#and my theory is that Gege wants it to be canon but maybe it’s just not feasible as a shounen manga

[waiting-for-a-sunny-day]

Sometimes I feel like a silly weirdo for shipping Satosugu so hard, but then I hear a clip of “my heart and my soul know otherwise” and I remember that I am not at fault here.

[driaswrld]

cash in, cash out — gojo satoru and geto suguru.

wc : 1.7k

summary : the one where the boys pick the kids up, satoru loses his wallet, megumi almost throws up, the twins argue color theory, tsumiki gets the aux and suguru has a coupon.

part of : the star paradox collection.

notes : this had me cackling a bit as i wrote it i love the family dynamics esp since this is when the trio is new to the kid thing (around 2009) ALSO yes, suguru has a love for y2k girl groups : pussycat dolls being one of em don't @ me gege told me it's canon.

other : fem!reader, rs label undefined so can be read as platonic or poly (they're lowk dating w/o knowing) mentions of unsafe (?) driving?? mentions of bribery and also tomfoolery and shenanigans

current casette : father stretch my hands pt.1 - kanye west

“—now we do headcount.” Suguru turns in his seat as Satoru slows the car and shifts the gear stick to neutral. “If you’re hungry, say I!” Satoru raises a hand up, his knuckles smacking against the roof of the interior, and Suguru internally dies.

“You’re hopeless.” Tsumiki laughs to herself, rolling the window beside her down, leaning against the frame, spring breeze warming her cheeks.

“I…” Mimiko raises her tiny fist upwards, mimicking Satoru, all while Nanako unclicks their joint seatbelt and breathes a puff of air, exasperated and hair a mess.

Megumi grunts, giving a weak thumbs up. He almost looks like he’s about to throw up.

The car ride was… something to say the least—

“—buckle the seatbelt already, brat!”

“—swallow your spit before you talk, you pig.”

“Steer the car for me, Suguru.”

A click reverberates through the car as Satoru unclicks his seatbelt and turns, ready to dive out of the driver's seat and into the backseat of the car, with arms outstretched to grab ahold of six year old Megumi’s neck.

Suguru’s arm flails to the side as he steadies the abandoned steering wheel from the passenger seat.

“Why didn’t name pick us up?” Mimiko mumbles, clutching onto her strawberry colored doll to her chest.

Ignoring the repeated smacks of Megumi’s foot to the side of Satoru’s cheek, Tsumiki shrugs, gaze fixed outside the window at other cars passing by. “She had work, I think—”

“So we’re stuck with the idiots.” Megumi grunts, and Suguru’s head whips around, lips morphed into a thin line.

Pride, oh sweet pride. Nanako, busy typing away at some cute game on her tablet, looks up for a second and locks eyes with Suguru, who withers a little under her gaze.

“He called you an idiot, Geto-san.” She says, ever the little instigator.

“Take the wheel, Satoru.”

But anyways.

Satoru huffs, almost pouting as the car in front of them stalks forward into the KFC drive thru. “It wasn’t even that bad,” he murmurs as he shifts the gear stick once more, moving the car forward.

Suguru can only chuckle nervously. “Yeah, not too bad…”

Behind Satoru’s back, he gives the kids a funny look, and they all snicker quietly. Well, save for Megumi who’s bordering on car sickness from that messy car ride.

“Alright,” Satoru mumbles to himself before he pushes his sunglasses up to rest in his hair, one arm hanging out the window, looking over his shoulder for a brief moment to check everyone over. “What does everyone want off the menu?”

Honestly, he’s a little proud of himself and Suguru.

Usually, you’re the one who handles picking all the brats up after school, but somehow, the boys managed to do it.

Although, it did take a bit of crisscrossing with seatbelts shared in pairs of two— hey, at least they’re all in one piece, right!

“Twister!” Nanako exclaims with a grin and Mimiko nods along with her twin sister, setting her doll down in her lap with a smile that Suguru mirrors, something so small making him feel so… soft inside. “I want the one with the sweet flavored chicken inside—”

“I want the spicy one.” Nanako nods along, turning her attention back to her tablet, clicking away.

Satoru hums, turning his head a little to the side, and Tsumiki mumbles, “Maybe just a chicken sandwich… with some coleslaw too.” He looks to Megumi, who still has his mouth twisted into something between a frown and a pout, so cute—

“And what do you want, Megs?” Suguru asks before Satoru can, as the car treks forward in the drive thru line, drawing closer to the order speaker.

“Whatever Tsumiki gets, I’ll get that too.” Megumi shrugs a little and a smile stretches on Satoru’s face — though he hides it well, straining his head forward.

(Mimiko can see him through the side mirror but he doesn’t even remember that.)

After ordering and making it halfway down the length of the drive thru, there’s only two cars ahead until the pay window.

Suguru is helping Tsumiki plug the aux cord into her ipod touch — a birthday gift from Satoru.

“I don’t think the cord’ll fit,” Tsumiki mumbles, peering over his shoulder, head leaning against the headrest. “It’s probably too big or something.”

All while Mimiko and Nanako are arguing over a dress up game on their tablet.

“She looks better in purple—”

“But I like the yellow better—”

Megumi narrowly dodges Satoru’s elbow as he bends his arm to rummage through the storage compartment of the armrest.

“Don’t worry too much, Tsumiki—” He mumbles, haphazardly searching for another aux cable, and his wallet, because for some reason he didn’t feel it in his pocket just now. “Suguru’s good at making all kinds of things fit—”

A smack to the side of his head sends his sunglasses flying off his head into Nanako’s lap, and the twins share a look with each other. “We should try sunglasses on her—”

“I don’t want her to look like Gojo-san—”

Megumi snickers just as Suguru snatches the shorter aux cable from Satoru’s hand.

Tsumiki tilts her head to the side, a grin reaching her lips once Suguru finally gets the aux connected. “Hold on,” Satoru whispers to himself, shifting back in the driver’s seat and moving forward to take the place of the car that was just in front. “Suguru, I can’t find—”

“Check under your seat or something.” Suguru cuts him off, scrolling through the sheer ridiculous list of songs on Tsumiki’s ipod touch — most of which are Taylor Swift and a few J-Pop groups. “It’s not there.” Satoru huffs in defiance.

From where Megumi’s sitting slumped in the backseat, he can see the shadow of Satoru’s billfold laying under his seat.

Naturally, Megumi wants to watch him squirm a little. Afterall, Suguru told him to look there and he was too proud to, so…

Satoru’s phone vibrates from inside the open glove compartment where it’s charging.

“I’m sure I had it in my side pocket…” He mumbles to himself, and Suguru gives him a look of absolute defeat with a hint of nonchalance.

“Well I don’t have any money on me—” The timing couldn’t be worse really. “Of course you don’t. Because all of you freeload off me—”

Megumi rolls his eyes, “As if you don’t make six figures.”

The phone vibrates again, and it’s the least of Satoru’s problems, really.

“Is that all I am to you? Some bank?”

Because here he is, next in line to pay and he doesn’t have his card in his hand, Suguru is still flat broke as always, you aren’t here and it’s not like the brats in the back have a steady flow of income coming in.

Why didn’t he just set up his damn online accounts when you told him to?

“Maybe you should answer that,” Suguru shrugs, damn near unable to hide his little smile when he comes across a song by the Pussycat Dolls. He has half a mind to say out loud that he’s raising Tsumiki right.

The phone vibrates again.

“Satoru—”

“Jeez, fine, damn.” Satoru is shifting around in his seat like he’s possessed, patting down his pockets, all while the phone keeps vibrating.

He reaches over with a frown, yanking the charger out and answering the phone with a single tap and a curt, “I’m busy right now, what is it?" Putting it on speaker as he leans over in his seat again to search his pants.

