#and cool concepts and at every goddamn turn the it almost purposefully decides not to

[theheightofdishonor]

Idk how you keep hooking me back into this damn show when it's as bad as it is😭 but here I am responding to your tags because somehow, you activate an urge to talk about it that I didn't even know I had.

It's a reallyyy interesting point you raise about Nanfah distinguishing between Nannam knowing him as Nanfah vs the Jungle knowing him as Tiger. I never thought about it like that but I think it'd be a nonissue because even though the guys all technically have nicknames, they don't use it much with each other? Especially when referring to the twins? It would've been cool though if they did because why not give Fah more issues than he already has lol. Also didn't Fah wear Nam's ear cuff at some point and I think Hunter could still tell it was Fah? There's also just the fact that like, my opinion of all of these people would just plummet even more than it already has if they spend 10 years with these boys and couldn't tell them apart. Like that's just embarrassing. Especially because the twins don't bother to pull their little double act when it's just the group and also they dress differently and has different hair and different mannerisms and you'd have to reach implausible heights of stupidity to not be able to tell them apart after 10 years.

re: the jewelry, yeah I wish we got some more scenes with it too! Because from a meta level, the boys are very defined by it ie the episode titles and the voice overs and even just by calling their club the Jungle and purposefully adhering to this theme and identity but at the same time, it doesn't seem to do much in action other than Hack's Jungle identity helping him stay associated to his irl job. (I still haven't figured out what the voice overs were supposed to mean or lead to actually since they rarely had anything to do with the episode itself)

Due to the fact that we see Hunter open the jewelry box at the same time the boys all meet for the first time, I had assumed that the handing out jewelry business happened relatively soon afterwards. I gotta wonder though if the boys chose their respective symbols or if Hunter chose it for them. (Personally I go with Hunter, he seems the type lmao) This is actually an entire rabbit hole of thought because it then also makes me wonder how Hunter knew this is the group of boys he wanted to choose, and whether the jewelry is in anyway half-magical the way his drinks are, and if the number of/specific animals on the jewelry were all preset or if the box like magically sensed the boys and their personalities and produced appealing/accurate jewelry to match. Like what's the degree of choice vs fate here? The thing you said about Nanfah basically kicking himself out of their group when he relinquishes the Tiger necklace, like it has to mean something, have some actual significance rather than the lackluster break up/get back together arc. I wanted Hunter to like treat the boys differently after they quit the Jungle or something but like nothing ever happened.

The bit about Fah verbally distinguishing between the closeness he shares with Nannam vs a more distanced relationship with the Jungle was soo cool mostly because I forgot about that scene but also because I don't think I interpreted it as him implying a lack of closeness with the Jungle but instead just as a marker of closeness between him and Nannam. Like it makes sense that he's still closest to his twin, yeah? But I think your interpretation is fun though, if Fah considers them unreliable and not as close as they should be. It would make sense too since everyone else is fairly older than the twins are. I'm thinking about when I think it was Pine? or Lee's character uhhh Wayu maybe? That said Nam wouldn't have fucked up like Fah did after Pladao tried to expose the club. And i'm thinking about this in conjunction with "everything is easier for Nam" and if those are related. Is part of the reason that Nanfah considers the boys not close because he thinks they don't value him the same way theyvalue Nam? The possibility too, that something like that's happened before is soooo delightful honestly, that they've made comments, probably half-meant about Nam's seeming competence vs Fah's lack of and it's gotten under his skin(Nannam has an actual job and a life outside the Jungle and he's fairly well liked within the Jungle and i've never considered this before but what does Fah do outside the Jungle anyway? We know about everyone else except him, I think)

i am once again thinking about nanfah no last name and how his relationship with Kaewta fell apart because she couldn't tell him and Nannam apart, how Pladao also couldn't tell them apart when she ran into Nannam and Nithan on the roof, and how THAT is what Nanfah touches on when confronting Nannam - that the woman you're in love with and are choosing over me can't even tell us apart.

and then in this post @theheightofdishonor spoke about the possibility of Nanfah being haunted by "the knowledge that he's lying to Pladao like he did with Kaewta, unable to realize that it's different this time" and now I can't stop thinking about how YEAH how could he think things would play out differently between him and Pladao, but also, how could he ever think things would be different for Nannam and Nithan either?

