#Like genuinely there is no clear winner in this fight

[melonthesprigatito]

A while ago I saw a post that was essentially "Who would win if your latest blorbo got into a fight with your first ever blorbo?"

I dunno, that would be an interesting match up actually.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

what do you think of the rainy day fight bpp? we’ve heard both sides’ version of the story but what really gets me is how jungkook during festa 2020 didn’t even feel any secondhand embarrassment when jimin was telling the story when all the other 5 members were feeling it lol jungkook was kind of endeared by the memory by the way he was smiling

***

Aren’t they just adorable?

Jimin was doing major damage control in that Festa 2020 live lmao. The members were calling it a romance drama, Jimin took over the telling from Jungkook, saying a whole lot without saying too much, and Jung Kook had the silliest most endeared smile on his face the whole time.

When Jungkook calls Jimin his catalyst, I feel the rainy day fight shows us one of the best examples of how Jimin fills that role for Jungkook.

My quick summary of what the rainy day fight was given what jikook have said about it: There was tension in the group due to how (a hormonal teenage) Jungkook behaved and treated his hyungs. Stern words were exchanged and everybody left the practice room, except Jimin and Jungkook. Jimin then had a frank conversation with Jungkook which ended with Jimin saying something to the effect of ‘if this is how you’re going to be, fine. I won’t care about you anymore.’

I feel like Jimin to that point had been Jungkook’s biggest support and most ardent advocate. I’ve talked before about how the attention Jimin showered on Jungkook in their early years was genuine and partly served the purpose of helping establish the maknae centrally within the group. Jungkook is someone who needs a lot of love, by his own admission, and Jimin is someone for whom giving love is instinct. It’s natural to him. They were both far from home and found home in each other.

I think the rainy day fight was one of the first times it really hit Jungkook how much he loved and relied on Jimin. Left alone in that practice room, rain pouring down hitting the roof tops, Jungkook felt a world in which Jimin treated him like any other bandmate was unbearable. He realized that for Jimin to even make a comment like that, he must’ve fucked up royally. It caused him to reflect and before long, he ran after Jimin.

We all know how the story ends, with jikook finding each other in the rain, hugging it out, and talking way past midnight on the roof of their dorm. The guys have said this happened in 2015 or 2016.

There’s no bigger Jimin Stan than Jungkook, and no bigger Jungkook Stan than Jimin. This hasn’t changed in 10+ years. And this is the thing that I find most interesting about jikook: how consistent they are. Not even the most highly awarded Oscar winner can put on an act for 10+ years, and then even when off the clock, choose to spend 18 months joined at the hip while completing a mandatory military service, all to serve a company’s fan service narrative.

Anybody who thinks Jungkook hates Jimin, would do anything malicious to him, or that Jimin thinks somehow less of Jungkook or would put up with bullshit from Jungkook because Jimin is oh so kind… anyone who thinks this is insane. In my opinion.

I’m talking daft as a brush, mad like a rabbit on crack. Just plain delusional, no two ways about it. Jikook are the og “you are me, I am you.” The rainy day fight is one of the key instances we see this play out, crystal clear.

[mochiimadness]

hello!!! i love your works so far :DD!!

can i request the rise boys with an s/o who’s a human but has experience fighting with mutants? like s/o uses a scythe and can easily fight with the turtles :)

The Rise! Turtles with a human scythe wielding s/o!

Neon Leon

He thinks you're so cool!

Listen, he knows humans can go up against yokai's and mutant's

I mean, his dad and April are living proof of that-

But he genuinely can't help but be amazed when he sees you using a scythe of all things to go up against yokai's literally four times your size

Especially since you seemingly appeared out of nowhere to join the battle-

Seriously, can you portal or something???

He stops are stares as you easily knock a rather angry lizard yokai off balance, before sending them running with a slice of your wicked scythe

Your movement were so fluid,

A literal blink and you'll miss it type of speed

"Woah S/O! I didn't know you could do that-"

He'll exclaim, before ducking as you swipe at another angry yokai right behind him

"Think you could teach me how to do some of that??"

"Sure- we should probably finish this fight first though."

Oh right the fight-

He loves to spar with you

You're able to keep up with him quite easily!

And Leo is fast- like really fast

But even when he uses his portals to try to get near you-

Your scythe easily keeps him at bay.

He's absolutely in awe of you

Your blades clash together and Leo gives you this bright smile

"How in the world did I end up with someone so cool!?"

Don Tron

Donnie's impressed!

Though, he tries not to show it

Wielding a weapon like a scythe or bow staff automatically gives you cool points in his book

And you're incredibly proficient with your scythe too???

Donnie definitely want's to challenge you

"Your scythe versus my magnificent Bo-staff, I think the winner is pretty clear here."

What he thought would be an easy fight ended up being a nearly 20 minute long battle

You both were neck and neck

You were quick to block his attacks and dish out some deadly looking slices of your own

Afterwards, Donnie offers to modify your scythe for you!

"Think about it- it's already incredibly sharp and in your hands?? Borderline deadly. Now, hear me out, imagine if it had a chainsaw?"

Donnie pls.

"Or what if it was purple!?"

Donnie no-

Whether or not you let him add some "flair" to your scythe

He genuinely thinks you're cool

He doesn't even flinch when he sees you, his wonderful human s/o, go up against a super powered yokai

"Me? Worried?? No need to, I already called a mystic doctor."

"You mean a human doctor, right?"

"No??? That yokai obviously needs a mystic doctor."

He never doubted you for a second~

(That yokai you beat definitely needed that doctor- yikes)

Mystic Mike

He thinks you're amazing!!!

You're out here with no powers

No magic

No mutations

Just your normal human self and scythe

Fighting angry mutants and yokai like nothing!!!

Mikey thinks you're one of the strongest people he's ever known!

Aside from his family ofc

He loves to watch you fight

Has and will bring snacks to watch

Ofc, if you're ever in a pinch, Mikey will gladly swoop in to help you

He absolutely loves teaming up with you

Between his nun-chucks and your scythe-

No villain stands a chance

He even uses the blades in his nun-chucks from time to time to "match with you" ^^

Loves asking you to let him wrap his chains around the staff portion of your scythe so you can launch him at people

"It'll look so cool! C'mon just once???"

To be fair-

It does look and feel pretty dang cool!

Mikey knows you can handle your own in battle

He's seen it more than once

But if things ever get too rough

He's always there to lend a hand!

Big Red

Oh Raph...

Poor guy nearly faints every time you go into battle

Yes he knows humans can fight too

But you're not even using a mystic powered weapon like April does!

You could get seriously injured or worse!!

He always starts worrying over you

Especially when you both were just starting to get to know each other-

He didn't want to loose one of the few friends and humans that he knew!

He often will go into battle and cover you,

Taking hits or tackling opponents away

But you end up having a serious talk with him about this

"I know you're worried, but I can do this. I know how to fight-"

"I know, I know, I just get worried ya know?"

While he's still nervous about it,

He eventually starts hanging back to let you fight your own fights

And he comes to realize you are pretty great at what you do!

Your scythe is practically an extension of your own body,

And you easily handle opponents larger than you-

Both mystic and mutated!

"You're amazing!!"

Raph really comes to respect your strength and proficiency with your scythe.

He knows you can handle yourself

That still doesn't stop him from jumping in to help or defend you

Even when you may not necessarily need help

He still cares and worries about you

Doesn't want you to get hurt

Especially if he can help it.

"Er- sorry, I just jumped in again without thinkin'..."

I hope you enjoyed! Sorry for such a long wait

[reveuse-de-minuit-writer]

Knockout (Toji x Sukuna x AFAB Reader)

Summary:

Reader is invited to an underground fighting ring and manages to catch the attention of the two most dangerous men there. Theirs is a world of brutality and carnage, and all the reader wants is to explore how deep the darkness goes.

CW: 18+, Violence, blood and gore, explicit rough sex, m/m/f, breath play, overstimulation, BDSM elements, edging, face-fucking, double penetration, squirting, alcohol, weed.

Full tags and complete work on AO3 here: x

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CH. 1

Two fighters dance in the makeshift ring. The big one, a veritable mountain of a man with a curling top-knot and vicious scar slashing through his left eye, is the first to break their stalemate. 

Instead of rushing his opponent, or doing literally anything that would have made sense in an underground fighting ring, the mountain man begins dancing to the music. His opponent hesitates as they watch him in confusion, before narrowing his eyes in contempt. It’s clear the smaller fighter takes his opponent's interpretive dancing as an insult to his capabilities. 

The smaller fighter charges forward, rushing in close to cut off the mountain man’s odd thrusting and grinding as he dances to a beat in his head. As the smaller fighter raises his fist to swing, the mountainous fighter twirls into a powerful roundhouse kick that sends the other man flying across the ring.

The collision is impactful enough that it leaves a crater in the cement where the smaller fighter's body makes contact. He flops against the cement, and his head bounces with a splattering thud.  

His body goes still. 

The countdown to ten begins, but the only thing that moves is the pool of blood as it grows around the impact zone from the fighter’s head. 

Before the countdown even hits zero, the mountainous fighter is doing a victory dance. He wildly thrusts his hips and twirls around with a genuinely surprising grace given his sheer size. The announcer interrupts the fighter’s dance by grabbing around his thick wrist, and hoists his hand high in the air.

“And the winner is AOIII TODOOO!” The announcer declares into the microphone.

The roar of the crowd is deafening in my ears as they cheer at the mountain-man’s victory. 

“Well that was quite the spectacle,” I say to my friend Shogo to my right. 

He snickers, “Well I can’t say I wasn’t entertained. Twinkle-toes certainly knows how to put on a show.”

“Is he dead?” I ask with a grimace. 

Shogo polishes off the last of his drink before exhaling obnoxiously, “Nah, he’s just out cold. Todo doesn’t fight like that. Dude’s a monster, but he’s too soft to straight up fight someone to the death.”

“Ah, that's good then.”

I take a sip of my cold margarita, and it’s the cooling balm I need against the heat of the arena. The space is small but densely packed, and I can feel the humidity clinging atop my body like a second skin. 

The music that plays is the winner’s choice, and I can’t stop myself from smirking as idol music pours from the speakers into the underground arena.

To call the space an arena at all is generous. It’s really just a basement warehouse, but it serves its purpose well enough. The seats are a mix of metal folding chairs and benches stolen from abandoned stadiums that somehow managed to avoid demolition. There are shipping containers surrounding the walls which people use to sit and watch the fight. Shogo and I have done the same, sprawling out on top of a picnic blanket to cushion us from the cold, corrugated metal. The ring itself is just an empty expanse of concrete indicated only by the ropes outlining its circumference. 

Despite how ramshackle everything looks, two projectors display a live feed of the ring on the wall. They function like the screens in a legitimate arena, and I’ve found myself grateful for them many times already, since the tighter grapples and quick jabs can sometimes be hard to see. The instant replays and fight tracking from the dedicated staff are genuinely very well done for what they have to work with. 

Overall, the arena is not much, but it’s also more than good enough. 

Considering the cash that’s pulled in from each fight, I had expected more. But this is a place people pay to watch fighters get brutalized, not sip their overpriced drinks from their box seats. There are a couple hundred people watching, but the livestreams online rack up views in the tens of thousands easily. That’s where the real money is.

As my eyes scan the arena, I can't help but notice the contrast between Shogo and I and the rest of the spectators. The two six-packs of canned margaritas we share atop our bright pastel blanket stand out amongst the beer cans and cigarette butts. Shogo’s dedication to maximalist street fashion paints a vivid pink contrast to the black cargo pants and combat boots of the male-dominated crowd. 

I’m not much better in my own tight white crop top and black tennis skirt, both of which seem like they would better suit a frat bar than an underground fight club. I brought an oversized leather jacket with me to help me blend in more, but I took it off shortly after the second fight from the sheer heat of the arena. Even without it, humidity clings to my skin like a film.

“Having fun so far?” Shogo turns to me and asks. 

I nod my head while taking another sip of my margarita. The alcohol has me pleasantly buzzed. I’m just floating on a happy cloud, as I sit back and wait for the next fight. 

“Yeah, a lot of fun. You’re right, this is way better than the pay-per-view,” I answer. 

“Right? Like you’d never get to see a guy kick someone so hard they fucked up the concrete. That was crazy,” Shogo says. 

I hum in agreement. 

“That was pretty gnarly. I didn’t even think it was physically possible to do that. The Todo guy must be like one of the strongest men alive,” I say. 

Shogo snorts. He opens up his phone and opens up the arena’s private discord. His feed is a frenzy of jokes and commentary, most of which are memeing on Todo’s eccentric dance moves.

“Nah, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Just you wait,” he says. 

“Who’s up next?” 

“Toji Fushiguro versus Mahito. That’s the fight I wanted you to come here to see,” Shogo says. 

I recall how he even sold the experience to me in the first place. I had just started taking up boxing classes, and it exposed me to martial arts and fighting in a light I’d never considered before. I had fallen down into the rabbit hole of a new obsession, watching videos of fights, both professional and amateur, until it took up most of my free time. 

I knew Shogo shared the interest. When he offered to take me to see a fight in person, I couldn’t turn him down. He had warned me that this would be different. That it would be more violent, and more ruthless than any legal fight I’d watched. If anything, that warning just made me more intrigued. 

