#while appreciating the manga as another world that could grow out of some very small initial changes
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gofancyninjaworld · 3 years ago
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What grows is...emptiness
I keep thinking. Following on from this meta on what the differences in Tatsumaki's character in the webcomic and the manga enabled in each work, I started to think who might save webcomic!Tatsumaki. She cuts such a sad figure in chapter 129, having kept herself safe and ably dispatched the monster but brought no good to anyone hoping she'd save the day.
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a hero, but not as generally defined. If you wanted your day saved, sorry.
The normal reaction of any fan (myself included) is to look to the hero of the story, Saitama, but the Saitama of the webcomic is the same guy who barely noticed his disciple's growing distress -- until he was cast into an impossible-to-ignore situation.
Every scene is crucial
One of the necessary artifices in fiction is that you must never put anything into the story that is not crucial. It doesn't need to be important to the plot necessarily, it doesn't have to be a life-or-death decision, but it needs to contribute something. Even casual interactions can serve to add atmosphere, flesh out characters, build relationships, all of which will come to matter in time.
The lack of repeated interactions is a big part of what gives the webcomic its incredible bleakness. It's a place where no one seems to be able to talk to one another. The manga has characters able to listen a tiny bit more and who can stand to come across each other a few more times. Not by much -- folks are very stubborn and twisted in the manga too -- but like a past-due loan, it has compounded.
Fubuki and Tatsumaki sometimes doing stuff in the manga isn't a nice extra. It's sisters who have built enough trust in one another to be able to reach out to each other when darkness falls on them.
The Saitama in the webcomic isn't just a more distant character. He's also one who has NEVER GIVEN KING PERMISSION TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER. Why would King? They don't hang out that way. The nearest the two of them get to speaking honestly comes when Saitama tells King to stop snivelling and do something about his situation already. To King's credit, he seems to be doing just that, but it looks like Saitama's lost a gaming buddy.
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King in the manga has been able to challenge Saitama's attitudes and comportment as a friend. He's been able to prompt Saitama to not just feel a sense of mild disquiet as to how Genos is but to act on it. He's the one who prodded Saitama out of seeing his disciple as a mere victim of circumstance and into seeing him as a fellow hero.
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...a conversation that literally cannot happen in the webcomic, at least not without some major development
King couldn't have done any of that without having interacted as much as he has with Saitama. He couldn't have done so either if he weren't roped into so many of Saitama and Genos's shenanigans. They've all made a difference in how he sees them and what he's willing to say to and for them.
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...true, he wanted to avoid Saitama's awkward questions, but King also appreciates that Genos won't speak for himself and so took it upon himself to do so
Come to that, if Saitama and Genos had hung out only as much as they did in the webcomic (i.e. hardly ever), there'd be neither point nor basis for King to speak up.
None of the 'extra' stuff in the manga has been wasted: it's the literal mortar out of which meaningful human relationships are built. Murata has not spent thousands of hours slinging ink on the page for fun. He and ONE have not sweated whether every panel is truly contributing to the story in vain. The organic developments in the world and in the characters and the complex interactions between characters are built on the 'extras'.
You shouldn't read a criticism of the webcomic in what I've just said. ONE is going all-in with the webcomic, exploring the emptiness that grows between characters as they never quite look each other in the eye. It's sharp, sparse, funny, tragic, and fascinating in equal measure.
Anyway, to come back to Tatsumaki. The last we saw her, she was off on her solo mission of justice and retribution, which will most probably rid the world of a horrible set of villains but is unlikely to bring her any peace.
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she looks so pensive in this scene -- I hope she'll be okay
Who the hell can reach her still-shrivelling soul? It seems like she'll have to find a way to save herself. Still, this is One-Punch Man, and this is Saitama we're talking about. Finding solutions to impossible problems is his bread and butter. In a world as bleak as this one, it feels like a miraculous act of grace when he does come through.
As I check daily in the hopes of a webcomic update, you'd best believe I'm here for it too!
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watevermelon · 4 years ago
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Just Enough | Diluc (Genshin) x Traveler!Reader
✧ Summary: Between freeing Dvalin and pursuing the Geo Archon, you were constantly moving forward to find your brother with hardly a second to look back. You were in a rush to find your lost sibling, not realizing how your heart had stopped in Mondstadt. Visiting the city while waiting for things to die down after Rex Lapis’ death, you return to a… jealous Diluc?
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➳ Spoilers for the Dark Knight Hero quest and some of the manga background ➳ Notes: lots of fluff, slight angst and jealousy, character development, mutual pining at one point, a long one-shot that covers the (1.0) beginning of the Liyue story  ➳ Navigation
---xXxXxXxXxXx---
If he had only asked you to stay.
To say that these past few weeks were a blur would be a severe understatement. For months you were simply a lost wanderer, traveling from world to world for any sort of clue that could lead you to your brother.
And in just a matter of weeks you were suddenly Mondstadt’s hero.
From bringing peace to Dvalin’s heart to meeting Mondstadt’s infamous Dark-knight hero, you were familiarizing yourself with a people and a place for a world you knew you did not belong to. Learning of the history of the Seven Archons, the Gods’ of contracts or of freedoms, suddenly you were being thrust into it all at once.
You shared the burden of knowledge with a few of Mondstadt’s elite, the true God of Freedom walking in plain sight to the citizens of his nation. And with him, were the quick allies you found side-by-side when fighting a dragon. 
It was all happening so suddenly and Lord Barbatos himself was giving you directions to the next country over, to continue on your journey in meeting all seven Archons to Liyue. 
To this day, you could fondly recall your final celebration in Mondstadt.
“To think that despite his small stature he can drink so much.” Kaeya commented from his seat at the table, eyes slid in the direction of Venti at the bar next to you. You could see the impatient stare behind Diluc’s eyes, not at all happy that their God was indulging himself so freely.
“Honorary Knight, Mondstadt thanks you for your service.” Jean formally stated, for the nth time since Dvalin had been freed.
“I’m just glad I was at the right place at the right time.” You answered back, offering a placating smile in return.
“Humility doesn’t pay for dinner!” Paimon hmphed next to you.
“But aren’t we at a feast now?” You countered, gesturing to the table. 
She sighed again before moving to get a taste of some of the honey roasted ham. “Fine, don’t blame me when we have to settle into that poor excuse of a tent!���
“Please, do not feel you are in any rush to leave.” Jean offered, “You are welcome lodgings at our Favonius Headquarters.”
“With the other Knights of Favonius?” Diluc asked, face completely blank if not for the small upward tilt of his left brow.
Kaeya flirted with you from across the room, uncaring of the other partygoers, “You could always stay with me.”
You laughed lightly and responded, “That’s a hard pass.”
The Cavalry Captain simply shrugged, offering it to you again if you changed your mind before grabbing another glass of wine and walking with Jean toward the busy table.
Barbara was trying different dishes and offering some to her older sister, spouting descriptions with medicinal purposes and flavors that compliment one another. Lisa was no better as Amber egged both of them on, completely sober as she continued to feast on the food laid before her. Other Knights of Favonius that you recognized were scattered about, enjoying the first truly peaceful night in the past few weeks.
“You are welcome to stay at the Dawn Winery, while you look for your brother.”
He relished in the sight of your smile.
“Thank you, Diluc.”
That was three months ago.
And since then you had been thrown into more of not your business but suddenly IS your business, business.
You remembered your last day before setting off from Mondstadt. The Knights of Favonius would surely call on you again and so you had quick goodbyes with Jean and Kaeya the day before. Venti was saved for last, a somewhat light-hearted and yet somber goodbye as he was the first and last person for you to see in Mondstadt. 
But Diluc… How could you even start that conversation?
He was the lone wolf with a prickly reputation and an even worse sense of patience. You remembered the first time you even spoke to him, clipped words meant to get straight to the point. Not to mention that he was the first person to antagonize Kaeya, who was one of the few people you kinda trusted in the beginning.
It was not until the side adventures, the little quests you did one-on-one that you realized how much more there was to the edgelord that was Diluc. 
Of course, he was still the strict type to focus solely on the mission. 
But you realized more about why Diluc had come to be this way. 
‘The uncrowned king of Mondstadt.’
As you worked together against the possible abyss invasion of Mondstadt, you poured over strategies and testing of his slime potion. And while slimes were not the hardest enemies to fight, he still complimented you on your form and appreciated your quick style with the sword.
You had a unique style, unlike Kaeya or anyone else of this world.
“Elegant, but deadly.”
You took that as a compliment.
And little by little Diluc opened up to you, cluing you into his personal history. 
He and Kaeya were step-brothers, growing up together at the Dawn Winery. How he knew Jean since he was child and once served as her superior in the very organization he now despised. How he still has things to protect, to avenge. And while his description about what happened to his father was nothing more than a quiet stare, you were still grateful that he was entrusting you into his world.
You remembered Kaeya’s words as he discovered Diluc’s nighttime secret:
“I’m glad you’re working with an assistant.”
Kaeya’s tone may have come out scathing, but you knew better. Kaeya and Diluc used to be close, close enough to entrust their lives with one another. There was no doubt that Kaeya still cared about his brother, but with Diluc pushing everyone away….
Again, you were so appreciative that he chose to let you in.
When Kaeya finally left the bar, you turned to Diluc with a smile. “I think my work tonight earned me at least one glass of wine?”
That broke a small smile on his face, not the slight tilt on the sides or the wistful, far off look he got when he recalled something beyond your knowledge.
“Alright.” He waved over a nearby waitress, all of the customers tonight employees of the Dawn Winery. “Let’s take this up to the balcony, I’m going to close up anyway.”
“Oh?” Paimon’s squeaky tone somehow went up another octave in curiosity, “I just remembered I have to ask Venti something! Why don’t you two enjoy your date alone.”
She flew away before you could swat at her for her teasing words, blush apparent on your face. Diluc kept his flat face as he maneuvered things behind the bar, wiping at something before putting something in the below cabinet. 
To your surprise, he handed you a bottle and two glasses, motioning with his head toward the second floor. Charles was among some of the ‘customers’ tonight, taking his usual spot behind the bar as Diluc stepped out.
You followed him wordlessly, walking up the steps and out the second-floor door closely behind him. He pulled out a wooden chair next to the table outside, you taking the seat underneath the stars as he plopped down alongside you.
“I thought the stars here in the city would get overcrowded by the lights.” You admitted, “But they’re beautiful even here.”
“Yeah, they are.” Diluc agreed, making you smile before turning to him.
“You’re not even looking at the stars.”
The pyro-user simply smirked, before looking up at the starry sky with you. You relished in the moment, glad to have some time alone with Diluc. Many had commented that the winery owner was so elusive, missing from the bar weeks at a time and unseen within the city walls. And yet here he was, enjoying the crisp air and a glass of wine with you.
“Thank you.” You started.
“Shouldn’t you be demanding thanks from me?” Diluc asked.
You laughed lightly, “Yeah, cause I’m sure that the abyss mage would have totally kicked your ass without me.”
Diluc had that slightly amused expression on, looking a bit more light-hearted as he turned to you with a slight tilt at the corner of his lips.
You continued, “I mean, thanks for entrusting me with your secret.”
Diluc paused, looking you straight in the eyes, probably to gauge your honesty. And he would concede that there was nothing else there. You wanted to be his friend, the first in a long time to have approached him without your own agenda regarding either the winery or his fortune.
In return, he poured you a glass of wine and replied, “You’ve long earned it.”
“Thank you, Diluc.” You took the glass and felt your heart flutter at the brush of his fingers. “I’m glad I got to know you.”
“I’m glad you’re in my life too.”
He shot you another one of his genuine, millisecond smiles before pouring some from the bottle for himself. 
“Wine and not grape juice today?”
But he did not answer, instead eyes latching onto the rise of goosebumps on your arms. You could not help it against the crisp Mondstadt air, naturally feeling a chill at this time of night. Without a word, he shrugged off his outer coat, the thick black one he wore at almost all times of day, and rested it casually on your shoulders.
You muttered a small thanks as you snuggled into it. Diluc’s iconic dark coat, a complete contrast to yourself. While you wore a white dress with open sleeves and plenty of skin, Diluc wore black covering most of his body with the exception of his neck and face. Seeing it on your shoulders only reminded you of that fact.
“Don’t need you getting sick anytime soon.” Diluc stated plainly, as he returned to his seat.
You huddled into it more and replied, “Aw, Diluc cares.” Again, you were rewarded with another flat expression. “Or rather, if the events of today are to show anything, you’ve always cared. Just in your own, protective way.”
He slung an arm across the back of your seat, leaning closer before stating in a low voice. “Don’t forget that.”
Your eyes snapped to his, the both of you basically sharing the same breath in your close proximity. His scarlet eyes, usually a searing color when on the battlefield, looked surprisingly tender only inches from yours.
“You mean so much to me, Diluc.” You whispered back, afraid that anything above a whisper would punctuate this amorous atmosphere.
He slowly dragged his face alongside yours, stopping beside your ear and continuing in his low voice. “So do you.”
There was no stopping the shiver of anticipation that crawled up your spine.
You could feel the small smirk grow against your skin before he pulled off and grazed his lips against your forehead.
The expression on your face was practically begging him to kiss you. From the small lean in your side against his arm slung around you to the way your eyes slowly fluttered closed, it took all of his self-control to stop himself before he pulled you closer. He wanted nothing more than to grasp you by the back of your neck, relish in the way you melt against him. To kiss you now and tomorrow and maybe even the morning after at the winery.
Diluc had to remind himself that in less than a week you were going to be long gone.
He did not want to ruin this memory a week from now, asking what if and why. And so he settled on a simple kiss above your brow before leaning back in his seat, enjoying the moment he had with you tonight.
You were disappointed, but actually not surprised. It was a feat in itself that you were so close to Diluc in this short amount of time, it would do no good in pressuring him into anything else. But also, another more rational part of you, had to remind yourself that getting attached to the people of this world would only make it hurt more when you had to return home.
This was for the better.
But no matter how much rational thought Diluc used to push you away, you were sure that you had already fallen for him. From the small interactions with Diluc, you could barely recognize the moment that you were completely enamored with him. It was not during the first time you saw him fight or even the night he leant you his jacket. No, you feared it was much before then.
To think you had gotten attached to Diluc in such a short amount of time.
But then you had to say goodbye.
“Safe travels.” Diluc stated from behind the bar when he saw you enter on your last day.
You were not sure what you expected, a drawn out goodbye or a fore longed hug, but Diluc was still, well. He was still Diluc. And to see him re-erecting his walls before you left for your journey was a sad thought, but needed while the two of you were hundreds of miles away from one another.
But you would regret it if you didn’t say anything.
Instead you settled on, “I’ll miss you.”
The hopeful look in your eyes spelled out exactly what you wanted to hear back.
Diluc instead replied, “You fight good.”
“Oh. Um.” The hesitation was clear in your voice.
Was this really how you were going to leave things?
But with Diluc turning his attention back to the wine glass he was previously wiping, yes. It seemed that this was exactly how he wanted to leave it. Paimon scoffed, but said her own goodbyes before flying away.
“Goodbye, Diluc.”
Outside the tavern, you let your frown grow at that interaction. After everything you had been through together, Diluc complimented you on your fighting? Then said peace out?
“That was really lame.” Paimon commented aloud as she floated alongside you. You could not help but internally agree, but you had a whole journey ahead of you. At least the busyness of Liyue would keep you busy from dwelling on that conversation.
But as you said goodbye to Venti, the both of you stood in silence under the giant tree staring at the city. You thought about going back three times, to get a proper goodbye out of Diluc. But doing so would do neither of you any good, since it would only open more issues.
“No more questions about the other Archons?” Venti asked, voice surprisingly serious.
“Can’t think of anything.”
“None even of a certain… winery owner?” You could almost hear the smile in his voice.
You rolled your eyes and responded, “You’re such a little shit.”
“Hehe.”
You both continued to stare at the city, the marvels of its people and history within its high walls. To think Barbatos and Dvalin were finally free, because of your otherworldly intervention. Venti was truly thankful for you, and while he knew his words were on the more mischievous side, he knew that you understood.
Venti’s voice permeated the air. “Be safe in Liyue.”
You smiled back and offered him a tight hug, replying. “As always.”
To think that the same day that you stepped into Liyue, Rex Lapis was murdered before your very eyes. It was like the Gods actually hated you, having to rely on a Fatui to run away from the government officials hot on your trail.
Since then you had been working with Zhongli to prepare for a parting ceremony. From running around for certain types of Jade materials to singing to flowers, you were happy to take a second to yourself at all. You were afraid that trouncing around Liyue with a bounty on your head would do you no good and often stayed in the wild areas. Visits to the city were for necessities only, which often left you relying on the ever so truthful Childe or the mora-averse Zhongli.
More than three months after your initial departure to Liyue, you stepped back into the walls of Mondstadt’s bustling city, a commission nearby and you figured you were safe simply due to your reputation under the Knights of Favonius.
Venti was the last face you saw and the first face that greeted you, beckoning to join him for lunch. With your final commission of the day finished, you joined him with a smile and ordered some honey roasted ham.
You recounted some of the news to Venti, meeting many of the adeptus and how out of touch they seemed with the region. You described Zhongli from the funeral parlor who always felt like he knew more and played a higher part in Liyue (and you inwardly noted how Venti’s eyes lit up in recognition at the name). And also, Childe the Fatui Harbinger that had you on edge. 
“You’re hanging out with a harbinger?” Venti asked.
“Uh oh.” Paimon reacted.
“Well.” You remembered your last encounter with Signora. “It’s complicated.”
Venti paused before sighing, “Is he cute?”
“That’s not why!” You huffed back instantly.
“So he is cute!”
“And rich!” Paimon added, joining in on the teasing.
“Not the issue here.” You stated, “He saved me from the Millelith and helped me get into contact with the adepti.”
Venti’s mischievous smile from the earlier teasing turned blank, as if he was fully ingesting your words. “... Why would he do that?”
“Huh?”
But Venti quickly recovered, waving away the question and urging you to move past it. “Just thinking out loud, continue. What happened after?”
And so you recalled everything from then. How the soldiers followed you all the way up the mountain and how you had to defend yourself from people that were supposed to be on the same side as you. 
How there was someone out there with the strength to take down a God.
Venti laughed at you for like, twenty minutes.
After his laughter subsided, he held a hand over his stomach and asked. “They think you killed Rex Lapis?”
He took another look at your pouting face and laughed again.
It only made you scowl further. “I’m glad you think my supposed war crimes are so funny.”
“I think I’m missing the punchline again.” Paimon added.
“Hehe. You’ll be fine.” Venti shot back his mischievous smile, “Besides, I’m sure you’re looking forward to laying low here with a certain… someone here.”
You paused and put your fork back down, “What are you trying to say?”
“Well, the Dawn Winery is throwing a festival tonight.” Venti stated clearly, “Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“Wait, really?”
The mischievous light was back in Venti’s eyes, “I’m sure the winds of fate have brought you here purely on coincidence.”
You sighed and turned to him fully. “You trying to fight, old man?”
“Hehe.” His signature giggle, one you found almost endearing, was undoubtedly mocking you. “We should go together later.”
And true to his word, somehow you found yourself with the Anemo Archon heading over to the bar. To think that it was Venti who introduced you here and now he was bringing you along again.
That is, if you even had a chance to make it inside at this rate.
The area was packed to the brim, all the seats outside in front and on the side of the building already taken. There was a line out the door, many hopeful young women with gleaming eyes trying to get a one-on-one conversation with the current barkeep and owner.
You peered into the open door and saw Diluc and Charles behind the bar, the red-head adorned with his usual flat-expression. It was the first time in months since you had seen him, but he looked exactly as the day you had left. Still the same colored wardrobe and prickly atmosphere, Diluc was still, Diluc.
What did not help was the ever growing line of flirty men and women trying to vye for his attention.
It only seemed to further nail the pit in your stomach.
Was this… jealousy?
You didn’t dwell on the thought for long.
Instead, you considered for a single-second if you should just turn tail now, but Venti must have seen your hesitation and grabbed you by the arm to walk inside. Dozens of eyes followed you on the way in, many people recognizing you as the young hero of Mondstadt and honorary knight of Favonius.
The crowd was surprisingly less inside, but knowing Diluc he probably would have tried to corral everyone to the outdoor areas. Venti continued to lead you towards a table in the back and you saw a familiar red-bowed Outrider.
“I didn’t even know you were going to be here today!” She greeted you excitedly. 
“Tone-Deaf Bard here convinced us to stay the night.” Paimon replied.
“Oh?” Her voice lifted in a tone that only spelled trouble, “No matter, I’m glad to see you in one piece.”
“I’m assuming you’ve heard.”
Amber stretched in her seat and lowered her voice, smile turning to a smirk. “Well, I won’t confirm anything. But my suspicions are that the blonde person the Knights were pursuing for stealing the Holy Lyre may be the same blonde person running from the Millelith.”
“What a crazy theory.” Paimon responded as she cleared her throat.
“At least it’s just a theory, right?” Amber replied. “Anyway, we’ll hold the seats. Do you mind going up to the bar to order?”
Paimon chimed up as she floated down into the wooden seat, “Yeah, you should go.”
You barely had a second to object before Venti agreed and was motioning for you to go back to the bar. If not for their eager stares at you, you would have rolled your eyes at how obvious they were being.
“Fine, fine. I’m going.” You stated aloud, getting up from the seat you inhabited for at most ten minutes. 
Turning towards the bar, you took in a deep breath to collect your thoughts. To think you fought the Wolf of the North and Oceanid with more courage - it was just Diluc.
“Long time no see.” You greeted, trying to sound extremely casual. “Bottle of wine for one of your favorite people?”
Diluc looked at you for a quick second, then back down to the bar, then rapidly snapping back up to you in surprise. “Hey. Of course.”
Unsure what to say, you responded back with a simple, “Thank you.”
“Didn’t know you’d be in town today.”
“It was all coincidence. Venti told me about your event tonight.” You mentioned, motioning behind you to the table where the three of them were waiting. Amber waggled her eyebrows in response and you turned back to Diluc in embarrassment.
But he was looking at you the entire time. “For a war criminal, you look well.”
“Ugh, not you too.”
“Ironic how you delinquents always return here while hiding it out.” Diluc did not answer, instead openly teasing you.
Honestly, it was a little ironic that you and Venti ran here after stealing the Holy Lyre, just to end up back here while the Millelith were on the hunt for you.
Instead you replied, “They didn’t release any names.”
“Right, it’s probably some other sword-wielding blonde with white clothes and access to the Anemo vision.”
“Obviously.”
To think you were so involved in Teyvat's politics. An otherworldly being with no prior connections to the people or nations was somehow involved with the highest ranking people of every country you’ve stumbled into.
Everyone from the Dvalin team knew about your primary objectives: to find your brother and regain your full power through the seven Archons. And when news of Rex Lapis’ death reached Mondstadt, Diluc could almost physically feel the dread in his heart that something had happened to you. And when the Millelith released their man-hunt of your exact profile, there was no doubt that you were involved. 
To see you standing before him, in association with an Archon of all people, it was like a breath of fresh air on his heart. You were here in the tavern, fine and even enjoying the night. 
