My latest completed commission may have been a bit ambitious... because I went wild with it. But I certainly relished in doing so :') Combining my favorite ship with my favorite-ever Disney movie is, uh... a dangerous concoction :'D
The commissioner specifically requested for Azula as Mulan, Sokka as Shang, and Xin Long (my OC dragon from Gladiator) as Mushu. The rest of the cast was up to me to choose, and I pretty much went wild rewatching this movie and picking out some of my favorite moments to recreate them in my style, with these characters. I came up with a lot of correlating characters between both ATLA and 1998's Mulan, but I couldn't hope to draw EVERYTHING, unfortunately. Still, if you want my reasoning for the cast correlation... check out the Read More! Beyond that, feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to commission me, or if you want to join my Patreon!
The Herbalist as Mulan's grandmother might feel arbitrary but she honestly felt like the ATLA elderly lady with the most similar personality to Grandma Fa. Fickle, with a unique connection with a seemingly perfectly ordinary animal, old and sassy? Figured it fit! So for once, the Herbalist is Azula's grandma! xD strange notion, I know, Azulon/Herbalist is not a ship I ever thought I'd accidentally put out in the world but there have been wilder ships than that in this fandom...
Momo became Cri-Kee, I wasn't 100% sold on it but when I considered that Avatar features soooo many hybrid animals... I figured he could be a hybrid cricket-lemur. Weird, I know, but eh? Better than nothing xD
Aang as Chien-Po was a no-brainer. He's the only character I settled on instantly, never even considered anyone else for the role. Their personalities line up really well, and Chien-Po's tendency to be OP and resolve things that are outside of other people's reach sounded like he was prime Avatar material! So, while their dietary preferences are an obvious difference between them, I decided to go for it nonetheless considering all their other similarities!
Kino (another Gladiator OC) is Ling, and he actually did give me a ton of trouble to choose. I considered many characters for the role right up until I realized that Kino's personality actually lines up fairly well with Ling's, down to being a class clown type (who ABSOLUTELY would have cut gym class!) and breaking out in song about the hypothetical woman he'd like to fight for? Yeeeeah that's right up his alley xD but there's another reason why I picked Kino...
... And that is my likely unexpected choice for Yao:
ZUKO.
ZUKO IS YAO.
YES.
I'M NOT EVEN SORRY.
(For the uninitiated, Aang, Zuko and Kino are best friends in Gladiator, very often together, and they make a really good team, so that's the extra reason why Kino became the obvious choice for Ling aside from having really similar personalities, definitely closer personalities than, say, Jet, for instance.)
People have likened Zuko to Shang a LOT since ATLA aired. This is the main reason why I'm even making this huge note! I suspect it's primarily because of the aesthetic, let's be real here, and because he becomes Aang's teacher, but people have exaggerated Zuko's alleged similarities with Shang, or taken them out of proportion, in many ways. I actually remember an AMV ages ago with "Be a Man" and it was Zuko "training the Gaang"?? It... didn't feel right to me. Obviously, someone might rebuff with "well, how does Sokka make MORE sense than that, though?" And believe it or not, I have arguments for that... (when do I not...?)
Not only is this what the commissioner specifically requested (and it obviously lines up with the ship we love!), but let's examine the actual reasons why Sokka as Shang adds up:
Sokka actually had to train a bunch of toddlers who weren't paying any attention to him. You know. Kind of how Shang had to train the unruly soldiers who weren't getting anything right. Sokka has a positive relationship with his dad (Zuko, ofc, does not). Shang also has a positive relationship with his dad! And not only this, but there's a military component to both relationships, specifically with Shang wanting to follow on his father's footsteps and aid him in the war... so much like someone else I know, who jumped at every opportunity to rejoin his father in the war, even wishing to join him as a child until Hakoda tasked him with protecting their Tribe instead (kinda like Shang is tasked with training soldiers rather than joining a battlefield).
And the final cherry-on-top that I'd loooove to hear Zuko fans try to argue against... is sexism :') didn't Sokka get characterized as a sexist guy for four episodes, which made people decide that this was his main character trait even if it went away that quickly? Um, yes, that happened. Shang literally sings the memorable song that's a crazy ode to masculinity, including the rather sexist line of "did they send me daughters when I asked for sons". Shang outright abandons Mulan once they discover that she was a woman all along (while, admittedly, choosing to abandon her rather than KILL HER, which as we saw from Chi-Fu, he was NOT supposed to spare her!)...
So, is this REALLY what Zuko fans, who willfully believe their boy is a feminist king (... why? beats me...) are trying to compare their unproblematic blorbo to? :'D Me? I have no problem linking Sokka with Shang due to Sokka's beginnings and due to the fact that both Shang and Sokka have similar growth when it comes to accepting femininity is as valid as masculinity, and as they both learn to respect women as fighters and potential heroes! (I simply do not believe Sokka's ENTIRE tenure in ATLA was about that, though, and that's what I continue to clash with the fandom over...) So... all this is why I've reasoned that Sokka is a VERY solid choice for Shang, in fact, better than Zuko could hope to be.
