#so like it may not mean the same thing to everyone but there's something to be said abt how performance and perception impact our genders yk

[mysteria157]

Moment Two: Your Daughter's First Pair

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Nanami Kento x Black Fem Reader

CW: fluff, profanity (not really), sexual suggestion, slight angst (very minimal).

Word Count: ~3.4k

Summary: Nanami joins you and your daughter for a family tradition, but he may not be as strong as he thinks.

Set in the It Had To Be You universe but you don't need a lot of backstory to follow along.

Notes: This was a random thought that I had based on something that has always been a thing in my family that I wanted to write out. There is nothing significant about this, I have not written Nanami in a LONG time, so I'm trying to warm myself up again. I am so rusty but I'm using fleeting moments of inspiration and taking advantage of it.

Likes, reblogs, and comments are always welcome! Happy reading!

Divider: @saradika | Header: myself

| Twitter | Ao3 | Masterlist | Moment One | Moment Three...Eventually

©mysteria157, all rights reserved. DO NOT copy, plagiarize, reupload, modify, or translate (without permission) my work to other accounts and platforms.

MINORS DNI

“You don’t need to hold her so tight.”

“I’m protecting her.”

“And what am I, a goat?”

He raises a brow at your jest, autumn wheat and elegant but nonetheless annoyed as he glares at you. He doesn’t mean it, you know that—it’s all nerves.

“Ken, we don’t have to do this you know? If you’re against the idea, we can wait a few more years.”

“I’m not against it,” he reassures you, adjusting your daughter in his arms. Ulani babbles up at him, her chubby hands digging into a sharply cut cheekbone. He carries on without complaint, already used to her behavior. “This is a tradition, and I understand it but…”

You turn a key chain in one hand, your thumb smoothing along the glittery face of a dog—or is it a cat? The rack is filled with key chains of different colors, animals and objects, bringing back memories of middle school when you would drag your best friend Omelia into this same store in Sendai before it closed down. Despite the many years that have passed, the store chain still has its subtle hues of purples and pinks, earrings punched through purple cardboard paper, pens with wonky erasers, and headbands of different designs.

“But what?” you try to finish for him, smiling up at his nervous form as he lets Ulani talk to him in her own baby language.

Kento pulls in a deep breath as if to steel his nerves and prepare for the inevitable. He’s praying to whoever will listen, trying to use every coping mechanism in the book. He’s wearing jeans that hug his fit thighs and a dark blue short sleeve that shows too much bicep for your liking (you should give him a dress code). There are only so many single and married women and men that you can glare at in a day, and the redhead over by the register is pushing it.

“Will it hurt her?” your boyfriend’s low timber pulls you back, filled with apprehension, and he keeps mahogany eyes on his daughter to avoid showing you just how scared he is. You rub his back to soothe him, tracing the bands of muscle that are tense behind the soft fabric.

“I-I’m worried.”

“And you shouldn’t be. It’s a simple thing, lasts two seconds. Just like when she got her first shots.”

That’s not enough for him, because now Kento furrows his eyebrows in frustration, bouncing his daughter in his arms to entertain her and also soothe himself. “There are a lot of things to consider. The risk of infection. Rejection. What if she hates them? What if they get caught on her clothes? Or her curls? Or—”

“Are we ready?” one of the employee’s sing songs from behind you both, walking towards the singular chair perched against the glass wall of the store.

“I—” Kento croaks, clearing his throat and swallowing loudly. He looks down at you. “Are we?”

In the time you’ve known him, you’ve only seen Kento visibly nervous a handful of times. That stoic demeanor is a smooth, stone-like shell to everyone else besides family and close friends, but you know the weak spots and have glimpsed into the fragmented sections only visible to your eyes. Right now, he’s nervous and fearful beyond belief. That all encompassing love and attention that he shows you from sunup to sundown extends to his daughter as well. If there is one person besides you, who can make Nanami Kento show his emotions freely and without reservation no matter the date, place, or time, it’s Ulani.

“How about you hold her?” you suggest and give him a small push towards the black chair. Two employees work at the small kiosk next to him, unwrapping sterile materials and cotton swabs. Kento’s eyes watch every movement, searching for any sign of threat that can give him the ammunition to take his daughter and never come back. You can practically hear his thoughts:

“Is that up to code?”

“How long has that been sealed?”

“What is the name of the manufacturer so that I can ensure it’s reputable?”