A large part of him wanted to ask about your journey, what was it that had you on the run again? But with the growing line out the door, he knew he barely had time to keep this conversation going.
So instead, Diluc grabbed glasses and a bottle of wine from beneath the bar and asked, “Spare a few minutes for me later?”
You nodded quietly, handing him the necessary Mora before returning back to the table.
Amber did not pull her punches, “So, you guys dating yet?”
You almost dropped the bottle, but Venti was quick even through his laughter.
“Yeah and I’m the Archon of Snezhnaya.” Paimon replied sarcastically.
“Shut up.” You pouted, “It was just nice to see each other after all this time.”
“Oh so you had a good conversation? Did he ask you to stay after? Are you going to stay the night? Did he offer for you to stay at the Dawn Winery?” Amber spit out question after question, not a sense of patience or tact in her words.
Venti was still laughing like the Archon of assholes he was.
While they prodded through their multiple questions, you tried to wave them away to another conversation topic. If Amber was prodding you like this, you could only imagine that the other Knights, such as Kaeya and Jean, were also aware of your strange relationship.
Amber tried to push it a bit more, but you were able to spin the conversation to ask what the others were up to. It was interesting to hear about the little tasks in Mondstadt, small commissions that the Knights take care of in the city as well as guarding the areas further out into the country.
And while you hated to drift off with them sitting right in front of you, your mind often wandered toward the red-head behind the bar. Diluc had personally asked you to stay back later, undoubtedly to speak to you about something one-on-one. Would it be cowardly if you left early? Would the others notice if you tried to make a break for it at one point?
Again, it seemed as if Venti was capable of reading your mind, lightly calling you to attention and putting a casual hand on the back of your chair.
He was not letting you get away from this.
Venti even shifted the conversation to you, asking about Liyue and the local adventures you had while in the city. Unable to ignore the direct questions, you told them about the stories of the people you met so far and the strange events you seemed to be dragged into.
“Wait, start over.” Amber cut into your most recent story about a ship just outside of the Liyue city. ”You just glided down onto the Pearl Galley?”
You paused then replied, “Well. I mean the ship was just sitting there outside the harbor and I was curious.”
“And so you boarded a luxury ship without an invitation?”
“Yeah, so?” Paimon answered with a question, genuinely confused.
“And yet you wonder how you keep getting involved in all these crazy schemes.” Amber answered ambiguously.
“Well, eventually I did get an invitation.”
“But after you were already on the ship.” Amber pointed out. “How did you even glide that far out?”
“I climbed to the top of the nearby mountain and then just dropped down.”
“Wow.”
“Is it really a surprise?” Venti commented, “She doesn’t even follow the proper stairs here in the city. Don’t think we don’t see you climbing over every wall here in Mondstadt.”
“You’re such a weirdo.” Amber sighed with a smile, “You’re lucky we love you so much.”
You continued on with your stories, some in the city and others within hidden temples deep in the wilderness, puzzles and timed traps masking treasures you sought to find. Amber and Venti listened on in rapt attention, asking questions here and there and even teasing you about your constant climbing.
You hadn’t even noticed how the bar patrons were starting to slowly thin out.
The night with Venti and Amber was such a refreshing feeling compared to the nights you spent staring up silently at the night sky, only Paimon at your side. It was nice to hear and speak to other people, to not be on the run and always looking over your shoulder.
Feeling a light tap on the side, you turned to see Diluc standing at attention.
“Hey.” He greeted you again.
“We were just on our way out!” Amber exclaimed, standing instantly with Venti not far behind her. “Mondstadt’s star Outrider has to be up bright and early tomorrow.”
“Which is why you’re both leaving…?” You asked.
“It’s my duty to ensure the safety of the city and we said we were going to discuss something.” Venti answered ambiguously.
You crossed your arms, “Discuss what?”
“The— !” Amber paused, “The thing. You know, with the stuff at the Seven Winds Temple.”
“Right! Let’s get going.” Venti turned to Paimon at the last second, “I think this will interest you.”
Paimon winked at you before turning to Diluc, ”Right, the stuff!”
Diluc motioned you to follow him and so, once again, you found yourself following behind the Pyro-user out the second-floor balcony. However, instead of sitting at the table, you learned against the railing while Diluc stood to the side.
“Wasn't expecting you to be gone for so long.” Diluc started with a flat voice.
You turned to him with a slight grimace. “I’m sorry, I ended up getting caught in something important back in Liyue.”
More important than him.
The implication was quiet in the back of Diluc’s mind.
But that would always be the case. To think that the first person in years to open up his shell was someone who could only be in his life temporarily. You intrigued him to the high heavens - the strange mix of both pride and humility as you fought and carried yourself. You were strong, but merciful. Kind, but a purveyor of your own brand of justice.
It had been a while since he met someone with such genuine reservations as you.
But your time together was already ticking down, from your time in Mondstadt to your time in his world. You were looking for your brother and who knew if he was even in Tyvat currently? It would be unfair to be bitter towards you. And so he resolved long ago to simply cherish the moments you had together.
So instead of snapping back, Diluc teased you.
“I’m sure. I’ve heard of your extensive… wanted days.”
You sighed aloud, “How did the news travel here so fast?”
Diluc smirked, “First Barbatos and now Rex Lapis? What kind of luck do you have?”
“The worst kind.”
Of course, there was something he wanted to learn more about. After he had caught wind from Katheryn in Liyue, Diluc still wanted to be informed about your current situation. To think that you were in close association with one of the high Fatui Harbingers after Signora personally attacked you, it was almost like you were openly inviting trouble.
It also did not help that many of the gossip mills included how attractive this particular Fatui was.
He goes by the alias of ‘Childe.’ Young, but deadly!
A Fatui, but doesn’t wear his mask - for good reason! He’s quite the looker.
I wouldn’t mind if he impaled me somewhere. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Needless to say, his sources did not alleviate his worries.
Of all people? A Fatui was one of your close associates in Liyue? A party of him wanted to snarl, the thought a worse downgrade from the Knights of Favonius. At least he knew Kaeya would do you no harm; he doubted the same could be said about Childe.
Archons, why did he care so much?
Diluc told himself multiple times that your abrupt parting was necessary to keep himself from getting too attached to you. But it hardly mattered when he was worrying this much anyway in spite of that.
Fuck, why did he just let you walk away like that?
Diluc was not going to make the same mistake.
He turned to you and asked, “Like the Fatui kind?”
You sighed, “Believe me, I don’t like it either.”
“And yet somehow here we are.”
“It’s complicated, okay?”
“When is it not with you?” Diluc asked, more hypothetically. And while from anyone else, it may have felt offensive, you could tell from his tone that it was just a tired sigh.
“Tell me about your journey.” He continued.
“What?” You answered with a question, genuinely surprised. “It’s a long story, not all that interesting.”
Diluc took a step forward, taking the spot next to you against the rail as your shoulders touched. “I want to hear it from you.”
You couldn’t help but smile, “Okay.”
And so you recounted your journey to find the Geo Archon, how the adepti set up strange puzzles and at some point you swore you were pulled into a teacup that somehow contained a full domain.
There were also other missions on the side, other things you would do to collect Mora or materials if you were going to get any stronger. Some of them made sense — doing deliveries, clearing abyss camps, and other mercenary like duties. Other instances, not so much.
“Only you would accept a commission from a ghost.” Diluc teased as you recounted the treasure in the mines.
“In my defense, I didn’t think he was a ghost at first.”
“Right. Nothing suspicious at all about a transparent old man in the middle of an abandoned village.”
“I was reading the poster he was showing!”
“And when did you realize he was a ghost?”
“... After I met three other ghosts.”
Diluc cracked a smile at that, only making you pout more. You had adjusted your postures overtime, standing against with rails to your backs as you faced the tavern.
“He paid me good Mora!” 
“How…?” Diluc thought about it before waving it off, “Forget it. I don’t want to know.”
You laughed back before you saw the lights inside the tavern switch off, complete darkness in the windows as the remaining employees packed up and went home. 
“Oh wow, I hadn’t even realized how long we were out here.” You admitted, “I’m sorry I took up so much of your time.”
“Don’t apologize. I wanted to spend this time with you.”
“Still, it’s already late.”
“You’re right. Where were you and Paimon going to spend the night?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” You admitted, “Venti convinced us to stay, but I don’t even know where he is.”
Diluc pushed off the railing to stand facing you, “You could stay the night at the winery. We can retrieve Paimon tomorrow.”
What game was he playing? Your disappointing departure with Diluc cutting you off and now he was asking for your time and space back into his life? You hated that he pushed you away just to pull you back in at his convenience. And while you understood his personality tended to keep people at a distance, you had your own limits as to what you could withstand. 
“... Diluc, what are you doing?”
“You’ll have to be more clear.”
You closed your eyes, trying to gather your thoughts and hamper down on your rising temper. “Come on, why are you being so nice to me?”
He stared at you expectedly, blank eyes urging you to continue.
It only served to make you more angry.
“Diluc, when I left you hardly blinked. And now that I’m here, after months of us not talking, you want me to spend the night?”
“I told you before how much you meant to Mondstadt.”
To Mondstadt? Not even to himself personally? 
You decided it was better to confront him cleanly asking, “Why didn’t you kiss me that night we were drinking here?”
Diluc paused, not a single hint of surprise on his face as you addressed the situation head-on. “Why should I have?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t feel it. There was something between us.” You scoffed.
He noticed your use of past tense.
“Does it honestly matter? You would’ve left anyway, I saved us both the trouble.”
You visibly recoiled in response. “Is that what this is about? I have to go to Liyue and the other counties, Diluc. I have to find my brother.”
“I know that.” Diluc cut in, before you got the wrong idea. “You don’t think I’m acutely aware of that fact? The fact that this is my home and not yours. That one day you’ll find your brother and I’ll never see you again?”
“Wait.”
“Believe me, I know better than anyone that you’re off to find your brother. And I’ll help you in any way that I can.” Diluc continued, not heeding your confused attempts to stop him. “But let’s not pretend like I was anything more than a stepping stone in your journey.”
“That’s not true!”
“Oh?” Diluc’s tone was almost challenging,  “It’s not? So once the dust is settled, if I asked you to stay here with me, would I be enough?”
You stuttered over your words, “I --”
“I don’t want to hear your excuse because we both know the answer.” He cut you off, “I was trying to save myself from that before it happened.”
“Will you let me speak, you idiot!?” Your voice cut through the silent evening air.
Diluc paused, standing a good ten feet away from you and looking angrier than you’d ever seen. But he did, thankfully, stop talking.
“Is it crazy to think that I feel the same way about you?”
“What?”
“Diluc, I’m just me!” You answered, “I have nothing to my name but an objective to find my brother — if he’s even alive at this point. I need to try and I need to continue on this path…”
He crossed his arms, but stayed quiet as he listened. 
“But just because I have so much ahead of me, that doesn’t I don’t care about where I’ve already seen.” You took a few steps toward Diluc as you spoke, “You mean so much to me and I wouldn’t ever want to throw that away.”
“You won’t have a choice if you have to leave this world.”
“If!” You pointed out, “Diluc you’re so worried about the future, about me walking away from you forever, but it doesn’t have to be this way.”
“And suddenly there’s an alternative?”
“There’s always been one, you idiot! You just never bothered to actually talk to me.” You put your hands on his chest, the light material of his dark clothes underneath your palms. “I would’ve tried. If you asked me to make this work, to come back to you at the winery back then, I would’ve done it.”
Diluc closed his eyes, taking in your words as his hands snaked down to your wrists.
“Don’t give me empty promises.”
“I mean it!” You defended, “You aren’t just another person, Diluc. I—“
He opened his eyes then, reflecting back to you as hopeful and curious. “You…?”
“I care about you more than you know.” You settled on, still unsure about the extent of your feelings. “Why are you giving up on us before even starting?”
You stared right back at Diluc, his silence paramount to the inner turmoil you were sure he was going through. From his late father to the betrayal from the Knights, there were plenty of reasons why Diluc was so hesitant to connect with other people.
But you’d be damned if you didn’t try.
Your hands felt heavy against his chest. Despite your small demeanor and even smaller palms, the weight of your hands seemed to play seesaw between his heart and mind. He had logical reasons to keep you at a distance, but here you were trying to carve your way through back to him.
It had been a long time since he cared about anyone like this. And Diluc could not even recall the last time he wanted to sorely kiss someone at all. But how could he not want to now? You stared up at him, eyes blazing with determination as you tried to convey your feelings.
“You mean so much to me.” Diluc stated after a few silent minutes, “Let’s make this work.”
The smile you shot him was wide and radiant, a private blessing that only he was gifted tonight. He wrapped his arms around your waist, eager to feel more of you — to envelop you in his arms and keep you within them tonight. 
One hand strayed upward, carding itself in your hair and pulling you closer until both your eyes fluttered closed. The soft skin of your lips slotted against his, an endearing frenzy to give one another tender pecks. You could not help the happy mewl that escaped your lips as Diluc licked against the crease of your skin.
Moaning aloud to his tender touch, Diluc was eager to explore every inch of your wet cavern. There was no battle of tongues, simply moving in tandem as Diluc dominated the kiss. You tried to maneuver to give him more access, but with your height difference it was the best you could do.
Diluc lifted one of your legs, wrapping it around his waist and lightly tapping the other to do the same. Eyes clouded with lust, you did as instructed and quickly felt the soft thump behind you, the wall of the tavern helping hold you upright.
You fell more and more into the passionate lip lock, pushing to match his intensity as Diluc connected you in one of the most intimate ways possible. One hand was still in your hair while the other continued its scandalized trail downward.
You prayed to Barbatos that nobody heard you outside the tavern.
The both of you would later attribute this impassioned frenzy due to the prolonged time apart and mutual pining (culminating in a mistake outside on the balcony, twice inside the bar, and the rest of the night back at the winery).
For the first time, you enjoyed the morning sun streaming in through the windows, a lazy arm strung across your waist as you snuggled in the chest of the man you were growing to love.
Diluc woke long before you, hand threading through your hair silently as he resolved to remember this moment. You kissed at the naked skin of his chest twice before nuzzling him, feeling the light arm pull you closer.
“Good morning.” You started, voice muffled against his skin.
But you would have never expected Diluc to be so affectionate.
He kissed the top of your head, murmuring in a low tone. “Good morning, my love.”
Nothing about your relationship was perfect. You still fought and cried like every other couple. But you both knew that what you had was real, willing to fight for it no matter the obstacles that came with the future.
It did not matter that Tyvat was not your home.
Wherever Diluc was, that was where you’d return.
---xXxXxXxXxXx---
Extra: “What if they end up fighting?” Amber asked the other two as they walked down a side-street of the city.
“Then we’ll find out the moment it breaks out. Trust me.” Paimon replied. After all, your Anemo power would only serve to make any fire larger.
“They’ve both been in that pining puppy phase for so long, I doubt it’ll come down to that.” Venti added.
“500 Mora says they’ll be dating by the end of this week.” Amber bet.
“1,000 that they’ll be together by tonight!” Paimon countered.
“10,000 that they’ll be joined in every way by tonight.” Venti added, the mischievous tone not missed by either woman.
“You tone-deaf bard!” Paimon exclaimed as she slapped her hands over her red cheeks. “The traveler is more dignified than that!”
Amber had a hand on her chin, “Dating? Probably. But more than that…?”
Venti held out a hand to both, vying for both to shake one and accept the bet.
Nothing, but a couple of suckers. 
Amber grumbled once when she heard the news, but otherwise excitedly congratulated you two on finally accepting your feelings. Paimon’s whine could probably be heard in a fifteen mile radius and Venti’s proud smile didn’t help either — accepting the easiest twenty thousand Mora he ever made. 
And, just to gode the tiny guide a little more, Venti turned to Paimon in the middle of her complaining rant. 
“Hehe.”
---xXxXxXxXxXx---
A/N:
The festival idea comes from Diluc’s story 1: “The winery holds festivities from time to time. These events are routinely attended by enthusiastic fathers, eager to introduce their wonderful daughters to the young and single winery master.”
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thejustmaiden · 3 years ago
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So out of nowhere I was tagged and quoted by a SR shipper for a blog of mine posted in August of last year. Talk about throwback but, hey, gotta appreciate that level of snooping. 😉
Back in the day I actually used to encourage discourse amongst Inuyasha fans- both shippers and antis alike- but I've since realized that it's a lost cause. But for you, @feministmetalgreymon , I'll grant this exception. Just 'cause it's been a while so why the hell not. haha
I want to assure you, however, that nothing you say will ever convince me that Sesshomaru and Rin are meant to be together romantically or that the story intended it so. Nor will you find any validation here. You can ship them for all I care, but please for all that is good and holy while I have your attention try- I mean really try- to understand why it is so many of us Inuyasha fans are so against this pairing in the first place (newsflash: it's not about ship wars), and why we believe a romance between the two of them is completely and utterly out of character.
For those of you interested in reading this, the blog of mine in question that the above shipper mentions in their counter-argument is here for reference. It's titled "Jaken = Rin's Dad?" I'm going to try and keep this short, but I'm also making no such promises. After all, I'm not exactly known for my brevity. haha Now let's get crackin'!
Like you, feministmetalgreymon, did for your recent blog here where you took screenshots of mine to address certain parts, I will be doing the same and dissecting yours accordingly.
[Snippet 1]
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I worked with kids for many years as a teacher, and many people in my family have too or still do. Two of them happen to be just over 5 feet which is quite short for the average adult woman living here. I've also worked alongside many a women of short stature, and never did I hear any of them complaining of issues with their students having difficulty differentiating them from their own peers just because they were short as well. I'm sorry but that's just ridiculous. Kids are quite smart and pick up on a lot more than you seem to give them credit for. Height is not the only characteristic they look at to determine who's an adult and who's not, and it's foolish to suggest otherwise. So unless you're a babysitter who's still in their teens and/or who has very childlike features or behavior then I'm afraid what you're getting at is total hogwash. This is just another example of how you shippers offer nothing of real substance to your reasoning, it's only ever cherry-picking or strawmanning from you guys. Stop deflecting from the real issues please, because this certainly isn't one and only winds up being a complete waste of time for all parties involved.
[Snippet 2]
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Okay, calm down now. I wasn't insinuating that relationships between parents and children can't change over time in terms of how they get along. Of course that's possible, as all families experience their fair share of estrangement and abuse. What I was speaking about was in reference to the overall dynamic between the two. Because a bad mother or father can still be viewed as a parental figure to their child even if say they're not in said child's life anymore. Since Sesshomaru and Rin share a healthy bond- and just a friendly reminder that in my blog I even said that he doesn't have to necessarily be labeled her father but that a romantic relationship later would still be inappropriate- I didn't deem it necessary to address what you brought up. Plus, it kinda, umm, misses the point?? Please, let's stay on topic. And it's not captured in the screenshot, but stop acting like there isn't a small part of them that idolizes their parents at some point during childhood. Just like you mention later on how it's normal for kids to have innocent crushes on adults that they eventually grow out of? Well, guess what, the same concept applies here. Kids eventually learn that their parents are far from perfect and make mistakes too. Rin is so damn young in the OG series though that we never even get to see her reach that maturity level.
[Snippet 3]
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LOL! Alright, okay, so the "unbreakable bond" bit you're mentioning was actually me quoting you sessrinners. Did you not catch that? I literally spelled it out. *sigh* The whole point I was making is that shippers like yourself make hypocritical and contradictory statements all.the.goddamn.time. One moment you guys claim that Sesshomaru and Rin were essentially strangers and meant very little to each other, only to say in the same breath a few seconds later that they were destined to be together and their bond is like no other. I agree, their bond is special, but why must that mean they're going to fall in love?
That is the root of the matter here. Too many animes/mangas have romanticized this older adult man & young girl growing up falling in love trope that it's become way too normalized and widely accepted across the world- and yes, in some cultures more than others. Sadly, you lack the awareness to recognize how this all works. You know how we know that? When we see that you shippers are so desensitized to sexualized images of girls in the media that you share posts like this one below which *subtly* imply a future romance although one half of that pairing is still just a child in the pic and then try and pass it off as cute. That's like super fucking problematic and it scares me that you can't see that (or deny you do). 🤢
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After all that's said and done, Sesshomaru leaving Rin in the village with Kaede is to me the strongest indicator more than pretty much anything else he's done for Rin that proves he is her adoptive father. It's so funny to me how you somehow see the exact opposite though. 🤔 What I think is happening is that you got yourself on some squeaky clean ass shipper goggles fresh out of your little echo chamber. Because I hate to tell you, but what you're fantasizing is what you want to see and not what's actually there on screen or was written into the story. I'm strictly talking about Inuyasha and the manga of course. [For the TL; DR version skip to the last paragraph.]
Parents looking after their kids is what parents are supposed to do. A good parent will do anything to keep their child safe and ensure they are cared for, so what he did for her by leaving her there was in her best interests clearly. Besides, as a babysitter, you more than most people should understand that parents aren't always able to be there for their kids so sometimes others gotta step in to help. Haven't you heard of the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child?" Which in Rin's case is literally true! 😂 Sometimes kids are even sent off to stay with grandparents and that's who raises them instead. Or maybe they have to temporarily live with an aunt or uncle because their single parent's job requires they work out of town 4-5 days of the week so they're hardly home. But that doesn't mean that the parents care or love their kids any less, and it's foolish to assume that Sesshomaru must have thought very little of Rin simply due to the fact that he made the decision to leave her in the village. Come on, y'all are acting like he abandoned her there!!
It's just given the circumstances Sesshomaru finally came to learn that Rin traveling with him was no longer safe. I also like to think it's because he wished for her to live a more normal life and to learn how to fully trust humans again. Plus, continuing to travel with him as young as she was would have proven dangerous and unwise. Now for you to know all this and still manage to turn his past actions towards her while she was just a child into a romantic gesture is what boggles my mind. Regardless of how you look at it, from my perspective or your own, Sesshomaru is in the wrong. Either he's a father figure who impregnates his daughter at the young age of approximately 14. OR he's this man she used to travel with who maybe isn't a father to her but who nonetheless basically rapes her since kids her age can't consent to sex with an adult. Idk about you but it sounds to me like nobody here wins with either scenario we're given. In other words, you should be just as mad as we are. If only one side didn't choose to forsake their morals they know we both have in common for the sake of a ship. Welp. 🤷‍♀️
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I agree, incest is disgusting but that's not the only problem we have with this pairing. A romantic bond forming between Sesshomaru and Rin would also constitute as grooming.
You realize that over the years he visited her in the village that he brought her gifts too and essentially watched her grow up right before his very eyes, right? I mean, I know you do, but I really shouldn't have to explain further why pursuing a romantic/sexual relationship with each other is plain and simple wrong. And before you say it's not because he didn't have any malintent, please understand that considering their history and power dynamic up to then that yes this is still considered grooming even if Rin supposedly "wanted it" or "made the first move." Whether you consider him her father or not, as the adult who took on a role resembling that of a caretaker in her early life- a critical developmental time for a child- Sesshomaru is obligated to turn down any advances by Rin and most definitely should not initiate any himself. As the first close adult figure she's had in her life since her parents died, it's unfathomable to imagine how Sesshomaru could go through with taking advantage of this young girl who was under his care and supervision since they met. To think he could be capable of betraying that trust sickens me to the core.
