#and those protective selfless instincts ... i just ... hurt ...

[joons]

"I know that, if he were alive, some people would have 150 bullets between their eyes. (Laughs.) You know? And that’s this luxury that I lost, in terms of him being very protective with me. When I was little… I was at a friend’s house one time, and a neighbor said something to me mean about him, and I was so upset that when I went home, I told him. And literally he asked the address and got in the car and he drove to that woman’s house. I don’t know what he said; I don’t know what happened. But I know that he always had my back. And that sort of ceased; I never had that again. So, there are times, I will say, that I really do wish that he were around, because… You’re never not sort of vulnerable. And in trying moments, there are times where I just feel like whoever I’m referring to would have been dead a long time if it were up to him and if he were around, you know?"

"Everyone loves their mother, but I was an only child and my mother was always right with me, all my life, and it wasn't just like losing a mother, it was like losing a friend, a companion, someone to talk to. I could wake her up any hour of the night and, if I was worried or troubled about something, she'd get up and try to help me."

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

Okay so my genuine thoughts on the final scenes of Totk

So having Link go through the final ‘dungeon’ and wind up exactly where we started the game, with those rocks we ACHED to break bc it was instinct, only to get that satisfaction after EVERYTHING and to see that Zelda’s fate was foretold millennia ago. Turning into a dragon WAS her only choice. And for good reason.

Ganondorf’s fight. WOW. That was genuinely so beautifully done. He ALSO dodges how Link does. To have Ganondorf dodge something, the entire action moving in slow motion, only to then have LINK do the same the next move?? Poetic cinema people. And the champions arriving 🥹 only to then have them all fucking thrown to the side when he takes in his doubles to regain his own strength? Absolutely insane and hands down my favorite boss fight in the entirety of the Zelda series. Yeah. That’s how much I enjoyed it as a player.

Can we also just talk about how concerned everyone got and how they yelled his name when he was taken from the underground??

And THEN the final fight with Ganondorf swallowing a secret stone and becoming a dragon. It brings Zelda’s sacrifice to light. She did it out of selflessness and love. He did it out of selfishness and hatred. GOD do I love characters that juxtapose each other. Zelda is a girl who was given the responsibility of a power she never wanted while Ganondorf is a megalomaniac who sought the destruction of peace because of his own selfish desires. Seeing the difference between them in that final fight as two dragons… it was EVERYTHING.

Zelda’s dragon form was tiny compared to Ganondorf’s dragon form. She protects. He attacks.

It’s so beautiful to see how Zelda, who isn’t mentally awake, first instinct are to save Link. She quickly maneuvers so she can not only juke out Ganondorf, but also then save Link who was flung into the air in the process. Link clutching onto her dragon fur? Or whatever?? And understanding that while the sages are all still underground, he is not alone in the sky. She’s going to be by his side this entire time.

For someone who was alone the majority of the last game… this was so fucking emotional and beautiful to see.

Them lowkey explaining calamity Ganon by also using dragons this game was a really nice consistency touch btw I was digging how focal dragons were to the entire game this time around.

And then the final bit. That SCENE. Rauru and Sonia channeling their power through Link, who was incredibly confused before he realized what they must be doing, and got SO determined. Turning Zelda back and even getting his own hand back in the process??? Insane to see. Zelda was so so loved by Rauru and Sonia despite only spending a short amount of time with them. And that just makes my heart hurt when we consider what actually happened.

And when Link falls unconscious, which is completely logical when you think about the fight he just went through, the altitude he was at, and channeling enough magic that it reversed the effects of an all powerful secret stone???? Yo he went through a LOT!

And he wakes up, already on the alert bc man is freefallin only to then realize that Zelda is back and she’s also falling. And she’ll hit the ground a lot sooner than he would at the rate they’re going.

Link couldn’t reach Zelda in the beginning of this entire thing. But this time? This time he not only reaches her hand, but he pulls her in close, shields her head as best as he can, and prepares them to hit the water. Once they do, he carries her out of the water. Gentle, oh so gently, laying her down and kneels over her as she begins to wake up.

And one of the first thing Zelda does as she wakes up is to take him in and looks him over to see if HE’S hurt. Just like she did in the beginning of the game. And everything click. They won. He defeated Ganondorf and she was granted the impossible by Rauru and Sonia to turn back into a human.

And Zelda IMMEDIATELY rambles on about everything. About how much has happened. How much she has to tell him.

And finally. Finally. She looks at him and smiles so fucking gently that it drives me INSANE with how much she obviously adores him, and says, “I’m home, Link. I’m home.”

Because home is right there. Right by his side. In this Hyrule that they’ve been rebuilding together. The one they lived the past half decade ish together in a house Link bought and traveled across Hyrule no matter what the issue was. In the Hyrule where she is so beloved by everyone.

Zelda is home.

[scribbleseas]

an indignant pawn story: the door

Description: Taking place hours after the events of The Indignant Pawn, Ciel Phantomhive anxiously awaits an update from the room in front of him.

Warnings: extreme grief, violence, mentions of blood, crying, regrets, laughing at really inappropriate times, just really really sad, angst & no comfort.

Author’s Note: Hi, Everyone!

For those of you who might be seeing my work for the first time, this is a spinoff short from my first complete fan fiction: The Indignant Pawn! I suggest checking it out if you are interested in a hitwoman/runaway royalty!reader x Ciel Phantomhive, a lot of deception, fierce enemies to lovers, and a couple that will fight the world for each other. If that sounds cool to you, I highly suggest heading over to the masterlist linked below before you read this.

Anyway, I hope you like this! Even though it’s a little depressing, lol. In all fairness, an explanation was asked of me. I work for ya’ll.

Happy Reading!

Stay Alive,

Dan

THE INDIGNANT PAWN MASTERLIST

MAY 13TH, 1895

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, GERMANY

For the first time in eight years, tears ran down Ciel Phantomhive’s cheeks. His throat was raw. His nose was running. A tumultuous combination of rage and grief tore at his heart as it beat in his chest. It worked overtime. His lungs worked overtime as his breaths came in ragged inhales, forcing air in, forcing air out. A forming headache throbbed in his temples.

Crying changes nothing, he reminded himself. Crying wouldn’t repair the damage in Y/n’s chest. Crying wouldn’t have stopped the bullet that was meant for him— it was meant for him. There was no denying it.

And that’s what made his guilt gnaw at him. He should have been bleeding. Dying. It was his adversary, his bullet, and his inaction that allowed Y/n to get shot.

“My Lord,” Sebastian started, only for Ciel to silence him with a glance before fixating his stare on the door. Don’t you dare speak to me, you traitor.

“At the very least, you should change, sir,” Sebastian was the only one to speak in the waiting room. Everyone else sat in silence, save for Lizzie’s sniffling. The room smelled of antiseptic and it was cold, but nobody complained. Nobody moved.

Ciel ignored the suggestion. He stared ahead at the door separating him from the operating room. From Y/n. If he could trade his place for hers, he would. It should have been him. It should have been. What was Y/n thinking?

She wasn’t thinking. She was selfless, protecting him on instinct.

She was selfless….And the world was cruel.

She didn’t deserve this.

He did. He should have protected her on instinct— but his weren’t nearly as swift as hers. It hurt to admit, but there was no other explanation.

“Ciel, he’s right,” Lizzie tried. “Your clothes are…” she said weekly, unsure of how to remind Ciel that he was covered in Y/n’s blood; and that his wedding suit was soiled with the bride’s blood. There was even a red tint on his hands, the sick smell of iron on them, no matter how Lizzie tried to clean them off for him. He didn’t care about his hands or his clothing.

Y/n was likely dying. How could he think to change when he could lose her?

After she lost consciousness, the medic arrived and did all he could to stabilize her before there was no choice but to transfer her to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery. As the medical field expanded (especially in Germany), surgeons liked to make teaching lectures out of every surgery. However given the high-profile victim and near-impossible condition Marie was in, the hospital ensured her procedure was private.

To them, it would be Princess Marie of Schleswig-Holstein dying. Only the real Marie had already been dead for months before then!

The irony made the corner of his mouth twitch, and a heartbroken cackle threatened to rip out of his sore throat before Lizzie said his name again, sobering him

“…Ciel?”

“Elizabeth. Honestly,” Ciel warned flatly. The oak door separating the waiting room from the sterile operating room was beginning to antagonize him. By now, Ciel committed most of its knots, age lines, indents— even the tarnish on the brass knob. He detested that door. He wanted to kick it off its hinges…almost as much as he wanted to kick his demon’s head off his shoulders. Stomp on the severed head. That. Deceitful. Bastard.

He needed to punish that wretch for utterly disobeying his order. They had a bloody contract for a bloody reason, did they not?

“I’m sorry, Ciel,” Lizzie took a sharp inhale, chastened. She pursed her lips and released them. Her wary eyes lingered on him for a beat longer, concerned for him. She watched him strike Sebastian so hard that his knuckles started bleeding. And then, Ciel spent half the carriage ride laughing hysterically at her side. He’d laughed until his sides hurt and his cheeks pinched. He was laughing at the situational irony while his tears grieved its fallout. After all, Y/n only came into his life because she was tasked with killing him! And she was on a surgery table because she wanted to save his life!

Not to mention, she was sure Mariana would sabotage them. She was convinced. Ciel had reassured her in vain.

Herr intuition was perfect. Diego even warned them. They should have called off the wedding. The princess should never have to save the Earl— it was an affront to those childish tales she loved so much. It was a torture to be saved. It hurt less to be the martyr because they aren’t responsible for toiling in the changed world without them.

Ciel looked back to the door. Nothing lasts forever.

Someone you love is someone you can lose, Ciel recalled.“Someone I love could be someone I lost…” he mumbled in extension of the thought, tensing when he realized he spoke the latter aloud.

“I know, Ciel, but you should have something to eat, at least. Or have some water, or tea. You’ve been standing there for hours. Sit,” Ciel’s cousin reminded him, but he didn’t dignify it with a response. He couldn’t sit and eat. He wouldn’t.

“My Lord, I have an update…” the lead surgeon shouldered through the operating room’s door and into the waiting room. His face was marred with exhaustion, having performed a surgery so late into the night and without a break.

Ciel held his breath.

Please be alive, Y/n. I need you.

[pilot-boi]

In the Twin AU, did Jaune make the transcripts or did he buy them? If he made them, does he think it's because he is Raven's son? Did Raven ever check on him? How does Jaune deal with the fact his mother is a bandit? Does he feel like he has something to prove because of it, even more so than before? Does he and Yang team up in finding their mother?