Your roll your own eyes, knowing how right you might be.

When you found out your pediatrician would be on her own maternity leave, you let Kento research every establishment in Tokyo until he found one in Shibuya. Reputable, good reviews, and well-practiced in this procedure.

Of course, you’re nervous too. She’s your daughter, a combination of you and Kento, conceived from a very drunken night of disdain but grown out of eventual love and adoration. The thought of her crying in pain makes that maternal part of you flare with anger and the consuming need to protect her forever. But you’ve prepared for this for awhile.

Kento? Not so much.

“Is that clean?” your boyfriend asks one of the employees, clutching his daughter a little tighter. It’s a little rude, but the employee smiles at him in a way that conveys understanding of his trepidation. This isn’t their first rodeo.

“Completely sterile from the package. I promise she’s in great hands.” Deep eyes free of steampunk-esque glasses flicker up at her in doubt, but he simply sniffs and looks back to his daughter instead to withhold a scathing remark. “How about one of us on each side, and we do it at once?” she suggests, addressing him directly. It helps, as he gives her a somber but curt nod.

He situates Ulani in his arms so she’s sitting fully on his lap, his large hands holding her up with a slight tremble. The sight is enough to remind you again that this is new territory for him. What has always been a normal tradition for you and the other females in your life, is a foreign concept for him.

Ear piercings are a milestone in a young girl’s life. You got yours as a baby, and so did your mother. Omelia got hers as a baby, as did all her female cousins, as did her mother and the mother before her. If you interacted with your mother’s side of the family, then maybe you would know if your cousins also did the same.

But that’s another thought for another time, and you refuse to let painful memories tarnish what should be a memory you are crafting on your own, right now.

You step closer and run your hands through thick blond locks that are free of gel. You brush the strands from his forehead, letting the soft texture slip past your fingertips as he relaxes instantly. With his place in his chair, he’s at the perfect height to rest his head on your stomach, and he does so a second later.

One of his hands brushes light brown curls from his daughters ears. You can feel the unease radiating from him with every deep breath he takes, and you scratch that spot at his nape that makes him shudder, hoping it will help.

The muscles in Kento’s neck bunch together instead when one of the employee’s leans toward Ulani to make marks in deep purple, and even your own stomach turns in response at what’s to come. 

“Okay, we will do this on three. How’s that sound honey?” one of the employees coos at your daughter. Ulani, who is a carbon copy of her father, stares up at her, observant and sinking into her daddy before offering a gummy smile. “She’s so pretty.”

“She’s beautiful,” Kento corrects, slightly rough but still appreciative of the compliment. “Aren’t you, my dove?”

He tickles her side and offers a rare chuckle as she squeals up at him, wiggling in her father’s embrace. The sight makes your heart do flips because this is your world, day in and day out. Just you, Kento, and the person you’ve created together.

You step around to squat in front of him so you’re eye level with your daughter, a hand coming up to wiggle the toes covered in a tan sock. Her eyes catch you immediately, and she holds your gaze long enough for the two employees to position themselves on each side of her. 

Kento holds his breath.

“Alright, here we go. One. Two. Three.”

They both move in sync, pressing down on the plastic gun so the studs slide through the soft lobe of Ulani’s lower ears. Kento’s eyebrows furl together immediately. Ulani’s eyes widen for a second before her face contorts, her mouth opening in a silent cry. Your heart hammers and your chest tightens in an sudden flood of sadness and desperation that crashes against you like a tumultuous wave when Ulani takes one heaving breath in….

And screams.

His reaction is quick. Kento bounces one leg at a tempo that alarms you, his handsome face flying through different stages of grief, anger, and pain as he watches the employees adjust the diamond earrings to ensure they heal without complication. His mouth opens and closes, jaw grinding to keep his rudeness in check, because you know what he wants to say.

He was the same way when she got her shots; all glares and sharp stares at everyone else because they were the source of her discomfort. But like that time before, you are the cooling balm for his hot anger as you wiggle your daughters toes and murmur soothing words at her, to show him that she’s going to be just fine.

“It’s okay, baby,” you smile softly and it’s enough to capture her attention even though she’s squealing and crying from the sharp but quick pain in her ears. But all too quickly, you’re not enough for her, because the daughter that you carried for almost ten months turns away and reaches for her father, crying loudly in his arms. It’s a sting that you prepared for, but nonetheless hurts with a severity that takes a few seconds for you to recover from.