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This. Now THIS is how a parent/guardian or a similar adult caretaker (babysitter, teacher, etc.) talks to a child. And, in turn, this is how some young children talk to adults. You'd be insane and delusional to deny it! We see it in our everyday lives, do we not? From where else do you think our stories draw most of their inspiration? Yes, obviously these fictional universes have aspects of fantasy that don't exist in the real world, but so how then do you suppose we're able to relate to them? The reason for that being is because these stories are written by people for people, so naturally there are going to be real life aspects embedded throughout. Sure, a little escapism doesn't hurt as we don't need to take everything so seriously, but ultimately we all need to recognize that the messages in the stories we tell matter. Most stories possess a combination of both light and dark themes, but when it specifically comes to the latter we gotta be careful with how we tackle this in children's media since kids are far more impressionable.
So if at the center of a story we have two of the main protagonists whose mom is basically their same age and to top it off she knew their dad when she was just a girl and who just so happened to help raise her, wouldn't you say that's beyond fucked up or at the very least so fucking weird? Like why would we think it's even remotely okay for our children to watch this garbage?? Really think about it. Try and be objective for once and think about how it would sound explaining this storyline to an outsider who's never watched IY or HNY. Well, antis have tried this before many times and we always get the same reaction: Ewww!
Like I said earlier, if you wanna ship it then fine, but 1) please stop seeking our approval or trying to change our minds - your ship wish came true didn't it, so why do you need us to validate it? 2) even though it's not canon, respect that we don't support this sequel portraying pedophilia in a positive light. It's harmful af to not only allow but glorify the continuation of sexualized images of young girls everywhere. And I shouldn't have to say this, but just because this trope is popular as you say does not make it right. Lolicon themes in the media have been an issue forever and it needs to stop. Yes, even some people in Japan or "the East" would agree. Shocker!
We're pissed off and rightfully so because Yashahime's TV rating is 14, not to mention it airs at the prime time kids in Japan watch TV after getting home from school. That's Towa and Setsuna's age, true, but if Rin being the mom when she's like only a year older than them (please don't argue w/ me about the math- antis have so far been right every time with it) is straight-up disgusting and not something we should be supporting or endorsing. Rin's a whole ass child!! Please don't start with the "but times were different then so her having kids at 15 is acceptable" argument either, because we've already debunked that and every other single excuse you guys throw at us. Besides, how or why would you expect young viewers to know these historical "facts" anyway, especially if as you suggest fiction doesn't affect reality so what does it matter? Yet here we are, arguing over a fictional show in real life almost a year and a half into the "Sesshomaru fucks?" sequel being announced. My ass, your ass, hell all our asses fiction doesn't affect reality!
Look, I do apologize if the tone of this blog came off as snippy or condescending at times. I do not wish you any ill will, it's just I'm not really sure what you expected to get out of all this besides maybe getting on my nerves perhaps. haha A lot of you shippers have been desperately scrambling to interact with us, lurking in our tags, jumping onto our posts screaming canon and getting so defensive even though you sought us out first. We've been sticking to our tags, so how about you stay in your lane too. By the way since we're on the topic, have you seen Twitter or Reddit?! SR shippers there are the actual worst and many Inuyasha fans (not just antis) have complained of not feeling welcomed to engage in fandom spaces anymore. Shippers swarm them and scare them off simply because fans don't like your ship and refuse to accept it. It's pathetic, really. No one should ever be bullied or harassed just because they don't like something you might. We're all fans of Inuyasha, aren't we? So let's act like it. Yashahime on the other hand, you guys are welcome to that pungent heap of trash. Fans have a right to criticize it too, but if you like it then good for you, so keep on liking it and don't mind us.
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I'm almost done, but real quick back to Jaken! Let's not forget about how the official Yashahime website- which came out after my blog, mind you- described Jaken. This translation isn't the best one available but it's the only version a fellow anti friend could track down. They do recall a better one done by a native Japanese speaker who was also an anti, and that member confirmed that Jaken is indeed called Rin's babysitter. So you see, I was right in my interpretation. In the original post I did compare Jaken to a brother, but after talking to others (some comments can be found under said post) I did acknowledge that he's more of a reluctant babysitter who's not related. And if he's not at least a brother to Rin, then he's definitely not her father.
At the end of the day, the creator Rumiko Takahashi has the final word. Which is guess what? Hogosha. 💖 Probably should've just started out with that and saved us all the trouble, huh? Good day/night to you.
Papamaru bids you adieu now. 🤞
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ashtheshortstack · 4 years ago
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beautiful disaster - ch 2
Rating: M Ship: Kyoru Chapter 2/5: “I want to please you.” 
Tags: Fluff, Smut, Learning intimacy, Virgin Dorks, Post-Curse, Manga/Anime Spoilers
Tohru was floating the rest of the evening. There were so many times she had to hide her smile while cooking dinner. Never before had she experienced something like that. Something so… she didn’t even have a word for it. Nice? Pleasurable? Her body had been so warm and tingly from Kyo’s touching and exploration. 
Of course, Tohru knew how sex worked. She was a bit dense, she could admit, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d read books. And Kyoko had explained to her once her period started what it meant to be a woman. The birds and the bees talk had confused her to no end at first, but she eventually understood. Her mother had found her innocence through the conversation to be humorous, laughing behind her palm as she explained how babies were created to her teen. 
Granted, Tohru hadn’t really thought she’d fall in love. Her mother had always been her top priority… the most important person in her life. The one she loved the most. Tohru could never have imagined abandoning her to be with someone else. Even after Kyoko passed, all she could focus on was achieving the goals she and her mother had set for her. Tohru wanted to work. Wanted to earn her way in the world. That’s what they had agreed upon. 
But Kyo changed all of that. Kyo opened her world up to so many more things. Of course, she had planned to find a job when they moved. It would be a little different from the original plan, but not too much. Having Kyo by her side made it better. Made her feel whole. 
Tohru felt her cheeks heat as she thought of their encounter again. She tried to focus on stirring the stew, but her mind kept wandering elsewhere. Into uncharted territory. She never knew just being touched could set her skin ablaze. Could overwhelm her and make her heart pound. The pleasurable feelings that had coursed through her were unexplainable. Would Kyo feel like that if she gave him the same treatment? She wanted to. Kyo deserved to feel those things too. He deserved everything…
“Honda? Are you feeling well?” 
Tohru yelped when Yuki’s voice suddenly yanked her from her thoughts. “I-I’m fine!” 
“Are you sure? Your face is flushed.” 
Panicked, she touched her cheeks. “I-Is it? It must be from the hot stew! Can you watch it for a moment Yuki-kun? I-I’ll be right back!” she sprinted out of the kitchen quickly before slamming the bathroom door behind her. 
She quickly splashed cold water on her face. Breathe. Breathe.  
There was a knock. 
“Tohru? You okay?” came Kyo’s voice from the other side. 
Swallowing, she nodded. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine. J-Just needed some cold water.” 
When she opened the door, Kyo was there with a concerned look etched on his features. “I-If earlier was too much for you we don’t have to--” 
“No!” 
Blinking, his cheeks flushed as he stared at her stunned. “What?” 
“I want to. I want to do that again.” 
Kyo swallowed thickly before giving her a tiny nod. “Okay,” he murmured and leaned in to give her a small peck on the forehead. They stayed like that for a moment, Tohru leaving her forehead resting against his chin. The affection he showed her was always comforting. 
The sound of Yuki clearing his throat sent them flying apart. 
“S-Sorry!” she screeched before zipping past both of the boys and back to the stove. 
She needed to calm down. She had to calm down. 
If Yuki suspected anything, he didn’t act like it at dinner. Thankfully. Tohru was grateful he wouldn’t call her out on the public displays of affection. The last thing she wanted was to make Yuki uncomfortable in any way. 
When she finally retreated to her room for the evening, she quickly changed into her pajamas and slipped into the covers of her bed. She snuggled into the warmth, letting the memories from earlier in the day sweep through her thoughts. Tohru rolled onto her back, touching her lips with a small smile, remembering how tender and heated the kisses were that she and Kyo shared. She wanted that again. 
Suddenly, she was very excited for their alone time after school tomorrow. 
  Kyo seemed jittery the following day. She understood… Tohru felt a buzz floating through her as well. The feeling of being with him was addicting. She had already wanted to touch him all the time. Always be close to him, lean on him, hold his hand. But after the day prior, there was so much more of that desire. 
She didn’t know the new feeling was noticeable until Ou-chan pointed it out. 
“Hey, Tohru. You alright? You seem even spacier than usual today.” 
Blinking, Tohru looked up from her desk. “Oh! Um. I’m fine!” 
Ou-chan gave her a look, cocking a brow. “This doesn’t have to do with the fact you and Carrots were home alone yesterday, does it?” 
“Oh my, well this is news,” Hana-chan mused. 
Tohru gave a frantic wave of her hands. “N-No! It’s not!” 
“Hey,” Ou-chan bent down in front of her desk. “There’s nothing wrong with it, alright? I just wanted to know what was up. You can talk to us about it, you know. There’s no judgement here. I just want to help you out.” 
“Are… Are you sure?” 
Hana-chan took her hands. “Of course, Tohru. We want to help you through your first relationship before you leave us.” 
“And if Carrots does anything we don’t like… we can rough him up a bit,” Ou-chan grinned with a crack of her knuckle. 
“O-Oh, um, please don’t,” Tohru murmured as she felt her cheeks heat. 
Ou-chan chuckled and patted her on the head. “Ah, don’t worry. We won’t hurt him too badly.” 
Tohru knew Ou-chan was teasing… but part of her thought she might have been serious. She hoped her best friends didn’t actually beat up her boyfriend for anything. 
“So,” Hana-chan said as she took a seat. “What’s been going on?” 
Feeling the flush on her cheeks, Tohru glanced away as she tapped her lip. “I-It wasn’t much. We--We didn’t, um…” she trailed off. How on earth was she supposed to talk about this? 
Ou-chan smirked. “Things were just a little handsy?” 
Tohru bristled at that. “Uh! Maybe!” 
“Did you touch him?” Hana-chan asked, stoic as ever. How could she ask such a thing so easily?
Shaking her head, she fiddled with her thumbs. “Um, no, actually. Yuki-kun got home so I needed to start on dinner so we… yeah.” 
Ou-chan smiled. “Did he make you feel good?” 
“Yes,” she squeaked. 
Ou-chan stood, stretching a bit. “Then that’s all I needed to know,” she stated before taking her seat. 
Tohru felt her brain frazzle from the interrogation she just received. Kyo was busy chatting it up with his fellow classmates, so she silently prayed he hadn’t caught any wind of the conversation between her and her best friends. That would be so embarrassing! Maybe, that’s what he meant yesterday about girl talk. Would Kyo be uncomfortable if she told Ou-chan and Hana-chan what they did? Maybe she should ask him? 
  As she and Kyo walked hand in hand back home, anticipation bubbled through her. She was so nervous. She didn’t know what to do. What they had done before was rather spontaneous. Would it be different now that they were expecting something to happen between them? 
“Hey,” Kyo’s voice distracted her from her worries as she looked up at him. Clearing his throat, she could see the light flush on his cheeks. “Ya don’t need to worry about us-- doin ’ anything if you don’t want to. Yesterday was really, uh, a surprise for both of us, I guess. I don’t want you thinking that just because we both want to do that again doesn’t mean we have to, ya know?” 
Tohru had never seen him talk quite so fast. Or so rambly either. She appreciated his worry. And it always amazed her how Kyo could read her like a book. How he always knew what she was thinking, what she was feeling or planning. 
“I-I know. But I’m okay. I want to.” 
“Really? You sure?” 
“Yes.” 
His cheeks flushed at her admission. Tohru watched him as he swallowed hard, just as nervous and jittery as she was. Clearly, neither of them had a clue as to what they were doing. Or what they would do when they got home. But Tohru couldn’t help the bubbling excitement of anticipation inside her stomach. Her heart fluttered, chest tight. She wanted this. Wanted to be with him more than anything. Yesterday, she’d given Kyo her word that she’d take care of him. That it’d be his turn. And Tohru had every intention of seeing that promise through. 
  They were on her bed that day. Probably the better option considering that her bed was much bigger than his futon. Kyo hovered over her, his lips melding with hers. Kissing Kyo lit a new fire inside her she hadn’t even known existed. Tohru didn’t know how to want someone. How to desire another person like she did Kyo. There was a pounding heartbeat in her ears that throbbed throughout her veins. The only thoughts her brain could form were about him. How nice he smelled, how soft his lips were, how gentle his hand was on her hip. 
Kyo flattened his body against hers, and Tohru nearly swooned. The feeling of him pressed against her still took so much getting used to. For so long, she was unable to touch him like this. To feel his chest pressed against hers. And now she only wanted it more. The thought was selfish and greedy. She knew she wanted Kyo to herself too much. She hoped that no one would be upset with her for hogging his attention all of the time. 
Tohru shifted beneath him, her thigh brushing against the growing bulge in his pants. Kyo groaned against her lips, a sound she had learned was a pleasant one. She repeated the motion and earned a small hiss from him as he pulled away from her lips. An apology was at the tip of her tongue, but when she opened her eyes and saw him panting with half-lidded eyes, the words swept away from her. There was a fire in his amber eyes, pupils blown so wide they almost resembled the cat-like slits he used to have sometimes. 
His hot breath fanned her face, his cheeks rosy from their heated kisses. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. “Are you sure?” 
“Yes,” she sighed. “I want to please you.” 
Kyo scoffed lightly. “You can’t say things like that.” 
“It’s the truth.” 
Shifting, he gave her another kiss, soft and chaste that time rather than urgent and hurried as their lip-locking had been previously. Kyo cleared his throat. “I-I, uh, should probably take off--” he trailed off. 
Tohru glanced down a moment and realized suddenly that neither of them had changed out of their school uniforms. What if they wrinkled them!? Her evening would be spent ironing out clothes for sure. Yuki-kun and Shigure-san would be awfully suspicious. 
“Hey.” 
Her eyes locked with his after he spoke. 
“Quit thinking so hard. I’m gonna take them off in case things get, uh, messy.” 
Tohru nodded, unable to speak. Her throat was tight as she watched Kyo lean back and undo the buttons of his pants. She’d felt him through his pants the day previous… but seeing the increased size of his bulge when it was no longer confined in his uniform made her heart leap into her throat. She’d never… seen male anatomy before. Not in person anyway. What was she supposed to do? 
Tohru already felt herself panicking even though his manhood was still covered by his underwear. It looked a little funny, if she was honest. He was still wearing his uniform shirt. Swallowing, she gathered as much courage as she could and gripped the material of his shirt. 
“Can you… take this off too?” 
Kyo’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?” 
“Y-You don’t have to! I-I just thought it may make things easier.” 
She was so stupid! Of course, he wouldn’t want to move things so quickly. He’d already taken off one article of clothing, and yet there she was asking for more. 
Kyo gave her a once over… before leaning back on his haunches and slipping both his uniform and undershirt over his head. He tossed them aside onto the pile on the floor with his trousers. There was a light flush kissing his cheeks as he crawled back over her. 
“Better?” he asked, his voice a bit hoarse. 
Tohru nodded hesitantly. “Y-Yes.” 
There was a gentle gaze in his eyes as he looked over her. With a slight smile, he leaned back in and caught her lips with his own. The kisses were soft at first. Gentle and caring just as he always was. But they once again escalated. Tohru cupped his face as his lips slanted against her own. She really wanted to touch him. Maybe, that was needy of her… but she wanted to so badly. 
Her hands drifted lower, along his shoulders first. They were so built and strong and smooth under her touch. Her fingertips ghosted his skin as she traveled downward along his chest. His skin jumped beneath her fingers, but Tohru found that only to spare her on further. When she reached his abs, she admired the taut muscles that were so firm yet so soft. She’d never felt someone else’s skin like this. Never touched someone so intimately. But Kyo’s tender kisses never ceased, so he didn’t seem to have a problem with her exploring. 
When she reached the v of his hips, she felt the light dusting of hair along his navel as she brushed his knuckle across it. Gingerly, she dared herself to move forward and keep her promise as she dipped a finger beneath the waistband of his boxers. Kyo’s lips stilled against hers, and Tohru momentarily thought maybe she’d done something wrong, but instead he buried his face in her nape taking a few solid breaths as she touched him. 
Tohru continued her journey downward. She brushed past the coarse hairs along his public bone before reaching his length. Cautiously, she took hold of him. 
“ Shit, Tohru,” he gasped against her. 
“S-Sorr--” her grip began to loosen.
“ Don’t apologize,” Kyo grunted. 
Tohru was unsure what to do. She was touching him, but what next? Timidly, she moved her hand along him in slow strokes. His skin was so hot and hard but softer than she imagined. Kyo groaned again before pressing a kiss to her neck, a sensation she hadn’t been expecting at all. The feeling caused her to gasp, squeezing him a little too tightly. He yelped, and Tohru quickly retreated. 
She sat up quickly, nearly knocking Kyo off the bed. “Sorry! I’m sorry! I-I don’t know what I’m doing and--” 
“Oi, stop it,” Kyo retorted quickly. Sighing, he sat up and pushed himself away from her. “Let’s try this another way. Like yesterday?” 
Tohru nodded hesitantly, watching as Kyo shifted and fell onto the bed beside her. 
“I’ll lay on my back and you can reach me easier, aight?” 
“Okay,” she murmured. 
Tohru laid her head on his chest, his skin warm beneath her cheek. Reaching downward, she decided to be just a bit daring and make this easier on both of them movement wise. She tugged his boxers down slightly, revealing his length to the room as it bobbed slightly. Tohru nearly squealed at the sight of it. So strange… Nothing like she thought it’d really look like in person. 
“Oi, don’t stare at it,” Kyo squeaked. 
Tohru quickly looked up at him seeing his face completely red. “Ah! Sorry.” 
“N’ stop apologizin’,” he muttered. 
Tohru wanted to do this for him. So she took him gently into her grasp, rubbing the skin gently so as to not hurt him. She heard him sigh above her, and suddenly his hand clasped over her own. 
“Like this,” he said and used her hand to stroke himself up and down. 
Tohru’s eyes widened at the motion. That wasn’t exactly what she thought was required of her, although, she didn’t know what she expected. He squeezed her fingers around him, causing her to tighten her grip just slightly. 
“Yeah,” he breathed, “like that.” 
She continued the movements, stroking him from base to tip, following his motions. He released her hand and she continued on without his guidance. She realized that different speeds garnered different reactions. The little soft groans and moans he let out only fueled her desire to pleasure him. As she increased the speed of her movements with a flick of her wrist, she noticed him breathing harder. He panted and whined, making all sorts of sounds she never would have expected to come from the man she loved. Kyo gripped the sheets, teeth clenching. Tohru swallowed at the sight, somehow it only made heat pool in her own gut. 
“ Fuck, Tohru.”
Tohru nearly yelped when he came as it took her by surprise, taking her out of her own arousal.. He spilled on his chest and some oozed over her fingers. She tried not to be grossed out. It only made her curious, if anything. 
Kyo huffed a breath, sitting up on his elbows. “Sorry, shoulda warned you about that,” he blurted. 
“No, no! It’s okay. Wait here, let me get you a towel!” 
Tohru quickly left the room, careful not to touch anything with her soiled hand. She washed her hands before grabbing a cloth and soaking it with warm water. When she returned, Kyo hadn’t moved just as she instructed. His amber eyes watched her as she cleaned his essence from his skin. She’d have to wash that cloth carefully. The last thing she wanted was for their housemates to know of their slowly budding intimacy. 
When Tohru returned after placing the cloth with the dirty laundry, Kyo had righted his clothes and had apparently gone and grabbed a pair of sweatpants from his room. He lounged on her bed, making Tohru smile as she reentered the room. 
“Hey,” he said. 
“Hi,” she replied as she slipped onto the mattress beside him. 
“You okay? Not scarred for life or anything?” 
Tohru giggled at that. “No.” 
Kyo pursed his lips for a moment, cheeks pinking a little. “You, uh, need me to touch you too?” 
Tohru’s face went hot. “No, no! This was about you, Kyo.” 
Snorting, he shook his head. “This isn’t about taking turns, Tohru, it’s about the feelings, right?” 
“I guess you’re right… b-but I should get started on dinner soon. But I…” she trailed off, glancing away shyly. “I really liked this. I want to continue, if you don’t mind.” 
Kyo smiled slightly. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
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voiceless-terror · 4 years ago
Note
would you consider writing me some precanon jongeorgie angst. bc i imagine they probably bonded over their interest in the supernatural but never. you know. actually talked about their personal experiences/trauma. just give me a little of both of them handling that trauma very badly while never admitting their closest brush with the supernatural. or something. idk.
Hello anon! I haven’t written Jon/Georgie yet, but this prompt was too good to pass up. Hope you like!
Being with Georgie was easy. It shouldn’t have been, not for him.
But it was.
She carried herself with the utmost surety: of her opinions, of her feelings, of her place in the world. It wasn’t arrogance, more like confidence and something else Jon couldn’t quite put his finger on. There was a blankness in her eyes sometimes. Not an absence of feeling but an absence of...understanding, maybe. Of empathy. Georgie saw the world in black and white; she knew exactly what was right and what was wrong. She was blunt. She bulldozed over others in conversations, pointed out flaws that polite society knew to overlook and not name. Jon admired it, as much as it made him cringe.
But it was complemented by her fierce capacity for loving, her clever, teasing words, the way her fingers ran through his hair when he was stressed. That black and white view could quiet his mind like no other- ‘yes, Jon’, ‘no, Jon.’  She listened to his incessant rambling, nodding in the right places and adding her own commentary. She filled out the crosswords in the morning, her brow furrowed in concentration, colorful nails tapping at the table. She never wanted help, stubborn to a fault. Her dark skin ethereal in the morning light, the way her voice was low and croaky before her coffee. The ease with which she said ‘I love you.’ 
He remembered the day she first approached him, all ripped-tights and smudged, smoky eyeshadow. Just leaned against the wall on that chilly fall night and snatched the cigarette right from his hand, an eyebrow flicked upward as she took a drag. He couldn’t get a word out, just silently took her phone when she offered it and typed in a number with shaking hands. A year later and she was still that same girl, though he’d seen her stash of manga and her weird cat memorabilia. She was whole, real. It was comfortable.
“I’m not really sure if I should go.” They’re curled up on the couch, Jon leaning into the warm bulk of her. “All of the others are going, though.”
“It’s not like you’re close, right?” Jon’s petting the Admiral, the new addition to the household fitting in seamlessly. “I’m sure she won’t take it as an insult. You can always say you’re busy. Who was it, again? Her father?”
“Yeah.” Georgie’s shifting against him, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. It’s odd- she’s not usually so awkward about these things. If there’s something she doesn’t want to talk about, she shuts it down right away. This seems...different. “And no, not close. But everyone else is going- they want to show their support, I guess. It would be awkward if I didn’t.”