And how much worse did it sting when Nannam never contradicted Nanfah when he brought up how Nithan wouldn't be able to tell who's who (possibly implying Nannam agreed with him), and yet Nannam still chose to pull a gun on his own brother - all for someone who, they both agree, can't even tell them apart.

and then-

Then Nithan did clock that it wasn't Nannam she was getting engaged to. Like Kaewta and Pladao, Nithan had no idea a twin existed, had no idea WHO it was in front of her, but she was certain enough that it wasn't Nannam that she readily gave up the ruse because she refused to get engaged to someone else. Nithan knew Nannam well enough to identify him correctly.

How was this any different from the situations with Kaewta and Pladao? Why couldn't the ones Nanfah fell in love with distinguish between the twins?

and finally, I'm thinking about: "everything seems so easy for Nam".

(that "finally" is a lie because I am also thinking about how, in the same confrontation, Nanfah asks Nannam if he really thinks Fah would've led a woman to kill herself. Until now, Nanfah has had other people not recognise him, but does even Nannam not know him anymore? Does his own twin really think that about him?)

[wolveria]

Inside Your Wires - Chapter 1

Pairing: Human!Connor x Android!Reader

Summary: Assigned all cases involving android-related crimes, saddled with a prototype that follows him around like a plastic puppy, Detective Connor Anderson knows this must be karma for all the bad shit he’s ever done.

He thought he'd hit rock bottom, that he didn't have much left to lose, but he's proven wrong by the android sent by CyberLife. And Connor learns just how much further he can fall.

Prompt: For the @dbhau-bigbang​ 2020 challenge!

Series Warnings (18+ only): Eventual smut, slow burn, fantasy bigotry, violence, brief noncon elements, angst with a happy ending

AO3

(Story moodboard by @uh-kitty-got-wet​​)

November 5th, 2038

Friday 11:21PM

The whiskey was harsh and burned like liquid fire as it slid down his throat. He dropped the shot glass onto the bar top and closed his eyes and savored the bloom of the cheap booze warming his chest. The music from the old jukebox behind him belted out tunes that would have been considered outdated when the place opened.

It was like this most nights. He was alone, exhausted, and well on his way to a pleasant buzz. The one thing Connor had going for him was that he hadn’t started in on his third drink until 11 PM.

That had to be some kind of record. On a Friday night, he was usually shitfaced by 10. Call it the long hours he’d been working, or maybe the fact he felt more self-loathing than usual, he’d somehow managed to hold off on spiraling until nearly midnight.

Definitely a record. And Connor deserved to celebrate.

When he tipped the glass with one finger and caught Jimmy’s eye, he nearly looked away in shame. The bartender had never given him shit before, at least in a verbal sense, but the cool stare he gave Connor now made him want to crawl into a hole and die there.

But Jimmy didn’t say a word, just gave him another dose of poison and turned away, leaving Connor in relative peace to enjoy the game. Denton Carter was kicking ass tonight, so at least there was that.

It was all going beautifully until the door opened and the sound of rain echoed throughout the tiny bar, along with a distinct smell of wet asphalt and dirty concrete. Out of the corner of his eye, Connor saw two of the other regulars shift in their seats to stare at the newcomer.

Not another regular, then. And by how lengthy the stares were and the sudden shift in atmosphere, Connor guessed the barometric pressure had taken a drop due to a pair of long legs and pretty eyes.

Turning his body only far enough to get a glance for himself, Connor was not disappointed, eyeing the stranger from their black dress shoes, up their shapely legs clad in dark jeans, past curvy hips and—

Oh.

