#i love the idea of ging not caring much about the people he gets it on with

[promoxie]

The fact that Pariston was still deciding how he felt about Ging during this part (the "I think I might come to hate someone for the first time in my life" comes later on) just solidifies the idea for me that he is genuinely looking at his ass lmao

[mysterypond]

Going through and choosing my favorite fics for that ask meme made me think of what I would put as my least favorite fics…

This isn’t a self depreciation thing more of a reflection, which for me is easy because 1) I haven’t written hxh in like half a year and 2) I have 69 fics to choose from. So. Would not particularly reccomend doing this if you don’t have a whole library of fics to choose from.

Anyhow, I won’t be counting any crack/shitpost fic because I want to focus on what makes a fic one of my “least favorites” in my eyes, which I would boil down to a botched execution. A lot of the fics I dislike of mine had ideas I was really passionate about, but somehow I didn’t end up writing them in a way that really pleased me. This could be for a variety of reasons, be it issues with tone and pacing, to a lack of technical skill at the time, to getting my themes and messages mixed up. Absolutely no shade to anyone if you like these fics, I don’t doubt people do as some have the stats to prove it. This is just my reflection of author intent vs what actually comes across in the fic.

So read on if you’re curious, if not, well, it can remain a mystery.

5. Ging x Gets x Cucked - honestly this one doesn’t truly deserve to be on the list it’s just a bit… dated lmao, I feel like my sense of humor has evolved from here so reading this makes me cringe at some of the jokes I put in there. But the real reason I’m adding it here is because I think it could have been an interesting concept had I not committed solely to the humor aspect of it.

4. I, Scream - This was during my experimental phase pt. 2 and this phase was significantly less appreciated than phase 1 (2021) and I think it was because I tried a lot weirder stuff with my writing in 2022, especially with the AITAs and short shitpost fics. This fic is the tail end of the surrealist era of fics I wrote, and it quite frankly is just not good. I don’t know how I would improve it, but essentially the gag is that there is green bean ice cream and Beans is nowhere to be found, prompting the reader to assume Beans is going to be eaten, which in turn it’s revealed Beans himself is eating the ice cream. Cannibalism? Not to mention, the fic itself is a poem with a bizarre line structure, making it hard to read. While everything I did with this was a very purposeful delivery I feel like it’s lacking that “so what” of “why should I care about this?” Like sure, I can write something like this with my technical skill but emotionally it really falls flat.

3. between me and you (and everyone I've spilled my heart to) - I took the idea of “what if a drunken confession didn’t lead to a love confession, but was a confession of some sort of crime” and then did absolutely nothing interesting with it, nor were the relationships portrayed here particularly done in an enticing way. I don’t have much to say about this fic because I didn’t have as high expectations for it as I did some of the others.

2. Snapdragon - fun fact I deleted chapter 3 and reposted it randomly, no idea who remembers the first version of chapter 3 because I sure don’t! What I was going for with this fic was a love tragedy of many angles. What I got was… boring. The fic was supposed to tug on the heart strings, but I find it merely grazes them. I think part of it was the format I chose, focusing on 4 different narrators to give perspective to the situation when two of them really didn’t add much to the story. I like poly!zodiacs, and I feel I didn’t lean into that enough to really justify cheadle and mizai being there. They feel… Kind of thrown in. Anyhow, I fell out of love with this fic by the time I finished my 2nd chapter, so I suspect that’s why 3 and 4 were so hard for me to write. The spark was gone.

1. Judgement x Day - In the defense of this fic, I will say that the concept is still interesting to me: If Killua had to force a choice to save Alluka or Gon, who would he pick? - Which then translates into a moral dilemma. The fic idea came to me when I was watching a Voyager episode “Tuvix”, basically a plot where 2 crew members get into a transporter episode and fuse into one person, who exists for a few weeks before Captain Janeway essentially orders the doctor to split him back into Tuvok and Neelix, thus killing him. My irl friends and I talked about this episode a lot, and I thought I could write something that took a similar concept and did it better. I was wrong. I think the fic itself would have been better with much more nuance to it, but it ends up feeling so flat and as if Killua’s decision is less of a dramatic tragedy and more of a plot point. It just doesn’t feel human enough. It’s sad without enough breathing room to really care about what’s going on, if I had to write it all again I’d change the tone to make it more bittersweet and less “sad”. Anyhow, this is actually the fic I’ve gotten the most negative comments on! I actually temporarily turned commenting off because of this, but it’s back on and all the bad ones have been purged. I’ve thought about deleting the fic, letting it fade into obscurity, but I feel like I should keep it up.

Anyhow, again don’t worry if you like any of these fics! I think if I wasn’t the writer and didn’t know what I was going for I might enjoy a few of these, however this is more my thought process for why I’m not satisfied with any of them. Hope it was interesting to read at least :3

[animeyanderelover]

Omg it's been so long since I've gotten here in time when requests are open but here I am anyway I hope your doing ok and things went well with your visit with friends &Grandparents anyways I feel weird asking it but after reading your intepretation you caught my intrigue I'd like to request yandere Ging hc of him with a s/o who always tries to move b/c he annoys her but he keeps coming back !!! Feel free to make it soft 😊

It's been a while indeed since I've seen you so I'm happy you made it. Sorry that it took so long, but school enables me to only write one post per day😞. Buuut...I have only one week left before holidays and the last week we won't do much anything so I hope that by tomorrow I'll be able to write more again!

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, obsessiveness, stalking, Ging annoying the s/o, meltdown of the s/o

Annoying

🍎I feel you, darling. It has to be exhausting to never know when exactly this man comes back or not, the times he just pops up in front of your house or has already somehow broken in and acting like he is at home. Ging simply can't help making bad impressions on his darling due to his constant absence and the indifference he seems to possess whenever they're pissed and want to scold him for his behavior. As someone who would like avoiding such arguments, he either disappears yet again or at least tries to calm you down in a way that doesn't help in most cases.

🍎You think moving away will work, hmm? Sorry to tell you, but it won't. Despite the impression that Ging doesn't look like he cares much and is a rather messy person, he is a respected Hunter. Connections, the possibilities he has with the status of being a Hunter and his very own skills are nothing to be forgotten and so he will have the new location of his darling found out the moment he finds out that they've moved. It's not like he pushes you into a corner for it the next time he just appears in front of the darling's door, ignoring their flabbergasted impression and going inside.

🍎The Hunter has already figured out from the very first incident why exactly you wanted to move, you were happy in your old home with the only thing annoying you being him. Ging is aware of his behavior and that it often has you feel like you want to rip your hair out yet he never really considered it too deeply. That is the kind of guy Ging is and it makes him a horrible person in more than just one pair of eyes. It just feels like he is not taking his darling seriously and ridicules them and that hurts, not to mention that he is so often away.

🍎So maybe now is the time to start recalling his actions and that he's made you go livid to the point where you do not want to be with him anymore. It becomes more and more visible every time you move away, slam the door shut as soon as he knocks on it or just refuses to open it at all. Something he would call "overreacting" at first seems to only turn more and more turbulent until the very first time his darling has a complete meltdown in front of him whilst he was telling them to chill out. Hysterical screaming and yelling whilst starting to burst out in tears before pushing him with violence out, slamming the door shut behind him.

🍎That was the first time Ging shut up when witnessing all of this, freezing and not knowing what to do. Even after he has been kicked down he doesn't know how to act, only the cries inside the house accompanying his thoughts for a while until you seem to calm down a bit. Overwhelmed would be the word to use for him, the feeling of helplessness and confusion, the feeling of having no idea what exactly to do now. It is the very first time his darling has given him such a emotional reaction, a highly negative one. The turning point where Ging has to ask himself if things can really stay the way they are or if he has to do something.

🍎Obviously he acts like a horrible person, but maybe he just happened to hit the wrong nerve after pocking for so long at you, maybe you just had enough. And as much as he hates troubles like those, even he is not too dumb or lazy to think that he can just act like he always did. Not this time, you clearly despise him by now. And that is not the kind of relationship he wishes to have when with the s/o. But the biggest problem for him now is what he is even suppose to do. He's no expert and will never be. How does someone apologize to their loved one without ruining things even more?

🍎The sudden disappearance from this man is something you're used to and wish for and that is what happens after. But not exactly for the reason you think. Ging believes that what you need now most is time to calm down, visiting you right after your outburst is not a wise option. Additionally he himself needs time to think now on what he should do, how he can make things right again. Well, as right as possible at least. It's written all over his face that something is bothering him and some people actually speak to him because of it. And Ging...well, after some time he tells them in vague details what is on his mind.

🍎Such talks are what turns out to be a big help because some people are surprisingly helpful. Especially all those married people who somewhat sympathize with the Hunter tell him in return their stories and what they did to make up with their partners and lovers. Lots of different advices and stories and yet Ging finds himself still having troubles. He's never done anything like this before so he is more nervous than he would like to admit after he has been away for a bit, tracking down the new home of yours again. Something really has to change.

🍎Blocking the door with his foot as you try to slam it shut right in front of his nose again is within his expectations as well as the yelling and he endures it with the same angering calmness as he always does. It's all the same in his darling's opinion. Until the very moment where he actually pulls out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back, handing them in a somewhat shy manner over. The man is highly embarrassed about it, not able to look his darling straight into their confused face as he stutters out an apology he has practiced beforehand. The practice was useless though, in front of the s/o this is a completely different thing.

🍎Instant forgiveness is not what you give him nor does he expect this. He did go too far about this time and he knows that he should stay to fix this. And he does. Somewhere else of course but it is the very first time he stays for a really long time since the grudge you have against him is not easy. During this time he comes to realize something uite importantt himself, how much of your life he actually missed whilst being constantly away. There are new hobbies and new friends you didn't know you had before and some of those friends are people he doesn't like. Because they're too close and you ignore him for them.

🍎It's rather silly since they're the only ones who kept you company whilst he was always away and he deserves this, but karma is a bitter bitch as he experiences himself. The relationship you two once had is in your eyes probably no more, increasing the danger of you falling in love with someone else, someone who will actually stay with you. Maybe that is why Ging turns unusually petty, following his darling around and biting his tongue when he catches them with one of those people he has officially recognized as love rivals. What a nasty feeling jealousy is and how frustrating your grin is when you caught him jealous for the very first time in a long while. Seems like the roles have reversed, haven't they?

🍎Using his connections is an option, but by now Ging is far too much provoked to do this himself. Not like he was planning before to use it, another drama with you is the last thing on his list he wants. His darling is letting him dance around here for quite a bit to the point where he accuses them mentally for being a sadist since he is pushed to do so many things he never did before and for that feels extremely awkward. Yet he goes through everything with embarrassment burning his skin, the desire to want the relationship far greater.

🍎The s/o comes to realize that he is serious as well, though doubting it at first. But the constant small gifts and the fact that he apologizes whenever he sees themplus tehe valuable fact that he stays around for a very long time convince them after some time. But forgiving him sweetly right after isn't what you would want after all the emotional roller coaster. You'll get back at him for everything before you shall grant him the relationship back. It takes a very long time and by the end of it Ging has probably the most frustrating months of his entire life behind him so it's safe to assume that now he knows how you must feel. Believe me, he has learned his lesson of a lifetime to treat his darling better from now on.

[telehxhtrash]

I originally wanted to make two separate posts about this but i’m actually making a single one : the overarching theme of love, redemption, second chances and Togashi’s overall positive and optimistic writing are leading me to believe a few things concerning Killua and Gon’s relationship, namely that we’ll get an explicit romantic confession to canonize their relationship, but also that Gon is actually the one who fell for Killua first.

First of all, I know I say it a lot but I really, really do believe that by the end of the manga, Killua and Gon’s relationship will be a canon romantic one. I wrote a short post about this already, but I’m gonna explain briefly my point of view on this as I believe it’s important and relevant to the points I want to try and make in this post.

• Killua is pretty much canonically in love with Gon. There’s just too much subtext concerning this matter, and the “shinjuu” line single-handedly canonizes that fact. Togashi is a very, very smart man, and doesn’t throw random words around, he knows the weight of the word shinjuu and what it implies, and the entire chimera ant arc focuses on Killua’s feelings towards Gon, so there is no doubt in my mind that Killua canonically has romantic feelings for him. These two tweets live in my head rent free because it’s so wonderfully written, so here you go :

• I also deeply believe that Togashi would never leave this ambiguous. I wrote a full post about this if you want to read it, but basically, it doesn’t fit Togashi’s writing style. A lot of people say that Togashi’s queer rep is ambiguous in HxH, but it’s unfair because HxH is literally not over yet. There are still ambiguous things because the manga is still developing. Thing is, Togashi has put queer characters in his previous works, and it was never ambiguous. It was always explicitely stated. Same goes for the relationships between his characters. There’s no reason to believe this wouldn’t be the case for HxH.

• Togashi’s positive writing is echoed in Killua’s story arc, in the sense that Killua reflects Togashi’s optimistic writing style and the overarching theme of love, redemption, second chances and the power human connection. 

Killua’s character arc is one of slowly changing your life around, becoming your best self with a little help from someone to show you the way, it’s about positive growth, healing from trauma and going against what people think of you. It’s about healing and becoming your best self, no matter what.

It’s a very positive character arc, and one that’s been thoroughly demonstrated during the entire story.

That’s why Killua’s romantic feelings towards Gon could never stay unrequited one way or another, because it just would defeat the entire positive narrative of Killua’s character arc. Because Killua’s character arc is about healing and growing, and even though you thought you could never do that, learn how to love. It’s about finding love after abuse. 

And to me, the only way to complete that story arc, when we know that Killua canonically has romantic feelings towards Gon, would be for Gon to return those feelings. Because Killua’s character arc isn’t only about learning how to love someone no matter what, but also about being loved in return. That’s how you complete Killua’s positive story arc. 

I’ll come back to this theme a bit later on, though.

• There’s no way Shonen Jump can intervene and censor HxH. Now, I think I’m one of the few meta writers who actually believes this, but I’m 100% convinced that Shonen Jump always knew that HxH is queer work. I wrote multiple posts about this : the first post I linked mentions why SJ probably knows ; on the general gay subtext in both anime adaptations ; on 99 specifically and finally on the fact that it’s weird that gay subtext was emphasized in 99 anime when there was none in canon material only for it to appear later on in the manga.

But to summarize, there’s just no way Shonen Jump doesn’t know. 

First of all, Hunter x Hunter is published right after Yu Yu Hakusho. Thing is, Togashi ended YYH for a few reasons, but one of them was because he didn’t feel free of doing what he wanted to do with his story, because Jump kept on declining his ideas.

This led him to completely drop the story. Now, if you’re a manga writer who’s been deeply disgusted by how your last manga was controlled, what would you do ? I’m sure you would make 100% sure you could take your next story wherever you wanted. And I’m certain that’s what Togashi did. Because to be able to write his story the way he wanted, he had to make sure SJ would allow him to go anywhere he wanted. That includes his characters and their relationship dynamics, which are the basics when you pitch a story.

Togashi also emphasized in one of his interviews that he’s free to do whatever he wants.

Furthermore, Togashi’s editors and Shonen Jump aren’t dumb. They can definitely pick up on the gay subtext. If they didn’t want gay things in HxH, they would’ve never let Togashi publish some chapters, ESPECIALLY the chapter where Killua declares he’ll commit shinjuu with Gon. SJ isn’t dumb. Shinjuu hits HARD, especially in japanese, so they definitely know what it means (it’s literally the equivalent to saying them dying together would be like Romeo and Juliet).

Finally, and that’s half crack-theory half serious, but one of the main reasons I believe SJ knows is because of the 99 anime adaptation. It was HxH’s first anime adaptation, and Togashi was involved in it to some extent. Now, 99 is extremely gay. I linked the posts where I talk about it above, but basically, it’s rainbow flags overlay on top of the characters in the opening, gay opening and ending song lyrics, over the top gay lines and situations.... which is interesting. Because like i mentioned in one of these posts, it’s interesting that this gay subtext was present and highlighted in the anime adaptation when there was none in the manga at that stage. It’s very, very interesting that gay subtext appeared later on in the manga, after the anime adaptation went crazy with it. I firmly believe it’s because Togashi pitched his manga as gay to the 99 animators, and if so, that’d mean SJ would also know.

Anyways ! In short, I believe Killua and Gon’s relationship will become canon by the end of the manga because there’s no risk of editorial meddling since SJ probably knows this is where the story is going. Killua’s romantic feelings are also pretty much canon, and the only way to complete his positive character arc would be to have Gon return those feelings and prove that you’re worthy of love no matter what. Finally, Togashi would never leave it ambiguous, because that’s something he’s never done before, and Killua and Gon’s relationship has never been portrayed as ambiguous nor subtle, it’s still developing.