So far, the fights were intense, but not any more so than what I can find on YouTube. While Todo possesses a strength unlike anything I’ve ever seen before or thought possible, he didn’t do anything with it that would have broken the rules of a UFC fight. 

Still, I find myself wondering just what kind of monstrous power the next two fighters must have, in order to make a mountain like Todo seem like fodder. Shogo doesn’t make claims like that for the sake of it, and my mind races with the intrigue of it all. 

“Anything I should keep an eye out for, or know ahead of time about their fight?” I ask Shogo. 

“Oh my god yeah, where do I even begin?” He says animatedly. 

“Give me a quick rundown from the start. Go,” I snap my fingers into a finger gun, and take an expectant sip of my margarita. 

“Okay so basically, Toji is one of the most powerful fighters in the game right now. Like I’m talking top three easy. He’s been fighting professionally for like fifteen years and has been undefeated for all those years except for once. Like I’m talking thousands of wins against one singular loss. Which is an insane feat in of itself, right? The dude is basically a legend around here. Everyone either wants to fight him, or wants to fight like him.

“But Mahito is new to the scene. He just kinda popped up outta nowhere about a year ago, but he’s been making big waves ever since. Like, the dude is certifiably crazy. On some real psycho shit. But he’s also insanely creative when it comes to his fighting style, which makes him unpredictable to fight and fun to watch. While his record isn’t as impressive as Toji’s, he’s still stupid powerful. He’s risen up the rank of fighters faster than anyone has ever seen before. He fought Todo, the guy who just won, about six months ago, and wrecked him so bad that Todo had to take four months off to recover.”

I process all of the information Shogo gives me. The thought of someone not just winning against Todo, but forcing him to take that much time off to recover, is nearly unthinkable to me.

“So basically it’s the veteran versus the newcomer, huh?” 

“Yeah exactly,” Shogo affirms, “but that’s not all. About two weeks ago a video got leaked on twitter of Mahito essentially talking mad shit about Toji, calling him washed up, a has been, too predictable, shit like that, you know? Basically said that everything Toji can do has already been seen and done before, and that he can take him no problem.”

“How did Toji take that?”

“Toji doesn’t normally do the petty drama thing. He just shows up, fights, gets paid, and leaves. So after a week went by and he didn’t say anything, everyone assumed he was just gonna ignore it. But then, outta nowhere, a video pops up on twitter like three days ago, and it’s Toji at a shooting range with a picture of Mahito’s face on the target. He said some cold shit like ‘a bad dog is better off dead’ or something like that.”

Shogo’s excitement as he explains the drama is infectious, and I’m already invested. I also appreciate how closely he’s followed everything, since it makes the anticipation for the upcoming fight that much sweeter. 

“Well shit. So this fight is going to be intense, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s gonna be crazy.”

“Who do you think will win?”

“I put three hundred on Toji, so he better win. He’s got 7:3 odds right now, so I’m not that worried.”

Shogo slurps messily on his drink as he drains it dry. His thumbs idly scroll through the discord, before he tilts his phone towards me. 

“Here’s the video if you wanna see it. The guy with the silver hair is Mahito. The rest are all members of his team. The dude with the dark hair, Geto, is his manager. There’s a shit ton of drama involving him too, but I can tell you all that after the video.”

Mahito surprises me. He doesn’t look how I imagined the man who won against Todo would look. He’s lanky, despite his obvious musculature, and has an almost childishness about him. Though the arena is loud, I can just barely hear the sounds of the video. Mahito’s crass remarks are intercut with sadistic giggles, and it makes my stomach turn sour. Scars lacerate his body in a patchwork fashion, making his skin look like it’s been sewn onto him. He looks like he belongs in a Tim Burton movie more than a fighting ring. 

But there’s also something decidedly off about Mahito. His cheeks spread wide in a child-like grin as he talks about how he’s going to kill Toji. His mis-matched eyes glitter in excitement as he shares his murderous fantasies of dismembering him and studying the inner workings of his organs. I can’t help but wrinkle my nose in disgust.

The video ends abruptly, and Shogo takes his phone back. 

“I was debating rooting for him because I love a good underdog story, but after watching that,  I think I’m team Toji,” I say. 

Shogo snickers, and continues to scroll with his thumb through his feed. 

“Yeah, no kidding. The guy has a super punchable face.”

“Maybe that’s why he got into fighting in the first place,” I quip, before my curiosity gets the better of me, “What was the drama with the other guy?”

“Okay so the full backstory begins with Toji and this guy named Gojo. Gojo is, without a doubt, the strongest fighter in the world, no cap. Like legit or otherwise, professional or amateur, it doesn’t matter. If you put him in the ring, he will win every single time. Only one other guy is on his level, Sukuna. He’s not called the King of Fighters for no reason. But he’s not relevant to the story, so put a pin in that for now. 

“So about ten years ago, Toji challenged Gojo. At the time, Gojo was just a teenager, and had only been on the scene for a year, but he was sweeping everyone he came across, kinda like Mahito. Even still, everyone bet on Toji to win, since at the time he was about five years deep and undefeated. And the first time they fought, Toji did win. He beat Gojo so bad the kid nearly died. But like a week later, Gojo pops up out of nowhere and challenges Toji to a rematch. Everyone thought he was insane, since he hadn’t fully recovered from his injuries yet, but Toji agreed to it. In the rematch Gojo clapped his ass so hard it was devastating. Like Toji got beat so bad he was declared legally dead before they were able to revive him. To this day, it’s still the only time Toji has ever suffered a loss. 

“So obviously he didn’t take it well. He lost out on millions in bets, and nearly lost his life. He’s had a grudge against Gojo and anything even remotely related to him ever since. 

“The reason why this is all relevant, is because Geto, Mahito’s manager, was best friends with Gojo at the time. So because the two were besties, Toji fucking hates him. Even though the two aren’t friends anymore, it doesn’t matter. Since Mahito is being represented by Geto, and the circumstances are kinda similar, it’s safe to say that Toji was out for blood before the video of Mahito talking shit ever leaked in the first place.”

My head buzzes with this rush of new information. There’s so much lore to process, and it gives me a deeper appreciation for what will certainly be a monumental fight. The tension and electricity in the air suddenly makes a lot more sense. 

“Wow, who knew there was so much drama in the fighting community?” I say. 

Shogo slurps on his drink and nods. 

“Tell me about it.”

“So have Toji and Gojo ever talked about a rematch?” I ask. 

“Honestly I don’t know. It’s just kind of low-key understood that a match between Toji and Gojo would just end up in Toji losing again, since Gojo became an absolute monster after that. That fight is where he got the nickname the ‘Strongest Fighter’ from. Also, Gojo doesn’t fight much anymore, since there’s no one on his level good enough to challenge him and keep him interested.”

“What about Sukuna? Didn’t you say they were equals?”

“Yeah. Sukuna and Gojo have been talking about fighting each other forever, but no one knows if or when it’ll actually happen. Sukuna still fights occasionally, if he thinks it’ll be worth his time, but he’s good friends with Toji so it’s unlikely a fight between them will ever happen.”

I sip on my drink and think everything over. I had no idea there could be so much history in the scene like this. 

“Next up, Toji Fushiguro versus Mahito! The fight will begin in five minutes!” The announcer calls.

His voice booms around the empty warehouse, and not for the first time I find myself wishing I had brought some earplugs. 

Shogo mutters a brief ‘aha’ before tilting his phone towards me.

“Here, this is Toji’s response video that I mentioned earlier,” Shogo says, before handing his phone to me entirely. 

I press play. Toji’s back is towards the camera, and the immense sprawl of his muscles which strain through the clingy black t-shirt he wears makes my pulse pound. He might as well not be wearing it at all, for how little it hides. It wraps and contorts around every single well-defined muscle in the man’s torso.  

He’s enormous, with impossibly broad shoulders made to look wider by the narrowness of his waist. His sweatpants are baggy and sling low on his slim hips, but they still can’t hide the firm swell of his ass. 

His shaggy black hair covers his face from view. His stance is casual. He leans forward into his hip, which draws attention to the dramatic s-curve of his spine. One thick arm relaxes behind his back, with his fingers splayed wide. His hands are enormous, and serve to make the glock he’s holding look like little more than a child’s toy. 

The man had a body made for sin. Holy shit. Even without seeing his face, I’d let that man rail me into next Tuesday if he so much as asked. 

“What d’you do to a rabid dog?” Toji asks over his shoulder to the camera man. 

His voice is low and resonant. Even despite the low volume, the sound of it sends a shiver down my spine.

Six shots fire off in rapid succession, and Toji doesn’t even budge from the recoil. His gun smokes as the clip goes empty. The camera pans from Toji to his target at the end of the range, before zooming in. 

A picture of Mahito’s face covers the target’s head. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t seeing the bullet holes carve out a perfectly punctured ’T’ into the picture. 

The camera pans back to Toji, who keeps his back to the camera. He raises the gun to his mouth, and blows out the smoke still coiling from the barrel of the gun. I can just barely see the sharp cut of his jaw and the scar that bisects the side of his mouth. 

“You put it down,” he smirks. His voice is deep and husky, and the sound makes my skin shiver. 

Just as Toji starts to turn towards the camera, the video cuts off. 

“Holy shit,” I say. 

It’s all I can say. Because my pulse is racing, and my head is spinning, and my face flushes hot when I realize I’m dripping wet. 

“What’d you think of that?” Shogo asks, and plucks his phone from my hands. 

My fingers tremble slightly now that I no longer have anything to hold onto, so I reach for a new can of my margarita to still them. 

“I think he’s so hot it’s stupid,” I say shamelessly. 

Shogo laughs hard enough that a few of the other spectators turn towards us in mild interest. My face flushes hotter at the attention, and I gulp down a few sips of my drink. 

“I figured you’d be into him. Bad boys with more muscles than sense have always been your type,” Shogo giggles. 

I open my mouth to defend myself, but a string of my previous partners comes to mind, and I close it once more. I really can’t argue with that. 

“Like you’re one to talk,” I sneer at him instead. 

I cross my arms across my chest and pout. 

“Yeah, but I also like the good girls, so it all balances out to neutral. You’re just a freak,” Shogo laughs. 

My glare at him is venomous, but it just makes him laugh all the more. Eventually he raises his hand in a sign of surrender. 

“Simmer down, girl. There’s nothing wrong with bein’ a lil freaky,” he snickers. 

I throw an empty margarita can at his head, which he slaps away with a snicker. It falls to the ground beneath the shipping container we sit on. 

I think nothing of it, until I hear a loud, angry “What the fuck!” cry out from beneath us. 

I freeze, and my eyes go wide with panic. Swallowing past the lump of nerves in my throat, I tentatively crawl forwards to peer over the side of the shipping container. 

Right below us is the makeshift VIP section, with couches, bottles, powders, and more strewn about everywhere. There’s about ten people sitting around in total, all watching as a person with a short blonde bob angrily wipes down their shoulder. 

The can must not have been as empty as I thought. 

Mortification burns through me alongside an immediate pulsing fear. 

I’m so never getting invited back. 

If there’s any kind of crowd I don’t want to piss off, it’s this one. 

“Sorry,” I meekly call out to them down below. 

A few heads look up in my direction at the sound of my voice, and my face flushes hot under their scrutiny. 

But I can feel the weight of a gaze settle heavy over my skin, prickling it into goosebumps. My eyes sweep over everyone, trying to find the source of it.

“Fuck you, asshole!” The person shouts back. 

I ignore them.

One figure in particular, a large man with his hood pulled low, stares upwards at me. Him. I can feel him watching me, and I shiver where I kneel, and my hands grip tight onto the edge of the shipping container below me. 

I can just barely make out the sharp cut of his jaw, and the strange tattoos that frame it. He says something to the crowd around him. Everyone else laughs, except for the unfortunate victim of my drink who stomps their foot in frustration. I can see just enough of his jaw to watch the cruel smirk that forms on his lips.

Despite his joke to the crowd, I feel that his eyes never leave me. 

The sounds of the arena seem to go quiet as all of my focus narrows down to the stranger below. 

My instincts scream at me that I need to run, and I need to hide, because I’ve caught the attention of a predator, and I don’t want to give him the chance to pounce. My blood rushes in my ears, and sweat beads atop my body.

But the weight of his stare holds me captive. I’m helpless to do anything other than watch as his tongue traces along the lush swell of his bottom lip, before he flashes his sharp canines in a menacing grin.

I flush red hot, and a corresponding throb pulses deep in my core. 

The arousal I felt watching Toji’s video is a catalyst for my body now getting overtaken with lust. Molten heat liquifies my veins, and the headiness of the alcohol buzzes through me in a lethal combination. 

Mortified by my body’s reaction, I crawl quickly back to the blanket next to Shogo, breaking the stalemate between the stranger and I. As I collapse beside him, I shiver at the adrenaline that courses through me. The primal, instinctual part of my brain screams that I’ve just barely managed to escape, and that I’m not safe yet.

Shogo, oblivious to my inner turmoil, just snickers at me as I flop onto my back next to him and bury my face in my hands. Without opening my eyes to look, I lash out and smack him on the arm.