Perhaps Georgie didn’t like funerals. You’re not supposed to, of course. Maybe it was a phobia, a perfectly valid one. Plenty of people don’t like to see the reminder of death laid out before them. Jon’s been to a few in his lifetime- for his Gran’s friend, for a distant cousin.
For his parents.
He doesn’t remember his father’s, he might not have even gone. He was only two at the time. He distantly remembers his mother’s; it wasn’t well attended, he sat in the front row with his Gran. He doesn’t even remember crying, if he even realized the thing in the box was his mother, dead and gone.
Needless to say, he understands Georgie’s sentiments. “You don’t have to go, not if...not if you don’t like it. Plenty of people are uncomfortable with death-” This was the wrong thing to say, for Georgie tensed instantly, leaning away from him.
“That’s not it at all,” she says, snatching her legs out from where Jon’s leaning comfortable against them. “It’s- it’s the performance of it all. All those people standing around a body, sniffling and moaning-”
Jon tried for levity, bristling at her tone. “People grieve, they need closure-”
Georgie snorted, this time shoving him away on the couch, the Admiral jumping from Jon’s lap at the movement. Her words became impassioned, as if Jon needed to know, needed to understand. “Cremate them, then! Say a few words, scatter the ashes, whatever. But having the body on display like that?” She gets up, starts to pace. Jon’s never seen her like this. “Paint the corpse, dress it up, pretend it’s a person still but it’s not, and everyone’s just standing there around it, praying over it and watching it like it’s not just rotting meat you put lipstick on-”
“Georgie!”
“I can’t stand it.” She stops in front of him, chest heaving and eyes aflame. “What’s so monumental about it? We live, we die- and her father was old, it was bound to happen sometime. No need to make such a to-do. It’s- it’s just disgusting, is what it is.” She didn’t continue, and an awkward silence permeated the room. 
Georgie got worked up about things on occasion. But the wild look in her eye, the total sense of incomprehension was...disconcerting. He agreed with her on certain points, of course, but the vehemence behind them- something wasn’t right. But it didn’t feel right to pry, either, and Georgie surely wouldn’t appreciate it.
“You could just say you’re busy, you don’t have to go,” he tries tentatively. She seems to deflate where she stands, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. So he stands up, taking her hand in his. She lets him, but doesn’t meet his eyes. “But if you do, I can come with you. If you’d like.”
They stand in the very back row of the church after awkwardly greeting her grieving coworker. Georgie’s nails dig painfully into his arm, but he says nothing. They leave after ten minutes and stop at an Indian buffet on the way home. He silently watches her dig into a curry, his own untouched.
___________
When she first met Jon, she thought he was utterly out of her league.
It was her first semester back at school, she was an absolute fucking mess- drinking at all hours, barely present in her classes. She was out at the bar with a few new friends, most of whom she’d already forgotten the names of, and saw him standing there under a single flickering lamp, a cigarette dangling from long, slender fingers, raven hair back in a messy bun. Not many people could pull that off but he looked almost effortlessly cool (a thing she’d later find laughable for ever thinking) in his dingy leather jacket, his eyes far away and shadowed. She wondered what made him lose sleep. He had an odd, crooked little smile on his face and she was filled with liquid courage. The look he gave her when she took that cigarette out of his hand made her knees weak, and he took the proffered phone like he was only a little impressed. She sent a text to his phone and left, so embarrassed she went straight home.
He never did text her. To be fair, she never expected him to.
But she found him not two days later, hunched over a table in the campus library. She did a double take- surely this couldn’t be him, her impossibly handsome, silent figure who she surely dreamed up. But there was no mistaking that hair, those eyes. He was smaller, somehow diminished in his baggy jumper and wire-rimmed glasses, tapping a pencil against his textbook in irritation. Before she knew it she found herself picking up her phone, sending a text to the number with no name. And sure enough, his phone buzzed.
They went out on their first date a day later.
Jon was a ball of nerves, awkward and not at all like the man she thought she met that night. Somehow, the real Jon was better. She liked the way he blushed and stammered, the way a touch of her hand left him flustered and unable to speak. The way he could talk for hours about nothing at all, making even the most dull of subjects seem interesting with that voice of his- a voice surely meant for radio or T.V., something Jon himself endlessly scoffed at whenever she brought it up. They would sit in front of the telly for hours, marathoning ridiculous ghost hunting shows and pointing out the obvious fakes. Jon had a weakness for ghost stories, just like she did. “Most of them are absolute drivel, of course,” he said.
Most of them. 
They found comfort in each other, their small island of two, had no need for other company. Georgie had never been able to relate to someone so well, not since Alex, and Jon was never fond of crowds. Three months in he tried to break up with her, saying he could never give her what ‘she needed’ but she stopped that in its tracks- Georgie would be the one who decided what she did and didn’t need, thank you very much. She liked the way he leaned into her on movie nights, like her touch was the only thing that mattered. The sincerity in his eyes whenever he complimented her in that earnest, awkward way of his. He challenged her when he thought she was wrong, sometimes their fights lasted days. But they always came back to one another, each knowing they had no one else who understood them. Was it healthy? Georgie couldn’t answer that, she didn’t know herself. Jon probably didn’t either. But she loved him, in her way. 
That night they have a few glasses of wine, and Jon’s regaling her with some ridiculous story from his youth- apparently he was somewhat of a delinquent, wandering about at all hours. She laughs in delight, imagining a small, serious Jon climbing fences and evading the law. But suddenly Jon stops, his eyes going wide and his face growing ashen as he stares unblinking at the table.
It’s a spider- a tiny thing, really. Georgie’s been seeing a lot of them lately, and she really should be better about dusting the place. But Jon- Jon looks absolutely terrified, like the thing’s bound to leap out and kill him. She opens her mouth to tease, an instinctive reaction, but is instead startled by the loud smack of a hand against the table. Jon had smashed it certainly, but he lifts his hand and stares at it in wide-eyed horror, as if whatever he sees is nine times worse than the original thing.
“Jon-”
The chair hits the ground as he stumbles to her bathroom with heavy, labored breathing. She gets up slowly, approaching as quietly as possible to find him hyperventilating against the sink, the faucet on full blast as he washes his hand- scratches it, really. He’s mumbling frantically under his breath.
“...so many legs, get off, get off-”
She makes her presence known as not to startle him, approaching from the side and gently wrapping a hand around his arm once she sees him drawing blood. He starts anyway, his movements jerky and frenzied as he rips his arm away like her touch burns.
“It’s just a spider Jon,” she says softly, lifting her hands to show she means no harm. “It’s okay, you got it, it’s dead now-”
“But what if it isn’t!” He spits, slamming his hands on the marble rim of the sink and leaving bloody prints in his wake. He’s breathing so fast she thinks he might pass out. “What if it isn’t?”
She has no answer to that.
It takes about two hours, a hot shower and a stiff drink for him to calm down. They lay on the couch, watching something stupid, mind-numbing. She runs her fingers through his hair. He always liked that. She doesn’t say a word, he’s exhausted, and she knows from experience that pushing him will just lead to another fit like before. The next day, he brings her Hungarian by way of apology. They eat in a more comfortable silence, Jon gradually warming up as the evening goes on. Still, she doesn’t ask.
She spends the weekend cleaning her flat, standing on a chair and vacuuming at the cobwebs.
ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28440474
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sixeyesgojo · 4 years ago
Text
Team Gojo as flowers
Summary: Gojo, Yuji, Megumi, Nobara and Sukuna as types of flowers
Characters: stated above
Content warning: mild manga spoilers
Word count: -
A/N: I’d appreciate feedback here (and in general) because I’m not sure whether to do this kind of hc for other JJK characters or not. I am thinking of Toge in particular because I love my salmon boy. Also fyi, this was some time after 135 but before 140 for sure.
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Gojo Satoru  - Nemophila
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I just saw these and immediately thought about how good they would suit him???
another name for them would be baby blue eyes (no, I had no idea beforehand)
they symbolize prosperity, victory, success or triumph over an enemy
flashback to Gojo beating Jogo tf up... but add a nemophila field in the background <3
That being said, his profile literally states that he is perfect in every way (except for his personality but we still love that, right?), so if this isn't success in every way then idk
This flower's essence is also said to be helpful for those who put up a mask over their painful sensitivity
Gojo also displays characteristics of cynism and mistrust towards the higher-ups
Furthermore, I think he is a little anti-social - doesn't have a lot of friends. As someone from the secret Jujutsu World, he's bound to be hidden in a way. This is enforced by the fact that he is the strongest, so a lot of people and curses are out to get his head. I'd think he doesn't keep anyone too close to him so that they do not become a target for anyone. Must be traumatizing to be him.
This flower helps soothen the soul's conflict, healing it slowly, which is exactly what Gojo needs imo
it really is the perfect flower for him
but it's native to North America
Yeah, watch him teleport there to bring back a bouquet of them for his s/o
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Itadori Yuji - Protea (orange)
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This kind of flower comes in many different shapes, which is why it's a symbol of transformation, which is exactly what Yuji embodies by going from a regular human being to being a Jujutsu sorcerer
Diversity: Yuji is open to anything, Gojo even described him as "having a few screws loose up there". I don't even think he questions how he is being taught by Gojo or anything for that matter?
Yuji also embodies courage and is known to be daring and i don't think i need to explain this one further
I mean, the boy literally jumped right into a curse to rescue Sasaki and Iguchi and help Megumi while not even knowing what a curse is
Orange proteas represent cheerfulness, joy and happiness - if that isn't our sunshine boy, then idk. After what happened to Junpei, he seemed a little down at first but recent episodes have shown that he will not slow down because of that and will keep on being the energetic fluffball of joy that he is.
moreover, they also symbolize unlimited possibilities as his cursed technique so far probably isn't even his final technique yet - compared to Nobara's hammer and Megumi's shikigami. All we know is that Sukuna's techniques are going to be his over time but we don't even know the full extent of the said curse's power yet
If anyone ever mentioned all this to him and showed him the flower, he would think it looks weird at first but will grow to find it interesting (especially the shape). It's not like the flower is native to Japan, so he most likely wouldn't have seen it anywhere.
Gets really excited if you were to give this baby one of these flowers
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Fushiguro Megumi - Anemone (purple)
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hear me out
The most common symbol for the purple Anemone is 'protection against evil'. While it's Megumi's primary focus in his line of work as a professional, you ought to know he became a sorcerer in the first place because of his sister, Tsukimi.
Fragility: While Megumi shows a lot of potential for growth, it's also said that he will most likely stagnate due to the mental aspect. He's pretty insecure about his own abilities and doesn't think much of himself but that doesn't mean he won't use his powers in order to protect someone.
Anticipation: As previously stated, Megumi shows a lot of potential as a sorcerer, even to the point that Sukuna (mind you, the creature that only cares about himself) has praised him and will not hesitate to make Megumi a pawn to whatever his big, mysterious plans may be. With that being said, if Sukuna himself is interested in our blue-haired boy, we can anticipate great things from Megumi in the foreseeable future.
This specific flower seems to be a double-edged sword in terms of symbolism. In some cultural circles, it is believed to be a symbol of bad luck, whereas in other areas it's seen as a lucky charm (in which we hope this is the one for our boy). I see the same principle applying to Megumi's descent and his mysterious technique - not gonna elaborate further though (feel free to ask though)
a rather dark symbol for this particular flower: "death of a loved one". In this case, I am referring to Tsukimi, his step-sister. She may not be dead but it is indicated that she is in a comatose state due to being cursed. It seems that Megumi does not know when - or rather whether - she will wake up or not. Knowing this boy, he probably has tried anything and everything in his power to wake her up (hell, he probably even consulted Gojo) but nothing worked so far. This poor boy is anxious about it all the time.
he's surprised anyone would even associate him with flowers but wouldn't mind it
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Kugisaki Nobara - Orchid (mainly orange)
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I had some trouble finding something for her but orchids seem to suit her best
couldn't really pick a particular color though but I am leaning towards orange
orange orchids represent: pride, enthusiasm and boldness
Nobara is very proud of who she is. She strikes me as a person who is not afraid to tell her story, even though she despices the countryside where she is from. She also takes pride in staying true to herself all the time, to the point of admitting that she only enrolled in Jujutsu High so that she could move to Tokyo to Yuji, who was basically a stranger at that time
She is also very enthusiastic about her own future. She knows she won't ever like having to exorcise curses but somehow, being a Jujutsu sorcerer excites her.
plus points for her being enthusiastic about winning in the Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc and just beating up the Kyoto students
I don't need to mention her being enthusiastic about shopping and sightseeing in big cities, do I?
Bold? Oh, she is bold. She has no filter when it comes to speaking her mind and would never hesitate to put anyone in their place. I see her going places in Gojo's revolution... and cussing at the superiors.
Yellow symbolizes new beginnings and friendships. Nobara does not have any problems making new friends, she adapts fairly well in new environments. There's also the way she mourned for Yuji, despite "only knowing him for two weeks" and I don't even doubt for a second that it was her making him hold the black funeral picture frame when he came back lol
Pink: grace, femininity, joy + purple: royalty and admiration
There is no doubt that Nobara tries to enjoy her life to the fullest *cough* moving to Tokyo
Moreover, there is something about her that just screams "queen behavior" to me and I don't even mean that in the slang sense. Have you all seen how graceful this girl moves? (I would like to thank MAPPA at this point)
Nobara shows respect where it's due - I'm just gonna mention Maki here - but is a very admirable girl herself
probably has an orchid plant in her room, ngl
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Ryomen Sukuna - Snapdragon
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please, the name already sounds a little dangerous
This flower shares a certain character trait with him: being unique
Snapdragons are usually associated with strength due to the way they even grow in rocky areas and if that's not screaming Sukuna's name, who is all about strength, then correct me
Deviousness is practically Sukuna's second name, so this symbol isn't exactly off the track either. Let me remind you about the way Sukuna and Mahito laughed at Yuji??
Graciousness: just like Nobara, he possesses some sort of grace that makes me percept him as a majestic being
but maybe that's just his throne of bones and title as King of Curses contributing
and him owning a shrine???
or maybe that is just the way he majestetically killed that special grade lol
"Only large insects like bumblebees can pollinate snapdragons because the petals are too heavy for smaller insects to push apart." I read this and if you reverse it a little, it somehow reminded me of the fact that Sukuna's fingers need to have a powerful vessel aka small fry won't do because they will simply die away.
Deception: despite being given the minimum amount of information about Sukuna in general, I just don't see him being anything but egoistic and evil. I just cannot picture it. So yeah, put everything evil in a pot, stir a little and don't be surprised if your result is not the Powerpuff girls but a four-eyed multi-talented and deceptive curse that is out to kill you for fun
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thegoldielocks28 · 3 years ago
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45. "Do I even wanna know?" for Tala and Mathilda (because I'm interested in seeing your version of their friendship when she's with or moving towards being with Spencer) Or if that line doesn't work, either of the others will do as long as it has those two :)
Title: Do I even want to know? Pairing: Sergei Petrov and Mathilda Alster romantically, Yuriy Ivanov and Mathilda Alster platonically. Notice: Written from Yuriy´s point of view. Mostly. Also, I haven't yet read the new manga so some of my headcanons for him might be off, aged or not canon. Also, I kept writing and adding to this for ages, and feel it's a bit of a mess. Hopefully, it shows some emotion that I meant for it to show. Not sure if I will post this anywhere else hm...
Yuriy has mastered the art of ignoring others' eyes on him. Easily walking by as if he's clueless of their attention on him. Even if the fact that they were staring was something he noticed before the person themselves knew their eyes were trailing him.
Observant as he is.
During Yuriy´s early childhood, he’d get looks of hatred and disgust as he lived, or barely survived, in the streets. Wearing old and tattered clothes, pale skin almost grey because of malnutrition, and blue eyes desperately searching for help as passerbys continued to choose not to see him. At times, the hatred in strangers´ eyes was better than being ignored. When they pretended not to see the misery Yuriy was in he ended up feeling like he was already dead.
Soon, Yuriy learned of another kind of fear. The fear that came from those who were threatened by his skill in the bey dish, fear because of the harsh fates waiting for them if they lost to him in the days of the Abbey. Once that first child lost terribly to Yuriy, and was never seen again, his peers started to respect him. Respect born from fear.
As Yuriy and his brothers were manipulated and tricked to threaten the safety of the world, he was looked on as both a hero and a monster. A hero who´d give Russia the top spot in Beyblade again.And as something a little less than human, perhaps closer to a cyborg, leading the world towards its demise while being seemingly void of much emotion. Perhaps only rivaled by how power hungry Kai had gotten together with Black Dranzer. Or even by Boris after that match against Rei. Boris had been Balkov´s triumph card. The man is still recovering from the lack of love he got from a young age, and to learn to handle his growing emotions just as his rage.
Today the world knows how all of it ended, and who to thank for their safety and freedom: the Bladebreakers.
After the Demolition Boys´ loss, people started to look at them with yet a new set of eyes. The eyes of those who viewed them as victims of manipulation, of harsh childhoods. Often with pity. It never suited Yuriy. Being a victim. Rather, he aimed for them to be seen as young, free and brave men redeeming themselves and growing into something better. Growing into the people they want to be now when they have a real shot at it.
Survivors.
Today, Yuriy is well trained in observing strangers and deciding whether or not they´re sincere when approaching his team. If they truly want to get to know them, or if they want something from them. Regretfully the Russians often decide it's safer to assume people are out to hurt them than blindly letting strangers into their lives.
It´s a snowy and cold day in Moscow, Russia. The air is crisp, cold and dry. Chilling to the bone. A good winter's day, with a clear blue sky telling of an even colder night ahead. Probably with stars. The streets are busy with people. Families, couples, children playing around. At a corner of a smaller street a coffee shop recently opened, carrying a foreign brand of coffee to Russia.
To the untrained eye Yuriy´s pale face appears indifferent as he thanks the young woman accompanying him for holding the door open. He's carrying some of the things they bought today. Books. Clothes. Some new toys for his pet dog. However, even if he might look like he'd rather be somewhere else, his eyes tell of a new kind of warmth as he looks at his female companion. An attentiveness few earn from him.
Yuriy´s presence has stirred people to life it seems. Staff greets him with almost spooked expressions and “Hi!”s. They must be newly hired, since the shop has just been around for a few weeks. It instantly sours his mood, as he much prefers workers to treat him like any other customer. From that point Yuriy makes sure it seems like he pays little attention to the people around them, but only after he shows his appreciation with a slight nod of his head. There´s this middle ground he has found as of late. Looking strangers in the eye as they gawk at him while fighting nerves. Some are his fans, and they pay a bit of his paycheck through watching his matches. Supporting him and his family. No matter how Yuriy looks at it, his fans matter, they all do in beyblading. Not all of them are stalkers, or want to hurt him or those closest to him. Even if it is hard to remember that sometimes.
The woman with him takes the lead to a small two-seater table at the back corner of the shop. Fairly isolated, yet with a view towards the street outside. She's always considerate like that. Sitting down with his back against the wall and a good view over the coffee shop, Yuriy´s eyes settle at the woman in front of him. The scent of sweet fruits washes over him. Nothing too overpowering. She takes off her coat, observant eyes darting around the place as she too notices the eyes on them. Unlike Yuriy, she can’t hide her discomfort. Yuriy has already deemed the room safe. The usual quick sweep of the eyes he does every time he arrives somewhere, especially somewhere new. Checking where the exits are, if there’s anyone suspicious around. Old habits are hard to break, and this one he won't try to: it has saved him before. Yuriy lets out a soft sigh as he allows himself to relax in his chair. Body grows heavier as he sinks into his seat. Knees falling apart ever so slightly. The only threat in this room seems to be awed struck fans, and those he can handle. At least well enough to make his friend enjoy their short coffee break.
Although Yuriy appears relaxed, his body language erects a barrier between his safe bubble with his friend and the people around them. Nothing about Yuriy is inviting. He leaves no room for strangers to think it's suitable for a quick chat or to ask about a signature: his focus is on his company. The girl in front of him tries to hide the fact that the attention from strangers gets to her, and Yuriy can´t help but imagine what the fans around them think as they see how she squirms in her seat. How they draw the wrong conclusions. The Russian offers her a hint of a smile in an attempt at making her feel more comfortable. If her attention is on him, Yuriy knows she´ll be able to relax and enjoy herself as well.
Ever since his brother started dating her, no one has seemed to want to accept their relationship for what it is. At first, not even Yuriy. The girl in the chair across from Yuriy is called Mathilda Alster. A young woman with a petite frame, big eyes and soft short pink hair. She is still red in the cheeks from the cold outside. Mathilda holds the hot cocoa she ordered tightly in both of her hands as if her fingers would turn into ice if she didn’t. That, or, it´s another sign of her nerves. Yuriy frowns slightly at the sight. Mathilda has been with them in Russia for over a week, and it seems like even the thick clothes he and his brothers helped her get doesn’t keep her warm enough out in the dry cold. It's the major reason why the two of them ended up shopping for clothes together.
Mathilda can't continue to wear her boyfriend´s shirts and hoodies once she gets cold. It works at their home, but not out and about, as most clothes that's supposed to end by the hips reach her mid-thighs or lower. Every borrowed t-shirt ends up a dress.
And Yuriy can't have her get sick.
”...I don’t really go to these kinds of places often, so it’s making them excited.” Yuriy says flatly, talking about the other people who keep stealing glances at them.
The fans are watching from a respectable distance so far, luckily. Yuriy is a very well-known face in Russia but he doesn't doubt people have realized just who is with him. The red haired man crosses a leg over the other and sips at his coffee, adding a bit of milk after a moment as he finds it just a bit too bitter for his liking. Something his teammates surely would judge him for. They always have their coffee black, black as their souls, as Boris says. A part of Yuriy regrets going to a crowded coffee shop during daytime. He loves coffee, but he´d normally have gotten it on the go or brewed it himself at home. However, Mathilda wanted to go for a snack after they were done with what they needed to do in town... so here they are. Not like Yuriy could deny her that when she looked so hopeful, so eager to spend just a little bit of more time together. Without really demanding anything but some of his time and company.
Before they set out this morning Mathilda had told Yuriy she'd keep him company, and that she had something she wanted to tell him. A secret. It made Yuriy curious. Mathilda might be someone who’d never tell someone else´s secret but she wouldn’t be able to hide that she is in fact, hiding something.
”So, you said earlier that there was something on your mind.” Yuriy asks at last.
Usually, the two of them have these kinds of conversations back at home. During Mathilda´s stays with them it has become a habit to gather around the kitchen table, having tea or coffee with something sweet and just talk. Even if she could just lock herself up in his brother's room and spend all the time with him, Mathilda put effort into getting to know all of them better. Never once voicing she thought their lifestyles were odd, but asking if she could help out with meals and chores while she lived with them. After a few days, they realized that all of them had breakfast, lunch and dinner together at the same hours a day. Even if their work, school, or individual practises were scheduled differently. Mathilda had observed, and made a good schedule that´d suit their hectic life-style. Before that, it had mainly been Sergei and Yuriy who were responsible for any home cooked meal. This change resulted in Yuriy and Mathilda growing closer, spending more time together, and learning each other's habits and likes and dislikes.