Connor turned back in his seat, hunched over and grimacing in disgust, put there by the sight of a blue triangle on a lapel and a glowing armband around one arm. He hadn’t even needed to look higher for the LED to know what the fuck had just waltzed into the joint like it actually belonged there.

He nursed his whiskey, praying the thing would pass him by and leave him the fuck alone. Or better yet, Jimmy would throw it out.

No such luck, of course.

“Detective Anderson,” spoke a smooth, raspy voice to his right. “I’m the YN800 model sent by CyberLife.”

He elected to ignore it. Maybe if he did so for long enough, it would take the hint and go away.

Again, Connor’s luck was not holding out.

“I called your cell phone, but you didn’t answer,” the voice continued, unimpeded. “I then looked for you at the station after checking your home, but you weren’t there either. Your colleagues indicated you tended to frequent the bars in the area, and I was fortunate to find you at the fifth one.”

His eye twitched. This thing had gone to his apartment?

“Well, here I am,” he answered, dry and caustic as he stared straight ahead at the wall of bottles. He calculated how angry Jimmy would be if he took out his service pistol and shot it through the head.

Pretty angry, Connor decided. It would probably leave a stain. Also, he didn’t want to compensate some asshole company for property damage.

“What do you want?” he finally growled, scratching his nail into the bar top already marred with various scuffs and dings.

“You were assigned a case earlier this evening. A homicide.”

Already, a headache was forming between the eyes at the sound of the android’s irritatingly friendly voice.

“Yeah, and?”

“It involved a CyberLife android,” it said in that same smooth inflection. “In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist investigators.”

You have to be shitting me.

Connor grit his teeth and clenched his glass tighter, a flush of heat moving through him that had nothing to do with his blood alcohol content. A fucking android was sent to help cops do their job?

Fuck that, and fuck this hunk of junk.

“Good for them,” he answered as he tipped the glass up to his lips. “I couldn’t give less of a shit. Now get the fuck out of my face. We don’t need any help, especially from a plastic pair of tits like you.”

He should have known that wasn’t the end of it. The android spoke again, adopting a tone of what it had probably been programmed as “sympathetic.”

“I understand you may be experiencing reluctance to having an android’s assistance in this matter, but I am—“

“—ruining a perfectly good evening, butting your nose where it doesn’t belong and sure as fuck isn’t welcome.”

Connor put his glass down harder on the bar top than he meant to, nearly spilling his drink.

“I suggest you leave before I void your warranty.”

Connor thought the machine got the message when it finally went silent. He could even see its mood ring spinning yellow out of the corner of his eye before it settled on that annoying placid blue.

He’d just brought the glass halfway to his lips when it said, “I’m sorry, Detective, but I must insist.”

Connor set the glass back down and started to count to ten. He couldn’t lose it now, he’d promised Jimmy he wouldn’t break anything else after the last brawl he’d gotten into.

But the fucking thing just kept on talking.

“My instructions stipulate that I have to accompany you.”

“You know where you can stick your instructions?” Connor growled before downing the glass of whiskey.

It was a good thing he had, because its next words made him choke on spit.

“No. Where?”

Connor set the glass down, and for the first time that evening, fully turned toward the android and stared at it.

The damn thing was staring back, head slightly tilted like a curious puppy. It had large eyes to match the image too, earnest and innocent and entirely too sincere. Its attire at second glance wasn’t the typical android faire. A smooth grey android jacket and a dark, patterned tie marked it as something different. Unique.

And just a little too pretty. Every designed, group-focused imperfection on its face made it that much more appealing. Its hair was neatly coifed, pulled up and pinned behind its head, exposing the smooth curve of its neck.

Hanging down the left side of its face was a strategically-placed lock of hair that Connor immediately want to twirl his finger around. He suspected that was the point.