“Nice one,” he snickers. 

“Fuck you,” I grumble. 

My threat is muffled by my hands over my face, but I don’t care. I’m too busy focusing on breathing like a normal person and commanding my body to calm down from the sudden, roaring height of its arousal. 

Any response Shogo says is lost on me as all of the lights in the arena go dark. Loud bass pumps through the speakers, and I can feel it vibrate and rattle in my chest. 

Pushing aside my feelings, I allow myself to get caught up in the mania. The crowd around us roars in anticipation, and I join in, cupping my hands around my mouth and shouting into the blackened air. An electric tingle of anticipation starts to brew in my blood. I feel breathless, and I smile into the darkness.

This is so much fun. 

The music cuts out. A singular beat of silence, suspended in the darkness, rings out across the arena. 

The music blares back in with the full power and sound of the song. The lights turn on, and the ring is illuminated in bright, harsh spotlights. A man towers tall in the center of the ring, with his identity obscured by the black hood pulled low over his head.The crowd goes absolutely feral, but I freeze.

Oh fuck me sideways.

It’s him. The same guy from below who made my pussy drip from the force of his stare alone. 

The microphone he holds in his hand looks tiny, and I am surprised to see that his nails are painted black. He just stands there, basking in the attention and suspense of the crowd. 

My eyes trail up and down his body. Now that I can see him more clearly, my walls clench fruitlessly around nothing. The black hoodie he wears is strained tight against his broad torso. His dark jeans cling to his muscular thighs like a second skin. He must be another fighter, with a physique like that.

After a beat, he raises a painted hand to his hood. Instead of pulling it back like I assumed he would, his hand continues to rise until it grabs ahold of the fabric on the back of his neck. In a singular fluid motion, he yanks the hoodie off entirely. 

“Holy fucking shit!” Shogo yells next to me. 

Holy shit indeed. 

The man that stands in the center of the ring exudes power and confidence. He looks lethal, with his tight, rippled abdomen, full pecs, and broad shoulders corded with thick, deadly muscles. The tattoos that decorate his skin are thick, black, tribal lines that seem to carve out a path that accentuates the lines of his body. His messy hair is a bright pink, with a dark brown undercut. He smoothes his hair back with a painted hand and a sharp grin.

The tattoos continue to outline his face, curving along the harsh cut of his jaw, slashing across the bridge of his nose, and inking his forehead between his dark brows. His eyes glint with a dark promise, and the smile that broadens the man’s mouth is nothing short of sadistic.

The guys in the arena are obviously not good men. It takes a certain kind of person to want to fight so extremely, and to be so entertained by it. But as I watch this man raise his thick arms high into the air around him, basking in the feral cry of the crowd as it screams for him, it is obvious that he’s different. 

He’s even worse. 

After a minute of taking it all in, he raises the microphone to his sharp mouth. The dark chuckle that fills the air makes me shiver and my nipples tighten. I feel a throb deep in my core, and I squirm atop the firm ridges of the shipping container below. 

At the sound of his dark laughter, and before he even gets the chance to speak, the crowd is roaring again, showering him with even more praise and adoration. The man’s grin grows wider, and his sharp teeth glint malevolently beneath the harsh spotlights. 

“Alright, shut up you brats,” he growls into the microphone. 

I’ll be damned if the dark sound of his voice doesn’t make me quiver. The crowd dies down, obeying the command of the dark god before them. 

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He jokes.

The crowd goes wild again, and this time a masculine chant booms in the air.

Su-ku-na! Su-ku-na! Su-ku-na!

So this is Sukuna. 

The King of Fighters himself. 

He raises one hand high, effectively calling for silence. Immediately, everyone goes quiet. The man’s command over the room is absolute.

“I was worried that it’s been so long that I might have to introduce myself, but I see now that’s no longer a problem,” Sukuna smirks. 

There’s a cold mockery in his tone that betrays just how much he revels in the crowd’s adoration. His dark eyes scan across the crowd as he basks in the wild roars that fall around him.

“I have a surprise for you brats,” he taunts in a sing-song voice. 

I can feel the exact moment that his eyes make contact with mine.

I’m flung from my body. The air freezes in my lungs. The sounds of the crowd go quiet except for the ringing in my ears. My vision narrows down to just the outline of his body. That same force keeps me still, and my instincts are once again screaming at me to hide. His gaze is unwavering, and I am exposed before him.

“Are you ready for me?” Sukuna purrs into the microphone.

Shivers sweep down my spine, and I flash hot. I bite my lip hard, genuinely afraid that if I don’t, I might moan.

Holy shit.

The crowd roars around him, but it's lost on me entirely. I can’t see or hear anything outside of the tension that sizzles between us like a live wire. 

“Tut, tut, tut. I asked you a question, brats,” Sukuna snarls, and his eyes darken as they glare at mine.

While I know he says it for the crowd’s benefit, my arousal drips out of me at the sound of his scolding. His piercing eyes flash with a dark promise, and the look he levels towards me is nothing short of commanding. 

His threat is clear. 

“Let’s try this again,” he purrs, before pulling the microphone in closer to his mouth than before.

“Are you ready for me?” Sukuna roars. 

The sound of his voice is monstrous, and tinged with something entirely animalistic. If I thought the roar of the crowd was loud before, then it is absolutely nothing compared to the fervor of it now. 

Those same prey instincts are going haywire in my blood, and I can scarcely breathe for how tight of a grip my adrenaline has over my body.

I lick my suddenly dry lips, and burn in the heat of his stare, as I whisper, “Yes.”

Sukuna’s eyes grow dark with heat and triumph. 

My core throbs low, and the persistent ache of emptiness sweeps through me. 

“That’s what I fucking thought,” he snarls. 

His dark eyes finally leave mine, and it’s like I collide back into my body with a visceral force. Sensations flood in from all around me at once, from the sheer volume of the crowd, the stifling heat of the room, and the absolutely drenched state of my underwear. 

Immediately, heat flushes my cheeks. I’ve never reacted like this before. Though I don’t smoke anymore, I find myself itching for a cigarette. And another margarita.

“The lovely event organizers and I decided we wanted to make things a bit interesting,” he begins, a sadistic enjoyment sugaring his dark tone, “so to shake things up a bit, whoever wins this next fight, either Toji Fushiguro or Mahito, will get the honor of fighting me in two months.” 

“Oh my fucking god!” Shogo cries out. 

Based on what Shogo had told me earlier, I now know that this is a big fucking deal. The crowd absolutely loses it. 

“So with that out of the way, let’s get this thing fucking started, yeah?” Sukuna says, rallying the cry of the crowd once more. “May the best fighter win.”

With that, Sukuna passes off the microphone to the announcer, and prowls back out of the ring. My eyes are glued to him as he ducks beneath the rope of the VIP section. He stands a clear two heads taller than the crowd of people parading around him and clapping him on the back. Even surrounded by other fighters, he finds a way to make them look small. He takes a seat back on the couch, and reclines back like a king in his throne. 

The announcer picks up Sukuna’s hoodie, and tosses it over to him. Sukuna catches it with a one-handed grip, and my eyes dance over every ripple of muscle that flexes and pulls from the simple display of athleticism. 

Good fucking god, I need to get a grip.

“Let’s give it up one more time for the King of Fighters himself, Ryomen Sukuna!” The announcer cheers. 

The crowd roars again, and my eyes remained fixed on the man as he flashes yet another sharp grin at the never-ending adoration. 

He doesn’t demure from the praise, he basks in it.

“This headlining match is sure to be exciting folks. But first, what does every good fight need? The fighters themselves!

“First up, we have a prodigy in the making. Standing at five feet and ten inches tall, and weighing one-hundred-and-forty-five pounds, we have the scrappy underdog from hell itself, MAHITOOOOOO!” 

The crowd cheers as Mahito appears from the right-hand side of the ring. He all but skips to the ring itself, and the camera man tracking him stumbles after him. 

His team is standing just off to the side of the ring, and I recognize them from the video that Shogo showed to me. Mahito is as energetic as a kid with a sugar rush, as he bounces restlessly on the balls of his feet. 

Once more I’m surprised by what Shogo said earlier. Looking down at him, it’s hard to imagine him beating Todo so easily. His body is long and lean, and while muscular, he’s nothing compared to the solid mountain of the other fighter. But clearly his looks are deceiving.

“Next we have the legend himself, undefeated to all but one over the span of his decade-and-a-half long career. Standing at six feet and three inches, and weighing two-hundred-and-eighteen pounds, we have the fighter killer himself, TOJIIII FUSHIIGUUROO!” 

Whatever adoration rained down on Mahito, it pales in comparison to the roar of the crowd for Toji. I have half a mind to cover my ears to spare them from taking further damage. It’s clear who is the crowd’s favorite. 

Toji Fushiguro stalks towards the ring from the left with a predatory grace. He looks even more monstrous than in the video, and it’s clear that it didn’t do him justice. He wears a white hoodie that’s unzipped down the middle, baring his taut, cut abdomen for all to see. His white athletic shorts strain tight against his thick thighs, and curve along the swell of his ass. The tension in his muscles is coiled tight. With his unwavering focus narrowing down to Mahito across the ring, I can all but taste his lethal hostility in the air. 

When he reaches the ring, he pulls off his hoodie with short, aggressive pulls. He is every bit as impressive as his stats make him out to be. The breadth of his shoulders and narrowness of his waist are nothing less than superhuman in their proportions. His arms pull and flex as he balls his hoodie up and tosses it carelessly to the side. There’s a massive scar that carves a jagged arc into his left side, and it spans nearly the entirety his torso. It’s a gruesome scar, and I wonder what gave it to him. 

His messy ink-stained hair falls sharply into his eyes, but I can see the animosity burn in them all the same. His sharp jaw is clenched tight with tension, and the veins in his throat pulse visibly. His own team is speaking to him, but I can tell he’s not listening. His glare hasn’t moved once from Mahito, not even as the other fighter begins to prance around his side of the ring, hyping up the crowd even more. 

The projectors display closeups of the fighters faces, and the contrast couldn’t be more clear. While Mahito performs, Toji waits. There’s something about the dynamic that makes my blood race. Blown up large against the wall, the burning hatred glinting savagely in Toji’s dark green eyes is blistering.

My instincts scream that Toji is lethal and dangerous and absolutely terrifying. I almost feel sorry for Mahito, for having incurred the wrath of this god amongst men so completely. 

My pussy is screaming too, but for a different reason entirely.

The two fighters are called to meet together in the middle of the ring. Seeing them stand opposite one another makes the fight seem simply unfair. Toji glares down at Mahito like a lion staring down an ant. Mahito remains unintimidated, and smiles up at Toji with a wicked gleam in his mis-matched eyes. I try to remind myself that despite appearances, the fight is more evenly matched than it seems. 

The hatred that flows between the two sparks and crackles in the air. The tension is thick enough to make my breath catch. Almost absently, I crawl to the edge of the shipping container and sit there instead. I hear Shogo shuffle to copy me, equally as entranced by the anticipatory hostility brewing between the two fighters as I am. 

I can’t fucking wait to see it snap. 

The announcer claps both men on the shoulder, before stepping back to the edge of the ring. 

“No rules, no limits. First fighter to score a knockout wins!” The announcer declares.

The two fighters step back and slip into their fighting stances. 

Mahito stands unusually, with one arm ahead of him like he’s reaching out towards Toji, while his other hand balls into a fist low by his hip. His legs are bent low and spread wide, and he looks very much like a coil, ready to spring. 

Toji’s stance is also unusual. His legs spread wide, but he doesn’t squat as low as Mahito. His torso curls forward, with his arms wide around him, fists ready for the fight. There’s a confidence in the way that he stands that borders on arrogance, and the sight of it makes me fucking leak. 

“Begin!”

The two fighters are a blur of movement as they dash towards one another with tremendous speed. Mahito is the first to swing, but Toji is faster, and counters the swing with one of his own. His fist lands solidly in the center of Mahito’s chest, and the fighter goes flying backwards from the force of his punch. Mahito lands hard into the concrete below, and blood sputters from his mouth, drooling onto his chin.

Mahito is only down for half a second, before he staggers to his feet. A grin splits his cheeks, and the sight of his blood-stained teeth is chilling. He giggles, and bounces on his feet, before springing towards Toji. 

Toji lets Mahito dash in close. As soon as Mahito goes to throw a punch, Toji moves in a dizzying blur of speed around the other fighter, pivots quick on his heel, and sends a powerful kick to the back of Mahito’s skull. 

Mahito stumbles forward onto his hands and knees, and blood immediately begins to darken his silver hair. Still, Mahito giggles at the impact, and shakes his head back and forth. Blood splatter flies everywhere around them. Toji interrupts by rushing up behind Mahito’s exposed back, wraps a thick arm around his neck, and pulls Mahito back into a tight headlock. 

Mahito’s face turns red, as his hands claw and scrape at the thick muscle of Toji’s arm. Toji’s other hand curls into a tight fist and pummels blow after blow into Mahito’s ribs and kidneys. 

Blood sprays from Mahito’s mouth, but he keeps grinning, regardless. The pain he’s in must be tremendous, but he takes all of Toji’s blows with a smile. 