... but this isn't all.
Maybe some might accept my arguments for Sokka-Shang. And then, they might ask:
WHY ZUKO AS YAO, THO??
... And the truth is it took me long to see it, myself, but HOLY SHIT, DOES IT FIT!
What is the primary thing we remember about Yao in Mulan? This guy is constantly itching for a fight, to prove himself, surely riddled with insecurities that he exteriorizes through overcompensation of masculinity. He's funny as fuck, but he's taking himself 100% seriously as a manly man all the time, and he's always ready for violence. But there's one more thing...
He treats Mulan as his RIVAL.
And more often than not? SHE SCREWS HIM OVER. Intentionally or not.
What does that sound like? Why, yes, it sounds a LOT like Azula and Zuko's sibling relationship!
The fact that Yao is a temperamental dude who lashes out easily at things (oh, something he has in common with Zuko!), that he specifically resents Mulan (in this case, Azula, just as Zuko does!) and is either constantly looking to defeat her and prove his superiority over her (... wait, just as Zuko with Azula??), that he has a black eye perpetually across the movie, and it's his LEFT EYE (just as Zuko's scar is on his left eye! :'D), that he's friends with a pacifist he has basically nothing in common with, personality-wise (just like Zuko and Aang!), and that he pretty much has a REDEMPTION ARC in which he goes from a bitter, asshole rival to Mulan to treating her as a friend and ally, to the point where he was disappointed to leave her behind and THEN joined her at once when she says she has a plan? :') I have always been critical of Zuko's redemption arc, goes without saying. But if ANY of these characters redeemed himself in any significant way, it certainly seems to be Yao to me, and with people gushing NON-STOP about Zuko's redemption? Why, he ought to be the character who goes from bitter rival to loyal friend, right?
So. I'm not even sorry. Zuko is Yao. And I'd dare say that he should be flattered by the comparison, even, because Yao ends up being cool as FUCK!
I don't really talk about this much nowadays, but Mulan was my favorite Disney movie growing up, it ABSOLUTELY had a formative influence on me as a little girl, and Mulan was my favorite female character for a looooong time. Thus, any excuse to rewatch this movie makes me happy as heck. With the wisdom of age I know, of course, that it's not perfect, it's not what China wants, it's not the most thoughtful depiction of Chinese culture or the most faithful adaptation of Mulan's poem (... but I'd also dare bring up that the 2009 Chinese adaptation ISN'T all that faithful either...), but it has a kind of magic in it, a solid storytelling flow, so many memorable moments one after the next, that I could hardly choose which scenes to depict... Disney has never again seen the storytelling heights it reached with Mulan in 1998. I don't even care if that's a controversial opinion in any way... this is their best animated feature for me, and nobody can change my mind.
So... depicting Azula, my beloved, in all these scenarios as this character I adored and idolized as a child, was so damn fulfilling for me. While some might think that, personality-wise, these two ladies don't have much in common, the fact that Mulan is sent to a matchmaker who basically tells her she looks good but is going to be the worst wife ever...? Our girl Azula, with all those insecurities about being unloveable and a monster, probably would relate big time to that.
Mulan is also an INTELLIGENT soldier rather than a brawny one, which is how she starts to make progress in the army, it's how she manages to overcome the huns with that avalanche... and Azula's primary difference with most other antagonists in ATLA is that she's smart as fuck. She is very strong, no doubt, but a LOT of that strength comes from her intelligence, from assessing situations in unique ways, from planning and strategizing. The way Mulan finds the most unexpected solutions that still pay off reminds me a lot of how Azula achieves unexpected feats through rather unorthodox means, capable of taking over a city with basically no bloodshed while her nation has spent 100 years trying and failing to do so through major army incursions and who knows how much senseless violence. Obviously, I'm not saying what Azula did is GOOD and it's kind of dumb that we always have to point that out... I'm merely comparing the magnitude of the feats, and the fact that they both come from ladies who use strategy and intelligence to achieve their goals rather than muscle and physical power.
And while anyone would rage at me for the comparison between Fa Zhou (her dad) and Ozai, the truth is the dynamic between them CAN be compared, if loosely: Mulan literally goes to war to keep her father safe. Azula goes to war under her father's orders. Hell, she makes herself BAIT in the Eclipse to make sure the Gaang won't get to her dad?? While it's very much possible to say that both characters have different personalities and attitudes in life... I'd also bring up that their contexts are evidently completely different. I wouldn't say for certain that Azula, had she been raised outside a Royal Family, would be EXACTLY like Mulan... but they might have more similar traits than one might expect. Ultimately, though... I love them both. And this opportunity to swap their places was pretty much a dream come true!