He bought them (as I assume he did in canon) mostly because all the enthusiasm in the world isn’t going to make him able to know what kind of stuff will need to show up on a Combat School transcript. Boy didn’t even know what Aura was

When he finds out, Jaune does wonder if the fact that his first instinct was to break the law to get what he wanted was because of Raven

He… to put it mildly he doesn’t deal well

Jaune has always thought that the Grimm attack that led to him being adopted by the Arcs was caused by bandits, so he very much hates them. People who steal and hurt those who can’t defend themselves just because they can?

Jaune’s always wanted to be a hero, like his father and his grandfather, someone who protects people. He pretty much thinks bandits are the worst kind of people on the planet

So when he finds out that not only is his birth mother a bandit, but the LEADER of the most notorious bandit tribe in the country? And that it’s HER FAULT his family’s village was attack by Grimm?

Yeah. Boy is going through it, especially after realizing that since he cheated his way in he’s no better than she is

He’s wrong of course, but since when has Jaune ever given himself any slack in the self-blame department?

So in this Jaune really doubles down on trying to prove that he’s NOT like Raven, that he’s a good person, that his friends can trust him. Boy overcompensates a lot in the following months, becoming selfless to a fault before his friends knock him out of it

[team7-headquarter]

Quick interpretation of the Land of Iron arc and Sakura's role in it:

I won't use images this time, but you can go and check my interpretation against the arc to see if it clicks for you or not. It's a possible reading, not an absolute. I don't claim this is the only way to see the arc, understood?

I've seen a lot of people mocking Sakura for her choices in those chapters. From declaring fake love to Naruto, poisoning her team and going after Sasuke alone, to facing him again when Kakashi told her to stay back, etc.

It's not my favorite arc and I have many points I often criticize about it, but right now I'm putting my biased view away to properly read into it.

First point: It's not about romance anymore.

It'd be easy to read it that way. There's Sakura's love declaration, Naruto's own words (she loves him, she would never do it), Karin's thoughts on how Sakura loves/likes Sasuke too, etc.

The problem is that if it was about romance, things would be easier. Instead, we have a war context where Sakura knows there's people after Naruto, they're about to enter an internal conflict, Sasuke is being chased by all types of shinobis and all nations, her own friends agree with going after him, Tsunade is in coma, etc.

It's a breakdown that's been building up since the last chapters of the Classic, where Sakura decided to pretend she was okay about Sasuke not being back because she didn't want to hurt Naruto anymore. Her worry grows when Chiyo tells her about the Akatsuki being after the jinchurikis, Naruto included. When they go to confront Orochimaru, Sakura runs to Naruto after seeing him losing control, hurting.

The story sets her to decide between saving Naruto or Sasuke. The choice is apparent, since we the readers know there are many options, but it doesn't mean it is any less real for Sakura. We trust Naruto has the alternative, a way of saving Sasuke without killing him, or at least we trusted in him back then. Sakura, who was in one of her worst times, felt compelled to do something to protect the people she loved and in her desperation, rushed to make her mistake.

Many mistakes.

It's not Sakura's place to be the perfect heroine. It's her burden tho: to break under the social pressure, doubt her own gut instinct and follow what she thinks is "the right thing". Everyone tells her Sasuke is too far gone, that he's only gonna cause more pain. She sees how it hurts Naruto and she "knows" her hope in Sasuke is part of the weight in Naruto's shoulders.

If it was about who she liked better, Sakura wouldn't have betrayed both of them. Either her confession to Naruto would have been real or she would have taken Sasuke's side. Even if her love was biased (and it was), we know that it is not enough to make her waver on her own beliefs. She doesn't follow Naruto or Sasuke's wishes or orders.

This is about her character. Her own moment.

She thinks "I need to put Naruto somewhere safe and I need to kill Sasuke before he falls deeper into his madness/darkness". So much is true. Is it selfish? Certainly. She doesn't want to see the boys she loves destroyed. She doesn't want to see them dead, and that's why she is unable to kill Sasuke. She doesn't want to see them become a monster, the reason why she ran to them both when the cursed mark took over Sasuke and the kyubi chakra took over Naruto.

It is selfish, but not more than the actions of her teammates. She is not worse or better than them at the moment. Just different.

Second point: reflection and distortion.

Everyone was selfish in that arc, or do you really think any of them was sacrificing what they really wanted in order to benefit others?

Naruto wanted Sasuke alive and he was not giving up. He is selfless in many things, but not when it comes to Sasuke. He was not allowing them to kill him, that wouldn't happen.

Sasuke had his goal and his life and he was not giving those up in order to make Team 7 happy. Alas, I don't mean it as in he should had done it because no, Sasuke shouldn't have to give up his life for them when they couldn't really get why he was doing all he was doing. It was not his job to make them understand either, but it is a fact he was being selfish.

To make it clear, being selfish here is not a bad thing necessarily. Very human, but not morally black in all senses.

Kakashi was willing to kill Sasuke himself for selfish reasons too. He didn't want Sasuke to keep committing crimes, he didn't want it to be Sakura who killed him (or got killed by trying), he didn't want Naruto either to do it —he was also a very good Konoha nin.

And Sakura refused to let Kakashi carry that burden alone. She didn't want Naruto either to be the only one always chasing after Sasuke (she would later get why only Naruto could do it, no matter how hard the others tried). And she didn't want Sasuke to continue changing, but was also unable to stop him from doing so.

Naruto even told Sasuke he would die with him if necessary. That's a selfish wish. Fuck the rest of the world, I'll go with you to death if I can't bring you back with me.

For the shippers of one or other pairing, there is plenty of food in this arc. It's not much about romance as it is about shapeless devotion.

It was a circle of not wanting to lose the other or wanting to lose the other (in Sasuke's case) because he knew how powerful the grief would be —and don't get me started on how hatred and love are intertwined with the Uchihas.

So when it comes to Sakura, although she is not the exception, she receives a lot of hate for her actions. The core of her actions are not any different from Naruto's or Sasuke's or Kakashi's. The only differences are that she is represented as the love interest of both Sasuke and Naruto, that she's a girl, that her power doesn't consist of flashy techniques and that her themes are expressed almost in a cliché "girly" way.

You don't have to like her, you don't even have to say why you don't like her, but at least hate her for canon flaws or traits or acknowledge the fact you would love her if she was a male character. It's not that hard.

Final point: Consequences

Whenever you face the challenge of reading an arc correctly, ask yourself "how does this move the plot? how does this affect the characters in terms of evolving or regressing them? given the themes of the manga, how does this resonate with them? what is the purpose of these acts?"

For Sakura:

( A ) It shows us how much she cares about Naruto and how much Naruto cares back.

Her bad actions were rooted in good intentions and despair. This arc shows us that she's willing to make herself a tool, a weapon, if it could guarantee Naruto's safety or happiness. She basically offers herself to be used without thinking how she's insulting the others with it. She starts acting the way she thinks others want her to act. This arc somehow regresses her to her genin days, when she was trying to be someone she was not. That's what Naruto points out, what he hates the most. She is hurting herself and him by pretending, by lying to herself and him. She betrays Naruto and Sasuke while simultaneously failing at doing so.

She loves them, maybe not in the ways they wish she could love them, but that's who she is and that's how she feels. She cannot force any one to change their minds, she can't control their decisions and it's not worth it fading away, trying to do so. In that arc, Naruto is the one who's emotionally mature about it. He doesn't stop loving Sakura, the way he doesn't stop loving Sasuke. They might be lost, but that's okay, he got them.

( B ) It solidifies Kakashi and Sakura's dynamic.

This arc gives us an overdue apology from Kakashi, who acknowledges that he failed his team. To Sakura he regrets covering the issues with a smile, lying to her while saying that it all would be okay. Sakura didn't trust anyone to go with her, which he recognizes too. He wants to shoulder her burdens, make up for her for his shortcomings and mistakes. Of course, the arc also gives us a bunch of parallels between Rin and Sakura, even throwing some Haku and Zabuza parallels in there. And of course, it's not all about Sakura. Kakashi also knows he failed Sasuke, but knows they are past amending things like he could do with Sakura.

On the other hand, Sakura refuses to allow Kakashi to carry what should be their burden. She spent all her Gemini days letting others fight for her. She's not that kid anymore, even when it means she could get killed. Thing is, Sakura has no way of knowing how much her death would traumatize Kakashi and she's not the type to normally notice just how much she means to others.

( C ) It addresses the state of her affection for Sasuke —and served as a frame to show how lost Sasuke is.

Lost doesn't mean confuses (although he was). In this case, lost means that Sasuke was deep in trauma. He was being heavily manipulated, he was abusing his body beyond his limits, he was a mess. He was hurting.

If we guide ourselves by the manga moment when he was the most open and honest, he'd deeply regret all he did to Sakura. There's no way of knowing what killing her would do to him, but the previous instances of such events tended towards total madness. Naruto saved them all by saving Sakura that day.

On Sakura's side, well, she never stopped loving him, caring, she couldn't. We saw her ugly lie to Naruto's face, we saw how she POISONED her teammates, she did many wrong things and didn't falter. Kill Sasuke? She could not. Her hands wouldn't obey her. She's not the type to not do a stupid thing because she's afraid (after all, Kakashi had to physically stop her multiple times during the Kaguya fight because she was gonna get herself killed, c'mon). She couldn't kill him because her affection was genuine and deep rooted within her. It's a line she couldn't, wouldn't cross.

( D ) It sets her as her own character, capable of making her own choices and mistakes.

Sakura was never meant to be an angelic type of girl, silent and uncomplicated. She was also not meant to be all hardedged, mean and evil. She's not a damsel, neither a #GirlPower girl.

Sakura makes mistakes, has friends willing to help them through the consequences, and then she grows. They are patient with her because she's been there for them too. They are not perfect either. It's not the first, not the last time a shinobi would do something wrong or dumb out of love, pride, desperation, who knows.

Didn't Tsunade poison Jiraiya too to go after Orochimaru? Sasuke and Naruto spend years chasing each other and humiliating each other for the sake of their bonds. Hinata went to fight Pain all alone. Rock Lee almost lost his legs. Rin made Kakashi kill her. Kakashi failed his genin team. Obito was ready to destroy change the world. So was Madara. Minato sealed Kurama in Naruto. And on and on and on.

