thanquan

[thanquan]

Night stroll and cigarettes (part 1)

Warnings: mentioned of cigarettes, perhaps OOC, Shuuhei is virgin-coded and Quan being himself.

Perhaps a simple stroll at midnight had turned to be way more unexpecting for Shuhei.

Not that he minded. Actually, it was the other way around...

Dark. As dark as the pit of an ink bottle being turned upside down.

Perhaps the world was actually in reverse, or maybe it's just him.

It was already midnight, and the Seireitei was drowning in a deafening silence. The moon hung high in the sky - almost too cold, almost too careless for something usually was the subject of love and confession, its pale light casting long shadows across the pristine white walls that eventually dripped down like melting ice-cream cones on a sunny day. Shuhei walked alone with his hands shoved deep into his pockets as his thoughts swirled. He's not on patrolling, of course; lieutenants and captains were off from that duty, just willingly strolled around the Seireitei on his own will. He wasn’t sure why he was restless tonight - an odd feeling of unease had been hanging over him for days recently. Maybe it was the pressure of balancing his duties as the Lieutenant of the Ninth Division, or maybe it was just one of those nights where peace felt too fragile to hold on for comfort.

When he rounded a corner, suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps catching his attention before a smooth, calm voice broke the silence.

��Lieutenant Hisagi."

A familiar voice.

"Out for a stroll?”

Shuhei froze, yet it didn't last long - only for half a second before turning to the speaker's direction. Here he was, Truong Quan, but Shuhei only called him Quan - only Quan as everyone called him, and as he usually introduced himself - stood a few paces away, his refined features hidden in the soft shadow as he stood at the border of where moonlight didn't shine to. The Lieutenant of Division 1 was the very picture of composure: his jet-black hair was slicked back just enough to a pristine level, and his uniform was immaculate, as though he had just stepped out of a meeting. Almost formal in a sense, yet somehow, Shuhei felt like it's also fitted just for a casual stroll like this. Quan's weapon rested behind his back - a Naginata of choice, and his golden eyes - the exact shade of precious gold that men would die for in the name of wealth, carried a quiet intensity that made Shuhei’s throat tighten.

Bewitching, he thought.

Something to die for.

“Lieutenant Quan,” Shuhei said, his voice coming out quieter than he intended. “I… didn’t expect to see you out here.”

“Neither did I, Lieutenant Hisagi.” Quan replied, the corner of his lips rising into a faint smile. “But still, we met, didn't we?”

Shuhei wasn’t sure what to say to that. Quan had always had this way of speaking - smooth, polite, feeling like everything he said was both a simple, even joking, dare he said, and a carefully considered statement before it left his mouth. It made him so hard to read, and Shuhei couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious in his presence. Quan wasn’t just a Lieutenant; he was the Lieutenant of Division 1, the right-hand man to the Captain-Commander himself. Any Shinigami in Division 1 was a golden example of how proper, and powerful Shinigami should be, not to mention being the Lieutenant of the division itself. Some could even say that the golden-eyed man was not far from a captain himself, and in a foolish part of his brain, Shuhei couldn't help but to agree to those impudent rumors.

Afterall, in all honesty, Quan was impossible to ignore, in both good and bad ways.

“I guess." Shuhei mumbled, his gaze shifting to the ground.

Quan tilted his head slightly, studying Shuhei with a slightly curious expression. “You’re tense." He said, his tone gentle, neutral perhaps, but probing. “Is there something on your mind, Lieutenant Hisagi?”

“Not really. Just… couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh,” Quan said. Then, he chuckled faintly. “Was it the weight of responsibility, or paperworks that make you feel suffocated? You know, even a machine needs to rest sometimes."

There was something charming about the way Quan asked the question, then proceeded to tease him. Playful, even - the way he was probably speaking from both observation and personal experiences. Shuhei glanced at him, unsure how to respond. His heartbeat - if he even had a heart, was still slow, yet his chest felt so tight - not from exertion or anything, but from the strange feeling that always crept up when he was around Quan. There was something about the man that made him both intimidating and… approachable, in a way Shuhei couldn’t quite explain. One could even say the First Division's lieutenant was a paradox, but at that moment, Shuhei was too focused on not to freeze as the other man took a steps forward him.

