#its like yuki yuki to matsu said:

[olliepurples]

in homosexual white collar news today, neal is handing over his wedding ring for peter :/

[bengiyo]

Tadaima, Okaeri Ep 6 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Hikari took his role as big brother very seriously. He was adorable, but had to be taught that he was still allowed to like his own things. Unfortunately, he worked himself too hard and got sick, leading to our first instance where our dads had to split parenting duties to handle both kids. Later, they visited the Fujiyoshi family home again, where the reconciliation continued in the form of a gift of a kimono to Masaki. We left at Masaki deciding to go home and see his uncle.

Oh good. We're bringing everyone to Masaki's hometown.

Get you a man that admires you the way Hiromu does for Masaki.

I love Matsu's observation that our dads have mellowed out from where they were. That really is the dream outcome for me with all the BL boys. They should be content with their lives.

LOL! MASAKI CALLED HIM RIGHT OUT ON FORGETTING HIS OWN BIRTHDAY.

Sometimes Hikari is too adorable. Wow.

Every week I am restored by the way Masaki and Hiromu talk to each other and wait for each other to say what they need.

Oh ho, a cousin. I'm excited to see Masaki's family angst.

These outdoor baths always look so relaxing.

ENGAGED?? I feel like we should have prepared the group for this!!

Wow this guy is being rude on purpose. Sir, you can catch these hands.

Okay, it was an informal thing mostly said as a joke that Masaki forgot about. I'm okay.

Love that I have no idea what being an omega means here in terms of Masaki needing to be protected. Omegaverse girlies, please feel free to explain.

Omegaverse girlies, are any of the other characters in this show obviously betas to you all?

Kick his ass, Yuki!!!

Destroy him, Hiromu!!

Wow, this is our first episode that didn't resolve its issues completely within the episode. Now I'm lingering here wondering about where this thing with the cousin goes. I'm also hoping that Yuki and Matsu make more progress on this trip. I do not like this cousin and he needs an ass whooping.

[chanoyu-to-wa]

Nampō Roku, Book 4 (19a):  Appendix I -- Tsurezure-gusa (Episode 66) [徒然草、第六十六段].

Appendix I:

❖ Tsurezure-gusa (Episode 66) [徒然草、第六十六段]¹.

    “The Lord Kampaku Okamoto², [breaking off] a branch of red plum in heavy bloom, and wishing to attach a pair of birds to a branch³, [insinuated that] it would be good if [his chosen branch] could be used.

    “The royal falconer Shimotsukeno Takekatsu⁴ replied, ‘in the case of [a branch with] flowers, the way one should attach a bird is something I do not know; nor, with respect to attaching a pair to one branch, is this something that I understand.’

    “Because of this [reply], [Lord Okamoto] asked this and that person among the staff of the royal kitchen [but failed to get an answer].  So he again [said] to Takekatsu, ‘it being the case [that nobody seems to know how to do it], I will leave the matter in your hands⁵.’  In reply, [Takekatsu] took a plum branch devoid of blossoms, and attached one [bird] to it.

    “Takekatsu then respectfully said, ‘a branch of brushwood, or a plum branch in bud, or after the blossoms have scattered, to these [the bird] may be attached.  Or it may also be attached to [a branch of] the five-leaved [pine], or something of that sort⁶.

    “‘The branch should be seven-shaku long, or maybe six-shaku, and separated [from the tree] with a 'returning stroke' of a sword, with the cut 5-bu long⁷.

    “‘The bird should be attached at the middle [of the branch].

    “‘The bird should appear to be stepping on the branch.

    “‘Using a length of wisteria vine that has not frayed, [the bird] should be attached [to the branch] in two places.  The ends of the wisteria [vine extending from the knot] should be comparable in length to the flight feathers [of a hawk]⁸.  [The ends of the vine] should be bent like a cow's horns.

    “‘On the morning of the first snow, [the branch] should be leaned against the shoulder [of the person delivering the to-shiba], who undertakes to make his visit through the middle gate [of the residence]⁹.  Proceeding to the stone steps [leading up to the veranda]¹⁰, being careful not leave footprints in the snow.  A few of the short feathers¹¹ should be torn out and scattered here and there [on the snow in the courtyard].  Approach the balustrade of the bridgeway [that connects the main hall with the residential quarters] and lean [the to-shiba] there; and if a reward¹² is bestowed, it should be thrown over the shoulder while bowing in thanks, and then [the servant who carried the to-shiba] should leave [the compound].