“Hello to you too, sunshine.” Your voice echoes through the phone and Satoru winces, pink tinging the tip of his ears. “Sorry name, I just—”

“He lost his wallet and we’re going to starve.”

Megumi leans forward, sticking his head out and leaning against the passenger seat.

Tsumiki and Suguru stifle a laugh, and Mimiko lifts her head with a pout. “But— I don’t wanna starve!”

“Oh, Mimi…” You sigh, damn near ready to punt Satoru into the sun. “That’s not going to happen, Megs is just making fun—”

“I have a coupon for a biscuit from that magazine yesterday,” Suguru says and he locks eyes with Satoru who glares straight at him. “Hey, I’m just suggesting solutions!”

Shoko, who’s sitting beside you in the vacant classroom looks up from the mission report she’s signing up for the both of you and bellows a huge laugh. It really doesn’t help Satoru’s pride at all, and he grabs the phone, clicking it off speaker and hugging it against his ear.

Suguru watches as Satoru slumps in his seat, one arm hanging over the steering wheel and another out the window. A grown man, twirling the side of his hair and pouting.

He doesn’t even think twice before snapping the photo — he ends it off to the twins’ tablet, and they exit their game to open it, giggling into their tiny fists.

“name…”

“I’m not sending you money, Satoru—”

“Please! I promise I just misplaced my wallet,”

The twins pass the tablet over to Megumi who folds his lips to hide his laugh, nudging Tsumiki who leans over to giggle at the picture too.

“Pleaaasee! C’mon, I promise I’ll even set up my account like you told me to—”

Suguru sends a sneaky wink to the kids and they all burst out laughing, to which Satoru whips his head around, only to find everyone ducked down in their seats, suspiciously minding their own business.

Suguru’s even gazing out the car window, a guilty whistle leaving his lips.

“I let you two pick them up one time and—”

Satoru cranes his head out the window, his voice lowering to a whisper. “name, I’m begging you. This is a man’s pride we’re talking about here—”

“You can always use Suguru’s coupon—” You murmur.

“I’ll get a chocopie with your order.”

"I'm literally paying— hey, what do you take me for? I have some semblance of self respect—”

“Two chocopies and a twister.” He looks around before ducking his head again in a whisper, “I’ll even pay for all your meals this month— matter of fact, you can just take my card—”

“Two months, including takeout.” You grumble. “And add an egg tart, I’m sending the money to Suguru right now.”

[lxmelle]

Gojo’s letters & the implied parting message (Part 2)

I came across a view on Twitter (now X) that was interesting that I probably would have never thought of myself. While I may not agree with it 100% on its own, I can totally see the value in it and I wanted to share it here, seeing as how others may appreciate the perspective too. I’ve added my own thoughts which you’re welcome to read… Then you can make up your own mind about your personal interpretation 😊

So the sentiment is as follows:

At the end of HI, past-Gojo casually went up to Megumi to tell him that he killed his father, showing us that he is a little tactless. But, upon being told what Megumi wanted, he respected that Megumi didn’t want to know and accepted this for 10 years.

Despite that; however, we can infer from things we have been shown that he has always wanted Megumi to know. He was probably waiting for a good time. (As we know, Gojo doesn’t really impose his view onto others.)

Knowing there had to be a time where this message was delivered, he prepped the letter that would only be delivered if he (Gojo) died.

And what better timing & purpose, if it could help Megumi absolve any guilt he might have over (his body) killing Gojo? (Because him being dead meant Megumi likely killed him, thanks to Sukuna.)

According to the person whose Twt I read, they felt that Megumi’s laughing reaction was due to Gojo’s uncharacteristic consideration for him.

In other words, he was relaying it after he died to Megumi as a way to say: You got this cuz I’m dead. “And if you think your father is out there somewhere, he isn’t. It was me who killed him. Soz!” So don’t feel guilty.

Hm. Well, this was kind of echoed in at least another tweet and there were a few who made it out as if this was a fitting interpretation.

I also gathered from my last post on this subject, that Megumi was chuckling out of fondness, like “Geez, that’s so typical of you, sensei.”

But I do personally think it’s important to underline the fact that Gojo has always put in the effort to understand people even if he struggled to show it, or showed it clumsily. (Just like, “have you had too much somen?” - as said to Geto, back in the day.) So maybe it seemed uncharacteristic to Megumi, but I hope as a reader, we understand that Gojo had his own ways of being kind.

After all who can blame him if he didn’t quite fully understand what it meant to have blood family, being separated from his own? Born as an anomaly - a mutant amongst mutants. Who felt like others (flowers) couldn’t never comprehend a creature — and who could, unless they were bestowed with some monstrous skill themselves? (Like Geto, and Gojo had hoped, Sukuna... but the latter clung onto his stubborn self-protective belief of not needing “love” (compassion) until the very end, choosing to die instead of taking Yuji’s hand - another post on this another time).

And Gojo, after having been told last words from Toji and Geto about the importance of family, he may have gathered that it was better for Nobara and Megumi to know, than to have it concealed from them. Hence, the letters.

Know your family. Then decide who your family really is.

My own thoughts about the theory are as such: Gojo may have really wanted to tell Megumi that it was he who killed his father, because this was the only person he killed without a reason. (…that we know of: Gojo was canonically shown to have only killed two humans - Toji & Geto).

After Geto left, the parting message was: “don’t kill anyone other than me” - in other words, don’t do what I did, because that will make you lonely. If you need to kill, kill if there is a clear purpose or meaning in it.

This was his last lesson delivered to Gojo. We know his parting phrase was imbued with meaning due to everything we saw in HI and the draft words that Gege released from chapter (78) - important enough to make it to the exhibition and Gojo’s JUMP GIGA Character Book.

Geto played a significant role in him smartening up, how to connect with others, how to empathise with people, to think about what his responsibilities were as someone with strength.

So Gojo telling Megumi this was almost as if to say: you can stop wondering about him now; you weren’t left behind. I killed your father. You don’t have to feel responsible for it because there was meaning in it too.

In words Gojo might use: I killed him, you killed me. We’re even!

I guess it’s not only because Megumi couldn’t help it being Sukuna’s vessel. But also that he avenged his father’s death. All of Megumi’s thoughts relating to his father and Tsumiki as above: Retribution, karma, discipline… fairness and Megumi deserved happiness too.

And he chose to live again, starting by living for Yuji. A new purpose… he didn’t want Yuji to be lonely.

A loneliness I think he knew all too well.

He can add on more family after that. Nobara. Etc.

That’s it I guess. Thoughts?

[hermitw]

My prediction hope & dream for JJK 266

So far I've been correct on Yuuji's domain being one of non-violence, (although the details I have gathered have yet to be revealed unless this is enough evidence).

and that

Yuuji's talk-no jutsu would be ineffective, but he might be capable of a listen-no-jutsu.

Sukuna can't relate - it probably feels like Yuuji is just rambling about his childhood, showing off how peaceful and carefree it was. Yuuji enjoyed shoveling snow (interesting how much snow came up, since this is important to my theory on Yuuji's domain. I guess it is still December 24th, isn't it? That's crazy. It's been at least 30 chapters by now).

Anyway, they're still in Yuuji's domain. I really, really hope that we get to see Sukuna's childhood next chapter. No one is aware of Sukuna's past, of why he became the monster (I believe it's a desperate grasp for his own autonomy).

Idk whether Gege will give us redemption but I still believe it could bring Choso, Gojo, etc. back.

Yuuji admit to not understanding his own domain, and I think it would be rly cool if Sukuna helps him to develop it. Maybe Sukuna could learn the value of life and connection, since Yuuji has this ability to reach people.

The thing with Choso is that he's like ash, but we don't know the size of Yuuji's domain - Sukuna's lacks a barrier, so I half expect Yuuji to be capable of that as well. Either way, I think his domain could cover the area where Choso's remains were scattered. He and Sukuna have this insane RCT ability, and domains get a can't-miss effect.