"I... yeah, it was something like that. I think I've been holed up in the office for too long." He said, the last syllable somehow got stucked in his throat like he was holding in a gasp. Shuhei subsconsciously swallowed a lump that he even didn't even know it was there in his throat before he averted his gaze briefly to the ground - anywhere, just not Quan's face.

Just not his face, and those eyes.

"I see." Quan nodded thoughtfully as he approached him. Maybe he did understand Shuhei's struggle - since they were both the same rank, maybe he not. Shuhei couldn't tell. The other lieutenant eventually stopped at arm-length distance, looking like he had no interest in getting closer - which was somehow both good, and bad for Shuhei's heart, but he didn't say anything out for his own sakes.

An awkward, uncomfortable silence stretched among them for a few moments. Neither one of them spoke up, with Quan seemingly content with the quietness, and Shuhei fumbled all over the words he could think of his mind. He didn't want to say the wrong thing, even when Shuhei couldn't exactly what would be considered as wrong in this perhaps too... peaceful situation. For all he knew and damn well aware of, everything could be the calm before the storm.

"You're awfully quiet."

Then, Quan spoke up first, and Hisagi hesitated, his throat tightening slightly.

"I..."

Quan had that effect on people, Shuhei noticed. His presence was magnetic when wanted it to be, commanding attention as he wished. It didn’t help that there were rumors about him everywhere. People whispered about how refined and capable he was during work hours, but when he wasn’t on duty, they said he was a charmer, a notorious player who always seemed to leave people guessing. Hisagi wasn’t sure how much of it was true, but being around Quan somehow always made him feel...

Off-balance.

“I... sorry,” Shuhei said finally, his voice quieter than he intended. "It must be the lack of sleep that makes me not so bright right now."

It was a funny, even ridiculous response. Shuhei knew it, and he immediately berated himself internally at his stupidity.

Of course, Quan knew that too, and a light chuckle escaped his lips as a result.

"Oh really?" Quan mused, leaning on the nearby wall. Maybe it was the dimlight of the night that was doing tricks on Shuhei, or maybe it was true, but he saw Quan's eyes cranked up slightly - just like a small pair of cresent moon being picked from the sky above them. "Restless, huh? The air has heen heavy lately, I suppose so."

Shuhei nodded, unsure what to say. He was not bad at making conversations, he swore, but somehow just merely standing in front of this man had efficiently reduced him to a tongue-tied of a mess. His eyes flickered toward the white lantern being hanged near them on a nearby establishment, pressing his lips together in an anticipated manner. He was going to prolong the conversation by asking Quan stupid, common questions - dumb, he knew, but he didn't want this conversation to end and yet at the same time, he felt like his legs were close to giving up on him until once again, the golden-eyed Shinigami beat him first in the silence-breaking competition.

"You look like you could use some relief." Quan said. The infamous Mona Lisa smile appeared on his lips as his lashes covered the light in those irises for a brief moment, all the while he looked down on their stretched shadows.

"Have you ever smoked, Lieutenant Hisagi?"

[thanquan]

So I've mentioned before that Hisagi Shuuhei's given name Shuuhei[修兵]: "disciplined soldier" is a homonym with shuuhei[州兵]: lit. "state+soldier" but refers to both the organization and individuals of a "National Guard" and contextually the US National Guard specifically. And I've mentioned how it kinda plays into his characterization in relation to his zanpakutou. But something that maybe isn't as apparent is how he shares a very loose theme with Kensei.

Kensei's got a weird mix of things going on and it always felt to me like part of it kind of pivoted half way thru the series, and really the Visored in general, where he started with a sort of US military theme but got shifted into being more of a Japanese style biker gang leader instead(and how that plays into Mashiro's toku hero gimmick)

Among other things he's got the retroactively named move, BakudanTsuki[爆弾突き]: "bomb thrust" that has a subtle militaristic connotation to it. But then in context it's the same root word for "bomb" used in Bambietta's Schrift The Explode[爆撃]: "bombing(raid)" like in an aerial bombing from a plane.