Now !! This was just an introduction to what I wanted to talk about in this post, I’m sorry you still have a bit more reading to do HAHAA

But ! 

With this belief in mind that Killugon will be canon in the end, there are two things I want to talk about.

• First, I genuinely believe we’ll get a romantic, highly emotional love confession scene between the two of them. For the sole fact that it’s something deeply intertwined with Killua’s character arc.

Like I mentioned above, Killua’s arc is about overcoming trauma and having a second chance at life, a chance to be better, a chance to be your best self. His arc is about opening up his heart to new experiences and new feelings, and learning how to love and pass that love around. His story arc is representation for trauma survivors that things can and will get better, and you can overcome anything, turn your entire life around, heal, and thrive.

And to me, the completion of that story arc is definitely to show that not only can you learn to open up your heart and love someone, but that you can be loved for who you are. That someone can look at you for who you are, accept you and love you no matter what. You can be loved by someone the same way you love them, in a romantic way.

To me, that’s where the story is going. Considering Killua’s canonical romantic feelings, and the overall positive themes surrounding his character arc, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the message Togashi wants to convey.

And in my opinion, this message wouldn’t be delivered ambiguously or subtly. This narrative of being loved has always been enforced through highly emotional scenes throughout the manga, to highlight the message that yes !! you, trauma survivor !! can be loved for who you are !!

It’s been expressed through that emotional scene where Nanika tells Killua she loves him, for example.

It’s also been displayed in the countless scenes where Gon expresses his love for Killua, expresses his admiration for him, how he’s glad he’s met him, how happy he makes him, how Killua is his best friend in the entire world.... It’s been conveyed through the stargazing scene on Whale Island, through the entire Zoldyck Family Arc where Gon waltzs in the Zoldyck Mansion to rescue Killua, through the scene in Greed Island Arc where Gon tells him he’s glad to have met him, through the dodgeball match scene where Gon declares that it can only be Killua holding the ball, through the moment Gon says that the first thing he’ll do when he sees Ging is introduce him to his best friend in the whole world, Killua. 

Togashi could have chosen to show and not tell that Gon cares a lot about Killua, and that he finally found someone who loves him for who he is. He could’ve made them hang out normally, and we would’ve understood that Killua found someone who accepts him. But no, this has always been the main theme of HxH. Seeing the both of them grow closer and closer and grow and heal together. He chose to highlight the fact that he’s loved and cared for through words of affirmation to emphasize the narrative of being loved after surviving trauma. For the purpose of providing an extremely clear message of love to trauma and abuse survivors who identify with Killua : that you can find someone like Gon, someone who will love you for who you are. Togashi wanted to make it explicitly clear.

So now, since all of these words of affirmation were “platonic” (i’ll come back to the quotation marks in the last part of this post), but still highly emotional :

Wouldn’t it make sense that the romantic application of this narrative would also be portrayed through a highly emotional scene ? 

For the sole purpose of highlighting the final message of Killua’s story arc of overcoming your past and being loved and accepted for who you are, in a romantic way this time ? Of being loved the same way you love ? 

Since we’ve had so many platonic reaffirmations of this idea, I think it’d be fitting for the romantic part of the narrative to be conveyed through a highly emotional scene. Like a confession scene under the stars that would parallel the stargazing scene on Whale Island, for example, since stars are thematically fitting since they are linked to Killua’s story echoing Tanabata. 

An open love confession would be the final and ultimate way to cement that narrative of loving and being loved. A highly emotional scene, just like we’ve always had, to demonstrate the romantic application of the theme of being loved after experiencing trauma. The ultimate, non-ambiguous message of unconditional love for trauma survivors. 

Showing that you, trauma survivor who identifies with Killua, can learn to love yourself, love someone else and be loved in return.

• Keeping Killua’s character arc in mind, I want to adress a final point that I deeply believe is true. 

To me, Gon is the one that actually fell in love with Killua first.

Thing is, Gon is that type of character that acts first and thinks later on. He always does things on instinct, only giving it thought after the thing happened. So it 100% makes sense that it would apply to romantic feelings too. That’s why, to me, it’s very likely that Gon fell in love first but just didn’t realize it was romantic feelings, because he’s 12, never really thought about it and feelings are confusing. And to me, Togashi is setting up feelings realization on Gon’s part.

Gon has always behaved very intensely with Killua, always reaffirming how much he means to him. He’s always taken onto that role of providing Killua with love from the moment he met him. He accepted him for who he is, and always made him feel cared for. 

Togashi definitely planted the seeds for a possible interpretation of this idea of him falling first. The stargazing scene on Whale Island is just.... so romantic in nature. Gon tells Killua that he’s happy when he’s with him under a starry night sky, tells him he wants to travel the world with him and stay with him, because his presence next to him fills him with joy. Then we have his constant words of affirmation towards Killua, and how cool he is, how amazing and strong he is...

But to me, what really convinces me that Gon fell first is Greed Island arc. Gon’s behavior towards Killua during this arc was extremely emotional. It was deep, deep care and love for his best friend. We get to see him blush as he tells Killua that he’s really, really glad he’s here with him and glad he’s met him.

We get to see him declare that the first thing he’ll do when he finds Ging will be to introduce his amazing best friend to him.

But honestly, what made my brain explode is the dodgeball scene. 

Because as I mentioned in this post, the phrasing Gon uses is one that is used in romantic contexts to confess to someone. It’s a love declaration, literally. And I don’t believe Gon meant it as romantic, because he probably has no idea his feelings are romantic in nature. But. Togashi is a troll. He really, really enjoys toying with his readers. 

To me, the fact this sentence is romantic in nature could be Togashi putting Gon’s feelings right in front of our faces, hiding it in double meaning but still plainly there for us to see. It could be Togashi toying with us in the process of setting up Gon’s feelings, so that when it gets canonized that Gon fell first, on a re-read of the manga, you go “oh. that sentence is romantic. it was literally right in front of our eyes the entire time”. I’m probably reaching !!! but!!!! the fact is, this sentence is still romantic in meaning. It’s still coated in romantic subtext. And that’s intentional on Togashi’s part.

I’ll link this magnificent post by Quintessence that basically explains what I just said much better.

In short, it would totally make sense that Gon fell first. It wouldn’t come out of nowhere, since Gon’s behavior from the beginning of the manga can definitely be interpreted as romantic in nature. The countless emotional scenes where he asserts how much he cares for Killua can definitely be read as romantic, and Gon’s behavior can definitely be explained by him having a crush on Killua, despite him not knowing.

Now, the thing that makes me further believe this is true is the fact that symbolically speaking, it makes sense that Gon fell in love with Killua first. It would enforce the narrative of Killua’s character arc of being loved for who you are and not having to earn love.

It would literally dismiss everything Killua believes about having to earn the right to be loved. About having to earn his place right next to Gon. About having to change to be good enough for Gon.

Because if Gon fell first, then Killua was loved for who he is from the beginning, from the moment they met. Killua didn’t have to earn his love, like he thought he had to, especially in CAA, because he was loved the same way all along.

It’d show that Gon didn’t start to love Killua because Killua earned that right by changing for Gon. He didn’t start to love Killua when he started to heal and change his life to become a good person. He was always loved for who he is because Gon always saw him and loved him no matter what.

And that would once again highlight Killua’s character arc beautifully. It’d show that you are worthy of love even if you literally just came out of years of abuse. That someone can look at you and instantly fall in love with you, no matter how broken and unworthy of love you think you are. You never, ever had to earn that love. It was always here to begin with.

It’d break Chimera Ant Arc completely, it’d break Killua’s belief that he was unworthy of staying by Gon’s side and that he had to earn his place. Because he was always loved and never had to earn his right to stay by Gon, because Gon wanted him there all along. 

And that is a beautiful, deeply symbolic meaning that would complement Killua’s character arc perfectly.

It’d be Togashi showing trauma survivors that you can heal and love yourself, learn how love someone else and be loved in return. 

Showing trauma survivors that you don’t have to prove your worth to be loved. That just like Killua, even if you came out of years of abuse, a broken, scared person, you’re always worthy of love. That you’re worthy of love at any stage of your healing phase. That you’re worthy of love no matter how broken you feel you are. 

Someone will always love you and accept you for who you are. 

Anyways !! Thank you for reading this !! Those two headcanons are really precious to me and I really do believe they could come true. Because it’d make sense in so many ways ! 

I know it’s hard to imagine such a thing happening, because queer representation has always been ambiguous that it’s hard to fathom a manga being openly gay, but I really want to be optimistic about it. We got the subtext, the author interested in LGBT-rep, the positive narrative and virtually no risk of being censored. 

So I want to stay optimistic on this and believe that we’ll get a romantic love confession as a way to canonize their relationship, and that it’ll become evident one way or another that Gon fell in love with Killua first.

Thanks for reading !! 

[strawbabysimp]

Ging & Killua With a Yandere S/O HCs

Ging

This man is tired. He hates those who can't be self-sufficient. Having you rely on him day in and day out wears him down but he just can't seem to get rid of you. It's to the point where he's just accepted you're there and aren't planning to leave. The fact that he can't help but care for you also contributes to his inability to rid of you.

As time goes on he'll get used to your presence more, the eeriness surrounding you is somewhat offputting but he's fascinated to see what comes of it. He sees you as another project of his to work on and watches patiently as you blossom into whatever you turn out to be. He himself becomes a bit obsessed with the idea of you but not nearly to the severity that you are interested in him.

The added convenience of having someone willing to do what he wants in the hopes that he'll dedicate his life to them is not lost on the Hunter. He does use them a bit but only when necessary, he won't admit it but he is a bit afraid of what might happen as their obsession becomes more noticeable.

Ging is a powerful Hunter. He's smart. He doesn't have people he cares about near him and even if you do go after them he's confident in their ability to keep themselves safe. There is no true danger for him, only the nagging feeling of the danger lurking beneath the surface of you two's relationship that does bother him a bit. It's a ticking time bomb and one part of him is waiting patiently for it to explode while the other is anxious about the unfamiliar events it will bring on.

When you get on his nerves a bit too much he leaves. Untraceable even for you. He'll arrive back after weeks or months to notes featuring disturbing messages. His eyes scan the notebooks he left in his haste to get away, neon colors sticking out of the edges as he opens it to reveal the pages littered in sticky notes. His eyes widen at the frantic writing all over the paper(secretly appreciating how you made sure none of the ink bled through to his own words). "why are you always running from me?" "What did I do this time?" "I thought I was perfect for you? I am perfect for you." "i miss you! i miss you! i miss you! Do you miss me?"

He'll fight with a yandere most definitely, being the most annoyed by your antics out of anyone else. "No, you can't take my clothes! I only have so many shirts! You should know this!"

Killua

It takes him a bit to notice. He's so in denial that his loved one could do such horrible things. He would fight tooth-and-nail for you. You'll see him slowly become more and more distant from his friends as time passes, their worries falling on deaf ears as he chooses to continue the relationship.

Once it sets in that this is the reality he's living in he quickly becomes a wreck. Sobbing in disbelief as his brain tries to process that he's gone in a full circle. Right back into an abusive dynamic he tried so hard to get away from. And willingly nonetheless.

He's so addicted to the feeling of being loved and accepted for who he is that eventually he just accepts it. Realizing that maybe he was always meant to live this sort of life. Never freeing himself from the clutches of another but merely choosing who gets to control him. Maybe that's the freedom he deserves. That's what love is for a Zoldyck.

He falls back into the mentality that this is what he has to be content with. Obsession. Bloodshed. Murder. He's probably one of the worst people to have to deal with a yandere as his grasp on things has already been a bit off. This just reinforces it again.

Occasionally he'll snap. The situation hitting him once again as he's set into a panic. It's always temporary. He always goes back to being your perfect little darling. But there's a part of him -- growing smaller as the days pass -- that dreams of a better life, once where he can love and be loved back without all this darkness.

"I don't understand why you're doing this to me! It wasn't supposed to be like this! You were different! You were my person!" His voice breaks as dormant emotions surface up once again. "I still am your person," you reassure him confused, unable to understand what he's not getting. You love him. This is how you show your affection. "I always have been."

[rae-writes]

You and me, Me and you

Kite x reader

warnings : mentions of nsfw, mentions of death, slight angst

word count : 2.k

Authors note : I have a problem with commas, despite being a straight A student in my English classes, I still forget where I should and should not put a comma so please don’t mind if they’re in the wrong spot.

You met Kite when you were quite young. You were thrown out on the streets at an early age and had just been caught stealing. They would’ve beaten you if Kite hadn’t saved you, swooping down from the rooftops and distracting them. 

“GO!” the boy in blue yelled. He looked a few years older with long, snowy white hair that went down to his waist and a cap that helped cover his eyes. That’s all you saw about him though, as you quickly turned and followed his order. The mysterious boy followed, eventually passing you as you both ran from the townsfolk. 

You stopped a ways away, breathing heavily. “T-Thank you. My name is Y/n.”

The boy glanced down, seeming hesitant to tell you who he was. After a bit of catching your breaths, however, he spoke up, “Kite. My name is Kite.”  He continued to observe you before giving you an offer, “Would you...like to come stay with me? You don’t seem very good at being able to live on the streets.” 

Your eyes sparkled, “Really? You’d let me? I was thrown out not too long ago...so I don’t know much.” 

Kite nodded, motioning for you to follow him. You walked for a while before coming up to an opening. Upon entering, you noticed it was a sewer, which didn’t seem to be that bad. After a few more turns, you came to a dead end where two or three animals were laying around a small spot on the floor with some dirty blankets piled up. 

A grin broke out onto your face, “This is so cool!” In return, Kite himself gave you a small smile. 

“This is where I stay and now that you’ll be staying too, no one can know about this place alright? From now on it’s just you and me.” 

You looked up at your savior and smiled a big, bright smile, “Me and you!”

----

After a few years of living together, someone was waiting for you and Kite when you got back from getting food that day. The man introduced himself as Ging Freecss, a pro hunter. Kite had started pestering the man to teach him to be one, and after a while you did too. Ging eventually agreed, although you weren’t his “Official” students or anything. Soon, it was time for you to take the hunter exam. 

“I’m so nervous, Kite!” 

Said boy rolled his eyes at you, “It’ll be fine Y/n. We were trained by one of the best hunters in the world. We got this.” Kite stopped walking when he noticed you weren’t following, stepping back to stand next to you again. 

“I know, it’s just...what if you pass and I don’t? I don’t...I don’t wanna be left behind.” Your voice wavered as you looked down to hide the tears that were forming. “I feel like I just found you and I don’t wanna lose you.” 

A hand came down on your shoulder, “You won’t lose me.” Before you knew it you were pulled into a warm, brief hug. Looking up, you saw Kite give you a confident smile, “It’s you and me, remember?” 

You nodded, smiling back at your best friend, “Me and you.”

----

You both, not surprisingly, passed the exam with flying colors. You were very excited to relax and celebrate a little, but your mentor had different ideas. Your and Kite’s next “official” hunter task was to find Ging. He gave the two of you his hunter’s license and set off to go “hide”. 

“Find one of the world’s best hunters? Is he insane?!” You were, to put it simply, not happy. You and Kite had just passed the hunter exam, which took a month or two, and now you were being forced to play hide and seek? Seriously? 

“We’ll find him, Y/n.” Kite was rummaging through your guys’ stuff, getting ready for the hard journey ahead of you. 

“We will? In case you haven’t realized, he’s literally-” 

“One of the best hunters in the world. Yes, I know. Which is exactly why we’re gonna find him.” He stood, walking over to grab your hand, “You and me.” 

You sighed, but smiled nonetheless, “Me and you.” 

----

After a few months of hard work and sleepless nights, you and Kite had located Ging. The trip wasn’t in vain as you’d thought it’d be, as you had met a lot of friends along the way. There wasn’t anything you really needed to do after hunting down your former mentor, so the two of you finally had time to relax and celebrate how far you’d gotten. 

“Well Kite, you were right. We did it.” You were impressed with yourself, even more so with Kite. You never thought as a kid this is where you’d be, but you weren’t complaining. 

“Y/n.”

You blinked, looking over at Kite in confusion at his sudden serious tone. “Kite?”

He stood to his full height, walking over to you and holding his hand out. As soon as you grabbed it, Kite pulled you in close, to the point where you could feel his breath fanning on your face. “Y/n...I never thought I’d have someone to care about until you came along. These past years have been amazing to say the least so...I uh...would you be my girlfriend?” 

You stared at him in shock, noting his pink tinted cheeks and downcast eyes. He was just about to pull away from you when you grabbed the sides of his face, “Kite…” His eyes shot up to yours and you smiled, tearing up slightly. “Of course I’ll be your girlfriend.” 