Alright, that was plenty of rambling xD ultimately, I had a blast doing this commission, as I'm sure is obvious by now. So! If anyone wants to commission me, feel free to check out my prices right here and hit me up if you're interested!
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Diabolik Lovers - An Angel's Embrace AU: Akira's relationships with the Sakamaki family (past) 🥀
Akira at 14 (Image above was made in a Picrew).
WARNING: Diabolik Lovers is a dark series with mature themes and topics. Discretion is advised. . . .
NOTE: This is all for an upcoming fanfic that is still in development. Some of the information written here may change in the future.
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Karlheinz Sakamaki 🍷
Karlheinz is Akira's father.
Akira is the first of the many children that the Vampire King fathers over the years.
However, unlike with his younger sons, Karlheinz would put in effort to be a part of Akira's childhood and teen years. A major part of this is because Akira is his heir and because of Karlheinz's infatuation with his mother, Angelica.
Karlheinz educated Akira at an early age on various topics: the arts, literature, mathematics, science, and etc. This was all done to help him succeed, even if they weren't his favorite subjects due to Akira's young age, though he did like literature the most.
One of Karlheinz's favorite things to do with Akira and Angelica was to read stories with them when Akira was four, which was around the time Beatrix, Karl's second wife, got pregnant and gave birth to her and Karlheinz's son Shuu.
Karlheinz didn't really care if Akira got to meet his younger brothers or not, just as long as it didn't distract him from his studies.
When Akira expressed interest in sword fighting and architecture, Karlheinz allowed him to get into them as hobbies.
Karlheinz had decided not to involve Akira in his "Adam and Eve" plan, which was to bring in a new era of demon kind to help them "prosper". Karlheinz knew that not only would Akira be too old when "Eve" is chosen, but because he knew that Angelica would never grow to love him if this happened and if she were to find out.
Whenever it comes to asking a parent for help with "technical" problems, Akira always goes to Karlheinz.
Akira does think his father is a bit weird from time to time.
Because of Akira's status as Karlheinz's successor, Akira is often taken to important meetings with other high ranking demons to get to know how things are done.
However, despite Akira being Karlheinz's favorite son, they do not have the best relationship, as Karlheinz is not a good person: like Cordelia with Ayato and Beatrix with Shu, Karlheinz is rather strict with Akira when it comes to his studies and how he presents himself in front of other noble families.
This would only get worse when Akira gets older.
Karlheinz would always get on his case about wearing his finest clothes when at public outings, find a fiancee despite only being fourteen at the time, and many other things. However, it is possible that Karlheinz did this with him only wanting the best for his son, and because he's not used to showing proper familial affection, Karlheinz simply did what his father Johan did for him when he was Akira's age.
When Akira would be killed by vampire hunters at the age of nineteen, Karlheinz had felt many emotions. Shock, anger, sadness, and even regret, just to name a few. This, combined with Angelica's depressed state, is what made Karlheinz decide to bring Akira back from the dead, since he was more than capable of doing so.
And so, Karlheinz created a serum to bring Akira back from the dead in his lab. However, while he was successful, Akira was brought back without a soul, causing him to become vicious, feral, and extremely dangerous, which was made clear when he attempted to kill Karlheinz, and he was almost successful until his father injected him with a drug to make him sleep.
Ever since then, Karlheinz locked Akira in a padded cell in his castle in Eden so his son wouldn't hurt himself or others around him. While Akira stays locked away, his father began to conduct thorough research to locate Akira's soul so he can truly have his son back.
This was the norm for a good couple of years up until Akira grew sick and tired of being treated like an animal and escaped after he attacked Karlheinz. While lost in the woods, Akira encountered Carla and Shin Tsukinami, the two last pure blooded members of the Ancestor Race. Though that is a story for another day. . . .
Angelica Amor-Sakamaki 🎶
Angelica is Akira's mother and the parental figure who was a constant in his life.
Akira was Angelica's first child, and on the day he was born, his mother made a vow to shelter and adore him, as she never wanted him to feel unloved in any way.
As a first time mother, Angelica did everything she could to make Akira happy, though she took care to make sure that her son wasn't too spoiled.
When he turned four and Beatrix gave birth to her eldest, Akira wanted to be present for the birth, though both Angelica and Karlheinz said no since they thought him witnessing the birth would traumatize him.
During his childhood, Akira would often ask Angelica to read to him, Shuu, and his other eventual younger brothers.
Like his mother, Akira developed an interest in the art of sword fighting, and with his parents' permission (particularly Karlheinz's), Akira would practice sword fighting with his mother.
Whenever it comes to asking a parent for help regarding "emotional" problems and issues, Akira undoubtedly goes to Angelica.