Mahito drops his body, deadening his weight against Toji’s chokehold. Toji leans down lower to compensate for the sudden increase in weight. Mahito uses this to his advantage, and springs backwards, sending both Toji and Mahito falling hard to the floor. Toji ducks his head inwards to prevent his skull from being shattered in the cement, and pulls Mahito in tight by the hold he has on his neck. 

With a sly smile, Mahito reaches into the pocket of his shorts.

My blood runs cold. 

In a flash, he pulls out a pocket knife, flips it open, and thrusts it upwards, stabbing into the arm wrapped around his neck. 

Toji’s eyes widen, and he reflexively releases his hold just enough for Mahito to squirm free. Toji’s hand grabs ahold of the handle of the knife and pulls it out of his arm, while Mahito flips over and moves to straddle Toji, pinning him to the ground. 

Toji just laughs, and dexterously twirls the knife in his hand. Mahito swings down hard at Toji, who manages to duck his head out of the way by a millimeter. 

A sickening crack echoes though the arena. I wait for Mahito’s bloodied hand to emerge, destroyed by the impact of his fist on the concrete floor. But Toji rolls the two of them over fast.

My jaw drops.

A fist-sized crater shatters the concrete at the site of the impact. 

What the fuck?

Did Mahito just punch a hole into the concrete? 

I don’t have the time to process the tremendous power I just saw. Instead, my eyes are glued to Toji straddling a squirming Mahito, with the knife trapped between his teeth. He storms down a rain of powerful blows directly into Mahito’s face. The first punch shatters bone, and blood spurts all over his knuckles. Toji’s smile at the sight is carnal. The second impact is more devastating than the first, and teeth fly from Mahito’s mouth.

It goes on like this. Hit after savage hit. Blood paints Toji’s hands crimson. His inky hair clumps down over his manic eyes. There is no thought behind them except for the predatory gleam of bloodlust. A sharp grin twists his scarred lips around the blade of the knife, and there is not a single doubt for how much Toji is enjoying himself. 

Mahito has finally stopped laughing. His head lolls back into the concrete, and his body goes limp. Toji grabs ahold of Mahito’s hair, and yanks his head up, continuing his assault on the unconscious man’s head. 

“Time!” 

Toji’s fist crashes down into Mahito’s face one last time before he leans back. His large chest heaves from a mixture of exertion and bloodlust. Sweat shines on his skin, and the blood splatter trickles in rivers down the contours of his body. He shakes his wet hair like a dog, and the sweat and blood fly around them. 

My thighs clench, and I want to lick it off of his skin. 

Toji spits the knife out onto the floor beside him. He leans his head back, and his triumphant smile into the air above is nothing short of beastly. 

With Toji’s head leaned back, he doesn’t see as Mahito’s fingers twitch towards the knife beside them. Once his fingers wrap around the handle, he flies forward in a sudden vicious arc that slashes upwards at Toji’s torso. 

“Gotcha!” Mahito giggles. 

Toji reacts quickly, to the sudden motion of Mahito below him, but still manages to get caught along the top of his right pec. He wraps a thick hand around Mahito’s wrist, stopping the knife from doing any further damage. With his other hand, he fixes a firm grip around mahito’s shoulder, and with a savage twist and brutal cry, he tears his arm back. 

Blood spurts like a fountain, painting everything in a sea of red. 

In Toji’s hand, he holds the severed remains of Mahito’s arm, torn completely free from his body. 

Mahito’s screams echo in the cavernous room. He squirms from beneath the bulk of Toji’s body, flailing his remaining arm against Toji’s thick thighs in an effort to get free. 

It reminds me of the dying throes a rabbit caught between the teeth of a lion. It’s a last, desperate attempt at life when he knows it’s coming to an end. 

Toji grabs the knife from Mahito’s severed hand, then tosses the limb carelessly to the side. He twirls it around once more, before viciously plunging it down into Mahito’s torso. With a ferocious smile, he licks his lips, then starts carving into Mahito’s chest.

Mahito’s screams cut off abruptly. The absence of it echoes just as loudly. 

When he’s done, Toji leans back onto his hips, and appraises his work with a sadistic grin. He raises the knife to his mouth, and his tongue licks along the side of the blade. He smiles at the taste, before plunging it down into Mahito’s head, right between his brows. 

Toji rises to his feet. He towers over Mahito’s dead body. Power and aggression pour off of him in waves. His grin is absolutely feral, and his eyes gleam with satisfaction. He wears the other man’s blood like war paint. 

He picks up Mahito’s head, and with one hand, he dangles his body upwards for all to see. 

What remains of Mahito’s torso is mutilated by a crudely carved letter ’T’. The roar of the crowd is animalistic. Men holler and cry out into the air, pounding their fists to their chest and stomping their feet on the ground. Toji holds the body aloft for a few more moments, before throwing it carelessly back to the ground. 

He steps back to the center of the ring. The announcer trembles forward. He stares at Toji with wide fearful eyes, before gingerly grabbing ahold of the fighter’s thick wrist. After a moment’s hesitation, he raises Toji’s arm high in the air. 

“And the winner is TOJIII FUSHIGUROO!”

My blood rushes in my ears, and my lungs constrict. Any alcohol in my system has all but evaporated, and I’m stone-cold sober. The primal energy storms around me, and my body tingles with the electricity and the adrenaline. My instincts are quiet, and I fear its silence more than I feared when it was screaming at me earlier. My mind is blank, but my body burns. 

I just watched a man die. 

I just watched Toji Fushiguro kill a man. 

And yet. For reasons that defy logic. For reasons that make me want the earth to split open beneath me and swallow me whole.

I am undeniably, irrrefutably, achingly aroused. 

I’m trembling from the force of the heat that burns inside of me. Absently, I grab my drink and chug it all down in one go. It dribbles down my chin and into my shirt, but I don’t care. I wipe carelessly at my mouth with the back of my hand and take in deep, greedy gulps of air when it’s done.

Toji’s team wipes him down, cleaning off the other man’s blood. I can’t process it. Mahito’s team walks away, with Geto yawning as he exits the ring. I watch as some of the event staff approach Mahito’s body, pick him up, and carry him out. Two others immediately start wiping down the area, scouring the concrete for every drop of blood. 

After a moment or two, it’s like there was never any blood at all. 

I watch as Sukuna saunters up to Toji and claps him on the back. The two men standing together look like giants surrounded by ants. I watch idly as they converse, and my heart stutters at the wide, sharp grin on Toji’s scarred lips.

I need to calm down. Now. 

My skin prickles, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My breathing stops, and my blood sings. 

I can feel them looking at me. 

I know it like I know my own name. 

I drag my unfocused eyes from the fist-sized crater in the ring, over to where the two men stand speaking. 

Heat burns in my veins, as my eyes lock on to Sukuna’s. 

Adrenaline pumps my blood fast, and all at once my instincts are screaming at me again. 

Run. Hide. Escape.

But I’m frozen. I can do nothing more than return his stare. Sukuna nods his chin in my direction while he says something to Toji. The fighter turns to look over his shoulder, and his sharp green eyes seek out mine. 

Oh fuck me. Fuck me sideways to hell and back.

The combined weight of their stares makes me tremble. Toji’s eyes light a path of fire as they dip to my legs and trail upwards along my body. His look is like a physical touch along my skin and it makes me shiver. My arousal drips out of me, and I press my thighs together tight. Sweat tickles my spine as it runs down my back. Toji turns back to Sukuna. He says something which makes Sukuna laugh, and my cheeks flush with heat and shame. 

They’re laughing at me. I’m certain of it.

What pricks.

My anger breaks me out of my trance, and I jolt back to life atop the shipping container. Shogo has begun packing up our things and stuffing it into his backpack, all while feverishly scrolling through the discord. 

I’m sure the live chat was going crazy after watching Toji Fushiguro brutally murder a man. 

I spring into action in a dull haze, helping Shogo pack the last of our things, before scaling down the ladder to the ground below. My body moves on autopilot.

“That was fucking insane,” Shogo says.

His thumbs are furiously flying across his keyboard, and I know his attention will be preoccupied for a while. 

“Yeah, that was crazy,” I agree. 

I’m surprised I can even speak, and that my voice sounds this strong.

“That wasn’t even a fight, that was a massacre,” Shogo continues, his voice filled with awe.

I hum in agreement. 

I was wrong before. Very wrong. Toji and Mahito were never evenly matched to begin with. 

“I don’t know about you, but I think I need a drink. Actually, scratch that. I know I need a drink. Several. You game?” 

I let out a hollow laugh. 

“Yeah, lead the way.”

“Yo, Shogo!” A voice calls out. 

We both turn towards a man jogging towards us. He has a shaved head and ink covering every visible inch of his dark skin. The piercings in his lip shine as he smiles at my friend. 

“Oh shit, Rocco! Good to see you, man. I didn’t know you were gonna be here,” Shogo smiles back. 

The two embrace, before Shogo turns back towards me. 

“This is my best friend y/n,” he introduces. 

Rocco nods his head in greeting, and his smile is warm and inviting. 

“Nice to meet you,” I say, while extending my hand out for him to shake. 

He takes it with a grip as warm as his smile. 

“Rocco. It’s a pleasure. Any friend of Shogo’s is a friend of mine,” he says before he turns back to Shogo. “Say, we’re all gonna go over to The Alley Cat. It’s a bar about two doors down that way. You tryin’ to grab drinks?” 

Shogo looks at me for approval, and I shrug. 

We were planning on getting drinks either way, and it didn’t matter to me who or where we got them from as long as they were strong.

“Yeah, sure, why not. We’re were just talking about it anyway,” Shogo agrees for the both of us. 

“Cool. If you wanna give me a second to grab my stuff, we can walk over there together,” Rocco says. 

We follow Rocco as he leads us to his things, and I can’t help but watch as the two boys animatedly talk over the details of the fight. I don’t mind stepping back from their conversation, as my brain still feels like it’s only operating at half-speed.

I blame that for the reason why I don’t realize he’s leading us back over to the VIP section until he’s stepping over the ropes. 

My heart pounds as the realization sets in, and my eyes frantically scan the crowd inside to look for that signature pink hair. 

I try everything in my power to ignore the sting of disappointment I feel when I realize he isn’t there.

[jenatwork]

I finally finished my Utena re-watch yesterday, binging the last three episodes and Adolescence in one evening, and I am Having Thoughts. Mostly about the story from Akio's perspective, surprisingly.

I don't know if I've ever read anyone's exploration of the story from his pov, so I'm going to brain-vomit about it.

From his pov, he's the one who's trapped. The Rose Bride sealed Dios away from the world, whether for his own good or to keep her brother to herself, or both. The princely part of him, Dios, is trapped, leaving only the human part of him, Akio, out in the world, trying to regain what he's lost and cope without what he sees as his 'real' power. 'The power to revolutionise the world' is, for him, the regaining of his heroic princely aspect that made him something close to a god among mortals, a natural leader, the greatest warrior.

So what is he left with? What does a regular human man have with which to find his place in the world? What is his role, if not a prince? Is he a ladies' man? An intellectual? A fighter? A logical realist who denies the 'miracles' the prince could perform to keep people safe?

It's clear from the Black Rose arc, and from the final scenes, that Akio has repeated the duels in some form many times, assuming that he needs the right sword to open the Rose Gate and access his old power. He holds this 'might makes right' belief that physical strength or a warrior's weapon is the key to power. When Utena, just a girl, succeeds as the winner of the duels, at first he tries to persuade her to stand down, because how could a girl's sword possibly be strong enough to open the Gate? I wondered, during this watch, if this cycle was the first time that any girls had taken part in the duels, and whether that was by design or accidental. In the Black Rose arc, it's 100 boys who are drawn in to find the power or the eternal something. In this latest cycle, it's the student council, a power structure that represents intellectual masculinity: Juri, as a lesbian in a uniform closer to her male counterparts than to the other female students, might possibly have been the first girl to join the duels, an unintentional outcome perhaps inspired by Mikage, who was more easily tempted by a boy than by that boy's older sister. She still represented an aspect of masculinity in her own way, as the logical realist who denies miracles. Likewise, Nanami joins the duels initially to stand in for her brother, and leaves when she is confronted by how damaging the system is to the very people it's supposed to protect.

I wondered if perhaps Utena was never meant to join the duels. If Dios had meant to find Touga and Saionji on that particular day, and stumbled on Utena because they did. If Utena joining and winning the duels was never part of Akio's plan, and that's why he, and all the others, are so perplexed by her and never figure out how to get the better of her. Akio tries to force her into the role of 'Girl' because all he knows is playing the role of 'Man', and what else is a man supposed to do with a girl besides protect her or seduce her?

Utena succeeds because, for all her talk about wanting to be a prince to rescue girls, she gives up that roleplay and acts of of genuine love and compassion. She succeeds in besting the Rose Bride's curse because she doesn't approach it like a man, trying to seduce, fight, or logic her way through, but by loving Anthy and by having the compassion to want to end her pain.

Utena is still very much about smashing the patriarchy (literally in the case of Adolescence), but in its own way it also artfully deconstructs the ways in which patriarchy hurts men too, by limiting the roles available to them. Utena offers an alternative to the masculine roles of warrior, lover, intellectual and cynic, as well as to the feminine role of princess. The student council recognise it in the end, but Akio never does, because he is so utterly stuck in his role. That's why Anthy gets to leave at the end, telling him he's the one that's trapped, because Utena showed her that she, and we, can choose our own roles.