(The other attack there is just SANDBAG BEAT[サンドバッグ・ビート] which doesn't feel especially thematic, but I guess does kind of evoke him being in something like a more western boxing gym, rather than any kind of japanese or samurai specific aesthetics like you'd expect from Soul Society. And his given name is written as "West(ern) Fist")

And then his zanpakutou, Tachikaze appears to be, at least in my mind, evocative of the Tachikaze class destroyer ship. Although I admit that's largely on the back of my own kind of wild/broad speculation about the Visored more as a group than anything supported by just him specifically.

Shuuhei ka tsuyosou na namae janee ka! Nakuna![修兵が強そうな名前じゃねえか! 泣くな!]: "Shuuhei is a strong looking name isn't it? Don't cry!"

It feels too obvious to need spelling out, but he's not just giving the generic pep talk, he's very specifically pointing out the Shuuhei's name means "Disciplined Soldier" so he should act like one.

I wish I could find it again but I swear there was some transcript of an interview where Kubo more or less reiterated stuff he'd been asked in other similar Q&A but mentioned that he doesn't really design characters with a background in mind, he just draws what feels cool and comes up with a story and personality to match the look. And mroe over that he similarly doesn't design characters with their relationships in mind, he just takes the characters he's already made and imagines which ones look like they'd get along in some way or another. (Among other things this explains why the same women keep showing up in 8th division, not because Nanao and Risa, or even Risa and Kyoraku were ever meant to be meaningfully related but because Kubo just keeps making these women who look the same and ends up pigeonholing them into the same basic network of characters.) Again i can't seem to find this specific Q&A though so take that "factoid" with a grain of salt.

Still it's with that in mind that it feels like Shuuhei and Kensei ended up together. Not because Kensei was ever actually meant to be Shuuhei's childhood hero but because they both had a soldier gimmick and so Kubo's brain filed them into the same general corner together. And it's from that link that he specifically made their meeting in the TBtP arc punctuated with this line about Shuuhei's name.

Also Shuuhei's got his whole motorcycle thing which is weirdly never actually brought up in the context of Kensei's biker thing and his hollow form made to look like car parts; although it's Shuuhei who's only briefly nodded to as the orbital factoid around Jackie's whole gay leather biker daddy themed Dirty Boots. (Very funny that between that and Mashiro's Kamen Rider homage that we have two implicitly motorcycle riding kicky ladies in Bleach. "...two nickles..." and all that...)

[thanquan]

Sorry for not uploading recently haha, but there'll be some fics that I've commissioned for Phúc and Ichigo. So stay tune!

[thanquan]

Ngô Hồng Phúc was actually raised as a girl in his early years due to some reasons. Coming from a prestigious family which's famous for their ability in exorcism and communicate with the other world, you can say that he's a noble of some sorts.

Yeah, he knows how to act like a lady, speak like a lady, dress like a lady. Dresses and make-up are his forte besides acting and being a casanova.

Overall, certified pretty boy.

[thanquan]

Quick rough sketch for a commission

[thanquan]

a matched set

[thanquan]

What I feel like so many people forget about Aizen, is that loneliness is the key identity behind his character. Every single action Aizen has taken, from who he has chosen to be by his side, from those he chose to betray and personally hurt, to why he is so callous, doesn't give a fuck, all come back to this. It's why he is so angry inside, burning up like a time bomb while carefully keeping a lid tightly sealed on it. It is why he lost the battle with Ichigo. Why he lost his new power instead of further evolving (because Hōgyoku shows you your deepest wishes), but he had self-decieved himself so hard that even he was shocked by this. He has high pride, it would never let him assimilate among people, especially a cult-like organization. The idea of losing himself is reflected in Kaname's words about how it is evil to assimilate in an evil world. Fierce independence. And he is spiteful that no one can see him. Or they will only see an illusion (why else is his power, the identity of his Zanpakuto about illusion?). People who actually looked for him couldn't. It is no wonder he saw it all as supreme weakness. He is right there and is missed, practically a ghost who just craves to be seen as who he actually is, not some glorious idol, and not an evil wolf in the bushes. Also reflected in Starrk, the loneliest Espada who just wanted to find a place to belong.