As Akira got older, he tried to become more independent and would try not to "bother" his mother with his problems, since he believed that he should be able to solve them himself.
Akira is very protective of his mother, even when he was a little boy. This was mainly due to Cordelia's torment and when he'd see his mother getting harassed by some of the purple haired woman's past suitors.
When Karlheinz would get more and more strict with Akira, Angelica would come to her son's defense and try to have his father be more lenient with his studying and training as his heir.
Akira was aware of his mother's past marriage, and the unfortunate fate that befell her first husband Wolfgang. As a child, Akira would ask her what he was like when he was alive, but as a teenager, the pink haired young man would cease his questions as he'd notice his father's frown whenever Wolfgang is brought up.
One of his favorite activities to do with Angelica is to go horse back riding, specifically through the forest near their home.
On the fateful day when he and his mother accompanied Shuu to visit his human friend Edgar, Akira had to take his mother and younger brother back home almost immediately when they discovered Edgar's village on fire, since Angelica had sacrificed her own personal safety to protect Shuu from some flaming debris. After the incident, both boys took great care of the pink haired woman in their own ways, Shuu with trying to make her chicken soup while Akira worked on a salve to instantly heal the burn scars on her back.
One day, while things seemed to be going well, the Sakamaki mansion was attacked by a group of vampire hunters who aimed to kill Angelica and Akira. While Akira and his mother made sure to have the boys hide in the secret panic room, Akira was quick to notice one of the hunters had attempted to stab his mother in the back with a sword made of a special silver that was capable of killing vampires. Thinking quickly, the then nineteen year old Akira pushed his mother out of the way, taking the blade for himself, though not without ripping out the hunter's throat in the process, effectively killing him.
This event made his mother enter a depressive state. Angelica refused to eat or drink blood for days, leave her room weeks, and cry herself to sleep for months. Angelica would eventually pick herself back up again to be there for the boys, even though the death of her firstborn still weighed on her mind daily.
When Akira was (improperly) resurrected by Karlheinz and was locked up for his and others' safety, the pink haired young man would remain an amnesiac for a good portion of his adulthood since his father was having difficulty in returning Akira to the way he was. However, during his slumber, Akira would have little bits and pieces of his memories play in his mind, though the faces of his loved ones were always blurred out and he couldn't remember their voices properly.
Shuu Sakamaki 💛
Shuu is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
When Akira first heard of his stepmother Beatrix's pregnancy, a four year old Akira became excited that he was getting a new sibling. He'd even try to feel her then rounded belly for the baby's kicks, only after asking for permission of course.
When his baby brother was finally born, Akira was given permission by Karlheinz, Angelica, and Beatrix to hold the blonde infant while the blonde haired woman rested. Akira was doing his best to stay still and not disturb the baby since he was practically vibrating with excitement. When a sleepy Beatrix announced that the baby's name would be "Ririe" (yes, that's his actual birth name), Akira thought that it was a bit of an odd choice for the baby, since he believed that he looked more like a "Shuu" than a "Ririe".
After getting permission from Karlheinz and Beatrix, Akira would then start calling his baby brother by that name.
Whenever Akira's friends, who were the children of Karlheinz's business acquaintances, he'd often show off Shuu in a way that'd let them know that he was a proud big brother.
He'd play games with baby Shuu whenever he and his mother Angelica would visit Beatrix's part of the mansion, though Akira's visits would grow faint when his training with Karlheinz began.
The two wouldn't reunite until Shuu himself was four years old, making Akira eight.
Due to Shuu being the second eldest, he was allowed by his mother Beatrix to be around Akira so he could either become his second-in-command or the next heir if Akira, for whatever reason, couldn't become the next Vampire King.
Akira has given Shuu the nickname "Blondie".
Shuu especially liked going hunting with Akira and his older friends, since it made him feel like as if he was a "part of the boys".
Akira was one of the very few people who knew of the existence of Shue's friend Edgar. When he seemingly passed away, Shuu entering his apathetic state made Akira's heart break for his little brother.
When Akira passed away, Shuu was obviously devastated, as it reminded him of the sudden passing of his only friend Edgar. And it only got worse as his mother Beatrix and Cordelia began to compete with each other even more since this meant that either Shuu or Ayato could become the next head of the family.
Due to Akira's killers being humans, it made him despise mortals who came from the same church as they did, making it difficult for a certain blonde haired girl when she'd come to the Sakamaki mansion years later.
Reiji Sakamaki 💙
Reiji is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
Like with Shuu, Akira was around for the birth of Reiji since Beatrix and Angelica were on good terms, unlike her and Cordelia.
Akira also liked playing games with a baby Reiji and a one year old Shuu during his free time.