Today Mathilda was a little bit too eager to help Yuriy with his errands. She seemed almost anxious to get away from the three other men as she spoke with him in a low voice in the hallway. Asking if she could come with. Mathilda would often be content staying back reading when her boyfriend was at his part time job, or hanging out with whoever was at home, but Yuriy didn´t mind that she wanted his company. He has come to enjoy hers, and found the way she seemed to want to rely on him quite endearing.
However, he's certain whatever she's trying so hard to keep a secret has something to do with her boyfriend. It had left him feeling a bit uneasy for a while, as he's concerned it´d be something negative. Yuriy might not be able to admit it yet but he would miss her if Mathilda ever broke up with his friend. His thoughts straying to if it would work staying in touch even if it happened.
Mathilda´s cheeks end up getting a bit redder at Yuriy´s question. Her embarrassment and shyness is always refreshing, especially since it has never stopped her from doing what she wants in the end.
Leaning his chin in the palm of his hand, Yuriy leans forward over the table. Elbow resting just at the edge. ”Do I … really want to know?” Yuriy asks at last, the corner of his lips turning upward in a smirk.
Judging by Mathilda´s expression this won't be about a break up.
Even if Yuriy´d consider Mathilda to be something like an addition to his family by now, it wasn't always that way. It was something that happened gradually over time, until she was included with no questions asked.
Yuriy had learned to be observant from a very young age. It didn’t take long for the captain of the Russian team to notice that someone was getting uncomfortably close to the tight, sturdy and often very solid barrier of safety he had erected around his team. The intruder was that of a young woman, a woman he knew almost nothing about, during a beyblade tournament where their teams were rivals. Every team was the enemy in a sense.
Yuriy´s eyes soon followed Mathilda every time she was around, looking for any signs of ill intent while a small lump of anxiety grew in his chest. That lump grew in size as he realized she had been around for much longer than he had known. Rude as he sometimes can be, he genuinely decided it must have been because of her lack of presence that he at first didn’t take notice of her. She was always in the background, quiet and didn't take up much space. Not an opponent he´d have to worry about in the dish, but if he was going to be fair, his focus had been on other players.
Eventually he was informed about her, and that they had actually been in the same tournament once before. Alongside the fact that her team had too been victims of greedy and manipulative adults.
As Yuriy continued to observe Mathilda, he noted yet again that Mathilda was neither tall nor had a strong build. Her body, and eyes, showed her emotions as if she was an open book for everyone to read. He also realized that Mathilda was always observing too. Always conscious, self-conscious. With a build like that, and emotions so easy to read, Yuriy concluded that Mathilda wouldn´t become a threat to them physically. Whatever she threw at them in the dish or outside of it they'd know ahead of time and be able to counter. Yet, soon, he also realized that she might come too close in a completely different way than he expected.
Mathilda had her eyes set on Sergei.
With a risk to sound egocentric, Yuriy thought of how there have been people in the past who had tried to befriend, for example Sergei or Ian, with hopes of getting let into the Russians´ circle for their own personal gain or to even end up in his or Boris´ bed. Ian has always been the teammate most strangers assumed to be the easiest one to get close to. Often getting played in return as Ian has through bad experiences learned how people wanted to use him. All it took was for the short man to get excited over a friendship only to realize he wasn't the one the person was really there for. Others thought Sergei could be their key in. For some reason, many interpreted his silence for lack of depth, and assumed he´d accept almost any positive attention shown his way. They often realized their mistake when the usually gentle giant showed signs of irritation, and they realized just how intimidating the oldest and tallest member of the team could be.
It took Yuriy a while to realize that Mathilda was having a thing for Sergei. Even if her skin grew red with embarrassment, her voice cracking, she kept on approaching his brother with small conversations. Eyes were bright with delight as Sergei eventually started to return her greetings. Answered her questions, even if he seemed a bit put off balance by the attention and the fact that the girl didn´t stop approaching him.
Yuriy trusted Sergei to shoot her down if he felt she was overstepping, and he forced himself to let it go, only for him to see the two together more often. The lump of anxiety in his chest grew larger. Now, would this tiny girl, who sometimes stuttered out of nerves, be that cunning, to get close to Sergei with a false promise of.... affections... to later hurt him? Hurt their team? Yuriy didn´t want to take any chances. Yuriy knew Sergei had his walls up just like himself. He might seem approachable, at least the most approachable one out of his other teammates, just for the person trying to strike up a conversation feel like they're facing a cold brick wall. However, Yuriy could tell that Sergei´s walls were starting to crack around Mathilda.
Soon Sergei allowed her into his space, closer than any other stranger, and would expect Mathilda to be around. His steel blue eyes searched for her when she wasn't there when he expected her to be. How the quick meetings in the shared kitchen area of their hotel floor turned into longer and longer conversations over tea and coffee.
At one point Yuriy had felt Mathilda´s Captain Miguel´s eyes on him from across the dining area as they had both observed the same thing, and Yuriy felt annoyed. For once not so much over that Sergei and Mathilda were getting closer, but because of how cautious Miguel´s eyes had been. As if he was telling Yuriy to make sure his team behaved.
It didn't take long for Mathilda´s name to leave Sergei´s mouth around his team. It had made them grow quiet, because it had been rare for any of them to have plans with others outside of their small circle. Boris was the first one to break the silence as he made a crude joke about Sergei´s and Mathilda´s difference in size and that Sergei should be careful not to crush her. Boris deserved the death stare Sergei gave him after that.
Yuriy kept fighting his unease, believing that Sergei knew what he was doing, while also getting ready to act if things got out of hand.
The first time Mathilda ate with them she was very nervous, Yuriy could tell, the whole world could tell, but she still sat there with them and tried. Tried to keep up with conversations even if Boris was rude, and spoke mostly in Russian in a childish way to exclude her. Something Yuriy wouldn´t accept, as he instead used the lunch to talk to her. Gently poke her to see if there was any ill intent, testing the waters.
What in the end convinced Yuriy Mathilda was safe and good for his brother was the way she reacted to Sergei getting hurt. It was a minor injury: Sergei had stepped badly during practise and damaged his ankle. Leaving him with a swollen foot and a bad limp he tried to cover as well as he could among strangers. Somehow Mathilda saw through his pretense and realized he was hurt. The usually quiet girl had stopped Sergei as he and Boris were walking past her in the hallway. Voice a bit high-pitched as she asked about Sergei´s limp, and grew almost pushy as Boris told her it was nothing. As he told her to back off.
Mathilda had spent that evening sitting by Sergei’s feet cooling the swelling of his injury with ice and cold water. Yuriy had only realized this when he returned from a meeting with the BBA. The worry he saw on her face wasn’t an act. The challenge in her eyes as she looked at him and his team while staying by Sergei’s side, daring them to ask her to leave, was her true feelings.
Yuriy´s eyes narrow a fraction. He swirls the tablespoon in his now half-empty coffee cup, and tilts his head to the side while taking in Mathilda's sincere expression. Her face tells him that whatever secret she is hiding her nerves is from excitement and not out of anxiety.
“Our one year anniversary is coming up.” Mathilda starts slowly, her cheeks seeming to get even redder as she tries to word her thoughts as she wants them. “And I'm… trying to decide what I can do for him in celebration.”
Yuriy´s expression softens slightly, his concern fading. “...A year already?” He asks, feeling calm again. The thought that something between Sergei and Mathilda had turned bad had made him feel strangely uneasy. The man mentally sighs at himself. Focus returning to the current conversation and not what he dreads of the future. It feels like he met Mathilda just yesterday, at the same time as he feels as if they have known each other for several years already.
Anniversaries. Yuriy hasn´t thought much about it, but have they ever celebrated things like that, him and his family? They do keep track of a few dates, when things changed for the better for them. Boris is usually the one bringing out the alcohol. They always made sure to celebrate each other's birthdays as well. Celebrating they´re still getting older, living. Being free. Sergei was the first of them to get into a serious relationship. This is all new.
“Sergei probably won't expect anything…” Yuriy trails off slightly. “You have a good shot at surprising him, Mathilda.”
Mathilda has been patient and gentle as she guides Sergei through his first relationship. Yuriy thinks Sergei might not be Mathilda´s first love, but her first in many other ways, and they could experience it together at their own pace.
Sergei rarely wants something for himself, or expects others to do things for him. Emotions that Yuriy has seen grow since he started seeing Mathilda, as the man too learned he wanted her attention in different ways. Sergei had gone from only making sure others were alright to having someone, outside of family, who’d get worried sick about him. Who he would fight wars to keep happy and safe.
Mathilda smiles at Yuriy´s answer, and she seems pleased about what he just told her even if it didn't solve her problem of what to get Sergei in the end. Yuriy wonders what she has planned for her boyfriend. Warmth grows in him as he knows that Sergei now has more dates to remember and celebrate. Just like he too has a reason to spoil yet another person, Mathilda, when he wants to.
“I thought of… kidnapping him for a day, taking him to our favorite places, eat his favorite foods… “ Mathilda speaks, excited. “And-- … “ “You want us to be… somewhere else that day?” Yuriy asks with a slight smirk. The smirk is quite natural as he´ s amused imagining how Mathilda would ´kidnap´ Sergei.
“N-no!” Mathilda exclaims, understanding what her friend means. If they want some more privacy, just for them. “Well, it would be nice but--… “
“I'm sure I can get Boris and Ian out of the house for one evening…” Yuriy continues to playfully tease her.
A low buzz in Yuriy´s pocket makes him reach down for his phone, looking at the screen for just a moment.“Sergei´s off work, he's coming to pick us up on the way home.” Yuriy is thankful as he would rather not get on the public transport again today.
Mathilda nods, clearly thinking time must have passed quickly today, as she too checks her phone. Red cheeks slowly return to a normal shade as her embarrassment fades. Mathilda had neglected her phone simply because she was focused on Yuriy today, and there's an unread message from Sergei there waiting for her. The blonde Russian must have texted Yuriy too, due to the lack of reply on Mathilda´s part.
Just like Yuriy calls Mathilda when he can't get a hold of Sergei.
“I'll go and buy something for the others!” Mathilda says, getting her wallet before walking away. Blue eyes watches her as she checks out the display of different treats. Yuriy can already see Ian grinning at the gesture, and Boris not reacting much but whatever Mathilda gets for him will get eaten before next morning. For once, Yuriy isn´t the first one to notice Sergei. Instead his eyes follow how Mathilda rushes over to him, bag of sweets in hand. Taking in how Sergei´s tall and stiff frame softens as he leans down towards her: listening attentively to whatever she's saying. Yuriy gets up from his seat and pulls on his coat slowly, unable to look away at the sight. They look happy. It warms him, from inside out. He gets Mathilda´s things for her before he moves towards the couple. A long exhale through the nose.
Not everyone is out to hurt them.
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x0401x · 4 years ago
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Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #16
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Colombo’s Bookstore
Sri Lanka didn’t have as many bookstores as Japan. It had about three times as many used car shops as in Japan, I believed. But there were few bookstores.
In the first place, be them used car stores or bookstores, the shops were by no means big. This country was a tiny island with a national territory smaller than Japan’s, so lands that had forest reserves of local nature in them and real estate were probably valuable. If anything, I had an affinity for the place. But it was a pity that the bookstores were so few.
I often spent my time alone nowadays, so above all else, I appreciated having anything to read. I wasn’t the bookworm type, but there were just too many book-selling places in Japan. If you were getting off at some notable station in Tokyo, no matter which one it was, there would be at least one bookstore within walking distance. I also had a fresh memory of Saul-san telling me that “Japanese people really like their books”.
A street vendor was selling scissors in front of a bookstore in the sunlit streets of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Why did he decide to sell scissors by the road? And right before my eyes, a person on a bus riding slowly down the avenue was buying a pair of scissors from him. Did they have some bag that they wanted to cut open no matter what or something? I had no idea, but anyway, this was a world that operated with standards different from Japan’s, in which supply and demand were apparently well-established.
With glass doors, the bookstore had a magnificent structure and felt nice and cold when I stepped in. The study reference books were on the second floor, so I went up the arched stairs that parted to left and right, searching for the shelf that I was aiming for.
There you are.
I took three books from it, and when I went to the checkout, the female clerk, dressed in a sari, asked me, “Is this all?” in English. The official languages ​​of this country were English, Sinhala and Tamil, with English being spoken by both Sinhalese and Tamils. I believed she was Sinhalese. Because the sari was not a Hindu but a Buddhist thing.
“These are volumes 2, 3 and 4. What about volume 1?”
“I bought just volume 1 a while ago. And it was really good, so I also wanted to learn the rest from this book series.”
“So you’re studying Sinhala. That’s rare. Where are you from?”
“I’m Japanese,” I answered.
What I had come to buy was a Sinhala language study reference book. It was a book for people who couldn’t read Sinhala, so it was, of course, written in English. Even so, I had read it a little before traveling. I also found and purchased a Sinhala language study reference book written by a Japanese scholar, which I was able to buy in Japan.
Regardless, it was kind of useless for my range of understanding, so I almost felt like throwing it away before I could learn anything. I told Saul-san about this when asking him for advice, at which he burst into laughter and then bought me a red paperback book.
A Sinhala book written in English.
The letters were very large and there weren’t too many words. As for the quality of the paper, on the bright side, it was straw paper, and on the downside, it was gray and flimsy. But the contents were very easy to understand and the insides were firmly packed.
This reference book taught Sinhala letters first, as well as the meaning and pronunciation of each one. From that point onward, I couldn’t be more thankful for it. Sinhala was a language written with a Sinhalese alphabet, after all. In addition to vowels such as A, I, U, E and O, it jumped on to a variety of consonants and other symbols that stuck one letter to another like joints. It explained each of them carefully so that even people who didn’t know Sinhalese at all could understand them. This book solved a large percentage of the problem that I had stumbled upon, namely “I can’t find the commonalities and differences between letters, so I don’t know how to tell them apart and can’t organize them in my head”. I was grateful for that. There was no need to ask Richard-sensei for a foreign language course via international call all the time anymore.
That being said, there were many letters in Sinhala. Meaning that there were several pronunciations. You’d think that the Japanese syllabary was cute in comparison. Not all of it could be explained in one book, and the lectures were extended over to the second volume, but Saul-san had bought only one book, in case it didn’t suit me. The results were as could be seen. It was the same kind of joy as reading one book from a novel series and then buying all the sequels.
Learning languages was fun. By the looks of it, learning how to link them directly to communication was what worked for me.
“But can’t you live in Sri Lanka while speaking English, even if you don’t understand Sinhala? Are you on a business trip?”
“Something like that, but if possible, I’d like to talk to people using a Sri Lankan language. I’m Japanese, but I’ve had the experience of being a bit happy when someone from a foreign country spoke in Japanese to me, so now I guess it’s my turn.”
“You have so much free time, huh!”
I had no words to reply. The clerk and I burst into laughter without any reserve and finished the checkout. As I went down the arched stairs, I found a space where they were selling festival tools, stationery and picture books. Many of the same books were arranged on two sides.
Or so I thought.
But that was apparently not it. What I thought to be the exact same large-format picture books were the English version and the Sinhala version. You’d miss it if you were distracted because the pictures were the same, but the picture book, which was probably a Sri Lankan version of a “Japanese folktale”-like work, was published in two languages.
“Y’see, the ones who buy these are parents who want their kids to learn English. ‘Cause speaking English comes in handy.”
When I turned around, the clerk who had been at the cash register on the second floor was right behind me. It seemed she had come to see me off. Apparently, the cashier on the first floor called out to her, telling her to go back to work or something like that, to which she replied at length, and the two exchanged laughs. Maybe the people in this bookstore were cheerful, as not all Sri Lankans expressed their emotions so openly.
“This one is the ‘Mean Old Man’. This one is ‘The Perahera Festival’.”
“Can even a small child understand it well?”
“Of course. This book is big so that it’s easy to read to them.”
Indeed, it was a thin picture book of a size larger than A4. In Japan, it wouldn’t be strange for it to have an anime or manga-style art, but the art of this one had an ethnic touch to it, perhaps to match the contents. The colors were rich, the mean old man was drawn in a vile yet comical way, and the blue gradation of the feathers in a bird’s tail looked tasteful.
“Hum, excuse me. Can I buy this too?”
“You’re going to buy it? Do you have children?”
“I’ll read it myself.”
The clerk laughed again, but after a moment, she made a straight face and told me that it certainly might be perfect for studying. I bought the picture book at the cash register on the first floor. Either way, it cost about 500 Sri Lankan rupees, which was about 600 Japanese yen, but in the eyes of this country’s people, that was probably quite a high price. This was a world of 10 rupees for a loaf of bread and 3 rupees for a cup of tea. Thinking like that, I could understand why there weren’t many bookstores and why there were so few people here.
You can’t eat or drink books. They’re not daily necessities either, like clothes, scissors or toothbrushes. Being able to spend money on such things as if it were obvious must be a sign of wealth. My country was all the more disagreeable for having bookstores everywhere. I’d never thought about it that way.
As I took the receipt and said, “Stūtiyi”, which was “thank you” in Sinhala, the black-haired woman smiled, looked at my face and said in Japanese, “Thank you very much. We will be awaiting your return.”
“Amazing!”
“Thanks.”
And so, she told me that her husband had been working with sheet metal in Ibaraki, Japan, for a while. Her pronunciation of the words “Ibaraki” and “sheet metal” was really good. Apparently, her husband had started up a small company with the money he had earned as an immigrant worker and was its president.
With her waving a hand at me and telling me to be careful, I left the store.
Even though it was early spring, the sunlight in Colombo felt like that of midsummer in Japan. But I was growing quite fond of this glare. Everyone walking in the streets was wearing mid-sleeves, and if they were so inclined, beach sandals too, but the humidity wasn’t as high as in Japan, so I could think that, indeed, this was also spring. The white of the temple flowers blooming along the road was refreshing as well. They reminded me just a little bit of cherry blossoms. And from this street, I could clearly see my favorite landmark.
Colombo Tower, a tower that had the lotus flower as its motif.
It was a Tokyo Tower-like landmark, not visible from my base camp, the mountain town of Kandy, and although the shape was grandiose, it was still under construction and nobody could enter it. However, one day – I didn’t know whether that would be while I was still in Sri Lanka or after I had settled somewhere else, but – I definitely wanted to climb that. I would.
May I be a little more proficient in the language of this country than I am now by then, and if possible, may I get to have small talk in the tower.
With a modest goal and a new book, I treaded the way to Saul-san’s office.
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anakinthetrashking · 5 years ago
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BnHA One-Shot Fic Recs (pt1)
Making some fic-rec posts has been on my to-do list for a while and I’m finally doing it, yay! Currently I have 6 word doc pages full of just BnHA recs. So I’m splitting them up by length and completion, so first up is (part one of) one-shots! Let’s go!!!
Lets start with some classic Izuku and DadMight!
Pictures, Posters and Tender Beauty by ProPinkist (tumblr: @dazais-guardian-angel ) Rating: G    Category: Gen   ~4,400 words Summary: Izuku has virtually every All Might-themed item out there, and prides himself on all of it, as Toshinori is well aware. However, somehow, the boy still decided that there was something vital missing. This is fluffy and very cute. No one truly appreciates All Might as much as Izuku does, but 1A comes close. All Might deserves all the love, and this fic truly provides!!!
Dear Mr. All Might by QuizzicalCrow (tumblr: @quizzicalcrow​ ) Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~5,000 words Summary: As the #1 hero for decades, All Might has collected a lot of fan mail over the years. Toshinori tracks down a series of letters that only now, years later, does he appreciate for their significance.  I always love the thought of All Might looking through his fan mail, even if he can’t get to all of it. This was a wonderful glimpse into that AND it was made to be so, so personal and sweet. Go have some heart-healing fluff.
Growing Pains by LordofLies (tumblr: @theangelofchildren ) Rating: G   Category: Gen    ~5,900 words Summary: Izuku finds himself changed by his encounter with the Hero Killer, but changes of a more physical kind are in store for him as he begins to truly accept One for All as his own. Once, he would have been thrilled to look more like All Might, but now those connections are as much a source of anxiety as they are of pride.Or, Izuku wakes up one morning and sees the world through different eyes. Izuku having anxiety and Toshi being there to help him through it and calm him down? Sign me UP. Its also a pretty cool take on how One for All is able to change things about it’s holder. Could this happen in cannon? Who knows.... Regardless, it was a great read!
I’ll Carry You Home by Renesvetta Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~2,700 words Summary: While training with All Might, it wasn’t uncommon for Izuku to be so exhausted at the end of the day that he unwittingly fell asleep without regard for where he was. It consequently became part of All Might’s routine to help his young protégé home. During that time, Izuku may have let loose more than one sleepy confession towards his mentor.  Yes, it is as adorable as it sounds. Its tagged with “self indulgent Dad Might fluff” which is both accurate and appreciated. In other words: Superb you funky little writer!
Simple Gifts by QuizzicalCrow Rating: G    Category: Gen   ~6,700 words Summary: One year ago, Izuku received the greatest gift he could ever imagine. Now he’s determined to return the favor for the one responsible for it all with a gift of his own.  First off, I love the idea of Izuku and Toshi quietly celebrating the anniversary of passing on OfA from All Might to Izuku. Even just taking the day to hang out with each other. It’s a really precious idea. But there’s not just fluff! Izuku finds himself in a fight, again. (cool villain quirk, too!) I love all of the small details that are in this fic (and in Crow’s other works, too!) anyway its exciting AND very heartwarming, so go read it!!!
Affectionate by Sevi007 (tumblr: @sevi007 ) Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~2,600 words Summary: Toshinori starts to show affection very easily around his students. The  reactions he gets for that are not quite the ones he had anticipated - well, not all of them, at least.  Toshi is LOVED, APPRECIATED, and 1A feels like HOME. how many times can i say “cute” and “heartwarming” on this post?? bc these are some amazing writers, whom I adore, and their writing makes my heart WARM. AND. FUZZY. i mean, even just the first few paragraphs of this one just, really sets the scene of what i like to believe the 1A dorm is (on a good day, lol). its a really nice read, so go treat yo’ self by reading it.
paint me in trust by dinomight Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~6,400 words Summary: The first mark Izuku gets is a slight brush of green across his temple. It’s the soft touch of a mother holding her son for the first time. Inko has one to match, the same shade of green staining the tips of her fingers. Hers is more noticeable; Izuku’s tends to blend into his hairline. He loves it anyways. He has to. It’s the only soulmate mark he has. (Or: how Izuku goes from just green to a rainbow, UA-style.)  Ok, so this fic sort of plays off the idea of soulmates, and does not fit in with soulmates in the usual form of the trope. First off its completely platonic. Its categorized as Gen and sticks to that. Also it doesn’t seem to be as obligatory and permanent as you would think it would be. It seems to be more of the universe telling you who has the possibility of being important in your life. I really really loved this, it was so adorable and gives you that sweet, sweet Izuku angst, before healing your heart with the power of friendship and found family!!!