Sakura's actions during the Land of Iron arc might feel more cringe for some people, but it's just that, a feeling. Why? Maybe the problem is in the romance aspect of it all, badly portrayed as it was. Maybe it's because some girlish acts make people feel more naturally ashamed. Or it's because people see their own mistakes or shortcomings reflected in there.

Whatever it is, it's okay to hate it or don't like it, like I said in some paragraph before. Still, when it's time to properly interpret the story, you can't let those feelings cloud your thinking.

I know I said it was a quick interpretation and it really is. Any other day, I'd have pulled s bunch of manga panels to prove my point. But for now, it must be the (still undiagnosed) ADHD talking.

Hope you guys like it!

[eldritch-spouse]

Jealous belo headcannons? PLEASE I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR JEALOUS BELO WHO JUST SILENTLY FOLLOWS WHILE GETTING MORE JEALOUS. How would belo actually react to being jealous?? How would it be handled? How did it happen?

- 𐂂

Ah, an angel's jealousy. Yikes.

These are new feelings for him. See, angels are generally very selfless and subservient beings. Warrior casts such as Belo's do experience some manner of a competitive drive, but even then, it's largely a frivolous instance, since even acquiring a mate is coordinated by siadar. Belo had never truly felt jealousy up until he became your angel. He's not sure what comes over him at times, but he gets this gut feeling. Like you shouldn't really spend time with others. Like people don't really deserve to be around you. And he's not sure what to do about it except stew in those feelings, letting them fester;

He tries to rationalize it. Which is useless. You can't rationalize something that's born out of fear and insecurity, of assumptions and tilted perceptions. But Belo thinks he's clearly in the right mind! So there's clearly something amiss here. His warrior instincts have never wronged him, he believes the people you commune with are inadequate, and they have no business being in your life as much as you let them! No one respects you the way they should, you let yourself get hurt, you pull away from him to embrace the enemy! Madness;

You know what's best... But sometimes you really don't. And these instances have been eye-opening to the power. You're too sweet for your own good, misguided even! That's what happens when a deity doesn't have angels by their side! That's what happens when you don't listen to him, when you tell him he's overreacting, that he's just being... Jealous. No. Come on. He's above that. He's an angel. He doesn't feel jealousy- You're just refusing to see things the way they are!;

He doesn't know what to do with these feelings. When his attempts to convince you to stop seeing this same person, to stop letting them influence you fail, he's not sure what to do. Belo doesn't like to directly get in the way of his deity, it's not becoming of an angel to do so at all. So he just allows this to happen, standing in silent fury as you're embraced by someone who never did anything to deserve the privilege of your perfect touch. Your figure. Your presence;

However, there's nothing to say he can't approach others. Belo may be hesitant to make demands out of you, but others are insignificant in his eyes, which means he'll have no qualms eventually approaching whoever's being "a nuisance". To his credit, while direct, Belo is not immediately violent, just intimidating. Repeat offenses aren't tolerated however. When he tells a lesser to mind their business, they better do so. Honestly, humans these days have forgotten those above them... (In an ironic twist, he expects all other humans to listen to his commands.);

Killing doesn't weigh on his conscience. Perhaps if Belo was another rank of angel, he might feel bad about ending a life, even if it had to be done to protect you. But that's not quite the case here. Belo has fought in many battles for Eden, and bloodshed is trivial to the angel. The people that get between your holiness and his careful nurture might as well be full-blooded demons. You'll just have to move on, meet others, or maybe just rely on your most devoted follower. After all, he's the best angel, isn't he? The best servant! He'll be so perfect you won't even think of anyone else ever again.

[rubylarkspur22]

Can we hear more about co-protagonists Tanjiro and Nezuko?

(i need to hear about the sass Nezuko will spill during the Hashira meeting)

Oh, of course!!

So! Nezuko wakes up from her coma, a little confused from her just waking(AKA the "I Just Woke Up After A Very Nice Sleep, And My Brain is Still Addled" Brain). So, she's a little confused as to why a chunk of bamboo is stuck in her mouth, and just... rips it off. And then promptly realizes her canines are significantly sharper than they're supposed to be. Noise gets her attention, and she meets the wooden eyes of Urokodaki's tengu mask.

This leads to a lot of questions while they wait for Tanjirou to come back. She definitely wasn't happy when she found out Tanjirou got sent to a mountain packed with feral and starved demons, and demands to know why her kind brother, who would never hurt a fly unless said fly swung first and hurt someone he cared for, is being sent to commit violence. Cue another long explanation about what she missed. After a minute, her brain catches up and, "Oh, yeah! I remember that dickwad! B****** just waltzed like he owned the place, too! Never caught his name, though." After those conversations, she notices Urokodaki praying for her brother's safety, and starts doing the same. She only hopes Hinokami is willing to protect her big brother now as he had when the monster attacked.

While they wait for Tanjirou, Urokodaki does also go about helping her relearn speech. And then she gives him a heart attack by walking outside midday. "How was I supposed to know I should expect a fiery death?!" "All demons instinctively fear the sun!" "Well, then, maybe I was meant to do this the whole damn time!"

Then Tanjirou comes back, and is very happy Nezuko is back to some form of her normal self. And hey, she's okay in sunlight! No need to panic about her becoming a pile of ashes! He still carries her in a box, though, sometimes. But Nezuko likes to be in the sun because it's her way of regaining her energy alongside sleep.

Asakusa rolls around, and Nezuko tries to keep Tanjirou from running off. She knows that look, she knows Tanjirou found him. But despite her protests, he still runs off. Nezuko gives chase, staying close to the shadows and other people, and watches Tanjirou confront the monster that cut down everyone else in their family like it was nothing. The siblings meet Tamayo and Yushiro, and Tamayo asks Nezuko if she's had any human flesh or blood. When Nezuko mentions she can walk in sunlight, Tamayo tells her to keep this new ability a secret unless absolutely necessary, lest Kibutsuji try to capture and devour her.

Zenitsu's portion of things go a little differently. He definitely tries to flirt with Nezuko, and she promptly threatens to use Tanjirou as a battering ram on the blond boy's skull. Nezuko and Tanjirou get separated in the Tsuzumi Mansion, which causes the former to panic because her selfless idiot of a brother has broke bones and is somewhere in this godforsaken death house, And-- CRAP, THERE'S A BOAR TRYING TO CUT HER HEAD OFF!! Yeah, Inosuke just chases Nezuko throughout the mansion until they get outside. Nezuko inevitably ends(or greatly reduces) his bloodline, which is what Zenitsu wakes up to. A guy in a boar head wheezing in pain whilst clutching the Hashibira Family Jewels, and Nezuko glaring at said boar guy with her leg raised suspiciously like she caused the damage.

And Nezuko is definitely calling Rui every insult she knows, including the ones with language she had been heavily scolded for using when her parents were alive. Kie and Tanjurou are gaping at Nezuko's language while desperately trying to cover their dead kids' ears. Yoriichi and Sumiyoshi are helping, and silently wondering how Nezuko picked up such... colourful language(spoilers, it was Saburou... By accident).

And now for the main event, the Hashira trial. Nezuko's just chilling in her box, waiting for Tanjirou to handle things, when some guy with a sword just up and STABS HER before trying to coax her out with blood. When another dude says she won't come out in daylight, she goes "Try me, b****" and pops right out. And then promptly slaps Shinazugawa, hurls at least one insult per Hashira(she isn't quite past Giyuu stabbing her for no clear reason), and picks up Tanjirou like "Don't ever talk to me or my big brother again." while glaring daggers at them. She's standing in the sun, she knows their blades must have lost their effectiveness.

While at the Butterfly Mansion, Nezuko easily bonds with the girls there. She acts so human, they practically forget she's a demon most of the time. She's also present for the talk with Shinobu about Kanae and her dream, and the two later have a girl to girl conversation about what their respective late families would want of them. And after the coin flip scene, Nezuko can't help but giggle. She recognizes a crush a mile away, having been the focus of a few back home(y'know, being the town beauty and all that). When Tanjirou asks her what's so funny, she brushes it off and insists he'll find out another time.

Mugen Train, she gets smuggled onto the train in her box. No ticket, no spell, no problem. Once the conductor leaves, she hops out and immediately goes about observing the situation. She still headbutts Tanjirou in the head, fully anticipating she'll start bleeding and be able to use that. After the train derailment, she is fully ready to fight Akaza, his personal code be damned. "Oh, you don't fight women? All the easier for me to gouge your eyes out, mf!" Akaza has never seen a girl so angry. He had nightmares for weeks, especially because of the blood arson. Does this save Rengoku? I don't know, I'll leave that up to your imagination!

Then Entertainment District comes around. Nezuko still goes Full Form, but manages to reign herself in. Luckily, being photosynthetic makes restraining her hunger much easier! This means she's conscious for the fight with Gyutaro, which makes it go in their favour with a much more instantaneous solution for that poison! Plus, that might reveal the secret of the red blades sooner!

Swordsmith's Village goes about the same. Genya probably gives Nezuko the idea to chow on demons, but I don't know how well that's going. At the end, however, as Hantengu burns in the sun, Nezuko just smirks at him before leaning down and telling Muzan(through Hantengu) that he can suck a dick, and that he'd better start praying because karma is coming for him.

During Hashira training, Nezuko takes up some sword training. Not sure what Breath she uses. Either way, she trains. When the antidote gets manufactured, Nezuko asks if she can wait to take it. Tamayo doesn't think it's a good idea, but Nezuko insists with the promise she'll be careful.

Infinity Castle, most of the fights go pretty much the same. Except the Kokushibou fight. Nezuko get sent there because the one brain cell Muzan's five brains share managed to clink in the right brain to think "Hey, the logical step to capture the super important demon is the throw her at my most powerful subordinate!" Unfortunately, he didn't account for the three Hashira and that demon-eating kid also showing up, or for Kokushibou to want to bond with his descendant. Or Nezuko being a feral gremlin who's 100% down for arson and has the power to commit it as she pleases. She definitely manages to save Genya, I am undecided on Muichirou. But Nezuko saving Genya earns her Sanemi's respect and gratitude.

Sunrise Countdown goes a little easier. No one's actively dying from poison, even if Tanjirou's still half-blind. Nezuko and Tanjirou tag team Muzan, with Nezuko striking from a range while Tanjirou goes for close quarters. As the sun rises, Nezuko jabs herself with the antidote to get her transformation back into a human started before Muzan dies. Muzan, seeing the rising sun and noticing Nezuko injected herself with something, makes one last desperate attempt to devour her, but all the Demon Slayers fight to protect her as Tanjirou pins Muzan to keep him from escaping.