Kite’s eyes widened, before he brought you into a kiss. It was kinda messy and definitely inexperienced, but you loved it. This is what you’ve wanted for years, although much to your dismay, he pulled away and leaned in to rest his forehead on yours. 

“You and me.” He nuzzled your noses together, going in to brush his lips against yours.

You brought him in for another kiss, “Me and you.” 

----

The night Kite made love to you was beautiful. The area was surrounded by trees with a crystal clear pond in the middle, sparkling due to the starry sky. It was unlike anything you’d ever experienced. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” 

Carding your hands through his long hair, you smiled, “I’ve never wanted anything more than this.” The pure love that shone through the smile Kite gave you was heart melting. He gently pushed you backwards, laying you down on the soft forest floor. 

Kite leaned in, brushing his lips against yours, looking in your eyes with an abundance of emotion. His touch was soft, gentle as the two of you undressed each other in the light of the moon. It gave the impression that Kite was glowing, his beautiful white hair and pale skin sparkling in an ethereal way. 

“You and me.” Kite’s gaze was intense, something you wanted to get closer to and shy away from at the same time. The way he was making sure you really wanted this almost brought tears to your eyes. 

You’ve never loved anyone more than you loved the man on top of you. “Me and you.” 

----

You and Kite had really always been together, you couldn’t even remember the days before you met him anymore. So while this didn’t come as a surprise to anyone that knew the two of you, it still made you shocked and overjoyed. 

“Y/n,” 

You’re heart rate accelerated at nearly an alarming speed.

“We have been together for as long as I can remember and it’s always been the two of us. Maybe that’s why this won’t mean anything to a lot of people but it means something to me. So would you, Y/n L/n,” Kite looked up from his position on the ground, pulling out a glittering silver band, “Marry me?” 

You couldn’t fight the smile that overtook your face, immediately dropping down to be eye level with your Fiance. “Yes!” You weren’t able to say anything else as Kite basically launched himself into your embrace, the two of you falling to the ground while laughing happily. 

Kite pulled himself off of you, “I know it’s not much but…” he flashed the inside of the ring to you. Engraved on the side was ‘You and me, Me and you.’ 

Tears sprang, and you choked out a laugh. “Kite, it’s perfect. You’re perfect.” Wrapping your arms around his neck, you laughed, whether in disbelief that you had gotten so lucky or in pure joy you couldn’t decide. 

He pulled back, grabbing your left hand and sliding the ring on. “I was gonna wear mine but I figured you would want to put it on me.” Kite pulled out an exact copy of yours, engraving and all, just a little bigger. “You and me.”

Your face was starting to hurt from all the smiling you were doing as you gently took his ring and put it on his left hand. “Me and you.” 

----

Tragedies are a given in life, you just weren’t expecting one to happen so soon. The Chimera Ant came out of nowhere, Kite taking the blow as he tried to protect the three of you. Your entire world had stopped and you felt like you couldn’t breathe.

The single, torn off arm laying on the grass would haunt you for the rest of your life. Time slowed as you looked back to Kite and the thing standing next to him. Anger and blood lust engulfed you, both your and Gon’s nen spiking in rage. 

Killua knocked Gon clean out, which made you falter in your movements. 

“A wise decision Killua,” 

your eyes snapped to Kite, 

“Now take Gon and get outta here!” 

Killua turned and ran but you stayed rooted to the floor as Kite summoned crazy slots. You couldn’t leave Kite, you wouldn’t. However when his gaze locked onto yours, you swear you heard him say something. 

“You and me.” 

You choked on the air you were breathing as tears started running down your face, shaking your head violently. Number 2 was picked and his scythe materialized. His eyes told what more he couldn’t say and you felt your heart shatter. 

“Me and you.” You turned and ran, sobbing as you quickly caught up with Killua and grabbed both him and Gon. You didn’t let go of the boys or stop running until you reached the checkpoint entry of the NGL. 

After a few hunters arrived, you set off without a word, going back to the spot you had regrettably left Kite. When you arrived, nothing was there. Not even his arm. That gave you a shred of hope but the dread in your stomach wouldn’t disappear, even as you screamed out in pure despair, “KITE!” 

----

You, Gon, and Killua were taken to the place they were holding Kite. Shoot and Knuckle had found him a couple days ago, however, the three of you had to wait and were watched to determine if you could handle seeing him. Shoot released Kite from his nen cage and Gon was the first one to walk forward, getting slapped around by what looked like Kite but you knew it really wasn’t.  

Gon had left the room, his promise of fixing the man in front of you lingering in the air. It felt like you were paralyzed, stuck having to watch the man you loved stumble around like a puppet. 

“Y/n...”

“Leave.”

“But-”

“I said LEAVE!” 

Everyone filed out of the room at your request and as soon as the door shut, you broke down into sobs. What did they do to your love? You glanced up at Kite, pondering how you could get close to him without making him attack you. 

“Kite…” you forced your nen to grab a hold of him and walked forward. “Kite.” 

He started thrashing, growling at you but unable to move as your nen kept him in place. With the way he was now, you were at eye level as you reached your arms up and wrapped them around his neck. Miraculously, he stopped trying to attack as you nuzzled your cheek against his. 

“I swear, I will help Gon fix you. We still haven’t gotten married, you know. You’re...you’re still too young to go, we have our whole lives ahead of us.” You pulled away, grabbing his face, “We will fix you. I will fix you.” Leaning up, you kissed his forehead and backed away. 

Kite started thrashing around once more as you headed toward the door. 

“You and me, Me and you.” you released your nen and shut the door, hearing Kite trying to knock it down. You would fix him. Even if it killed you. 

----

It felt like years, but really it had only been around 30 minutes. You and Gon were running towards the place Kite was being held, with Pitou running in between. Again, it felt like years before you reached the large building and made your way down to Kite. What happened next made you wish you never came at all. 

“This man...This man is dead. He died in our fight.” 

There was a sharp ringing sound in your ears, and your throat closed up on its own. You watched as Kite swayed from side to side before falling to the ground face first. You heard a scream and perhaps it was yours but you paid no mind as everything started to blur. Not long after, Gon dropped to the floor.

“Kite is...dead?”

You nearly dropped as well, stumbling towards your lover and pulling him in your arms. There were no sounds as you sat with Kite draping over your lap, his head resting on your chest. Your body could not even produce the means to sob and cry out, everything was just numb. You didn’t notice when Gon and Pitou left, you stayed rooted to your spot on the floor while subconsciously rocking Kite back and forth with your body.

“Kite...it was supposed to be Me and you, remember?”

----

When Morel busted through your hospital room, saying that Kite was alive you thought you’d finally gone crazy. After his explanation though, you realized that you hadn’t lost Kite after all, even if he was in a girl’s body now. So after Gon recovered, you followed along with him to where Kite was staying. 

Gon motioned for you to go visit Kite first, so you let Spinner lead you to the room where he was in. 

“Kite? Someone’s here to see you.”

“Send them in.” His voice was higher than it had been, but still kept the rich sounding tone.

You quietly walked in, noting his back was turned toward you. He stood, maybe too soon for your liking, and turned. 

Kite now had pinkish red hair, with purple eyes and freckles. He was also...shorter? Your lips curled up, a small laugh coming from you. 

“What’s so funny, Y/n?”

You faltered at the mention of your name, finally looking into Kite’s eyes. “I’m taller now.” 

That made his lips curl up as well, “That’s what you’re worried about?” The laugh that followed was eerily familiar. 

You couldn’t stop the tears that started streaming down your face. Kite was actually here. Alive and in front of you. So why couldn’t you move?

“I know it’s weird. I look different and well...I am in a girl’s body now. But I...I hope that doesn’t make you run away from me.”

You glared, although your heart wasn’t really into it. “Seriously? We’ve been through everything together and you think I’m gonna run away just because your shape is different?” Your body moved on it’s own, wrapping your arms around Kite’s waist and lifting him up. “Idiot.” 

His laugh this time made your heart melt as you gently set him back down. The hand that caressed your features were so familiar yet so different at the same time. “You and me.” 

You smiled, fishing out Kite’s silver band from your pocket and presenting it to him, jokingly dropping down on one knee. “Me and you.” 

[applejuizz]

irrational goals x and x mindless illusions

after years of relentless searching, kaito has finally managed to find ging. as the two hunters pass the evening in the mountains, ging tells a story of his past. characters: ging freecss, kaito (kite) pairing(s): ging x gon’s momma (in the past!) no warnings word count: 1.880

pretty much my headcanons on what happened to gon’s mother.

“For all those years that I’ve known you, Ging-san, and I would’ve never guessed you have a kid.” Ging’s laughter, loud and brash bounced off the cave walls and scattered along with the howling winds. “And I thought you knew better than to make assumptions,” the hunter replied wittily, his large, amber stare glinting with amusement.

Kaito huffed out a short-lived smile and took a generous bite out of his freshly-roasted fish. He chose to let the crackling fire fill the silence as he masticated, carefully pondering over his next words.

“You’ve left one hell of a legacy behind, you know. He’s got your willpower and plenty of potential.” In response, Ging grunted through a mouthful of fish. “He’s good with animals as well. He’d make an excellent hunter.”

Kaito raised his gaze slightly to catch a reaction from across the vivid flames of the campfire. Maybe it had been just a product of the lights and shadows constantly dancing on Ging’s features, but he could’ve sworn that for a brief, insignificant moment, his master’s petrified expression had twitched. Now, whether it had been the ghost of a smile or a grimace, he couldn’t tell.

“Looks like my son did quite the impression on you,” remarked Ging, swallowing the last of his bite. “He is definitely something. I’m surprised how you were never curious enough to visit. Poor boy grew up thinking his parents were dead.” “Good.”

The sheer finality in the hunter’s tone made Kaito’s head instantly shoot up to stare incredulously. “Don’t look at me like I’m crazy, Kaito,” said Ging before his disciple could conceal his surprise, “hunters are greedy people. They seek adventure, despise routine and never settle. Bringing a kid into this world is a big and dangerous deal that we couldn’t bear.”

Then why did you do it in the first place? The question was entirely plausible, yet it died on Kaito’s tongue before he could voice it. It wasn’t his place to ask. Perhaps the boy was the result of an ordinary one night stand - that was quite often the case. Besides, he couldn’t imagine Ging lingering in one place long enough to fall in love and willingly father a child. Then again, he hadn’t thought it possible for the carefree adventurer to even be a parent at all, and he’d been proven wrong. In all truth, predicting Ging Freecss’s actions was a game of chance, similar to Kaito’s Crazy Slot, and the white-haired hunter wasn’t sure he liked that resemblance.

“Was his mother a hunter as well?” As he spoke, Kaito watched Ging’s posture stiffen, his usual relaxed attitude forgone. On second thought, it might’ve been more suitable to ask about his reasoning. “Who said anything about her? What did I tell you about assumptions?!” “You said ‘we’.” “What?!” “When you talked about bringing a kid into this world, you said ‘we couldn’t bear it’.” “As in you and me and every other fucking hunter in the world. Now stop nagging me.”

From the years he’d spent as his disciple, Kaito had learnt a lot about Ging as a hunter - extremely gifted, strategic, adventurous -, as well as a person - stubborn, unpredictable, carefree and at times, awkward. However, he had rarely, if ever got the chance to see a truly flustered, caught off-guard Ging. It took a lot to surprise him. Yet it seemed that the question Kaito had deemed innocuous had managed to utterly baffle the rogue hunter. He watched in awe as Ging’s features shifted through various phases of surprise, outrage and awkwardness, his foot nervously tapping the ground and his voice cracking with indignance. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.” The only response Ging gave was a graceful, yet expressive burp. He deliberately avoided meeting Kaito’s eyes, busying himself with wiping clean of meat every little fishbone.

By the time he spoke again, the fire had considerably dimmed. “She is a hunter. Part of the association that helped me create Greed Island.” Kaito was leaning against a smoother portion of the wall, hands behind his head, eyes closed in contemplation. When his master spoke, he immediately turned to look at him. The black-haired man was staring pointedly at the dying fire, scattering the ashes with a stick in a halfhearted attempt of keeping it aflame. “Ging-san, you don’t have to talk about this if-“ “Just shut up and listen, ‘cause I’m not telling this story twice.”

Kaito settled back against the stone wall and listened.

“As I said, she was one of the creators of Greed Island, so we were both pretty young when we met- 18, I think. She was the friend of a friend, she heard of our project and she wanted in. We were fine with it, since she was a strong Nen user and her contribution has made the game what it is today.”

The cave entrance was growing darker by the minute as nightfall crept in. They would have to get some more firewood.

“While we were busting our asses off scouting the island and thinking up cards, we got to talkin’ and you could say we grew... close. She was pretty and as charming as they come, simple-minded, and always up for an adventure. And I was a bit of an impressionable kid.”

“We wanted to travel together. She was passionate about myths and languages, I liked ruins. A match made in heaven,” Ging chuckled bitterly. “Now, don’t get me wrong, ‘twas nothing official. We couldn’t be bothered to label anything. But one thing led to another, and all of a sudden we were a couple of dumb nineteen year-olds with a baby on the way.”

So, Gon was a mistake. Kaito had figured that much.

“Obviously, we had to push back our plans - we wanted to try and explore the Dark Continent eventually - and we had no idea how we were going to raise a kid together when we didn’t even know how to define our relationship, but we never thought about giving up Gon. Not once. Soon after we finished up the game, Daina gave birth. May 5th, 1987. Five months later, I was urging her to come with me on an unofficial, undocumented expedition near lake Mosubi.”

The sheer name of that place gave Kaito the shivers as he listened attentively to the other hunter’s story.

“She didn’t really want to go. Childbirth had changed her. She began to realize the risks we’d have to take, the high stakes, the danger that was awaiting and how inexperienced we really were. But I was having none of it. I thought I was invincible, and I thought I’d always get what I wanted.” There was a pause, and Ging cleared his throat almost awkwardly.

“So, I threatened to leave by myself. Woke up that morning and started packing. She got scared, like I knew she would; there was no way to stop me, so she eventually gave in.”

“You pretty much manipulated her into following you,” Kaito concluded. Ging continued to stare into the fire for a while before answering, and his disciple was almost sure he’d managed to piss him off again.

“Yeah. I guess you could say that,” he answered calmly. “Anyway, we left the baby in-game, summoned a Panda Maid to care for him and left. Long story short, something... beyond my understanding happened on that godforsaken shore and...”

“Did Daina...?”

“No! I mean... she disappeared. I have no idea what happened to her. I couldn’t look for her. It’s a miracle I even got away.”

Kaito let out a breath he hadn’t even known he were holding.

“And before you start to think I’m some delusional dumbass, the moment I got back, I went to Greed Island and summoned Double Postcard to the Dead. I’ve been doing it annually since then. No response so far.”

Ging needn’t explain more. Kaito knew Greed Island fairly well from the time he had attempted to clear the game, and therefore he had plenty of knowledge on the card system. Double Postcard to the Dead is a card which, if summoned, allows you to send a message to a deceased person of your choosing. If the person is truly dead, you’ll get a response within the next day.

“Anyway, after all that, I’d realized a couple of things.” Ging raised his pointer in the air. “First. I was going to need at least a decade of training, experience and qualifications to even pass lake Mosubi’s shoreline, and second,” he raised another finger, “I couldn’t raise Gon on my own. It was too dangerous to pursue my goals with him around, and he would’ve been better off living a normal life.”

“So you sent him off home.”

“And lost custody in court when Mito decided to sue me. The rest is history.”

There was silence as Kaito pondered over what he’d just heard. He supposed he could understand the reasoning behind Ging’s decision to leave Gon in someone else’s care, but he could’ve at least visited. Kaito was no king of morality, yet he couldn’t have lived with himself knowing he had a kid out there that knew nothing of him.

“I’m sorry.”

Ging’s eyes switched back to Kaito. He no longer looked lost in space as he made a dismissive hand gesture, very much characteristic of him.

“Don’t be. It was for the best. I would’ve been a crappy father either way.” There was humor in his tone and the white-haired hunter laughed cordially, but he could tell his companion’s words were more than just a joke.

The more he thought about it, the more obvious it became. Ging had decided to utterly avoid his son not only for his safety, but also out of a selfish, yet understandable reason. He couldn’t have possibly bore the embarrassment of looking Gon in the eye and telling him his mother had gone missing simply because he had dragged her into his irrational goals and mindless illusions.

But you won’t be able to avoid him forever, Kaito thought to himself. If that boy is anything like you, he won’t drop dead until he finds you. I’ve seen the look in his eyes. You’re in for one hell of a ride, Ging.