    “‘But even if it is the first snow [of the year], [the servant bearing the to-shiba] should not venture out [on this errand] if the snow does not bury his shoes up to the edge of their sides¹³.

    “‘With respect to the matter of scattering the feathers [in the courtyard], since the hawk holds its prey at the narrow part of the back, [the scattering of feathers] should suggest that [this bird] was caught by a hawk,’ so he spoke.”

    A bird should not be attached to flowers -- what might the reason be?¹⁴ 

    Around the Ninth Month¹⁵, a pheasant was attached to an artificial branch of plum [blossoms]¹⁶:  “kimi ga tame ni to oru-hana ha toki-shimo wakanu [君がためにと折る花は時しも分かぬ]¹⁷” -- that is what [the note that was attached to the to-shiba] said.  It seems like [this episode] might be found in the Ise monogatari [伊勢物語].

    As for the artificial flowers -- so there really was no problem!?¹⁸

__________________________

¹Yoshida Kenkō [吉田兼好, 1284 ~ 1350]* is the author of the collection of essays, known as the Tsurezure-gusa [徒然草] from which this material was taken.  The collection was written between 1330 and 1332.

     The photo shows a hand-made copy of Yoshida Kenkō’s manuscript. . __________ *Recently strong evidence has come forward that much of what was supposedly known about Kenkō, and his family ties was forged.  Thus, other than the fact that he was the son of an official in the civil administration, nothing can be said regarding his actual place in that clan-oriented society with any certainty.

²Okamoto kampaku-dono [岡本関白殿].

    This refers to Konoe Iehira [近衛家平; 1282 ~ 1324], who served as kampaku [関白] to Emperor Hanazono [花園天皇; 1297 ~ 1348] from 1313 to 1315.  The Konoe house, one of the major branches of the Fujiwara clan, traditionally claimed the right to hold the titles of kampaku and sesshō [攝政]*.

    The title of kampaku designated the Emperor's chief adviser, who was either an official who acted as a sort of regent (for an Emperor who was an adult), or as the Emperor's secretary.  In practice, the kampaku often held great political power, and occasionally was the de facto ruler of the state.

    Kampaku is sometimes translated Premier, and sometimes Chancellor. __________ *Sesshō [攝政] is the regent for a child Emperor, or an Empress regnant.

³For presentation as a gift.  The intended recipient is not mentioned in Kenkō's account.

    Commentators suggest that the “pair of birds” were pheasants (a male and a female); but nothing is actually said to this effect in the essay.

⁴On-takagai Shimotsukeno Takekatsu [御鷹飼下毛野武勝].

    The personal details of this individual are not know, though some commentators mention that he had formerly served Konoe Iehira's father, Konoe Iemoto [近衛家基; 1261 ~ 1296].  This implies that he had more experience and knowledge of precedent than Iehira.

    The takagai was responsible for the care of the falcons used for hawking, and had charge of the birds during the hunt until the prey was actually sighted.

⁵In other words, “since nobody knows, please do it as you think best.”  Iehira is asking Takekatsu to improvise.

⁶Go-yō nado ni mo tsuku [五葉などにも付く].

   Go-yō [五葉], “five-leaved” is a colloquial name for the Japanese five-needled pine (go-yō-matsu [五葉松], Pinus parviflora).  This pine has short, rather soft, needles in bundles of five, and a rather smooth bark.  The needles appear silver-gray, due to a white stripe down their middle.  It is a member of the white pine taxonomic group.

⁷Kaeshi-katana go-bu ni kiru [返し刀五部に切る].

    Kaeshi-katana [返し刀] means a sword stroke that returns upward (following a slashing blow aimed downward).

    Go-bu [五部] means go-bu [五分], the unit of length equal to approximately 1.5 cm (0.6").

    The commentators explain that the first cut (severing the branch from the tree) is made downward, and on a (natural) diagonal.  Then, a second cut is made from below (the kaeshi-katana), 5-bu from the end.  This gives the lower end of the branch an off-centered point, as shown in the sketch.

⁸Hiuchi-ba [ひうち羽].