Does Demon King Tanjirou still happen? Debatable. If he does, Muzan used his blood while trying to dislodge Tanjirou's grip, and eventually settled on just transferring all his blood to Tanjirou. But it doesn't last nearly as long as canon because Nezuko will have just taken the antidote. As such, she'll still have access to her Blood Demon Art. The way I see, she notices something off with Tanjirou and charge tackles him before lighting him up with several loud and tearful apologies. Because she knows it's gonna be painful but she has to burn out Kibutsuji's cells before they transform Tanjirou. The fire extinguishes as Nezuko's use of Exploding Blood actually speeds up her transformation since she's using her demonic cells to ignite the fire, but it's enough that it'll at least delay Tanjirou's transformation long enough for someone to restrain him if they need to. Kanao shows up, gives Tanjirou to booster dose to finish off the last cells, and both the siblings collapse from exhaustion. They're both unconscious for at least a couple months.

Afterwards, life goes on as normal. The lives lost are mourned, the Corps disbands(possibly with some more ex-Hashira to celebrate the end of the demons), and everyone lives happily ever after. Nezuko laments losing her demonic strength, but is also happy to be back to normal.

[bluebird990]

Hello again! I literally loved your analysis! I wanted to know what zodiac sign you think the characters would be? literally whoever comes to mind (I ask this without any proper knowledge about zodiac signs myself lol)

- 💫

Omg anon you have no idea how much I appreciate this thank you so much 😭

I had to do a lot of research for this (read: watched one video on YT)cuz the only reason why I can even name all 12 zodiacs is Fairy Tail XD I had zero knowledge about them before this day. I had fun writing this. Hope you like it ;)

Gray Yeon

Apparently Gray is canonically a Taurus. I kinda agree and kinda don't.

He's loyal and patient but he's far from being materialistic or lazy.

He strikes me more as a Virgo honestly.

Analytical, observing and reserved. He used to be kind of cold too before Stephan, Ben and Eugene happened.

He used to be very reserved and skeptical at the beginning of the series but is extremely trustworthy and gives good advice to those he warmed up to.

Goes to show how far he has come. I'm so proud of him.

Ben Park

So Ben is, according to canon, a Leo. Let that sink in. A Leo. Bruh hell nah. Just no.

Ben is anything but a Leo???

I think he'd be either a Cancer or a Pisces.

He's definitely the most selfless person right after Stephan.

He fits the description of a Pisces the most. He has the instincts of a wild animal and is adaptable when it comes to saving his friends. He's definitely sensitive, loyal, kinda clingy and very protective of his friends.

Now that I think about it, he could be an Aries too. I mean he is a great leader, enthusiastic, impulsive and very energetic.

Idk what do you think? Ben is Aries or Pisces?

Gerard Jin

Canonically, he's a Virgo which, I kinda agree with.

He is hardworking, kinda reserved and reliable but he's definitely not cold. He tried to be cold in middle school but that failed not-so-horribly in him saving the kid from the railway track.

I think he'd be fussy about his food cuz of his old man taste XD

He's also always been analytical and observing. An example of which would be him following Gray after gray beat up Colton, knowing that Colton wouldn't let it go so easily.

He's also really trustworthy after you warm up to him. Honestly no other sign fits him as well as Virgo does.

Alex Go

Alex is an Aries canonically and I definitely agree with this. Aries fits him perfectly.

He's enthusiastic and energetic. He is insecure because he thinks he's weak and hates it when Ben or someone else has to get hurt to protect him.

He has a desire to succeed and stand tall alongside Ben.

He can get moody and impulsive. He loves adventure. He even had his chunni era XD and can't stand boredom that's why he's messing around and skipping classes with Ben XD

Donald Na

Donald is a Capricorn according to canon, which fits him really well actually. Tho he could be qualified as an Aquarius too.

The only problem with him being a Capricorn is that he's not sympathetic or caring. Tho he would have a unique sense of humor I think. I hc that his sense of humor is either dark or dork and nothing in between XD and sarcasm. Definitely sarcasm.

Although Aquarius does fit him perfectly.

He is a progressive thinker and is intellectually driven cuz of his past.

He's rebellious, stubborn, emotionally detached, sarcastic and aloof.

Tho let's hope that he goes from an Aquarius to a Capricorn by the end of this manhwa *fingers crossed*

Wolf keum

This is a tricky one. It would be so much easier if we JUST KNEW HIS BACKSTORY AJHHEJDJEHRJJD.

Canon says he's an Aries. Which I don't know what to think of.

He is enthusiastic and energetic (only in relation to fighting). He is independent and extremely moody, impulsive and kinda selfish too.

He also has a low boredom tolerance but he definitely would not be a good leader. He's more of an uncontrollable wild card.

Does he have insecurities tho?? Everyone does right? So this mf should too. Let's just hope we get his backstory in this arc *tired exhale*

He definitely has a desire to succeed and win (again only in relation to fighting) so I guess Aries is a good fit for him. He could also be an Aquarius tho. Yeah definitely could be an Aquarius (less the progressive and intellectual thinking)

I never thought I'd be putting Wolf in the same category as Alex...

Jimmy Bae

According to canon, he's a Cancer, which I am totally in agreement of.

Before his backstory reveal, I would've thought of him as Leo but afterwards, oh boy, he has so much more to his character.

He's actually really sensitive, loyal and dependable. He's also very protective of his friends (Jack). My man readily threw his precious pride out the window for saving Jack.

He's also very moody tho and can be a little self absorbed too sometimes. Especially when it comes to training.

He can also be misunderstood by people really easily. Just like how half of the fandom had (including me) before his backstory.

He can be really difficult to understand but is definitely the kindest to a select few people (Jack).

Jake Ji

Jake is another tricky one. Canonically he's a Scorpio which is a 50-50.

He is independent, passionate and very emotional (Ace's death broke this boy XD).

He is unyielding in his principles and priorities but has to dance around Donald's pinky cuz he owes him one (which is so unfair).

He can be moody too but doesn't let it influence his "work" or his actions.

Tho I don't know about him being possessive, jealous or manipulative. He does strike me as a possessive guy but he's definitely not manipulative. I don't think he has that many brain cells or mental capacity to do that XD

He could also be a Pisces or Cancer because he's dedicated to keeping his friends and family safe. He could be an Aries too, honestly, I don't even know anymore XD tell me what you think would fit him best.

Alright imma end it here. This is getting a bit too long. Lmk if anyone wants a part 2 and I'll write about the rest of the characters.

I had a lot of fun doing this. Thanks to you anon, I finally got around knowing more about the zodiac personalities. I had wanted to know more but always kept pushing it down so thank you :D

P.s. my knowledge of zodiacs is limited to the one video I saw of Psych2go describing them so yeah if I made some mistakes regarding the qualities of the zodiacs then blame them not me XD (jk)

[mari-lair]

Thank you sm for the ask about Teru :D

And I just read your tags and you said you really liked Kou 👀👀 I am curious to know why if that's okay with you :D

Thank you for answering the Teru ask! :D

And absolutely! I'll take any excuses to talk about Kou!

I adore Kou because he is kind, but it’s a very interesting and genuine take on kindness. He isn’t an angel that does no wrong and forgives it all, he is just a 14 years old boy.

He always tries his best to help, and he usually has good intentions but he fails more than anyone. He is naive and reckless: He unconsciously sabotages himself a lot, which ironically hurt people more than helps.

His selflessness is inherently selfish, and he always accepts more than he can take: He promised to always stay on Yashiro’s side. He promised Teru to keep an eye on Hanako and make sure he doesn’t get out of line.

These promises contradict each other, he cannot fulfill the two, so even though his intentions clearly aren’t to hurt anyone he will have to hurt someone. But he is impulsive and he doesn’t seem to fully realize that, so he keeps making even more promises as he goes, promising to increase Yashiro’s lifespan, promise to help Mitsuba...

He betrayed Teru by taking Nene’s side and protecting Hanako despite their deal from the young exorcist arc, he hurt Teru badly, just like he would have hurt Nene, his entire family, and Mitsuba as well, if he truly had become a supernatural.

His goal to make everyone happy is impossible. Is childish.

He wants to be the one to help, but he also wants help. He genuinely does want help, he can recognize he needs guidance and he is desperate for answers, but he doesn’t have available parents, Teru is too biased and busy, No. 5 won’t help, Hanako has been questionable (or ‘a bad friend’ in Kou’s words), and so on. He is shit at asking for help and he also doesn't want Nene and Mitsuba to worry and add to their problems. He refuses to give up tho, so he gets lost inside his own head, he bottle ups deciding to solve it all by himself but clinging to any answer he gets, no matter how suspicious the source (Yes, I am talking about Natsuhiko here).

Kou under values himself a lot. Ironically is what makes him miss the mark and not do what his friends want despite being so good at reading other emotions/ needs (jumping off the rooftop for Mitsuba despite Mitsuba definitively not wanting his friend to die for example-)

It makes sense too, in a twisted way. He was trained to take care of everything by himself: He cleans, cook, babysit, does the laundry, all by himself. He is both 'not good enough' but also 'the last line', so if no one more competent is there to help, he must suck it up and do it himself.

His family is an anomaly that can see supernaturals, so of course he want to find a reason as to 'why' he has this supernatural senses, of course he thinks he is special. In many ways, he really is special!! Even if believing he can 'change the course of how the world work' is pure arrogance. But he is 14 years old, that's self-explanatory.

Despite these flaws, he is a genuinely sweet person that believe in the good of people and overall want to trust those around him. His love goes far deeper than just a trained instinct to take care of others. He had been put on that caretaker role in the first place cause it ‘fit him’, as fucked up as it was, considering he was a eight year old kid the Minamoto family makes me want to cry.

I love the big scenes of him protecting/ cheering up/ loving his friends but I also treasure the small moments of him helping that are short and 'insignificant' but are still constantly there.

I also adore how goofy and silly he is! Just look at him, he really used 'labor pains' as an excuse, I love him so much

And Kou may be naive but he is observant as hell. He knew just what to tell Yashiro to cheer her up in the Donuts chapter. He understood Mitsuba's real wish even when he was still having trouble distinguishing the two Mitsubas. He is the first to notice the supernatural tendency of giving up and settling for a ‘compromise’.