“Yo.” He was awoken from his reverie by the hunter’s deep voice. “I’m gonna go get some more firewood. You coming or what?”

Kaito had barely noticed that the sky had gone completely dark and the cave was only lit by what little was left of the campfire. He could barely distinguish Ging’s features anymore as he stood at the entrance.

“Sure. I wasn’t expecting you to spend the night here though, Ging-san.”

As they walked along the abrupt forest path, wind howling at their ears, Ging scoffed. “You and your damn assumptions.” He grumbled and pointed at the sky. “No stars. Can’t you smell the thunder? It’s gonna rain tonight.” Kaito doubted a little storm would stop Ging from leaving if he really wished to do so, but he said nothing. “Oh, and drop the honorific.”

Kaito must’ve looked extremely surprised because Ging spoke again, a smirk creeping on his face.

“Don’t look at me like that. You found me, so you passed your test. We’re equals.”

[royalsapphire]

Me thinking about Killua and Gon’s separation:

The reason why we grew apart sometimes from the people that we loved, it’s because that we love them so much, it became toxic. Loving and caring too much is toxic. So distance is needed. In order to keep everything balance in life.

And the distance is also needed for us to grow. Becoming mature, finding our true self. If we stuck with something that is in our comfort zone, we will never evolve.

But that does not mean, that if you do grow apart, that your friend is going to leave you. If they are really your friends, they will stay and always have your back, even though you are physically apart with one another. Like Leorio, Gon and Killua for Kurapika.

Now back to Gon and Killua:

Gon got to finally meet his dad. Which was always been a dream for him. He wants to find out what makes his dad leave him while he was young. I bet after accompanying Ging for a while, Gon will be out adventuring by himself too, alone. He will get to know new people, experiencing new things alone.

Killua on the other hand, before he rescued Alluka from the Zoldycks mansion, he was lost. He wanted to know what he’s after in life.

He said it to Gon clearly too: “I envy you to have something that you want. If it comes to something that i don’t want to do, i had a list of it. But if it comes to something i want to do, i really have no idea.”

And after he got Alluka, he then maybe thought, “oh how come i forget my own sibling, who had been locked up all her life in a cell.” Then it became his responsibility to take care of Alluka, because all Zoldycks members considered her to be dangerous and not a living person. Alluka did also mention to Gon: “i have to borrow Onii-chan for a while. After i had fun with him, i will return it to you. Thank you for hanging out with him.” Is it not like a hint that Gon and Killua are really going to reunite and have adventures again together?

I can’t help but smiling thinking about that. Let us hope, that Togashi finishes his masterpiece soon enough. I really wish to see all the 4 main characters evolve and grow. I really want to see Gon and Killua become teenagers and of course adults. One can only dream.

Nevertheless youth is basically where you experience things: love, sadness, joy, anger, boredom, excitement. If you were able to feel all those emotions while you were young, considered yourself lucky!!

I like to believe, that someday Gon and Killua will be reunited with lots of stories to tell. And Kurapika, Leorio too of course.

[aspoonofsugar]

Nen and Characters: Razor and Genthru

The Greed Island arc has two main antagonists, who are Razor and Genthru.

At first glance, they seem two completely different people, but they both explore similar concepts like the idea of redemption and the necessity of finding a good equilibrium between individual strength and teamwork.

What is more, the narrative itself invites us to compare their stories since Razor is introduced as the boss of fourteen devils, while Genthru as the leader of the Bomb Devils. The names of the two groups clearly highlight how both Razor and Genthru are (or used to be) criminals aka people outside society and who are able to damage it.

This meta will use concepts I have already explored in this meta and will try to explore them more in depth and to broaden the topic.

RAZOR: A HYPOCRITICAL TEAMWORK

Razor’s character is important for at least three distinctive topics.

1) The theme of redemption.

2) The theme of teamwork and bonds.

3) The theme of the link between fiction (the game) and reality (the real world).

1) The first theme is pretty clear and explained through a flashback:

Razor became the person that he is because Ging gave him a second chance even if he used to be a criminal. It is implied by Razor’s narration that, before Ging, nobody treated him as a person or thought that he could accomplish anything in life. This is interesting for three reasons.

a) Razor’s story resembles Binolt’s:

Just like Razor, Binolt is portrayed as a ruthless criminal, but a quick flashback implies that he is partly who he is because people have refused his kindness. Binolt’s memories show him as a poor boy who tried to give a rich couple their purse back. However, they, instead of thanking him, gave in to their prejudices and hit him thinking that he was a criminal.

The implication is clearly that Binolt has become who he is because society saw him in a specific way and so he decided to give in to society’s expectations. This is why Gon earnestly thanking him for the help he gave him and Killua during the training is something which gets to him. His story ends with him leaving Greed Island and presumibly starting a new life.

Let’s highlight that Razor and Binolt are not the only characters who suffered because of society’s prejudices. As a matter of fact Battera is a victim of this as well:

Battera is introduced to us as an extraordinary rich man who is ready to spend a fortune to obtain three magical objects. At the beginning of the arc both the characters and the readers are led to believe that he wants these objects for materialistic purposes like becoming more powerful and influential. However, by the end we discover that all Battera wanted was simply to spend time with the person he loved.

b) Razor himself is probably trying to offer the people under his leadership a chance similar to the one Ging offered him. As a matter of fact, the group of people who are with Razor are real world criminals and Greed Island is basically their prison.

Given Razor’s own background and how much important the game itself has been for his rehabilitation:

it is easy to infer that he would like for other people as well to be saved thanks to this game and the chance of redemptions it gives. If that were not the case, Razor could have simply been the only person taking part in the event to gain Plot of Beach. After all, it is clear that he has the power to do so. He decided instead to take some criminals with him and to have them serve as characters in a game.

That said, even if these may be Razor’s motivations, he is also ready to kill one of his own men and this act of violence is indicative of other contradictions that the character has.

c) The main contradiction is shown by his own ability. As a matter of fact Razor has the power of creating a bunch of nen creatures who will act as his own teammates and would generally move as he wishes.

This is interesting considering that for the major part of his life Razor has probably been pretty lonely. As a result, it is easy to imagine that his power is somehow the result of him creating his own comrades. Razor has probably been searching for a way to feel less lonely by materializing parts of himself he could interact with. However, this can’t fill the need of human interactions which was somehow satisfied when he met Ging, aka someone who is not a materialization of Razor himself, who would treat Razor as a person.

2) This leads us to the second point mentioned above. As a matter of fact despite how much a friendship with another person has been important for Razor, he keeps depending mostly on himself.

This is shown by the fact that he himself turns out to be the fourteen devils mentioned by the woman:

This is proven when he tells the others he would take care of the matches from that moment on and it is highlighted by Gon as well:

Razor’s behaviour here is contradictive and partially hypocritical. As a matter of fact the condition to gain Plot of Beach is to form a group big enough that they can take on fifteen individuals, but in the end their major opponent is just one person aka Razor himself. Why should people unite and be tested over their teamwork when the person they are fighting is simply fighting alone?

This contradiction is embodied also by the card Razor is guarding:

As explained by Killua, the card, even if fifteen people must come together to obtain it, can be transformed only a limited numbers of times. This means that there is the risk of inner fights after the battle against Razor is over. This is not casual because, all in all, the fight with Razor seems to have been thought in order to test people about their teamplay and their bonds.

In a sense, the battle to obtain Plot of Beach is representative of the whole contradictive nature of the game. On one hand it is obvious that players would naturally join groups in order to finish the game. On the other hand only three objects can be taken in the end. What if a large group is composed of individuals who all want different things? This trap is probably also why the game as a whole is called Greed Island. In there people are tested to see if they will end up prey of their own greed or if they will manage to channel it in a constructive way.

The battle against Razor is not exception and, in a sense, it can be seen as a test to see how strong the bonds created throughout a common struggle are and if they can survive individual interests.

The answer is that they can:

Not only does Gon’s team win only because more individual combined their abilities, so that they could overcome Razor, but also they avoided any inner fighting after the fact. Despite this, even if fighting together made so that important bonds could be born, this does not mean that every conflict is immediately settled or overcome:

Hisoka who was fundamental to the team’s victory and even commented that said victory was the result of team-play has no problem to lie to his “comrades” and, once the fight is over, immediately goes off to pursue his individual interests which conflict partially with Gon and Killua’s.

So, in the end the fight against Razor is a celebration of team-play, but at the same time it highlights the inconsistencies and contradictions of more people uniting for a common goal. Moreover, the whole situation also underlines the paradox of such an individualistic character like Razor celebrating team-work.

3) Razor’s other power is the ability to transform his aura in a ball. This ability is interesting because it is linked to the last theme this character explores aka the link between games and reality.

First of all, it is interesting that Razor challenges his opponents to sport matches since sports are not supposed to be especially dangerous. They are basically games with specific rules which are also used to avoid extreme damage among the players. However, as the dodgeball match goes on, it becomes clear that what is happening is basically a fight to the death and that Razor’s balls are not really balls, but weapons.

This description fits Greed Island in general. Greed Island is a game which was hypothetically made in order to be enjoyed, but it ended up becoming a death trap for those players who were not strong enough. This is why Gon and Killua are immediately said so:

And Gon immediately reacts this way:

The truth is that both perspectives are wrong. Killua’s point of view is probably the most accurate:

The game has been created, so that it can be played in different ways. If one wants to steal all the cards from other players they can, while if another wants to win each card on their own, they still can.

All in all, this is so because the game is a mirror of the world. To be more precise it is a smaller world where all human dynamics, both positive and negative, end up being amplified. The island is a place where you can easily meet other people and keep in touch with them (the transportation spells and the book are used to do so), but also a place where you can steal from others (the stealing spells are there to encourage theft).

What is more, the island is isolated by society and this makes it the perfect place to transform into a prison like Razor has done. At the same time, it is the perfect place to transform into a training camp as well:

So, it is obvious that the island is strictly linked to the real world and it is not by chance that the fight against Razor is where the protagonists discover such a truth:

This is because the battle against Razor is fundamental to win against Genthru as well. As a matter of fact it is through this fight that Gon, Killua and Biscuit forge their bonds with Goreinu and Tsezguerra and these bonds will prove fundamental to take down Genthru and to finish the game.

This also explains why the Greed Island arc has basically two boss fights. The one against Razor (an opponent in the game) is propedeutic to the final one against Genthru (an enemy in the real world). This is just another way to highlight how much the lessons learnt in the game can be useful in real life as well.

GENTRHU: ACTING CRAZY

If Razor plays the part of a pirate, then Genthru is the island equivalent of a terrorist, like his powers make clear.

Genthru’s most dangerous ability is called Countdown and it is interesting because it shares some similarities with Gon’s Jajanken.

First of all, both abilities share some similarities with common games. Gon’s power takes after rock, paper, scissors, while Genthru’s has some similarities with a game of tag or with cops and robbers. As a matter of fact a person has to touch another saying a keyword and the other has a time limit to touch the person back saying another keyword.

What is more, both Countdown and Jajanken are difficult to freely use in a fight because they both need time to be activated. This is because Gon needs time to concentrate his aura, while Genthru needs time to properly explain how his ability works. That said both characters come up with creative and smart ways to change this weakness into a strength.

These similarities already show that Gon and Genthru are more alike than what one might think at first sight. In particular, they have a common trait which has been commented by both Genthru and other characters:

This trait is firstly mentioned by Puhat and it is the ability of moving at one’s own pace without being influenced by others. This is an ability both Genthru and Gon show and it is later on called by Genthru the ability of “acting crazy”:

Genthru highlights how often people who assume a crazy demeanor can be dangerous and effective and juxtaposes this idea to Puhat trying to act in a smart way.

All in all, both Genthru and Gon have shown to be able to think outside the box, but they have declined their ability in opposite ways. This is shown since the first time they met. In that occasion, as it was shown above, Genthru condemned the game and called it cruel, while Gon said to believe the game to be entertaining and affirmed his will to enjoy it. These two opposite perspectives symbolize two different ways of living and of experiencing society.

On one hand one can only concentrate on the most negative dynamics and use them to their own advantage. Genthru does exactly this and is even able to discover hidden rules which make him able to kill more easily:

Moreover Genthru’s whole tactic makes use of the most toxic and greedy aspects of the game. For example, he makes use of a large group which could be formed only because of Battera’s huge reward and used the fact that Greed Island is isolated in order to spread the rumor of the Bomb Devils and used said rumor to his advantage. This strategy was especially effective because of the limited size of the island and the fact the everyone there knew about nen. What is more, once he revealed his power he could easily use a spell to put distance between him and his victims. In short, Genthru used the traits of the game to his advantage and used also things like fear and paranoia to “infect” people with his power. This is also represented by the bombs being linked to one’s pulses, so that the panic works to Genthru’s advantage. Genthru is a character who feeds people’s worst instincts and is fed by them in return. This is lampshaded also by Biscuit:

In the end if all the people who were infected by Genthru had attacked him together some of them might have survived, but ironically, such a large group came together only for convenience and so lacked the team-spirit and the selflessness to pull off such a feat.

On the other hand one can concentrate on the opportunities society gives to grow up, like Gon does while playing Greed Island. It is not by chance that he is able to obtain the card Wild Luck Alexandrite which can be obtained only by helping a group of bandits using the Paladin’s Necklace. All in all, it is a card which can be obtained through altruism and it is not by chance that Genthru, who is obsessed with finishing the game and has mostly stolen cards from others does not have it. The fact that actually very few people have that card despite it not being that difficult to obtain is symbolic of how much the majority of players is motivated by selfishness and greed and not really by the desire to finish the game. This is something proved also by the fact that Gon, who enjoyed the game most of all, is the one who answers the major number of questions during the final quiz.

At the same time, Gon is genuinely able to forge positive relationships within the game and the final group who fights Genthru is composed not only by him, Killua and Biscuit, but also by Goreinu and Tsezguerra’s group. It is only because Tsezguerra is able to selflessly put his life on the line and to believe in his alliance with Gon’s group that Genthru is finally defeated.

This leads us to another point of comparison between Gon and Genthru and about another theme the character explores. In particular, if Razor explores the theme of teamwork, its importance and its contradictions, Genthru explores the theme of the importance of being self-sufficient and in particular of developing a personal strength. I will be quoting the meta I linked above:

This  is also shown by Genthru who is both a character able to fight alone  and a person who works well with his comrades (as a matter of fact they  seem to share some powers).

The way Gon fights him is also  indicative of how the boy is trying to reconcile a strong wish of individual strength and the necessity to work together:

As  a matter of fact Gon has been given by Killua a plan to follow and if  he did, he would not have any problems in defeating Genthru. However,  Gon is not completely satisfied because he wants to use the battle to  test himself. So in the end he chooses to follow the plan only after he  managed to injure his opponent on his own.

This solution is a good  synthesis of Gon and Killua’s struggle to grow up together, but also in  an independent way, so that the can keep being friends, but also become  proper individuals. This is something which will be explored also in  the CAA with their friendship being partly deconstructed after GI spent  much time showing its importance and positive effects.

This is something which is not only conveyed through Genthru alone, but also through his two other comrades aka Sub and Bara who are nothing more than satellite characters and even lack a specific personality of their own. Sub and Bara seem to completely revolve arounf Genthru and the Bomb Devils since they both have a tattoo which symbolizes the group on their own forehead. What is more, they also lack any personal hatsu and the only nen power they are shown to have is the ability of making the bombs of Countdown detonate before the time and, even then, they need to be together with Genthru.

In short, Genthru’s group is clearly unbalanced and Genthru is the centre of it all, the most intelligent member and the strongest. This is not true for Gon’s group where Biscuit is clearly the strongest member and Killua comes up with the majority of the strategies of the group among which the one which leads to genthru’s downfall. In other words, each member of Gon’s group has their own personalities, talents and objectives.

This is clearly shown in Biscuit and Killua’s fights against Bara and Sub. As a matter fo fact the two battles end up just being moments where the two characters can be explored more. In particular, Biscuit reveals her true self during the fight and shows the readers something she has hidden even from her two students. Killua, instead, uses the fight to develop himself and his hatsu, so as a wayto train and to advance in his journey for individuality.

In conclusion, the victory against Genthru is finally reached thanks to both individual strength and team-work and it is symbolic of Gon and Killua’s growth throughout and thanks to the game. At the same time, Genthru’s defeat is also a defeat of an excessive greedy and selfish perspective:

Gon, Killua and Biscuit manage to touch Genthru’s with their generosity and convince Goreinu to cure also the three bomb devils. In this way, Genthru too, just like Razor, is saved by a stranger’s generosity and can hope to redeem himself thanks to his relationships with his comrades which humanize him.