Akira has given Reiji the nickname "Pigeon" as Reiji's hair reminds him of the gray feathered bird: he also often shortens it to "Pidge" since he thinks it sounds cuter. However, despite Reiji thinking that the nickname was childish, he doesn't mind his brother calling him that in private. He does mind if it is done in public and if someone else tries to call him that.
Like with Shuu, Reiji was allowed to interact with Akira as he was also being trained in becoming his third-in-command.
He has much admiration for his older brother, as Reiji saw him as the "proper gentleman", except for when he teases him.
When Reiji turned eight, he was allowed to go alongside Shuu with Akira and his older friends for hunting and playing croquet.
Reiji would get annoyed whenever he saw Shuu spending time with Akira and Angelica. He thought this wasn't necessary as Shuu already had the love and attention of their birth mother Beatrix, though he never said a word about it.
When Reiji burned down Edgar's village, he'd help Akira with creating a salve for Angelica when she got hurt protecting Shuu from the fire as he felt immense guilt for his part in her getting hurt. Though Reiji never told Akira, Shuu, and Angelica about what he did for obvious reasons.
When the mansion was attacked by vampire hunters, Reiji, alongside Shuu, had to keep their younger brothers from panicking since they were worried about their safety and that of Angelica and Akira's. Reiji assured them that they were fine, as both were experienced with self defense techniques and sword fighting.
Unfortunately, when Reiji and his brothers exited the safe room with the help of a servant, they found a sobbing Angelica holding the bleeding dead body of their older brother.
Reiji was completely silent during the funeral and alongside Subaru, sticked to Angelica's side the whole time.
After Akira's death, Reiji got closer with Angelica then he did with his mother Beatrix, as his mother put more and more of her attention on Shuu since he now had more of a chance to become the heir.
Reiji had all of Akira's books placed in his room for safekeeping. Due to him having to help Angelica with looking after the house and its residents, Reiji doesn't really have much time for himself to read. However, during those rare moments when he does, Reiji finds himself reading some of Akira's old favorites.
Ayato Sakamaki ❤️
Ayato is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
Unlike with Shuu and Reiji, Ayato and his triplet brothers weren't allowed to meet Akira and his mother Angelica until they were four years old. This was due to their birth mother Cordelia's hatred for the pink haired woman for giving birth to the eldest son/heir, therefore seemingly getting the love and adoration of their shared husband, Karlheinz Sakamaki.
When Akira first met Ayato, who was four at that time, it was after he hurt himself in the gardens. After Angelica took care of him, she went to speak with Karlheinz while Akira stayed with Ayato to make sure that he wasn't lonely.
It didn't take long for Ayato to like Akira, as he saw him as a cool and fun big brother.
Ayato would go to Akira and his mother to be comforted whenever Cordelia punished him for doing something she didn't like, such as trying to get out of his immense studies.
He'd get jealous whenever he see his brothers playing with Akira and Angelica whenever he had to study.
Akira would call Ayato "Little Red" as a nickname, which Ayato thought was embarrassing.
Whenever Akira would hangout with his friends, Ayato wanted to go with as he thought they were "cool". He'd get envious whenever Shuu, Reiji, and Subaru were allowed to hangout with them while he, Kanato, and Laito weren't.
When Cordelia would throw Ayato in the lake and leave him to drown as a punishment, Akira and his mother would be alerted by Kanato and Laito and rush to his rescue. After giving him a bath, new clothes, and some hot soup to warm him up, Akira would stay with Ayato and distract him and his brothers while Angelica entered a screaming match with Cordelia about what she did.
Akira would always come up with silly games and dances for him and Ayato to play.
One time when Ayato needed to go to the bathroom, he went to Akira's room and asked him to come with because he was scared to go by himself.
During the mansion's attack by a group of vampire hunters, Ayato wanted to go out of the panic room so he could help Angelica and Akira, and would get upset whenever Shuu and Reiji told him to just sit still and wait until someone came for them. When a servant came to retrieve them, Ayato saw his stepmother weeping as she held Akira's bloodied and motionless body.
Ayato was wrecked when Akira was killed by the vampire hunters. He silently cried when they put the coffin underground, as he didn't want his mother Cordelia to notice and berate him. After the funeral ended, he and his brothers slept in Akira's bed in his old clothes, and they imagined that he was still there with them.
When Cordelia put even more pressure on Ayato to become Karlheinz's successor, Ayato felt disgusted, as it wasn't even a year since his brother's death: it was only six months at that time.
Ayato would unofficially make Akira's old room his place for alone time whenever he has a fight with his mother or brothers that gets out of control. This continued even after Cordelia died.
Kanato Sakamaki 💜
Kanato is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
Unlike Ayato, Kanato and his other brother Laito were able to interact with Angelica and Akira early on since Cordelia wasn't as strict with them.
Kanato thought Akira was a bit weird at times, but he ultimately liked him since, like his mother Angelica, took the time to get to understand him and be patient.