The Die Has Been Cast by ChiwiTheKiwi (tumblr: @chiwithekiwi​ ) Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~5,400 words Summary: “There’s something about that kid you aren’t telling me, isn’t there?”When no answer meets him, Shouta tries again.“You know something about Midoriya’s quirk that you haven’t shared with me. Is that right?”(Or: A canon "What If" surrounding the latest manga events and focusing on Aizawa finally making a connection.) First off, this fic has spoilers for the manga, so dont read unless you’re past chp212! I loooooooove OfA reveal fics, especially when it’s Aizawa that finds out. He deserves to know!!! its kind of important!!!! This fic chooses a great moment to work off of, and does a great job with Aizawa’s character. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t keep myself from going back and reading it just now LOL
These last two are actually two-shots, but it makes it an even 10! also Izuku and dadmight, so we can continue the theme here...
Some Unspoken Thing by LittleKy Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~7,900 words (2chps) Green, Toshinori has always thought, is the color of life anew.(Or: It's time for Yagi Toshinori to finally accept that he has a son, now, in all but blood. It's time for Midoriya Hisashi to accept that as well.) YES ALL MIGHT! ADMIT THAT IZUKU IS YOUR SON! great portrayal of the characters and really hits the nail on the head for DadMight. and Izuku in this story is just the smallest green floof that you wish to give a hug. NEVER MIND ALL MIGHT, YOU TOOK TOO LONG SO IZUKU IS MY SON NOW AND IM NOT GIVING HIM BACK ( no but seriously i want to hug this fic its so cute TTuTT )
LAST BUT NOT LEAST! I See You by BirdAntlers (tumblr: @aarymk )
Rating: G   Category: Gen   ~15,400 words (2chps) Midoriya Izuku is a quirkless child, blind from birth. Yagi Toshinori is the most powerful man in the world, loved by millions. They could not be more different, and yet their loneliness is the same.   (From a pair of AU posts on Tumblr that got way out of hand; I wanted to put it here because it turned into more of a fic than a "what-if." Basically a vessel for me to vomit as much Dadmight as I can.) Hey, you! Yeah! You! Do you want to cry? Do you want to start sobbing in a public space?? Do you just want to be destroyed with words and be left there kneeling at the feet of a writer who has torn out your heart and stomped on it before they gently wipe the tears from your face? Yeah?? y oU Wan NA D IE??? READ THIS AND GET REKT.  you’ll thank me later
(under the cut is just me rambling, i kept all the important stuff up here, ur welcome)
Now that the actual recs are over I can rant here- look i really tried to slim my recs down, but i have almost 300 bnha fics bookmarked,some of them are “to read” or theyre in progress, etc but i managed to get this list sorta slimmed down? a little?(to only 58!!!) but as i was gathering this post together it felt like i dont have very many Dadmight recs on that list??? but i havent rechecked all the other fics i was just going through the oneshots. i... kinda read a lot more fics with AIzawa in it instead. it be that way. DadMight content is SO GOOD. but my fav is aizawa im sorryyyyy anyway i have another SEVENteeN oneshots to put in rec posts and that does NOT include the mulitchapter and friikin series and stuff... and like i said this is aaaaaaallllllllllllllll BnHA. batfam fic posts will come after, and then star wars, and then maybe star trek? we’ll see. i have a very specific taste in ST fics and that is Tarsus IV whump. which. i have not read in a while. when they say “that trope came from ST” for sooooooo many tropes, you WISH other fandoms had tarsus as a trope, holy crap it is TOP TIER angst fodder. if you love to write/read whump, angst, and h/c i would HIGHLY recommend that you take a bit of time and explore the content and stories there. heck maybe i will make a ficrec post for just tarsus angst. ok.
my INTENTION is to edit these posts later with little links to the other fic rec lists so that itll be easier to find. but., its me, so itll either happen in painful detail or not at all
asdjkdgh its 2:30am and i need to sleep and not be rambling incoherently again I WILL SAVE THIS AS A DRAFT. 
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jayjaysocks · 5 years ago
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Listing my favorite animes (because I’m jumping on the bandwagon)
❗️⚠️ *spoilers!! (Duh)* ❗️⚠️
5. Deadman Wonderland
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I was really really sad when I found out this anime got cancelled. The music was fantastic, the animation was really good, and the voice acting was incredible. Even the fucking dubbed version (I loved the voice they chose for Senji. God he was hilarious). I binged this show so fucking fast it wasn’t even funny. I loved watching the characters go through their own struggles and grow as people in the very small amount of episodes provided. There was a lot of development within the snippet that we actually saw, and I was thoroughly impressed with how well it was done. I wanted to scream or something when I found out there wouldn’t be a second season.
Sigh. Oh well. At least we got some of the manga’s masterpiece translated into a show, even if we were missing some fucking awesome characters.
4. Guilty Crown
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Ugh, don’t even get me started. This anime was beautiful and I got so invested so freaking quickly. I literally go back every few years to rewatch it because I get ship starved.
Shu and Inori’s story was so beautifully done; between Shu uncovering his courage and Inori’s journey of self-discovery, I was continuously awe-struck and filled with feelings—I mean, I had never felt such raw emotion while watching something and I was completely blown away by the affect it had on me. Anger, hatred, sadness, it was all there (even for the main character lmao) and it was one of the first times I had ever felt a ship so heavily that I literally cried at the end. It was one of the very first Animes I’d ever seen and was one of the reasons I got such a taste for them. Thanks for throwing me down that rabbit hole, GC.
3. Soul Eater
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This was literally the first Anime I’d ever seen, and my god I couldn’t have asked for a better starter. What I like about this one is that it’s style is so unique and different. It’s very punk and grunge, something I admired and appreciated in a genre that is normally the opposite (like Guilty Crown, for example). Also the fight scenes were badass, like holy shit just look at that gif ??? Freaking amazing.
I loved the way the show transitioned from light hearted to intense and adrenaline pumping so effortlessly. That can be said about a lot of shows, but this one went from *haha cute show* to *holy shit, like they’re actually gonna die ohmygod howaretheygoingtosurvivethis* so smoothly I was genuinely surprised. They made one of the main villains actually cool and each character had their own beautifully done arc. I loved and adored how the show solidified and expanded on the different friendships/relationships that were involved—specifically Soul and Maka’s (also, holy shit, Stein’s arc? Fucking prime, dude). There was a lot of growth in each and every friendship (CRONA!!!), and that really pushed the viewer to invest in the individual characters.
I am fucking delighted that this was my first anime, and (though the ending was a little anticlimactic) it remains one of my top favorites to this day. It set the bar pretty fucking high, and for that I am extremely greatful.
No one asked for Soul Eater: Not! It is the unspoken sin of the Soul Eater world (then again, it is called Soul Eater: Not!)
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
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If you have been following me for a while, then you are no stranger to my love of FMAB. Some of my most popular posts are about this anime, and for good reason.
Unfortunately, I was late to the party. I actually didn’t watch this until last year, but got invested really damn quick. I have a tendency to be extremely picky about the animes that I watch/like (which is why NONE of these shows are that recent), to the point that I will literally research them before I start watching (a bad habit, do not copy me). I have an incomparably hard time finishing a show when I start, because I get bored really quickly, but this was an exception. I started watching and I just... didn’t stop. I spent a straight week watching FMAB, gobbling it up during any small amount free time I could manage, and finished it before I even knew what happened. I wasn’t picky about it, I didn’t research it, I just dove right in and gosh, I was not disappointed.
The subtle romance that was alluded throughout the entire show was super cute, the devotion the brothers had for each other was to die for, and the struggles that each person went through was more than moving. I never once found myself bored while watching, and that’s saying a lot for my adhd ass. I was invested in each and every second of that damn anime and I was never, ever left underwhelmed. That probably had to do with the fact that every. Single. Character. Had a purpose. I’m not even kidding. Every single person contributed to the big fight at the end and that alone is fucking fantastic.
Not to mention ALL the women, every female character, was a badass bitch. None of them were reduced to sex appeal or romantic subplot, they all had real feelings, real arcs and real, unadulterated badassery that I thoroughly admired and appreciated. I could watch this anime over and over again every single month and I wouldn’t get bored. Between the emotional struggle, self discovery, and personal development of each character, I promise you will not see a lack of plot or meaning here. The more you watch, the more you discover and that is not a lie. There are so many layers to its story, which only makes me wish I had watched this sooner.
There is nothing I have to offer in the ways of criticism, and for that I couldn’t be happier. Thank you, Hiromu Arakawa, for such an incredible piece of art. You deserve every bit of love that this manga/anime gets. You go girl.
1. Cowboy Bepop
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Holy shit holy shit holy shit this anime is so fucking good and it has been my favorite for so damn long. I have been watching anime for years, and while some of the shows in my list have moved around, this one has yet to be bumped down from the top (and I doubt it ever will). There’s a reason it became such a cult classic.
For starters, the animation. I mean, just look at Spike and the way they animate his fighting (yes I am aware that this gif is from the movie, but that still doesn’t change my point). The sequences in the show/film have been reused in many other shows and for good reason. It’s good, incredible, actually and they make him look so badass with just a few hand movements. I was consistently impressed with the way the fight scenes were portrayed and wasn’t ever left underwhelmed or disappointed (or, for that matter, feeling like they completely over exaggerated/overcompensated the scene with huge close-ups and tons of debris and lights). I loved watching this and my heart was always pounding with every intense interaction. I didn’t feel bored during any of the episodes and always found myself laughing when they cracked a joke—pretty much all of their funny lines hit and that’s saying something, dude.
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The show, while having a lighthearted surface, has a heavy meaning that you don’t see at first glance. It’s about dealing with grief and loss, and how the characters themselves accomplished that in different ways. The most prominent quote is the biggest indication of its moral “you’re gonna carry that weight”. Basically: ‘You’ve gotta pick up your baggage, because the world moves on, with or without you’. Or ‘You’re going to carry that weight whether you like it or not, because life keeps going’. When I figured out the show’s actual message, while staring at my ceiling in the long hours of the night, I almost cried. This realization brought something entirely different to the table, a new understanding of the show’s characters and overall essence.
The main characters, all of them, had depth. They had real, palpable depth, and even if you didn’t want to care you found yourself seriously interested in their lives. Each of them had relatively shitty pasts. Faye with her lost memories, Spike with Julia and the people who fucked him over, Jet with his old flame and the ISSP, Ed and her/his father... throughout the entire show we got to see how all of them dealt with these things, whether they wanted to continue on with life or not. The way they portrayed it was engaging, because the characters individual, contrasting journeys weren’t repetitive or one note. The beauty that the show holds so achinging close to its core, the layers of grief that the characters are wrapped in so delicately is almost suffocatingly real—because they’re all different. It’s something you discover when you think on the subject in a deeper light, which is another reason why I enjoy it so much. It has both a surface story and a deeper one. You can either take the show at face value or choose to understand the underlying moral.
This show inspired my very first, thoroughly fleshed out OC, and continues to inspire me to this day. It has contributed to my own personal growth, and has helped push me to continue my art and writing. It is beautifully written, beautifully executed and even though some of the episodes seem like filler, it has never disappointed me. I rewatch it all the time because there’s something so infinitely refreshing about the beauty of this anime, whether it be the way we watch the characters develop or the overall moral it portrays. This show has given us a message that is essentially timeless, it can be ‘carried’ through generation after generation, and still have the same impact—something I absolutely fucking adore.
I owe so much to this anime, including my very own artistic development. I discovered it during a really shitty time in my life and I couldn’t have asked for better timing. I will never tire of the bittersweet message or the thoroughly fucking fantastic animation. Everyone who contributed to this masterpiece deserves love, because it’s seriously fucking gold.
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mysaldate · 5 years ago
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But can y’all imagine...
How very different KnY would be if told from another character’s perspective? Take literally any demon and suddenly the Demon Slayer Corps are painted in whole different light! In other words, I’m really bitter about the fandom and its hatred against the demons in general or just a few specific characters.
(long post, manga spoilers ahead)
With Muzan, it’s a story of a weak boy who just wanted to have a stronger body and then this shady doctor made him incapable of walking in the sun and forced him to eat human flesh? Like?? That fucks you up man. And then he learns how much of a curse immortality is and starts yearning for companions so he starts making them. His own family had forsaken him for something that initially wasn’t even his fault and now they started hunting down his fellow immortals. And what’s more, they act like they’re in the right!
Let’s take the hand demon from the final selection now, shall we? A little scaredy boy who got turned into a demon and ended up killing his brother without even fully realizing what he had done. Soon after, he was captured by this weird man in a mask and thrown in what is essentially a gladiator arena with dozens of people swarming in to kill him every once in a while. He fights his way through, eventually getting stronger and stronger. Eventually, he falls victim to one of the pupils of the man who captured him.
We’re just making a quick stop at Kyougai here before moving on to the moons. And boy did he deserve better! Kyougai has lived his whole life constantly being told what he was bad at. His writings is called trash, his passion for drumming is looked down upon, he has nobody to love him... There’s a lot more to him than just a frustrated bad guy. He cries when, for the first time in his life, someone gives mild appreciation to something he does. Sadly enough, that only happens on his deathbed.
Rui’s backstory was partially shown but imagine if he were the main focus! A boy so weak he could barely walk, suddenly offered the chance to become stronger. And much like in Muzan’s case, it backfired. This was even more enforced by the fact that his own parents tried to kill him! Then he met with the guy who turned him into this thing in the first place and slowly, he forgot all about his family. Loneliness grasping his childish heart, he eventually starts gathering other demons to create a family to feel those bonds again. He has no idea how families should work so he does it in the only way he can think of. But nobody else likes this. Imagine the betrayal he feels when one of his sisters tries to run away from him! And then he almost dies by the hands of someone who has what he had always craved without doing anything for it (at least from his pov). And by the very end, when he is finally reunited with his parents, when he finally felt the genuine love again, he got sent straight to hell for doing what he had to to survive, without being shown a speck of mercy by his killer.
We don’t know anything about Enmu’s backstory (movie, I’m counting on you!) but even with the little we know, a lot can be worked out. Enmu is loyal to a fault, overall pretty smart, he likes giving people happy dreams. He really just wants to please his master and yet, he’s not even given the small victory of killing a kid.
Or what about Daki and Gyuutarou? Again, we got their backstory but if that was the main focus? We’d get to see so so much more of the abuse they went through, of the hard work Gyuutarou put in for the sake of his sister, how he tried to protect her and make her stand up for herself, how he made sure she knew her worth and didn’t become a prostitute at a young age, how he cherished her and how much she relied on him. When she was getting burnt, did she call out his name hoping he would come and save her? Did she apologize for dying on him? Or Gyuutarou, how did he feel when he found her there? For how long afterwards had he blamed himself? He never let go of those feelings. And then around came a charming stranger and offered them both to live on, even as a single being so they could be even closer! Daki got a position so she didn’t have to do any degradative work ever again, Gyuutarou could protect her way better! They were attacked times and times again by the demon slayers and there were probably many tense moments and yet, they made it out, growing ever stronger together as a team... only to be eventually bested by a half-baked demon, a bunch of children and a very self-centered guy who took himself three wives.
Then we have Gyokko, an unfortunate artist who was most likely never appreciated, no matter how hard he tried. His art was dismissed as broken, imperfect, lacking in talent. And what’s worse, he may have had those feelings too. He knew he didn’t have very good focus, he probably couldn’t give his work as much work as he would’ve liked. After he obtained the capability of increasing his speed enough to nulify this deficit, he also came face to face with many people, many slayers, many pillars even, some of them who mastered the full-focus breathing technique and used it like it was nothing. How did that make him feel? And eventually he died facing someone who had all the focus he ever wanted, with his art and his own form insulted by a mere child.
Hantengu is not talked about nearly enough but can you imagine how he would tell the story? An almost blind beggar, constantly being pushed around because of his poor looks (something he could hardly change), thrown out of everywhere (kind of his fault since he was a thief but if it was his story, we’d get full reasoning), people refused to even talk with him in the end. Finally, he meets someone who gives him power and lets him be stronger so he doesn’t have to beg for everything. He’s still so very scared of everything though and he ends up doing his scary master’s bidding and gets killed by a bunch of violent screaming kids who insult him in every possible way without ever trying to look at things from his side.
Now we come to Akaza. Now here we got a lot of backstory so I’ll just skim over it real quick. In order to help his sick father, this good son stole money for the medicine and constantly got beaten up by the officials, simply because he wanted to help. His father died because he thought he was being a burden. Or, from Akaza’s point of view, his father died because he was too weak not to get caught. Can you imagine the shame? The pain? He eventually got taken in by a kind master, fell in love with a sweet girl and was supposed to marry her. And then his whole world suddenly crumbled down again. Everyone he cared about died and he couldn’t help them. Can you imagine how much he beat himself up over it? He became a demon but even after that, he would never eat girls. He just wouldn’t, it was too much for him. And yet, he managed to grow stronger. His end actually wasn’t all that tragic as he met up again with his wife, though both of them ended up burning in hell yet again.
Now we’re getting to Douma, and this one I’ll have lots of fun with. So this story is again about a little boy. This time, he’s not weak. This time, he’s not petty. He’s beautiful and everyone loves him. A lot. Too much even. He has no relationship with his parents because they don’t treat him like a human, they treat him like a medium. Everyone does. He can’t go outside to play with his peers, he’s stuck inside the temple, listening to people complaining about their miserable lives. That’s literally his entire life. Just frustration upon frustration upon frustration. Slowly, he starts going numb towards all of this. When something repeats for too long, a person will stop reacting naturally. That leads him to believe he’s emotionless. His father cheats on his mother constantly with other women from the cult, the bitterness grows with every day. Until one day, she snaps and kills him and then herself. But because Douma has no relationship with them and because of how much pain was already pushed onto him from others, he doesn’t have a reaction. He knows he can’t really help anyone. He doesn’t have that kind of power. So when the opportunity offers itself, he jumps after it. Since he’s numb to pain, he thinks, he is always happy. And he’s immortal now. So everyone he consumes can be just the same for sure! Later on, he meets Gyuutarou, a pitiful man clinging to his dying sister. And what does he do? He helps them out. And he takes responsibility for them later on as well. He strives to become strong, he strives to get along with everyone. Just the sheer amount of times he tries to spend time with someone only to be shut down shows a lot about how lonely he actually feels, even if he doesn’t call it that way. When Kotoha comes to the temple, he accepts her even with a child and if there’s one thing you can clearly see in his expression whenever he looks at her, it’s the warm, soft feeling of genuine affection, if not down-right love. Her refusing to let him explain why he does what he does and running off after insulting him? That had to hurt terribly. And she even threw her own baby off a cliff rather than to let him take care of the boy. The demon hunters coming to kill him? They want to ruin everything he tried so hard to keep together. He kills them and grants them the happiness he brings to his followers whenever he has enough time to do it. He dies at the hands of a spiteful woman who doesn’t know anything about him and is blinded by hatred and rage, a little girl who insults his feelings towards his friends while not really having any right to speak (her own emotions are way more broken than his and, arguably, for pettier reasons) and the child who’s mother he sheltered and who threw him aside.
That was long but we finally got to Kokushibou! Now, here it gets shorter again because, come on, chapter 177 gave us such a good POV on him! Though if the whole story was from his perspective, we’d deffinitelly get so much more! The utter sense of betrayal when his father after years of his hard work decided to abandon him as an heir, the overwhelming desire to at least match his brother, to at least be on equal grounds with him and then the crushing defeat when he realized he could never be like him, his lifespawn was running thin and his brother would probably surpass him even in that. He became a demon for the sole purpose of besting his brother and yet, he was never able to. As an unfulfilled revenge, his brother died before Kokushibou could strike him down. And now fast-forward some time and he’s stuck babysitting supposedly some of the strongest demons except they constantly bicker about petty things, can’t respect authority or in some cases get scared so easily he has to wonder how did they get there in the first place. His own descendant tries to kill him and refuses his offer to join Muzan’s side. And he dies because of a moment of weakness, bested once again, never to live to see the day when he would truly be the most powerful swordsman like was his life-long dream.
Or let’s take a look at Kaigaku. Working his ass off his whole life only to be constantly compared to a weak coward like Zenitsu who couldn’t even show their elder any proper respect. He couldn’t manage to master the first breath of thunder technique no matter how hard he tried and that alone was the reason why his teacher didn’t see him as any better than Zenitsu – someone who never learnt more than one technique! He was finally somewhat appreciated by Kokushibou. That was literally the first person ever to see him as a strong opponent. A demon who originally came to kill him. And he died by the hands of that very same weakling who was the cause of his troubles his whole life.
I could go on and talk about Tamayo, Yushiro, Susamaru, Yahaba, the swamp demon trio, Nakime... I’ll save these for when Nakime’s backstory is revealed and possibly when we get more details on Tamayo and Yushiro. There should also be the replacement upper moon five so let’s wait for that guy.
Side note: I’m purposedly emitting Nezuko since 1) she’s not a standard demon in the series and 2) she’s one of the main protagonists so we already see the story from her perspective about as much as we see it from Tanjiro’s.
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besebee · 5 years ago
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Alright so I decided I was gonna talk a little about Heroes Rising since I just saw it in theaters. I actually debated going because I don’t like certain directions the manga is taking, but that’s besides the point. Spoilers under the cut.
I want to start off by saying I absolutely adored certain parts of this movie. The fight scenes? Awe inspiring. The camaraderie between all the members of class 1-A? Fantastic.
The premise? Eh... Here’s where my disbelief started to poke through. The idea that UA would send an entire class out onto an island- yes, even one with little to no crime- alone and without any sort of hero supervision is ridiculous. Perhaps with another class in a previous year I could get behind it but this is the class that has had multiple attempts made on their lives. UA is already in hot water with how they’ve handled certain things in the past and whether or not you think they should be, I doubt that the school would want to risk another PR nightmare.
I mean, on top of that the people who work in and run the school obviously want what’s best for the kids and they never want to see them get hurt so why the hell wouldn’t they send at least Aizawa, their homeroom teacher, along with them? Provisional License or not, you have a bunch of students, literal children, on a remote island alone to deal with whatever happens while they’re there.
Alright, so that was a bit jarring but I could ignore it because well, it’s a movie! This is how plot progresses! And to be fair the premise was perfectly fine, I just didn’t find it very believable. It didn’t hurt my immersion in the theater and I was totally enthralled when they got to the island and started doing small heroic tasks like helping people get to the doctor, fixing things, etc. All of these little tasks that showed how well they worked together and how far along they’ve come.
I loved that part. I was grinning the whole time.
Before I get to the villains arriving at the island I want to go over what I thought of them real quick, and I’ll make it fast because we haven’t even gotten to the part I want to rant about yet.
Nine - A watered down AFO. I didn’t mind him, and I actually kind of pitied him? I feel like his character was done well but I wish we knew more about his backstory. There has to be a reason he wants to remake society the way he does. On top of that it is painfully obvious (more so for those up to date on the manga) that he is being taken advantage of. I have no doubt that he was never meant to succeed in his goals and that the Doctor was basically experimenting on him to see what would happen.
Mummy - I loved the music that played in the background whenever he fought. His quirk was super cool and I just found him refreshing since most quirks in this series are physical things? I wish he could’ve stuck around longer like the others but...