And while he is one of the most open characters he is also constantly changing. In a natural and coherent way.

He is an exorcist that deeply loves his family surrounded by supernatural friends, he has no idea what to do but he will still cling to what he feels is right. Even when he doesn't know what is right, even when it's clearly the hardest path.

He wants to be right about supernaturals being good. He want them to be evil, so he can still be proud of the Minamoto Clan, not feel odd in his own family. He wants Teru to see his ways. He wants Teru to keep being always right. He wants his school friends to be part of his life, he wants them far away from it all. He have so many wants but he tries to ignore them, only focusing on himself when is to focus on his flaws and mistakes, to try to learn from them.

And he is understanding enough to accept these are his wishes, but they aren’t reality. And Kou is constantly shown to hate all that’s fake.

He is a beautiful box of contradiction: He is extremely arrogant yet he lacks confidence. He is a resigned optimist. He is emotionally smart yet dumb when it comes to almost everything else. Extremely strong, fast, and capable compared to normal kids, but with an inferiority complex. He is self-aware yet dense as hell. He is moved by guilt just as much as he is moved by love. He has a savior complex but his ideals aren't unshakable, far from it.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: He is shaped like a friend! His smile is free joy to me!

[thetinyboio]

Welcome Home [Cult of The Lamb A.u]

Prologue [Part 1][Part 2] Hey yall thanks so much for yalls support so far! i dont plan to update like this all the time ^^; but i have a bit of free time! so till i dont have any more free time, enjoy frequent updates!! Also TW: Character Death

As Thoth and the others watched the dramatic events unfolding on top of the speeding train, they noticed a peculiar phenomenon each time a portal was opened—the artifacts in the holy chamber began to glow with an ancient and mysterious power. Gasps of astonishment escaped the lips of the onlookers as they listened in on the conversation between Milan and the lamb. The intensity of the situation reached a crescendo when a sharp blade whizzed past Thoth's head through one of the portals. Thoth instinctively ducked just in time to avoid the blade, the impact of which cracked the chains that had bound them to one of the royals.

Thoth's mother, witnessing the lamb's fate, couldn't help but express her empathy, "That poor child," she murmured, her eyes now fixed on the others who had been observing the spectacle. The initial cheer from the onlookers was short-lived.

Unintentionally freed by the chain's destruction, Thoth turned their attention back to the window, just as it began to crack. The terrified expression on their master's face would forever be etched into their memory. Within the chamber, the artifacts glowed with a brilliant golden light. Among them, Thoth spotted a small amulet, nestled within its case, emitting a soft, beckoning glow. It was as though it was calling out to them. Swiftly and stealthily, they plucked the holy artifact from its resting place, concealing it in the fluff of their chest—a daring theft amidst the chaos.

One of the royals, frustrated by the shattered viewing glass, accused Thoth of the damage, exclaiming, "Damn it! I can't see anything! You broke it, didn't you, wretch!?" His anger was palpable as he slapped Thoth's mother.

Panicking, Thoth rushed to their mother's side, pleading, "Mother!"

The furious royal shifted his ire towards Thoth, demanding, "Where is your collar, brat!?" He glared at Thoth with seething hatred.

Thoth's mother intervened, desperately appealing to the royal, "Please, my lord, they must have slipped out of it. Please do not hurt my child; they are just—"

However, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by an altar boy who rushed into the main hall, breathless and alarmed, exclaiming, "THE HOLY TALISMAN IS GONE!"

Thoth trembled in fear, sensing the impending doom. The royal's attention darted back and forth between the altar boy and the two jackalopes, his accusatory gaze fixated on Thoth. He roughly grabbed Thoth and, in the ensuing altercation, Thoth's mother courageously stepped in, shielding her child from harm—a selfless act that would be her last.

The royal, his voice dark and sinister, declared, "It's time we teach you a lesson. Don't worry, child… Milan's holy light will protect you better than your mother ever could." With a wicked intent, he dragged Thoth's mother toward a burning fire.

Desperation filled Thoth's voice as they cried out, "MOTHER!! NO! PLEASE! DON'T TAKE HER FROM ME! SHE'S ALL I HAVE!!"

As the royals callously burned Thoth's mother, they justified their cruel act by claiming she was being offered as a sacrifice to Milan. Thoth's anguished screams pierced the air as they witnessed the horrifying death of their beloved mother. In the throes of despair, they made a desperate wish, their voice filled with pain and rage.

Thoth's plea reverberated through the chamber, "I WANT THEM TO BURN! I WANT THEM ALL TO BURN LIKE THEY BURNED HER! SHE DID NOTHING WRONG! …please… if there's a god that loves me… give her justice!"

As Thoth cursed those responsible for their mother's death, flames erupted seemingly from nowhere, engulfing the Royal hall and temple in a furious inferno. The conflagration, however, did not stop there; it spread like wildfire into the town just beyond its walls.

Realization dawned upon Thoth as they desperately cried out, "No! Wait! Stop! Stop! They did nothing wrong! Don't hurt them! Why? Why can't I make it stop!"

It became painfully clear that the flames were emanating from within them, a power they could neither control nor quell. The uncontrollable inferno consumed everything in its path, an unintended consequence of the powers bestowed upon Thoth by the holy artifact.

As the flames raged around them, Thoth heard a dark, deep voice echoing in the recesses of their mind—a sinister laugh that sent shivers down their spine.

 "Mortals are so interesting. What do you wish for next, little one, with this power at your fingertips? What next?"

Struggling to comprehend the situation, Thoth gazed at the cracked glass and caught a glimpse of the aftermath of the fierce battle. Wally lay amidst the wreckage of a train crash, the cart they had been on reduced to smoldering ruins. The lamb's lifeless form lay beneath a large tarp, while Wally clutched his cardigan, cradling the lamb's head with tears streaming down his face. His missing foot was evident, and the crown lay discarded on the ground. Though Thoth couldn't discern the words due to the damaged glass, they saw Wally's mouth move as he whispered, "I will never let this happen ever again..."

Overwhelmed by the chaos, Thoth felt a deep sense of despair and powerlessness. Their own wishes had spiraled out of control, unleashing a calamity upon themselves and others.

Thoth's inner turmoil and desperation reached a breaking point as they screamed, "What?... I want this to stop! Stop! Stop all of this! This isn't what I wanted! I just want my mom back! GIVE HER BACK! MAKE IT STOP!"

In their anguish, Thoth's grip on the artifact weakened, causing it to slip from their paws and crack. As the flames began to subside, they desperately picked it up again, but the light within it dimmed and died.

An altar boy, badly burned and pointing at Thoth, accused them of theft, shouting, "YOU! THIEF! STOP THEM!"

Survivors of the fiery cataclysm emerged from their hiding places like survivors of a catastrophe, and Thoth fled into the forest. Their mind raced as they ran, grappling with the overwhelming guilt and regret that weighed them down.

Thoth's thoughts were a torrent of self-recrimination: "Why?... Why is this happening? I didn't want this… I just wanted…I just want…" Their voice trailed off as they continued to run, tears streaming down their face. The artifact, once a symbol of their power, slowly died in their paws.

Realization settled in, and Thoth wept as they understood the profound consequences of their actions. Even if they had sought justice for their mother's murder, it had come at an unimaginable cost—the loss of their home, their innocence, and their sense of self. Alone in the unforgiving world, they grappled with the painful truth that, despite their quest for freedom and retribution, they remained marked by their deeds.

As they continue to run they trip over an oddly shaped rock jutting out of the dirt. Causing them to crash face first into the ground. Falling on top of the amulet, cracking it further. As the light fades it slowly starts to turn into as in their paws. 

Thoth's desperate pleas filled the somber forest, a heart-wrenching lament for the irreversible tragedy that had unfolded. As they cradled the crumbling remnants of the holy talisman with utmost care, it disintegrated in their trembling paws, its once-potent gifts dissipating like fading embers.

The survivors drew nearer, their voices growing louder as they approached, but Thoth was beyond noticing. Curled into a small, fragile ball on the forest floor, they wept uncontrollably, their tears flowing like a torrential downpour, a child lost in the wilderness of their own despair.

In their anguish, Thoth whispered in the darkness, "I can't fix this… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I broke it…"

The gifts of the talisman slowly left their body, leaving them weak and teetering on the brink of death's embrace. As they lay there, on the precipice of oblivion, they muttered through their tears, "…Mother… I'm sorry… You were right… I'm too old for childish games… I should have never turned my back on my master… if I would have just stayed obedient maybe…"

In their final moments, a profound realization washed over them—a realization that nothing they could have done differently would have altered the cruel fate that had befallen them. They were mere pawns in a grander scheme, victims of a world that had never shown them kindness.

With their strength ebbing away, Thoth whispered, "I am no god. The god who sees me doesn't care for me… so what if I die now?… Can I at least turn to ash and disappear in the wind like the rest?"

In the reflection of the shattered talisman, Thoth beheld a figure weeping, a soul similarly burdened by the weight of the world's darkness. Through their tears, Thoth whispered, "… you lost too?... I'm sorry…I wish… I wish the world wasn't so dark anymore…"

[dreamwritesimagines]

Hello hello! It’s CMA again:)

Btw I didn’t tell my family anything about why I was late coming up lololol- I think they’re used to me keeping odd hours at this point haha

Also ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I love that you answered my essay and that you had such an amazing response to it!!!!!

Okay I’m going through this- I feel like we’re writing letters where we each go through each point at a time when we write back in long chunks of text to one another, which I guess is essentially what we’re doing, but regardless I love it<3

I wonder if clover realizing that she’s being a hypocrite is going to extend to when she’s in love. Like we already know that she doesn’t recognize her own feelings as being feelings of love, but then I wonder if when she realizes it will change her belief system at all.

I mean I know that this has been hinted to- the contrast between her beliefs and reality/her own feelings- but I wonder if she will still think that most marriages are abusive and she and her friends are just lucky, or if she will have to confront the fact that she was wrong. Either way, I’m really looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

And re: the character flaws thing-

You’re totally right! I actually think that a major problem that I have with a lot of writing, including those in movies and stuff, is that the characters don’t have real flaws so they’re not really relatable. They’re good at everything they try: super smart, funny/witty, athletic, and morally inscrutable; we always know that they’re going to do the right thing and/or find a way to fix things.

We don’t get to see them make mistakes, or their flaws are just like ‘haha sometimes I’m TOO nice:)))’, or all their mistakes are completely selfless, like ‘I’m going to sacrifice myself even though there might be another way because I don’t want anyone else to get hurt’, which is completely noble and admirable, but not super realistic. Like you’re telling me that their only flaw is that they’re TOO good???