    According to the commentators, hiuchi-ba [飛打羽] means specifically the flight feathers of a hawk's wings.  These feathers were used for fletching arrows (hence their length would have been common knowledge to military men).

⁹Chūmon yori furumaite-mairu [中門より振舞ひて參る].

    Traditional residences were surrounded by a wall, with a gatehouse opening onto the street, and a sort of courtyard on the inner side.  The gate would have two or three doorways, the largest of which was in the middle of the gatehouse (hence chūmon [中門]).  This gate was usually kept closed, and was used only when an important person would pass into, or out of, the house.  The members of the household usually used the side door for their comings and goings.

    In noble households, however, the nobleman would use the chūmon (indeed, if he traveled in an ox-drawn carriage, the carriage would only fit in through that entrance).

    Though the to-shiba was usually delivered by an underling, it is emphasized that he should make his entrance through the chūmon -- because the gift is coming from a nobleman (and it is the gift that is important, since the underling is only there to act as its mode of conveyance).

¹⁰Ōmigiri-no-ishi [大砌の石].

    Noble residences were usually raised several feet above ground level, to protect the residents from dampness that rises from the ground during the wet season.  The edge of the veranda was reached by mounting two or three steps (which were often cut in long lengths from granite).

¹¹Amaōi-no-ke [あまおほひの毛].

    Some commentators explain amaōi-no-ke [あまおほひの毛] refers to the short feathers that cover the upper side of the wings, protecting the flight feathers from becoming saturated with water when it is raining.  Others claim that these are small, downy feathers, located at the base of the larger feathers, that protect the bird from wind and rain.

    Either would be possible, since a hawk strikes downward, catching its prey just behind the wings, and thus easily dislodging the small feathers (the scattering of these feathers on the snow in the courtyard -- mentioned later in the account -- informs the recipient that the fowl attached to branch was taken by the nobleman's hawk).

¹²Roku [禄].

    A sort of tip presented to the underling who has transported the to-shiba.  In the classical period, this generally consisted of an elegant woman's robe (referred to as a goshūgi no i [御祝儀の衣], a “robe of appreciation”) -- since such garments were generally made from imported cloth that was too expensive for the person charged with delivering the gift to afford.

¹³Hatsu-yuki to iedomo, kutsu-no-hana no kakurenu-hodo no yuki ni ha mairazu [初雪といへども、沓のはなのかくれぬほどの雪には參らず].

    Kutsu no hana no kakurenu-hodo no yuki [沓のはなのかくれぬほどの雪]:  kutsu [沓] are lacquered wooden shoes, such as shown in the photo; kutsu-no-hana [沓の端]) means the “edge” of the shoe, where the toe-cover joins the instep (which is the lowest point on the side of the shoe); kakurenu-hodo no yuki [隠れぬほどの雪] means snow (deep enough) to hide -- or bury -- (the sides of ones shoes).

    If the snow had not accumulated to a depth that would rise high enough to moisten the person's foot, then it was not appropriate for him to be sent out on this mission.  Apparently the idea was that it should take great effort to convey this gift to the recipient (since a bird, taken while hunting, does not cost much at all).

¹⁴This final section consists of Yoshida Kenkō’s comments and speculations.   As such, the passage was separated from the earlier part of the text in the original manuscript (this can be seen in the photo, where the last five lines -- which correspond to this gloss -- are clearly indented), though usually not formatted in any special way in modern printed versions of the Tsurezure-gusa.

   These words have no direct connection with the story that he narrated at the beginning of this entry.

¹⁵Naga-tsuki bakari ni [長月ばかりに].

    Naga-tsuki [長月], which literally means “the (month of the) long moon,” was the classical name for the Ninth Month of the Lunar calendar, perhaps because the generally cloudless skies of Autumn mean that the moon appears to stay in the sky longer than at other times of the year (the weather of the Ninth Month is usually better, too, for moon-gazing).

    The phrase, then, literally means “sometime around the the long month....”

¹⁶Ume no tsukuri-eda ni kiji wo tsukete [梅の作り枝に雉を付けて].

    Tsukuri-eda [作り枝] means an artificially fabricated branch (of plum blossoms) -- paper flowers attached to a tree branch.

    The pheasant (kiji [雉]) was attached to the branch as a tori-shiba present, which was accompanied by the poem that is quoted in the text.