CONCLUSION: THE GOOD SIDE OF THE MAN-CHILD

All in all, Razor and Genthru are two people who are given a second chance thanks to Greed Island.

What is more, this second chance is given to them thanks to a particularly childish character (Ging for Razor and Gon for Genthru) who did not let himself be influenced by society’s standards, but imposed his own. Ging saw in Razor more than a criminal and Gon decided to fight Genthru not following the man’s rules (kill or be killed), but his own ones (enjoy the game and play correctly).

Both Ging and Gon’s behaviour can be seen as utterly childish and they are both described as selfish in multiple occasion. However, at least in Greed Island this childishness of them is not condemned, but highlighted as a positive trait which is able to offer an alternative take on things and on society’s most rigid structures.

This is also why it is so important that Greed Island in the end is nothing more than a game aka something created to have fun. This fact also underlines both Ging and Gon’s approach to life as something which must be enjoyed to its fullest.

At the same time, the arc itself has some things which will later be deconstructed. As a matter of fact Gon’s incredible stubborness is already criticized in this arc and will lead to a disaster in the CAA as it will Gon’s tendency to judge people according to how they behave with him. This tendency lets him forgive people like Binolt, but will prevent him from properly empathizing with people like Pitou in the CAA.

Finally, even the important themes of team-work and selflessness are partially subverted in the end. As a matter of fact Gon, Killua and Biscuit end up taking three cards with them in the real world.

-The first one is Blue Planet and it is Biscuit’s reward.

-The second is an Accompany card disguised as a Plot of Beach card.

-The third is the Paladin’s Necklace which is necessary to convert the Accompany card to its original form.

Let’s concentrate on the last two cards.

The Paladin’s Necklace is a card representative of the main characters’ philosophy throughout the game since they were like paladins trying to pursue a positive way to play and to defeat the people who were transforming the game in a trap. At the same time, it represents Killua’s selflessness and devotion to Gon since he basically chooses this card in order to let Gon’s trick to smuggle an Accompany in the real world work.

The fact that the Accompany has the appearance of a Plot of Beach card is also to highlight the importance the fight with Razor had in Gon’s personal journey. That fight is also a link Gon has with his father.

Finally, when it comes to the Accompany, Biscuit comments this:

She says that it is possible Ging’s message for Gon is that if he truly wants to meet him he should both become strong and leave everything behind. Let’s highlight that this message is coherent with the idea of Greed Island as a place to test people’s greed. According to this reading, Ging’s test on Gon is also one about his moral character. Will Gon lose himself after jewels and power or will he sacrifice them in favor of his bond with his father? Will he choose a simple spell over the wonderful cards he could take?

At the same time, the conclusion of Greed Island puts a dent in this reading and makes the situation more complex:

In the end Ging refuses to meet Gon because Gon chose an Accompany rather than a Magnetic Force. This can be read in two different ways.

a) What Ging is asking Gon to leave behind, so that he can meet his father are not only power and items, but also a friend who has helped Gon up until that point.

However, the fact that Gon does not can be seen as a way to highlight that not all greed is negative. As a matter of fact Gon treasures the people he grows close to and this in itself is not something negative. So, in the end, him not leaving Killua alone to go meet Ging can be shown as a sign of this.

b) In order to obtain the spell card Gon needed Killua’s help and he needed his help to complete the game. Gon needing comrades to complete the game is surely something Ging knew in advance. As a matter of fact, in order to use a spell card outside the game, two cards are needed. Given the nature of the game, it is very difficult for a single player to finish it on his own. This means that Gon would have had to surely join forces with someone, but if that were the case, then he would have had to share the reward in the end. This means that, in order to obtain two of the three cards given as a reward, Gon would have needed comrades ready to give them to him.

Because of this, it is hypocritical for Ging, who gives a lot of importance to comrades and the bond of friendship, to refuse to see Gon simply because he brings a friend along. 

We are again in a paradoxical situation similar to the one of Razor where there is a person celebrating bonds, but also refusing them on a certain extent.

Thank you for reading!

If you are interested in other analysys of HxH characters through their nen abilities here is a list of the ones I wrote up until now:

-Nanika

-Kurapika and Chrollo

-Killua and Illumi

-Gon and Hisoka

-Meruem and Komugi

-Palm Siberia

-Neon Nostrade

-Neferpitou and Shaiapouf

-Kachou and Fugetsu

-Menthuthuyoupi

-Ikalgo and Welfin

-Knuckle and Shoot

[jovialyouthmusic]

Special Delivery

Fabio moves in, and Martin questions my judgement.

Word Count 2987

A/N Just a fluffy piece of self indulgence. A few swear words. 

No under 18s please

7 A New Lodger

The morning dawned bright with autumn sunshine, and I woke to find Ginger on the bedroom windowsill looking longingly out at the field behind the house.

‘Sorry Ginge’ I apologised. ‘It’ll be a while before you get to explore.’ He turned back to me, making a noise that told me he was a little disgruntled before he jumped down to demand breakfast. ‘Well it’s a good job you like Fabricio, he’ll be moving in today’ I said, leaning down to scratch his head, and he rose up to meet my hand and leaned heavily on my leg as if to say less talk, more food.

As I left him to scarf up his kibble, my phone dinged with a message from Martin.

Hey Lisa, Sue’s out for the day, want me to come up and do some gardening?

I’ll be busy today, soz

Well duh, was offering to help. I have cake.

I looked at the phone and sighed. Martin would find out sooner or later, so I’d better call, I thought. He picked up almost instantly.

‘Hey Martin, we need to talk.’

‘I can be there in ten.’ he replied eagerly, scenting gossip.

‘I – uh, I’ll be out in half an hour, that won’t work.’ Martin’s tone changed.

‘Okay Lisa, what have you done?’ he said darkly.

‘Funny story.’ I laughed apologetically ‘My friend slash brother is gong to be my new lodger.’ I heard him suck his breath in.

‘Please tell me you mean at Jackson street – no, wait – that would make him a tenant. For fucks sake Leese, he’s moving in with you?’

‘Kind of.’

‘He either is or he isn’t. Shit, you only met him less than a week ago.’

‘Please don’t freak, Martin. It will be fine. Ginger likes him, and he’s a great judge of character.’

‘Ginger also likes chasing mice and leaving their corpses by your bed.’ he scolded ‘This guy delivers pizza for fuck’s sake.’

‘Okay, if you’re going to carry on being negative I’m going to cut you off.’ I took a deep breath as Martin remained silent. ‘It’s just a temporary thing, he’s looking for modelling jobs. It’s what he does, he’ll be off on a shoot for a few days and then come back. He just ran short of funds and had to hole up for a while. This way he has somewhere nice to live and will be able to make more money before he goes home.’

‘Why don’t you just rent him your old place?’ Martin asked.

‘It’s not ready yet, and it would be too expensive.’ I paused for a moment, and he waited, the silence oozing sceptiscism.  ‘It’s different here Mar, the neighbours are too far away to notice if I fall down the stairs, break my neck and Ginge decides I’m dinner. I’d feel safer having someone around. I was going to advertise for a lodger anyway. This way I have someone to help out straight away.’

‘Right. Did he pressure you into this, Leese? Because that’s manipulative.’

‘No, he didn’t. It was my idea. He did say he was getting bad vibes off some of the others in his building, but that was after I offered.’

‘Think hard now, Leese.’ Martin persisted ‘No big hints, no puppy dog eyes?’

‘Puppies have brown eyes, Mar. Fabio’s eyes are grey.’

‘You know damn well what I mean.’

‘No, no hints, no pleading, no sob story. I’ll be fetching him soon. He’s got Dad’s old bike and he’ll take that to work and back.’

‘Well I suppose it’s too late to stop you.’ he said reluctantly ‘But the moment anything seems off – anything negative, let me know. I’m going to be checking up on you – every day, you hear me?’

‘As long as it doesn’t trigger Sue.’

‘To hell with Sue. If she doesn’t understand…’ he paused ‘Look, I can still come over today, so he knows I’ve got your back.’

‘If you want to bring over a housewarming present I guess I couldn’t stop you. Even if it’s only a pot plant.’

‘Cake.’ he said assertively. ‘How does two this afternoon suit you?’

‘I can make sure we’re in – I’ll make like it’s a surprise.’

‘That sounds like a cunning plan. Okay Les, see you later.’

-------

Fabio rang me later, and I went to his flat to pick him up. He was waiting outside with a large wheeled suitcase and his backpack. I got out to open the boot, and he came round to swing his suitcase in before lightly touching my shoulder and kissing me on the cheek.

‘Gracias, Lisa.’ he smiled ‘This means so much to me. I love to stay with people who live in the places I visit.’

‘De nada.’ I said, and he grinned even wider as I told him you’re welcome in his native language.

‘Your accent is very English.’ he said. ‘But I also have an accent, so we are even.’ He smiled ‘Wait a moment please, there is something else’ He vanished back into the house and came out again holding a large bunch of flowers. I blushed furiously as he handed them to me and again kissed me on the cheek.

‘Oh Fabio you shouldn’t have’ I protested. His lips lingered near my ear for a moment, sending shivers down my spine.

‘I have a bottle of wine in my bag. Tonight we get drunk together, no?’ I laughed nervously.

‘Just a little.’

‘Si, solo un poco, just a little.’ He pulled away and I put the flowers carefully onto the back seat. We got into the car and belted ourselves in before setting off. he leaned back in his seat and watched the passing streets.

‘How was the gym?’ 

‘Muy bueno. Very good, my belly will be flat soon, you will see.’ he said, patting his stomach. I swallowed at the thought of his muscled torso. ‘How is your cat? Is he happy in his new home?’

‘He wants to go outside.’ I said, glad of the distraction. ‘He has to stay in – you must be careful when we get there. Don’t open the kitchen door until the porch door is closed, and don’t leave your window open.’

‘Cómo no – of course.’ he replied. ‘Tonight we eat together, yes?’

‘Yes, I thought perhaps some salmon and salad, will that suit you?’

‘Muy Beuno, delicioso.’

‘Ginger will be happy, he loves fish.’ 

Once at the house, Fabio took his suitcase into his room and I put the kettle on for tea.

‘I’ve got some soup for lunch, you can have some if you like.’ I offered as he came out of his room a little while later. He accepted, and I set about getting things ready. Ginger came down from the upstairs bedroom and rubbed himself around Fabricio’s legs.

‘Can I pick him up?’ he asked. ‘He won’t bite?’

‘No, Ginge is very chilled – relaxed. If he wriggles put him down.’ The cat allowed himself to be hoisted up and started to purr as Fabio scratched his chin and ears.

‘We get on well, you and I.’ Fabio said ‘together, we look after Lisa, yes?’ Ginger wriggled, and he put him carefully back on the floor.

‘I think it’s me looking after you two.’ I joked as I handed him the bread to take through to the dining room.

‘We all look after each other then.’ he smiled. We sat and ate lunch quietly.

‘Is there anything you want to do today?’ I asked ‘There’s a wood nearby, we could go for a walk, and perhaps tomorrow we could go out to the coast.’

‘There are beaches?’

‘Yes, but it’s too late in the year and too cold to sunbathe or go swimming. It’s mostly estuary here anyway.’

‘Estuary?’ 

‘Where the rivers go into the sea. It’s tidal, not proper seaside.’

‘Ah entiendo – I understand.’ He reached out to take my empty bowl and stood to take the dishes to the kitchen. ‘We walk later – now I must read my emails and send one to my mother.’

‘The internet’s all set up, I’ll give you the password.’

‘Let me wash up, senora.’ he said, and I blinked at the formality of ‘senora’, but said nothing.

‘Okay, just leave it to drain and I’ll put it away. I have some sorting to do upstairs. Remember, don’t let Ginger out.’

‘Lo siento. Call me when you are ready.’

Once upstairs I spent some time sorting out clothes, and calculated when to go out so that we would be back before Martin came. I decided not to leave it to chance and texted him to delay him a little longer, then went down to find no trace of my lodger, so I tapped on his door.

‘If you’d like, we can go out now.’ I suggested. He appeared quickly, pulling on a jacket and holding a pair of boots to replace his trainers.

‘It’s not such a tough walk as the hills.’ I explained ‘But if you wanted to go running it’s a good route.’ We set off down a nearby side road until we hit the entrance to the wood, and turned off to take the path. He agreed that it was an excellent place for running, save for the odd dog walker who had omitted to clear up after their pet. We were out for just less than an hour, turning back when the sky started to darken and arriving back as the first drops of rain started to fall.

‘Lisa.’ Fabio said ‘We should talk more about me being here.’ I felt a little thrill as we stood together in the kitchen, me fussing with cups ready to make more tea, more to occupy myself than anything else, feeling a little awkward. Martin would make an appearance soon, I thought.

‘Oh yes?’ I asked ‘What did you want to say?’ He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned back on the kitchen counter.

‘Well’ he said ‘I said I want to be more than a brother to you.’ I tried to keep my expression neutral, wondering where he was going with the conversation, a sick excited feeling in the pit of my stomach. As I hadn’t answered him, he went on ‘Before you invited me to live here’ he continued.

‘Yes, that’s so.’ I responded, and he stood clear of the counter.

‘I don’t want you to be uncomfortable’ he said, holding his palms out to me ‘I would never do anything you don’t like.’ My heart hammered in my chest. ‘You have no boyfriend?’ he asked as I remained silent, mind whirling. ‘Do you like men? Did someone hurt you?’ I laughed awkwardly.

‘That’s a lot of questions.’ I said, taking a deep breath. ‘No, I have no-one special right now, yes I do like men - and no, nobody hurt me. I’ve had – a few relationships but nothing that lasted more than a year or so.’

‘You look for your someone special?’ he asked ‘Someone who’s not just staying for a few months?’

‘I don’t know’ I said ‘I’ve not had much luck so far. I think – Fabio, it’s not easy. My heart tells me one thing and my head another.’

‘Your heart tells you what?’ he smiled. I felt a little dizzy.

‘It tells me…’ at that moment the doorbell rang, and I jumped violently.

‘Hey Leese!’ Martin’s voice came from outside the porch. I was frozen for a moment, and Fabio looked startled. I tore my gaze away from him to go and answer ‘I was just passing, can I come in? I brought cake to celebrate your move.’ Martin said, winking broadly. I cursed his sense of timing and plastered a smile onto my face.

‘Martin, what a surprise. We were just making tea.’

‘We?’ he asked innocently, handing me a box.

‘Umm yeah – you met Fabio.’ I lead him into the kitchen and Fabio shifted self consciously, flashing his white toothed smile. ‘He’s my new lodger.’ The two men shook hands.

‘Hello again.’ said Martin ‘You’re a lucky man, finding a place like this to stay – and Lisa, of course. How did you meet again?’

‘Now come on Martin.’ I said ‘I know how you take your tea. Go through into the lounge and I’ll put this out onto a plate.’

‘Excuse me.’ Fabio said. ‘I go to the bathroom, wash my hands.’

‘Here, let me see to the cake.’ said Martin loudly as Fabio left the kitchen.

‘Well that was fucking subtle.’ I hissed at him ‘asking him how we met. I don’t want you to scare him, just be polite and interested.’

‘You know how I feel, Leese’ he answered in a low tone.

‘Well your timing was just great, Einstein. Here, take the cake through, we’ll have it in the lounge.’ In minutes we were all seated, Martin on one end of the couch and Fabio at the other, the cake and plates on the coffee table. Martin sat back, foot balanced on his knee, and Fabio leaned toward me, elbows on his knees. I took a slice of the cake and offered it to Fabio

‘Just a little.’ he said. ‘remember, I must look good for work.’

‘It’s easy to work this stuff off.’ Martin assured him ‘special low calorie stuff.’ I snorted

‘He’s lying.’ I sighed.

‘Joking, not lying’ he retorted.

‘So, Lisa didn’t tell me very much about you’’ Fabio said, regarding the cake before turning to Martin and asking ‘How did you meet?’ I laughed.

‘Well played, Fabio. We met at Tai Chi class, and Martin also did yoga. He takes his own classes now, in Ashtanga yoga’ Martin sat up straight and puffed his chest out a little.

‘Oh, my brother’s sister does Ashtanga’ Fabio said. ‘Es muy dificil – very difficult. You must be very fit to teach it.’ Martin smirked a little, his ego stoked.

‘Oh, do you do yoga?’ he asked in a slightly superior tone.

‘No, I go to the gym, I run.’ he replied. At that moment Ginger came into the room, obviously disturbed from a nap by our voices.

‘Hey little man.’ Martin said. ‘How’re you enjoying your new home?’

‘He’s not allowed out yet.’ I explained.