I really wanted to see Sukuna vs. the merger, maybe teamed up with the other sorcerers, but at this point I think that between Sukuna's destruction and Yuuji's reconciliation, they might be two halves of a whole that can redeem Japan from the chaos Kenjaku has caused with his merger.

Idk the details these are just thoughts I've gathered since yesterday.

Also we got to see baby Yuuji, show me baby Sukuna 😤 and how he met Uraume and also give me details on Tengen, I want confirmed lore so help me Gege.

If this upset you, then pls:

Listen I love Yuuji, and Megumi, almost everyone tbh (Mei and Mahito and Haruta, idc about u at all) but I also have Strong thoughts & feelings (especially) about Sukuna and I take his pain more personally. I know what I say is often unconventional and polarizing. I'm not saying this is canon, I'm saying that I have a hyperfixation and need to release these thoughts on my own blog. I don't want to start fights, I just like to see different interpretations and share my own. Frankly Yuuji was my first favorite character and I could never hate him. I just spend less time breaking down his perspective lately bc everyone else got that covered.

[tafeja]

I feel so so so insane. I do not usually ship rarepairs, but now I am suddenly extremely invested in a pairing with no content.

So let me pitch it for you, maybe somebody will be able to see it my way, and will want to chip it too.

It's Lan Sizhui/Wei Wuxian (mdzs). Wait, no, don't go away! I know that when Lan Sizhui was very little Wei Wuxian was in a sort of parental role, he played with him, regularly babysat him, was called gege and joked a few times about being the kid's parent. And it is easy to lean into that. I myself like stories when he literally adopts Wen Yuan. (And when I said that there is no content, I lied a bit, it's just that all of this content leans into pseudo-incestual vibes, and that is not what I want from the pairing). But it is not the only possible angle, especially considering that when they meet again for the first time they don't know each other and start from a new page.

Ok, so first of all, after Wei Wuxian' resurrection they are pretty close in age. Much closer than Wei Wuxian is with anyone from his generation, Jiang Cheng or Lan Zhan. It doesn't take a lot of stretching of the canon to say that Lan Sizhui is 18 (though 16-17 is more likely, for my purposes he is 18) and Wei Wuxian is 21 (I think he is between 21-23, but again, he can be 21)

And now, the concept:

Lan Sizhui is gay (cutsleeve), knows it already for some time, but doesn't share it with anyone for obvious reasons (yes, not even Lan Jingyi). He doesn't have any sort of gay-radar, and even though he knows that people like him exist in theory, he's never met any of them. So meeting Mo Xuanyu for the first time is a bit... interesting. He is quite a bit strange and his family treats him badly, so Lan Sizhui mostly feels pity than something else. And then night hunt turns more dangerous than was expected, and the disciples get over their heads. And then Mo Xuanyu suddenly takes the lead. He is very confident and he knows what he's doing. He is not lost (like Sizhui is). He is unexpectedly competent. And even though he is still a little weird, Mo Xuanyu isn't ashamed or afraid of being himself, it is also an attractive quality. So at this moment Lan Sizhui catches a crush on "Mo Xuanyu". But as soon as Lan Sizhui realises it, Mo Xuanyu disappears without a trace... Now they probably won't meet each other ever again...

But unexpectedly they meet again literally the next day!!! Lan Sizhui is very happy and excited. Mo Xuanyu once again puts himself in a leader's position and saves the day. He takes Sizhui's sword to make his flute! Then there is this whole situation with him maybe being Yiling Patriarch, Lan Sizhui tries to verbally defend him against Jiang Cheng. The whole Dafan Montain ends with several things happening simultaneously:

1) Mo Xuanyu again with no shame and in front of many influential cultivators openly talks about liking men

2) He says that he likes Lan Sizhui's teacher/parental figure (rip)

3) Lan Sizhui's crush goes with them home to Gusu Lan (❤️❤️❤️!!!)

4) against his will... (double rip)

Lan Sizhui sees that Lan Jingyi treats Mo Xuanyu normally, doesn't judge him specifically for being gay, so he is a bit less afraid and decides to share with him. Lan Jingyi is very supportive of him. He tells Sizhui to "go for it" and tells him that he totally has a chance with Mo Xuanyu. The rest of the story he acts as a professional wingman, always talks Lan Sizhui up in front of Wui Wuxian.

Lan Sizhui feels more confident with a crush on Mo Xuanyu than he would be with a crush on somebody else. Yes, he seems to like Hanguang-jun, but it doesn't seem that serious and Hanguang-jun doesn't like men (obviously), and at the very least Sizhui is sure that Mo Xuanyu likes men and wouldn't judge him for the same if he decided to confess.

For Jiang Cheng, when he finds out about Lan Sizhui/Wei Wuxian, it would seem even more that Wei Wuxian moved on. It's not a continuation of whatever's been before, Wei Wuxian starts new life and completely new relationships with new people.

When Wei Wuxian and Lan Sizhui find out about how they knew each other before, it would be a bit awkward for them, but they'd be fine. On the other han, Lan Wangji would freak out privately. I believe that he totally liked to imagine Lan Sizhui as his and Wei Wuxian's child.

Feel free to add anything, talk to me about the pairing, take any ideas from this post and run with them, link me any works with this pairing (no incest though)

[epickiya722]

Haha right? It's so normalized while it's actually so inappropriate to go to a stranger and talk about their sexual preferences.

I hate how "x fans" is called "x fuckers" now. Yeah I like Sukuna. No I don't want to fuck him. But all there is in his tags.

I'd go as far as to say that people don't care about characters. They just want to put them into tropes box to imagine them as their vampire/alpha male/ceo lover.

And I find it ironic how the same will trash talk about fanboys while they do the exact same thing. '"let women be horny" they will say, because reducing a story to you being horny is ok.

I still want to publish my stories because some fandom gave me hope. But I don't hold my breath anymore.

It is very inappropriate. Like, damn, I can't just like the character? I can't be entertained by their antics?

There are just so many things that shouldn't be normalized across fandoms and going into someone's inbox to be like "*insert character* fucker" is one.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people having their fantasies about their faves, let alone am I gonna police anybody on or care to. Waste of my time, I got fics to write! Posts to post! 😭

But sometimes I do think "does this person actually care about the character's story"?

Because some of those same people will have so many takes on their faves that don't even be that character. That is a whole OC you created!!

I actually wasn't aware of this until only recently that people accepted for Sukuna to become some absolute horndog when Yorozu was up all over him. Maybe I missed something, but Sukuna only ever expressed being interested in fighting and killing people and personally, he never really came across as some sexual deviant to me.

I feel like sometimes if you have this fanon version of your fave, that is not your favorite. In no way, should you feel the need to like this whole other version of your "fave" in order to like him. Then why have them as your favorite in the first place?

I like Sukuna because he entertains me. He's this evil ass menace who wants all the smoke and the biggest beef he has is with a 15 year old (who is my all time favorite of JJK). Sukuna also this mysterious air about him because we still don't know much about his backstory, let alone everything he can do. (I had this recent thought about a technique that I should probably get to writing.) I have theories about his character, like how he may really be as a person, true. But at the same time, I'm not gonna believe my theories about him are canon because "I know him better than Gege". Anything I say isn't canon unless said so explicitly. I didn't create Sukuna. I am just another fan just vibing along with the story.

And it really is insane to me that people will do that. People were saying "female fans of JJK are ruining the fandom, they're all so horny" as if all us are horny, let alone engage in the anime for said reasons.

The same people *cough cough* misogynists *cough* who say that be the same people who will have a wallpaper of someone like Nami as their header and she'll have boobs bigger than what she has in canon.

Oooh, y'all don't like folks be objectifying the JJK men, huh? Even though for years female characters have gotten the treatment in Shonen. You cannot be dragging Gojo fans when you want to be Makima's dog. Stop that now.