  It is important to mention that women did not usually go hunting.   Thus, her “gift” of a pheasant has a special meaning:  there is a Japanese proverb that the male pheasant always sleeps apart from his mate, so she is using the bird to allude to her lover’s unfaithfulness.

¹⁷Kimi ga tame ni to oru-hana ha toki-shi mo wakanu [君がためにと折る花は時しも分かぬ].

    Kenkō has only quoted lines 2, 3, and 4 of this poem, which comes from episode 98 of the Ise monogatari [伊勢物語].

    (1) Waga tanomu [わがたのむ] means “I entrust them [to you]*...”

    (2) Kimi ga tame ni to [君がためにと] means “since, just for you†...”

    (3) Oru-hana ha [折る花は] means “[I have made] these folded[-paper] flowers...”

    (4) Toki mo wakanu [時しも分かぬ], “which do not know the season to do it” [i.e., bloom]...

    (5) Mono ni zo ari-keru [ものにぞありける], “these things‡ are like that.”

    Because of the long nights (the scene is set in the Ninth Month, the Month of the Long Moon), the lady’s longing is increased. The paper plum flowers are unaware of the season, and so remain always in bloom. The pheasant, which the girl tied to the branch of paper flowers, means that her lover (the recipient of this strange gift) has shown, by his failure to call, that he prefers to sleep apart from her**.  Yet she (like the flowers) is always open (for his visit).  Even though he rarely visits her, both the paper flowers, and her feelings, are just like that:   unaware of circumstances that must be obvious to the whole world.

    The last line of this poem appears to be somewhat irregular, at least in the form quoted††. __________ *“Them” refers both to the poet’s thoughts and observations (regarding her relationship with her lover) and the paper flowers that she has folded “just for him.”

†Kimi [君] is a term of endearment, meaning “you.”

‡Mono ni zo [ものにぞ] can be read as part of the previous line, which would mean “(the paper flowers) are things that do not know the season!”  It could also be taken separately, as I have done above, to mean “these things (= this situation)! they are/it is just like that.”

    Ari-keru [有りける] means “it is as I said.”

**A Japanese proverb has it that the male pheasant prefers to sleep on a different branch from his mate.

††In classical poetics, however, the kanji ari [有り] appears to have more commonly been pronounced mo [も]. a [あ], u [う], or even ri [り]; and one of these “contracted” forms would be more fitting here (since it would have allowed Narihira to respect the traditional form of the waka).

    In fact, many of the “irregularities” found in the poems attributed to Ariwara no Narihira [在原業平; 825 ~ 880], and other poets of the early period, are susceptible to this kind of explanation (though many of the authoritative versions are written in kana, and so appear to clearly set out the sounds, none of these texts date back to anywhere near Narihira’s day -- indeed, most seem to have been standardized in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, when the idea that old poems frequently employ irregular forms had already been accepted as an established fact -- and so very possibly unknowingly incorporated later interpolations, or even corruptions, into what their compilers believed were historically-accurate editions).

¹⁸Tsukuri-bana ha kurushikaranu ni ya [造り花は苦しからぬにや].

    Kurushikaranu [苦しからぬ] means “there is no problem;” “there is nothing wrong (with doing that).”

    Ni ya [にや], which puncutates Kenkō’s statement, means something like "huh!" or "what?" and seems to indicate Kenkō’s surprise that the woman was able to get away with this sort of prank.

    Another possible interpretation, however, is that Kenkō is saying that the Ise monogatari offers what should be a perfectly valid precedent for attaching a bird to a flowering branch, and so is calling the validity of Shimotsukeno Takekatsu's pronouncement into question.