[satantica]

first date with haikyu boys - pt.1

he’s very excited to see you and for some reason afraid that you changed your mind. so when he sees you looking mesmerizing and breathtaking, the poor boy loses his ability to speak. he nervously swallows as his eyes widen gazing you up and down. you giggle and ask if he likes your look. the only word you could get out of him is “perfect”. his whole plan of impressing you has collapsed the second he saw you. and now he’s trying not to look at you in order to have at least a small talk with you. at first you want to ask him what’s wrong but as soon as you see the blush on his cheeks the question is withdrawn. when you reach an arcade he suddenly turns to you, rapidly exhales and starts chattering “okay, please, don’t think i’m childish, i just really think that you’d like this one and…” you softly stop him “i do like it.” his eyes that were drilling the floor, now shining and he finally has the courage to take your hand. you think about how precious his genuine happiness is when he says “thank god, i’m mentally ready to impress you again.” you can’t help it but chuckle at his comment and reply “if you didn’t impress me first i wouldn’t be here by now.” and that’s the moment he becomes all anxious again and starts literally dragging you by your hand, loudly declaring “let’s make this one count!” rest of the date he surprises you with being weirdly good at every game. but every time he sees you struggling he instantaneously backs down and lets you win just to cheer you up and to give a kiss on the cheek to a winner.

lev haiba, HINATA SHOYO, nishinoya yuu, MORISUKE YAKU, yamaguchi tadashi

you try to keep it simple since it’s your first date but end up looking rather elegant and chic. you feel a bit overdressed and almost go change when you hear a buzz on your door. the door opens and he immediately clears his throat as soon as he locks eyes on you. you rush to tell “i’m sorry, i know it’s a bit much, i’m gonna change.” you turn around to walk away as he catches your hand. “it won’t be fair to let such beauty fade away, right?” he tells suggestively although you can hear a demanding note in that voice. you want to agree but still have doubts “i just don’t think i’ll be comfortable getting all these looks.” he gives your outfit another admiring glance and says “i bet you’d be getting all these looks anyway but if so i have more suitable event for you, excuse me,” he leaves your house to make a call and then as he returns he replaces his hand on your waist “shall we?” walking you to his car. you wonder where he’s driving but he answers shortly “that wouldn’t be a surprise then, darling, would it?” the car stops in a middle of nowhere, to be precise, right by the beach. it becomes more confusing when he takes his shoes off. he notices a shadow of bewilderment on your face and quickly says “you can stay with them on, i have no problem with carrying you.” the quick question from you follows “into water?” he laughs at that comment. he rolls up his sleeves, mischievously looking at you. you are still freezes not sure what to do when he suddenly speaks “alright.” within three seconds he grabs you placing your body on his shoulder. you try to fight him telling that you will walk barefoot but he simply replies “too late, i like the way things are.” he puts you carefully on the chair and his hand gently removes some hair from your face. when you see a whole restraunt table arranged amidst sand you involuntarily gasp “there’s no way you arranged this over one phone call.” he smirks obviously satisfied and pleased with your reaction “you’re almost right. originally, that part was coming after we go to museum. some wine, darling?” you nod and he pours wine as his eyes are watching your perplexed face. he sits down and immediately raises the glass “to the most gorgeous date ever who gets all the looks.”

AKAASHI KEIJI, iwaizumi hajime, SAKUSA KIYOOMI, tsukishima kei, osamu mitya, KUROO TETSUROU

[rawliverandgoronspice]

behold: my second least favorite string of words in the entirety of Tears of the Kingdom.

(it's a little less transparent why this time so I'll explain my thoughts under the cut)

So why do I not like this?

In so many words: because if you remove it, the scene still works, but you lose the moral certainty of what is going on.

This single sentence does so much legwork for the entire game (the kind I dislike), to the point where I'm about 60% sure it's the product of a rework that realized how ambiguous Rauru's position was as the Good Rightful King and needed to nervously reassure the players that Ganondorf Is and Always Was the Invader, Actually.

(no matter that it leaves the gerudos in this awkward in-between state of both invaders and victims, while never dwelling in the specifics of their history and their own agency in the entire thing; brushed off as a sin they have to expiate through loyalty to the winners of that particular strife, but without explicitely blaming them either to avoid the implications of what that would have looked like)

If you remove it, not only do you lose a pretty clunky line that detracts from Ganondorf's intimidating presence (who is he even speaking to? who needs to hear this right now?) that honestly speaks for itself when it comes to his experience with warfare, but also you lose any tension and any mystery regarding why he is attacking in the first place.

You also... kind of rob Ganondorf's motivations of their meaning. "Hyrule will bow down before me" leads to asking... why? What does he want? What does he see in those lands? And what little we get with Rauru and then Link during the final fight begs more questions; why do you prefer hardship to peace? Why do you value strength? What leads you to want to rule a land devoid of survivors, become a king without a kingdom? I don't think we ever get satisfactory answers. If you remove this sentence, on the other hand... Subtextually, it becomes pretty clear that his motivations is that he felt threatened by Rauru's power, which is ripe with subtext and questions about whether this is a legitimate reaction, whether his "no survivor" stance is due to a feeling of betrayal when his own people turned against him post the Demon King shenanigans... I'm not saying it would fix the entire game's writing, far from it, but it would already do *so much more*.

(genuinely, I think he could have stayed completely silent during the Molduga Assault, speaking only in the Show of Fealty before going completely nuts after Sonia's murder, and it would have worked MUCH better in terms of characterization but anyway anyway

EDIT: ALSO!!! that way he wouldn't speak hylian to fellow gerudos, which is weird inherently)

Without this line, the core of the tension between the gerudos and Hyrule comes front in his conversation with Rauru; it allows the cause of his hostility to be Rauru's invitations, that he would have taken as a threat, and would have still made him warlike and domineering without making him cartoonishly flat, because, once again, Rauru is not acting in a particularly more legitimate way when Zelda arrives in Ancient Hyrule; and it would have been... fair to point that out. And make for better characterization for Rauru, and Sonia, and Mineru, and everybody. But the priority was for Hyrule to be pictured as unquestionably holy; always legitimate, always truthful, always beautiful, always just.

Also, and this is more of a nitpick but: why would Ganondorf want Hyrule, specifically, to bow down before him also? Was he at war with the rest of the disparate tribes before, and just carried on his ambitions to the very very newly-founded kingdom as they allied under a new banner? (though it seems to be implies the lands were crawling under monsters in a generic sense, and not Ganondorf's attacks in particular) Why would he even consider Hyrule a legitimate entity worth taking over then, if it is so new, born from the will of a powerful rival, founded by what is basically a stranger to these lands? Why would he covet something so young instead of destroying it and just calling the lands Gerudo Lands II or Grooseland or something?

I don't think any of that was even accounted for, because, beyond everything else: to me, this sentence is so clearly and painfully crammed in here to shield Hyrule from any potential blame and immediately characterize Ganondorf as Bad without having to remove any of the causes that could lead one to side-eye Rauru's little pet project as equally questionable.

Beyond the clumsiness, it is cowardly --and, I think, a little damning.

[laugtherhyena]

So, what's up with Udon comics Karin?

Recently i got a hold of physical copies of the Sakura ganbaru manga and after reading through the whole thing i decided to organize this character analysis of sorts where I'll be comparing this awful iteration of the character to her versions from the game's canon and the manga where she originated from in order to highlight where the Udon comics completely missed the mark when it came to portraying her.

First off, who is Karin?

She's the sole heir to the Kanzuki Zaibatsu which is one of the biggest and wealthiest business organizations in the Street fighter world. She has an incredibly strict father and has been trained pretty much since birth to become what he considers a worthy heir, being set to live by their motto that's something along the lines of “In all things be victorious”.

Karin is very obviously SF’s version of the ojou girl character trope, she's filthy rich, snobbish, mean and has a condescending attitude from her mannerisms to her laughs. These are traits present in all of her iterations, however, there's one key element about Karin that completely flew over the heads of the udon comic writers;

Karin is not spoiled, she is proud.

At age 15 this girl was on her way to becoming the leader of one of the biggest business conglomerates of the world while also being proficient in several different fighting styles, remaining undefeated for god knows how long. Karin is good at what she does and she knows it, she's proud of her accomplishments and that's exactly why she acts the way she does.

Her attitude was never solely out of her fortune and status, it always came off as being mostly out of her own merit.

Meanwhile, in the Udon comics Karin is portrayed as a huge spoiled brat. They essentially removed every aspect that made her a rounded likable character and amplified all of her worst traits, a complete disservice to a character that in her proper characterization feels almost like a spin on the standard ojou girl archetype.

As research for this post I tried to find the first time she appeared in the story and as far as I'm aware that was on Street fighter issue 8 in a small backup/extra comic. In it, her initial fight with Sakura has already happened and Karin is after her for a rematch, Sakura is running late for school but Karin corners her so they can have their match, she beats her up fairly quickly and then runs off.

While appearing at the most inconvenient times is not out of character for her (Example: in Sakura ganbaru she breaks into Sakura's house at night by smashing her window solely so she could invite her to this fighting event she'll be hosting) one thing that stood out to me is how Karin talks about their previous fight.

She says that she only lost because of a fluke in their previous fight, implying that she would have won otherwise. And this is something that gets shown again and again in her later, major, appearances in the series; Street fighter legends Sakura (top left) and Street fighter Sakura vs Karin (Bottom left + right)

Karin seems to genuinely believe that there's no way she could lose to Sakura, and if she did, then there must have been some kind of casualty during the match that prevented her from whining, foul play involved on Sakura's part or she straight up says that the fight in which she was bested by her doesn't count for whatever reason.

This inability to accept defeat not only paints her as a whiny sore loser, but shows a clear misunderstanding on the writer’s part on the reason why Karin goes after Sakura.

She's not after this rematch because she refuses to accept that Sakura could win or even because she hates this girl, she just wants to prove herself as the better fighter to uphold her family's motto of being the winner at everything. In both the game's canon and in Sakura ganbaru she accepted that she was bested and worked towards growing stronger so that she could defeat Sakura in a rematch.

That's literally it, but for some reason the Udon comic writers seem to think that Karin has some sort of obsessive vendetta against Sakura and just can't stand her. In Street fighter legends Sakura she breaks a tv just because she saw Sakura being praised on it and in the prologue of this short series she's seen destroying several punching bags with Sakura's picture on it and makes one of her employees dress as her for them to fight.

(I'm sure there's a version of these with more dialogue but i couldn't find it in english :[)

This is downright atrocious because Karin NEVER hated Sakura. Her infatuation for her (because you really can't call it an obsession) came from a place of genuine admiration for her skills.

In Sakura ganbaru she orders her butler to give her a full resume about Sakura's life just because she saw her fighting from afar and was impressed by her skills, even calling her a “special commoner” when the butler asks her why she's so set on wanting to fight a girl like her. And in Alpha 3, Karin straight up tells Sakura that she admires her.

Hell, even after winning against Sakura in a match, Karin proclaims her as the better fighter. A level of humility that's almost nonexistent in her Udon comics counterpart.

Because yes, Karin can be nice. We see this first-hand in Alpha 3 where after losing to R.Mika in a fight she tells her hasn't studied enough about pro-wrestling (admitting that she had underestimated her fighting style) and even offers to sponsor Mika's wrestling career.

Later on in Street fighter V she pays Birdie to be her bodyguard and pretty much lets him lay around her mansion doing nothing all day after finding out Shadaloo was after him.

Something similar to these acts of kindness on her part happens in Legends Sakura, where she lets her employee keep the trophy of the hot dog eating competition they were in. But the thing is; they have made Karin such a bitch in these comics that this act, which would be in character for her game counterpart, feels out of character in this because she's just so mean and victory focused all the time.

And speaking of victories, another thing this characterization of her gets wrong is her approach to them. Udon comics Karin will go above and beyond in order to achieve a victory, it doesn't matter if it's unfair for her opponent, all that she cares about is if she scores that win.

In Legends Sakura she challenges Karin to a hot dog eating competition since she wasn't feeling like fighting her physically, Karin cheats in it by shoving the food down her employee’s throat under the table, when Sakura and her friends out her as a cheater she quickly changed the challenge into a fighting match even tho Sakura has eaten like 30 hot dogs by now and is in no condition to fight her.

And in Sakura vs Karin, where the two are competing in a game tournament, Karin buys the company that made the game and adds herself as a character on it. Something Sakura was previously not aware of and as such had no chance of knowing how to play well against the new character.

This is wild to me because it's quite literally the exact opposite of how Karin acts in her other iterations. She strives for a fair fight because otherwise her subsequent victory on it will be meaningless, after all, there's no merit in winning against someone when you've got an unfair advantage over them.

Even when she had the perfect opportunity to give herself an advantage, manga Karin still strived to keep things fair. After her initial loss against Sakura, she organizes a tournament around the district that's essentially a battle royale with several fighters of the region. She made this whole event with the sole purpose of challenging Sakura by the end of it since she expected her to defeat all the other opponents.