Also, its not just the men! Uh, Yuki Tsukumo exists! She has a lot of fans who find her attractive. There's Shoko, Utahime, Takako, Mei Mei...

I'm waiting for the day 143 gets animated because I just know people are gonna go 👀.

Like, either way, if you're a person who gets constantly horny over your faves, why are you upset with someone doing the same?

I saw this meme post about how people tend to overlook the story and its details and only focus on the attractive cast and fights. And some people were like "but people are only focusing on the fights and attractive cast".

No, they're not. You're missing the point.

For one, you can find the characters attractive and enjoy the fights. That is fine. But at the same time, don't miss the story. Pay attention to it because it's just as important, if not more.

Second, not everyone is focused on just the fights and cast. If that was the cast, why do we have theories and meta posts? Why do we have people writing fics that study the character they're writing about? If no one is focusing on the story and only like the fights and attractiveness of the characters, then those kind of posts from fans wouldn't exist.

[sabrionblogs]

When you first meet Akari Nitta and Ino Takuma, they both seem like they're doing just fine, but it had me wondering what their past was because I was thinking that since it's said that being a Jujutsu sorcerer is mentally damaging and enrolling new students is super rare, what if there were former Jujutsu High sorcerers? Who was in their past?

It is canon that fourth year students exist and if Hakari and Kirara are third years (both being aged 17-18), then we can also assume that the fourth years are somewhat close in age to Takuma and Akari, Takuma is 21 😚 and Akari is 20. In Jujutsu Kaisen, you may have noticed that there are a lot of similar names (ex. Gojo and Jogo, Suguru and Satoru, I just realized that Akari and Hakari are similar too lol) so maybe one of the fourth years has a name that's similar to Takuma or Ino Takuma. Another theory: Hakari and Kirara could be third years due to the fact that they were suspended so they couldn't move forward in their school year (not repeating, because Gege said that Hakari didn't repeat a school year in a fanbook/qna thing), if that's the case, then that would mean that Hakari and Kirara, in theory, are the fourth years or two of the fourth years.

Akari decided to become a manager in Jujutsu High in order to keep an eye on her brother, Arata Nitta, who went to Jujutsu High, Kyoto like his sister, who graduated from Jujutsu High, Kyoto, which I find interesting as it adds to her lore. I like to think that she and her brother are what Megumi and Tsumiki would be like if Tsumiki could see curses too. Do you ever think that maybe Akari and Takuma have met before while Takuma was defending his school in Goodwill events lol?

I genuinely feel like we would need to know how Takuma met Nanami and when exactly Takuma started idolizing him because that would give us an opportunity to understand his high school life because I don't believe that if he wasn't an only student, he would only care about Nanami while his other classmates were out there dying lol, but that's just my personal opinion of him. Obviously we know that Takuma was affected pretty badly from Nanami's death, but looking at his reaction, he looked more serious than sad and even when he was using Nanami's weapon to fight Sukuna, he, again, looked more serious. Maybe that's how he controls his emotions and maybe that's why he's depicted as this light-hearted guy when you first meet him. Although, if he was an only student, Nanami's death might've been the first sorcerer death that he has ever experienced.

Anyway, I love learning about them as they're the only early 20 year olds in Jujutsu Kaisen, I especially love how accurate Gege wrote them as how an early 20 year old would act (the unsure, but I'll keep trying anyway mindset lol) and I just wanted to have a little mini celebratory moment for these aged characters because I personally feel like seeing someone my age in anime is super rare.

[raamitsu]

I'm sorry if that's a stupid question (I'm not 100% caught up on all the details), but when it comes to the Yuuji and Sukuna family tree chaos, do you feel like it was foreshadowed enough? To me it kinda felt very out of left field, but then maybe we have to wait until we have the full context.

While that chapter was unironically a banger, I don't know how to feel about all those sudden reveals during the final fight. But that could just be my personal gripe with the Gojo v. Sukuna fight where new information about the whole power system was constantly introduced that we couldn't have possibly known about and it felt unsatisfying in the narrative. Doesn't change the fact that I was really invested in it when the chapters came out every week because I'm invested in what's happening/happened to Gojo, and I hope I don't come off as rude, I'm just genuinely interested in others opinions, maybe I missed something. Anyway have a good day/night and thanks for all the updates!

True, Yuji and Sukuna's relations perhaps have been foreshadowed a lot since the beginning but I believe the majority of the fandom didn't consider them to be different from what they were expecting; from twin brothers to uncle-nephew. Not gonna lie they nailed it with the twins theory but somehow Jin Itadori was and has never crossed their mind because they thought he was less relevant other than wanting to have a child at all cost.

Not just the fact that Gege added a little motive into Jin's character, this means there is so little we knew about him that Gege planned to reveal to us. I also believe we'll get to learn about Wasuke as a character because his appearance in the very first chapter was crucial, especially the advice he gave to Yuji.

You're right about the "receiving info left and right" because I feel the same way. Even so, I remembered what Tite Kubo said regarding this:

At first I expressed my dissatisfactory with this kind of writing choice Gege made to my friend but there were some truths to what Kubo said here - though I believe every author are more than capable to surprise us despite many revelations.

But with JJK, we had them already at hands and we theorized + analyzed them before we could confirmed they were canon/relevant to the plot, until Gege slowly unveiled their importance to the story.

At this point we need to stay alert with every JJK content we receive; be it merchandises, colored pages, Gege's illustrations etc. 😂😭

[runabout-river]

Thoughts on JJK chapter 243 (Spoilers)

Can you believe that some people seriously say that JJK is predictable???

Anyway, Gege subverted the BoBo theory by cutting right to the end and finishing the Takaba "fight" with 4 chapters. The end of the last chapter did feel like this one would be the finale (so Gege is consistent in his writing) but I believed in the BoBo theory too when I heard it 😤

Kenjaku and Takaba make their duo sketch and it was funny to read but I personally never watch this type of (Japanese) show so it was a little left field for me.

There were also these three judges(?) who I'm reasonably sure are real people. Like, look at that face! It has way too much detail and that guy has 5x more of a nose than Gojo.

I'm going to take these tidbits of information as true for Kenjaku's character. That guy lacks a backstory, so now he (or she) grew up without a father and (s)he doesn't eat anything that someone else has touched. Canon

Is this true foreshadowing or is Gege playing with our expectations again? As far as Gojo was concerned, they had to have him go solo but for the rest 🤔 And for Kenjaku too they went one after the other but at least here it seems to have worked

And on the sign the woman is holding: Take your stitches off is just the SFW version of take your clothes off but more morbid because it's Kenjaku 😂

In 4 chapters only, Gege created a brand-new relationship dynamic between Takaba and Kenjaku. It's really impressive actually and adds so much to Kenjaku's character. The last time we saw him this personable was with the Disaster Curses and that's been a long time

Now right here comes the fucking twist!

The good guys made the right play! Their plan succeeded! Kenjaku lost his head! (And somehow he still has air from somewhere to talk)

But this feels so early that I have doubts that it really happened like this. It feels like Kenjaku's story still needs to be told and that he should've had an actual fight before he died.

So some thoughts:

Kenjaku is only a brain. Can his brain be transferred to a new body like this?

What if Takaba doesn't want his new buddy to die? What if he puts Kenjaku's head in a glass cylinder and walks off with him and as long as he's funny Kenny lives on?

Who tf is going to inherit his will? Kenjaku has absolutely no one around him to do that for him. It's not Choso, he wanted to kill that son, so could it be Yuji?

I doubt that it's Yuji. He's too unpredictable except Kenjaku meant his will being passed on more as a bomb that will go off and not a person to finish his plans

Could Kaori, Yuji's mother, or maybe even his father come back into play here? Or maybe another offspring from him.