But in your stories they’re not perfect at everything. They’ve all got their fatal flaws that actually cause problems, but also cause them to grow and learn. They’re selfish sometimes and care too much or not at all; they’re real, they’re human. One thing I’m learning about myself is that I love media that portrays this, which is why I am so in love with your work.

Okay back to the story lol:

Ohhh okay phew I was worried about them moving to Italy lololol. I guess it would make sense that there’d be multiple, I just wasn’t sure lol.

I also feel like clover is the type to get hung up on small details when she draws. She’d be like ‘I have to draw the leaf in a PERFECT heart shape to convey the angle and how this makes it unique compared to other flowers’ and it would be this super small detail that absolutely nobody but her notices.

I like what you said about their relationship being equal. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the entire trope where it’s like balancing wanting to protect the people you love from information that will hurt them versus trusting them to make their own decisions and valuing honesty.

I feel like Anthony tends to lean towards the first option with both Cherie and Charlie because he has a more protective instinct and also like you said, struggles with control, but Ben knows that clover won’t trust him if he doesn’t trust her, and also that she really values him being honest. I think that it’s a really interesting distinction because my impression is that in his relationships that we’ve seen, Anthony wouldn’t tell either of them things that they don’t necessarily need to know, even if he’s struggling, or he would have a hard time sharing that, whereas Ben would want to share that with her.

I could be totally wrong on that though lol, but it’s the emphasis on equality that really stood out to me.

And to the next point you wrote, I know you’ve mentioned wanting to distinguish the stories from one another, and I think that you’ve done that really impressively well. I wasn’t sure how a story set in the exact same setting/universe would be dramatically different but they totally are in a really good way. It really shows your capability as a writer and also the nuance of the time period instead of just the stereotypical narrative I tend to think about and read when it comes to regency fics.

Re: sprint vs marathon-

Back to enamored, I feel like cherie and Anthony learning to pace themselves was a huge part of their development, whereas in GoS it’s more like learning to appreciate that you are making progress, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

Eek I’m so happy you liked the bit I wrote and that we can both fangirl over this story together!!! I love that so much, and I am SO flattered your feedback and praise!!

Actually me the entire time reading your reply -> 🥰🥰🥹

Hello my loveeee! ❤️❤️

Lolll my family is the same, they made their peace with the fact that my sleeping schedule is quite strange 😂❤️

I LOVE LETTERS SO MUCH 😍

Oooh that's a wonderful point! ❤️ I do believe she will have some of that thinking at the back of her mind even when she realizes she is in love with Benedict ❤️ I think she will think her and her friends are the lucky ones and most of the marriages are just not like theirs 💔 It won't be such a strict opinion like now, but I also don't think it will just go away because that thought came from years and years of trauma 💔

You are so sweet! ❤️ Yessss I totally agree with you, I look for character flaws in the books/media I consume and it's so nice to hear that I could reflect the flaws as actual flaws rather than something that'll only serve the plot or a boost to the likeability of the character❤️

Clover would so obsess over the tiniest detail of her own drawings yes! ❤️ Meanwhile everyone is like "Yeah that's a leaf" 😂

Oh I haven't seen that one actually but it makes so much sense! ❤️ Anthony would definitely be hesitant to tell Cherie he is struggling even if they are completely in love, and he would try to deal with it himself first before telling Cherie about it because it's a personality thing for him at this point💔 He wants to protect Cherie from anything unpleasant ❤️

Benedict would be more open about it! ❤️

That's such good news omg😍❤️ I'm so glad to hear that the two stories are totally different from each other! 😍

"learning to appreciate that you are making progress, even if it doesn't always feel like it" THIS IS SO TRUE FOR THEMMMM!

Darliiiiing ILYSM! ❤️❤️ I'm smiling at the screen rn! 🥰❤️❤️

[cosmicjoke]

Hi,

I was reading your analyses and some of your back and forths with other people regarding saezuru. I noticed that you favor Yashiro and you tend to be kind of harsher on Doumeki. Yashiro is the main character so I do get why people relate to him and like him more and Doumeki was literally created to be his love interest. However, I think Yoneda Kou is trying to develop him beyond just existing to help Yashiro. I know you don’t like Doumeki’s coldness post timeskip but he was abandoned. We are aware of the changes Yashiro has gone through as the audience but he is not. Yashiro is traumatized and has been visibly depressed since leaving behind Doumeki and tends to be selfless for those he cares about. However, I don’t think I have seen him actually explicitly express regret over what happened. I think you tend to excuse alot of Yashiro’s bad qualities due to his past. Doumeki can simply be acting this way to protect himself from hurt; we don’t know but we can’t forget that he was also deeply hurt by what happened 4 years ago not just Yashiro. I am not saying that Yashiro deserves to be treated badly but rather Doumeki is allowed to be hurt and act accordingly, that’s human. He has also given Yashiro outs like when he told him to accept him or leave or when he chose Kamiya as Yashiro’s bodyguard. People often say that Yashiro doesn’t owe Doumeki anything. If he still wants to sleep around with other people or if he doesn’t want to be with Doumeki that is his right which it is. But Doumeki doesn’t owe Yashiro anything either. He has every right to be politely distant if he chooses. The point is that yeah they don’t owe each other anything but if they ever want to be together they have to compromise and communicate.

I'm not sure what you want me to say? Yeah, Yashiro is the main character. This is his story. He's my favorite character from this story, not because he's the main character, but because he's deeply complex and deeply tragic, and I tend to really love those sorts of characters.

I don't think I'm being overtly harsh on Doumeki. We have no idea what Doumeki is thinking, and so I find his behavior concerning, that's all, simply because I don't know what he's trying to accomplish with it. I don't think he's being intentionally malicious toward Yashiro, and I do believe he's hurt, and he has a right to be hurt. But he also should know, from his conversation with Nanihara, that Yashiro is carrying some really heavy trauma that makes him act in ways that maybe regular people in society would find unacceptable.

With Yashiro not specifically SAYING he regrets what happened with Doumeki, that's called showing, not telling. That's also called subtext. Yashiro doesn't have to say the words expressly. It's pretty obvious that he never wanted to hurt Doumeki, and has even said that he would understand if Doumeki hated him. To me, that makes it pretty clear that Yashiro doesn't hold Doumeki's aloofness against him, or blame him for being cold. That doesn't mean, however, that it isn't having a damaging effect on Yashiro. A lot of what goes on in Yashiro's head, and how he responds to things emotionally, is subconscious. The way he internalizes and copes with things, etc... He obviously wants to be with Doumeki, but that desire is coming into direct conflict with Yashiro's survival instincts, with the mechanisms he's used in the past to protect both himself and others. To just expect him to magically stop acting or engaging in the kinds of behaviors which have been beaten into him since he was a literal young child is stupid and unrealistic, and also deeply unfair.

And you're right, Yashiro doesn't owe Doumeki his loyalty, and vice versa, Doumeki doesn't owe Yashiro his loyalty either. They both need to open up to one another and be honest, or it's not going to work. But it's a struggle, for various reasons.

Like I said, we don't know what Doumeki is thinking, what his agenda or intentions are, because we haven't gotten a chapter from his POV yet since the time skip and his reunion with Yashiro. So, again, I don't think I'm being overly harsh on Doumeki, I'm just concerned for Yashiro. Because we DO know that Yashiro has changed, that he no longer wants or enjoys being abused (I don't think he EVER did). It's a realization he's made about himself that leaves him, I think, particularly vulnerable, and the situation between him and Doumeki extremely delicate. My criticisms of Doumeki have less to do with him, and more to do with how I fear his behavior might impact Yashiro when he's in such a vulnerable state.

I don't think I excuse Yashiro's "bad qualities" due to his past. I find that accusation steeped in a lack of empathy FOR Yashiro. Too many people condemn and criticize Yashiro for behaving in ways they deem unacceptable because they have no concept of what child sexual abuse actually does to a person's brain. If you're referring to the way he treated Doumeki before the time skip, and my reasoning for why I think he did what he did, I think my arguments as to his behavior are perfectly logical and in line with what he was going through at the time, and what he was trying to do. I never said what he did to Doumeki was right, I just said that it makes sense, given his mental state (suicidal).

Anyway, yeah, like I said, I'm not sure what you want me to say. You're accusing me of having a bias toward Yashiro, which maybe I do, due to my focus on him. But I could lay into Doumeki for some of the shit he's done a lot harder than I do, but I don't, because I understand why he did those things, or why he behaved the way he did.

[aeviterncl]

❛ i know i did the wrong thing. i hurt you, and i’m sorry. ❜ (Ezra to Shea)

MEME ┊accepting.

As a messenger, Shea was much closer to a flawed human being than he was an ethereal, perfect angel like the person he so wanted to be close to. Parts of him admired such a godly presence, wanted to be just as wonderful of an omen as he was. However, that would never be—his curse to doom others was framed as the very opposite of angels coming to deliver the dead to their salvation and heaven above. 

Yet, the boy still wanted to try and do some good. Surely, he was capable of doing more than ruining others and damning them to the gallows. He wanted to protect those he cared about. He wanted to shield them. He wanted to safeguard them from pain and injury too. 

So why was he unharmed and his friend bleeding right in front of him? Why did that attacker’s weapon manage to break through the skin of someone so harmless and nonviolent? Why did he let that happen? Why didn’t he move fast enough to override Ezra’s protective instinct? He should’ve realized that would happen before it did. That angel always sacrificed himself for no good damned reason. He protected the most worthless soul at every expense to himself. 

That irritated him. The angel who hadn’t done any wrong in this situation actually had the gall to apologize to him. 

It was he who was at fault for releasing that criminal soul from his grasp a moment too soon before Ezra was ready to send him off. That cursed soul deserved to rot in hell for what he did. Attacking a messenger, an angel at the final moment of judgement—heinous crimes indeed. For sure, he would ensure the man be tormented before being delivered to his final destination personally.

❝ The thing that pisses me off is that you think I’m okay with you getting hurt in my stead. ❞ The words were spoken as if he were ready to hurl the assailant from before into the depths of hell himself, low and threatening as if the man was still within a five foot radius to feel the rage emanating from his small form. His tone was easy to misunderstand—the anger may be assumed to be directed at his friend. It partially was, because Shea had fully intended on laughing off the attack whether or not he ended up feeling the so-called experience of ‘pain’. More importantly though, he most definitely wanted that man to apologize and grovel for his misdeed.