‘Oh bad luck, fuzzface’ he said, reaching down to scratch his head. Ginger ducked away from him and sat by me, regarding the cake with interest.

‘No cake for you.’ I said ‘If you’re staying in, you’re not getting enough exercise, so short rations I’m afraid.’

‘Oh pobre gato.’ poor cat Fabio said, reaching out with his hand and flicking his fingers. Ginger went over to him for some attention and sympathy.

‘Well will you look at that.’ said Martin. ‘the little fella likes you.’ Fabio shrugged

‘Cats like me. Ginger is muy chulo – a cool cat.’

‘El gato churo?’ I asked. Fabricio threw back his head and laughed.

‘I am here to learn English better, not teach Spanish.’ He turned his gaze to mine ‘Have you been to Espana, Lisa? It is a beautiful place. I go to Madrid, to Barcelona. Muy hermoso’

‘No, I’ve not travelled outside Britain, I get stressed out travelling.’ His face fell.

‘Oh but travelling is so exciting.’

‘I love going to new places, it’s getting there that I’m not keen on.’ I explained ‘I’m scared that I’ll miss my flight or get lost.’

‘That is very sad.’ he said, then his face lit up ‘You should come with me on a shoot, I look after you.’ Martin cleared his throat and glared at me.

‘Well I need to get Ginger settled before…’ my voice trailed away.

‘Is just an idea.’ Fabio said, and took a bite of the cake. ‘This is good.’ he waved it at Martin. ‘You make this?’ Martin made a sour face.

‘No, my partner did. Stress baking.’ he looked at his own slice and took a bite ‘I think she makes it to make me fat so I can’t teach yoga. Most of my students are women, and she’s very possessive.’ Fabio’s eyes widened for a moment. He reached over and patted Martin’s knee sympathetically.

‘That is too bad. Take her some flowers, make her feel special.’ Martin’s eyes flicked to the flowers in the window, the ones that Fabio had bought for me.

‘She’d just think I’d done something bad and was trying to compensate.’ he sighed ‘Honestly Leese, I don’t know how much longer I can take this. I can see me moving back in with my parents.’

‘I have a spare house for rent.’ I grinned. He rolled his eyes.

‘I’ll stick it out a bit longer, thanks.’ We all chatted on, and the atmosphere settled to a relaxed ambience, albeit with a few undercurrents. Before long we had finished the cake and tea, and Martin announced he had better go back before Sue got home. I walked out with him to his car, the grass wet from the rain shower earlier.

‘Well I guess either he is a nice guy, or he’s not shown his true colours’ Martin said ‘But did you see how he put his hand on my knee earlier? Gay.’ I snorted.

‘It’s just his Latino mannerisms.’ I reassured him. ‘You can’t judge him by our buttoned up British standards.’ He tutted, then threw his arms wide for a bear hug. I leaned into him, feeling his reassuring solidity. He drew away and smiled ruefully.

‘You take care, Lisa. Any funny business, any steps out of line and call me. I’ll be here in a shot, never mind Sue.’

‘Thanks, but I don’t think it’ll be necessary.’ I assured him. ‘I’ll keep you updated.’ He got in the car and wound down his window.

‘Knickers on, legs crossed.’ he told me gravely before he reversed, turned, and pulled out carefully onto the road and I waved him goodbye.

[hypnotixstorm]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* to do list *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Key

Normal Text = Have NOT started working on the request

Bold and Pink Text = I am CURRENTLY working on the request

Once I have completed a request it will be REMOVED from this list

Can I get an imagine of Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho? Maybe an AU hundreds of years ago where he ends up caring for a human woman and teaching her how to defend herself. If you don't like that one, anything you think of.

Character: Kanda from DGM NSFW Prompt: "Make me." Love youuuuuu 😘

How about a NSFW scenario of Kakashi coming home to his sweet little naughty civilian S/O? 😜 A bit of role play where they call him sensei while he's doing them on the kitchen table?

Thanks for the Soi Bean Post! This gonna be my last Soi Fon request. Sorry for being quite a Soi Queen freak. For my request can you Soi after shower decides to wear s/o clothes. S/O tries to take picture of her. Then she tells that she has falling in love with you. You have changed let me take care of you. You can be very very very sluff on this one. Thanks!

ok ok so i have a few requests 🥺🥺 so! first could you maybe do an “I missed you.” with Rukia? 🥺💗 just fluff for my baby girl aaaa

Ichigo kissing his s/o in the rain 😆😆😆 Headcanons or scenario is up to you! 💙

ANYTHING SHIKAMARU. Deadass anything

Hey! I was wondering if I could request some Rukia x fem!reader relationship headcannons? Only if you're able to! Tysm! 💖

I hope requests are open but I was wondering if you could do something with byakuya and his s/o being like a very intimidating couple but his s/o is actually very sweet to everyone?

Kakashi x reader and instead of team 7 its now y/n tryna see whats under the mask and eventually she just asks and he actually reveals it adfhsjjs

Can I please get rat dad Ging being seduced by a younger woman who refuses to take “no” for an answer until he finally gives her what she wants? NSFW please! 💖

ok so please don't feel pressured to write this birthday imagine 🥺 i know u have a lot of requests rn ah. but! if you're able to i really would love another toshiro one bc i'm a sucker for him 😭 maybe one where he's really overworking himself so the reader helps him relax and it just ends in cuddles 🥺💓 only if you're able to! ilysm 💓💖💓💖💓💘💓💘💓

ok i swear this is the last one i feel bad requesting sm 😭 but maybe a “Do you wanna, maybe, go out sometime?” with toshiro bc he really is best boy 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

OKAY SO ANOTHER ONE WITH SABURO WITH UHHHH GOING ON A FIRST DATE WITH HIS S/O ICIXHAJGSSHSSUSKSU he'll probs driving his van around with the music blasting out 👀👀

honestly i would kinda die if u wrote some renji smut 😳😳 literally in any situation, i'm just needy rn 😭

ok ok i'm here hehe. how about, the reader gets really injured during a battle and shiro's kinda blaming himself for it. kindaaa angst into a super fluffy ending if that's ok hhh 🥺

Hi 🥰 Can I get a headcanon for Kakashi with a really seductive s/o, like she likes to tease him in public and whispers dirty things in his ear and calls him daddy? Nsfw pls? 😊😁

“make me” and hisoka??? thank you

hehe this is for the 🦋🦋 event! congrats on 200 bb!! so, i saw attack on titan on your list and i'm experiencing a severe lack of my best boy marco 🥺🥺 if you don't write for him that's fine hehe, but if you do, could i please maybe get a lil scenario where marco helps the reader out with her training and then they accidentally confess their feelings and it's just rlly fluffy and cute? 🥺 i need marco being happy in my life rn sbdjdhdjr 💓💓

“If you keep biting your lip like that, I’m holding you accountable for my actions.” for Kakashi please! I love him 🤤

If your requests are still open, can i ask for some domestic kakashi fluff? Ty

Hi mommas❤️❤️ CAN I PWEASE request some Guren (seraph of the end) relationship headcanons ? Not nsfw but maybe a little steamy 🥺🥰 I LOVE UU -🍒

Hi Chloe 🥰 Can I have some spicy nsfw headcanons for Yami where his s/o is acting really bratty during sex and he puts her in her place? 😪😂😊

Kageyama wirh Oikawas sister reader? there just chillin Nd stuff and toru comes over and picks y/n up and they hug and kageyama is like “eXcuSe mE???” forgive my spelling im on mobile lmao

Hiii❤️❤️ Can I request an imagine where you live in a small town and work at a cafe and Bakugou is your cliche small town boyfriend? Or headcanons! The idea is so cute and I love your writing 😊

okay so uHHHHH you can just go for Mephisto sharing some food with his s/o owo;; take your time on it too because i know it's gonna be really great either way!

A reader insert saved by vampire! main YYH crew from a pack of werewolves

Since you said requests are open maybe.. suga subbing for you? Idk he's just always appeared like someone who would love to please you in anyway possible.

V A M P I R E LAVI!!! DO IT GIRL!! 👌👌♥️♥️♥️

Fake dating with Lavi!!!!! Need more of the DGM boyz!! 😂

can I get an itachi x reader fic where it's itachi's birthday and the reader decides to give him a special night (👀), wearing lingerie, lighting candles, etc. for him to come home to? I love your work (and you!!) sm btw 🥺💞 - nina!! (@kunoichihatake)

hello ✨💕 it’s me, ryn 😘 if it’s okay, can i request a nishinoya x female!reader? perhaps a first date at the boardwalk with like the rides and carnival stuff? then at the end of the date he kisses her and it turns out the karasuno squad was following them the whole night hehe?

Hi! Can I request a prompt of some soft Kakashi, maybe some cuddles, perhaps it gets a little heated... a lil' Nsfw never hurt nobody👀👅 Thank you so muuch!~😍❤️

If I had kakashi in front of me I would tell him “aren’t you tired of being the most handsome man here?”

Hi! I saw that requests were open for the Haikyuu!! boys so here I am! I was wondering if I could request a Tsukki x reader where Tsukki has a crush on the reader but doesn't know how to express his feelings other then throwing insults. it can be angsty or fluffy I just really love Tsukki as a tsundere lol. (also btw I LOVE your theme and blog aesthetic its very pretty!)

Hey wifey😚 so Ichigo has stolen my heartttt can I get the strawberry boy with an S/O who gets super shy with with physical contact? Tyy💗💗

Fake dating with Lavi!!!!! Need more of the DGM boyz!! 😂

NSFW Vampire Squall (FF8) for very obvious reasons because UUUUUUGH

Hello there miss, my name is kandaxxx. Nice to meet you since I have definitely never requested from you before and this is definitely my first time and i am definitely not taking advantage of your bomb writing skills to ask you to write a “Choke me, daddy.” for Seymour from FF (love you forever and always!!!!!!)

hey butterfly 🥺 can you please write a story where the reader and (any character) are fighting and it turns out it was just about something stupid? like chicken nuggets? thank you 🥺💗

Eek! DGM! I was wondering if you would do a request for a general Allen Walker relationship HC? I don’t see him on the character list, but I’m just curious *bows* Thankyou senpai!

Spin The Bottle with any of the DGM characters that you're comfortable writing????? (but like obviously when Kanda spins the bottle it has to land on the reader [me] because YOU KNOW WHY OK????????) ilysm!!! 😍

I’m thinking a smut scenario of some kind that uses the prompts “Perhaps I need to remind you of your place.” and “Let me show you what happens to little brats who don’t follow the rules.” I feel like those are very Nozel Silva things to say. 😈 -bakubabes-hatake

Omfg HI mommy, Can i request really fluffy and soft itachi after he comes back from a mission? Non-massacre AU and you’re on the same team as sasuke lolol thirsty for them age gaps ❤️ thank youuuu ily -🍒

Can I get a fake dating with Kand--Roy Mustang (hahahaha) 👉👈🥺

Is this okay to ask for? Egor taking care of s/o who has period cramps... Ty!

can I get an itachi x reader fic where it's itachi's birthday and the reader decides to give him a special night (👀), wearing lingerie, lighting candles, etc. for him to come home to? I love your work (and you!!) sm btw 🥺💞 - nina!! (@kunoichihatake)

Hello! Can I please request some headcanons for Kiba with a S/O with a praise kink? And for Shikamaru with a S/O with a choking kink? Thank you so much.

Wow. Here is me putting in a request. Shocker, right?? 😂 I want some Greed, baby 😈 as for the prompt, it's not in your list, but could you maybe do something based off of "Oh my god. Did we just break the bed?" ???? 👉👈

It's a shame u only have one ling request, so could I request some Ling x Reader where they're both absolutely oblivious until Lan Fan or Ed or someone finally just tells them for them? Sorry if I didn't make any sense ❤️❤️

ok idk if you write threesomes but 😳😳 if you could write one with daichi and suga n maybe some dp, i'd probably die 🥺💓 only if you're comfortable with that tho ♡

Tyki flirting with his crush in his native language of Portuguese? I really love your work and please have some candy 🍬🍭🍫

hi butterfly! 🥰 i hope you're doing well! you already know what i'm going to ask you for — a request! i just feel really down in the dumps lately. can i request headcanons for an s/o that takes graduation pictures on their grandmother's 3 year death anniversary with kenma, nishinoya & kuroo? i hope you can do my request! you don't have to do it if you don't want to!

hehehe kuroo, tsukki and kageyama headcanons of their s/o sending them a nude while they at training and them making an excuse to get home and fUcK yOu SeNsELeSs - 🌊

Hello may I request itachi x reader. People learned the truth and he can finally return to his wife and children in the village 🥺 and they don’t have to be in secret anymore

holy shit,, i am starved for the squall content,,, if you don't mind, catching you wearing their clothes?

S/O walking in on kakashi masturbating? 👉👈 💕

[ask-hunterxhunter]

Can you some hcs on how Kite, Pariston and Ging would react to a drunk s/o? I don't see a lot of content on these boyos

Kite

Well, it depends on how you become when you’re drunk and even the situation. I mean, if a tragedy just happened, no one would blame you, least of all Kite. And regardless of anything, he wouldn’t leave you to take care of yourself for any reason, but it will affect how he deals with you later. It won’t change how much he cares for you, but don’t expect him to enjoy seeing you drunk off your ass, or find you screaming, becoming aggressive or laughing loudly a cute sight. Actually, far, far from it.

If you become obnoxiously loud (or worse, violent) when you’re drunk, Kite will drag you out of the restaurant or bar as fast as he can. If you’re both at home, he will just take your drink away and try to calm you down (he might not be as bothered then). Yes, Kite may not care much for people’s opinions, but that isn’t the same as being without manners to the point of not caring whether or not you’re bothering others.

 He will be gentle and patient while taking care of you (in his own way), especially later when the hangover hits you, but he won’t sugarcoat what happened. How upset he gets will be in proportion to how much the alcohol affected you and if you two were at a restaurant, he will tell you he can’t believe you made such a scene. And later, when you get better, Kite will still be sincere: That was embarrassing!

 Let’s make it clear that he won’t argue or try to humiliate you for this, he just wants to make sure you realize that you need to pay attention to your alcohol tolerance. If you assure him you either weren’t aware of it (having never drank before, for example) or got carried away, he will let it go. Kite is the kind of person that tells you when you’re wrong or doing something too stupid. If you want someone who will always make excuses or justify your acts, pick another person.

 Again, despite how stern he can be when saying those things, he won’t be hurtful and he is saying this more out of concern for you rather than anything else. It might not be pleasant, but isn’t it better to have someone who loves you enough to tell the truth?

 In the event of you being a more sentimental or melancholic type of drunk, the kind that mutters about past wounds or something that saddens you, he will be a little unsure about what to do (maybe pat your back with an awkward “there, there?”). Make no mistake, behind that serious face that seems to be wondering why can’t you shut up or what on Earth you’re blabbering about, Kite will be vowing to never let you drink again if it makes you unhappy.

 He will figure that the best thing to do is to hear you out… If it’s something serious, he will treat it accordingly (and be extra gentle in his care), but if you end up upset for something a bit more “innocent” (how stray dogs/cats deserve love too, how you broke your favourite pen, etc), he will just stare at you while trying to decide whether or not to be sincere (“You do know it’s just a pen, right?”)… Then again, in your current state, you might not even listen.

 He might be a little put off (especially if what is upsetting you is… Well, simply stupid) and still try to point it out or just resign himself to take you home/to bed upon seeing you’re not listening to reason at the moment while trying to wonder how your mind works when you’re drunk (confused doesn’t begin to describe what he is feeling right now). If you give him some sad eyes, he will probably wonder how you’re able to be cute when you are so absolutely hammered.

If when drunk, you just slur the words and gets a bit of vertigo, well, this is hardly the worst reaction. Kite may wonder how he ended up carrying you out of wherever restaurant/bar/party you were at and why he is trying to keep a conversation with you, since your good reason has obviously left the building for the moment (which might be fun for those watching, honestly). Oh, he will have a “I told you you were drinking too much, you little idiot” ready for you next morning (which won’t be said without some affection as he kisses your forehead).

 In the event of you starting saying things without thinking, as long as it doesn’t get rude, it can either be strangely cute (and you can end up embarrassing him in a sweet way) or hilarious (and Kite will make sure to remind you of what you said once you sober up). You’ve always wanted to brush his hair, it looks so soft? Cue a slight blush and he trying to hide it. You’re on a tirade why it doesn’t make sense that Spongebob lives inside a pineapple? He can’t wait for when he can tell you about this just to see your red face.