If Kenjaku is really dead right now, then the backstory that's missing of him will most likely come with a flashback or a Kenjaku centric chapter where we'll hear his thoughts about everything

Toji didn't kill Geto in HI because he didn't know what would happen with the curses he kept in his body. That circumstance is back again, so it could happen that an unbelievable amount of curses are going to get loose

I just wrote my theory on a potential short term revival of Nanami. At the end, on why that wouldn't happen at this time, I said that he wasn't needed because 90% of the good guys don't have anything to do right now. They only had 3 villains! Not even fodder was there to fight! But with the potential of hundreds of curses roaming free and a new villain, Nanami might get needed in the future

In the end, Gege does his own unbelievably unpredictable things and I'm all here for it.

[unlikelyjedi]

Jujutsu Kaisen Pride Headcanons

LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOO!!!!

I have waited SO LONG to talk about my latest hyper-fixation, it's unreal!!!

You don't understand how badly I need to talk about how gay the whole cast of characters in in JJK. And for once on these lists I don't think I'm reading too much into it and in many ways, JJK has intended queer readings to its plot and characters. Akutami Gege bless.

I'll try to cover as many people as I can. I know I won't be able to get to everybody, but I'll try my damndest. If you want to hear about somebody I missed, my asks are always open!!

I don't even want to give a fucking disclaimer this time. This is my personal opinion. Art is Subjective. I'm reading it in a gay way. Honestly if you're mad about that, then maybe don't engage with a fucking pride post. I'M READY TO HAVE FUN!!!!!!

For the last day of Pride Month, LET'S GOOOOO!!!

Itadori Yuuji (he/him): Bisexual

I love he!!! But that's beside the point. His celebrity crush on Jennifer Lawrence always cracks me up. I love it! I also like hearing about his little middle school crush on Yuko!

I also tend to read into the relationship of Yuuji and Junpei as romantic, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.

But let's not kid ourselves. If you know me, you know I ship Itafushi and man they got it down bad for each other!! Let's just hope that nothing bad happens to my sweet boy ever for all eternity.... haha....

Fushiguro Megumi (he/him): Pansexual

Basically Canon.

Although, tbh upon initial rewatches, I just assumed he was gay. It's only upon further rewatches and fandom stuff that I've come to see him as Pan. Of course, Megumi's quote about him liking a person as long as their compassionate doesn't necessarily read as Pan. It could also be read as Bi, or Demisexual, or Ace, etc. etc. It's okay for there to be multiple interpretations. I just like Pan the most!!

I also like the Trans headcanon for him! Like a lot!!! It just works.

Kugisaki Nobara (she/her): Bisexual

A lot of people see her as a Lesbian, which, yeah I can see why.

But I've always felt that she "swung both ways" if you will. Both in her sexuality, and with a hammer.

Mostly with a hammer, actually.

Zenin Maki (she/her): Bisexual

Originally, I thought of her as a lesbian. But then I was introduced to YuutaMaki and I realized "oh they're really adorable" and now I read her as bi.

I believe in Nobamaki supremacy, though! I love them together. They're probably my favorite non-canon wlw ship!!

Inumaki Toge (he/they): Gay

He's gay. Specifically gay for Yuuta. Babes has got it bad.

Panda (he/him): Ally

A bad one, at that. For not seeing that his best friend was clearly in love with Yuuta and trying to set up Yuuta and Maki instead. Honestly Panda, Toge was sitting there pining, and you just had to twist the knife.

Okkotsu Yuuta (he/him): Bisexual, Asexual

Baby boy. Baby. There are, like, a million people that want to hold this man gently, despite him definitely being able to hold his own in a fight. Definition of looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you.

Likes many genders, but only romantically.

Gojo Satoru (he/him): Gay

Another headcanon that I flipped on. I originally read him as bi, but upon further reading and watching, I think he's just gay. Likes men. Gets easily hurt by the men he likes. Rinse. Repeat.

Nobody can physically touch him, but his One and Only leaves him, and he's in shambles for the next ten years.

Don't even get me started on Nanago, because I won't stop-

Geto Suguru (he/him): Gay

I don't know what else to say about the guy who heard a eugenics theory and ran with it.

He's gay. He tops.

Mmmmm Monkey

(I know there's more to his character than that, but this is not the post to do an in-depth character study)

Nanami Kento (he/him): Bisexual

There's a universe where Nanami gets with that bread girl. I believe it.

I believe Haibara and he were a thing before Haibara... yeah.

I also think he'd find himself in an unlikely bond with Gojo. It's not something he saw coming nor particularly wanted, but love is fickle, isn't it.

Ieri Shoko (she/her): Lesbian

Mean Lesbian. Gay protector to her two idiot best friends. Would die for them, but would probably also throw them to the wolves. Likes Utahime, but doesn't go for it because she thinks Utahime doesn't like her back.

Iori Utahime (she/they): Lesbian, Demisexual

Stressed Lesbian. Very Panic. Also very angry. Has a very obvious crush on Shoko but thinks Shoko hates them (because Gojo told them Shoko hated them).

Also she's trans. I didn't put that in the big description, but she's trans.

Zenin Mai (she/her): Bisexual

She discovered she was bisexual once she got out of her oppressive family. We all agree Todo taking her to that idol was her bisexual awakening, yes?

Todo Aoi (he/him): Ally

The most homosexual heterosexual.

A surprisingly good Ally. Helped Mai discover she was bisexual. Looking out for Itadori and being a wingman (unless it's that boring Fushiguro guy). He attacked Megumi not because he likes guys, but because he was just insufferably boring.

He's great. And also annoying. Good character.

Miwa Kasumi (she/her): Sword Sapphic

Disaster. Absolute disaster. Definitely developed a crush on Maki. Falls for someone hard and fast.

Kamo Noritoshi (he/him): Asexual

I don't think Kamo likes anyone in a sexual way. Maybe in a romantic way, though. To be honest, he's kinda got a lot going on and I don't think he realizes he's any type of Queer.

Yoshino Junpei (he/him) Gay

Another reason to get picked on, I guess. Nobody in his close circle has a problem with it, especially not Junpei himself. It doesn't stop the bullying though. I believe Itadori and Junpei could've been a beautiful couple. Yuuji comes back from the dead with a new bf. Would've been great. heh

Sukuna (depends on the vessel): Queer, Genderqueer

I highly doubt Sukuna would care about gender. Despite being born a man, he's a curse. I don't think gender really matters for curses. And along with Sukuna wearing more feminine clothing, it's pretty canon. If Sukuna was inhabiting a girl, she'd use she/her pronouns. Same with a non-binary person, etc. I also highly doubt he's got a gender preference either. It wouldn't matter.

Mahito (any/all): Genderqueer

Same as above. He's a curse. Do you think they really care that much about gender?? She's supposed to represent human fears. Mahito also has a moment of gender non-conformity in the Juju-Stroll, so there's precedent.

Kenjaku (depends on the body): Genderqueer

Same as above. Again. Kenjaku is a curse and takes on the gender of the host he's possessing. This is not rocket science. It's built into the story! I love it!

Choso (he/him): Queer

Choso is GNC as many of the characters in this show are, but I do believe he, too is not straight. He's a curse. Sort of. And a good brother. And I think he'd know he's not straight. And would help out his brother with his love life. Whether Itadori wants it or not.

Really quick I wanted to Mention both Uraume and Hoshi Kirara who both have undefined pronouns and look more androgynous and feminine respectively. I can tepidly say they're both genderqueer, though there is debate on that. I'm hopeful that they both will be canonically queer though!!!

My God! I spent SO LONG on this!!! But I had fun!!! It wan good to do something myself for Pride Month when before I'd only been able to look on with longing as other people did fun stuff for pride! Now I get to put my silly little posts out into the world for a small handful of people to see and it's really fun!

I hope you've had a good month. Let's continue to be proud in the coming months. Especially when it's hard. Even if your version of pride is simply reblogging cute art and making headcanons for silly little characters!