How dare he lay a hand on someone so good and precious!

❝ If I weren’t more batshit angry at the guy who attacked you... ❞ His heterochromatic gaze slowly drifted to land upon the angel’s bleeding injury. The sight of red trailing down the other’s arm was enough to set off his rage even more, the messenger’s vision slowly creeping into that state of ‘seeing red’. 

Ever so slowly, his eyes shifted to look into Ezra’s eyes, searching for an answer despite the rage that was slowly burning away his rational thought, ❝ why the hell did you jump out in front of me? Injuries don’t fucking matter to me. I’m not always corporeal—it would’ve phased right through me, you dumbass. ❞

To be completely honest, he wasn’t sure if that quality of his would have kicked in in that moment, but it was enough of a bluff to get past the concern his treasured friend was showing him. Why the hell was Ezra so keen on destroying himself to help lowly humans who deserved their death penalties? Why was he so fixated on helping people who did nothing for him in return? No real person was that selfless—but the man was an angel; of course he could embody such an ideal. 

If only he could protect that idiot from himself. Why was it so hard to do one simple thing?

[illusionsofdreaming]

would it be okay to request headcanons with the main trio from TCF who aren't in a relationship with the (fem) reader yet but they like each other, the guys get hurt or something and the reader is so scared of losing them or was so anxious that she ended up kissing them? You can edit a few parts if you'd prefer! thank you, i know you have a lot of requests but you're the only one who writes x reader for them-

Notes: It took forever+forever but I finally gave up trying to perfect it- y'all just going to have to deal with these half baked potatos as I sob in the corner for my lack of functioning writing braincells.

+ 'nonny I know you asked for Fem reader but I'm just so used to writing gender neutral nowadays I actually forgot to write Fem reader in. Uh. I mean it's gender neutral so it should work regardless?? I'msorrypleaseforgivemeforthisblunder

Ft: Cale, Alberu, Choi Han

Cale Henituse

He’s covered in blood.

Again.

He glanced down at his shirt, once white, now completely soaked and rapidly losing warmth. The icky feeling of sticky cloth stuck on skin caused goosebumps to break out all over his arms. The lethargy that weighed on him was hard to ignore, but expected after using his ancient powers-

“Cale!”

He turned just as the full force of you barrelled into him and he staggered, unbalanced and would’ve fallen had you not pulled him back. He barely had time to protest at your rough greeting when you began frantically patting him down as if scouring him for weapons.

“There’s so much- where are you hurt?” you demanded harshly, your tone pitched higher than normal. “Raon call for Saint Jack and the others, medics- anyone that can help!”

“Y-yes! I-I will! Weak hu-human you better not die or I will destroy the kingdom!”

“Wai-“ his protests were ignored as the dragon flew off, leaving Cale dumbfounded with his jaw hanging down in disbelief. “Wait you don’t have to find the others, I’m fi-“

“Cale Henituse, if I hear you say ‘I’m fine’ I’m going to sock you to kingdom fucking come.“ you seethed. His lips snapped shut obediently, swallowing the aforementioned phrase down as a foreboding chill crept down his spine.

But I am..?

“How could you..” your voice shook even as you clung onto his soaked shirt so tightly your knuckles turned white. “You’re always doing stupid things like this…”

Cale frowned, feeling a bit indignant. Sure his plans weren’t the most thought out at times, but to call them stupid…

“If you waited for us to come, then you wouldn’t have to- why do you keep sacrificing yourself like this?”

That triggered an alarm in his head. What strange things were you talking about? The act of sacrifice were done by martyrs and selfless heroes and Cale Henituse was neither of those. He wanted to correct your misunderstanding but you were worked up and hysterical and it was with horror that he realised you were crying.

“________-“

“Don’t talk! Please, just conserve your energy- I won’t let you die, I promised the kids and the others- I won’t let you-”

The alarm bells in his head rang even louder and he fought to be heard over your rambling, “_________- no one’s dying, I’m fine-” it felt as if his heart had leapt to his throat as he stopped your fist before it could make contact. You really weren’t joking when you said you’d punch him. He tightened his hold on your wrist when you tried to twist out of his grip and swallowed nervously. “I’m not hurt _________,“ he emphasised, willing you to meet his eyes.

“Stop bullshitting me Cale- how much of a fucking idiot do you take me for? How can anyone be fine after losing this much blood-“

“It’s not mine.”

You stilled in his grasp.

“…W-what?”

He frowned. Was it really that hard to believe his words? “The blood’s not mine.” he repeated and made sure to meet your disbelieving gaze head on so that you could verify the truth in his words. “They were cut down before they could harm me. None of this blood is mine. I was not hurt.“ It was a partial lie. He did cough out some blood after instinctively activating the shield for protection but he felt that that was knowledge you’d be better off not knowing.

The coiled tension in you leaked out and Cale slowly released his grip on your hand and took a cautious step back - just in case. It was a good thing he managed to deescalate the situation before the others arrived. Just convincing one person was hassle enough and from experience alone, he knew the others weren’t as merciful when it came to learning about his injuries, regardless of severity or his protests otherwise. Cale shuddered. He really didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Ron’s cold smile again. He glanced up and saw Raon’s flying figure and he waved lazily to the dragon hoping the young one would understand that the healers were no longer necessary, it had only been a false alarm.

“..ot.”

“Hm?” He looked down, hearing you mumble but didn’t quite catch what you’d said.

He was not prepared to be yanked forward and for your lips to mash against his. There was a brief sting where your teeth had caught on his lip and the uncomfortable sensation of having your teeth clack against each other, noses in the way. He froze, like a deer caught in headlights, thoughts reeling but before he could think of acting, to push or pull you in even closer-

You let him go just as abruptly and he staggered, breath stolen, mind in absolute disarray.

Then you slapped him. Which definitely cleared his thoughts. “You idiot!”

Stupefied, he watched as you stormed off, stuck in a daze as he cradled his face where his cheek and lips tingled for different reasons.

“…What..?”

Choi Han

Choi Han didn’t know what Cale saw in you back then, a complete stranger whom they saved by chance and nursed back to health with utmost care. You, who Cale insisted was the final key to their masterplan and then asked Choi Han to act as your escort.

There were many things Choi Han didn’t understand when it came to Cale-nim’s decisions. But that wasn’t so unusual and he’d never made it a habit to question Cale’s reasoning, having learned to be patient, knowing the pieces would eventually slot together in the grand picture. So although initially wary he was of your unclear history and affiliation, he stayed by your side and did his duty without question.

And perhaps after weeks of accompanying you, he’s beginning to see what Cale saw. Though powerless and weak, you were righteous and passionate, holding true to your belief even in the face of adversaries. You were the perfect replacement for the tyrannical ruler of the country, someone capable of salvaging the crumbling system of a neglected, abused society and lifting it to new heights and glory.

With the flames of revolution ignited, everything hinged on getting you safely to Cale on the final stage. While the revolutionaries fought and acted as distractions above ground, he escorted you through the abandoned waterways.

The undergrounds were dark and cramped, incredibly disadvantageous to a swordsman such as himself. When assassins leaped out in an ambush; Choi Han didn’t hesitate. Without time nor space to draw his sword, he pushed you behind him and raised his arm to block the strike.

As the momentum of the assassin’s blade stopped, it became simple matter to quickly disarm and finish them. Having checked and affirmed that there’s no forthcoming attacks, he urged you to hurry, now worried as they weren’t expected to be discovered so soon.

Something must’ve happened, we should hurry to Cale-nim’s side-

He was halted with a firm grip on his other hand and was pulled back as he was met with your stern, unwavering gaze and declaration that you will not move another step from this spot until his arm got treated first.

Which was a ridiculous request considering they were running on a tight schedule. He frowned and his fingers flexed against the hilt of his sword as you pulled him to the side.

When none of his objections were being heard, he tried reasoning with you. The wound may look horrible, but he’d assured you he’d angled his arm just so that the blade would’ve caught on his bone rather than tendons. It was a strategic move that not only blocked momentum but also kept damage to his non-dominant arm at the minimum. He would not have bled to death nor would he be crippled from it, something that barely needed the emergency care you insisted on.

“It’s not necessary, we need to get to the tower room first.”

“The room is not moving anywhere, I’d rather not risk having you develop an infection because you neglected to care for your wound.“

He flinched when alcohol was poured on the cut and Choi Han breathed out slowly, his frustration mounting as precious seconds passed. Something in his chest stirred uncomfortably. He’s not accustomed to having others care for his wounds, having spent so many years caring for them himself whilst hiding his weaknesses from monsters in the Forest of Darkness.

“I will attend to it after I’ve brought you to Master Cale’s side, we must-“

Your eyes flashed with anger as your grip tightened painfully around his arm. “So many things have been lost to reach this stage, I’d rather not lose more on the way there.”

“Cale-“

Perhaps you’ve had enough as well as the next thing he knew, your fingers dug into his arm and he found himself yanked forward and you pressing a hard, determined kiss that stole whatever he was going to say from his lips.

“Cale Henituse,” you said sternly when you parted and picked up a roll of bandages, “can afford to wait a bit longer.” you glared at him as if daring him to argue otherwise.

Not that it was necessary, considering he’d doubt he’d have the coherency to answer anything with the way all the blood in his body was rushing to his face.

Alberu Crossman

He didn’t feel anything upon the moment of impact. Only the shocking cold of metal being slid into his side and the vicious gaze of the perpetrator pressed up to his front.

The pain ripped through a moment later and he gritted his teeth, red spilling down his lips. It hurts.

Activity bursted around him, screams of fear echoed through the ballroom as guards rushed to his side. However one voice in particular caught his attention and he looked up to catch your horrified expression, lips parted in a desperate cry.

His forehead furrowed as a strange sense of guilt washed over him- he didn’t want you to see this- but he didn’t have time to explore the feeling as his hand latched firmly on the hand which still held the weapon in his side, preventing their escape.

His smile was red, “Caught you now, rat.”

═════☩══♛══☩═════

He tousled his hair dry with a towel as he read through the reports in his hand.

Alberu was exhausted, the fight to rid his side of his enemies’ spies had always been an ongoing and tedious project. His enemies were cunning and always played things safe however their impatience this time would cost them. Now that one of their own has fallen into his hands, they can start pulling in the net.

