#because — despite their differences — they are fundamentally the same deep down

[secretly-a-catamount]

Serafina and Braeden Vanderbilt.

His love softened her, connected her to her humanity in the way she had never been before, drew her from her world of night and blood and moonlight into his world of elegance and sunlight and warmth. He taught her to trust, taught her that not everyone was an enemy.

Her loved sharpened him, connected him to his darker side in a way he had never been before, drew him from his world of elegance and sunlight and warmth into her world of night and blood and moonlight. She taught him not trust blindly, taught him that not everyone who said they were his friend were.

[dedef7890]

Satoru Gojo ( Husband) x Reader ( Wife )

- Angst ; Fluff and Angst….

Don't hesitate to leave comments to give me your opinions :) Comments motivate me to write more, and allow me to listen to your opinions and feelings to write things that please you :)

–––

To many, the logic behind your marriage to Satoru Gojo seemed completely absurd.

Stupid, senseless, pointless.

That’s what they thought, but it was so far from the truth. You and Gojo knew that.

Yes, it was irrational, but it was also necessary.

Sometimes, you didn’t need to understand everything perfectly; you just had to hold on to what worked, to what kept you both afloat. Maybe deep down, you were even more aware of it than he was, because despite his arrogance and detached demeanor, he didn’t always realize the depth of his own needs.

What an idiot.

This marriage wasn’t about romance or passion, and neither you nor Gojo were searching for that. It wasn’t a fairy tale with love declarations under the stars or impulsive outbursts of passion. No, it was far simpler than that, and yet so much more complicated.

Practical.

A win-win, as you both liked to say.

For Gojo, it was a form of stability, an anchor in a world where everything, including himself, could spiral into the infinite.

For you, it was the assurance of never being alone again. Each of you found what you needed, without pretense, without lies.

Gojo needed affection. It was almost laughable when you thought about it. Him, the man who seemed to have it all, the sorcerer no one could touch, the strongest of his generation. The strongest.

The strongest.

But you knew better than anyone. He needed to feel a connection, to have someone by his side who didn’t just see the legendary figure of the Gojo clan, but the man behind the blindfold. The man who hid so much, concealed behind his mocking smiles and nonchalant gestures.

Of course, he would never admit it. His pride was too immense, his ego too deeply ingrained for him to confess that he needed you.

But the facts were there.

And they would always be there.

As for you, it was simpler. You didn’t want to be alone anymore.

In a world as brutal and unpredictable as that of sorcerers, loneliness was an enemy as deadly as the curses themselves. The nights could be long and cold, and even surrounded by other sorcerers, colleagues, or friends, you could still feel an unfillable void.

Gojo filled that void, even if he wasn’t the most tender or attentive husband.

Your relationship was… different. But it worked.

You understood each other, each instinctively knowing how far the other could go. You were compatible, not in the romantic sense that so many people desperately sought, but in a much more fundamental way.

You were sorcerers.

Both of you knew death, horror, and the brutality of the world you lived in. You had seen comrades fall, innocent people devoured by curses invisible to the eyes of civilians. You knew that happiness, or at least the fantasy version of it, wasn’t necessarily for you. But what you had built together—this stability, this mutual respect—was enough.

However, love had no place in it. Love was a curse, not the kind you would fight, but a curse just as vicious.

Then there was something else. Gojo didn’t exhaust you, at least not in the way others did. He had this unique ability to walk that fine line between irritating and amusing. His presence was never overwhelming, even with his oversized ego. Unlike many, he didn’t smother you with unreasonable expectations or excessive emotional needs.

He gave you the space you needed, while still being there when necessary. And you did the same for him.

Behind his “strongest in the world” façade, he sometimes needed to be brought back to reality, and you were there for that.

You had your routines, almost mundane. He teased you constantly, always trying to get a reaction from you, whether with a sarcastic comment or an exaggeratedly affectionate gesture. He called you “Diva” when he wanted to annoy you, but within that nickname, there was a form of tenderness he didn’t know how to express any other way. And you played along, responding to his provocations with your own humor, always aware of the fragile balance you maintained.

Sometimes, you were more like old friends than a couple. In fact, you were friends, but now that you were married, you resembled an old couple more than a young one.

You understood each other without the need for words.

There were moments when you could spend hours together in silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence.

And then there were times when the teasing became more direct, more physical. Gojo wasn’t a shy man. He knew what he wanted, and he never had a problem letting you know, one way or another.

The moments when he touched you, when he held you, were rare, but those were the times when you often cried. Every time. Mostly because you were unhappy. Or tired. Or because you were in pain.

He grew cold every time you cried.

Every time.

Some said you were made for each other, while others claimed you were completely mismatched. But deep down, you had never needed the approval of others.

You lived in your own bubble, isolated from external judgments, and that suited you perfectly.

Satoru Gojo wasn’t an easy man to love, but you had never sought ease. You had chosen this man because you knew he would understand you, that he would be there, even if he never said so.

In the end, your marriage made sense. It might have been incomprehensible to others, but it was logical to you.

Gojo had never needed a woman to idolize him, and you had never needed a man to shower you with grand declarations of love.

On the days when he returned from particularly grueling missions, his shoulders heavy, his piercing blue eyes hidden behind his black blindfold, he didn’t need to speak for you to understand. You knew when silence was necessary, when you just needed to be there. On those nights, you didn’t say anything. He would drop beside you in bed, muscles tense, his mind probably consumed by everything. By everything but you.

In quieter moments, when you found yourselves sharing a meal in silence, or sitting side by side after a long day, you didn’t necessarily talk about important things. The mundane conversations often took over, and that was just fine. “You should’ve seen Yuji and Nobara’s faces; both of them totally wanted to kill me,” Gojo would sometimes say with a mischievous smile. And you would chuckle softly, savoring those moments.

You complemented each other, not in a romanticized, idealistic sense. Gojo provided a form of protection, not because you needed it as a sorcerer, but because he gave you a sense of comfort and security you couldn’t find elsewhere. And you offered him stability.

A long-lasting, durable stability.

The nights when he would wake up in a cold sweat, his body tense from nightmares he never shared, you would be there to place a reassuring hand on his back, cuddle him without a word, or tell him to go back to sleep as you let him snuggle against your chest.

He didn’t need to explain.

And you didn’t need to ask.

To some, it might have seemed emotionless.

But for you, it was the perfect balance.

––– BONUS –––

Silence filled the room, broken only by the soft rustle of sheets as you turned, sinking deeper into the mattress. The atmosphere of the bedroom, bathed in the gentle glow of dimmed lamps, breathed a tranquility that only fatigue could bring after a long day of exorcism. Gojo had just emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp, a few droplets of water hitting the wooden floor as he dressed as casually as possible, wearing only sweatpants and a loose top.

“Hey, did you wash before diving into bed?” The question slipped naturally from your lips as you stared at the ceiling, your thoughts lazily drifting. You knew he had, but it had become a kind of ritual between you two, and besides, you were particular about cleanliness, hating the idea of anyone entering the bed with the dirt of the day or wearing outside clothes.

Gojo stopped at the foot of the bed, a mischievous pout on his face. “No, Diva, I just spent half an hour under hot water without washing, just to annoy you.” He rolled his eyes before collapsing onto the bed beside you, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

With a satisfied sigh, his muscles finally relaxed. He turned his head toward you.

“We haven’t done it in a while, have we?” he said, his voice slightly husky from the warmth of the shower. He turned to you, his face buried in the pillow, strands of damp hair sticking to his skin.

His tone was detached, almost indifferent, but you knew this man better than anyone. Satoru Gojo had this strange way of addressing the most intimate subjects with a disarming nonchalance.

You sighed, turning your gaze toward the window. “I’m on my period,” you lied, your tone flat, almost apologetic. You knew it wasn’t true, but the thought of giving in tonight seemed exhausting, and besides, you had a lot to do tomorrow morning. The idea of stumbling around or being sore all morning wasn’t appealing. You loved Gojo, even if it wasn’t passionate love, but not tonight.

He mumbled something, buried under the sheets, a barely audible complaint. “You’re a terrible liar, you know,” he muttered, but without pushing further. Gojo knew when to push and when to let go, one of his rare relational skills, considering his overblown ego. “We can still cuddle, can’t we?” he finally asked, a hint of poutiness in his voice.

Cuddle. The word seemed so out of place coming from him. This man, who could manipulate the very space between objects, who could annihilate enemies with a single look, and yet, here, in this bedroom, he was asking… for cuddles. He puffed his cheeks, almost childlike, waiting for your answer.

Your heart tightened for a moment, a mix of tenderness and resignation. It was always like this with Gojo. He never directly asked for what he really needed. He wasn’t just this giant of power and arrogance, but sometimes, like tonight, he was just a man…

“Alright, come here, idiot.” You reached out an arm to pull him toward you, and he let you, like a big kid, nestling his head against your chest, his massive body pressing against yours. Silence resumed its reign, interrupted only by Gojo’s breathing, which gradually calmed.

“You know,” he murmured after a long while, his voice soft and almost asleep, “I hate it when you fake having your period. You’re a bad liar.” He couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, even though his eyes were already half-closed.

A small, involuntary smile tugged at your lips. “I’m sorry for not being as good as you at hiding things.”

His laugh slowly faded, and you felt his arms tighten around you a bit more. There was something comforting in that simple gesture.

You felt the warmth of his body, the heaviness of his breaths deepening as he slowly began to drift into sleep. “Hmm… Thanks,” he whispered faintly, barely audible, but you knew it was sincere, and only then did you feel Gojo’s arms also wrap around your waist.

You closed your eyes, letting yourself slowly drift into sleep.

Why was it so hard to breathe? Why did your heart ache so much?

Love. It’s a vicious curse.

[mononijikayu]

tears are getting sober – gojo satoru

With a heavy heart, Gojo Satoru began to speak, his words a balm for the wounds that still lingered within him. He told you about his life over the past decade, the trials and tribulations he had faced, and the moments of joy that had flickered amidst the darkness. He talks as though you were still here. As though you were still alive. He teases one moment and he laughs about a memory the next. You were never dead to him. Not for one second in these past ten years did he get used to talking about you in the past tense. He thinks his brain can’t ever process the thought. He could never understand it. And he has come to accept it, after all this time. Nothing about it would ever come to be the past. You will always be his present. You will always be his future. He did not doubt that one second.

GENRE: Hidden Inventory Arc - JJK 0, 2006/2007 - 2017;

WARNING/s: Angst, One Sided Romance, Pining, Grief, Mourning, Death, Depiction of Trauma, Depiction of Death, Depiction of Grief, Depiction of Blood, Depiction of Corpses, Depiction of Injury, Reminiscing;

masterlist

listen: tears are getting sober by victoria

note: i've been thinking about this for the past few days and i wrote this while on my online law class. this is the satoru pov of ghost of you!!! enjoy it!!! i hope you have a good day, i love you all!!!

HE THINKS LOVING SOMEONE IS A TOUGH JOB. As Satoru approached his twenty-eighth year, with the threshold of twenty-nine looming ever closer, he found himself grappling with the complexities of love and human connection. It wasn't that he didn't love others—of course he did. He was a human being, after all, with the same innate desires and needs as anyone else. Love was not just a luxury for him; it was a necessity, an essential part of his existence.

Yet, despite this fundamental longing for love and connection, Satoru couldn't shake the feeling of distance that seemed to separate him from those around him. Even in the company of close friends like Shoko and Yaga-sensei, he couldn't escape the sense of being an outsider, a solitary figure navigating a world that had grown increasingly unfamiliar.

He remembered a time when things had been different, when he had felt more human, more connected to those around him. There had been moments of genuine intimacy and camaraderie, moments when he had been able to express himself freely and without reservation. But as the years passed and the weight of responsibility bore down upon him, those moments grew fewer and farther between, slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

Now, on the cusp of another year, Satoru couldn't help but wonder if he would ever find his way back to that sense of connection, that feeling of being truly human. It was a longing that gnawed at him, a yearning for something he feared he might never recapture. And yet, deep down, he held onto the hope that someday, somehow, he would once again find himself among those who understood him, who accepted him for who he truly was.

Because during that time, he had a choice.

Because at the time, he can see Suguru smile.

Because at the time, you were still smiling alive.

There was never a moment when Satoru didn't love you. It was an all-encompassing feeling that seemed to permeate every facet of his being, impossible to ignore or suppress. Even if he had tried, he knew deep down that his love for you would persist, unwavering and unyielding. It was the kind of love that consumed him entirely, the kind that defied reason and logic.