I love you all!!!

[spockandawe]

Hmm. What if. An mdzs au (definitely the book, not the show) where timelines diverge when a small, angry street kid with a missing finger and a desire to watch the world burn makes his way over to the burial mounds, because fuck it, he’s going to learn from the yiling laozu or die trying.

I have put no consideration into this whatsoever, and I know coherent timelines are the hardest part of involving Xue Yang in anything, but I think that if Xue Yang is like, a preteen, the other parts of the timeline may still fit into place? Honestly, I don’t really care if they don’t, I’m just also too lazy to check this very long book for the specific empathy flashback with the details of Xue Yang’s jinlintai cameo. If he has to be a few years younger than canon allows, it’s all good, baybee, cql fucked the timeline so I wouldn’t have to!

But anyways, consider a young Xue Yang, who’s not really old enough to be making his way in the world as a rogue pseudo-semi-cultivator, but is old enough to survive the attempt and learn more cultivation as he goes. And he doesn’t have family or money to back him up (not that those would have made an impact on Wei Wuxian), but I think he’s aware that he has extremely grand ambitions for someone in his position, and is very cheerfully willing to take risks to achieve them, even knowing that his odds of success are low and his odds of dying are high.

I’m thinking that he reaches Yiling, however he gets there. He sees the knockoff Yiling Laozu apprentices (and is Full of scorn), he sees the wards Wei Wuxian has raised around the Burial Mounds, and he’s not all that trained and is mostly self-taught, but has just enough raw talent that he manages to bust in through the wards himself.

I don’t want to try sorting out the exact details of how he convinces Wei Wuxian to let him stay, because this idea popped into my head like, legitimately thirty seconds before I started writing the post. But I don’t think it would hurt the Wens to have another pair of helping hands, I think Wei Wuxian is weak against children in general (especially children who are trying to learn a thing), and I think he’s also weak against a street kid struggling on his own in the world (and Xue Yang is smart enough to lean into the look-pitiful-to-gain-sympathy-points angle)

Additional point one: Wen Qing can look at his hand and his health in general, and I think Xue Yang could benefit a LOT from having a big sister in his life

Additional point two: Xue Yang would think that Wen Ning is the coolest thing, and it would benefit me emotionally if he sees Wen Ning as his super cool older brother and not as a fascinating science project he wants to copy on Song Lan later ;u;

Exact events would vary based on when Xue Yang made his arrival (before or after Wen Ning wakes up? before or after Lan Wangji visits Yiling? etc), and I would have to consider that carefully because I do want canon to diverge, and Xue Yang dying with the Wens would be so fucking tragic (kind of in a fascinating way? we the readers know that it prevents future atrocities, but here, he’s a different person than the one who committed those atrocities, and it’s like giving him a family only to have it yanked away (so, canon), but this is a tangent because I have to emphasize I have not plotted out anything)

I don’t know how I would want canon to diverge is part of the trouble. But like... one of my first details on the book that really, really got me good is the way that Wei Wuxian is superficially cheerful but is also poised on the edge of having a really rough time early in the book. After he casually tells Jin Ling ‘lmao, what, you didn’t have parents to teach you manners?’ he goes off on his own to have Regrets. What really starts pulling him out of his funk is when the kids need protection and education. And he thrives! Even when he’s roleplaying Mo Xuanyu, he’s in his element as an experienced cultivator helping guide the juniors to a solution so that they learn for themselves, but also ready to be a safety net so they don’t die in the process!

A-Yuan plays a little bit of this role for him in the Burial Mounds, but like... he’s a toddler, and is both too young to be taught at the level and depth that Wei Wuxian adores, and is yes an adorable sweet kid, but also exhausting and demanding in the way that all small children are. You can’t just put away a toddler and lay face-down on the floor for a week, even if you want to. Yes there are other people around to help, but everyone is working really, really hard just to survive in the Burial Mounds.

So. Give Wei Wuxian a preteen! Give him a kid who is saying ‘take me as your apprentice, gege, i’m gonna keep studying demonic cultivation whether you help me or not uwu’ and let Wei Wuxian convince himself that okay, stupid adults are free to do stupid shit and he isn’t responsible for them, but maybe he ought to keep an eye on this kid to make sure he doesn’t accidentally die trying to learn Wei Wuxian’s methods. Xue Yang is smart, quick, and demanding, but also capable of independence. It’s ideal. Give Wei Wuxian a kid to teach, give me them passionately arguing about theory, give me Xue Yang reading all of Wei Wuxian’s manuscripts, and forcing Wei Wuxian to engage a little more with the world around him instead of sinking down into himself. Give me Xue Yang still young enough that he can be convinced to trust the idea of a family. Give me Lan Wangji accompanying Wei Wuxian back to the burial mounds and Xue Yang trying to be all ‘hey, you’d better step off if you know what’s good for you’ and being ‘!!! >:O’ when he finds out Wei Wuxian let this stranger hold A-Yuan and it being the cutest thing ever. It would be so good for my heart, but my god, am i unequipped to write it.

[psychewritesbs]

“I may be smol, but I’ll still fight you!”

I love this panel of mini-Megumi. 

With it, from my perspective, Gege is trying to show that Megumi: 

Looks just like Toji--like father, like son.

Can get feisty when the situation calls for it. 

Is a protector at heart.

Is not intimidated by Gojo. Of course, at that point, little did he know who he was dealing with. Which further shows that Megumi had a certain degree of confidence in himself

This is entirely head-canon but... 

Editing this panel made me wonder what circumstances, other than his abandonment trauma, caused for Megumi to become someone who plays it safe instead of going for the home run. 

To me, in this panel, Megumi looks like a kid who, over-estimating his abilities, was willing to hit a home run in order to protect Tsumiki from a life of unhappiness with the Zenin clan. 

The way I see it, Megumi probably thought he could take Gojo on with his Divine Puppies.

So when did that over-confidence become an undervaluing of himself and his abilities?

When did Megumi start to believe there was a limit to his strength and power?

All I can think of is that Gojo beat it out of him.

Of course, I don’t mean that Gojo was abusive towards Megumi. Quite the opposite, I think that Gojo and Megumi have a very special bond because of the circumstances that brought them together. Gojo doesn’t call him a “precious student” for no reason.

However, I am wondering whether Gojo was the one who trained Megumi as a sorcerer for the most part.

Gojo tells Megumi he’s surprised he asked him for help training. 

Meaning... It doesn’t happen often? It doesn’t happen at all? Or maybe it stopped happening?

Whatever the case, from that look on Megumi’s face, I like to think he feels like no matter how hard he tries, he’ll never beat Gojo.

Something he confirms during the Shibuya Arc when he unleashes Mahoraga on Shigemo.

Unpopular opinion: I think the panel above is not to be taken literally. I believe that Gege wants to show that Megumi is underestimating himself thinking that his ancestor used Mahoraga in a pseudo-suicidal attempt to kill Gojo’s ancestor. I like to think that 10 Shadows is a worthy rival to Limitless and the 6 Eyes. But that’s something that would need to be confirmed by Gege and until then remains a theory in my head.

The thing about his relationship with Gojo is that Gojo became a sort of stand-in parental figure for Megumi. Albeit, given Gojo’s quirky personality, probably not your typical parental figure.

In a nutshell, I can’t help but see their relationship dynamic as an interesting and new take on the Oedipal Complex*. In other words, Megumi sees Gojo as a “rival” he can never defeat. This Oedipal perspective would also explain Megumi’s very strong emotional, borderline obsessive, bond with Tsumiki.

*Oedipal Complex: in psychoanalytic theory, a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex and a concomitant sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex; a crucial stage in the normal developmental process. This is not to be taken literally!

