVD jackets. “Movies?”

“Sort of, they’re home movies. You know, like when we record videos on our camera? These are of events we like to keep.”

“Can we watch one?”

“Sure. Why don’t you pick?” The child picks a random disc and hands it to their mom. “Oh, this is of my graduation,” the woman reminisces as she pops it into the Blue-Ray player.

They curl up on the couch as the video rolls with mom narrating for the little girl. The video was taken when she graduated from high school and her parents held a big party at the Sohma compound. Many were there, like uncle Mutsuki and his parents uncle Yuki and aunt Machi, uncle Hatsu and aunt Rin with daughters Sora and Riku, even uncle Shiki came considering he wasn’t fond of parties. Of course, aunty Akito and uncle Shigure had to attend as the heads of the clan, but it was nice to see them since they rarely left the compound anymore. She names off the relatives as they appear on camera, often pausing to answer questions because the little girl has never met many of the older generations that have passed on.

“Who’s that next to you and papa Hajime,” the child points at the elderly couple who are standing next to her grandfather.

“That’s grandpa’s parents. They’re your great-grandparents, grandma Tohru and grandpa Kyo.”

“Oh, they look so old, but so cute still holding hands.”

The woman chuckles, “well, they are in their 80s.” She sighs, “I wish you could’ve met them. You look a little like grandma Tohru when she was a young girl.” A bit of moisture clouds her vision as she reminisces. “Lets’ see, grandma passed away about 8 years after this, and your grandpa followed a year later. My parents believed with his heart gone, grandpa didn’t have the will to keep living.”

“That’s impossible,” the child looks up at her mom with concern, “how can a heart just disappear from,” she points to her chest.

“No, not like that.” The woman laughs. “They’re talking about your great-grandmother. Grandma Tohru was his heart. Great-grandpa loved her more than anything else in this world because she saved him from the Sohma monster.”

The child turns to look at her mom again, this time with an indignant glare. “Mom,” she crosses her arms. “A monster, seriously? Monster’s aren’t real so that makes no sense.”

Before responding, the woman pauses the video and pulls her daughter onto her lap. “Have I ever told you the story of the zodiac?” The child shakes her head no. “Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes!” The little girl bounces in excitement.

The mom moves her back to the couch, gets up and goes to another room. She comes back in a couple minutes holding an old wooden box and sits back down next to her daughter. She then opens the lid to show the child the little animal figurines inside, worn with age, but still discernible for what they represent. But there was one odd piece in the box.

“Mom, why’s there a wooden rice ball with a bunch of animals?”

“I’m glad you asked,” the mom talks as she pulls out the figurines of the rice ball and an orange cat, placing it in the little girls cupped hands. “These represent your grandma Tohru,” she points to the rice ball, “and grandpa Kyo,” she points to the cat. “The rest of the animals make up the zodiac.”

The child gives her a mom a confused look which gains a chuckle from her mother.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be explained in the story.” The woman takes the figurines from her daughter, puts them back in the box, and puts the box aside. “Now where should I begin?” She thinks for a moment. “A very long time ago, there was a god…”

[kris-creations]

Part 2

Season 3 Ep 6: Chapter 107, 109, & 114

• Haru thinks he would’ve left Rin if Kureno didn’t tell him to go.

• Rin not caring how long it’ll take the curse to break.

• A glimpse of someone berating Tohru. (It’s later revealed to be Manabe)

• Tohru silently begs Kyo not to leave like her mom.

• The value of Rin’s “scribbles”.

• Kagura and Rin’s fight.

• Tohru knocked out and waking up to Kyo.

• Tohru’s 1st attempt to confess.

• Kyo’s sperm donor being a jerk as usual.

• Tohru’s grandfather admitted calling her “Kyoko” was for his own selfishness.

PART 1

PART 3

PART 4