Due to Kanato's sensitivity as a child, there were very few people who could calm him down with ease: these people include Angelica, Akira, and Laito.
Kanato LOVED playing all sorts of games with Akira, but his all time favorite was Hide-and-go-Seek.
Since Akira isn't super fond of sweets, Akira would often give him his after dinner, especially if it's raspberry pudding.
Whenever Cordelia would have 'relations' with another man near or in front of Kanato, Akira would take his brother away to his room to make sure he didn't see too much of what was going on. While his mother Angelica would handle taking care of explaining to Kanato what was going on and how he should leave when it happens, Akira would distract him by playing games with him.
When Akira got older and would attract would be suitors, Kanato got annoyed with them and would stand near his brother as if he was a bodyguard.
The event that took Akira away from Kanato nearly destroyed him. After the tragedy, Kanato would stick to Angelica like glue.
Before Akira's funeral, Kanato did consider making his body into one of his 'wax figures' so his body could be preserved, but decided against it when he learned that Angelica had planned to have his body cremated and put bits of his ashes in charms that'd be given to the brothers respectively. Kanato has his charm hidden in Teddy for safekeeping.
Like Ayato and Shuu, Kanato's hatred to mortal humans mostly stems from the vampire hunters who took Akira away from him.
Laito Sakamaki 💚
Laito is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
Just like with Kanato, Laito was free to interact with Angelica and Akira early on since Cordelia was more concerned with her eldest son Ayato.
Since they had similar joking personalities, Laito would often participate with Akira in teasing their brothers.
Laito likes to borrow some of Akira's old clothes from when he was his age since they were still fashionable.
He often plays with Akira's old toys that he had from when he was around his age.
Whenever Cordelia would punish Ayato by throwing him into the lake, Laito and Kanato would go to Akira for help, who'd in turn inform his mother Angelica about the event. Laito would help Akira with taking care of Ayato.
One day, Akira would notice that Laito was acting rather off. He would notice whenever Laito would recoil a little at a woman's touch: whether it was Angelica gently putting her hand on his shoulder to get his attention, or the maids that assisted in helping him getting dressed for special events. What really captured Akira's attention was the sight of small bruises and the smell of Cordelia's perfume on Laito's body, and when Ayato told him that Laito would sometimes disappear in the middle of the night from the bed the triplets shared in their room.
After discovering what Cordelia was doing to Laito, Akira's blood boiled and he was seething with rage, but he kept his anger down long enough to ensure that Laito was fine and that he did nothing, and that the situation was not his fault in the slightest. While Laito pleaded with Akira not to tell anyone, Akira managed to convince Laito to at least tell Angelica about Cordelia's abuse so she could help him, even promising him that he'd be with him during the whole thing.
After Angelica was informed, she had Akira take Laito the the physician while she went to confront Cordelia, which Akira learned about later after he managed to get Laito to sleep in his room (he slept on the floor with a spare blanket and pillow).
To this day, Laito is grateful for Akira for helping him with what his birth mother was doing.
Akira's death shook Laito to his very core, as he never thought that a strong vampire could fall victim to a weak human. Like Kanato, Laito would stick to Angelica like glue and would steer clear of Cordelia since she was still around during that time.
While Laito isn't one to collect things like stuffed toys like Kanato, Laito does have a teddy bear in his room that was made from on of Akira's old shirts. This is something that all of the brothers have, but Laito is the only one to have his on display.
Subaru Sakamaki 🤍
Subaru is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
When Christa's pregnancy was announced, Akira was a little shocked to learn that his secondary mother figure was going to give him a little brother, but really excited. He'd even talk to the unborn Subaru during Christa's final trimester.
Between Cordelia, Beatrix and Christa, Akira was closer with the white haired woman since she and his mother Angelica were close childhood friends.
When Subaru was born, Akira was confused when he saw that baby Subaru was separated from Christa and given to his mother, since he thought that Christa would want to spend some alone time with her son before introducing Subaru to Angelica and him. It wasn't until Angelica told him about what happened to Christa that he'd understand.
From that day forward, Akira would help his mother with raising Subaru since Christa couldn't. He even helped Subaru with learning how to walk and talk.
For the longest time, Subaru believed that both Angelica and Akira were biologically related to him, as no one in the mansion ever really told him otherwise or spoke of his birth mother Christa.
It wasn't until his sixth birthday that Subaru learned the truth from his father Karlheinz, who told him everything that happened to Christa and why she was unable to raise him.
At first, Subaru didn't believe his father and thought he was lying, but it gnawed away at him the longer he kept it to himself. When Subaru finally asked Angelica and Akira if it was true, they sat him down and told him everything he wanted to know: it is important to know that Angelica and Akira did plan to tell Subaru eventually, but in a more relaxed setting and when they thought he was ready.