As he reflected on his feelings, Satoru couldn't help but marvel at the power of young love. It was a force unlike any other, capable of transforming even the most mundane moments into something extraordinary. Even now, as he stood on the precipice of adulthood, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to you, the center of his universe.

He vividly remembered the day he first laid eyes on you, a moment etched into his memory with startling clarity. It was a day like any other, until it wasn't. Everything changed the instant you walked into his life, your presence casting a vibrant spectrum of colors upon his once monochrome world.

The sight of you, adorned in your dark blue uniform with that bright yellow hoodie, was like a revelation to him. Suddenly, the world seemed to burst into bloom, vibrant and full of life. The delicate petals of chrysanthemums mirrored the rosy hue of your cheeks, while the golden rays of the sun felt warmer when filtered through your radiant smile.

In that moment, the confines of his existence melted away, replaced by a sense of boundless possibility and wonder. The four corners of the room no longer felt suffocating; instead, they expanded to accommodate the enormity of his newfound emotions.

From that day forward, you became his guiding light, his source of inspiration and joy. Every smile, every wave, every word exchanged between you was a testament to the profound connection you both shared. And as Satoru gazed upon you, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the color you had brought into his life, forever altering the course of his destiny.

The mission briefing room was abuzz with excitement as Satoru, Suguru, Shoko, and you gathered around the table, eagerly awaiting your first assignment as a team. Yaga-sensei had to work hard to stop the gossiping from all of you. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation, each of you eager to prove yourselves in the field. Much so, he and Suguru—who realized that they were polar opposites of the other, began to think of each other as the only rivals worth having. Satoru thinks he can one up the guy with the bangs. He could do it properly too.

As the mission details were laid out before you, Satoru couldn't help but steal glances in your direction, his heart racing with a mixture of nerves and excitement. You and Shoko were conversing about how best to provide support and defense while Suguru busied himself with asking Yaga–sensei about the best ways to conduct offense campaigns.

He had been looking forward to this moment ever since he had learned that you would be joining their team, and now that it was finally here, he found himself feeling more determined than ever to make a good impression.

With the mission parameters set, the four of you set out into the night, the cool breeze of autumn stirring the leaves as you made your way through the city streets. The mission itself went off without a hitch, each of you working together seamlessly to accomplish your objectives.

You and Suguru both gained new cursed creatures, which made you quite happy. You like having good friends in these creatures, you said. Somehow it reminded you of Pokemon. He didn’t say anything, he liked Digimon too. But he supposed, if you ask him one day—he’d watch Pokemon for you.

As you made your way back to Jujutsu High, all of you were too exhausted to come discuss any dinner plans. Shoko suggested you guys stop by a convenient store. This is the one of few times Satoru’s ever been to a convenient store.

Before, he had been far more confused than anything else, no one would expect the head of the Gojo Clan to know about the outer world beyond what he’s been told. But now that he has experienced it, he found his way around it. It felt like a comfort, he supposed, that he’s able to do this at all. 

Satoru found himself beside you, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Shoko was by the counter, pushing a fake ID with a grin on her face. Suguru was just behind her, his face unimpressed about her rule breaking in order to buy some cigarettes. 

"Hey," Satoru said, his voice soft as he fell into step beside you. "Great job back there. You really held your own out there."

You returned his smile, feeling a sense of pride swell within you at his words. "Thanks, Gojo–kun," you replied, your voice warm with gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

Satoru's heart skipped a beat at your words, a rush of warmth flooding through him at the sight of your smile. “You know you don’t have to call me so formally. Aren’t we friends?”

You look up to him again, away from the sandwich section. You blink at him. “Hm?”

“You call Geto and Ieiri by their first names.” 

“And?”

“Why not me?” 

You blink again, and then you laugh at him. He could feel more warmth emit through his body. Your laughter was such a beautiful sound. Far more gorgeous than the temple bells he heard in all his life. You were so beautiful. 

“You could just ask me, you know.” You replied to him, smiling at him. “If that’s what you like, Gojo–kun–”

“Satoru,”

“Satoru–kun,” You corrected yourself, eyeing his happy gaze. “Then you should call me by my name too, you know?”

His lips slowly quivered into a smile, his dark peering shades lowering to reveal his eyes. “You have yourself a deal!”

As you browse the aisles together, you both share your opinions about different types of food. You liked a lot of savory dishes, Satoru loved really sweet things — which you had in common, in a sense. But well, you preferred dark chocolate to his sweet milk choco. You liked matcha and coffee more than you liked choco and strawberry milk.

But you both expressed a good love for mochi ice cream. You told Satoru that you’ve had it since you were a kid and you’ve never looked back since. Satoru’s continually eaten it since he discovered it a couple of months ago.  

You got everything you wanted by then, Satoru insisting he should pay for your basket even though you were arguing with him that you had enough money to cover your expenses. But that had become a bad idea because then Shoko had goaded him with ‘What about us, Satoru?’ followed by Suguru’s lips quivering in a Cheshire grin in the back. Satoru did not care. He thinks he could pay for all your meals for the rest of his life and he would be happy — because you pouted at him that way. And it was adorable.

Satoru couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous excitement building within him. As you all walked towards the train station, he started reaching for his own plastic bag as he kept up to your pace. He reached out to grab a box, offering it to you with a small smile. You looked at him as you both stopped for a moment, Shoko and Suguru lost in their conversation as they walked in front of you both.

"I thought you might like these," He said, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. “I didn’t know which brand you liked best. But this is my favorite. Consider it a reward for a job well done."

Your orbs shone like stars. “You didn’t have to, Satoru–kun.”

“I bought this for you.”  He tells her, tenderly. “You can enjoy it.”

You accepted the box slowly with a grateful smile, your eyes meeting him as you thanked him. In that moment, Satoru felt his heart swell with affection, the warmth of your smile sending a rush of happiness coursing through him. You opened the box and looked at him and grinned. You pull out one mochi container and give it to him. It was his turn to blink.

“It’s not fun to eat it alone.” You grinned wider, taking one and putting the box inside your plastic bag. You remove it from the container and start munching into the mochi. You looked at him encouragingly. “Go on, Satoru–kun!”

As the two of you made your way back to Jujutsu High, the taste of victory and the sweetness of mochi ice cream lingering on your lips, Satoru couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for the future. And as he stole glances in your direction, he knew that this was only the beginning of something truly special.

Satoru sat alone in his room, a single mochi resting delicately between his fingers as he stared off into the distance. The room was quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves outside his window and the rhythmic ticking of the clock on his desk. But in the silence, his thoughts were consumed by one thing and one thing only—you.

As he brought the mochi to his lips, his mind wandered to memories of you, your laughter echoing in his ears like a sweet melody. He remembered the way your eyes would light up with joy whenever you indulged in your favorite treat, the happiness radiating from you like a beacon of light in his life.

But now, as he savored the familiar taste of the mochi, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. The once sweet flavor seemed to have lost its luster, the simple pleasure of indulging in his favorite snack now tinged with a bitter aftertaste.

With a sigh, Satoru set the mochi aside, his appetite suddenly vanished as he found himself consumed by thoughts of you. He missed the warmth of your smile, the sound of your laughter, the way you would brighten up his darkest days with just a simple gesture or word.

Closing his eyes, Satoru allowed himself to bask in the memories of your time together, his heart heavy with longing. He missed you more than words could express, and in that moment, he realized just how much he craved your presence in his life.

As the minutes ticked by, Satoru remained lost in thought, his mind drifting back to the memories of you. And as he sat alone in his room, the taste of the mochi still lingering on his lips, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness gnawing at his heart—a longing for the sweetness of your presence that he feared he may never taste again.

As Satoru reflected on the passage of time, he couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia for the days gone by. It had been a decade since you left, yet in his heart, it felt as though it were just yesterday. Time may have marched on, but for him, it would always be 2007—a year etched into his memory like a precious gem.

In his mind's eye, he could still see you as clearly as if you were standing before him, your laughter echoing in his ears and your smile lighting up his world. Despite the years that had passed, he knew that a part of him would always be with you, forever frozen in that moment in time.

And he wasn't alone in his longing. Suguru, too, harbored a deep affection for you, his heartache mirroring Satoru's own. They had both loved you fiercely, with a passion that transcended time and distance. And even now, a decade later, the memories of you still lingered, a bittersweet reminder of what once was and what could have been.

As Satoru gazed out at the world beyond, he couldn't help but wonder if you ever thought of them, if you ever longed for the warmth of their embrace as much as they longed for yours. In his heart, he knew that some bonds were unbreakable, woven together by the threads of love and longing that refused to be severed by the passage of time.

And so, as the years stretched out before him, Satoru held onto the memories of you, cherishing them like precious treasures. For in his heart, he knew that no matter where life took him, a part of him would always belong to you, just as a part of you would always belong to him.

And just as Suguru cursed you back to life,

You left and cursed Satoru back to life too.

He would never love anyone like he loved you.

He lived, just as Suguru does, to remember you.

Because that’s all he could ever truly do.

HE WAS SURE YOU WERE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE. As Satoru wrestled with his emotions, a tumultuous storm raged within him, tearing at the seams of his heart with every passing moment. He knew better than to say anything to you, for he believed that you deserved nothing but boundless happiness. Yet, a part of him couldn't help but wonder if you would ever find true happiness with him, knowing the burden of his past and the shadows that loomed over his future.

In his eyes, you were a free spirit, a radiant gem in a world filled with darkness and uncertainty. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing you trapped in the confines of his world, shackled by the political machinations of the clans and the dangers that lurked at every corner. Even if you were to reciprocate his feelings, he feared that you would be sacrificing too much of yourself in the process.

The specter of his father's untimely demise and his mother's constant struggles loomed large in Satoru's mind, a grim reminder of the dangers that surrounded him. He knew that he could protect you, that he was the strongest among them. But he couldn't shake the feeling that you deserved so much more—a life free from the shadows that haunted his own existence.

And so, Satoru resigned himself to loving you from afar, content to cherish you as a friend and companion. He found solace in the knowledge that he could still keep you in his life, even if it meant keeping his own feelings hidden deep within his heart. For him, your happiness was paramount, and if loving you from a distance was the price he had to pay, then so be it.

When you confided in him about your feelings for Suguru, Satoru felt no malice or jealousy in his heart. Instead, he embraced your words with a sense of understanding and acceptance, knowing that your happiness was all that truly mattered. And as he watched you walk away, his heart heavy with unspoken longing, he couldn't help but silently wish for your happiness, even if it meant sacrificing his own.

You four were sent on a mission again — not too much of a hassle, considering it was just a minor deity and no one was injured, which Shoko seemed pleased about. She and Suguru were getting the camp site’s benches ready, so you all could eat dinner together. It was rare to be in such places, so you all decided that this was an opportune moment to eat some of the extra packed meals you brought along.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the tranquil waters of the lake as you and Satoru sat together on the grassy bank, the gentle breeze ruffling your hair. It was a peaceful afternoon, the perfect setting for a heart-to-heart conversation.

As you gazed out at the shimmering water, a sense of nervousness fluttered in your chest, your thoughts consumed by the confession you had been holding onto for so long. Taking a deep breath, you turned to Satoru, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Satoru, there's something I need to tell you," you began, your voice hesitant as you searched for the right words. "I... I think I've fallen in love with Suguru."

Satoru's expression softened at your words, his eyes reflecting a mixture of surprise and understanding. He had suspected as much, yet hearing you say it out loud still came as a shock. But despite the pang of heartache that echoed in his chest, he knew that your happiness was paramount.

"Really?" Satoru replied, his voice gentle as he reached out to place a comforting hand on your shoulder. "That's wonderful news, you know? Suguru is a great guy, and I can see why you've fallen for him."

Your heart swelled with gratitude at Satoru's supportive words, a sense of relief washing over you as you realized that you had made the right decision in confiding in him. His encouragement gave you the strength you needed to finally take the next step in your journey.

"Yeah, he really is," you replied, a smile spreading across your face as you felt a weight lift off your shoulders. "I've been thinking about telling him how I feel, and I think today might be the day."

Satoru nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with genuine warmth as he squeezed your shoulder gently. "You should go for it," he encouraged, his voice filled with sincerity. "Life's too short to hold back your feelings. And who knows? Maybe Suguru feels the same way about you."

With Satoru's words of encouragement ringing in your ears, you felt a renewed sense of determination wash over you. Taking a deep breath, you stood up from the grassy bank, ready to seize the moment and finally confess your feelings to Suguru.