Chimera - HIS DESIGN. I LOVED HIS DESIGN. A lot of people from what I’m seeing claim that he is over-powered but honestly given his name I think they did him really well. A being made up of various animals that can breathe fire is what a chimera is, and naturally that means he will be very strong. I will say that they dragged it on a bit long, to the point where him growing in size bordered on ridiculous, but again I loved it. It’s a world full of quirks, some are going to be OP. I can also fully see where he’s coming from with his motivations and I like how he believes in his little group.
Slice - The quirk was something we’ve basically seen before but I love how it was implemented. Her design was top notch and her personality was fun to watch as she handled certain situations. I also love how protective she specifically was over Nine, and I wonder if they have more of a relationship than the movie explored given that they seemed closer to one another than the others.
So moving on to when the villains actually make it to the island. I appreciated that the class split up into teams to deal with each of the villains and I thought the fights were great. I like that we were shown that they were clearly on the defensive as they moved the civilians out of harms way and stood their ground to keep them safe during the evacuation.
The fight with Mummy, however... I didn’t like it. Bakugou seemed to have some kind of plot armor that prevented Kaminari and Kirishima from being able to save him from basically being held hostage and used against them. How? Yeah I’m not sure. Mummy’s quirk works on inanimate objects, and if he wraps his bandages around them he can control them as if they were living beings. Controlling Bakugou’s armor and clothing in order to encase him in this type of ‘minion being’ was a clever idea even if it’s something we kind of saw with the Sludge Monster at the start of the series. One could argue it is with his growth that he was able to escape this similar situation, but I argue that’s completely different. I’m not even sure how he managed to escape Mummy’s hold. I think he might have activated one of his gauntlets but it wasn’t really clear. At least to me.
Lightning Round:
- Mahoro using her quirk to draw attention to their location and the fact that Midoriya needed help was wonderful and honestly the giant Deku was adorable.
- These kids should be dead. I get why they’re not but the amount of damage that they all take throughout the entirety of this movie is ridiculous! If that’s the amount of damage that a teenager can take and still survive, how do heroes end up dying in the field? (I’m just being picky ignore me, I get why they did it and I loved all of the fighting. They all have come so far and it really showcases that.)
- The amount of times someone tells Mahoro and Katsuma to run only for them to stand frozen is... Something else. They are scared kids, yes, but these teenagers are literally almost dying to give you a chance to run so please move!
- Katsuma’s quirk is unique and very interesting so I’m glad it got the spotlight! We haven’t seen many healing quirks!
- Midoriya’s plan was brilliant and I’m glad he got the chance to show off his ability to think things through. His intelligence is certainly something I love about his character and it makes him very formidable as an opponent.
- Todoroki. Killed. Chimera. I know, I know, we have him showing up at the end being led off the island in chains with the others, and Todoroki says “hibernate for awhile” to apply he is asleep, but no. He killed him. There is no way that Chimera could be speared internally with ice while also being frozen over and not die.
- All Might parachuting into what could still potentially be a dangerous situation to make sure his son was okay gave me so many FEELINGS. I actually cried when he cradled Midoriya and they talked.
RANT TIME. I preface this bit by saying: ship whatever you want, like whoever you want in the manga or anime, these are my personal opinions regarding things.
What the absolute fuck was the whole transferring of OFA thing? The minute I saw what Midoriya was about to do my enjoyment of the movie took a sharp nose-dive. Anyone else. Anyone else being given OFA in that situation would’ve been better then Bakugou. I know that Horikoshi has been trying to shoehorn in a bond between the two of them in the manga but in my opinion the whole thing has been poorly handled and feels completely fake and forced.
Bakugou has bullied Midoriya physically and mentally from the get-go. We know it’s been happening since Midoriya was at least five years old and though it can now be very loosely classified as ‘teasing’ for people who really squint, he still does it. He told him to jump off a roof. During their first training exercise in UA, Bakugou severely injures Midoriya despite being explicitly told not to carry through with his attack because it might kill him but he carries through with it anyway because it wouldn’t kill him if he didn’t hit him dead on. That’s quite the gamble to take with someone’s life, especially considering you’re supposedly trying to become a hero.
This is the type of person that Bakugou has been, and the type of person that Midoriya has been dealing with. Midoriya finally, finally, begins to get real friends and realize that he doesn’t have to keep chasing after this one person from his past in an attempt to make things work that will only end up hurting him.
Likewise Bakugou finally began to grow and see his past mistakes and learn from them. He also got friends who he cares about and treats relatively well, and they are so happy to be his friend too.
Both parties became involved in relationships that weren’t toxic and subsequently began to grow and change in ways that made them better people.
...And then Kamino Ward happened. ...And then Midoriya told Bakugou about OFA.
And now they are involved again.
I get that it’s fiction, really, I do, but I don’t think it’s right to have someone who was abused for so long simply... Forgive and forget regarding their abuser. It’s just something that rubs me the wrong way because so many people who have suffered at someone else’s hands are often told they have to forgive to move on which is utter bullshit. These characters were doing just fine as people who recognized their shared past and were learning to deal with each other in situations where they had to be together but would otherwise seek out healthier relationships, and I was all for that! Growth! Growth is good! But for some reason they’re friends again? What?
I wanted to explain my personal beliefs regarding their relationship in order to explain why I think that anyone else getting OFA in Bakugou’s place would’ve been better. For the narrative, for the characters, for everything. Because what you had in the movie was a kid who had been horribly bullied by Bakugou for being quirkless willingly handing his quirk over to him without any regard for himself once again, and then you had that former bully be able to use it instantly.
Showing the audience, showing Midoriya, that everything he has been through in his efforts to cultivate this power, all the things he’s learned and done, have been pointless. If Bakugou can take OFA and wield it at 100% immediately with only his arms breaking with no training whatsoever, what does that mean for Midoriya? That he’s weak? What about his story? And now we have Midoriya seeing his childhood bully take his quirk and use it so much better then he was able to at first and he finds himself back at the question that has haunted him from the very beginning, but even more so after what happened with Sir and Mirio.
Is he a worthy successor?
I didn’t like it. I couldn’t enjoy it. The fight was a beautiful piece of animation, but what had happened just took me out of it. And... I don’t think Bakugou was going to give OFA back. It wasn’t mentioned at all and both of them acted like it was a final thing. Even though the Vestiges said“fuck this” and forced OFA back into Midoriya after the fight (how? magic? who knows) it doesn’t change what happened.
The others are shown to be receiving medical attention and care as reinforcements have finally arrived and we get to see Endeavor hugging a very over it Shoto Todoroki.
...Why? Just why? Like we didn’t need that. It’s just a reminder of another relationship that is being forced into this forgive and forget mold and it just honestly makes me feel sick because of all the things Endeavor has done to his family. I fully believe that he hasn’t changed at all. Instead he looked around once he hit the height of his career, said “oh, I’m alone and everyone hates me and I’m lonely now that I have nothing to work toward” and decided to try and fix things (and I use that term loosely) for his own selfish benefit.
Overall the movie was great. I would totally watch it again, but certain things in the movie just rubbed me the wrong way. Again, this is all my personal opinion, I don’t care if you love Bakugou or BakuDeku or Endeavor, or whatever, you do you, but I just don’t. Oh and to make it clear, if you like any of those characters or things and you support Endeavor trying to get back in his family’s good graces, that’s perfectly fine! I’m not trying to call anyone out or call someone an abuse apologist or some shit, it’s all fiction, I’m just stating my own views.
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feynavaley · 5 years ago
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I would love to hear your thoughts on Myers-Briggs/personality stuff with the FACE family. It doesn't have to be their types, specifically, but just patterns you see in the way they think/process things, and how that might clash sometimes. You seem to know their characters so well and I would love to hear your ideas! 😊
Thank you so much for this question!! 😊
First of all, I have to admit that I don’t know enough of Myers-Briggs personality types to use them for the characterization. So, I don’t. This is going to be quite a bit of rambling, I’m afraid.
America
America is a contradictory mixture of good intentions and egocentrism. The thing about America is that he genuinely wants to help and do his part to make the world a better place, from the smallest gestures to large-scale issues. He also wants to get the recognition he deserves for his actions, this much is true, but it’s actually somewhat secondary to reaching his goal.
He also is quite proactive. America doesn’t waste energies on anything he doesn’t deem important – which is the reason he may often come across as lazy – but when he thinks something is, he works as hard as he can.
However, America is also extremely self-centred and with a dangerously high dose of confidence. He wants to do the right thing – but what he believes to be the right thing, and he doesn’t take well to suggestions/corrections. He has gotten to the point where he’s willing to acknowledge that his approach isn’t the only good/right one (we actually saw him develop this awareness in the manga) but he still isn’t ready to admit his own might be flawed. (All this is what makes him dangerous. America is willing to do everything he needs for the ‘greater good’, he’s not completely above using immoral tactics. He doesn’t enjoy it, but he’s so firm in his conviction that he’s doing the right thing that if there’s no other alternative, he will.)
America’s confidence is also reflected in how he behaves with people. Even when trying to be friendly and helpful (which he does most of the time, actually) he starts from himself and treats other people the way he would want to be treated. He doesn’t stop to think other people are different and, consequently, might benefit more from a different approach. He doesn’t mean to, but this is what happens. He also tends to keep in higher consideration his own needs as opposed to other people’s needs. The fact he’s very pushy (because he puts a lot of energy in everything he does) doesn’t help.(This makes him clash a lot with Canada, who is so sensitive that he cannot truly grasp how genuinely America doesn’t mean anything bad, and England, who thinks America should make more of an effort to be mindful of others, even if it doesn’t come easy to him. France, instead, isn’t so offended as, in spite of being sensitive himself, he knows America well enough to realize that his behaviour truly is unintentional.)
I don’t think America is completely unable to admit he did something wrong and fix his act, though. The very hard thing is to have him realize he was wrong – but once he does, he immediately sets to make amends and improve for the better. America is proactive in everything he does. Realizing he did something wrong is quite crushing for him, however. With the high consideration he has of himself, anything that proves he isn’t so perfect forces him to re-evaluate a lot of things.
However, America’s bad mood doesn’t last long. In fact, America has an extremely positive mindset. He’s not prone to wallowing in his misery, rather, he forgives himself and promises to improve and not repeat his mistakes. More in general, instead of looking at the negative side, America prefers to focus on the positive and how to build something better/fix things from there. And he does believe things will get better, with enough hard work and positivity. Due to this strong belief of his, America is also really good at motivational speeches. His enthusiasm and energy are so genuine that the crowd is immediately enthralled.
On the other hand, America’s positivity can also cross the line of idealism as, in his conviction that everything will improve, he might overlook/dismiss some details and complexities of the issue. (This is another point where he clashes with England, who, instead, has a more pessimistic mindset and thinks that America’s approach is too naïve.)
America is sort of naïve, too. Having spent the centuries between his independence and WW1 very isolated, he doesn’t have a real grasp of the complexities and subtleties of the relationships between personifications and the real weight they have inside their government (America is aware that he doesn’t know everything, but not of how much he’s kept in the dark of). He tends to oversimplify things a bit.
America isn’t without fragilities, however. People tend to forget this as he likes to present himself as confident and positive – and he is – but this doesn’t mean he’s made of stone and nothing touches him. For a starter, America feels lonely and unappreciated. He doesn’t want to change himself to receive a better reception as he believes that he doesn’t have anything to change, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. So, he relies a lot on those few people he’s close to. Their eventual rejection, for how small, hurts him a lot. He would need a few more reminders that he’s cared for, but not many realize he does.
America also cares a lot about their opinion. While he doesn’t usually care for critiques coming from random people, he’s hurt when those dishing out against him are his loved ones/people he respects. (This is where England often goes overboard as he doesn’t realize how much his words/opinion affect America. Sometimes, Canada makes the same mistake.)
Another thing about America is that he doesn’t like showing weakness because it makes him feel vulnerable. It’s not an issue of admitting he has some weaknesses – for how nearly-perfect America believes he is, he knows he does – it’s more along the lines of giving his enemies something they could use against him. America can only show weaknesses with people he trusts a lot. (And, in spite of him being generally friendly, truly gaining his trust isn’t so easy.) In turn, America values people showing to him their weaknesses and issues as a measure of trust.
America also values bluntness over cold niceties. As a tendentially blunt person, he thinks that saying what he truly means and being informal is a signal of respect and openness towards other people. This isn’t to say that America can’t be formal when the situation calls for it. In fact, he’s quite a charmer and an excellent liar when he needs to. However, he only does it when he needs to deceive someone. As a result, he tends to be quite wary of formal and polite people as they give him the impression of having a hidden agenda.
England
England is another complex case, full of internal contradictions. He had a harsh and isolated childhood, without the support of loved ones he would have needed in order to grow up. Everything England did, he had to do it alone.
He’s a mixture of pride and low self-esteem. He needs to constantly prove himself because if he doesn’t accomplish everything on his own, it means he’s a failure. Every insuccess, no matter how small, is a dent to his self-worth. This is why England always push himself harder and harder – on everything – and doesn’t easily accept help (or that he needs it). He’s insanely stubborn, too, and he never admits he was wrong.
Being so hard on himself also means that England feels justified to be just as equally stern with others as well, though. He expects a lot of people and doesn’t have much patience. He doesn’t tolerate mistakes, not even small ones.
In spite of this, England is actually quite soft-hearted. He wants to experience love and warmth, and he’s easily moved. His issue is that he just doesn’t know how to deal with it. He does nicely as long as there are no emotions involved as he is a fundamentally kind and polite person, which is generally appreciated. (In fact, England values politeness and formality a lot, he sees them as a sign of respect. So, on the other hand, people being too casual/informal anger him.)
However, things take a completely different turn once the relationship threatens to become something more than casual acquaintances. Connecting with somebody means showing vulnerability and opening himself to the pain of rejection, and England doesn’t know how to cope. He’s awkward and he turns to sarcasm to protect himself. He often ends up coming across as almost cruel as he tries to protect himself by putting some distance between him and other people.
Once he has created a stable relationship, however, England is extremely loyal. He might not be overtly affectionate, but his fondness is expressed through protectiveness and many small kind gestures. He ends up getting very attached to people he opens himself to. In turn, their eventual betrayal/rejection hurts him deeply. He cannot bring himself to get over it. Real forgiveness from him is almost impossible.
Another thing I should mention about England is that he has a very analytical mind. He tends to use a rational approach on everything, not letting his (or anybody else’s) emotions factor in his decisions. (In fact, he often ends up being too cold about this.)
And in general, England has a very pessimistic approach to life. He has been hurt too many times to fool himself into thinking things will be better, and the envy he feels towards people who are, instead, still optimistic (see: America) makes him be even harsher.
Canada
If you’re interested, I have actually already written quite a lot about Canada, both in terms of characterization [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] and his relationship/clashes [x] [x] [x] with America (there are also some headcanons mixed in, but I think it should be easy to spot what is an analysis and what are headcanons).
Canada is mostly defined by his selflessness, extremely low self-esteem, and positive attitude. The end result is that, in most cases, Canada’s approach starts from valuing the wellbeing/needs of the other people involved above his own. He is also proactive in this – in spite of maybe not feeling up to it (see self-esteem issues) he still always does his best. And, in spite of his beliefs, Canada is actually quite smart and a good tactician. He’s good at reading people, too. In the end, his way of looking for a solution is generally a good compromise between an emotional and rational approach. He doesn’t like violence and tries instead to find a more peaceful solution. (I think that Canada would make an excellent leader if he just spoke up. He’s rational and compassionate, actually focused on reaching what would be best for everybody. If you’re interested, there’s a really good fic [x] that explores this side of his personality.)
In spite of his general selflessness, Canada would want to be recognized for his efforts, but he believes that if he doesn’t, he’s not good enough yet. So, he has to work harder in order to get there. Basically, Canada doesn’t hide behind his self-worth issues but uses them as a push to always try to improve himself. And he truly believes he will, if he works hard enough – his vision of the world is a mainly optimistic one, not unlike America. Also not unlike America, Canada is quite active and a hard worker (even though he will work hard on anything that’s assigned to him, instead. He sees people entrusting him with some work as an opportunity to prove he’s worthy of their trust, so he puts all himself into the task, no matter how small).
On the other hand, Canada’s self-worth issues also mean that it’s hard for him to openly express his needs/opinion. In general, he’s truly vocal only if he has to advocate for somebody else. But Canada actually has strong opinions about many things. So, he tends to instead adopt some sort of passive-aggressive attitude until he reaches the point of no-return and explodes. (This is where he clashes a lot with America, by the way. Because America is the opposite in this – he says what he needs and he takes it. So, Canada not expressing himself clearly frustrates him to no end.)
Always due to his self-worth issues, it’s also hard for Canada to see when people care for him. However, he’s so friendly and helpful that everybody generally likes him, even if he doesn’t realize it. Actually, I would say that aside from America, Canada doesn’t really clash with anybody else. At least, openly. There are some almost-hidden fractures.
As I have already mentioned [x], both England’s and Canada’s self-worth issues created some distance between them. While they both care deeply for each other, they aren’t open enough to express it, which makes their relationship somewhat stilted.
About France, instead… due to what happened during the French and Indians War and the Revolutionary War, Canada took a while to trust France again and believe he had ever cared for him. While he now accepts this, Canada still doesn’t trust France completely because he knows France is prone to telling white lies in order to placate other people. So, he never knows whether France telling him something to calm him down is true or not, even if he appreciates the good intentions.
France
To be honest, France is a bit of an enigma to me. Of these four, he’s the character I have the least solid grasp on. I have already mentioned this [x], but the thing that throws me off the loop is that he’s extremely melodramatic but he can also be so mature an insightful.
The conclusion I have reached is that France is very mature. He’s good at reading people and situations, he always has a deeper insight on what’s going on. But, he also feels so deeply that he cannot help but express it. Even if actions are perfectly sensate, the execution is always over-the-top. Moreover, while he would be capable of making rational decisions, his sensitivity makes him consider the feelings and emotions of the people involved more than what would be the most rational approach. (Needless to say, this is something that makes him clash a lot with England.)
As far as self-esteem is concerned, instead, I don’t think that France’s is extremely low. He knows his flaws, but he also knows his strengths. However, France also has an extremely deep need to be liked by everybody. Every criticism – no matter who it comes from – hurts him deeply. So, France ends up… Not exactly submitting to people, but carrying politeness almost to the point of fake flatteries with people he doesn’t know well. He’s good at making people like him, he tends to create a lot of shallow connections.
His tendentially non-confrontational nature doesn’t help. Nor does his tendency for gossip and even talking behind people’s backs, at times. (This is something that infuriates England. England is polite, too, but within limits. He’s not fake. If people don’t like him, so be it. He can’t stand the way France behaves in these circumstances. America finds it annoying, too.)
Only with people he knows well enough to be comfortable with France will drop the pretenses and let his tongue ran. In those cases, he doesn’t keep back from expressing what he truly thinks.
France is also tendentially cautious. Before jumping into situations, he analyses them, and he doesn’t take unnecessary risks. He prefers working on the sidelines or even manipulating people (and he’s good at it, since he’s so good at reading them) instead of tackling issues head-on. (I think it took America a while to realize this isn’t a cowardly approach. He still has issues with it, though.)
While he doesn’t have a tendentially pessimistic view of the world and he likes hoping for the better, France is also prone to melancholy. He tends to wallow in his misery instead of trying to fix what’s ailing him, especially at first. (And this makes both America and England mad at him as they don’t understand complaining about something without trying to fix it.)
And wow, I really have rambled far too much. 😅 I hope this makes sense! 😊 And if you want to discuss something or want clarifications on any point, don’t hesitate to ask!
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flamingo-writes · 5 years ago
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Reunion — Zoro x Reader
Summary: After arriving to Wano, you go out with Brook looking for Zoro. Your heart aching to find him, missing him terribly. However, what you come across leaves you confused. Wano Spoilers. 
Word count: 1.3K words
A/N: Even though I have requests to work on, I wanted to post this. I started this out of boredom, and ended up really liking it. I can never get enough Zoro imagines. Zoro is The Ultimate Bae TM out there ok. 
Warnings: Again, manga spoilers, specifically chapter 941. Swearing, smut. 
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You stuck with Brook on your way to find Zoro. Your heart was eager to see your boyfriend again, after taking a detour to Whole Cake Island. However, your heart squeezed painfully once you finally found Zoro in a small house. Not the kind of meeting you were hoping.
"Zoro-san!" Brook exclaimed, surprised when he saw Zoro asleep with a little girl and a woman sleeping on his chest.
Zoro groaned, waking up and suddenly growing aware of his surroundings.
"What the fuck?" He barked, as the woman on his chest woke up. "The fuck do you think you're doing, lady?" Yet, he hadn't realized you were there.
"The people in the capital would have died to sleep with me, didn't you enjoy it?" Her voice, still dripping with sleep, adding to the painful squeeze of your gut.
"Bullshit" he growled as he finally looked at Brook and saw you standing next to the skeleton. "[Name]" he whispered. "This looks…This is not—"
You stopped him by just lifting your index finger. Your face crystal clear, and Zoro immediately felt worried. Why? He didn't know, he hadn't done anything wrong, yet, this whole situation looked horrendously wrong.
"Can I talk to you outside?" You whispered, feeling everyone's stare in you as Zoro quickly stood up, grabbed his yukata putting it on, following you outside the house.
"You're Zorojuro's friends?" Komurasaki asked Brook, as Brook watched the two of you leave.
"Oh...I am his friend. She...well...she's his girlfriend, yohohoho!" Brook laughed awkwardly as Komurasaki's face changed and now she was gawking and covering her mouth with her slim hands.
"Oh, did I get him in trouble?" She cried, as Brook laughed feeling uncomfortable.
Zoro followed you quietly, thinking about how cold Wano was. You decided to stop, several feet away from the small house, not really minding the cold. In fact, using it to distract yourself from the pain in your chest. 
"I've got a couple of questions…" you sighed, turning around and looking Zoro in the eye. "What happened?"
"Nothing happened" he purred "I fell asleep. And at some point she thought it was a good idea to sleep next to me. No kissing, no touching, no sex"
You stared at him for several seconds. Silently. Replaying hi words in your head. And the image on another girl sleeping on his chest. 
"Second question, are you lying to me?"
"You know lying goes against my principles” He said firmly, without even stopping to think about his answer, and without stuttering  “No, I'm not lying to you. I don't have a reason to do so"
"Okay, one last thing…" you murmured.
"Alright, shoot" Zoro said.
"I missed you" Zoro's face brightened with a gentle smile and he walked closer to you, grabbing you from your shoulder and bringing you closer, hugging you and kissing the top of your head.
"I missed you too, dummy" he chuckled, running his hand through his hair and smelling the familiar smell he loved so much. Your smell.
You broke the hug and stared into his eye, standing on your tiptoes to steal a kiss from him. He grabbed your face in his hand, as he kissed you back.
Brook and Komurasaki waited, feeling more and more uncomfortable. Finally, when the two of you walked back inside, hand in hand, Komurasaki approached you, kneeling and her head facing down, ashamed.
"I'm so sorry. What you saw earlier, it's a misunderstanding. Nothing happened between me and Zorojuro…"
"Whoa, whoa, it's alright. He already cleared things up…"
"So, you're not mad at him?"
"I'm not. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that again…" you murmured as the girl before you nodded.  