The further down Connor’s eyes traveled, the more he lost his train of thought. The perfectly sensible tie was lying on the slope of its breasts, something even the jacket couldn’t cover. Why the fuck androids had breasts to begin with, Connor couldn’t begin to fathom, and it seemed even more ludicrous now seeing them on a “specialized model.”

The android hadn’t moved apart from its artificial breathing, another thing about the machines that was uncanny. They weren’t human, and the fact CyberLife kept trying to pass them off as such was a goddamn insult to humanity.

He met the thing’s eye, gave an unimpressed huff, and went back to nursing his drink. If the fucking tin can didn’t understand a dirty innuendo, he certainly wasn’t going to ruin its pristine, virginal programming.

Connor doubted everything that had just gone through his head as those unnecessarily realistic tits were pressed against his elbow, without warning or any sense of decency or a concept of personal space.

“How about this, Detective?”

Connor fumbled, nearly spilling his drink, a massive what the fuck! warning flashing in his head as the machine pressed closer.

“I’ll buy you another drink, on the house. Surely that’s worth a few minutes of your time? And if not, you can send me on my way.”

Connor couldn’t speak with that voice right into his ear like a close confidant, sultry and low and borderline pornographic, so it was a good thing the android didn’t bother waiting for a response.

Instead, it turned to Jimmy and said in a louder, more normal tone, “Bartender, another round for the detective, please.”

Jimmy turned from where he was cleaning glasses on the counter, eyebrows shooting upward as he looked from the machine to Connor. It had backed up a few inches, but there were a lot of reflective bottles on the wall. Connor wondered just how much Jimmy had seen.

Connor gave a little helpless shrug as if to say, Don’t look at me, I don’t know what the fuck it’s doing!

But when the damn thing actually brought out real paper money and set it on the counter, Jimmy got moving. Seemed he wasn’t picky about where his money came from, and Connor almost resented the fact he hadn’t thrown the android out on principle.

Who the hell gave it money in the first place? CyberLife? What, did they hand it a few bucks of allowance before letting it off its leash?

Despite all his reservations, and there were a great many of them, Connor was not about to turn down a free drink. Or two.

“Make it a double,” he grumbled, purposefully avoiding the android’s focused gaze. He could practically feel the thing staring into the side of his head, but at least it remained at a distance and wasn’t pressed against his side like a drunk, horny badge bunny anymore.

“Thanks, Jim.” Connor took the glass and tipped it back, drowning it in one go. The slide of the familiar burn down his throat, spreading throughout his limbs, did quite a lot to help ease the tension in his muscles.

He released a heavy exhale, pushed away from the bar, and got to his feet.

“You want to play plastic cop? Okay, then. Keep up,” he said, tilting his head in its direction without actually looking at it. “Or I’m leaving your ass behind.”

Connor didn’t wait for a response, only raised his hand in parting to Jimmy, and pushed open the door to let the rain-drenched Detroit night swallow him whole. But even through the sound of the rain pinging off the hood of his nearby car he could hear the even footfalls behind him, just a little too close for comfort.

Fucking androids.

Next Chapter

[hopeymchope]

Yuno? No, you don’t know: Part 1

(Yes, puns. Sorry?)

“My bad!”

It’s weird to me how so much of the artwork/cosplay/text posts I see of Yuno Gasai on Tumblr seem to portray/discuss a character that is at odds with the one I know from reading the manga and watching the anime so many times. Maybe I’m just getting a different interpretation somehow, but... I think I actually have a lot of evidence to back up the version I know and love.

So: HELLO, YOU! Welcome to the first in an informal series of character-study essays where I try to explain to the rest of the world and fandom why I think they’re getting Yuno Gasai totally wrong.

The first one is probably the most common mistake. It’s bolded below, and it’s the central thesis of this first post.