"Thanks, Satoru," you said, turning to face him with a grateful smile. "I couldn't have done this without you."

As you walked away, the weight of your confession lingered in the air, casting a shadow over Satoru's heart. He watched you go with a bittersweet smile, his own feelings swirling beneath the surface like a tempestuous sea. Every step you took towards Suguru felt like a dagger through his heart, each moment a painful reminder of what could have been.

But despite the ache in his chest, Satoru knew that he had to push his own feelings aside for the sake of your happiness. He had always been there for you, offering unwavering support and encouragement whenever you needed it. And now, as you embarked on this new chapter of your life, he couldn't bear to let his own pain stand in the way.

So he plastered on a smile, masking the turmoil within as he watched you disappear from view. Deep down, he longed to hold you back, to tell you how he truly felt. But he knew that now wasn't the time—not when your heart was set on someone else.

Instead, Satoru forced himself to focus on the positives, finding solace in the knowledge that you were pursuing your own happiness. He reminded himself that he had played a part in helping you find the courage to confess your feelings to Suguru, and for that, he felt a sense of pride.

But as he turned away from the lake, the ache in his heart remained, a constant reminder of the love he had kept hidden for so long. And though he knew that he would always cherish the memories of your time together, he couldn't help but wonder what could have been if he had been brave enough to confess his own feelings to you.

‘No,’ He thought to himself as he took a deep breath. ‘It’s better this way. There’s no one I trust more than him. Suguru would be good. It’s better this way.’

As Satoru grappled with his inner turmoil, he often sought solace in the mantra that he had no regrets. Yet, as he reflected on the choices he had made, a nagging sense of remorse crept into his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling that he should have told you the truth, should have confessed his feelings before it was too late.

In hindsight, he couldn't help but wonder how things might have been different if he had been brave enough to lay bare his heart to you. Perhaps you would still be alive, by his side, sharing in the joys and sorrows of life together. But now, as he looked back on the past, he knew that dwelling on such thoughts was futile.

It was too late for "what ifs" and regrets now. The past was set in stone, immutable and unchangeable. All he could do was carry the weight of his unspoken feelings and forge ahead, determined to honor your memory in the best way he knew how.

And so, despite the ache in his heart and the burden of his silent regrets, Satoru resolved to live each day to the fullest, cherishing the memories of your time together and carrying your spirit with him wherever he went. For in the end, he knew that dwelling on the past would only serve to hold him back from embracing the future that lay ahead.

You were too far for him to reach and too far for him to love.

You were like that when you were alive and now even in death.

But he thinks he will never love anyone else as he had loved you.

In this life and in the next and the other one after that, it’s only you.

In that next life, he hopes that he could finally tell you everything. 

HE MEMORIZED EVERY MOMENT HE HAD WITH YOU. As Satoru's mind replayed the harrowing scene of finding you that fateful day, the vivid imagery seared into his memory with agonizing clarity. Your blood, a stark contrast against the dark cavern walls, painted a gruesome picture of the tragedy that had unfolded. It coated the steep stairs, pooling around your lifeless form, a haunting testament to the violence that had taken place.

As Satoru stood frozen amidst the horror of the scene before him, the weight of the moment bore down upon him like a suffocating blanket, threatening to crush him beneath its unbearable heaviness. The sight and smell of your blood, mingled with Riko's, assaulted his senses, leaving him reeling with a nauseating mixture of shock and despair. 

Your blood, brighter than any ruby stone he had ever seen, stained the ground beneath him, a vivid reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded in the depths of the cavern. It coated his shoes, a tangible testament to the violence that had torn through your lives with merciless force.

But amidst the horror, there was a poignant sense of sacrifice and bravery that lingered in the air. You clung to Riko with every last bit of strength and warmth you possessed, a selfless act of protection that spoke volumes of your innate goodness. Satoru had always known you to be a good person, perhaps too good for the cruel and unforgiving world of Jujutsu sorcery. He had feared for your safety, knowing that your tender heart could easily become a target in a world devoid of mercy.

The realization that you had died protecting another, that you had given your life to save someone else, sent a shiver down Satoru's spine. Died. Lived. The words echoed in his mind, their meaning lost in the unfathomable depths of grief and disbelief. They were both past tense, both irrevocably done, leaving him grappling with the unbearable finality of your loss.

In that moment, Satoru felt the overwhelming urge to scream, to lash out against the cruel injustice of it all. But as he stood frozen in place, his body trembling with suppressed emotion, he knew that there was nothing he could do to change what had happened. All he could do was bear witness to the devastating aftermath of your sacrifice, haunted by the knowledge that he had lost you forever.

For Satoru, who had always known himself to be the honored one, a god among men, the scene before him was a brutal awakening. Despite his divinity, he stood immobilized, his mind unable to process the enormity of the loss before him. You lay cold and lifeless, your once bright eyes now devoid of the light that had captivated him so.

As he knelt beside you, his heart heavy with grief, Satoru felt the weight of his own mortality pressing down upon him. In that moment, he shed the facade of godhood, allowing himself to embrace the raw humanity of his emotions. Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he mourned the loss of everything good in his life, stolen from him in the blink of an eye.

And as he grieved over your lifeless form, Satoru realized the bitter truth that even his godlike powers were powerless to bring you back from the brink of death. In that moment of profound sorrow, he was just a man, left to mourn the loss of the one he had loved so dearly, forever haunted by the knowledge that he could never bring you back to life.

As the days passed and the reality of your absence settled in, Satoru couldn't help but notice the profound impact your death had on Suguru. It was as if a darkness had descended upon his once bright and vibrant friend, twisting him into something unrecognizable. Satoru watched in horror as Suguru's grief morphed into madness, consuming him with a relentless fury that knew no bounds.

It was Suguru who had led the charge to burn the village to the ground, a devastating act of vengeance fueled by the pain of losing you. And as the flames engulfed the once peaceful streets, Satoru felt a sense of helplessness wash over him, knowing that there was nothing he could do to stop the chaos and destruction that Suguru had unleashed.

But perhaps the most haunting moment came when Suguru turned to him, eyes burning with a fierce intensity, and posed a question that would haunt Satoru for years to come. "Are you the strongest because you're Gojo Satoru?" Suguru's voice was like a whisper in the darkness, his words laden with a weight that Satoru could hardly bear. "Or are you Gojo Satoru because you're the strongest?"

It was a question that cut to the core of his identity, forcing Satoru to confront the very essence of who he was. And as he grappled with the weight of Suguru's words, a sense of panic began to claw its way up from the depths of his soul.

In the solitude of his bedroom, Satoru was overcome by a wave of overwhelming emotion, his chest tightening with each labored breath as tears streamed down his face. He cried out for you, his voice choked with anguish and longing, as he reached out for the comfort that could never be found.

In that moment of profound despair, Satoru realized just how deeply he had loved you, and how your absence had left a void in his heart that could never be filled. And as he lay there, trembling and broken, he knew that he would spend the rest of his days haunted by the memory of your loss, forever yearning for the one he could never have again.

The weight of his grief was like an anchor, dragging Satoru down into the depths of despair. With each passing day, the pain of your absence grew more unbearable, a constant reminder of all that he had lost. The thought of leaving to find you crossed his mind more than once, a desperate attempt to escape the suffocating grip of his sorrow. But every time he entertained the idea, he was met with the haunting memory of your eyes, filled with judgment, disapproval, and above all, hurt.

In those moments, Satoru realized that he could never bear to be the cause of your pain. The mere thought of seeing the disappointment in your gaze was enough to send a shiver down his spine, a stark reminder of the love and compassion that had always flowed between you. He couldn't bear to imagine you grieving for him, carrying the burden of his loss on your shoulders.

No, Satoru knew that he couldn't allow himself to wallow in self-pity and despair, not when your memory was still so fresh in his mind. He owed it to you to honor your legacy, to live his life in a way that would make you proud. Despite the overwhelming grief that threatened to consume him, he resolved to carry on, to strive for nothing less than your happiness.

For in the end, that was all that truly mattered to him—to see you smiling, to hear your laughter, to know that you were safe and content. And so, with renewed determination, Satoru vowed to carry your memory with him always, a guiding light in the darkness of his grief.

And so as those tears dried each and every day.

Your picture was tucked away in his inner pockets.

He thinks he had to live on, so that you could live on.

He thinks that he stays alive for you, no matter what.

SATORU THINKS HE REMEMBERS YOU LIKE THIS. On that rare day off, when the usual hustle and bustle of Jujutsu missions seemed to fade into the background, you and Satoru found yourselves with an unexpected opportunity to spend time together. With Suguru and Shoko occupied elsewhere and Haibara and Nanami tied up with their own commitments, it was just the two of you left to fend for yourselves.

As you pleaded with Satoru to accompany you on a day of exploration, he initially feigned reluctance, claiming he had other things to attend to. But your persistence wore down his defenses, and soon enough, he found himself agreeing to join you on your adventure.

Despite his protests, Satoru couldn't deny the excitement that bubbled within him at the prospect of spending the day with you. Your infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy were like magnets, drawing him irresistibly towards you.

Dressed in vibrant pastel hues that seemed to complement your radiant personality, you looked utterly captivating in Satoru's eyes. He couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat at the sight of you, a rush of warmth flooding his chest as he marveled at your beauty.

As you set out together, exploring the nooks and crannies of the world outside the confines of the Jujutsu world, Satoru found himself unable to tear his gaze away from you. Every laugh, every smile, every twinkle in your eye seemed to etch itself into his memory, imprinting itself upon his heart in indelible ink.

Despite the uncertainty and chaos that often defined their lives as Jujutsu sorcerers, in that moment, everything seemed perfect. It was just the two of them, lost in the magic of the day, reveling in each other's company and the simple joy of being alive. And as Satoru watched you, he couldn't help but feel a profound sense of gratitude for the precious moments they shared together, and the gift of your presence in his life.

As you and Satoru ventured deeper into the botanical garden, the serenity of the surroundings enveloped you like a comforting embrace. Each step you took seemed to lead you further away from the chaos of the world outside, immersing you in a tranquil oasis of greenery and blossoms.

The air was redolent with the delicate fragrance of flowers in full bloom, their perfumed scents mingling together to create a symphony of olfactory delight. Every inhalation fills your lungs with the sweet perfume of roses, lilies, and jasmine, transporting you to a realm of pure sensory bliss.

Sunlight filtered through the lush canopy overhead, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow upon the verdant foliage below. The gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze provided a soothing soundtrack to your leisurely stroll, accompanied by the occasional chirp of a distant bird or the soft hum of buzzing insects.

As you meandered along the winding paths, you couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty that surrounded you. Vibrant bursts of color greeted your eyes at every turn, as though nature itself were putting on a dazzling display just for you.

You reached out to touch the velvety petals of a blooming rose, marveling at the delicate intricacy of its design. Satoru watched you with a fond smile, his own eyes alight with appreciation for the natural splendor that surrounded you.

Together, you continued to explore the botanical garden, each moment filled with a sense of peace and tranquility that seemed to wash away the cares of the world. In this enchanted sanctuary, time seemed to stand still, allowing you to savor every precious moment spent in each other's company amidst the beauty of nature.

As you strolled hand in hand, Satoru couldn't help but notice the way your eyes lit up with wonder at the sight of each new flower you encountered. He found himself captivated by the joy reflected in your expression, a stark contrast to the darkness that often clouded his own thoughts.

At one point, you paused in front of a bed of sunflowers, your favorite flowers, and exclaimed in delight at their cheerful appearance. Satoru watched you with a fond smile, taking in the way the golden petals seemed to dance in the gentle breeze, illuminated by the warm rays of the sun.

"What is it about sunflowers that you love so much?" he asked, genuinely curious to hear your thoughts. He admired the way your face lit up as you spoke about the flowers, your passion and enthusiasm shining through with every word.

You turned to him, a soft smile playing on your lips as you explained, "Sunflowers always remind me of hope and resilience. No matter how dark things may seem, they always find a way to turn towards the sun, seeking out its warmth and light. I find that incredibly inspiring."

Satoru listened intently, his heart swelling with warmth at the sincerity of your words. In that moment, surrounded by the beauty of the botanical garden and the company of someone he cherished deeply, he couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over him.

As you continued your leisurely stroll through the garden, Satoru found himself feeling grateful for the simple moments of joy that you brought into his life. In your presence, he felt a glimmer of hope and optimism, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still beauty to be found in the world. And for that, he was truly grateful.