While breakfast was ready, Zoro and you caught up in the main room while everyone else hung at the kitchen. At first, talking about what happened in both islands while you were away. And the next thing you knew, Zoro was kissing you passionately. His touch burning your skin, even through the fabric of your yukata.
Realizing how pent up you were, you lost yourself in the fiery kiss. Your hands traveled through Zoro's neck, going down his shoulders, pushing his yukata off. His clothes pooled on his waist, as he leaned over, pushing you gently to the ground.
Now, it was his hands caressing your shoulders and neck and pulling your yukata down, exposing your chest to him. He was quick to kiss your neck, biting and sucking on your skin. Painting love bites, red and purple all over the place.
A gasp in the shape of his name escaped your lips and caressing his ears. One of his hands kept exploring your body, knowing perfectly well where your soft spots were.
The distance closing between two burning bodies. His crotch against yours as you could feel his growing erection throb in anticipation. Your mind clouding as his teeth teased your nipples, and one of his hands playfully teased your folds.
"Ah, Zoro…" you whispered holding his hair tightly in your grip and bringing him back to your face. "I've missed you so much" you said pressing a breathless kiss on his lips.
"I missed you too, [Name]" he purred gently between one kiss and the other. "Love, I need you"
His voice dripping with lust. And yet, that gentle pet name  he only called you when it was just the two of you. Zoro was a far more gentle than he appeared, being very touchy when you were alone.
"Suit yourself, baby. I'm yours" you whispered, as you glared into his eye, the same lustful fire burning in both your stares.
He bit the crook of your neck, as he positioned his length on your entrance, and with a strong thrust, he stole a gasp from your lips. Feeling him stretching you, deep and hard, you closed your eyes and clawed your fingernails on his back.
"You're mine" he growled with another strong thrust.
Even though his pace was slow, his thrusts were strong and deep, every push hurt, yet you felt more pleasure than pain, as he hit the right spot every time. It made you crazy, the beastly strength Zoro had.
Your sight got more and more blurry, as Zoro's passion consumed you. Pushing you closer and closer to the edge. Both whispering sweet nothings between gasps and sweet kisses.
The two of you had become experts in having sex silently. Since there were very few places in the Sunny where you could be as noisy as you wanted. Specially when you fell asleep in the guy's quarters, or Zoro in the girl's room. Silent sex was the perfect answer, allowing you to misbehave almost everywhere at almost every time without getting in trouble. 
Neither Brook, Toko, or Komurasaki were suspicious of anything. Not until breakfast was ready, and Komurasaki went to the main room to let you know. However, as she gently slid the door open, she peeked inside and saw the two of you. Zoro between your legs, kissing your neck. Your head pushed back as you panted silently. Since neither of you noticed her, she quietly slid the door closed again and went back to the kitchen.
You could tell Zoro was close to his climax, since his pace was growing wilder. And although he came first, inside of you, he didn’t stop. Keeping up his erratic thrusts, until your grip suddenly got stronger, clawing your nails painfully into his back, your legs pushing him deeper inside you, and feeling how you were tightening around his erection. Hiding his face on the crook of your neck, he kept going throughout your orgasm, making it last longer.
“Ah, Zoro” You moaned holding on to him, with no focus of the world, and only feeling him all around you, as the heat in your belly consumed you entirely. An electrifying pleasing sensation washing over your body before all of your muscles began to relax. Zoro remained inside of you for a while, catching his breath.
Another gentle kiss, the sweet and tired post sex kiss. Probably your favourite of Zoro’s kisses.
“I love you” He breathed, sliding out of you, but remaining between your legs.
After a few minutes of just lying there, talking, stealing kisses from one another, the two of you decided to dress up and go back to the kitchen. Everyone else had finished having breakfast. Komurasaki had lied to Brook and told him the two of you were napping when she’d gone to let you know breakfast was ready. And Brook seemed to believe it. The two of you had breakfast, as Komurasaki and Zoro explained the current situation of the country.
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cosplayinamerica · 5 years ago
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Ahri from League of Legends // Cosplayer : inzaindomain // Photo : GracetheGinger
I’ve always shied away from being the center of attention because growing up I felt like no one really liked me. I was born in America to American parents. My ethnicity is Caucasian and Hispanic but no one ever sees me as just another American. I grew up with people disliking me because I dressed different and because they thought I was foreign and unrelatable. I was bullied and discarded by countless classmates because no one wanted to take the time to get to know the real me. Now that I started to cosplay and stepped into a world with others who like the things I like, I feel a sense of finally belonging. I smile and pose for pictures at conventions and I talk to strangers about new cosplay techniques. I occupationally get on stage for cosplay contests and even won a small one held at my college. Cosplaying and my life experiences have made me realize I should apologetically be myself and show people that Yes, I am a Muslim, yes I am American, and yes I cosplay!
I love playing League of Legends and I actually main Ahri. So when I saw league was putting together a k-pop girl group with Ahri, I was so excited! I’m also a fan of k-pop so I knew I had to cosplay Ahri. A lot of my time went into coming up with a way to make it more conservative since I practice Islam and wear the hijab (headscarf) as a part of the religion. I purchased the top from a cosplay shop on Etsy called “MikoCosplayShop” because I’m still fairly new at sewing my own cosplays. The skirt was made with imitation leather, the scarf was pieces of fabric sown to give off a hair-like look, and I found some old shoes at the thrift store then just spray painted them and added gold accents. The tail was dyed pieces of clear worbla that I taped together while following a pattern made by famous cosplayer “Kinpatsucosplay”
I debuted my KDA Ahri at Katsucon 2019, when the KDA group was still very popular. I was a bit apprehensive because I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I try to make cosplays look as close to the characters I’m trying to portray as close as possible. However, in this case, I had changed the original design a bit more than I was used to. I love how the original KDA Ahri looks and I knew there would be other beautiful cosplays who would look more like her than I did. I’m proud of myself for dressing in a way that was comfortable for me while also showing my appreciation for my favorite league of legends champion. Though I probably wasn’t the favorite Ahri cosplayer out there, I’m glad there were people who were excited to see my take on the look.
I’ve been wanting to cosplay for most of my life. Ever since I was 11 and started watching anime and reading manga. I didn’t have many friends growing up so I didn’t even know there was a place where you could go and just dress up with people who liked the same things I did. I went to my first convention in 2015 with a friend of mine, then did my first cosplay in 2016. I had a blast and was hooked ever since.
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lostinthewinterwood · 4 years ago
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AU Exchange 2020
Hey friend!
Looks like this letter’ll be going out on time, for once in my life.  This one’s very long; there’ll be a list of fandoms after the general info so you can hop around and not get bogged down in the details that don’t matter for what you’re going to be writing.
Treats in any medium are welcome, my other exchange letters are here, and at the bottom there’ll be tags for each fandom I’ve requested, if you want to see whether I’ve requested them before and what I’ve said about them.  Good luck, have fun, and thanks for writing for me!
 General DNW non/dub-con; non-canonical major character death; heavy angst; hurt no comfort; graphic depictions of deliberate and methodical self-harm*; graphic depictions of suicide; smut; gore; grimdark; complete downer endings; character bashing; incest; cringe comedy; a/b/o; mpreg; graphic eye trauma; graphic and/or permanent hand trauma; issuefic; unrequested identity headcanons; a focus on unrequested romantic relationships**. *I don’t include things like, say, punching a wall in a fit of emotion under this. however, something like cutting would not be appreciated. **canonical levels of canonical ships are perfectly fine; background non-canon ships that I haven’t dnw’d are okay too (unless otherwise specified—see below for fandom-specific notes).
  General Likes
– I really like plotty fics
– Secret identity and disguise shenanigans, the more layers to them and more absurdity the better.
– Crossdressing for whatever reason and gender disguises, also for whatever reason.
– A focus on family and/or friendship, especially characters realizing they’re not nearly as alone as they think they are, and just generally characters who like each other and enjoy spending time together
– Found family; families of choice
– Character studies
– Worldbuilding
- explorations of how whatever AU you pick to write affects the characters and/or plot, and the ways in which it doesn’t
  Other General Notes:
If there’s an AU I’d especially like to see on its own, without any other AU in combination with it, I’ll mention it—outside of that, feel free to combine the AUs as you see fit.
All the times that the Dragon Rider au is one I asked for, I’ve framed it in my prompts as a sports story thing—while that would definitely be great, don’t feel pressured to make it be like that; it’s just where my prompting muse is at right now, so if you want to take it in another direction go right ahead.
  Fandoms in Order of Appearance:
Hanging Out with a Gamer Girl
Harry Potter
Mother of Learning (x2)
Day Break Illusion (x2)
  Hanging Out with a Gamer Girl (Manga)  
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Terazaki Kaoru (HOwaGG)
·        Ousaka Nanami (HOwaGG)
·        Group: Terazaki Kaoru & Ousaka Shouko (HOwaGG)
·        Group: Terazaki Kaoru & Ousaka Nanami (HOwaGG)
 Fandom-specific dnw: sexualization of Kaoru’s crossdressing, romance between Kaoru and Nanami beyond light shiptease à la canon (unless the AU chosen is a romantic fairytale, in which case go right ahead), full justification of Kaoru’s fears re: Nanami’s dad, heavy gender dysphoria.
 Overall I love these kids and their friendship, and I also love how much Shouko feels like a mom to Kaoru even though he isn’t hers, even though he’s keeping secrets from her—he doesn’t seem to have that much parental support overall.
Whatever AU you pick, I’d appreciate that being preserved.
  ·        ALL: Character was Stolen by Fairies as a Baby
·        All: East of the Sun and West of the Moon Fusion
·        All: Fairytale Fusion
·        ALL: Fantasy/Magic Royalty and Palace Intrigue AU
·        ALL: Magic is a part of everyday life
·        ALL: Magical Girl Fusion
·        ALL: Magical Realism
·        ALL: Regency-Inspired Fantasy AU
 For this set of tags, I’d love to see something that fuses the AU elements to canon, or replaces canon elements with them—maybe instead of gamers, the kids are magical girls!  Or maybe there’s just magical elements wound seamlessly into their lives, or they instead live in a fairytale world, or…
Basically, this is my more generic magic!au set.
  ·        ALL: Characters met as children
·        ALL: Deaf Canon Characters
·        ALL: Disabled Canon Characters
·        ALL: Mute Canon Characters
·        HOwaGG: trans girl Terazaki Kaoru
 These are the generally mundane AUs—if one or both of the kids is disabled in some way, how does that affect them?  If they’ve known each other longer than they have in canon, or used to know each other—how does that affect them?  If Kaoru is a trans girl, is that something that she knows before their canon meeting, and maybe that’s a point at which she’s already begun transitioning?  Or does the crossdressing give her a revelation?
  ·        ALL: Daemon AU
·        ALL: Daemons in Canon Divergent AU
 I like daemon!aus a lot, though I’m not very good at writing them myself—if this world has daemons, what are the kids’?  Are they fully settled yet, or not quite?  Most people have daemons opposite to their sex—is it obvious that Kaoru’s daemon is female, and if so, does that pique Shouko’s interest?  Does his daemon get him recognized by people who know Kaoru-the-boy even when he’s out looking like a girl?
  ·        ALL: Dragon Rider AU
·        All: Figure skating AU
 Sports aus!  One mundane, one distinctly less so… what’s it like, if they’re dragon riders? Is it a whole other world, or just our world +dragons?  If it’s figure skating, what kind of skating do they do?  Singles?  Pairs? Ice dance?  Are they just casual about it or competitive?
  ·        ALL: Platonic Soulmate AU
·        ALL: Soulmates - Soulmate Mark Appears At First Touch
·        ALL: Soulmates Share Scars
 These are probably my three favorite kinds of soulmate AUs—run with them!  Tell me about the kids and their dynamic and the world they inhabit, with soulmates thrown into the mix!
     Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling   
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Percy Weasley (HP - JKR)
 Fandom-specific dnw: non-canon ships.
 I’ve phrased this so broadly because it’s generally better safe than sorry on these things—essentially what I especially don’t want is non-canon ships between people on opposite sides of the war, e.g. drarry, harry/Voldemort, etc. If you want to toss in background, idk, Pansy/Daphne or something, or relationships between various Ministry people, that I don’t mind.
 ·        ALL: Underground Resistance
·        HP: Percy Weasley is a spy for the Order of the Phoenix during the war
·        ALL: Character Is a Secretly a Spy for the Other Side
 There’s really one thing I want here—spy!Percy!  He spends so much of the war in the Ministry, surrounded by Death Eaters and their accomplices and enablers, to all appearances the black sheep of the Weasley family and not much of a threat.  Now, this could be genuine… but it could also be him playing them; I want to see a world where he, at some point—maybe after he chooses to stay with the ministry instead of his family, maybe before—decides to be a spy for the Order et al.
What are the risks?  What can he accomplish?  Can he help people beyond simply passing out information, perhaps with seemingly-inconsequential little acts?
     Mother of Learning - nobody103   
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Kirielle Kazinski (Mother of Learning)
 request-specific dnw: physical parental abuse within the Kazinski family, significant exaggeration of canonical emotional neglect/abuse/general family dysfunction, romantic and/or sexual Zach/Zorian.
 ·        All: Character has a secret identity
·        All: Identity Porn
·        ALL: Possessed by time travelling future self
·        MoL: Kirielle as a Branded One
 I’m fascinated by the idea of Kirielle somehow getting wrapped up in the time loop—what’s it like to live years and years of your life while your body stays nine?  What does she do, what does she learn?  Are Zach and Zorian still Branded Ones, or is she taking one or both of their places?
If you go with this, I’d rather not have her gate!soul erased—either let her escape, or don’t go far enough to need to address it, please.
The identity bits here are mostly leaning on the idea that, with her only being nine, Kiri would need some kind of identity obfuscation to do half of what Zach and Zorian do in canon, so…
  ·        ALL: Daemon AU
·        ALL: Daemons in Canon Divergent AU
 Nothing particularly profound here—but! Daemons! How does this affect things? Is Kiri happier with someone to talk to who isn’t her siblings or parents or village children that her parents mightn’t approve of?  I’d imagine her daemon hasn’t settled yet—what forms does it like?
  ·        All: Changeling AU
·        ALL: Fairy Tale AU
·        All: Fairytale Fusion
·        All: Historical Fantasy AU
·        ALL: Magical Realism
·        ALL: Nature Magic
 The setting and/or mood change AUs—give me Kirielle-the-faerie child, or Kiri in a fairytale, or shift the setting more historical and into our world, or change the nature of the magic—the canonical magic system is fairly hard as magic systems go, which works well for the story as it is, but I also really like softer magics.  What about a world where there’s simply small everyday magics present, or where Kiri has an affinity for green growing things quite beyond the natural?
  ·        ALL: Deaf Canon Characters
 How does Kiri’s life change, if she’s born deaf or becomes deaf?  How does her role as Cikan Kazinski’s only daughter change?  Does Eldemar have a Deaf community?
This could play into her desire to go to Cyoria, too—I wouldn’t expect Cirin to have much in the way of resources or community, but maybe Cyoria does; maybe that’s why she wants so badly to go.
  ·        ALL: Finding Peace/An End to the War
·        ALL: Legal Drama
·        ALL: Magical environment/species conservation scientist au
·        ALL: Magical horticulturists
 This set is more likely future!fic than anything else—Kirielle’s growing up into a country on the brink of war; what’s she going to do when she gets older?  Maybe she’ll be involved in that, or with the law—or maybe she goes to school and learns to be a mage, and then goes on to a career as a conservationist or horticulturist.
    Mother of Learning - nobody103   
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Zorian Kazinski (Mother of Learning)
·        Zach Noveda (Mother of Learning)
 request-specific dnw: physical parental abuse within the Kazinski family, significant exaggeration of canonical emotional neglect/abuse/general family dysfunction, romantic and/or sexual Zach/Zorian (unless in a romantic fairytale au).
 ·        All: Changeling AU
·        All: Fairytale Fusion
·        ALL: Fantasy/Magic Royalty and Palace Intrigue AU
·        ALL: High Fantasy AU
·        All: Historical Fantasy AU
·        ALL: Magical Realism
·        ALL: Nature Magic
 Again, setting and/or mood changes—turn one or both of these two into a changeling child, or push them into a different setting, or change their world to feel a little more magical than it does in canon.
  ·        All: Character has a secret identity
·        ALL: Deaf Canon Characters
·        ALL: Legal Drama
·        ALL: Magical environment/species conservation scientist au
·        ALL: Magical horticulturists
·        ALL: Role Swap AU
 This set is a combination of probably-post-canon things and things that could slide into the canon timeline—what if one or both of them went to more effort to construct a second identity, either in the loop or out of it, for anyone’s benefit?  What if one or both of them was deaf—if you go here, it’d be interesting if you combined it with deaf!Kirielle too.  A role swap—what if Zorian got there earlier and the angels didn’t think him unworthy, and Zach wound up his tagalong instead?
And the other three are basically what-ifs for the post-canon world—there’s Zach’s court case to be dealt with, and these two are both skilled enough to do basically whatever they want to, if it’s to do with magic.  Why not become a conservationist or horticulturist?
  ·        ALL: Daemons in Canon Divergent AU
·        All: Figure skating AU
·        ALL: Regency AU
·        All: Robin Hood Fusion
·   ��    ALL: Spies & Secret Agents
·        ALL: University AU
 This is a whole grab bag of different AUs—they’re all fairly self-explanatory I think, though I will say that you shouldn’t feel pressured to keep the overtly mundane-seeming AUs mundane, if you don’t want too—I’d like the mundane versions of course!  But there’s plenty of interesting things you could explore with, e.g., magic!figure skating, so.  Go wild.
  ·        All: Tam Lin Fusion
 In a weird way, MoL already has its characters in the roles they need to be in for a Tam Lin fusion, though the structure is of course very different–what is Zach if not a sacrifice against Panaxeth’s release? What is Zorian if not the one who fights nigh-impossible odds to save him from that fate?  I’d love to see a fic that goes into this.
    幻影ヲ駆ケル太陽 il sole penetra le illusioni | Day Break Illusion   
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Tsukuyomi Luna (Day Break Illusion)
·        Taiyou Akari (Day Break Illusion)
·        Shirokane Ginka (Day Break Illusion)
·        Hoshikawa Seira (Day Break Illusion)
·        Group: Tsukuyomi Luna & Tsukuyomi Serena (Day Break Illusion)
·        Group: Hoshikawa Seira & Shirokane Ginka & Taiyou Akari & Tsukuyomi Luna
 fandom-specific dnw: heavy gender dysphoria.
 ·        All: a character is transgender (binary)
·        ALL: Alternate First Meetings
·        All: Character has a secret identity
·        ALL: Deaf Canon Characters
·        ALL: Disabled Canon Characters
·        ALL: Street Rats
 This is basically the AUs of mundane level things; the broad strokes of canon are perfectly compliant with any of these, or at least they could be. What changes, if you go for any of the AUs listed above? What stays the same?
  ·        All: Changeling AU
·        ALL: Character was Stolen by Fairies as a Baby
·        ALL: Daemon AU
·        All: Fairytale Fusion
·        ALL: Fantasy/Magic Royalty and Palace Intrigue AU
·        ALL: Magical Realism
·        ALL: Regency-Inspired Fantasy AU
·        All: with the right postage you can send letters anywhere anywhen
 Different flavors of fantasy—for the changelings, is the character we know from canon the stolen child, or their faerie replacement?  Are their daemons affected by them fighting the daemonia; what happens to a daemon when the human is consumed by a daemonia?  How do their powers and battles work in a world that’s more overtly magical? For the last—who/where/when would they send letters to?  Would Akari send one back in time to Fuyuna, Luna to her sister, Seira to her friend? Forward to their future selves? How does this affect the timeline; do you have to be careful, lest you irrevocably change things, or are future-letters already set and immutable?  Is this common or rare—what’s the price to send a letter through time?
  ·        ALL: Character Journeys To The Underworld to Rescue Their Dead Friend
·        All: Journey to the Underworld to Resurrect Loved One
 Who are they rescuing?  How are they going about the rescue?  Are they bringing back Fuyuna?  Seira’s friend?  Luna’s sister, if it turns out she’s dead not just vanished some other way?  Ginka herself, if we suppose that she died in the annihilation rather than going to battle elsewhere?
If a Daemonia’s victim is resurrected, does everyone remember them again? Either way, what are the consequences of bringing back a person who’d been erased?
  ·        ALL: Dragon Rider AU
·        ALL: Fencing AU
·        All: Figure skating AU
 Sports aus!  Two mundane, one not.  I’d love to see the kids in some kind of competitive something—are they teammates? Competitors? Is Sefiro Fiore a sports organization in this world, or are they both athletes and tarot users?
  ·        DBI: Daemonia hosts aren't erased from the timeline when killed
 So, one of the generally convenient things in this world—even if it’s not a particularly nice thing—is that none of the characters ever have to deal with the fallout of the deaths they cause; the daemonia’s victims are erased.  Ret-gone, if you will.  But what if they weren’t?  What would the effect of that be; how would that change things?
    幻影ヲ駆ケル太陽 il sole penetra le illusioni | Day Break Illusion   
·        Fanfiction (Medium)
·        Group: Hanayume & Lymro & Mama Nagataki & Taiyou Akari (Day Break Illusion)
·        Group: Hanayume & Lymro & Mama Nagataki (Day Break Illusion)
 fandom-specific dnw: heavy gender dysphoria.
 ·        All: a character is transgender (binary)
·        ALL: Deaf Canon Characters
·        ALL: Disabled Canon Characters
·        ALL: Found Family
 So, again, this is the more mundane aus—add these in!! tell me how they affect things, or how they don’t affect them!
Found family is… kinda canon? But there isn’t really much focus on that aspect in canon so I’d love some more here.
  ·        All: Changeling AU
·        ALL: Character was Stolen by Fairies as a Baby
·        All: Fairytale Fusion
·        ALL: Fantasy/Magic Royalty and Palace Intrigue AU
·        All: Historical Fantasy AU
·        ALL: Magic is a part of everyday life
·        ALL: Magical Realism
·        ALL: Regency AU (no homophobia)
·        ALL: Regency-Inspired Fantasy AU
·        All: with the right postage you can send letters anywhere anywhen
 And these are the magic and/or setting AUs!  How do these elements change their lives; what stays the same regardless?
See my previous set of Day Break Illusion requests for my thoughts on the letters tag.
  ·        ALL: Daemon AU
·        ALL: Daemons in Canon Divergent AU
 Just—daemons!  What are theirs?  For Hanayume—what gender is her daemon?  I’m sorry I’m running out of things to say at this point…
  ·        ALL: Dragon Rider AU
·        ALL: Fencing AU
·        All: Figure skating AU
 So, in canon, Hanayume, Lymro, and Mama Nagataki are kind of Akari’s fortune-teller aunts/mentors; if we change it so that Akari’s thing is fencing or figure skating or dragon-riding, why not bring her aunts along for the ride as her mentors in that sport, or, if we’re not including Akari—competitors themselves, perhaps, or maybe generally teachers?
   If you made it all the way down here—first of all, wow, this letter was way too long so good on you for making it—second of all—thank you again for writing for me!! Good luck!!
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