As the organizer, she could absolutely have abstained from joining the tournament herself and stand there high and mighty as the final challenge for the whole thing, but not only did she actively participate on the tournament, Karin strived to defeat more people than Sakura because she saw that as a way to redeem herself after losing to her a few days back.

She is so set in winning this tournament that she refused to even stop for a moment and get her injuries treated.

Cheating legitimately feels like something Karin would frown upon so to see her doing it more than once in the Udon comics feels like the pinnacle of character assassination.

Another thing that stood out to me is that even after being outed as a cheater during that hot dog eating competition, that not only had an immense live audience but was also being televised, Karin faces absolutely no repressions for it. Meanwhile in the manga Karin's father makes her undergo a series of trials in which she fights an eagle while balancing on a tightrope over a ravine, a bear in a waterfall, and a lion otherwise he would basically disown her.

All of this because she lost twice, first to Sakura and later to Ken during the tournament.

And speaking of Sakura, they messed up her and Karin's relationship so badly in the Udon comics that it's only when the two of them are adults that they become friends. Meanwhile, in both Alpha 3 and Sakura ganbaru volume 1 they're left on a good note with each other right after their stories wrap up and implied to have become friends in the following entries of the series.

In Street fighter IV this is done via Sakura's win quotes and in volume 2 by Sakura sending Karin a souvenir from her travels.

By the time we see them as adults in Street fighter V we are shown that yes, they are friends! And seemingly have been for quite a while now.

This is honestly kinda sad to me because we learn first hand that Udon comics Karin had no friends growing up and it seems like this lack of positive figures in her life, Sakura specially, stunted her growth as a person since it's also only when she's an adult that she comes to the realization that fighting it's not about winning or losing, but the moment of the battle, and that some defeats are more valuable than victories since it's from our failures that we can learn to grown stronger.

Something that both the manga and game  versions of Karin discovered much sooner, truly showcasing how Udon’s version of her is always 5 steps behind the others.

[web-novel-polls]

Aroace-spec Character Winners' Tournament

[Please vote for who you believe has the most canon evidence to be aroace-spec, not the most popular. It will never be acceptable to post "anti-propaganda" in this tournament or invalidate a suggested identity because "they're not aroace enough." You will be blocked unless it's clearly a genuine mistake / misphrasing.]

Propaganda underneath the cut

Shen Qingqiu from The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

Submission 1: Gay Asexual

I mean have you met the man? "Assuming you're straight because you feel nothing towards either sex but you have to be the default, right? before realizing you're romantically attracted to someone but not realizing you're romantically attracted to someone because it doesn't feel like sexual attraction which is how allos explain what love is until the romantic attraction hits you like a sledge hammer" is both a common ace experience and absolutely his story arc. Also I would have submitted him sooner but I thought he was a shoe in

Submission 2:

Asexual, somewhere on the aro spectrum - I would have submitted him earlier but based on the tags I assumed I wouldn't need to and didn't want op to be spammed with too many submissions ;_; anyhow he's here now!

Mod Propaganda

Was completely okay with not marrying anyone (because all the women in the world “belong to the protagonist”)

So fucking weird about sex. He has to mentally contort his brain seven ways to Sunday to even IMAGINE fucking someone (earning him the title of “most homophobic gay person”)

“He’s not gay, Binghe is”

Reads bad erotica and then complains about the plot inconsistencies

Accidentally wife beams/romances pretty much every single character he meets

Liu Qingge from Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

Submission 1: Gay Grayace

He spends most of his life with one interest and that's fighting and then when he falls for a man he's confused by it and proceeds to flirt in the most awkward way possible. Also he has the grey-white-sometimes purple colour scheme

Submission 2: Aroace

The idea of him being asexual is presented right there on the page and you can't take that away from me. Yes I think he is in love with sqq yes I also think he is aroace. He can be both!

Submission 3: Asexual/Ace-spec

I think he’s sex repulsed given his icy or horrified reactions when sexual topics are discussed. He was also once forcibly aroused when hit by an aphrodisiac, and he responded in a way that implied he had never experienced that before. Additionally, his instinct was not to do anything sexual, but to commit acts of violence.

Mod Propaganda

Canonically not interested in romance by word of God

MXTX: “[Liu Qingge] isn't interested in Shen Qingqiu. He isn't interested in anyone. He's only interested in fighting. He wants to be the strongest and the best.” (Source)

Canonically had no clue he was sexually aroused in the Succubi Extra / interpreted it as “wanting to fight” (which isn’t the same as not experiencing sexual attraction, but that’s also not a trademark of allosexuality)

Speaking of, he never specifically seems interested in Shen Qingqiu romantically or sexually - he’s usually shipped with him bc of his devotion, not a clear desire for romance. Though that’s pretty much just up for personal interpretation

[upat4amwiththemoon]

The Amazing Race

Summary: First place is the only acceptable answer.

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x female!reader

Warnings: cursing, there’s probably many things wrong when it comes to the show

Word count: 2208

a/n: I was watching the amazing race a while back and all I could think during it was how dumb Nat would think it is, but at the same time she’d be so competitive if she was in it

Tags: @thought-of-you-and-me @strangegardentaco @rafecameronswhore @sayah13

“This is so idiotic Y/N, why would you do that?” Natasha groans as she waves around the paper on her hand. An invitation to the Amazing Race.

“I thought it’d be fun!” Y/N grins, completely ignoring the annoyed look on Natasha’s face. “We watch it together all the time, so I decided we should compete in it. You always say I could easily crush those idiots.” She mimics her voice. Natasha grumbles, quietly mumbling to herself how she doesn’t sound like that. “Come on, Natty, please.” Y/N pouts.

Sighing, Natasha rolls her eyes. “Fine, but-!” She exclaims before Y/N can celebrate for too long. “Only because I want to show you I’m right, not because I think it’s fun.”

“Sure thing, Natty.” Y/N smiles.

“Don’t try anything.” She points at her grinning girlfriend, fighting off her own smirk from appearing. “I wouldn’t want you to have a raw ass before the competition starts.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushe. She clears her throat and wiped her palms to her pants. “We should go pack, the plane leaves tomorrow morning.”

“Thought so.” Natasha lets the smirk take over her face as she wraps her arm around Y/N’s waist to lead her to their room.

Y/N giggles, jumping up and down on her spot. “This is so exciting.” She whispers excitedly while looking around all the other pairs with colorful shirts around them. Natasha and her are wearing pink t-shirts, which wasn’t the redheads preferred color, but she liked to see her girlfriend happy. “Do you think we’ll win?”

Natasha scoffs. “Obviously. We’re the best.”

“I know.” Y/N giggles, grabbing Natasha’s hand to her own. “You aren’t actually upset that we’re doing this, are you?”

Natasha frowns at the quiet voice of Y/N. She sounds genuinely worried. “Of course not.” Cupping her cheeks, she smiles at her. “I’d never actually be mad at you. I’m excited for this too, I promise.” She gives her a quick kiss.

“I knew it.” Y/N grins, making Natasha laugh.

“Get ready! Filming will start soon!” A man in the middle of crew and cameras yells from the sidelines. All the competitors start to warm up, getting ready for running. Soon they’ll run up to Phil Keoghan, the host of the show, where they’ll starts the first leg of the race.

Natasha looks through all the pairs. Some of them are dating as well, other are relatives or best friends. “This’ll be easy.” She mumbles.

“It’s not supposed to be easy, Natasha. It’s a reality show.” She bumps her hip to the redhead’s, nervously waiting for the call to start filming.

Natasha hums, not saying anything as the man in charge yells for their attention. “Camera’s are on! Start running in 3..” All the competitors go to a starting position. “2..” Natasha glances at Y/N and flashes her a grin. “1, run!” The eleven pairs take off.

The distance to their starting point to Phil isn’t long. And of course the first ones near him are Natasha and Y/N. They watch as the other pairs arrive next to them, Natasha quietly judging them.

Once everyone is standing on their places, Phil explains the rules and what the winners will get. A trip around the world, new cars for both of the winners, a quarter of a million dollars and the amazing race.

“Alright everyone, the world is waiting for you. Good luck, race safe. Go!” He shouts, making everyone run towards the cars they’ll be using during the first leg.

“I’ll drive!” Natasha hops in the driver’s seat, while Y/N gets in the passenger seat. They’re the first ones to take off. Laughing, Natasha presses the gas, quickly glancing behind them. The adrenaline is taking over both of them.

Y/N giggles, leaning the against the seat. “This is amazing.” The camera following them wasn’t bothering, both of them are used to the public eye following their every move. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“Obviously.” Natasha grins, she turns left arriving to their location, a botanical garden. They run inside, being as quick as possible, they know the next pair isn’t too far behind.

There’s multiple boxes inside the garden. All of them have some kind of insects or rodents inside, like butterflies, scorpions, rat, etc. They stop inside a box of tarantulas, there are two yellow in the back of the box.

“You grab one and I’ll take the other?” Y/N opens the small latch and sticks her hand inside, getting the envelope easily. Natasha does the same. Tarantulas don’t scare them.

Running outside, the pass two pairs that just arrived. They get back in the car and open the envelopes. “Holy shit.” Natasha reads the letter inside. “We’re going to Tokyo?”

Y/N laughs, excited. They are on the earliest flight. “Get going! We have three hours before the flight leaves.” She pushes her with a lot of enthusiasm.

“Okay, okay, I’m going.” Natasha chuckles.

Even though she didn’t think this’d be the best idea, the joy on Y/N’s face is worth it. Plus, she is starting to warm up to it.

After the long flight to Tokyo and a taxi ride to the far side of the city, Natasha and Y/N are the first ones at the clue box with another pair. They open the clue and read it through. They have to decide between two tasks.

“Strength or memory?” Y/N looks at Natasha, but she already knows the answer.

“Strength of course. Lets get going, baby.”

They flag down a taxi and tell the driver where to go, noticing the other pair is going to the opposite direction, they chose memory task.

The drive goes by quickly and soon they’re at the right location. After reading the rules, they starts working right away, as it is a two person task. It takes twenty minutes for the next pair to arrive and start doing the same task, and another pair comes after ten.

Y/N wipes sweat away from her forehead, taking a short breather. The task is tough, but the two definitely have an advantage of training every single day. They’re clearly over half way through.

“Just a bit longer, sweets.” Natasha gives her a quick smile. “We’re ahead of the others.”

“We aren’t sure how quick the teams at the memory task are.”

“They can’t have that good of a memory.”

With a short laugh, Y/N continues working on the task.

After another twenty minutes, they finish. With a short celebration, they go get the next clue from the person staying there.

Natasha grabs Y/N’s hand as they run out of the big building. “We have to get to a temple and that’ll be the end of the first leg.”

Looking up at the location from their map, Y/N notices it’s not too far away. “Do you think we’d get there faster by running rather than getting another taxi.”

“Yeah, good idea.” Natasha shoves the paper to her backpack. “Can you read the map.”

“Yes. Straight forward.” The start running as fast as their legs can carry them.

Very soon a temple starts peering around the corner. It’s the last stop of the first leg. Y/N and Natasha quicken their pace even more, using all of their energy at the last stretch to get to the opening of the temple.

At the door of the temple, they take off their shoes and cleanse their hands before entering. Inside, they walk straight to Phil and a worker of the temple, bowing as they step onto the mat.

“Welcome to Tokyo.”

“Thank you.” Y/N smiles.

“Are you liking it?”

“It’s beautiful.” Natasha mumbles, holding onto Y/N’s hand, waiting for him to say if they are the first pair to arrive.

“Natasha and Y/N, you are the first pair to finish.” They laugh and hug each other tightly. “As the winners of the first leg, you get a paid trip to Dublin, Ireland. Congratulations.”

The pair thanks Phil and leave the temple. “I told you we’d win.” Natasha bumps her shoulder to Y/N’s.

“Don’t get too excited, this is only the first leg.”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “We’ll win this whole damn thing.”

Y/N and Natasha become first on every single leg, except one, where they become third, because a pair decided to u-turn them.

The last leg is currently going on, they’re back in the USA after traveling through Asia and Europe. Natasha, Y/N and two other pairs are at the end of the race, doing the last task. The three pairs have been head to head the whole last leg.

“Yes!” Y/N shouts as they finish the last task. They run straight to the person giving them the last clue. As they are reading it through, one other pair finishes as well. “Come on, we gotta be quick.” They start running full speed, the other pair right after them and third one going to the clue.

The way to the final destination is around six kilometers, but they aren’t allowed to use any kind of transportation, only their legs.

The first four and a half kilometers go by without any problem, only taking short breaks so the other contestants don’t catch up. As Avengers, their stamina needs to be good, which is definitely an advantage.

After a sharp turn to a side road, the pavement turns into cobblestone. There’s a particularly rough patch, where Y/N falls down due to the fast speed.

“Shit!”

Natasha stops instantly. She turns around and helps Y/N up. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Uh, my ankle hurts a bit, but we can keep going.” She yelps as she puts weight onto the leg.

Making Y/N lean on her, Natasha shakes her head. “You can’t run like this.”

“Yes I can.” The pair in second place starts getting closer. “Come on, we have to go. We gotta win.”

“Y/N, winning doesn’t matter right now.”