In those ten years, not a day had gone by without Gojo Satoru thinking of you, longing for the warmth of your smile and the gentle touch of your hand. Your absence weighed heavily on his soul, a constant reminder of the void that had been left behind when you departed from this world.

As he stood before your grave, surrounded by a sea of sunflowers swaying in the breeze, Satoru felt a wave of bittersweet nostalgia wash over him. The vibrant blooms seemed to echo the radiant spirit you had embodied in life, their golden petals a testament to the joy and beauty you had brought into his world.

With trembling fingers, Satoru traced the letters of your name etched into the stone, each stroke a silent prayer for your peace and happiness in the afterlife. Though he couldn't bring himself to admit it, a part of him still clung to the hope that somehow, someway, you were still out there, watching over him from afar.

But deep down, Satoru knew the truth. You were gone, forever beyond his reach, and no amount of longing or regret could change that fact. And so, with a heavy heart, he bowed his head in silent reverence, offering up a silent vow to honor your memory for as long as he lived.

In that moment, amidst the sunflowers and the gentle rustle of leaves, Gojo Satoru found solace in the quiet beauty of your final resting place. And as he stood there, lost in his memories. Memories that were dried and gone, leaves that had seen autumn over and over. Memories that had gotten him through the coldest whispers of winter and frostbite.

As Satoru knelt before your grave, he couldn't shake the haunting realization that your soul was bound to this earth, tethered to Suguru by an unbreakable bond of love and guilt. He had messaged Suguru, informing him of your final resting place near Gojo Manor, but he knew deep down that Suguru wouldn't visit you. Not out of lack of care, but out of overwhelming guilt and remorse for the role he played in your tragic demise.

Suguru had loved you too much to let you go, and in his desperation to protect you, he had unwittingly sealed your fate. Your body lay here, beneath the soft earth and sunflower blooms, but your soul was intertwined with Suguru's, trapped in a perpetual cycle of longing and regret. He liked to believe that you split your soul, that somehow you gave him a part of you. To feel that he would not truly be alone. But he knew better than that. He was deluding himself. Still, he did not care. He promised to take care of you. And he would. He’d always take care of you, as he had these past ten years. As he would all his life.

As Satoru gazed upon your grave, a sense of profound sadness washed over him, mingling with the guilt and remorse that weighed heavily on his own heart. He had failed to protect you, failed to keep you safe from harm, and now he was left to mourn your loss in silence. No one truly could love you like he and Suguru had. No one knows this pain other than his best friend. 

"Hey there," he began softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Ten years... feels like a lifetime."

With a heavy heart, Gojo Satoru began to speak, his words a balm for the wounds that still lingered within him. He told you about his life over the past decade, the trials and tribulations he had faced, and the moments of joy that had flickered amidst the darkness. He talks as though you were still here. As though you were still alive. He teases one moment and he laughs about a memory the next. You were never dead to him. Not for one second in these past ten years did he get used to talking about you in the past tense.

He thinks his brain can’t ever process the thought. He could never understand it. And he has come to accept it, after all this time. Nothing about it would ever come to be the past. You will always be his present. You will always be his future. He did not doubt that one second.

"I've been doing my best to honor your memory," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. "But it's never easy, you know? Sometimes, it feels like I'm just going through the motions, pretending that everything's okay when it's not."

As he spoke, Satoru's hand reached up to his silk bandages, lifting it away to reveal the vibrant blue eyes that had long been hidden from the world. You have loved his eyes at one point. You told him how they remind you of the blue sky in summer. Yet now that you were gone, he couldn't find it in his heart to let the world witness them again.

For a moment, he allowed himself to be vulnerable, to let his guard down and show you the depths of his pain. You were the one person, besides Suguru, that saw every facet of him. Perhaps you will always the the person left in this world, even when you weren't here anymore, that will see such side of him. You were the person he could only ever be so truthful to.

"I miss you," he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "Every day, in every way, I miss you. And I wish... I wish I could turn back time, change the course of fate, and bring you back to me. But I know that's not possible."

With a heavy sigh, Satoru replaced his blindfold, shielding his eyes once more from the world. But as he rose to his feet and prepared to leave, a sense of peace settled over him. Though you were gone, your memory would live on in his heart forever, a beacon of light in the darkness that threatened to consume him.

"Rest well, my dear," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of your headstone. "I'll always be here, watching over you. And I promise... I'll never forget you."

[catalinemorosetheblog]

Otto and Hua's pseudo-friendship is fascinating to me because they are two very different characters, yet are formed from similar circumstances. More than that, I feel like they are different reactions to those circumstances-two sides of a coin, in a sense.

Hua lost her whole world-her hometown, her family, her friends and comrades, and even her memories. Fundamentally, the only constant in her life has been the goal of protecting humanity from the Honkai. Hua's goal has been purely selfless, even costing her own happiness. But this has had consequences! Heck, one of those consequences was creating Otto! Senti points this out in Chapter 21, had Hua killed Otto and Kallen during the Crusade, none of the story events would have ever happened. Even more so, Hua was indirectly responsible for the events of Seven Swords, another Otto defining event, as her intention to kill one of her students has an attempt to preserve this mission got her literally murdered. And yet despite all these things...Hua was able to change. She was able to see her flaws and improve as a person, and find a path beyond her mission, save humanity, and build a new "world".

Otto's loss, on the other hand, is smaller in scale, yet carries equal consequence. Kallen Kaslana was his whole world, and everything that he believed that was good about the world. When she died, saying he lost it is the understatement of the last five centuries. Thus began his century-long goal of reviving her, committing multiple atrocities and harming many people, some of whom were his own family. His mission was a purely selfish one, something him and many other characters do not hesitate to admit. And yet...without his actions, humans wouldn't have been saved from the Honkai. It's a strange paradox. He did keep humanity from dying to the Honkai for his reign as Overseer, and he created Theresa, Bianka, and most importantly, Kiana, all important to the final battle, especially Kiana, who literally becomes the embodiment of Finality. Somehow, in a weird irony, Otto's actions do some good. More harm though. Lots of harm. Still, Otto was not able to change. He remained largely the same for 500 years. His goal remained unchanged for 500 years. And the Will of Honkai was right. He would die for it.

If Hua is a flower, waiting for a place to bloom and lay down her roots, Otto is a long dead tree, his roots stuck deep in the ground. Both are products of the flow of time. Yet, Hua's clock has just begun to turn, and Otto's has finally stopped.

[phoenixkaptain]

I just want to say that the repeated mentions of Tim being like Bruce - Dick telling Tim that “you’re more like Bruce than I ever was” and even things as small as the other members of Young Justice assuming that Batman is literally Robin’s dad - mean so much to me because like-

Tim is so similar to Bruce. They are both rich kids, only childs, people like them but they never let anyone truly know them. Tim’s deductive ability is so often likened to Bruce’s, and even his combat prowess or leadership skills are more often compared to Bruce’s than Jason’s or Dick’s. Despite being Robin, and the third one at that, Tim really takes being the Batman of the group to an entirely new level with just how much he really is like Batman.

And that’s why they work so well together! Tim and Bruce are so similar, but they’re fundamentally different! Bruce is afraid to get hurt again, afraid to feel connections to other people, afraid of revealing his emotional vulnerability. Tim is afraid of disappointing people, afraid to fail to rise to the standards other people set for him, afraid of revealing that he isn’t as calm as he appears on the outside. Bruce and Tim both begin fighting crime out of love, a love so strong that it would lead either of them to give up their lives for that love, but Bruce does so out of a love for Gotham City and his parents and the legacy they represent to him while Tim does so out of a love for Gotham City and Robin and Batman.

Their partnership is built on their similarities, but it’s improved by their differences. Tim is softer than Bruce. He wants to trust people, he doesn’t enjoy making lists of ways to kill all of his friends. He tries to talk, to draw things out, to banter, while Bruce is more straightforward. Which, honestly, being more subtle than Bruce is a talent in its own right, ngl

Tim is described a lot as the perfect Robin. And, I can’t help but feel like yeah, he is. The writers really made this character perfect for Bruce specifically. Tim is a person who understands what Bruce wants him to do, even if he doesn’t always understand why. Tim cares about Bruce, both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and that care knocks down a lot of Bruce’s walls. Tim wants to fight crime with his friends and enjoy himself, but he also has his main goal which is to protect Bruce, especially from Bruce himself.

And it’s a two-way street. Bruce knows Tim so well. Like, I can’t even begin to describe how well Bruce can read Tim. He can tell that Tim’s care is sincere, and he wants to reciprocate that care. He trusts Tim, on such a deep, foundational level, and he trusts that if Tim lies to him, then Tim has a balid reason for doing so. He’s protective of Tim, even more than Tim is protective of him (for obvious reasons), but he’s also proud of Tim. He’s proud of how Tim can work with people and how Tim can handle his own and how Tim can solve cases.

Bruce and Tim are such a dynamic duo, literally. The understanding they have of each other is amazing. The trust they have in each other. The care. Bruce treats Tim like his son, and Tim honestly treats Bruce like his dad, even while Tim’s birth dad is still alive. These two are great together, they work so well together, they fit each other almost perfectly because Tim was literally made to be perfectly suited for Batman.

And, of course, there is an obsession there. Tim’s obsession with Batman runs deep. He would almost certainly make a great Batman, no matter how you look at it, because he has moments where he reaches that ability to be threatening. Of the times I know that he played Batman, he didn’t do a bad job. He’s intimidating and frightening and he manages to have his cape pulled around himself so he’s just a shape, just like Bruce does, and that’s mostly because he also literally does that same thing as Robin. Tim prefers to be Robin, because he prefers to be partnered with someone else.

(To be completely honest, I think Tim’s first choice of who he would want to be paired with at any given moment is almost certainly Dick. Dude loves that guy. I haven’t seen if Batman Dick and Robin Tim interact in those respective roles, but Tim is almost equally made to be Nightwing’s Robin. Bruce is his second choice though, definitely.)

I have to assume the obsession goes both ways, because the story is a lot more interesting if it does. Bruce is protective of Tim, even as he trusts Tim with the fate of the entire planet. His protectiveness of Tim is funny, actually, because he doesn’t mind Tim fighting gods but he does mind Tim showing the other members of Young Justice his face. (I mean, I get that one of the members is named Impulse, but Bart himself said that Batman gave him that name, so I feel like Bruce bringing it up as a detractor is just a bit hypocritical)

All the times we see Batman with Tim in the Young Justice run, Batman is pretty chill. Like, during the Sins of Youth storyline, when Bruce is Robin and Tim is Batman, Bruce seems totally cool with it. He doesn’t seem worried about Tim messing up. His comments on Tim talking to much read more to me as banter than actual criticisms. Bruce trusts Tim to be Batman, and I find that both sweet and a bit funny for a variety of reasons.

We see Batman get mad when Arrowette says the Justice League doesn’t understand any of the Young Justice members, although even then he just glares at her, he doesn’t say anything. Bruce is like “Yes, I know I don’t understand the majority of human interaction, what of it?” Batman doesn’t say much during that whole comic, actually? Like, he shows up with the rest of the Justice League and he taunts Tim (literally like someone taunting a child pfft) but he doesn’t actually seem to think they won’t pull through? He makes a quip about them being late getting back, but it doesn’t go anywhere, it was him teasing Robin, why was he even here?

(I like to think he kind of hoped Young Justice would disban so he could take Tim back. He obviously wants Tim around, he implies as much in the World Without Grownups arc, and he obviously enjoys Tim’s company, he seems to genuinely enjoy fighting crime with Tim, even when their roles are switched, and he lets Tim talk to Oracle all the time (he definitely could have cut that connection off if he really wanted to make it difficult for Tim during that whole bet thing) Like, Bruce believes that Tim is capable, I think he’s like Wonder Woman and thinks that the others (coughImpulseandSuperboycough) are bad influences. He is taking his boy wonder and leaving to get him good influences, like Nightwi- oh, wait, no, yeah, let’s let him hang out with Impulse and Superboy-)

This turned into a ramble about Young Justice, but I can’t help it!!! I really, REALLY wish that Batman had gone to the parent-teacher conference. Like, Nightwing showing up was wonderful on so many levels, but can you imagine?? Batman?? Dealing with Bonnie King-Jones??? Like, I think if he ever met her he would break the no-killing rule, full-stop, no hesitation. I want to know how the parent-teacher conference would have gone if Batman was there. I think it would have been mostly awkward silence while Batman lurked in the shadows and Red Tornado didn’t understand why everyone was so nervous, like, it’s just talking about what time he should feed their kids, why are you guys sweating-?