By the time you pay one of the employees and exit the store, Ulani has already calmed down. Kento digs into the diaper bag on his shoulder and pulls out a cotton cloth, wiping her nose as she sniffles and whines into his shoulder.

“I know honey, I know,” he coos to her, wiping the tears from her light brown skin and swaying back and forth. “But you were so strong, weren’t you? Hmm? A lot stronger than me.”

He pulls her away from his neck, smiling softly at her, and that one smile makes your chest bloom with satisfaction. It’s times like these that remind you how your life has surprisingly fallen into place. Who would have thought that the man who used to drive you insane would be the only one fit for you? 

That small twinge of hurt you felt minutes ago when Ulani turned away from you resurfaces, but reassurance cools it’s prickly edges. Even though this is a moment you may have been more connected with, it’s Kento who feels the painful side of it a lot more.

So you give him his own moment. You watch quietly as he kisses her chubby cheeks repeatedly, smiling into her skin at the giggles that leave her. You fall into the hum of the world around you as you watch him tuck away the cotton cloth and smooth the curls away from Ulani’s ears, finally admiring the diamonds that twinkle on each side. The lobes will be red for a few days, but for Ulani, she will never think of them again until she’s old enough to pay attention. Until she’s old enough to change them out to match the outfits she decides to wear, different colors and gemstones, and multiples if she ever has a streak of expression in her teenage years. Like you did.

Kento finally looks down at you, chestnut browns sparkling as he takes you in from head to toe. The harsh Shibuya sun beats down on bustling city square, but the rays are soft when they touch him. Tan skin is illuminated gold on his cheekbones, his hair luminous in the sun. You reach up to run a hand through his locks for the second time this afternoon, your heart still not used to the incessant hammering that arises when he leans into your touch.

You lift an accusatory eyebrow at him and hold back a chuckle when you speak. “Our daughter was the soldier this afternoon, and yet I’m coddling you?”

“Keep coddling,” he demands, voice tinged with mirth as he turns to place a kiss inside of your palm and then leans back into your stroking. “Today was very painful for me, have you no shame?” 

You snort and dig your nails into his scalp in retaliation, enjoying the groan that rumbles in the air from your ministrations. “Don’t blame this one moment on your entire day. You had a great run, remember?”

“My slowest three mile run yet.” Quick on the draw, and you already know where this is going. Kento rarely complains, but when he does, it is about the most trivial things as a means to get and keep your attention.

“You made me pancakes this morning.”

“Not my best work. Too much cinnamon in the batter.”

“We made out two hours ago?”

“Ulani woke from her nap and interrupted what would have been a very enjoyable afternoon.” That complaint leaves his mouth in a grumble, and you purse your lips to hold off the laughter that sits in the back of your throat. He’s truly pouting, and god do you love him.

“And now seeing your daughter cry from her first ear piercing was icing on the cake of a bad day, I imagine?”

“Exactly.”

You finally giggle and playfully pull a strand of his hair. He narrows his eyes at you, mischievous yet still carrying that ingrained indifference that you know and love. Ulani shrieks in his arms, finally past her blip of crying and now ready for her parent’s attention. You take in her drool of a smile, slightly red ears, and brown onesie-dress, and the possibilities flood your mind. It’s…very overwhelming when the thoughts hit you: how she will grow into herself, develop her personality, her wants and desires, her hobbies and her dreams. 

“Pay attention to me,” he interrupts your thoughts, and you can’t help the bark of laughter that you give him in response. Ulani mimics you, completely oblivious.

“You’re such a baby, and we have a baby,” you tease, snorting at his level expression and dusty cheeks, slightly shy but absorbing your presence. “You and Ulani have had it rough today. So how about a reward?” You look to your daughter when you ask, knowing damn well she has no idea what you’re saying but you want to include her anyway.

“How about frozen yogurt?” I.e., the unsweetened applesauce in the diaper bag for Ulani and matcha-flavored frozen yogurt for Kento from a favorite vendor a few blocks away. It’s an obsession of his that’s been appearing in the freezer with numbing regularity.

Kento remains unphased by your suggestion, though his lips twitch with the desire to smirk down at you.

“Seeing our daughter in pain was more heartbreaking than I thought. Food may not help, I’m afraid.”