Yuno is the so-called “Yandere Queen,” but note that the Yandere label largely applies to any time anyone threatens Yuki’s life or safety. THIS is the primary trigger that sets her off, with the secondary trigger being “if you repeatedly and overtly try to tear her apart from Yuki by making her seem evil or dishonorable, she will eventually raise your death flag.” The first trigger can easily earn you instant death, but the second trigger takes quite a while to launch. You have to repeatedly attempt to ruin her life before she’ll decide “Well shit, guess I have to kill him/her.”

I could back the above statements up, but that’s not what this post is about. Instead, it’s about answering this question: What about the jealousy that the Yandere trope often exemplifies? Does Yuno threaten everyone who flirts with/shows interest in Yuki or vice versa?

Weirdly, a simple google search of her name would tell you “Yes, of course! Yuno tries to murder/actively murders anyone who even looks at her Yuki!”

Aaahhh. no. That’s the point of my post today.

Yuno does not attack or kill anyone who is attracted to Yuki or whom Yuki is attracted to. It’s just not true.

This is entirely false, and I can prove it using every available example of anyone hitting on Yuki or vice-versa throughout the show/manga.

More character analysis and plenty of animated gifs past the cut.

1) The first character in-panel/on-screen to fit this mold is Tsusbaki, a.k.a. Sixth. Yuno is a startled and displeased to see Tsubaki hit on Yuki in episode four, “Hand-Written,” but it isn’t until she realizes that Tsubaki is actively trying to tell Yuki that Yuno should be ditched that she starts threatening Tsubaki’s life... from a distance. And even then, when Yuno starts making threats, Yuki is like “Jesus Yuno, chill out” and her response is basically to shrug and be like “Fine, okay. But I’m watching you, Sixth.” It barely takes any effort from Yuki to make her just kind of shrug her own concerns off!

In fact, when does Yuno finally flip out on and attack Tsubaki? After Tsubaki reveals her entire plan like a damn Bond villain in episode five, “Voice Memo,” wherein Tsubaki exposes that she only asked them to help her and only tried to be sweet with Yuki so she could ingratiate herself and then kill them both. This naturally trips Yuno’s primary trigger (never threaten Yuki’s life), and she promptly goes medieval on Tsubaki’s ass.

Yuno SMAAAAASH!

2) The first character in continuity (though we don’t learn this story until episode 18, “Crossed Lines”) to fit this mold is Moe Wakaba. This takes place prior to Yuki and Yuno really having much of a relationship, but after the infamous “promise” that made Yuno view him as her only hope of escape from a miserable life. In the flashback ep, we learn about how, when Yuki wants to tell Moe Wakaba how much he likes her, Yuno dresses up in the (iconic!) ridiculous pink bunny suit. Then, while disguised as this unnerving mascot, does her best to block all attempts for Yuki to give over his love letter or for the pair to hold hands.

“Denied!”

In the end, however, Yuki prevails and delivers his admission of feelings to Moe. Despite this, Yuno leaves Wakaba unharmed and even lets her keep the love letter! Yuno just goes home and acts dejected about the experience but ultimately relieved that Wakaba appeared uninterested in return from what she could see.

3) Aru Akise is a big one for many fans. The slash addicts love this guy. He is, of course, the smooth gay detective boy who thinks Yuki is a hottie. The way he initially hits on Yuki in front of everyone doesn’t even earn a reaction from Yuno at all (although later on, she does call Aru a “perv” for immediately caressing Yuki’s face upon their first meeting).

Things move fast in the two-parter where Akise is introduced (episodes 8 and 9). Akise tries to rescue Yuki by bluffing and doing a 50/50 gamble; when Yuno realizes that he’s lyiing, she tackles him and tries to stab him for... what? Is it because of his interest in Yuki? No, she specifically tells him it’s because he was gambling with Yuki’s life. However, when he deflects her attack, she backs down. And when he tries to convince Yuno that he’s there to help by information her that he genuinely cares about protecting Yuki because his feelings for Yuki, are, in fact, lovey-dovey; and Yuno’s only reaction is a befuddled “What? Hold on a minute!” And that’s it.