I love Tim and Bruce’s relationship. They’re so codependent. I don’t know if Bruce could ever not hold the next Robins up to Tim’s standard. Like, Damian trying to kill Tim makes a lot of sense if you look at it as Damian viewing the situation as “there only needs to be one Robin, and if there is a Tim to be compared to, I will lose.” Dick and Jason were great as Robin, but neither of them were Robin during the period of time in the nineties and early 2000s where Batman got a lot edgier and needed an edgier boy to be Robin. Dick was perfect for the 50s through to at least the 70s, and Jason was probably just fine too (still haven’t read Jason comics hrnng) but Tim fits Bruce perfectly because he was made for the more modern vision of Batman as a character.

Tim is a dweeb and a nerd, just like Dick before him, do not think that he isn’t, but he really works as a balance for Bruce. He was introduced to be that equilibrium, and he fulfills that role.

Tim and Bruce work so well together because they’re just on slightly different sides of a spectrum. They’re so close to being too similar, but they’re dissimilar enough that reading their dynamic is engaging and interesting. Tim really just is the Robin I understand people mistaking for Bruce’s blood kid, y’know? Before Damian, I mean. I feel like the Justice League members met Tim and went “whoa, shit, Batman knocked someone up, holy-“ The Young Justice members continuously genuinelybelieve that Batman is Robin’s dad (which makes it a lot funnier, because if he was Tim’s dad, Tim would essentially be saying: “my dad made me do this and won’t let me do this and to make things worse, my DAD moved us out!” Like, why would he just randomly mention who the subject of the conversation was again at such a pointed time? I understand that Superboy and Bart were not paying attention to him, but it’s just really funny to think that Tim would talk in such a strange way?) I like to think that Dick does not help matters, and instead goes out of his way to worsen them, because Dick is always the one telling Tim that he’s doing great and that he’s so similar to Bruce (he means it as a compliment, like Tim isn’t making the mistakes he thinks he’s making because he, just like Batman, just is unlikely to make mistakes) so I think Dick definitely tells his friends that Robin is Batman’s kid because it’s funny-

And this has gone from rambling about Young Justice to writing fanfiction mid-post, I should really stop while I’m ahead.

All in all, to sum it up, TLDR: Tim was made to be the best Robin specifically for Bruce as Batman. That’s why they work in harmony, but are ultimately entirely different instruments.

[jesncin]

Re: the whole Si Spurrier Bi/Pan Johnstantine debacle thing

For context, Spurrier (the writer of the current Hellblazer run) explicitly had John self identify as pansexual in narration despite John being canonically bisexual. The cover of the issue (I believe this was the artist's intention, but can't confirm) also evoked the bi flag colors in its colorscheme. When asked about this on twidder, Spurrier doubled down (paraphrasing: "John shouldn't have any queer label, he's bad representation"), deleted tweets, and just left fans in a mess.

My tldr take: John Constantine is bisexual. Spurrier didn't and doesn't know the difference between bi and pan, mixed them up and spouted respectability nonsense to cover himself. He's an old man who doesn't fyuck with gay people, simply. I don't think he has deep seated hatred for the bi community or anything. He made a mistake (still a bad one) and didn't apologize for it. Shame this is the author spearheading such a prominent queer character.

The long take:

I see a lot of people bringing up modern media that reaffirms John's bisexuality but I believe it's important to look at the historical context.

John Constantine in his original Vertigo Hellblazer run was an inherently counter-culture character. A working class guy growing up in the punk scene, aligning himself with queer people, explicitly ACAB, a rebuttal to the classic Superhero tropes, etc. It's only fitting that Constantine's bisexuality was revealed in a similarly counter-culture manner. Under guest writer John Smith (and artist Sean Phillips and colorist Tom Zuiko), John just casually mentions having "the odd boyfriend" in passing narration about his struggles with commitment. This may not seem like a big deal with today's standards, but it's important to recognize that this issue came out in 1992. Hellblazer already had a handful of queer characters at this point and suddenly after years of queer coding, the main character just reveals his bisexuality in passing.

So that's the historical context in our comics world, how about within the canon of Hellblazer? Well, John was born in 1953 in Liverpool, meaning he was a teen in the 60s, formed and toured with Mucous Membrane all over the UK but mostly London during the 70s (as a young man in his 20s). When we cross reference that with what's going on in the UK queer scene at this time, it's no wonder why John is presumed to be bisexual.

[From Stonewall UK]

In the same article, Stonewall mentions that the term "pansexual" became popular in the 90s. While this aligns with when issue #51 reveals Constantine's "odd boyfriend" comment, it's clear that the term "bisexual" would be the term Constantine grew up with during his formative years. While this distinction might seem unnecessary or even arbitrary to some people, these identities do matter in their nuance and historical context. Identities and histories are not interchangeable after all. With all this context in mind, to me, John Constantine will always be bisexual.

To Spurrier's comment on "John Constantine shouldn't have any label anyway, he's bad representation/role model for any identity" (paraphrasing, I know he probably said this in a defensive moment since if he truly believed this then he wouldn't have explicitly had Constantine refer to himself as pansexual in Dead in America #7), I think using respectability in defense of a character as counter-culture as Constantine is a demonstrable example of Missing The Dang Point.

[from Nerdist article written by Jules Greene]

Spurrier, the gays like John Constantine especially in his og Hellblazer run because he wasn't a walking Pride ad. We like that he's a mess. We like that he's working class. We like that he's messed up and painfully human. If you don't understand that about Constantine, then you fundamentally misunderstand why people find him so appealing to begin with.

[tjlnn22]

An Analyis of the Ending of "The Killing Joke"

This scene is one I've wanted to get my thoughts written out on for a while and one of the most interesting in all of DC comics from how important it is to understanding both the characters of Batman and the Joker.

So, this scene is the finale of the oneshot comic "The Killing Joke" By Alan Moore, and is directly preceeded by Batman once again foiling the Joker's evil plan, beating him both verbally and physically before then kicking him to the ground to seemingly knock him out.

For what then follows, I will post the full comic pages so you can absorb the scene first.

Ah, the infamous cutaway that leaves the ending so open to interpretation. But what exactly does all of this mean? Well, I'll give my interpretation:

The scene starts in the same way as many other fights between Batman and Joker have concluded. Joker gets defeated, Batman saves the day, the clown prince of crime will get chucked back into Arkham until he inevitably breaks out once again, and then they'll do the whole thing over. "You know, I think you and I are destined to do this forever", that's how their story always goes. However, this time things are different.

This time, Batman doesn't beat Joker senseless, even though cosnidering what Joker spent that evening doing to his friends and family, he would richly deserve a good beating by anyone's estimation. Joker expects that of Batman as well, and he accepts the beating and re-imprisonment that he's sure is coming his way, because that's how it's always been. And yet instead, this time Batman chooses to talk with him. He tells Joker the facts of the situation, that despite everything, he actually doesn't WANT to hurt him, and knows that if they keep going down their current path, one of them will eventually kill the other. Batman knows it, and he knows that Joker knows it too, and he doesn't want that to be the case, because above everything else Batman values preserving human life as a goal equal to and often greater than stopping crime. He doesn't want to kill Joker, it would go against everything he stands for, but he knows with every encounter they share that possibiltiy grows more and more likely.

In a similar fashion, the Joker doesn't actually want to kill Batman either. Despite how he may play the part of wanting otherwise, the entire story of the comic up until this point has been about Joker trying to prove a point to Batman. That deep down, everyone can become him, that all it takes is one bad day to turn even the most moral man alive into the Joker. whether this is because Joker genuinely believes this, or it is meant to simply justify and excuse who he himself became from his own tragedy, is never really confirmed, though it is most likely a bit of both.

Either way, we see that Joker is not happy at all by Batman attempting to talk to him instead of beating him. In fact, he's practically sulking. Now, is this due to the fact that his big plan just failed, sure, at least partly. However, there is something else going on as well. All of Joker's plans fail sooner or later, this is no exception. It's something he expects despite coming up with a new one every week. This time though, he genuinely looks depressed, and this is in part due to Batman breaking the magic of their routine. By speaking to him like anyone else, by reaching out to Joker, Batman is attempting to fundamentally change their relationship forever. Batman wants it to end, he doesn't want to keep fighting Joker until it kills one of them, he wants Joker to stop. But Joker doesn't want to stop, he doesn't want Batman to die or stop chasing him because the relationship he has with Batman is all he has left. He has no real friends, no goals outside of plans to mess with Batman more, he has nothing outside of his role as Batman's arch enemy, and he knows it.

And yet, despite all that, when Batman genuinely reaches out to him, appeals to the fact that their lives were both heavily affected by past tragedies and offers Joker help to try and move past that, to be better, even after all the atrocities he's committed, despite all that... Joker actually seems to consider his offer. We can see this by his hesitation, and the fact that he doesn't just laugh it off right away or make fun of Batman as he would any other time.

This time, Joker seems to consider the offer, and turns dead serious in a moment that is probably the most normal display of genuine human emotion we get from him, and he tells Batman that he's sorry. Joker genuinely apologizes for not being able to take Batman up on his offer, looking like he's about to cry as he declares that it's far too late for him to take any offer Batman could give him.

The question is, why? Why is this time so different, why does Joker seem to actually consider Batman's offer and reject it in such a human manner? Well, I truly believe the answer is clearly seen in the joke that the conversation with Batman reminds him of. I will go through it line by line and give my interpretation.

"See, there were these two guys locked in a lunatic asylum" I think this obviously is referring to Batman and Joker. They are the characters of this joke/story, the conversation between them reminded Joker of this joke (or he just came up with it on the spot to suit their situation, but regardless) and they are also the only two characters in the panel where that line is said. In this case, the 'asylum' in question would be their rivalry, their roles as Batman and Joker and everything that comes along with that. Makes sense, none of the things either of them do in those roles are things that normal, sane people do, and both of them were traumatized in their lives by horrible events and spiraled into becoming the Batman and Joker because of it.

"And one night, one night they decide they don't like living in an asylum anymore, they decide they're going to escape." This is a clear metaphor for ending their roles as Batman and Joker, perhaps just for that particular rivalry or all together. Escaping the asylum means returning to the normal, happy lives they had before their trauma. Batman has already stated he wants to end his fighting with Joker, however the fact that both men in the story wish to leave the asylum together implies that Joker also secretly wants that too, which is very interesting as we go on.

"So like, they get up onto the roof, and there, just across this narrow gap, they see the rooftops of the town, stretching away in the moonlight, stretching to freedom." Given that Joker is looking at the moon shining over Gotham as he says this, I think it's clear that the 'freedom' here is living a normal human life the same way all the civilians of Gotham try to every day. It's about having a chance to be better, to do better and make something of your life everyday beyond the endless cycle that he and Batman are trapped in with each other. As long as that cycle exists, they can never truly be free, even though the Joker can break out of Arkham whenever he wants and do practically whatever he wants until Batman stops him. Their rivalry prevents either of them from ever being free.

"Now the first guy, he jumps right across with no problem. But his friend, his friend daredn't make the leap. Y'see, y'see he's afraid of falling." This is where we see Joker differentiate himself and Batman in the story, and how their situations in life currently exist. Batman is the first guy who is able to escape the asylum and return to the city fairly easily, whenever he desires. This is because that, unlike Joker, Batman has his life as Bruce Wayne to live and fall back onto. He has many friends and a large family both adopted and biological who rely on him and give him something good and happy to live for. He can leave the asylum because he sees the light on the other side, he has hope and knowledge that things will turn out alright if he does. But Joker does not. Joker doesn't have another life to live, no family and no friends to fall back on and lift him up. All his life consists of is the asylum and Batman, the other man right along with him. He knows nothing else, and so it seems impossible for him to ever jump across to the other side and join Batman in freedom.

However, it goes beyond that. Joker isn't scared to leave the asylum because it's all he knows, in fact he's just as eager to leave it with Batman. What he is afraid of though, is FALLING as he jumps across. What does falling mean in this case? Well since escaping the asylum would mean ditching the roles of Batman and Joker and returning to a normal life, falling would be failing to do just that, failing so hard that it sends him plummeting right back down, either to death or to being left alone and away from the safety of the asylum and more importantly the companionship of Batman. if he falls but Batman doesn't, he'll be left lost and alone, pointless and forgotten, and that's what Joker fears by leaving the asylum.