Kento is milking his “pain” at this point, and you’re far too in love with him not to entertain the idea you know is floating in his head. You love this about him, just how playful he is when it comes to you.

“You’re a tough nut to crack.” You tap your chin as if you’re thinking hard, humming in contemplation. “How about…” you trail off, a hand sliding up a muscular bicep before massaging his nape again, relishing in the shudder he gives in response, his eyes twitching to hold back the urge to roll into his head in satisfaction. “Since you’ve suffered so much today…we can go home…and I’ll do that thing you like.”

You have the privilege and skill of being able to read Nanami Kento like a book. You don’t miss the glee that dances across his features—the uptick of one side of his mouth, the slow brow lift, the darkening of his irises. He knows exactly what that thing is. You’re pretty good at it—a master at it—and he made you promise that the day he ever turns that thing down, is the day you can leave him.

His cheeks explode in blush, jaw ticking before he clears his throat and smooths a sweaty hand down the dark blue of his shirt.

“I see,” he ponders, looking up to the sky as if in deep thought, and you know if you roll your eyes again, they’ll get stuck. “Well.” He situates Ulani in his arms and presses a few kisses to her cheek again to pull those giggles from her that you both love. “Who am I to deny your mother?” he suggests to his daughter. “Not a moment to waste, Ulani.”

“You’ve got to be kidding—”

“Quickly, before you change your mind.” He slides a hand to the small of your back as a means to hurry you along, pressing softly and turning you in the direction of the car.

You try to bat his hands away from you, giggles growing in volume as he dodges all your attempts to get rid of him. “I’m not going to change my mind, Ken—”

“Quickly.”

He takes your hand and you let him pull you, beaming at his back as he increases his pace. Ulani is happy as can be in her father’s arms and babbling as he talks softly to her.

“A snack before nap time sounds good, doesn’t it? What kind of applesauce would you like today?” She gurgles. “Cinnamon again? Hmmm, we should always try new things, Dove. What about the strawberry ones I bought you yesterday?” A squeal. “Strawberry it is. I think…”

The rest of their conversation fades into the background as you walk with them, warmth coursing through your veins with each step. It’s a warmth that catches you off guard, but has been ever present since Ulani’s birth. And you love every bit of how it feels. How it flows through you with every breath you take. How it only grows every minute, every hour, every day that you create a life with them.

After Ulani is buckled in her car seat and you slide your seat belt into its latch, Kento leans across the armrest, a warm hand sliding against your cheek in a gentle caress before he slants his lips against yours. It’s a surprise, but the shock dies as quickly as it forms as you melt into his touch—full lips that know your own and soft blonde locks brushing your face.

That affection that he pulls from you every day is given back in this moment—freely and without restraint—in the parking lot of Claire’s in Shibuya, where your daughter got her ears pierced for the first time.

When he pulls away and whispers his love for you against your lips, you repeat it back to him without thinking. It’s a motion that you both carry out whenever you can. 

“No more piercings. My heart will probably give out.”

“Do you feel better?” you ask in a tone that is filled with the teasing nature that sticks to you like a second skin.

He loves it, but doesn’t take the bait, and instead kisses your lips again, each cheek, and the tip of your nose. “I will soon.” The innuendo is so obvious you can taste it. He’s been with you too long to be a blushing and awkward man. “Once Ulani is asleep.” You push him away with a giggling huff and savor the deep chuckle that falls from his lips, permeating the air of the car.

As Kento drives through the crowded streets towards your shared home in Nakameguro, the hand not on the steering wheel envelops yours, a thumb stroking the skin of your palm. You look out the window and observe the colors and cars that zoom by, and the sound of a deep breath behind you makes you look back. And when you do, your heart gives a painful but welcoming lurch as you gaze at her. Your daughter already asleep, her head dipping to the side—curly locks askew and sticking to the drool on her face, and her new diamond earrings shining back at you.

Thanks for reading!

[thewertsearch]

Karkat's becoming cognizant of all the videogame tropes in his vicinity, and he is pissed. This is what happens when you’re exposed to that damn fourth wall for too long.

Jump cut to Gamzee squatting in a dark corner somewhere, a Google results page for ICP open on his laptop, absolutely seething with anger.