 Except with the first case, which we’ve already said can get him bothered, Kite will take care of you once you’ve had too much until he can put you to bed. The next day, he will have a herbal tea that is perfect for hangovers and while he may scoff at you (“Of course you feel like shit, I’m surprised you remember how to talk”), but it will be with that tsundere-like affection of his and while he looks serious as ever, his gestures and how softly he talks are what truly express his feelings.

 Pariston

How Pariston reacts to you being drunk depends more on how he feels about you rather than how the alcohol affects you. Even he is not the type to leave someone drunk somewhere without a care, but this is more out of his sense of property and because he doesn’t want to risk his influence/reputation should anything happen to you. If he has real feelings to you, you’re no better off: There might be some protective sense in there, but don’t think it is a great part of it. Remember, it’s Pariston we’re talking about here.

 How you get when you’re drunk doesn’t matter so much as how he can take advantage of it. Every information matters, whether he sees you as a toy, someone he can use for his own pleasure (no matter how) or if he has some feelings for you, in which case, Pariston will still seek to manipulate you. So, in every case, it’s not a good idea to get drunk near him because you’ll be exposing yourself or becoming vulnerable in some way, even if you’re the aggressive type.

 Speaking of which, if you get loud or aggressive, he might subtly provoke you (in a way that makes you focus on someone else, of course) in order to better observe your reaction or for the fun of it (if you’re at a work-related party, for example, he might do so just to see you get fired, be for his own amusement or to make you more emotionally dependent on him by later playing the shoulder you can cry on). Regardless, he will find something useful about your state no matter what (for example, if you suddenly start speaking about a friend or relative and you’re getting angry, he will poke those feelings in order to make you angrier with them). And if you get aggressive with him, he will have a way of preventing damage, just like he will have a way of convincing you to go home if things seem to be about to get out of hand.  

 If you remember what happened and get ashamed, Pariston will take care of you in a way that makes you feel like you owe him or again, to strengthen whatever bond he has with you by playing the nice guy and he has proven over and over how well he can fool people.

 Oh, you’re sentimental or sad when drunk? All he has to do is offer some well-chosen kind words, some sympathy and there you go, spilling your heart’s secrets to him. Even if it’s something relatively simple and innocent, he will still remember it and find a way to use it and if not, well, just holding you as you cry and being all kind can work to make a part of you associate him with gentleness and care. If you end up telling of past wounds or deeper sorrows, of course, it is even better. Oh, Pariston will seem the kindest of souls, full of understanding… But beneath the act, he is coldly taking notes of whatever you’re saying. And if he sees you as a toy he can break, he’ll have some passive-aggressive words and backhanded insults to make you feel as if you have nothing or no one but him. Hmmm… How much can he twist his little toy until it breaks apart?

 Even with reactions that might seem “useless” for him (such as merely getting a vertigo or speaking nonsense) are not the safest ones, per say. Pariston is a great manipulator, so even if you’re just talking about how Saturn must be jealous of Earth because of the Moon or whatever, Pariston will guide the conversation to a more “interesting” field. And since alcohol can make people talk without thinking, he can also get you to tell him things you wouldn’t otherwise. As I mentioned, it is simply not a good idea to get drunk near this man.

 Not that you’d normally think so if you’re not aware of his true nature: He is such a great guy and he helps you get home, insisting on taking care of you. You might even fall asleep with him whispering lovely words and wake up to a breakfast or warm tea, Pariston giving you the sweetest of smiles… How can he be planning to use what happened when he is so caring? Well, dear, that is what he doing. And even while he is “caring” for you it isn’t as genuine as you might think. If he has feelings for you, there might be something real in there, but it won’t make his actions less manipulative.

 Everything he might do, from the tea to the words, the smile, just anything, is planned based on what he knows about you and what might be more effective for his manipulation, regardless of what his true objectives are.

 Ging

Oh, Ging… Ging and relationships are not exactly simple, but this sort of thing is not the most complicated aspect, at least. Despite the usual dismissiveness that Ging displays in certain situations (coughcoughGoninhospitalcoughcough), he isn’t like this all the time. Remember he can become enthusiastic with whatever arouses his interest. He isn’t the kind that will tell you to cut it out when you’re drunk unless it starts to bother him (directly, most likely), so if he thinks whatever is happening is fun, he might just sit back and enjoy the show (unless something happens and his interference becomes really necessary, but if some friend of yours is nearby to take charge of the situation, he might prefer to let them do so. This is especially true if your relationship isn’t absolutely firm and serious yet).

 That’s not to say he will just sit back and enjoy whatever happens when you’re drunk (unless he is also too drunk to care). If you’re alone and you become loud and in an “impulsive” mode (not to say playful, in a way), he won’t be bothered if he deems it fun enough. He might even find it cute, depending on what you’re doing (like having a blinking contest with your pet bird or screaming at nothing) and also if you’re not usually so spontaneous (it’s a nice change, he might say). Besides, you’re both at home, alone, so there is no harm.  

 If you’re in public or you become aggressive rather than merely impulsive, that’s something else entirely. Hey, if you want to fight, he’ll fight you as soon as you sober up, but for now, would you just sit down and let him have his own drink in peace? He won’t try to calm you down or try to take your drinks away, he is not your father. If you’re old enough to drink, you should be old enough to watch your own limits. People aren’t going to take care of you forever in life, you know? Yes, if you expect him to be the sympathetic lover/friend who helps you when you cross your limit, prepare yourself for disappointment. What Ging might do is got your back while you puke in a vase.

 On the note of being in public, Ging might watch you get drunk until you can barely stand and then sigh in exasperation as if he can’t believe he has to help you go home. This is likely going to make some people consider him a jerk (people who care about others do take care of them), but it is partly because certain responsibilities (of relationships) and Ging don’t go well together and also because he doesn’t want to seem like a sentimental fool (he might actually enjoy you leaning on him for support, especially if you’re saying something he considers kinda cute).

 Things don’t get much better if you become sentimental or sad. He isn’t sure of how to offer comfort (let alone when you’re drunk), but while some people like Kite at least give it a try, Ging might just say that you shouldn’t ever drink again, that whatever happened is in the past and getting drunk won’t change it. He doesn’t mean to sound uncaring (at least not if he cares for you as more than a simple fling), but isn’t that the truth? Ging isn’t just good with people crying, he just isn’t, so he tries to get them to stop by pointing out something realistic. It doesn’t help that even the bartender ends up glaring daggers at him for how much he sucks at this (pour the whisky in the glass and mind your own business, boy).

 Ging is more comfortable if you’re crying over something silly. That he can deal with, nodding and agreeing, yeah, sure, whatever you say. It is easy to either dismiss it as what it is (drunk’s ramblings) or to listen for sheer amusement. You might start crying because Bambi’s mother died for all of him, at least he can nod and pretend to care while trying to not smile because you’re pouting.

 Same goes for other possible nonsensical ramblings. Honestly, you could just look at whatever you’re eating and start to toss the greens/vegetables/whatever you’re not fond of away while muttering “Fuck them, evil little things, pretending to be innocent” or any other insanity and he will be incredibly okay with this, maybe even (trying) to keep a conversation. Again, it is far more amusing and easy to deal with than you becoming serious under alcohol’s influence (actually, same goes if you become too flirty with him. It’s not that he minds if you’re both alone, but if you’re in public, please refrain from getting all lovey-dovey with him).

 Just getting a vertigo or slow speech isn’t quite amusing in his opinion, but it’s also something he can deal with, so it’s a preferable scenario. It’s simple, really, all he has to do is to help you get home while making sure you don’t trip.

 When it comes to care, Ging prefers to be practical. He is used to take care of himself, not of others. Here is the tea, the hangover medicine and if you don’t like the way you’re head is killing you, then don’t drink so much next time… Sounds as if he couldn’t care less, until you whimper at how much your head is hurting and for crying out loud, can’t he speak at a softer tone? Then Ging will just tell you to get back in bed and rest until you feel better… Oh, and… Well, you said you liked chocolate when you feel bad, so he got some for you. His care is not in his words, but in his actions (he might not be good with those, either, but at least he is trying).

[blueeyeswhitegarden]

My Hero Academia, Hunter x Hunter.

My Hero Academia:

haven’t heard of it | absolutely never watching| might watch | currently watching| dropped| hated it | meh| a positive okay| liked it| liked it a lot!| loved it| a favorite

don’t watch period| drop if not interested within 2-3 episodes| give it a go, could be your thing| 5 star recommendation

fav characters: I really like Midoriya. He’s just so likable, endearing and sympathetic. I really like Todoroki’s character development. Iida has had some really cool moments too. Uraraka is just so sweet and upbeat. Eri is a new favorite as well.

least fav characters: It might be a cliche at this point, but that would easily be Mineta. He is indeed the worst and the only good thing about him is that he gets little screentime to do the whole gross pervert gag. I’m not a huge fan of Kaminari either since he tends to hang around Mineta, but at least he can be funny and got a good chance to shine during the Provisional License Exam arc.

fav relationship: I really love Midoriya’s student-mentor relationship with All Might. They truly care about each other and I love seeing All Might basically go from this idealized hero to a friend and father figure for Midoriya. I also like Midoriya’s friendships with Todoroki and Iidya. He was able to help both of them through difficult situations and it was nice to see them become closer with each other over the course of the series. Bakugo and Kirishima’s friendship became much more endearing than I expected as well, especially when I initially thought it was going to be one-sided.

fav moment: There are a lot of great moments, but a new favorite moment for me is Eri choosing to be saved. Honestly, episode seventy-six is easily one of the best episodes of the series to date. The insert song was beautiful, I loved how determined Midoriya was to save Eri and Midoriya vs. Overhaul was terrific. But I started crying the moment Eri broke through Overhaul’s emotional manipulation to grab Togeta’s cape. She is a traumatized child, been treated like a monster her whole life because of her Quirk, has been abused both physically and mentally by Overhaul and thought that the only way to stop people from dying around her was to stay with Overhaul. Seeing Midoriya chase after them and then Togeta’s cape gave her the courage to break through years of trauma enough to realize that she needed to let them save her. It was a beautiful moment that made me instantly love Eri.

I also really love the lunchroom scene with Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki. It was a short scene, but it really showed off their friendship so well and how they all support each other. I also loved that Iida said the same lines that Midoriya did before they left for their internship. He saw that Midoriya was bottling up his feelings just like he was before and wanted to at least offer some reassurance.

headcanons/theories: I don’t really have any theories or headcanons for this series.

unpopular opinion: I’m still not a huge fan of the Midoriya and Bakugo pairing. Their relationship has improved, but their dynamic for the first couple of seasons bothered me too much. Season one Bakugo reminded me way too much of bullies I had to deal with, so that stung a bit.

how’d you find it: I didn’t watch it until it started airing on Toonami. I watched the first season there, binged watched season two and the bulk of the third season within a week and I’m currently watching season four on Funimation’s website.

random thoughts: My Hero Academia is one of the few shows that lives up to the hype for me. It is a shonen series to its core, but it’s shonen done extremely well in my book and I look forward to pretty much every episode. It’s a solid series that is worth at least checking out.

Hunter x Hunter:

haven’t heard of it | absolutely never watching| might watch | currently watching| dropped| hated it | meh| a positive okay| liked it| liked it a lot!| loved it| a favorite

don’t watch period| drop if not interested within 2-3 episodes| give it a go, could be your thing| 5 star recommendation

fav characters: I really like Gon and Killua. They work so well together, but they’re also really good characters individually. Leorio turned out to be more likable than I thought he would, although I think he needed more screentime. Meruem is easily the most interesting villain in the series. Biscuit is such a fun character and easily the best female character in the cast.

least fav characters: I don’t really like Hisoka. He’s strong and intimidating, but I find him too creepy for my tastes, especially during his fight with Gon in the Heavens Arena arc.

fav relationship: Gon and Killua’s friendship is the heart of the series. It provides so much growth for Killua in particular and I honestly don’t know how the series functions without having the two of them traveling together. Mereum and Komugi’s relationship turned out to be sweeter than I expected. Meruem found a genuine connection with another person, which gave him more humanity than he initially thought he had. It was also strange for me to become a fan of their pairing in the same episode where they both die.

fav moment: I really like Gon’s emotional breakdown over Kite’s death. While the anime not including Kite prior to the Chimera Ant arc weakened the impact to a degree, it still worked because Gon’s main focus throughout the bulk of the arc was to save Kite. He was so sure that Kite was alive and they just needed Pitou to heal him. But then he was hit with the reality that Kite was long dead and it crushed him. The emotions were so raw and intense with Gon going back and forth between anger and sadness. The way he defeated Pitou was so harsh and brutal, but matched with those emotions. It didn’t feel cheap either since Gon nearly died from using that much power and as far as I’m aware, still can’t use Nen in the manga. It was an intense moment that really felt like a natural progression for Gon’s character during the arc.

I also love Leorio punching Ging right in face. Even with knowing that Ging allowed Leorio to do that, it was still immensely satisfying and made up for Leorio’s minimal screentime.

headcanons/theories: I don’t really have too many theories or headcanons for this series either.

unpopular opinion: I still think it was a massive mistake to bring Kite back to life. He still is technically a different person and just has the original Kite’s memories, but it felt like a cop out way for Gon to not really have to deal with Kite’s death. Maybe it will be better depending on whatever role Kite has in later arcs, but I think it would have been better if he hadn’t been reborn as a Chimera Ant. I’m not sure if this is an unpopular opinion, but I have no idea why Colt had so much screentime during the first half of the Chimera Ant arc if he wasn’t going to be involved in the second half. I’m still disappointed that he doesn’t get to be reunited with his sister or his birth mother, so that could have been resolved if the last Chimera Ant was Colt’s human sister reborn like I initially thought it was going to be instead of somehow Kite.

how’d you find it: I watched the dub on Toonami. I could have gone through the series faster with the subs, which might have helped with the pacing a bit, but I like the dub voices, so I was okay with that.

random thoughts: Hunter x Hunter is a really good series. It has really solid battles, the powers are unique and the expansions on Nen feel pretty natural. I also think that it tackles training arcs really well. We get to see enough of Gon and Killua’s progress to where their increased powers feel believable and earned, but they don’t feel like they’re dragging this out either. It might be more intense or violent than people would expect from a shonen series, but it’s worth checking out at least.

Thank you for asking. ^_^

[seikyoko]

About the Gon bashing

So there’s a lot of people being anti-Gon and being mad at him for what happened in the CA arc and all. So I thought, as someone who got annoyed at Gon at first, then stopped doing it, I’d get at the reasons why people might misunderstand his character. (It’s messy as hell and I suck at conveying ideas and I ramble a lot, sorry).

So actually, the first time I read HxH was when I was 12yo and it was mostly me half-heartedly binge-reading HxH without getting really getting involved in the characters and all (I was a really stupid 12yo), then dropped it because I considered Alluka too ass-pulley to my taste (Now I think that Alluka/Nanika are best girls and they rock) and had no real opinion on what happened .

I only decided to reread/rewatch it again this year, mainly because I wanted to rewatch the CA arc, and just binge-watched stuff necessary to rewatch the CA arc (I also skipped the ZF arc because I didn’t think there was anything interesting to rewatch and vaguely remembered it).

I’m kind of baffled how some people want Killua to ‘not forgive Gon’ and all. Being a Killua fan/stan doesn’t even justify it because Killua is absolutely my favorite character and I think it’s a huge disservice to his character to woobifie him/victimize him/invalidate why he loves Gon so much. He’s one of the mentally strongest characters of the show and his character development is beautiful and while he have a lot of issues, reducing all his relationship with Gon to ‘ow poor Killua not knowing any better’ is kind of an insult to him.

Erm, so aside from the 2011 anime removing most of how much Kite mattered to Gon, I’m gonna adress some of the reasons that aren’t talked about as much

A lot of people who are mad at Gon are pro-Pitou people, or people thinking that Gon doesn’t care about Killua as much as Killua does about Gon , and the belief that Kirugon is one-sided .

And I was sad as hell for Killua after watching the CAA, and thought Killugon was one-sided too, and a lot of stuff about Gon bothered me but somehow, the interpretation “Gon is jerk/evil/don’t care about Killua as much as Killua does about him” didn’t sit well with me either, and I didn’t know how the hell I should interpret his character so it frustrated me to no end, so I desperately tried to understand his character and rewatched HxH and read meta/characters analysises until it made sense again (which took weeks) .

One really intriguing thing was that before rewatching the CA arc, I didn’t consider the ZF arc proof that Gon care about Killua in particular, but despite not rewatching it, I felt the Zoldyck Family arc mattered after I finished the CA arc again.  

So I wondered about it and.. The main thing that changed before and after rewatching the CA arc is considering Gon as a generic shounen protag, actually.