"So then the first guy has an idea. He says 'Hey! I have my flashlight with me! I'll shine it across the gap between the buildings. You can walk across the beam and join me!" This part of the metaphor I believe is meant to represent Batman's offer of help to the Joker, the therapy/rehabilitation that's intended to help him get better. In this case though, the help is being represented by something that has little actual effect. You can't walk across a beam of light to cross over to another building, in the joke it's only meant to stop the second guy's fear of falling. It isn't actually a real bridge to freedom, just an illusion of one that Joker thinks Batman is giving him.

However, than we get to the punchline.

"B-but the second guy shakes his head. He suh-says, he says, 'wh-what do you think I am? Crazy? You'd turn it off when I was halfway across!"

And here we get the real reason why Joker can't take Batman's offer, why he can't join him in freedom outside of the asylum. It isn't because he doesn't think the help Batman is offering him would work. The beam of light not being a real bridge to walk across isn't the problem in his eyes. The problem, is that believes that if he tried to walk across it, Batman would shut it off and let him fall. Because what Joker is truly scared of, isn't that the help Batman's offering him wouldn't work, he's scared that the help might actually have a chance at working, that he may have a way to get out of the asylum for good, but that Batman will give up on him before he reaches the other side.

He's afraid that the only person in the world who genuinely cares about him and wants to help him, will end up giving up on him and forgetting him if he tries to get better. We can see that in the way Joker delivers the punchline, turned around to stare directly into Batman's face with a disturbed, crushing smile of realization on his face while the symbol of freedom that is Gotham, bathed in the light of the moon sits directly behind him, just out of reach. He's accusing/telling Batman of why he's afraid, that he could never trust him enough to actually try and rehabilitate him, and he's laughing because he knows there's no way out of this.

And Batman, once the joke finally hits him, realizes the exact same thing. He knows then that Joker will never actually be able to be helped, there is nothing he can do for him because Joker will never trust him enough to let himself be helped. There is no way out of this for them now that Batman's final appeal to peace has been turned down by a man to broken to realize it was his way to a better life, a free life.

And so, knowing now how their story will end, Batman does the one thing that Joker always wanted from him, and breaks his role as Batman for just a moment. He shares in a final laugh with Joker as he puts his hands on his shoulders, up by Joker's neck, and the two laugh and laugh together until the scene cuts away and their laughter cuts off equally as quick.

Now, did Batman kill Joker here? The single question everyone tends to ask when they read this scene. Now, canonically we know that, no, Batman does not kill him, Joker returns again and again after this, but in this case I do fully believe that the creator of this comic, Alan Moore (the same man who wrote Watchmen), did likely intend for that to be the ending. The fact that the scene opens with Batman acknowledging that their relationship will end in death, and that the only way out of that is for Joker to accept his proposal I think seals the intent of the ending pretty well. Joker Can't accept his proposal, because the trust between them that would be necessary for that is something that could never truly be built up as they exist in their roles as Batman and Joker. They both know this, and so Batman ends their relationship and breaks his one rule by freeing Joker the only way left it is possible to free him, in death.

So, as much as I personally think that having Batman kill at all is a fundamental no no that you just can't do with his character because it goes against everything he stands for, I think this as an intended ending by Alan Moore to the relationship of Batman and Joker works very well. It is one of many endings in across many comics. Is it my favourite? No, though I would put it in my top three. however, I do think that this is the meaning that Moore was trying to convey in this scene, and I truly believe he does a beautiful job at conveying it!

[guardiandoll]

Is anybody else out there?

{IRL ReNarrativisation} {I’mNewToThisWebsitePleaseBeKind}

“Well I think you should do it anyway. Whatever it is that dolls do to reach each other” they said, leaning against the railing.

“Well I still think I don’t fit in with the rest of them” Replied the doll, staring up at the night sky as she lay on the same railing.

“So you aren’t a doll?” They retorted, a smug expression on their face as they reached up and scratched one of their horns.

The doll made a soft clicking noise somewhere between anxiety and frustration, but no words left her mouth. No part of her doubted that she was a doll, she felt it in every fiber of her soul, every screw in her body, every time the world and her met and she saw how it treated her, and every time she felt the joy of embracing and accepting and exploring the truth of her dollhood.

“That’s what I thought. If all of the other types of dolls get along, and you’re a doll, well then-“ the demihuman rolled their wrist, implying the obvious conclusion.

“I, but,” the doll hummed again, frustrated as its attempts to find the right words stalled. “My space is not empty. I’m full of soul, full of person.” She paused and glanced down at the street to look at a witch out for a stroll with her doll. “I may wish to be chosen, but I could never allow myself to be chosen without choosing equally in kind. I could never assume the worthiness of that wielder, never bend an inch until I knew that they truly were; and, that worthiness would need to be maintained each day. I may wish to be wielded, but only by someone who understands the beautiful depth of what it means for one soul to wield another. My body may be an object, but me, I, am not. To be made or treated like an object is such a horrible feeling, I don’t understand how they��” the doll’s words smoldered with the fires of pains past and present before fading into a grumble as she turned her gaze away from the streets.

Sometimes she envied them. The ability to sink into that place of unquestioning. That place of “true” dollhood. To accept their place and live in it so thoughtlessly, so happily. To be wielded without worry. To rest comfortably in a witch’s care as her object. Sometimes she wondered if she’d just never met the right witch. But deep down she knew, the only “right” witch would be the one who could work with who she was, not who she wasn’t. Yet from all she had seen, no such witch existed.

She’d once met a smith, a forger of dolls, who told her that he understood her. That most combat dolls wanted to be a sword, but that she yearned to be Excalibur. A weapon that chose and continued to choose, instead of a weapon simply wielded. But he was a smith, and so he could only understand her. Nothing more.

Was that greedy, what she wanted? She didn’t know, despite her frequent wondering.

“Take or leave my advice, it’s all the same to me. I just think you’d enjoy community with things of your own sort. You always tell me you’ve always had to find yourself on your own, but now that you know what you are, is that still true?” The demihuman shrugged as they stood up from the railing. “Give it some thought. Just because you haven’t seen someone else like yourself, doesn’t mean you’re unwelcome.” And with that, the demihuman gave the doll a small wave before walking home.

The doll didn’t respond, she was too deep in thought. The doll didn’t move, she was too deep in thought. The hours ticked by as she debated with herself over her friend’s advice until she finally chose. She was so tired of being alone.

“Hello, kin of mine. I am a doll, one of you. I am fundamentally different, yet fundamentally the same. If you can accept my paradox, then I would like to meet you.”

~Rema, Guardian Combat Doll

[anghraine]

i just saw someone say that faramir is infuriating because he's self-aggrandizing in claiming that he won't act in any way that doesn't befit his status, and on one hand - i understand the root of it? he does have a courteous, almost formal style of talking. he does openly claim that he would not take this mysterious power (before he knew about the ring) if it was on the highway. he agrees to denethor's characterization that he wants to appear noble like a king of old.

but on the other hand i'm straining at the bit to defend my baby because - infuriating?? when he lives up to the words he is saying?? when the text shows over and over that he's loved by his people, that he genuinely tries to live by those standards (and seems to succeed) - him not killing even animals unnecessarily, him riding back for his men. even his proclaimed dream to see gondor's tree bloom and peace restored, is supported by him seemingly making that transition from steward to king as smooth as possible?

maybe it's because i instantly liked him so much. it just caught me so off guard because this particular criticism never ever crossed my mind. so funny how people will interpret the same thing differently. to some internet user out there, his words are self-aggrandizing. to me, his words are straightfoward and supported by actions - dreamboat central.

Hi, anon! I'm pretty much with you on this one. I've seen the occasional post like that, and I can understand finding his style grating (though I personally love it) or disliking the general baggage associated with Tolkien's handling of Númenóreanness (there's a considerable degree of classism and racism built in to the presentation of Elves and peredhil/Númenóreans in LOTR in particular, while later texts like "The Mariner's Wife" are relatively more nuanced).

But the idea that Faramir is essentially just performing the appearance of high virtue as a sort of imitation of Númenórean cultural values without actually possessing those values or the virtues of the best of them just seems a profound misinterpretation to me. He has flaws, but he's not a hypocrite and he does not fail to live up to his presentation of himself at any point.

He's exactly what he appears to be, a stern and intelligent young man out of step with the current trends of his culture, who still cares deeply about his people and their allies. He's potentially highly dangerous in the way of Denethor and Aragorn, and like them, his personality is hard and unbending when it comes down to it, but he's also gentler than either—the combination of his willingness to act on the threat he represents if necessary and ethically justifiable, with a deep compassion and sympathy for others (even animals), is distinct and really interesting.

I think there's a very important distinction between Faramir performing virtue and gentleness and putting on the persona of a great Númenórean lord in times of peace, and Faramir presenting himself as he truly is and then suiting actions to words, despite the fundamental antipathy between his temperamental inclinations and the circumstances he's been placed in.

[cosmicjoke]

Further thoughts on Levi's Admiration for Erwin:

So just to expanded and clarify a bit on my last analysis post, it isn't that Levi admired Erwin for having a lack of humanity, rather, it's that Levi admired Erwin for not allowing his humanity to deter him from doing what needed to be done for humanity's salvation.

But the truth is, Levi believed Erwin had a great deal of humanity in him. Levi believed that humanity was Erwin's reason for setting it aside in the first place, to help humanity, to save humanity, etc... To take on the burden of monstrous acts in order to help others.

It's why Levi is so shocked and dismayed when Hange tells them that Titans are actually human beings, and Levi sees Erwin smiling. That reaction doesn't compute with what he believes about Erwin. It's the first sign for Levi that the humanity he believes is underpinning Erwin's actions isn't as strong as he previously thought, and that fear is later seemingly confirmed for him when he confronts Erwin about it by asking him if seeing what's in Eren's basement, if being there to see it, is more important to him than humanity's victory, and Erwin admits that yes, it is.

That answer shatters Levi's entire view about who Erwin is and sends him, for a time, into a spiral of his own self-doubt, wondering if he's made the right choice in following a man who would put his own, selfish desires above the people he's sworn to protect. Wondering if all those lives Erwin sacrificed were really for a selfish dream, rather than the betterment of humanity.

I think Levi feared, up to the point Erwin told him his plan to take down the Beast Titan, that he'd been following a man who didn't have any humanity in him at all. A man who didn't care about or feel anything for the lives of the soldiers he commanded. I think this is why you see Levi being so snippy with Erwin throughout the battle in Shinganshina. He still believes Erwin is a great leader and visionary, but he doubts now whether Erwin is a good man.

This fear in Levi is finally assuaged when Erwin confesses to him the immense guilt he feels, about his own fear that he's let down and wasted every life under his command, given in service of humanity. Levi is shown, at last, that despite Erwin's selfishness and the underlying, selfish dream motivating his leadership and actions, he does, still, very much care about the people around him and does, indeed, have that deep well of humanity Levi had always believed him to have. Erwin's crushing guilt is the evidence of that. Levi believed before that Erwin was free of guilt, even in suppressing his humanity, because it was done for a worthy cause, for the betterment of all people. He sees in that moment that Erwin is instead overwhelmed and being torn apart by his guilt, precisely because he suppressed his humanity for something lesser. Again, that in itself, that guilt, is the proof of Erwin's humanity.

People like to compare Erwin and Zeke a lot, and talk about how both of them were willing to sacrifice the lives of others to accomplish their personal dream, and how hard that must have been for Levi, to see so may similarities between Erwin and Zeke, and to reconcile his loyalty to Erwin and his belief in Erwin when he sees many of the same qualities in a man he hates.

But there's a fundamental difference between Erwin and Zeke that I don't think people often consider, and again, it comes down to humanity.

Levi despises Zeke so much because he perceives an actual lack of humanity in him. Not an ability to set his humanity aside for some goal, like Erwin, but an actual void of humanity. Zeke shows no remorse, no guilt, no regret, no sorrow over the lives he's used and taken to advance his cause. The reason Levi questions Zeke so persistently in the forest about his actions in Ragako Village is because he's trying to glean if there's any sense of guilt or remorse in him at all for the lives he took. There is none. All Levi gets from Zeke for his questioning is more deception and indifference. I think this is also why Levi made the remarks he did to Zeke about his grandparents, and also about Gabi and Falco. He was trying to see if anything he said, any threat he made, would appeal to Zeke's humanity. But, at each turn, he was met with, again, indifference and deception, with no sign at all of genuine feeling.