[…] KANAYA: Do You Think Terezi Is Aware Of Your Interactions With Her KARKAT: I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY? KANAYA: I Dont Want To Sound Too Meddlesome Because I Know People Dont Like That Much But Didnt You And She Used To Have A Thing Like That […] KARKAT: THE THING WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EXISTED NOTWITHSTANDING, WHAT RIGHT WOULD SHE HAVE TO BE UPSET ABOUT ME TALKING TO JADE. KANAYA: Maybe She Thinks You Are Trying To Make Her Jealous KARKAT: OH LIKE SHE'S NOT DOING THE SAME THING TO ME BY TALKING TO THAT POMPOUS TOOL WHO'S IDIOTICALLY INSECURE ABOUT THE COLOR OF HIS EYES. […] KANAYA: Do You Actually Believe She Was Pretending KARKAT: YEAH SURE. I DUNNO

As the trolls’ party begins to unravel, so too does their intricate web of relationships. The entire John/Dave/Karkat/Terezi/Vriska situation is already a mess, and if Karkat is developing a legitimate crush on Jade as well, things might be about to go nuclear.

Forget Jade - I think Kanaya’s the one who’s really thriving from this cultural exchange.

Well, that’s certainly more convenient for me. Saves me from having to check everything with everyone, as I was originally planning to do.

Initially, I thought the trolls were just losing cohesion naturally as Project Trolling drew to a close. A lot of them won't give a shit about Project Friendship, so I assumed they'd just left to do their own thing.

This, though, seems like a pretty ominous way to describe the situation. It's like the Veil is a little too quiet, and not just because people have dispersed. Has Vriska been doing a few offscreen murders, or is something completely unrelated going on?

KANAYA: Im Returning To The Core To Deposit The Matriorb […] KARKAT: I MEAN, THAT'S GREAT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT. BUT YOU CAN'T GO, I NEED YOU HERE. LOOK AROUND, SHIT IS MAYHEM. KANAYA: Ill Only Be Gone For A Few Minutes KANAYA: Anyway Youre Doing A Good Job And I Think You Can Manage To Cope With My Momentary Absense […] KARKAT: IN THAT CASE KARKAT: GOOD LUCK, HOPE IT WORKS.

These two are such good friends. They're probably my favourite platonic friend-ship in the entire comic, just on the strength of how earnest their relationship is.

Damn it, did I seriously just get jumpscared by a ‘Be Eridan’?

[needle-thread-thimble-spear]

RGU and the Transfeminine, Part 1

OR

Why Miki Kaoru is an Egg

Fig. 1: The Sunlit Garden

When I’d first watched through Revolutionary Girl Utena, Miki Kaoru was initially one of the characters I had the hardest time figuring out. Unlike the other poisoned sibling relationships in the show, Miki and Kozue’s didn’t really make much sense to me. I couldn’t decide how I felt about the character, whether he was “better” somehow than Touga, Saionji, or Akio, or if he was “just as bad”. And of course. What the hell is with that damn stopwatch dude??* Looking at fan writings afterward just deepened the confusion. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on what’s going on with Miki. It’s only after much re-watching, and introspection, that I think I’ve figured out why I’m so conflicted about the character. I’d like to share why- and hopefully along the way I can at least show that Miki is more interesting than many give him credit for. Click the readmore if you please!

(And, to be clear, what is written below is a reading, a blend of evidence from the text, from the subtext, and my own personal experience. I do not claim to be the first to interpret the character this way nor do I claim that this is the definitive read of the character. Nonetheless, I hope I can make my case to you!)

and, a big thank you to @empty-movement for collating all the high quality screengrabs and scans in this post!

Fig 2: Rookie Princes

While I’m not the first to notice, I think it’s frequently overlooked just how similar Utena and Miki are in the first arc. It’s definitely something that flies over the heads of many first-time viewers. But Miki and Utena, are extremely alike! Of course, they are both motivated by an unattainable image of the past, and Miki’s early episodes codify the “sunlit garden” into the RGU symbolic environment. But it’s more than just this. Utena and Miki both treat Anthy in basically the same way. Utena has an easy time convincing Miki that the dueling game is objectifying nonsense. That the principled thing is to leave the whole exercise behind and treat Anthy like a person. It isn’t very hard for Miki to convince Utena to duel him for her hand either. They both view themselves as her personal protector, and (while maybe at different times), both project their imagination of what she must be thinking onto her. Utena does a bit more than Miki to try and figure Anthy out, but it doesn’t take much for her to get swept up in her own image of prince. In both their minds, Anthy needs them to save her. And, when Anthy looks them in the eyes, and tells them. I’m not yours. It destroys them. Freezes them in their tracks, breaks their hearts. Screaming, its a lie, you can’t mean that! Of course they get along so well! They see themselves in one another, plain as day. Little rival princelings, seeking the affections of the same princess, but always with chivalry and good intention.