[suudonym]

received a tag from @bixxa-boom which is always a fun time o:

Rules:

1. Post the rules 2. Answer the questions given to you by the tagger 3. Write 11 questions of your own

1. What’s your favorite pun? foreign language puns are my favorite, right now I’m partial to the one I made on naraku no soko de matsu

2. What’s a funny event that happened to you that makes your face red whenever you think about it, or something you saw happen to someone (friend or stranger) that would make you blush if it was you? eeeehhhhh nothing really comes to mind... I mean we all know someone who walked into a door or wall without realizing but that’s so cliche I’m not sure it really counts as funny

3. If you could laze around in any sort of fancy clothing no matter how expensive or out of context it was, what would it be? hate to be boring but if I’m lazin around it’s in the same tshirt + jacket + jeans combo I always wear, comfort trumps all

4. What’s your favorite dog breed? =D pitbulls (*ฅ́˘ฅ̀*) .｡.:*♡ their faces are soooo cute but they’re too smart and energetic for someone with a disposition like mine to be able to be able to take good care of one

5. Of all the series that you’ve watched or played, what’s your favorite soundtrack? (if you can’t decide pick your top five) oh boy uuhhhhhh.... I’m gonna have to do five favorites but in no particular order:

Tales of Legendia: which isn’t known for being an excellent addition to the tales series or even a very good game in general but boy that music

Nier Automata: which I haven’t actually played or even watched yet but boy that music

the Ar Tonelico series: which I’ve only watched a little of because it’s fundamentally hard to stomach but holy shit those vocal tracks

Made in Abyss: which is just really good in every way including the soundtrack

Haikyuu!!: which is a close-to-my-heart example of yuki hayashi’s all-around excellent work

6. Share an obscure fun fact about yourself that no one would know to ask about ummmmm I’ve got no gall bladder? bitch gone

7. What gives you the most second-hand embarassment from other people? probably when somebody makes an incorrect assumption about something another person said and gets all worked up and angry/upset about it. makes my toes curl to witness

8. If you could meet anyone (artist, singer, comedian, tv character, meme legend, etc) from any time and place with no language barriers between you and that person, who would it be? after great and lengthy deliberation I think I have to say, given the choice..... that I would rather just not meet people. oh but do animals count? I’ll take a snuggly kitten

9. What are your go-to songs when you’re very happy, sad and angry? I don’t really have mood music tbh? or rather, “want to listen to music” is its own unique mood that generally only ever overlaps with the “I’m going to work on something” and “why am I browsing the internet in silence” moods

10. What are your favorite tropes to see in fiction? [banging fists on table] FOUND FAMILY FOUND FAMILY FOUND FAMILY

and also I don’t know if it’s a trope but that thing where two characters that you wouldn’t really expect to have much to do with each other become close friends

and also also family in general. friendship and family that’s honestly all I need

11. If human society had Quirks Superpowers what would yours be? are we talking like what power would I pick or what power would I just end up with when I was born because if the former thennnn... that thing where you have mind control but only over your own mind and can manipulate yourself into feeling motivated or confident or whatever, and if the latter then......... shit idk. something useless, common, and/or unimpressive probably. maybe a good memory if we go on the basis of something I’m already kinda good with

I know I’m supposed to make new questions and tag people at this point but man I’m gonna have to be really boring, I don’t have the mental faculty to ffffuckin come up with words independently of external prompting

[tokikurp]

Taste

MatsuOi Week Day 3- Tastes//Habits

Summary: Working as a lawyer can be hard; especially when you worked an overseas case for the last month. But coming home just in time dinner is one of the best feelings ever.

I just really love MatsuOi because I love how they look together and...yeah. Also, I was going to give Dinky a different name, something that sounded like a meme but Dinky came up and it fit.

Enjoy!

AO3

“God, I’m so damn tired. Why am I always agreeing to take these fucking oversea trips?” Groaning as he walked up to his apartment, Matsukawa dragged his feets up each step. “Mental note, tell Makki to send me a reminder not take oversea cases. Yeah, that should work.”

Mattsun worked as a lawyer and took on many different cases, from cases that only take a few weeks to cases that could take up months to complete. Every few months, he got an email from another lawyer in a different country to help them out with their case. How they found Matsukawa? He had no idea. He couldn’t figure out if he’d made a name for himself worldwide or if he just happened to come up when someone searched for help.

His most recent case had been all the way in Europe and had lasted over a month; they’d won by the way. Even though he’d enjoyed the free “trip” to Europe, he hadn’t enjoyed being away from home for such a long time. And being away from his boyfriend. He understood though, he really did. Matsukawa’s job was important and that he was helping people’s problems...or making them worse.

Matsukawa had no idea if his beloved would be home, what time was it anyway? His phone was still running on London time instead of Tokyo time. A whole eight hour time difference, but Matsukawa knew by how it was looking outside, that it was evening. He thought. Because who knew. It could actually be four in the damn morning!