Despite now learning the truth, Subaru's love for his stepmother and older half-brother didn't change. In fact, it made him quite protective of them as he feared that Karlheinz would "break" them like he did with his birth mother.
Whenever Angelica wasn't able to visit Christa with Subaru, Akira would go with his brother and check on his stepmother, but only when he 100% sure that Christa was in a stable mood. He'd never risk Subaru's safety.
Subaru was nicknamed "Akira's shadow" since he'd follow him everywhere at balls held at the mansion of parties the whole family was invited to.
When an unstable Christa would lash out at Subaru for "ruining" her and tried to make him kill her, Akira, like his mother, would remind the white haired boy that he was not the monster Christa was making him out to be, and that it was not his fault that Christa is the way she is now.
After Akira's death and funeral, Subaru became much more sullen and angry. He'd focus on putting his energy in protecting Angelica and eventually his sister Sofia as he believed that he failed in protecting Akira when the vampire hunters attacked.
Richter Sakamaki 🗡️
Richter is Akira's uncle through his father Karlheinz.
As a child, Akira wasn't quite sure on what to feel towards his uncle Richter. The older vampire never really stayed at the mansion for long as he was constantly traveling the world.
Akira would get confused about why his mother disliked Richter, he was aware of their rivalry from their school days but he never knew why it started in the first place. He assumed that it was probably something silly and thought that they should make up.
However, one day while a young Akira was playing in the gardens, he overheard Richter badmouthing his mother Angelica with Cordelia, Karlheinz's first wife and one of Akira's stepmothers, since they thought they were alone. Hearing this made Akira decide that Richter was a terrible person who deserved his mother's scorn.
They never really interacted much during Akira's teen years, even before his demise.
Cordelia Sakamaki 🫀
Cordelia is Karlheinz's first wife and one of Akira's stepmothers. She is the mother of his younger brothers Ayato, Kanato, and Laito.
Akira was only four years old when he first met Cordelia, and as soon as she decided to be rude to him and his mother, he decided right then and there that he hated her.
He especially hated it when Cordelia would badmouth his mother behind her back to his uncle Richter in the gardens when the two adults thought that they were alone.
However, Akira did try his best to be civil with her in public and around the triplets, since he didn't want to cause any unnecessary drama.
During the small period when Cordelia would send her lovers to bother and harass his mother Angelica, Akira, after getting to leave her alone and unintentionally at Kanato's mercy, would in turn send rats and bugs into her room while she slept. Though Cordelia would automatically assume that it was Akira that sent the vermin, she never had any clear cut evidence.
One time as a petty form of revenge, Akira once put a single blueberry in her ice cream. Cordelia isn't allergic to blueberries or even dislikes them, she was just confused as to how it even got in there in the first place.
When Cordelia began to abuse the triplets, Akira, with help from his mother, would do whatever he could to either prevent any more harm coming to them or at least comfort them if he couldn't stop it in time.
It wasn't until Ayato's near death experience with drowning, Kanato witnessing his mother's affairs and bleeding vocal chords from her making him sing too much, and lastly the sexual abuse of Laito that Akira decided that enough was enough. After informing his mother of what was going on, and making sure all three of the triplets were ok and safely asleep in his room (since Cordelia hated going anywhere near him), Akira decided that was his moment to strike.
Akira visited Cordelia in the dungeons at night, as she was being punished on Karlheinz's orders for what she had done. After giving her a good scare, Akira threatened to convince his father to increase her punishment if she didn't do as he said and listen to his demands. The orders he gave her were simple: agree to hand over custody of the triplets to Angelica and to leave them and his mother alone. If she failed to comply, then he'd make her life a living hell when he became the next head of the family.
Frightened, Cordelia agreed. This encounter led to the purple haired woman's dislike of the young man to grow and fester. After she was released from the dungeons, Cordelia's reputation worsened after word got out that she agreed to let Angelica become the triplets' legal mother, creating a theory among gossiping nobles that Karlheinz's true favorite wife was none other than Angelica.
This pushed Cordelia over the edge, causing her to hire a group of vampire hunters to kill Angelica and Akira. She gave them clear orders to only kill them and to leave the triplets alone, as she still wished to use them for her own gain.
After Akira's death and Angelica's descent into depression, Cordelia began to plan on ways to get Ayato to become the next head of the family. But after the triplets learned through one remaining hunter Karlheinz kept alive for interrogation that Cordelia had a hand in their older brother's death, the three of them planned together to murder her for taking Akira away from them.
Beatrix Sakamaki 🪡
Beatrix is Karlheinz's second wife and one of Akira's stepmothers. She is the mother of his younger brothers Shuu and Reiji.
Akira's relationship with Beatrix is nowhere near as bad as it is with Cordelia.