It’s such a weird argument to bring up, but, if you consider Gon a generic shounen protag like, say, Naruto or Luffy, then the whole ZF arc would be less about him caring about Killua, and more ‘I saw people being a bad family to that kid, but it is not right !!’ which is a fairly generic shounen protag thing to do, it wouldn’t even matter if Gon cared about Killua in particular or not, he’d do that to any random kid without having to, and even promptly forget about that kid month laters.

And the thing is.. Gon isn’t really like that, he ain’t the messiah-like perfect idealistic shounen protag who help random people to unreasonable lengths because it’s the right/just thing to do, he’s actually someone who tends to obsess over his goals (becoming a hunter/meeting Ging), wasn’t concerned about being a good person who helps anybody no matter what(he only did so with his friends) and  actually didn’t give a fuck about strangers dying in the hunter exam, there’s actually a lot of analysises (and characters in HxH universe noticing it)  about Gons morality and him not really caring that much about right or wrong.

Like, obviously he does have some morals (everybody does unless you’re Pouf/Mineta Minoru), but the ‘right thing’ isn’t what pushed him into trying that hard to rescue Killua, it was more him considering Killua as someone really important to him and that’s what pushed me to want to understand his character. (and that was one of the first things that sold me into Killugon).

There’s actually a lot of instances where it’s shown that he really cares about Killua in particular, but that I overlooked because I considered him a generic shounen protag/thought he actually gave compliments easily.

Another example is the Dodgeball match, I won’t talk about the whole ‘wrecking-killua’s-hands’ thing because there’s 36 ways to interpret that scene and there’s too much of stuff that played into that, mainly Gon having faith in Killua’s abilities/Killua insisting he could take it and being worried about getting discarded/ Gon getting obsessive about his victory against Razor/it actually was an impulsive decision and Gon doesn’t know why he insisted/Gon finally asking somebody for help (aka Killua), so it’s too much of a mess for me to state an objective opinion (there probably isn’t one)

Ahem, so Razor actually attacked/attempted to kill a lot of people in the dodgeball match, first he killed someone from his team, Bobobo, which Gon asked about, then dropped the issue when given a reasonable explanation.

But during the match itself, Razor actually attempted to decapitate Goreinu and would have succeeded if not for Goreinu’s ability to switch with his nen beasts, he then attacked Tzesguera, and despite Tzesguera protecting himself with Ko he still ended up badly injured, then attacked Gon aiming for the head (and despite Gon using Ko in a small area he still got blasted into a wall), then Goreinu attacked Razor in payback and Razor badly injuried him in return, then Razor threw his ball in Killua’s direction which then switched to the right then went for Bisky and Hisoka who dodged by a hair then got targeted again by one of Razor’s devil and broke two fingers to protect his head.

What actually pisses off Gon ? The possibility Razor could have killed Killua, despite Razor having attempted to kill every player on Gon’s side and Killua not getting any injury.

Heck, a lot of them are on somewhat friendly term with Gon, we see from Tzesguera’s thoughts that they spent a lot of time training in sports (He says that while he have overall better combat ability, Killua and Gon have better agility and reflexes while we see an image with Gon going after a volley ball) Goreinu is a nice and friendly and helpful person and I actually got attached to him, and Bisky was his sensei during the whole GI arc.

My favorite interpretation for the ‘wrecking-Killua’s-hands’ and Gon insisting they stay on the offensive is that : they actually tried staying for the defensive/dodging in the first part of the match, and that led to what ? Killua almost getting killed. So the staying on the defensive/trying to dodge strategy was rejected because of that, because Killua getting his hands destroyed at least meant Killua’s life wasn’t in any danger. It’s dubious whether Gon thought something like that that fast but he actually canonically did so in the beginning of the Palace Invasion when Dragon Dive rained on them and he decided to attack Youpi because of the possibility of Knuckle and Meleoron staying invisible after  death, so him thinking quickly is actually pretty in-character.

There’s a lot of scenes establishing that Gon cares about Killua, but I mainly wanted to point out those that could be brushed off by the idea of ‘Gon acting like a generic shounen protag’

The second really alarming thing is that at the end of his fight against Pitou, Killua calls out Gon’s name again, Gon looks back at Killua, and we actually see Gon’s power creating a huge white explosion with Killua being in the radius, and that scene actually still confuse me because it’s really OOC for Gon to not give a fuck about whether Killua die of that or not ? SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME.

Also, one of the reasons people got especially pissed at Gon is the line “since it’s none of your business” getting translated into “since it means nothing to you”, which would be a dick thing to say if only because it would be a callback to what Illumi said to Killua in ep 20 about Killua being unable to care about people/developing genuine relationship (and just 10x worse in general). Thank god it isn’t what Gon really said.

And my third and final point about how one might think Killugon is one-sided and that Gon doesn’t care as much as Killua does is actually a pretty legit worry for anime-only watchers. (WHY Madhouse, just why)

It’s the Killua & Gon’s separation scene.

Hear me out, after reading the manga I actually got less alarmed by that. (I have no idea how Madhouse could fuck this up this badly).

Starting by what got said 

In the manga it’s Gon who expresses he wishes Killua would come to which Killua reply ‘maybe next time’. In the anime it’s Killua who expresses he want to go with Gon, but say that he have to watch over Alluka

Also one thing that extremely bothered me is when they turn away : in the anime Killua look sad, and Gon is sad for like 2s then immediately get a determined and hopeful expression and march his way confidently.

Also the whole ep 148 is alarming in general because Gon march happily to the world tree with an adventure ost playing, then we see him having flashbacks of his whole journey and…  We pratically don’t see Killua in those flashbacks, while Gon had a lot of flashback about a lot of people and of his whole journey, Killua is either just not there or ignored in the background. 

In the manga Gon’s expression is equally heartbroken when he turns around, and he ain’t overly adventurous/satisfied/happy, he just march to the damned tree, give a normal smile to the dude in there, show his hunter license and get to climbing the tree before having his reunion with Ging.

So I get why anime-only watchers might think Killugon is one-sided

@ichaquisitor (is it okay to randomly tag people ? How do you even human) so I continued binge-reading your meta, and holy shit you weren’t kidding, the amount of people asking if Killua resent Gon and if their friendship is still intact is alarming, so as someone who was not okay with Gon’s attitude then changed to “ow poor kid” I decided I’d write about the reasons about why people might think that way.

[imsfire2]

11 questions tag meme!

I was also tagged on this one by the lovely @grexigone!

Their questions:

What was your first story/drawing idea that you really felt was solid?

When I was about seven I had an idea I thought was absolutely rocking, about a family whose children are suddenly made very small, about 4 or 5 inches high, and have to try and survive as miniature people.  The adults are so swept up in their own affairs that they don’t notice at first that their children are gone, leading the children to think they don’t care; by the time the adults have noticed and panicked, the kids are hiding in the garden and living off chestnuts and rainwater.

And if that makes you think “wow, the adults don’t even notice? this kid’s home background must’ve been a bit of a mess”, well, you’re not wrong.

Which one will likely excite you more: exploring life on the ocean’s depth or exploring the space?

As an observer, I’m excited to read about both and to watch both on tv. 

If someone gave me the opportunity to take part in one or the other, I’d probably prefer to explore space.  I love swimming in the sea but the thought of going right down deep in a bathyscaphe is pretty terrifying. 

What character trope(s) do you think is overused?

This is a tough one, as I think pretty much any trope or stock character , even the most clichéd, can come up shiny if written well enough. 

But I am awfully tired of some of the ridiculously sexist tropes; like the Regular Guy who is somehow far better at something or far more knowledgable than a woman with years of training and experience; and the Beautiful Woman who just needs to see the True Worth of the Stunningly Unnattractive But Good-hearted Man (but never the other way around). 

And the way male characters are written with multiple defining characteristics which may be complex, contrasting or even contradictory, while female ones are considered well-rounded if they have just three.

And, on a very specific, Rogue-one related level; Draven as a bad guy.  Please, no.  He’s a pragmatist in a desperately horrible job, accepting the bitter need to sacrifice his own conscience for the sake of something far larger.  He’s our beloved Cassian but 20 years further down the line.  He should be seen as a tragic hero and it makes me sad when someone decides to write him as a villain. 

What are the things that left most impression to you/lingers longer in your memory after you watch a movie? (the song, the characters, the dialogue, the cinematography, etc)

Story and characters first, then cinematography &production design, & special effects (if appliccable).  Dialogue only stays with me on a first viewing if it’s glaringly bad or has something that really jarrs; good dialogue should serve the story and the characters and be almost unnoticeable first time around, IMHO.  But on multiple viewings, for the rare film that merits them, I can easily become the person who analyses and meta’s every line of the script!

How do you catch a song for the first time? Is it because of the lyrics or the tune?

Generally the tune.  I don’t read music at all and I love to sing, so picking up tunes really fast by ear is a skill I’ve worked hard to develop.

How do you make your coffee/tea/your favorite drink?

Coffee and tea both; strong and black, no sugar. 

If you can live in one fictional universe, what would it be and why?

I’m torn between two options.  On the one hand, the Star Trek universe has so many good things going on, and it was created with the intention of exploring not only “new worlds and new civiliations” but also ideas of how to make a better and more just future for humankind.  But it does have the Borg, who while fabulously cool to look at, are really very, very nasty as a bad-guy concept.

On the other hand, I’ve loved the Galaxy Far, Far Away since I was twelve and it looks so real and lived-in, where Star Trek looks oddly like a simulation a lot of the time, which I think would bug me constantly if I lived in it.  The era after the end of the Galactic Civil War and before the rise of the First Order would be initially a really worthwhile period to live in, an era of reconstruction and rebuilding; but then increasingly depressing as one realises everything’s all going to shit again and maybe all those sacrifices were in vain.  Ahem; rings a few bells...

If you can put your favorite character(s) into another universe/fandom/story, who and which universe it would be and why?

I’d like to put Horatio Hornblower aboard a ship of the line in the GFFA and see him find his place and make himself indispensible.  I can see him and the Mon Cala admirals being great friends and learning a good deal from one another.

If you have one full day to spend with your favorite character(s), where will you take him/her/them and what would you be doing?

OKay, I’m going to be frivolous here and take the Rogue One team to London Zoo.  A happy day out together, all the fun of a day at the zoo, watching and learning about beautiful fascinating animals, talking about nature, trying to decide who your favourites are; found-family bonding over a picnic lunch in the sun, tea and cake at 4pm and maybe a cheeky ice-cream or two. 

What are some of your favorite tropes to read/write?

I’m going to cheat here and repeat an answer I gave elsewhere a few days ago, as it still applies.

To read?  Happy endings!  I am such a sucker for a good, well-written HEA that’s believable for the characters in question.  That said, I also appreciate a good cathartic cry (I mean, come on, I’m a Rogue One fan!).  But if there’s going to be tragedy, it needs to be a) well-handled, i.e. believable in the context and wholly in keeping with characterisation, b)  not done just for shock value/I’m-so-grimdark point-scoring, and c) hopeful or in some way worthwhile for the characters.

Also bed-sharing, non-sexual intimacy (physical, verbal and wordless), deserved-and-earned redemption arcs, love stories that aren’t just about physical attraction.  Also fairy-tales!

To write? Angst-with-a-HEA.  Pining, especially mutual pining.  Love stories that begin in friendship and liking/respecting one another.  Psychological/emotional healing leading to a better life for a character who deserves all the good things.  And AUs where good and honourable characters who suffer and/or die in canon get to live and find happiness, however small or contingent, and to have hope.

If you can ask your favorite character(s) to do a music video, what song would it be and what’s the music video would be about?

Eek.  I don’t really listen to current pop at all, so I’m ging to have to go for a golden oldie here.  I’ll have a video for “Moon over Bourbon Street” by Sting, but instead of a vampire creep following an innocent young woman, I’ll have the ghosts of the Rogue One team following the vampire and thwarting him, protecting the young woman.  She’s peacefully living her life, completely oblivious as they quietly go about their mission.  Because of course Cassian, Jyn, Bodhi, Kay, Chirrut and Baze can and will defeat evil, wherever they find it and even from the afterlife.  The whole thing to be shot in moody black and white like a film noir.

Thank you for tagging me!

[hamliet]

I never thought Gon had abandonment and self-worth issues. In fact I thought he was strangely okay with his dad leaving him. Considering that he didnt care about people dying during the exam, Zepile's thoughts on him and often said idea about his twisted morality I decided that he is just a weird kid. Maybe that's because I only watched 2011 anime but now I am really confused about him. Is he less of a "monster " than generally accepted in the fandom?

Oh, I don’t think Gon is a monster at all! I didn’t know the fandom really thought that--if they do they can fight me :P I think he’s a sweet child who has serious flaws and you can directly trace a lot of those flaws back to his father’s abandonment. Throughout each and every arc, you can see how Gon’s trauma over being abandoned is building and building and building until it eventually explodes in the Chimera Ant Arc, which is where his coping mechanisms fail him completely. 

In the Hunter Exam Arc, we are introduced to Gon as a 12 year old kid who abandons his aunt, the one he considers his mother, to run off and take a deadly exam to find his dad. 

Repeatedly Gon is noted to be reminiscent of Ging in this arc, and we’re supposed to see that not just in terms of “what a great hunter you’ll be!” like it appears to be on the surface, but also... uh oh Gon, be careful that this tendency of yours doesn’t turn into your father’s path, or Hisoka’s. 

Because he’s copying his father’s actions by leaving a loved one for adventure, and following his father’s path is exactly what Gon veers on the edge of throughout HxH. 

However, of course, there are major differences: Gon is a kid. Ging is an adult. Leaving a parent is fundamentally different from leaving a child. If you make the choice to bring a child into this world, you are responsible for them. A child isn’t responsible for their parent; that being said, Gon doesn’t think a whole lot about Mito’s feelings, or give anyone who dies in the Hunter Exam much thought. 

And why would he? He knows people leave. All the time. He sees Ging as sort of this infallible controller of his world, as an idol who set up this hunt for Gon’s own good, and rationalizes that if he left him, it’s okay. 

He’s idolizing the father he doesn’t know, trusting him that no matter what happens, what horrors befall contestants in the Hunter Exam, it’s all worth it because his father’s worth it, because he himself is worth it and if his father abandoned him because he just didn’t care enough then that sense of worth would collapse (Gon has very little sense of self-worth thanks to being abandoned, btw.)  

In the Heaven’s Arena Arc, Gon rushes into facing Hisoka before he is truly ready, something that Hisoka notes and Wing as well. 

And so he loses his fight with Hisoka. But Gon is desperate to achieve all he can so he can find his father, and that’s why he rushes into facing Hisoka. He’s been waiting like what, twelve, thirteen years to meet his dad, of course he doesn’t want to be patient about learning nen. 

In Yorknew, Gon famously asks the Phantom Troupe how they can kill people who have no ties to them, who never did anything to them. 

And like... Gon, your best friend literally has been doing that in front of you even if he’s quit the assassin business. But again. Gon is a child. It all ties into Gon’s desperate need to see a purpose in everything (if he lost this and never grew up, he’d be Hisoka), meaning with a purpose because he sees everything that happens to him post exam as something Ging had orchestrated, and this is the first time the narrative directly forces Gon to see that not everything has a deeper personal meaning to it. Sometimes people hurt people for no reason, or for superficial reasons. 

Greed Island, while it’s by far my least favorite arc, sets up this desperate belief of Gon’s really, really, really well. 

He believes he needs to beat the game honorably, as Ging would want him to. He won’t take the easy way out even when it means breaking his body and Killua’s while facing Razor in the dodgeball game. 

Because he is dependent on Ging’s approval and because he thinks everything has meaning when it comes to Ging. Except Ging actually just doesn’t give a shit. 

But Ging literally sends him to Kite instead of to himself based on a whim, on which card Ging picks, on whether he’s traveling alone or not. It’s literally pointless of Ging to do this, but he does. And because of this Gon winds up attaching himself to Kite as a father figure and sinking deeper into his desperate beliefs that everything has meaning and will be okay because Kite (whom he sees as an extension of Ging) is in control. “Kite wouldn’t let that thing beat him!” he tells Killua of Pitou. 

And during his confrontation with Pitou, Gon’s screaming at them that he “can’t wait anymore!” 

Gon is not talking about just fighting Pitou/getting Kite back. He’s talking about Ging. 

And he loses himself, literally growing up way too fast and almost dying because of it. 

It’s therefore fitting that he finally meets Ging after Killua gets Nanika to save him, right as Ging’s about to explore the Dark Continent. The world is opening up--it’s not contained anymore. And Gon’s world is opening up. It’s not limited to Ging’s orchestrations anymore, but rather Gon is now free to explore his own path.