Because everything is bullshit, he decided to use his immense power to change it. He decided to embrace that. Instead, he failed, and is left in the darkest pit.

Aizen did not fight Yhwach because he wanted to take the throne from him. Nor did he want to escape Muken. He didn't do it out of spite. The only reason he left his cell was to personally remind this new king that he would never bow to him. Everything else was secondary. He fought Yhwach because he did not want to live under his rule. He will never be content to live under any rule.

[thanquan]

From 2024 June to 2024 November

[thanquan]

"I wish I was the one who would ease your worries

To see us together and forget all the other ways

Is your heart made out of steel?

Don't you care?"

[Giá như (I wish) - Soobin Hoàng Sơn]

[thanquan]

Mad dog and his boyfriend

[thanquan]

"The fuck you're looking at?"

[thanquan]

Quick sketch on phone since I did not bring my tablet to class

[thanquan]

My little girl

(Sketch)

[thanquan]

Aizen was pretty much a God-like character, so his downfall should be him being humanized. Make him feels, make his false reality shattered, make he knows that he's not as godly and above anyone as he thought he was.

I cannot even picture Aizen in the final fight with that fucking dead expression. "Welcome to my Soul Society" and "now I can stand in your way" lines delivered in that empty robotic monotone and most think its gonna be good?

"He's been in a sensory deprivation jail for two years"

Did we forget Soul Reapers have inner worlds they can go to? And also Aizen is a transcended godlike being who can walk just fine on his legs after being in prison?? Talk just fine with his voice? Who has mental fortitude beyond everyone around him to the point he can cut down his own followers without a flinch? Did we forget he has Hogyoku which can infinitely protect him???

He was already broken. He is inherently a broken man and his previous personality portrays it so much better! People don't become empty husks when they break. They become spiteful little fucks full of rage who do terrible things. You think this man would humiliate himself for the Gotei 13, the people who lead to this sensory deprivation "torture"? By that logic he has no fucking reason to even care enough to leave Muken. He is supposed to be the one person you can't break by simply locking him away underground.

Did we forget that in his final battle with Ichigo, he lost because he felt an end to his loneliness for the first time in centuries??? Why is he worse now?????

Aizen having his sad moment after the fight is much more satisfying narratively then walking on scene dead-eyed!

This change was not made out of love for his character.

[thanquan]

(1). Cigarettes

[Ichigo Kurosaki × Ngô Hồng Phúc]

Perhaps it's the way that guy's eyes cranked up into small cresent moons whenever he deemed something as amusing, or the way those dimples appeared whenever he smirked, but Ichigo just couldn't take his eyes off him. He was not his type ---no, he didn't like guys, so of course there's no man that was his type, but him, Ichigo had to admit that he was, indeed, handsome. A looker. A heartthrob. A cocky, annoying guy who loved to waste his lungs on cigarettes, yet when the flame casted a shadow and dance across his face, Ichigo found all the annoyance and irritation died down in his throat.

And the world was quiet.

And the world was quiet.

The world was quiet, silenced, until he looked up at him. Eyes like fire, like ember, like how he would remember a distant figure disappearing behind a thick curtain of smoke ---and then he flicked his wrist in almost lazy manner, snapping Ichigo out of the sudden, yet hazy trance.

"Want to try?" He asked.

An invitation.

"... sure."

Who was he to decline?

[thanquan]

"Why so shy, strawberry?"

"I'm not shy, damnit."

[thanquan]

Rough sketch, will clean the whole strip later.

1. "There's only Ichigo understands me."

2. "So can I sleep at your place tonight pleasee?"

3. "... you only say that because you want something from me."

4. "Quit smoking, I'll go grab some pillows for you."