With a groan, Y/N rummages through her back quickly. She grabs a bandage roll and quickly wraps it around her ankle, during which the other pair runs past them.

“I am not letting us lose, you hear me?” Y/N mumbles, grabbing Natasha’s hand and starting to run again with a slight limp. She winces every time the hurt leg touches the ground, but she doesn’t let it stop her. After all, she has learned to fight through the pain.

“Y/N! You better stop running right now or I swear to god you won’t like what happens.” Natasha tries to pull away, but Y/N keeps running.

“You can do whatever you want to me after we win!”

She glares at Y/N, but gives up and starts running properly, now pulling Y/N along. “Fine! Then we better win this thing.” They start to get closer and closer to the other pair, determined to pass them and get back their first spot.

With only 200 meters left to the destination, Natasha and Y/N run past them, which makes the other pair run faster, but they aren’t quick enough to catch up.

When it’s 50 meters left, Y/N’s pace starts slowing down. They can already see Paul and the already lost pairs clapping at the finish line, but the ankle is hurting too much.

Natasha notices the pain and struggle in Y/N’s face. “Hop on!” She helps Y/N to her back, carrying her straight to the finish line and letting her down there. They’re both laughing and a bit emotional as they are surrounded by everyone cheering.

“Nine countries, over 15 cities and 14 000 kilometers, Y/N and Natasha, I’m glad to tell you, you have won the Amazing Race!” Y/N and Natasha cheer with the others, hugging each other tightly. “Natasha, you’ve been confident throughout the whole competition. Were you sure you’d win?”

“Of course.” Natasha grins, helping Y/N hold her leg up. “I knew we could do it. We’re Avengers after all.”

Phil laughs. “Congratulations you two!” Once again all of them cheer and Natasha kisses Y/N with a fiery passion.

Y/N is laying on the couch, her hurt leg on Natasha’s lap as they watch the TV. Luckily there were no broken bones, but it did sprain quite badly, so she’s on bed rest and taking a break from missions. Natasha decided to take a break too so she could take care of her girlfriend.

“Aren’t you glad we did it?” Y/N grins. The winners adrenaline is still flowing through her veins.

“I’d be more glad if you weren’t hurt.” Natasha mumbles, rubbing her leg. “But yes, I’m glad we did it. I got to show them we’d beat them all.” Y/N rolls her eyes with a smile. “Don’t you roll your eyes with me, I’m going to deal with you after your ankle is all healed up.”

“Sure thing.”

Natasha shakes her head, tutting at the attitude, but lets it be, at least for now. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“I love you too.” Y/N grins, turning her attention back to the television.

[legitelizabethwwefan]

Hello! If it’s not too much to ask can I please have hcs on valorant agents with s/o who does acrobats or gymnast tricks on the field while fighting? (Neon, Fade, Jett, Chamber and Yoru would be great if you can’t do all of the agents ^^)

Thanks for the request! This one really made me think- and I like a challenge. I used a general reader since that wasn’t specified in the request. I hope you and everyone else enjoyed this!

If you want to request anything, you can do so here.

Word count: 960

No warnings.

Acrobatic Agent - Chamber, Fade, Jett, Neon, Yoru x General Reader

Chamber:

He isn’t flexible at all, so he’s truly in awe of your acrobatic ability.

The first time Chamber watched you displayed your ability during a mission, he was genuinely in shock at how you could pull off such moves effortlessly.

His mind may or may not go somewhere dirty...

He tries to keep up with you in battle, but his efforts are in vain.

You think it’s cute that he tried anyways, and you tell him so.

Chamber makes it clear that he’ll try hard to try and keep up with you anyways.

This banter helped deepen your bond, which eventually leads to a relationship.

Chamber loves piling on the compliments about every aspect of you (physically and otherwise)- and your acrobatic ability is no exception.

He would stare at you whenever you do even the simplest of acrobatics.

His mind can’t comprehend how your body is able to do such things.

If you two are on a mission together, he has to force himself to look away from you anytime to do any acrobatics on the battlefield. Otherwise, he’ll get too distracted from the task at hand.

After a mission, Chamber will compliment your acrobatics the most, but won’t neglect to compliment you on how well you did overall.

Fade:

Fade also isn’t flexible whatsoever, so your acrobatic ability leaves her in awe too.

When she sees you in action for the first time, she stares aimlessly and nearly pays for it with her life.

Fortunately, you were able to use your acrobatic ability to get her to safety.

After that mission, Fade apologizes for her stupid blunder and explains why it happened.

From then on, she wants to train with you just so she has an excuse to see you in action more.

You’re happy to do so despite your reservations of Fade.

These training sessions allow you two to grow closer and eventually develop feelings for one another.

Fade won’t question how you’re able to do such acrobatics, but she’ll secretly wonder in between sneaking glances of you in action.

She’ll compliment your acrobatic abilities from time to time, but not as much as Chamber.

Still, she’s truly in awe of you and respects you as an agent and as a person.

Jett:

The first time Jett sees your acrobatic abilities on display, her jaw drops in the middle of a mission.

Her mind races about how cool it is and how badly she wishes she can do the same.

After that mission ends, she’ll dash over to you and ask multiple questions about how you were able to pull off your acrobatic abilities.

You happily answer each question, blushing at Jett’s enthusiasm in your abilities.

She insists on training with you because you and your abilities are so damn cool.

Eventually, Jett realizes that she wants to spend as much time with you as possible- and it’s not because of your acrobatic abilities.

You have feelings for her too, so it all works out in the end there.

Every time you two are on a mission together, Jett is constantly sneaking glances at you in action.

You both will also try to one-up each other a lot during missions too.

She may express interest in learning how to do some of the things you do, and you’re all too happy to teach her.

You two like to compete over who’s more acrobatic, but it’s clear that you’re the winner each time.

Jett may get a little jealous over your abilities. That being said, she respects you on and off the battlefield nonetheless.

You’re both quite competitive, but it’s all in good fun and makes your relationship special and interesting.

Neon:

Neon is kind of acrobatic, but nowhere near as much as you- and it makes her kind of jealous.

She doesn’t hate you for your acrobatic abilities, but she low-key wishes she could do similar things on the battlefield.

When she sees your abilities in action for the very first time, she’s awe struck- but also has a lot of questions.

Neon will ask you about your acrobatic abilities, which you answer happily.

You’ll ask her questions about her Radiant powers in return.

You two banter a lot about your respective abilities, which gives you the opportunity to grow closer and eventually develop feelings for one another.

Whenever you two go on a mission together, you and Neon constantly try to one-up each other with your abilities alone. But you both take enough care to not risk your lives in the process.

You and Neon sneak glances at one another during a mission to see your respective abilities in action.

Your relationship is built on a friendly rivalry, as well as a ton of mutual respect.

Yoru:

Yoru isn’t flexible, so your acrobatic abilities truly impress him.

But he refuses to tell you at first due to his ego.

After witnessing your acrobatic abilities a few times in battle, however, he’ll finally tell you that he’s impressed by you.

He won’t ask a ton of questions about your abilities because he would rather watch you in action.

Eventually, Yoru becomes so impressed that he’ll ask to train with you.

You two train a lot together, which helps develop your friendship into something more over time.

You and Yoru have a small rivalry, though not as much as with Jett or Neon.

Yoru will sneak glances at your acrobatic abilities when you two are on missions from time to time.

If you catch him doing this, his face will get red and he’ll look away in a hurry.

However, you never point it out to him because you don’t want to embarrass him further.

Yoru comes to respect you both personally and professionally- and vice versa.

[milflewis]

okay heres the rosquez history™️ im fully copying this from dms i sent my bff so- do not judge how it looks. i am truly sorry for this monstrosity and that you have to read it

okay so vale dominated the mid-2000s, he has 9 world titles, 7 from motogp (or 500cc back then) marc is uhhh 14 years younger i think? and he looked up to vale. like a lot. (he mightve had a poster of vale in his bedroom growing up)

and then marc starts riding in moto3 and moto2 and its like ‘holy shit that kid is so good’ but also he’s insanely aggressive ?? like so aggressive that he essentially develops a new riding style. and around that time there are a bunch of riders in motogp, namely vale and jorge lorenzo (who marc DID ACTUALLY have a poster of i think) telling marc to calm down and ride cleaner.

in 2013 marc moves up to motogp and life is good for him!! so good!! he becomes the youngest race winner ever and then the youngest motogp champion ever and hes like in love with vale and keeps making heart eyes at him but thats ok!! bc vale makes heart eyes at marc all the time too.

so in 2013 and 2014 everything is great 🫶🫶 theyre in love, vale invites marc to the ranch, blablabla theyre gay whatever. but then 2015 it all goes to shit

marc has a bunch of retirements so it becomes pretty clear that hes not winning the title again. but vale is very much in title contention (hes fighting jorge) plus marc and vale have fought like a lot of times on track and uhhh… things arent that great between them? but whatever bc at least its still cordial. until sepang where they’re fighting again and marc crashes and oops!! it looks like vale kicked marcs bike. vale gets a back of the grid penalty for the crash and he cant recover from that so jorge wins the 2015 title! and from that point marc and vale hate. each other. vale thinks that marc fought him so hard bc he didnt want vale to be champion/wanted a spanish rider to be champion and obvi marc is mad about the kick/alleged crash.

in 2016 they seem to make peace for a lil while? but then in 2018 argentine theyre fighting again. and like i said marc is really aggressive so he kind of crashes vale out? ( im biased towards marc he can do no wring sorry) and after the race marc goes over to vales motorhome to apologize but uccio (vales bff/truck driver/idrk hes just always there) sends marc away. vale later says that he did it bc he knew it wasnt a genuine apology ?

yeah and from that point on they just dont talk. they hate each other for a while, sure, but that fades to a dislike, and dislike fades into indifference and they just do not. care anymore

also there are a lot of other moments like the infamous handshake press interview thing, but also they apparently shook hands in private later? and them in 2020 marc crashes, misses a season, comes back in 2021 for like half a season, then vale retired blablabla they just don’t interact anymore but motogp still liked making them sit awkwardly next to each other in press conferences. uhh yeah that’s basically it but marc did talk abt vale recently and he talked abt how vale had a giant impact on the sport and also he said that he wouldnt act differently in 2015 bc vale was the one who lost his temper 💀💀

omg they really are strangers to hero worship to friends to lovers to enemies to reluctant colleagues with history to enemies again to strangers what the fuck. what is in motorsport water that makes men act like this

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Results for the Kakashi Birthday Polls

Who would accuse Kakashi of being annoying?

Feels like the most appropriate answers he absolutely would do this and we support him in his claims

Best Kakashi outfit

Not a personal favorite for me but i can see the appeal. Everyone likes a sexy traumatized man

Best Official art outfit

A delightful choice. He looks particularly good in the drummer picture (and that’s not the Kakagai fan in my screaming i swear XD)

Best Storyline

An obvious choice i think (even if it wasn’t my choice XD). It’s where we really learn about Kakashi. The life he had, the troubles he faced, and everything he had to fight against the become the protective, sweet, dorky character we know today (gaiden delves into it more obviously but Shippuden is where we first get a hint that there’s more to this man)

Best protective Kakashi moment

A top tier moment in OG Naruto. Kakashi heard his student’s were in danger and risked insubornation to go after them.

And he would do it again, which is just part of what people love about him.

Where to take him for a birthday date

Seems like the most obvious choice but also the best way to get this hard shell of a man to cry. He’s such a dork for those books and we love that about him

Item that is the most ‘Kakashiish’

What is Hatake Kakashi without his mask?

Sukea, but that’s not the point XD

What you like best about him

I included the three results because even though ‘his dorkyness’ is the ultimate winner i just love that his protectiveness and Kindness also got some major love in this poll 🥰🥰🥰 all great answers

Best version of Kakashi

The first one we meet and come to love. It’s clear to see why people love this version of Kakashi. He’s broken, fighting, makes mistakes but is genuinely just trying to protect his student’s and do something right in his life for once (even though nothing that has happened in his life has actually been his fault)

This is the Kakashi people fell in love with and continue to love to this day.

I’m not sure i want to post the results of the ship poll because that was just for fun but also it’s going to be very heavily biased on this blog unfortunately. Just know that all the ships listed (and some not listed) are amazing and deserving of all the love 🥰🥰🥰

[clatoera]

How do you think Peeta could join the Careers at 74th Hunger Games?

What did he do? Duel with another career? Killing another tributes on the Cornucopia?

Do you think before The Rule Change (2 victors from the same district), Peeta already determined to help Katniss becoming the winner? Thoughts?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

If I am down to talk about anything it is the careers okaaaay

How do I think Peeta could join the careers?

So, he DID prove himself in Training in the Movie (this scene does not happen in the book that I remember, and I just reread the training chapter to be sure). In the book he "excels in hand to hand combat.' That being said in the film we see him physically throw a very large presumably heavy item. We see Cato, Marvel, and Glimmer first laugh at him, which turns to shock when he throws it, to a small agreement of okay because you HEAR Cato say "not bad." (fun fact, if you pay attention you can tell how they cut the scene together, because Cato goes from arms crossed over his chest for multiple clips, to arms at his sides, then back to crossed again). At least in the movie we see him have a little moment where he proves his strength, and the careers are like eh ok cool. Peeta is looking at them as he does it, they know it's an attempt to address them wordlessly. Peeta in the book "excels in hand to hand combat." He does prove himself somewhat capable in the training session.