Apartment #1212, home sweet home.

“Ah finally, home. Now I can sleep for eternity.” He yawned while unlocking the door and entering the apartment. “I’m home!”

From the noises he was hearing from the kitchen, he figured, that it was actually in the evening rather than in the morning.

“Go see! Go see!” Matsukawa heard as he was removing his shoes. Before he could call out and ask, the lawyer heard the sound of barking. He chuckled as a white fluffy pomeranian barked it’s little head off, while a brown and black pekingese made its way over as well.

“Alright, alright I see you, Yuki. Did you get fluffier while I’ve been away? Come here, Dinky, come here boy!” Matsu greeted the dogs as the two excited dogs greeted the human they hadn’t seen in over a month! “Yeah I missed you two, too.”

“Welcome home, Issei!” Looking up from petting the dogs, Matsukawa saw Oikawa standing in front of him, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “I wasn’t expecting you to be home until the morning.”

“Yeah, I was able to get on an earlier flight.” The lawyer replied as he stood up and walked over, kissing his boyfriend’s lips, how he’s missed them. “So...surprise I guess?”

“A surprise indeed.” Oikawa chuckled while kissing him back. “You’re just in time for dinner.”

“Good, I’m so tired of fast food. Can we go to bed afterwards?”

“I have to walk Yuki and Dinky before bed.”

“After you walk them?” Matsukawa pouted, he was tired and ready to go to bed with Oikawa. The other chuckled and kissed the lawyer’s nose.

“I promise. But I doubt you’ll be awake when I get back.”

“...yeah probably.” Damn he didn’t think that through, oh well. “Is dinner almost ready?”

“I was just adding the final touches to it when you walked in. It’s katsudon.” Oikawa replied as he lead the tired lawyer into the kitchen, Yuki and Dinky following behind.

“It smells good.” How he had missed Oikawa’s cooking. The month he was eating fish and chips made him realize how much he actually enjoyed the other’s cooking. “How’s training been going?”

“The usual. Intense and exhausting but overall the usual. We’re off next week so it’ll be a week of resting then.” The setter responded as he reached for a second bowl. “Have you already accepted another case yet?”

“Hell no. I’m not doing that again. I’m texting Makki to remind me to never take a case like this in my life again.” Matsukawa said as he reached for his phone. “...And it’s dead. Great.”

Oikawa giggled as he set a bowl in front of his tired boyfriend. “Eat first and then charge your phone before texting Makki.”

“Sounds good. Oi did you two eat?” Matsukawa looked to the dogs that sat below him. Yuki tilted his head while wagging his tail, Dinky blinked before laying on the floor. “...Good to know.”

“Yes, they did. They ate before I started to cook, they just want more.” Oikawa looked toward the dogs with an unimpressed face.

“What dog doesn’t want seconds?” The lawyer asked as he took a bite often the food and as if he’d never had katsudon before, he was taken aback. “Fuck, I’ve missed this so much.”

“Being away for a month and eating nothing but fast food can make you miss home.” The setter chuckled as he watched Matsu continue to eat the meal.

“Damn it...I’ve missed this so much.” Matsukawa said as he leaned back in his chair while Oikawa giggled before standing up.

“Are you ready for seconds?” The brunette asked and after a few moments of no response. “Mattsun?”

“Arf!” Dinky sat next to the lawyer and barked toward the other. He nudged the human’s hand, which didn’t move an inch. Oikawa walked over to check on his boyfriend only to see he had fallen asleep in the chair.

“Issei, what am I going to do with you?” Oikawa asked while shaking his head before bending down the kiss his boyfriend’s forehead. “Yuki, Dinky, let’s go for a walk!”

“ARF!” Yuki barked as he ran toward the door while Dinky just walked.

“Should I leave a note in case he wakes up?” Probably a good idea and Matsukawa’s phone was dead. Quickly scribbling down a note, the setter stuck it on the sleeping lawyer’s head before going to walk the dogs outside.

‘Gone for a quick walk! You fell asleep in the chair :P -Tooru’

“Yes, Issei’s home. Makki, you won’t believe what he did after dinner.” Oikawa giggled, as the other picked up the phone, and he left the apartment with the dogs.