With that said, I have to wonder whether Megumi’s admiration for Gojo, as not only “the strongest” but also the one who “saved him”, is what kept him stuck within the confines of his self-perceived limitations.

What I find interesting is that it’s not only Gojo’s words that function as a motivator for Megumi’s growth as a sorcerer. Rather, Sukuna’s words, just like Gojo’s, function as a “positive and encouraging masculine” figure and can be interpreted as encouraging Megumi to explore his self-imposed limitations and what is beyond them.

It’s like Megumi realized that The King of Curses, of all people, was recognizing and acknowledging something he did not know about himself: that he is talented and that there is untapped potential to be found beyond his self-imposed limitations.

That's the curse of being born a talented person--oftentimes, it comes so natural that you take it for granted. I speak from personal experience.

And this is one of the many reasons I love Megumi. As a character, he doesn’t realize that he’s OP. He doesn’t understand the full power of 10 Shadows because he has yet to discover what more he can do with it. 

It took people like Gojo and Sukuna, whom he perceives as beyond his limits, to acknowledge his strength for him to wonder whether there is more that he can do. 

But the moment he decides to think beyond those limits, he becomes like that feisty kid who does not understand his strength and will stand up and fight anyone that gets in the way of what he wants to protect most.

With Gojo out of the picture for the time being, however, I have to wonder whether Sukuna will become a corrupting force as Megumi’s sole simp source of “motivating speech” that ushers further growth from Megumi. 

I also have to wonder, knowing Sukuna only cares about himself, what it will mean for Megumi moving forward.

Whatever it is... we know Megumi will suffer.

On another note...

Me: This is not a Megumi supremacy blog!

Also me: writes about Megumi always for the most part

Also me: oh, this chapter does NOT mention Megumi at all... let’s see. *Finds a way to relate it back to Megumi*

Also me watching Taki op Destiny: Oh! That’s Toge and Tsukishima’s seiyuu! Uchida Yuma puts more curse into his voice acting...

Seriously. 

What the hell... bahaha... I have a problem.

I will also apparently do anything to avoid working on that essay about Sukuna just like when I wrote my Masters Thesis back in 2013.

Maybe these essays are setting the groundwork for that one. IDK. It’s almost done I swear. Sort of...

Thanks for reading 🙇🏻‍♀️!

[anyrchyangel]

MDZS fanfic sensitivity beta

Hi~ I’m Ana

I’m,,,very bad at Tumblr >.< but I am writing a fic in the mdzs fandom and would really love a sensitivity beta to look over some of my canon references and use of Chinese terms. I’m very new to the wuxia/Xianxia genre and I don’t want to accidentally say or use a term that offends or misrepresents the genre.

Beta-ing is hard work and I’d never expect anyone to sign up to beta without having first peeked at what they’d be working on, so I’ve placed the first chapter of my fic down below.

Some disclaimers/primers: this fic is a crossover between Kimi no na wa/Your Name and mdzs--you don't have to have seen Your Name to follow along, but it wouldn’t hurt to know the plot I am ripping off >.< It includes body swapping and a major character death (if we count wwx dying and coming back to life as mo xuanyu as actually dying...) and for some reason, I have made everyone witches...yeah. Sorry >.< WangXian is the main (and kind of only) ship! Rated T solely because I am incapable of not cussing. I don't plan on writing any smut or explicit scenes for this series <,< (...for now.)

Anyways, here's chapter one of the series. Please let me know if you’d be interested in beta-ing for me! I really want to polish this fic before posting it on ao3 or anything >.<

he who swallowed a falling star

chapter one [everything must have a beginning]

Mornings have never once been Wei Wuxian’s friend. He hates mornings—he hates the sharp light of dawn and the cacophony of noise that comes with the world waking. He much prefers the night, the quiet and stillness, the ambience and mystery. There’s no mystery in the mornings—there’s only groggy musings as one cracks open their eyes to the stinging light of day and wipes away crust from their lashes. His body always violently protests to waking—sleep is so precious! It’s calming and good and nice and to be forced awake is among the greatest tragedies of mankind.

Except…except this morning he doesn’t feel like groaning and burying his head into his pillow. This time, his body actually feels sort of…good? That can’t be right. No one feels good in the mornings; the only ones who do are sociopaths and masochists.

And yet as he stretches awake with a yawn, his limbs feel light and his mind feels rested. So much so that his surroundings are immediately clear.

He has absolutely no idea where in the world he is.

He’s in a bed, at least that much is clear—a very soft bed with sheets that smell like sandalwood and covers with textured silk. Exquisite fabric, he’d never so much as been allowed to touch something so expensive before—he has a knack for putting stains where formerly there were none, so all of his own clothes and sheets are of durable fabrics. Stains add character! There’s a story behind every stain…not always an exhilarating story but a tale, nonetheless.

The room in which the bed he is resting on is absurdly clean. So clean as to seem clinical, or maybe decorative, as if he’d stumbled into a dollhouse meant for display purposes only. It’s lovely, a pretty screen separating the bed from the sitting area, decorated with an elegant painting of mountains bathed in mist. The furniture is expensive and luxurious and just looking at how nicely it’s all been cared for makes Wei Wuxian break out into hives. What even is the point of owning furniture if you’re not going to use it?

He taps his chin and tries to remember the night before. Just how much liquor had he drunk to find himself warming someone else’s bed? Had he even been drinking last night? Shit…maybe he should take shijie’s advice and cut back a bit. His eyes wander to the finger tapping away and he pauses because…well that really doesn’t look like his finger. Or his hand. Or his arm.

He scrambles to the nearest reflective surface—a basin of water in a porcelain bowl that’s probably more expensive than everything he owns combined. The face that looks back at him is…breathtakingly beautiful. Skin the color of white jade, softer than the inner petals of a peony, silky midnight hair draped down broad shoulders to rest at the small of his back, and bright golden eyes somewhere between the shade of the sun as it reflects on ice and wheat dancing in a breeze upon a gilded field.

It’s so beautiful that it narrows down the theories currently running through his head down to two: A) he has died and (mistakenly) ascended to heaven to live the rest of eternity as the most beautiful angel to have ever existed, or B) he’s dreaming. B) seems more likely, especially since the likelihood of Wei Wuxian going to heaven is probably somewhere in the negatives. Plus, witches don’t go to heaven…or technically even believe in heaven. Not to say that there isn’t an afterlife but—he’s rambling. His mind is whirring with so many thoughts that even he can’t keep up with them all.

“Huh.” Oh this man’s voice is so deep and rich that Wei Wuxian’s spine tingles at the sound. “Shit, even his voice is beautiful.”

He hums a few nonsensical notes just to listen to the different octaves; a deep voice, but a melodic one. He wonders if this person is a singer—he certainly has a lovely voice for singing. His eyes wander around the room, searching for…well he’s not really sure. His own body, perhaps? Proof that this is a dream? Or maybe signs of spellwork gone incredibly wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time one of his experimental enchantments went awry.

He starts rummaging through drawers and opening doors, hoping to learn more about the person whose body he now possesses. The handsome stranger is astoundingly boring. Not a speck of dust anywhere or a book out of place—even the poetry on this person’s shelf is…bland, at best. He tosses open the closet, hoping for literal or figurative skeletons. Someone this perfect can’t possibly exist in real life. Maybe instead of a dream this is a hallucination—Wei Wuxian has trouble believing that his active mind would conjure someone so dull but, well even he has off days. Or nights, he supposes. Is it night where he’s dreaming? Doubtful, given his sleep schedule but—he’s rambling again.

Within the closet hangs a full-length mirror, and he pauses in his rummaging to admire the body of the most boring person he’s…well they haven’t technically met, have they?