The main difference between Erwin and Zeke is that Zeke is a narcissist and a sociopath. He doesn't care about the lives of the people he's used and killed. He sees them as tools and nothing beyond that. He quite literally sees their lives as worthless, rooted in the belief that his own life is worthless. His narcissism renders him incapable of seeing anyone outside of himself, and thus, he projects his own beliefs about himself onto everyone else. Erwin, for all his faults, and despite using the soldiers under his command as tools to further a selfish dream, never viewed their lives as worthless or disposable. He saw them as more than tools. He saw them as people. That's why he's so crushed by guilt near the end. He feels he's failed them by having a selfish dream.

And that fundamental difference also manifests in what Erwin and Zeke are working to achieve, and reflects in Levi's willingness to follow Erwin while simultaneously loathing Zeke.

Erwin, as commander of the Survey Corps, was working to achieve freedom for humanity. Never mind what was truly motivating him. As commander of the SC, the goal was to achieve freedom for humanity, and that's why Levi chose to follow Erwin with such loyalty, because he believed Erwin was best qualified to achieve that goal. To help create a world in which people have the freedom to choose how they live, to be who they are, etc... That's deeply important to Levi, that people be allowed a choice. That's what's at the core of his monologue to the 104th during the Uprising arc.

Zeke, by stark contrast, was working to, quite literally, take freedom away from people. To rob them of any choice at all by ending their existence. Zeke had deluded himself into believing he was providing people a mercy by unburdening them from their lives. But what exposes this for a lie is that he made this decision without any consideration or input whatsoever from the people he was supposedly "saving". He decided for them that their lives were a burden that they should be freed from. He didn't ask if that was what they wanted because, ultimately, and at the heart of it, what they wanted didn't matter to Zeke, because they didn't matter to Zeke.

I find it almost hilarious when people claim that if Erwin had supported the Rumbling, Levi would have supported it too, or that if Erwin had been for wiping humanity beyond the walls out, Levi would have backed him up. They claim this because they think that Levi only ever cared about Erwin and was blindly loyal to him. That he would "compromise his morals" for Erwin because he just loved him that much.

People who claim that expose themselves for having the grossest lack of understanding about who Levi's character is, or Erwin's, for that matter, that I've ever seen.

We saw what happened when Levi began to fear that Erwin lacked humanity. We saw how his respect for him immediately began to erode, despite years of loyal service and trust, and his belief in him as a commander began to waver. How he began to doubt his own choices in following Erwin's lead. We saw the anger and pain that caused in Levi. His interactions with Erwin afterward became cold and bitter. Only when Erwin finally confessed to his guilt, and thus, showed his humanity, did we see Levi's attitude toward him soften again. Only then did Levi tell Erwin that he'd been a good leader and thanked him for getting them so far.

Expand out Levi's coldness and anger toward Erwin after beginning to doubt his humanity to a scenario in which Erwin not only showed a lack of humanity, but an actual, malicious intent toward people, taking action to purposefully end their lives or crush their hopes and dreams...

Then you get how Levi felt about and treated Zeke. Pure disgust and loathing.

Levi never would have chosen to follow Erwin, and never would have felt any sort of admiration or respect for him, if Erwin was in any way intentionally malicious or cruel, or if Erwin in any way lacked true feeling for others. Levi would have despised him the same way he despised Zeke. It's, in fact, why Levi wanted to kill Erwin when they first met. Because he did believe, at that point, that Erwin was inhumane and cruel, for the way he'd treated Levi and his friends. He believed that until Erwin convinced him otherwise through his monologue to him, after Furlan and Isabel were killed. It's why Levi kicks Eren's face in on the airship over Liberio. A sure way to win Levi's animosity and disdain is to show a lack of feeling for others. A lack of humanity.

Levi was never blindly loyal to Erwin and never would have compromised his morals for him. He believed in Erwin's humanity, and so he believed in his leadership, and that's why he followed him with so much trust. It had nothing to do with him being so in love with the man that he would sacrifice any and everything for him. That take is so reductive and childish, it's almost beyond belief that any, intelligent adult actually thinks it.

If Levi really believed Erwin was an unfeeling monster who wanted to actively destroy the lives of others, and actually posed a threat in that regard, he would have been the first to act in putting him down, whether he loved him or not. Just like Levi was the first to voice the reality that Eren was going to have to be killed, despite having been Levi's comrade and subordinate for the last five years, and despite Levi's feelings for him as a friend and comrade.

[ludinusdaleth]

im honestly very happy ira is one of if not the most beloved npc of campaign 3. and while i know most of his surface level appeal is the sheer unhinged faeishness of him, i think it fundamentally comes down to ira, despite his most un-human everything, being the most Man in his struggles as a fae can get.

as early as his intro he was set apart by past established fae, by working on technology, wearing a tattered suit. he was kicked out of the courts and the vanguard after they asked him to create their war weapons. he is a veteran of a mortal war, and got no accolades. he has spent 3 decades living in caves, taking the shittiest jobs imagineable just to get by, even torturing folk for his shit bosses again (the treshi job) because cash is cash. he knows folk will Just Die if they cant keep up and accepts it bluntly. his voice creaks with age & experience in the dust. it is easy to pin his pettiness & need for vengeance solely on the intensity of a fae til you see that he approaches even those goals with the rusty, tired caution of a man who was a spy, who understands the gravity of war, whose bosses have screwed him over so badly they made he, the nightmare king, scared.

he is a victim of the greed of the rich, easily isolated and made a scapegoat as a sole evil by them. he has lived a life with absolutely no lavish design. even artagan, whom i love with all my heart and find deep relateability in, is so disconnected with mortality at first, in large part because he was a literal fae lord. when vox machina adjusted the leylines to let artagan into exandria, ira was locked out of his home at the same time. ira has lived in the grime of the worst the fae courts and humanity has to offer, wanting to make a mark but always being a pawn hurt by a grand design. and so, while he clearly & obviously knows the difference between mortal & fae, he also knows there's really no defined line between who can hurt you worse... and how it shapes you. does your callousness begin with your fae nature, with everyone deeming you a monstrosity, or with your experience at the bottom rung? it all ends the same, regardless. i think it is fascinating to see the classism & even capitalism choking exandria and its sister realms, and ira is so fascinating because he is the primary example we have of that happening to a fae, and we get to see how that has gruffly shaped someone who could have been as utterly unphased & whimsical as a flower in the breeze.

[thekingofwinterblog]

Thoughts on CROMA and why it is an objectively better ship then SOMA even though Soul is a good charachter still?

Ah, trying to objectivly break down ships huh? Thats always fun... and likely to piss people off. Sure, why not?

The problem with Soul X Maka as a pairing, is very much the same as the problem with all the rest of the meister x weapon combinationa from the 3 main cast combination.

All 3, Maka x Soul, Kid x liz/patty and Black Star x Tsubaki.

All of these have a strong foundation... But don't really use that foundation as the basis for their developments as the series progresses.

Black Star and Tsubaki have an excelent character outing when they go to confront her brother, but not really much afterwards.

However, while Black Star and Tsubaki's dynamic is all about the fact that they fit together surpeisingly well despite their flaws and quirks, Maka and Soul are the exact opposite.

Despite having worked together long enough to be at the cusp of turning Soul Eater into a deathscythe, the two of them have an absolutely miserable dynamic, fueled almost entierly by Maka's shortcomings at the start of the series.

This is not a bad thing at all mind you, as character flaws and overcoming them are the aoul of any well written arc, and for obvious reasons, you can get a very good romance out of two people helping the other grow.

That is literarily what makes Crona and Maka such a good dynamic in how their relationahip fuels both plot and character development by just being near each other.

However that's not quite the way Soul and Maka is handled.

Because the point that is emphazied at the start of the series is that Soul is much more along the path of his own development than Maka is.

Maka is fueled by all of her worst insecurities, her flaws and shortcomings, and so she fails utterly against Blair, Stein and Crona, losing all of her 3 first fights.

Her relationahip with her father is a total mess, while she lives in denial about her mom abandoning her, and she is alwqys stupidly quick to fly off the handle regarding soul because she is terrified he will leave her.

Soul by contrast is has his shit together much moreso, keeping a cool head, and using Maka's own shortcomings and Blair's unfamiliarity with both of them for a tactic to beat her where all of Maka's efforts failed.

He kept his head cool against Stein and convinced Maka to keep going even after seeing the old Meister's sheer power firsthand, and was more than ready to take Death blows for Maka against both Stein and Crona, withouth hesitation.

There is a reason why Maka despite her arguments and bickering with Soul respects him so much.

However, here is the problem when discussing the two of them as a potential couple.

Soul brings out Maka's better aspects by acting as a stabilizing influence after all of her issues are forced to the surface. She becomes braver and more capable, and trusts soul more and more as the story goes on... But fundamentally, Soul does not change Maka.

Crona does.

Whereas Soul serves as a stabilizing influence on Maka in her weaker moments, Crona makes Maka change on a fundamental level, by bringing forth all the aspects of herself that she has chosen to bury.

Crona brings out the kindness, the compassion, the ability to immediatly trust and love others withouth reservation that Maka lost before the series began during her family life breaking apart.

Crona makes Maka change to the person she wants to be, their relationship serving as the catalyst for her development into the young woman who did what Shinigami could not, and defeated Kishin Asura.

And of course Maka and Crona's relationahip had it's own drama as well, with her love for Crona putting her directly and personally at odds with Medusa, an enemy she disliked, but would go on to thouroughly despise and hate on a deep peraonal level due to how she treated Crona.

Of course, both manga and Anime goes different directions, but both are still the best character bits of their respective shows, with the sandpit scene, where Maka discovers she was betrayed, and feels the sting of just how much it hurts to be backstabbed by someone you love... While also finding it in herself to forgice Crona and help the friend she loves past this lowest moment.

It is here where she surpasses her parents, and in the long run, Asura.

Meanwhile, in the Manga Crona becomes THE motivation and cause of Maka's life, and in the end, it is this relationahip that the climax was actually about. It was the most important dricing force that kept the rather disjointed and not well put together final arc, a coherent story around these two people who love each other... And it's the Manga's failure to bring this relationahip to a satisfactory ending, along with Asura not being defeated, that destroyed it as a story.

To bring it back around to the actual question, it is very telling, that in her final scene in the manga, where Soul makes it very clear that he is interested in her, she sorta turn downs his obvious flirting, to instead focus her feelings and dreams back towards Crona, because her love for Crona has not changed after the final battle. It is still the single most important thing in the world for her.

[edgy-ella]

I think the Fnaf movie (and all the sequels it will inevitably get) is a great way to see what Scott views as the most important aspect of each character in the series.

Spoilers below.

Obviously, Mike and Vanessa are both very different here than in the games. Mike is (PROBABLY) no longer an Afton, Vanessa is definitely an Afton, Mike isn’t going by an alias, Vanessa is a victim of abuse rather than possession, etc.

In some regard, they almost feel like completely different characters (especially Mike). So with that in mind, when we look at the traits that these characters do share with their game counterparts, we can boil these characters down to their fundamentals (or at least what Scott views as their fundamentals)

Mike is riddled with guilt over the death of his brother, which he feels like he should have been able to prevent. Even well into his adulthood, long after the deed is done, he is still trying to fix what he perceives as blood on his hands, whether that is the case or not. This guilt often manifests as vivid dreams.

Vanessa is William’s reluctant follower. She has been manipulated into supporting him, even though she knows deep down how wrong her actions are for helping him. To aid him in his exploits, she takes up a career in a position of authority that lets her inconspicuously hang out around Freddy’s.

On a personal note, I think it’s interesting that these are the traits that Scott chose to emphasize between the two characters. While Mike’s relationship with his brother is definitely a strong part of what makes his character interesting, I’d argue that it is better executed in the games because there, he actually did cause his brother’s death and has reason to feel guilty over it. I also think that Michael’s dynamic with William is just as important as his relationship with Evan/Garrett/the Crying Child—William is Michael’s shadow archetype, he represents the absolute worst of what Michael could be. The movie completely lacks this dynamic, which makes their beef feel less personal despite the fact that William did kill Michael’s brother in this timeline (though I’d argue that that’s more the fault of the fact that William only has THREE SCENES in the movie total)

Movie Vanessa fares better, but mostly because she absorbs a lot of Michael’s role from the games by virtue of being an Afton child that lived past adolescence. I personally prefer her role as William’s successor rather than as a reluctant follower; copycat killers are a staple of the horror genre, and we are severely lacking in batshit crazy, irredeemable female villains in both movies and video games. That’s more what I was hoping Vanny would end up being in Security Breach, but I also acknowledge that that’s 100% just me projecting.