In fact, they had a pretty decent relationship, though the two weren't close when she was alive. This was due to Beatrix putting in a majority of her attention on Shuu and her unintentional neglect of her youngest, Reiji.
Despite that, Beatrix did think that Akira was a nice young man with good manners, which allowed her to feel comfortable with letting Shuu and Reiji spend time with him. It also helped that when he was four, he'd bring flowers from the garden everyday for her and an unborn Shuu as gifts. He also did this with an unborn Reiji.
When Akira died, Beatrix felt a wave of varying emotions. While she felt immense sorrow for Angelica for the loss of her son, Beatrix began to once again compete with Cordelia over which of their eldest sons would become the next heir. This naturally made Angelica and Shuu distance themselves from her.
Christa Sakamaki 🪞
Christa is Karlheinz's third wife and one of Akira's stepmothers. She is the mother of his younger brother Subaru.
Christa was basically a secondary mother figure to Akira before the incident took place due to her close friendship with his mother Angelica. When he was a baby, the white haired woman would look after him whenever his mother had something important to do that required her full attention.
She even looked after him when Angelica needed rest, as Christa saw this as practice for when she and Karlheinz have children of their own one day.
When Akira was a year old, he called Christa 'mama', which nearly made her cry with tears of happiness.
When Christa's mind shattered (because of Karlheinz), Akira, alongside his mother, wasn't allowed to go anywhere near her without a guard present in case she was in an unstable mood and tried to hurt him.
When Subaru, Christa's son, was younger, Akira would help him with planting white roses near her tower in an attempt to make her feel better.
Akira's relationship with Christa definitely soured after he learned that Christa denounced his little brother Subaru as her son and that she tried to pressure him into killing her. However, he still felt bad for what happened to her, so he would try to send her little gifts every now and then to make her feel better.
When Akira's death was announced, Christa bursted into tears over the news, as in a way, he was the son she never had.
Years later, when Christa heard from a few gossiping maids that Karlheinz was keeping a feral pink haired young man in the dungeons who bore a striking resemblance to Akira, this made the white haired woman realized that Akira was somehow brought back to life and was being kept as a prisoner. However, Christa can’t really do anything about it as she’s locked up, and whenever she asks a servant who comes to give her her meals about the rumors, they’d tell her that it was nonsense and not to worry about it.
~ Bonus: Kino Sakamaki 🤎 ~
*Please excuse the poor image quality, this is the best I can do right now. Also, ignore Kid! Carla and Kid! Shin. Respectfully, this section isn't about them.*
Kino is Akira's younger brother through their father, Karlheinz.
Since Kino was abandoned as an infant in a Ghoul town, he never knew of his heritage and that he had brothers, with Karlheinz's other children being in the same boat.
Despite being taken in by his best friend Yuuri's father, Kino still wished to know why he was seemingly abandoned and who his parents were.
One day, Kino attempted to steal some bread for him to eat, and the owner of the bakery attempted to beat him with a rolling pan up until he was stopped by Akira, who happened to be around the area as he was coming back from staying with his grandfather, Gabriel Amor. After paying for the bread and getting Kino something more to eat, Akira made sure to take Kino back to his place safely.
Though Kino was stubborn about the whole ordeal, he was grateful that Akira managed to save him from the baker when he did, as he'd normally give the dark haired boy some bruises from whenever he's caught stealing.
A few days after, there were a few Ghoul kids, some who were Kino's bullies, that'd ask him about Akira and how he knew the heir of the Bat Clan. Kino would say that he didn't and that he was just a stranger, but there were a few who didn't believe him and thought that he was just keeping things to himself because he thought he was better than them.
A week later, Akira would return to the Ghoul town to check on Kino, though this time he wore a disguise so the Ghouls wouldn't recognize him and cause a scandal for his family. While Kino didn't want his pity, he'd later warm up to the pink haired Vampire since he treated him and Yuuri with kindness and would scare off the bullies: it also helped that Akira would bring them good food and nicer clothes.
When it was Kino's birthday, Akira gifted him some konpeito (star-shaped candy) and a telescope since he knew the dark haired boy was interested in the stars. Kino appreciated this very much and shared the candy with Yuuri and would use the telescope constantly.
One day, during one of his visits, Akira revealed to Kino that he made plans to help the Ghouls rebuild the town so that everyone could have better housing and more room to garden so they could have better food. Kino loved this idea and even asked if he could be involved.
However, the day Akira's death was announced to the demon realm broke Kino's heart. While most of the Ghouls hated Karlheinz and his family because of their wealthy status and couldn't care less about Akira's demise, Kino mourned the loss of the young man he considered a friend, maybe even an older brother.
Kino still thinks about Akira every so often, especially when he uses the telescope the older male gifted him.
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Hope this wasn't too sad for y'all. 😅
If so, I am so sorry. . . .
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