A knock sounded on his door and he didn’t bother looking up from his reports as he gave permission. “Come in.”

“Did you manage to find any new information from them?” he asked immediately as the door opened. Anything gleaned from the assassin would be beneficial to his cause. Not that he truly expected any confessions to be given this night. Any hired killer worth their salt would know not to betray the mastermind behind a hit. But there were more than one way to find credible information aside from words torn directly from the lips of a captive.

When no answer came, he looked up and immediately dropped the papers he was reading.

“___________…”

In the aftermath of the attack and the capture of the assassin he’d been immediately escorted to the healers for first aid. With the bare minimum done he’d left quickly to take control of the situation, calming the aristocrats and giving orders to assign all guests to be escorted to a room in the palace to rest from the unexpected development - the smarter ones would know this was just a way to keep all suspects in one place, stalling for time so that his trusted aides may work to narrow down the most likely suspects. He had been meaning to find you and explain once everything settled but this time you took matters into your own hands.

Your eyes glanced at the documents he dropped. “Am I disturbing your work?”

“No,” he replied instantly, fighting back the urge to shuffle the papers behind him. “No, you’re not.”

The room lapsed into silence once more as neither of you seemed keen to address the elephant in the room.

“About tonight…” he started slowly, “they had to believe I had my guards lowered.”

The truth was, though he believed you would not have been behind the attack, you had to be tested all the same. Should it be known you’ve been partial to this plan, it would’ve given the real culprits leverage to use.

You approached him and he wished you would say something. He noted the redness in your eyes and felt a stab of guilt lodge in his chest. “It had to be believable.”

You didn’t meet his eyes and your hand hovered over where his wound had been.

He lifted the edge of his shirt up to reveal the pink scar tissue underneath. It was ugly and badly healed due to the rush he had been in. “I wasn’t in any real danger.” he said softly, staying still and resisting the urge to shiver when your fingers traced the scar.

“You’re picking up bad habits from Cale.” You said so softly he would’ve missed it had he not been paying attention.

“The padded shirt under prevented the blade from going too deep.” he explained, hoping you’d understand that he hadn’t been reckless. Everything had been planned carefully. He slowly tucked his shirt back in as you withdrew your hand, already missing the warmth you brought to his skin just moments ago.

“__________…”

You leaned in and placed a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Don’t do that again.” you whispered against his cheek.

He could only watch in astonishment as you turned away and exited his room.

“..Okay..” he said hoarsely to the empty room.

[cittsah]

I adore your accidental human acquisition fic!

Also, how would the others react to ‘cuteness aggression’? Like, Izuku finds a small domestic animal and goes aww I just want to squish you ☺️ ☺️

They wouldn’t be entirely sure if he was serious or not in the beginning XD. On the one hand Izuku is very gentle and kind with them. On the other hand they’ve personally seen that humans can be incredibly aggressive. What if he actually had the urge to hurt something his instincts found cute? They’d be plagued with intrusive thoughts of “what if humans weed out cute things because they perceive it as a sign of weakness and that’s how they keep their gene pool so tenacious and aggressive?”

It’d be one of those. “Probably not… but dear galaxies above what if” scenarios becuase humans can be pretty twisted sometimes and not even realize it.

Aiizwa, while trusting of Izuku’s good intentions and generally sweet demeanor, would probably be paranoid about him having alone time around Eri for a little bit. If only out of concern of the human having some latent cute hunting instinct. Then he’d watch Izuku spectacularly risk his life to protect something adorable (again) and be like “oh yeah wait he’s a selfless idiot with no impulse control”. Turns out the cute hunting instinct isn’t so much to hurt cute things as it is to find them and shower them with love and affection.

[sky-berrie]

How do you think the batboys (+ possibly Bruce) would react to a male SO having an inappropriate emotional response. Specifically laughing as a reaction to pain/extreme emotions. Not being able to control it and seeming hysterical. - ⛓

Hi there!

Thanks so much for the ask! I hope you enjoy this 😊

-Sky

Bruce

When you and Bruce first start appearing in public as an official couple, Bruce’s public relations (PR) manager will probably voice their concerns about your relationship. His PR manager might feel that you are not good for his public image. “If Y/N has a fit of laughter at the gala, you’ll be the laughingstock,” argues the PR manager. Bruce will fire them on the spot. It’ll probably blow up into a big scandal in the tabloids.

If you happen to read the stories, it probably plants a seed of doubt in your mind. You might start to feel like you don’t deserve to be with Bruce. However, don’t bother trying to be noble and break up with him to preserve his public image. He won’t let you go unless you truly don’t want to be with him.

Bruce doesn’t like it when you use self-deprecating humor. If you say something like, “Your PR manager isn’t going to be happy with me. You’ll probably have to give them a raise for all the damage control they’re going to have to do,” Bruce will immediately shut that down. He refuses to let you talk about yourself as if you’re a burden, even if you are half-joking. He reminds you that, “laughing isn’t something you can control and that’s okay.”

If you’re nervous about attending an event, Bruce helps you prepare by scoping out the building and figuring out where to stand and mingle so that you always have a quick escape if you start to feel overwhelmed or need to take a break.

If people are gossiping about you, Bruce will confront them. He doesn’t use threats. He’s composed and professional when he insinuates that they’re insolent ignoramuses for being judgmental. That usually leaves them feeling embarrassed and Bruce is satisfied with that.

Dick

Dick is a former entertainer so he enjoys making people smile and laugh. He doesn’t see your uncontrollable laughter as a negative trait. If you need some cheering up, Dick will tell you how much he adores your laugh and how lucky he is to hear it. Of course, he understands how uncontrollable laughter might cause you distress, so during those times, he will likely hold you and tell you that everything is going to be okay.

Dick won’t force you to go out in public if you’re anxious about having an uncontrollable reaction in a social setting, but he will strongly encourage you to try. He doesn’t want you to miss out on life and he also just really loves your company. Some days are good and you challenge yourself to get out in public while other days are harder and you don’t feel up to doing anything outside. Dick will let you know that it’s okay to take the day off. If you’re skipping an event (e.g., graduation, a concert, a party), Dick will do his best to bring the event to you. He’ll decorate your home appropriately for the festivity and make sure you have a great time.

If an episode of laughter occurs in public, Dick will find you a safe and comfortable place to calm down. If people are sincerely concerned for you, Dick will politely explain if you are comfortable with him telling people. If people are being obnoxious to you, Dick will tell them to mind their own business. If you are getting harassed, Dick will pull out his badge and become Officer Grayson. He’ll give the douchebags a warning and will make arrests if necessary.

Jason

When Jason witnesses your laughing fit for the first time, he’s genuinely worried about you. He doesn’t know what to do and feels useless. He’s not sure if you want physical contact or space so he just hovers around, waiting for a hint. If you want comfort, he will hold you in his arms and rub soothing circles on your back. If you want alone time, Jason will busy himself by making you your favorite snack so you have something to eat when you’re feeling better.

Jason absolutely hates when you feel ashamed of your emotional reactions. If you put yourself down and say, “I laugh like the f*cking Joker! I’m as screwed up and damaged as him!” he will immediately tell you otherwise. “You are nothing like the Joker. You’re kind and compassionate and selfless. Living with inappropriate affect doesn’t change any of that. And I don’t want to hear you say you’re damaged ever again. There’s nothing wrong with you. Got it?” he says sternly.

If someone else dares to compare you to the Joker, Jason will go berserk. Even if he doesn’t intend to seriously hurt the person, he will by accident because his strength multiplies by tenfold when he’s beyond furious. Sometimes Red Hood’s foes will mock you because it never fails to get a rise out of Jason. Anyone who knows Jason’s story knows that the depraved clown is still a major sore spot for him. Having been mercilessly beaten and murdered by the supervillain and being forever haunted by his maniacal laughter, Jason’s hatred for the Joker is probably justified. Jason refuses to let others disrespect you like that.

Tim

If you are distressed by your inappropriate emotional reactions, Tim will do everything he can to help you manage them. He will suggest therapy and doctor’s appointments and will offer to take you there. He will even ask to attend a meeting with you so he can learn how to best support you. If your therapist recommends using an emotion chart to practice labelling your emotions, Tim will constantly remind to use it throughout the day. He’ll even print out the chart and hang it on the fridge so you have the option to share your feelings with him if you are comfortable. If your doctor prescribes medication, Tim will make sure you take it properly (e.g., at the right time, with/without food).

If you are feeling down about yourself, Tim will use logic to try to convince you that you shouldn’t be ashamed because it’s not something you can control. “Would you tell a person with allergies to be ashamed of themselves? No, that would be ridiculous because they have no control over it.”

Tim, like the rest of his family, is treated like a celebrity in Gotham. Naturally, the public is interested in his dating life which means you are also a target of the paparazzi. If you are worried about experiencing a laughing attack in public and having it captured on camera, Tim will get you “anti-paparazzi” clothing. It’s made out of a reflective material which causes the flash from the camera to reflect back and completely ruin the photo. It’s common for celebrities to wear an anti-paparazzi jacket, but Tim will get you all sorts of custom-made clothing pieces so that you can still be stylish. For example, if you are attending a gala, he will have some fancy clothes designed for you.

Damian

If kids at school are cruel to you, Damian will stick by your side and act like a personal bodyguard. He’s witty and often has a snappy comeback for the taunts and teases that you endure. You might be hysterically laughing and a passerby shouts at you, “You sound like a donkey!” and Damian will retort, “Your native language, I presume?” He won’t engage in physical fights unless it’s necessary for your safety. For example, he will intervene if someone is shoving you around or stuffing you in a locker, but only using enough force to stop their harassment.

Damian is overprotective which can make things worse for you. He’s always fighting your battles and that’s just one more reason for bullies to pick on you. They prey on you when you’re alone, “Hey chuckles, you going to man/woman up and fight me like a big boy/girl today? Or should I wait for your nanny to show up?” If you mention this to Damian, his first impulse is to confront the bully about their behavior. You have to remind him that would only prove the bully right. Damian will grumble something about injustice but will leave the situation be as per your request. He makes an effort to respect your independence and let you stick up for yourself, but he often slips up because it’s his instinct to protect you.

If you must leave class because of an episode of uncontrollable laughter, Damian will accompany you. The teacher might tell him to sit back down because he doesn’t have a hall pass, but he doesn’t care. He will walk out of the room without a second thought. He’ll stay with you and help you calm down in any way that he can. He’ll also offer to work on the homework with you so that you don’t fall behind.