Unlike the two protagonists, though, William stays mostly the same between the movie, the games, and the books. I think it’s interesting that they chose to continue the trend of giving him an alias to hide under, while his real name is something of a dirty word because of everything he did. We notably don’t have proof that he did this in the games, and it’s got me thinking. Is there a named character mentioned somewhere in the games that’s actually just William under a fake name?

Who knows. Get speculating!

[franki-lew-yo]

Speaking as a proud monster lubber who also prefers his beast look because no duh...I'm really tired of the passive but somehow unironic fans of Beauty and the Beast dragging the Beast's human look.

Firstly, he's not really all that ugly. He just needs more facial hair and chonk, especially to differenciate him from Tarzan. I know the "can you maybe grow a beard" line was added for the crapremake, but he legit would be fixed with just a few changes. It's like giving Elktaur a nose. It's really not that big a cosmetic different when you get down to it.

first pass edits (top:made eyes less sad and more happyBeast mode; bottom:begins changes)

Added: top chonk, thick eyebrows, beard like how god intended. sideburns, dilf energy. +Keeps deep(er, than regular) voice. Face the facts. +darker dirty blonde, though not nearly as dark as Belle's hair, so he stands out.

Upsides: is more obviously the Beast so people can shut up now about this guy "replacing" Belle's beast ++enough boys lets bring in the men. Coulda been our original Kristoff.

Downside: would def be babymipped into Christian art as a prettyboy Jesus.

The problem with the Human!Beast's design, as those before me have already said, is that he looks ruggardly handsome but standard and it feels like a different character because of that when it was the Beast that Belle and the audience fell in love with.

It's a bad design in lieu of what came before for him. That's it. Enough with your unironic "he should have stayed a beast"-bs. Same goes with that "Rapunzel looks better with long hair" or "Ariel looked better as a mermaid" garbage. Yeah, yeah and Jack Skellington's Christmas was better because it was "more fun". Even in animation where crap that you're expected to be endeared to somewhat despite it being weird in universe to the other characters, you are fundamentally missing the point of the story to ignore that.

Disney Beast is a spoiled crybaby manchild who made the mistake of crossing a fae on her bad day as a teenager, and now had to forever walk around with the ugliness he was and was in threat of becoming forever. He did not want this body. He is trapped in it and has decided to just never get better and be his worst self because of it- he even screams at Belle for almost touching his stuff and goes to save her because it's his fault she just ran out into a wolf-infested blizzard. Gotta love how ya'll only are annoyed with the beast's actions when he's a hawt beautiful glen keane monster and not his true self; a pretty boi spoiled manchild. Aww. You learned nothing.

Speaking of Centaurworld again, this is not a situation where the main character needs to learn to accept his new body as Horse does in that show. This is not the end of How to Train your Dragon where sometimes life sucks and you loose a leg and it's kind of devastating yeah dysphoria amIright-- the Beast did not need to learn to accept his body he needed to learn to accept himself. To be a better person.

Just to be my own kind of pettynontake-All the servant's human designs kick ass and look incredible. They're the true victims of this circumstance. Prince Adam not being your monster bf anymore is a sacrifice worth making for their sake.

[goldrushenthusiast]

What are your thoughts on the District 11 tributes in the 74th (Rue and Thresh) and 75th (Seeder and Chaff) The Hunger Games?

How do you think life differs between Distinct 11 and 12?

*Spoiler alert*

What do you think about the inserted scene of rebellion in District 11 in the first movie (scene after Rue's death)?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

I think district 11 is a fascinating district! On surface level it seems similar to 12, which I think deep down Katniss believed too, but it really isn’t like it at all which I think impacts how Katniss eventually sees it.

You know how there’s the Seam and the merchants in District 12? I think it does exist. It has to. I think Dill and Chaff are from it, for reasons I explain later, but I had to get that out of the way because in the same way Peeta & Katniss have fundamental differences from growing up in the Seam vs Merchant, I think it affects the tributes as well.

I think we should also consider Reaper and Dill from BOSAS, so I’m gonna do that lol.

I think that, for Thresh, the hunger games were an opportunity. A chance at something beyond working on the farms, no matter how terrible it might seem. While I don’t think he was excited for it, I think it would’ve been a glass half full situation he was going to utilize. I genuinely think he stood a chance at winning.

He would’ve shared the same knowledge of plants and stuff as Rue, would’ve kept his moral compass working (the thing with Katniss & owing), and it makes sense he got as far as he did. District 11 is definitely a competitor in these games, noticed even by Coriolanus in BOSAS.

For Rue, on the other hand, this was worst case scenario. I saw someone else mention there was a higher chance for her to be chosen because she had so many siblings and probably took out tesserae, and I think that’s exactly right, and having so many would only make the whole thing worse. I don’t think she had a huge chance of winning, but would’ve even more than the average 12 year old and if she fought hard there’d be something there.

Her climbing skills, of course, give her as much of an advantage as Katniss, plus her stealth. I think she could’ve survived till top 8, especially if she’d stayed in the trees. I also think her knowledge of plants would both help her, and hurt her enemies if she was willing, although I don’t think she would be. She could pull a fox face & Peeta move almost, leaving some poisonous and some not harmful berries or something in a “hiding” place for the careers to find. I just don’t think she’d survive in hand to hand combat. Plus, if she ever found him, I think Thresh would help her even though it wouldn’t help him.

Seeder and Chaff, I can’t be as sure about as I don’t remember as much about them, but I think at least one of them (Chaff, I think) would’ve been from the merchant part of D11. Both being statistically liking, and from his outlook on the games, both before and after he became a victor.

Just read up on him at Hunger Games wiki, and the fact he lost a hand but refused a capitol prosthetic is really very interesting, especially in the farming district. He was so assured that he’d be fine, he’d be taken care of, that he didn’t need one. It was probably an act of rebellion, but goes to show how self assured he was about what the capital would do for him.

Seeder grew up in the seam part to me, given the fact that she never turned to drugs, alcohol (like Chaff did) or any type of escape. She’s mentioned as looking strong despite being 60, and you can’t really achieve that without working hard in childhood and stuff, and continuing to, which I think she would’ve felt was her duty.

Thresh and Reaper also have some interesting similarities, both with their thing (& Katniss’) about owing people. I think D11, and their strict policies, force a sense of community upon the residents that binds them together and helps them trust others both more easily and still more carefully, because of how risky it is if you’re wrong.

If anyone is wondering what Reaper’s thing about owing people is, let me remind you how he apologized to the tributes about having to kill them before the games started (also relating to how strong the residents of D11, or at least the men, interestingly enough, are), and promised to make the capital pay. This was before Jessie spat in his eye btw, so there’s really no excuse for him to be saying other than a strategy or actually meaning it.

Reaper collecting the tributes and lining them up, however, could for sure be attributed to the rabies, but I don’t really know. We’re led to believe it is by Coriolanus because of how unempathetic and unfeeling he is, so of course someone caring is automatically categorized as crazy, and of course that part is used as foreshadow, but it’s still something to think about. How d11 views things and people and companionship.

Dill, however…she’s Dill. She’s tiny. Sickly. Couldn’t tell you much about her, and sometimes I honestly get her confused with Wovey, except Wovey lived longer. Dill was literally the first official death in the games, ofc excluding everyone who died from the bombs and such.

Something curious about Dill is that she’s a snitch, and by that I mean she told a capitol guy Reaper killed a peacekeeper (also, what the hell Reaper? Goes to show just how strong he is and why he considers himself so capable). I think Dill was probably merchant, also she did have tuberculosis, which would’ve been not as rare there.

She also probably knew she was dying no matter what and wanted to get everything out there, which I don’t blame her for.

Woah ok I did not expect to write so much about the tributes. Woah.

Anywho, life in 12 vs 11 is definitely as different as, say, life in 2 vs life in 7. Honestly, 12 would probably be more similar to 2, because of the mining and huts as houses and stuff like that.

In 11, you’re expected to be outside. All the time. Working, working, working. Jobs are assigned, roles specified, it’s very orderly and there’s not much anyone can do about it. Work also starts early, probably as old as 10 due to how experienced Rue was working in the trees. Meanwhile in 12, you can only start mining at 18, which Katniss acknowledges as a weakness.

This is a bit off topic, but the mining age probably started to be an issue after Coriolanus showed up and realized just how much worse he could make the lives of d12 people by raising the mining age (both in the games and money wise)

Back to the original point, In 12? If you’re outside, that’s fine. The peacekeepers love the hunters, and we know some townsfolk venture to the edges of the meadow and the woods to forage as well. Getting your own methods of food is fine, nearly encouraged.

11 is also way more strict, which Suzanne makes clear to us a lot. When Katniss visits 12 and they shoot the old man. Talking with Rue about punishments. Lots of stuff that makes Katniss do a double take and realize maybe she was lucky to grow up in 12 instead. It certainly has more freedom, despite 11 having the same working conditions. Truly, I think 11 would be the worst to grow up in, even though it helps so much with the hunger games.

Love the scene, btw!! It really supports my point about the strictness of D12 and how it forces a sense of community and stuff. It was a nice addition and realistic I think.

Also, the fact Rue knew the boy who was slow and his story about forgetting to put back the night vision glasses is so much more than an introduction to the glasses!! it shows how much the residents know about each other and how well they remember based on what the peacekeepers enforce.

Ok this has got to be one of my longest ramblings to date, but I loved it! I don’t focus as much on the original series as I should when I usually do these, and it was a fun change of pace actually having to go through the wikis instead of just remembering like I do for BOSAS.

Thank you for the question @curiousnonny , and I hope you enjoy my answer as much as I liked writing it! As always feel free to debate (but not argue or insult) with me in the comments as I always love having these combed through and stuff and getting a chance to learn more.

[the-narwhals-awaken]

Bloody Hearts Bingo Day 4

Prompt: See Ya, Romance | Falling slowly, eyes that know me, and I can't go back

Orihime was well aware that Urahara was a monster.

It was hard not to be aware of that- despite everything, despite the food and the shelter and the training and the listening and treating all their concerns seriously and the respecting their life choices and the not prying into the blatant soft spots they'd all ended up showing him and the various treats, Urahara was fundamentally a dangerous man. It was clear in the way he always felt of blood, in the fierce lullaby that the air seemed to sing sometimes, in the casual grace he had with any blade he held, in the lab and all the reference materials he had about all kinds of power, in the way he saw past the lies they told even though he didn't press them.

Orihime knew monsters and lies. There was a reason Sora-nii had run away and took her with him, and a reason that she had refused to be in the same physical place with any of her relatives since his death. Their current bargain was meant to show her how much she needed them, meant to be skint and humiliating.

It was far from that. Orihime was smart, and just because she tended to think of things differently didn't mean that she didn't know how the world worked, didn't mean that she was an idiot or incapable. Keeping her grades high was easy- the only reason she hadn't hit top of their class was the fact that Ishida-kun was better at giving the teachers what they wanted to hear and the fact that she didn't bother with any of the extra-credit opportunities that most clubs provided. The apartment wasn't much, but it was hers (it used to be hers and Sora's, and the memories ached in a complicated twisted way) and the payment was enough for rent and food as long as she was willing to get creative and everything else that money was needed for.

The thing that made Urahara scariest, Orihime had decided the first time she met him, was the way he saw through lies. The scent of blood was familiar, and almost comforting in a messed-up way. Labs had rules, the same way science did, and Orihime couldn't bring herself to really fear or hate the lullaby, no matter how it seemed to sing for blood. She'd long since grown inured to blades, Kurosaki's being the last nail in that particular coffin, and research was useful.

But lies were what kept her safe. Pretending that she missed nothing about her family kept them from seeing the weaknesses that could have shattered her resolve on her worst days. Pretending that she was doing fine kept attention away from the things that were certainly not quite right but were in her benefit. Pretending that she was weak and helpless kept her from doing something that would draw the wrong kind of attention and kept her kinfolk from descending down to actually challenge her. Pretending that nothing bothered her kept most of the mean comments away.

Urahara looked at her like he saw through every single one of her lies, saw to the core of her- a part that she'd never even shown to Tatsuki, let alone the rest of her friends- and the worst part was, the longer it went on the less Orihime was wary of him. The more time she spent in the Shouten, learning and growing and even just relaxing, the less concern she had about Urahara's motives or his unusual actions or even what was going on in his lab when he called them down for one thing or another.

It scared her, not being afraid, but Orihime knew she was already in far too deep to stop now.