He’s even more beautiful in the crystal-clear reflection, tall and toned with arms that should be illegal. Wei Wuxian grins and quickly strips off his outer robes (so white that they remind him of mourning robes. He gets distracted when he imagines the scene he must have made whilst asleep—so ethereal and white and pure); the image that greets him is ridiculous. Abs that could cut steel on skin the color of flawless white porcelain, not a blemish in sight. His fingers dance across the muscle, laughter bubbling out of him. Oh what a sound—this gege really is perfection given flesh, isn’t he?

He smiles at his reflection and conjures as many funny faces as he can come up with. Well if he’s stuck in an angel’s body, he might as well have some fun, shouldn’t he?

.

.

.

Wei Wuxian bounds across the halls, chased by the knowledge that he is most definitely late for breakfast. Dawn has already segued into late morning, and if he wants any sort of meal before lessons, he will have to sprout wings and fly across the residence—an idea he’d actually toyed with before, but enchantments that alter the flesh are too finicky and he quite likes keeping all his fingers and toes.

He mentally prepares himself to face the routine “How could you have slept in so late!?” from Jiang Cheng and the “A-Xian, are you not sleeping well?” from Yanli and the knowing smile from Jiang Fengmian, matched only by the scathing glare from Madam Yu that has accompanied every breakfast he can remember having at Lotus Pier. To which he will smirk and tease Jiang Cheng, complain and pout to Yanli, return Jiang Fengmian’s smile and cautiously avoid Madam Yu’s gaze.

Wei Wuxian loves his morning routine, even if it doesn’t technically count as having happened in the morning.

“How do you always manage to sleep in so late!?”

Ah, Jiang Cheng is so predictable—Wei Wuxian loves that about him.

“I was having the best dream!” He responds as he flops onto his mat at the table, shoveling food into mouth as fast as he can pour extra chili sauce onto everything.

“Oh? What about?” Jiang Fengmian’s smile is no less endearing for being as predictable as Jiang Cheng’s anger—perhaps even more so because of it.

“Hmmm,” he pauses in stuffing his face to try and remember his dreams, but the haze of sleep has yet to lift, “huh—I can’t actually remember?”

“How do you know it was a good dream if you can’t even remember it?” Jiang Cheng’s sneering makes him smile, bits of rice on display for his favorite (and only) brother.

“I don’t have to remember every detail to know that it was a good dream!”

It’s true—although he can’t remember anything of what he’d dreamt, the feeling of joy lingers, even as the fog of sleep lifts under the light of day.

“Here, A-Xian, have some lotus seeds. I saved some for you.”

He gulps down some tea to clear the sticky rice from his teeth and perches at Yanli’s elbow with his lips parted, her eyes crinkling into adorable crescents as she pops a lotus seed into his mouth.

“A-Li.” Even on the best of days, Madam Yu’s tone could strip paint from the walls, varnish from the wood within the halls; it was like listening to the crack of a whip, or the rumbling of thunder. Yanli wilts under her strict gaze, eyes dropping to the hands she folds in her lap.

“I am glad to see you back to yourself, A-Ying.” (I’m not sure this is a good way for jfm to address wwx—in the original text he never actually says wwx’s name, but he does call jc A-Cheng; I want to show here that jfm favors wwx) Jiang Fengmian’s tone is the opposite of Madam Yu’s; soft where hers is harsh, calm where hers is agitated. The difference between them is jarring—like the crack of lightning meeting the quiet currents of a flowing river.

“Yes, how very fortunate we are to see you returning to your ways.” Another crack of lightning, this one closer to the babbling brook that is Uncle Jiang, the waters left disrupted and discordant.

“Wait, what?” Wei Wuxian has never feared the thunder, nor the storm.

“You went psycho yesterday and woke at dawn. You even cooked breakfast, but it was bland as shit. It was honestly the most disgusting thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Where Yanli wilts under Madam Yu’s glares, Jiang Cheng grows more uncertain, and uncertainty breeds anger within him. Except this anger is often a guise, smoke to the fire that is his worry. Wei Wuxian smiles at him, basking in the concern the same way a flower dances in the breeze.

“Aw, don’t sound too concerned Jiang Cheng.”

The way he snorts and rolls his eyes makes it easier for Wei Wuxian to gloss over the fact that he can’t really remember the day before. An odd gap in his memory, but he shrugs it off and sneaks more lotus seeds from Yanli, who hides a smile behind her hand as she passes him the morning paper.

“Did you see? The comet will be visible on the day of the banquet. Maybe we’ll see a falling star or two.”

“Hmm? Would shijie like falling stars? Maybe I’ll catch one and bottle it up, just for you.”

Her laughter is honey, her smile sunshine; perhaps he should bottle that instead, for use on rainy days or cold winters when the lotuses close their petals.

“A-Cheng, you have lessons to attend to. You do not have the luxury of falling behind.”

“Yes, mother.” The only time Jiang Cheng ever sounds subdued is in deference to Madam Yu, and the sound grates against Wei Wuxian’s ears.

“A-Xian, you should head off to lessons too. You don’t want to be late.” Yanli sneaks the last of the lotus seeds into his hand; he’s convinced she’s on a mission to fatten him up, to which he has zero complaints. If he could gorge on shijie’s lotus seeds for eternity, he would.

“Oh? From what I hear, Wei Wuxian’s time is better spent hunting pheasants and flying kites with the younger witchlings.”

What a nasty storm to deal with so early in the day. He doesn’t fear thunder, but nor does he seek rain.

“The kites were actually an enchantment I was testing out. I finally fixed the talisman to facilitate one’s qinggong[1] to the point of weightlessness. Those kites were—”

“You did what!?”

“There’s no need to shout, Jiang Cheng. The actual enchantment is pretty simple if you cast on the right night. I have a theory that the casting is a lot easier during a full moon, but I managed just fine when it was waning—”

“You—Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng’s cheeks puff with indignation, his face as red as the chili sauce Wei Wuxian slathers on every meal.

“Yes, I’m here!” He answers with laughter, snickering and dodging as Jiang Cheng lunges for him, waving at Yanli as he darts out the room. He’d skip class if he didn’t want to write down another idea for an enchantment in his grimoire, of which he’s about forty percent sure is in his desk…or buried under his other inventions somewhere in his room. Or maybe he left it in the atrium when he was searching for a specific constellation?

Jiang Cheng chases him from the residence, out through the courtyards and down into the docks of Lotus Pier. He smiles and waves at the merchants, eyeing all the pastries and water chestnuts, winking at runny-nosed children from the nearby households. His heart feels both heavy and light—too full to dream of moving and yet so buoyant he might drift along with the next passing breeze.

The giant lake gleams under the light, lotuses dancing and swaying in the wind, the sound of home bustling around him. Wild magic whispers through the air, flows through the undercurrents of the lake, along the waterways for miles and miles until it reaches the ocean. An idea pops into his head to attempt to track the energy, map out the ley lines, but he catches the shadow of a pheasant nearby and pushes the thought down his list of priorities.

He smiles and dodges Jiang Cheng’s attempts to toss him into the lake, grappling each other into headlocks as they make their way towards the lecture halls. He sighs at the idea of another long, boring monologue in spellcraft theory, but the idea of enchanting a few papermen to dance behind the Adeptus keep his steps light. The witchlings always love a good show—perhaps he’ll put on his own little play for them. With the right paper, he might be able to craft a jade rabbit and play the story of Chang’e and Hou Yi. Maybe he could make them sing? A whistle from a witch is a powerful thing. Or he could tell the story of Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Gods—his head buzzes with ideas, excitement filling his veins at the prospect of researching more of the lost stories of old gods and immortals.

Endnotes:

[1] Qinggong (in most cultivation/wuxia novels) is the art of manipulating qi to walk on water or move across surfaces; it’s also a real technique in Chinese martial arts. Read about it here

If you got this far, thanks for reading! Even if you're not interested in beta-ing, I’d still love to hear feedback! I don’t normally post such long pieces on Tumblr, but I wasn't sure what else to do >.< I hope you liked it!