In fact, it gets better! A couple of days later we see her greet this smooth gay sleuth politely and with open arms when he breaks into her goddamn house in episode 10, “Family Plan.” After all, Yuki vouches for him and he did set her and Yuki up on a pretty sweet date, so she is totally cool with him now in spite of his feelings for Yuki AND his B&E crime! THAT’S HOW LITTLE SHE CARES ABOUT HIS FEELINGS FOR YUKI. (Sadly, this would be the pinnacle of their friendship for other reasons; please refer to the second trigger for more information.)

And oh yeah, I’ve got more.

In the infamous episode 22, when Yuno and Yuki go to talk to Aru and Yuno is fully anticipating a betrayal from the guy after her unfortunate run-in with him in the prior episode... she doesn’t even try to kill him! She actively tries to keep him alive, which is pretty damn shocking in the situation. First she goes after him by stabbing him in the appendix region (the same area that she will later stab herself in this very same episode, noting that she purposefully aimed for a non-serious wound). The second time she attacks, she uses a stungun.

“High-speed stunneeerrr-aw crap.”

Non-lethal attacks only for the entire first round of someone that’s been trying to ruin her relationship with Yuki for the past eight or nine episodes, holy shit. I just realized this one, myself! Of course, when Aru lays out his entire plan to turn Yuki against her and then see her dead, ALL BETS ARE OFF.

4) Should I even mention Ai, who openly speaks of Yuki’s cuteness and how she likes flirting with him when she pops up in episode 15, “Dual Cell Phones”? No reaction from Yuno to any of that.

My point is that... despite all the artwork and photo collages of cosplay that portray Yuno as someone who will kill any man or woman that goes after her man, there’s shockingly little evidence to back this up.

I mean, come on. Yuno herself doesn’t even understand this widespread belief.

“Huh... yeah... no, I don’t get it.”

What evidence IS there to support the idea that Yuno would attack anyone who threatens her relationship with Yuki? Is there any?

Not a ton, but let’s look at the flip side.

1) She does, in fact, look pretty pissed whenever someone else is either interested in Yuki or vice-versa. She looks particularly cheesed off whenever it’s Yuki showing the interest rather than the other way around. I mean... she doesn’t necessarily act on this rage of hers, but her facial expressions sure seem serious even if she makes no effort to back them up.

"Her name is Moe?! How unbelievably trite!”

2) Yuno is shown to get a rage-induced adrenaline rush whenever someone else kisses Yuki. The thing is, on the only two times that this ever happens, Yuno has already decided to kill the person who enrages her because they previously tripped one of the two triggers I noted at the start; the kiss is beside the point, because she wanted to kill those people regardless of any lip-locks.

3) The biggest moment to support this notion comes when she puts her knife to Hinata’s throat towards the end of “Blocking Calls” (episode 9).

“Lemme borrow your neck for a second.”

Yuno and Yuki argue earlier in the episode about Yuki’s insistence that he can still be friends with Hinata, and Yuno’s counterpoint that, well, she did try to kill you almost all night. Yuno does threaten Hinata with her knife and even openly says that “If you start to like this girl, where does that leave me? So I’ve gotta kill her.” However, this is the only time she ever acts like this, and I think Yuki’s willingness to forgive Hinata’s attempt to kill him is probably a big reason she freaks out. To say nothing of the fact that Hinata tripped trigger #1.

Okay, that’s enough of this. My point is pretty obvious: With the exception of her speech about having to kill Hinata, there’s really nothing that actively supports the idea that Yuno will kill or maim anyone who looks at the object of her affection. That’s just not in the character, even though loads and loads of photo collages, cosplay pieces, and fan art seem to think otherwise for some reason.

I kind of suspect that many of these folks are fans of the “Yandere” concept more than Yuno Gasai herself, who doesn’t actually adhere to every single tenet of the trope.