He also scores a 8 in training, which is respectable, and only ONE point under the actual careers Marvel and Glimmer. I think he has an argument based on scores and what he displays, that he is deserving of making this alliance.

That being said.

They accepted him so that they could be lead to Katniss.

Thats why Peeta was allowed to join them. Sure, maybe they figured he was strong and a good backup fighter. And in the books he DOES go back and Kill the girl from district 8. In the books she was PEETA's kill, not Glimmer's (? Cato gives her his sword in the movie and assume that means Glimmer gets the honor). Peeta participates.

But more importantly... they are very much using him to get to Katniss. "He's our best chance of finding her." Is said both in the film and in the book. They talk about killing him but decide eh what harm is he "besides, he's our best chance of finding her." He allies himself to them which is protecting him, but lets be honest, the careers weren't looking for the protection of Peeta.

He's "Pretty handy with a knife," In the book. Okay, so Is Clove. So is Glimmer. So is Cato. So is Marvel. They don't need his skills, they need him to track her down. Thats why he's accepted into the careers, sure, he's strong and all that, but ultimately the careers are TRAINED.

They're taught strategy. I know I personally HC that Enobaria and Brutus and Gloss and Cashmere are the mentors for them. I don't think Cato and Clove aren't told by Enobaria or Brutus to use him to find the girl, or that Glimmer and Marvel aren't told the same. I believe that they are all told that she got an eleven, and they don't know how, and so she needs to be enemy number one and to take her out. And if that involves using Lover boy to do so, of course they'll do it. Once they find her and successfully kill her, whats stopping them from just ending Peeta right there, his work is done. Key phrase is successfully kill her, which they don't do.

What did he do? Duel with another career? Killing another tributes on the Cornucopia?

No way in Hell was he dueling a career to join. Yes, later we see that he is physically capable of facing off with Cato, but I don't think they were play fighting in the arena. They careers are smart and they are trained. I genuinely think they saw him as a way to get to Katniss, and so thats why they take him in.

"hey loverboy you sure she went this way?"

and "you better be." I think make it really very clear why they are using him. I think they saw a chance to use him and so they did.

I will die on my "the careers have to be smart" hill (as well as my I hate the Glimmer Cato stuff in the movie hill).

Do you think before The Rule Change (2 victors from the same district), Peeta already determined to help Katniss becoming the winner? Thoughts?

Without a single doubt, yes. I believe (though I can't be sure) that Peeta actively is doing EVERYTHING he is doing to help her survive. He makes her desirable. He draws in the want to protect her by giving this grand love story. He knows her story, he knows she has a family to feed and protect. Peeta JOINED the careers with the intention of keeping her alive, and leading them away from her. Everything Peeta does, I believe Is to get her home and keep her safe. He is willing to stand there and be shot by her in the final moments so she can get home.

I do not think for a second he planned to survive over her. I think he just wanted to give her the best chance he could, however that looked. And I would say he was pretty successful.

thank you! @curiousnonny

[esrah-rah-rasputin]

Going through movies from the past that were set in the future, except that future is now our past (2001: A Space Odyssey style)

This is going to be a longish series so I'm going to make this a reblog chain, here's the current list I've made using IMDB. Here's the list lol

2019: after the fall of new york (1983) Defcon 2012 (2010)(edited) 2012 Ice Age (2011) 2012 (2009) tamala 2010: a punk cat in space (2002) 2010: the year we make contact (1984) 2009: lost memories (2002) 2002 (2001) 2001: a space travesty (2000) 2001: a space odyssey (1968) Equalizer 2000 (1987) Fantasia 2000 (1999) Death Race 2000 (1987)(edited) Cherry 2000 (1975) Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) Summer vacation 1998 (1988) Class of 1999 (1990) 1984 (1956) Class of 1984 (1982)

I've already watched Death Race 2000, and Defcon: 2012, so I'll put those first. I'd be lying if I said these were in any particular order

Death Race 2000

rating: 4/10

If you're going to watch this and enjoy it you need to know that it's a political satire from the start, and bizarrely funny. Unfortunately, it doesn't really make its point clear until the last five minutes, which is "America is gratuitously violent and there's no fucking reason for that" and "if anyone disagrees with that, hit them with a car"

The actual premise is "What if in the year 2000, America turned into a gratuitously violent, near-global state that celebrated each year with a cross-country race where racers try to hit as many people as possible. And also, what if there was a group who didn't like that and tried to stop it by matching a rebel leader's granddaughter in shotgun with the only two time winner of the cross-country race?"

Interesting notes:

there is a nazi flag in the first five minutes, and a character duo who have nazism as their motif. Because it's a political satire and it's a mile marker to show the level of issues involved. However they do end up driving off a cliff and there's an extended explosion scene

disappointingly, the guy who's supposedly gotten in multiple car crashes and has several prosthetics has no physical evidence of that

surprisingly, he DOES look like he designed his own (fake) leather dom outfit, cape included, with only vague descriptions of what one looks like

there's the funniest fight scene ever about an hour into the movie between this guy and another guy (played by Sylvester Stallone) dressed like a 30s gangster, while sax plays

Defcon: 2012

rating: 2/10 generally, 7/10 if you're genuine about enjoying it

I'm 100% sure this was someone's film school project, and if you like the idea of a 2010 emo dystopia movie filmed almost entirely in an abandoned mall, with three out of *maybe* eight characters voiced by TTS, you'll like this.

The actual premise is "local tormented teen and co. go to a supposedly abandoned Earth to go scavenger hunting, but discover an underground human community, and the real way Earth was taken over (it involves imperialism)"

Interesting notes:

Pretty much every single scene without talking is overlaid with EDM and 2010 metal. The soundtrack's pretty good actually

One of the characters wears a CGI'd helmet, and I'm honestly impressed by the amount of effort put into editing it

I'm 90% sure the person who made this watched Battlestar Galactica from the filters over every scene

It's written like the person who made it has just learned they can say the fuck word and not get in trouble

I'm also pretty sure one of the cast members is the mom of another one of the cast members. Good for her

Shoutout to a couple throwaway lines about how colonization is bad and how in the story, the 2012 Mayan calendar thing actually has nothing to do with it (even though it seems like it initially). Surprisingly anticapitalist implications overall, I wish this was focused on more

Only problem I have with the movie is that I think it wrapped up too quickly, which seemed beyond the control of the people who were making it so I can't fault them for that really

[trrickytickle]

⭐Super Mario Bros. Movie- Tickle Headcanons 🍄

I loved the Mario movie- so many easter eggs, people SLAYED their roles, especially Jack Black. But you wanna know who I also love? @fluffy-lovely-clouds! And they requested these! So yeah! ENJOOOOYY!!! yeah wait before you read have some power-ups as a gift 🍄🌷🪶🦝

Mario

Mario is such a ler. He is optimistic, caring and physically affectionate- but he's actually kind of more of a switch. Tends to tease- things like "I'm gonna get you!" Usually with his dorky commercial Italian accent. He can't take what he dishes out- usually on his brother Luigi, and eventually, Princess Peach and occasionally Toad. He always comes out on top in tickle fights and employs every trick in the book. Speaking of Luigi, he uses his stature to his advantage when However, he can not take what he dishes out at all. Hearty, bellowing laughter. Power-ups can help him become ...more ler? Tickling gets more cat-like when he gets the cat suit, can use the Cape Feather for obvious reasons, And in the post-credits scene, Yoshi is revealed so I feel like he could get Yoshi to help him gang up on a lee >:D The Ice Flower could freeze a lee in place.. I could go on and on and ON, because I literally love it when lers use newly-gained abilities/superpowers/can transform and use it to advantage of tickling hshshsh But I doubt he needs this. After all, he is an elder sibling. As a lee, he is often on the unwilling end of a funny situation in the Mushroom Kingdom. He doesn't hate being tickled but he keeps getting into funny and awkward positions, such as getting ganged up on by the Toads as Peach looks on in awe, being tickled by a mischievous Piranha Plant's tongue an more. However in Brooklyn, tickling was much more .. normal. Less crazytown. He and Luigi tickle each other casually as a means of playing pranks on each other. Worst spot is his stomach and sides- which aforementioned green brother likes to prod at to tease him. Luigi

-My friend who used to be in my old drama class carried a Luigi plush with him so much and it got decapitated just funny and random SORRY ANYWAY ONTO HCS The more cowardice and younger sibling, he always ends up as the 'lee more often than not. However he isn't shy to tickle Mario a little (..it's a lot) for fun. Blurts out "nononononoNO!!" when being tickled- out of habit. Genuinely a willing lee, just.. Very Luigi. Elaborating on his ler side, Luigi learns from the best. He shares the same technique of teasing and egging-on with the Italian accent, as well as uses his dextrous plumbing fingers to his own wiles. -His most ticklish spots are his knees, neck, armpits, ribs and stomach. This is a laundry list which Mario had memorized. -His own time in the Darklands wasn't really spent being tickled- THAT WAS LITERALLY HELL MY BROTHA. However he did spend it thinking of the playful tickles with Mario to distract him from the noise of his looming cage rattling above lava. However when he gets back to the Mushroom Kingdom.. the denizens are thrilled to see another human- and albeit one just as ticklish as Mario!! Luigi also meets Princess Daisy upon that time- and she's such a ler towards him it's unbelievable. -Also when he meets Polterpup upon fixin' up an old familiar spooky mansion, dog-kisses ensued. Love Polterpup so much man. (Small switch Mario+Luigi section)

Mario and Luigi are best buds, spaghetti and meatballs, cheese and tomato sauce. But they are extremely prone to some playful grilling. They both put their all into tickle fights, and there is no clear winner- it's just an all-round tussle- whoever starts it probably won't end it. Because of this, they are also amazing tag-team lers- and are incredible at tickling others. They know each other's tickle spots like a plumbing manual, and often employ the tactic of "Not touching you!" as well as the forbidden leg kicks. Just. Familial tickles man. Toad

-Toad is a chatterbox. A loudmouth. This should be fact and not tickle fiction, but speaking of tickles, the other Toads who once thought of him as eccentric are now tight with him, Mario, Luigi, DK, Peach and the like. Doesn't instigate much, but Mario and Luigi gang up on the little guy like a brother, and Peach gives him some pokes to keep him in line. As a lee, he's jumpy and flails around, laughing out pleas like "I'm gonna die!". He ends up in ticklish situations a lot with the wacky creatures- and eventually wacky humans- of the Mushroom Kingdom. -Donkey Kong once picked him up and played around with him like a stress-toy, tickling him in the process. This just sounds really funny. I like it. Toad's most ticklish spots are his stomach and little feets. -Toad as a ler is incredibly nimble- and of course, talks his lee's ears off. He climbs on top of bigger lers and his hands fly from spot to spot. Tickling Toad may be hilarious but his revenge will be unbearable. Peach

Though the other Peaches read more lee-leaning to me, I feel like this Peach is a total ler-leaning switch. Being raised by the Toads who were very friendly with her, she got tickled a lot. She also tickled them, let's not lie. Despite being a bad-ass, she is genuinely a really caring ler- unless you REALLY bugged her, then she goes all-out with those fast, full-coverage skitters. She is an incredibly vigilant lee and attempts to avoid the ler's attacks from all directions. Mario learned this by losing a tickle fight with her. She usually has to be held down to get those melodious giggles out of her- and when she is fully vulnerable to the tickling- she does a lot of her classic "damsel-in-distress" crying out. Just picture this. "Mario, help!!" through laughter. Boom. Yeah, that's how she is. Of course, of course, of course she is a kicker. How predictable art thou. DK

Donkey Kong plays himself up all the time- with all the showboating and flexing, he doesn't want anybody to know he's the least bit ticklish! However, he is indubitably so- and leave it to Mario to expose this to his longtime fans on complete accident. Fortunately they didn't like him any less- particularly that little Diddy Kong- and unfortunately for Mario, revenge was served. Makes chaotic, garbled monkey noises when he laughs. Imagine a gorilla just. Cursing. Very evasive of tickling, but to no avail. Most ticklish on his torso, and incredibly vulnerable to rougher tickles- he's not easy to break! Mario takes advantage of this the most, given their rivalry. Uses his size and fluffy fur to his advantage- picks up smaller lees and mercilessly tickles them. Well, not completely merciless. He's a Kong with a heart, you know. However this can come to a disadvantage when he is brought down to the floor by even the smallest fingers. Bowser

Bowser is an INCREDIBLE ler, no understatement. He employs tickle interrogation on multiple occasions and delights in the laughter of his victims, laughing loudly and evily along with them and asking them questions through it. He gloats, taunts, and uses his tail and claws to make tickling all the more methodical. With his piano-playing prowess, he enjoys skittering his claws across the lee he has in his draconic clutches. Also he's voiced by Jack Black. As a lee- it's hard to get him as he's HUGE- and can hide oin his shell at any time. The only person who's successfully done so is Kamek, and even so he doesn't dare to. BACK TO LER BOWSER!! Really teasy, will ask the lee stupid questions while tickling them.