Fig 3: Heartbreak

But I think there is more to it than that! Miki and Utena (and later Nanami) are some of the youngest duelists (at least, without a black rose anyway). And, they have fairly similar relationships to the other members of the student council. Juri acts as an older friend, mentor, and source of advice for both of them. Its not unlikely that she sees her younger self in the two of them, and while she does very directly take this out on Utena, its her sword that Utena takes to her second duel with Touga. Indeed, Touga manipulates Miki and Utena in unsubtle and sexually aggressive ways, as compared to how he might treat Saionji or Juri. And for both, its their relationship to gender that he directly attacks. He attempts to break Utena’s spirit by turning her “back into a normal girl”, and for Miki he seems to challenge his masculinity. And while this may seem as though the two of them are being shoved in opposite directions, in both cases, Touga hits them in the same place. “You’re a prince then? I don’t think so. Unless you prove it”. Touga isn’t the only one to question Miki’s ability or status. Utena and Juri both tell Miki. You are much more suited to playing piano than dueling. The main difference here is that they tell him this with genuine compassion, but the implication is the same. You aren’t suited to this prince thing. Give it up.

I don’t think it’s just the audience who is conflicted slotting in Miki with the other “men”.

Fig 4: Strange Friends

Much ink has been spilled on Miki and Kozue’s relationship, but I do think there is one thing consistent across readings. There is a power struggle going on between them, and they’ve both got something to hold over the others head. Personally, I don’t believe there is any attraction between them. Rather, What’s Going On With Those Two is their mismatch in understanding their sexuality and the RGU concept of “Reality”, and the friction that creates in their image of themselves and one another. That reading may go as follows. Miki sees Kozue as acting dangerously and immorally. In his mind, she is his responsibility, to keep out of trouble at the very least. Perhaps he sees himself as needing to step in for their absent parents. So he sees himself as the mature and grounded one, a father figure needing to keep the both of them on the straight and narrow. Kozue on the other hand, sees Miki as being essentially blind to Reality (with a capital R). She believes he doesn’t have a good grasp of what sex is, or what adult relationships look like. She may believe that she understands what happened with their parents much better than Miki, and clearly sees that her brother is in danger with his creepy music teacher. So she sees herself as the mature and grounded one, needing to protect her brother both by warding off people who would take advantage of him and by getting him to grow up and see things as they Really are. Without their parents, they feel the need to take care of one another and control how the other approaches their sexuality. But in the end, it does seem that Kozue is the one who is better able to manipulate Miki’s behavior, helping Akio convince him to duel a second time. That Miki needs to grow up and accept what he wants. He sees a vision of Anthy, and he’s driving the akiomobile. And, with fearful realization, he discovers the identity of End of the World.

Fig 5: Fear

So then. Why should Miki be so hung up about his sexuality? It clearly makes him very uncomfortable. And why does he compare the sister he had in the past onto the one he has in the present? What’s so special about that sunlit garden, anyway? What is Miki Kaoru’s shining thing?

Let me spin a yarn, if you'll indulge me-

As far as Miki remembers it, when he was little things were perfect. His parents were still there, and he and his twin sister were thick as thieves. They would play piano together, and drink milkshakes. Things were simple and happy as far as he’s concerned, and while his childhood was not nearly as rosy as he remembers, it was certainly better than whatever he has to deal with now. Now his parents are gone for reasons he doesn’t quite understand, and his sister has drifted away from him and acts promiscuously. His body is starting to change, and it fills him with disgust. Worse still, he finds himself envying his sister for some reason. It all floods him with shame. He needs to fight those feeling with everything he has. Being very clever for his age, he finds himself the youngest member of the student council. He becomes involved with the dueling game as it is revealed to him, and goes along with it, not wanting to act out of place. He gets a crush on Anthy, and is unable to figure out what the hell he should do about it. Later, he meets Utena, and the two become fast friends. And how lucky, his new friend is roommates with his crush! She’s just so perfect. She’s kind, and quiet, and chaste, not at all like his sister. He feels a kinship with her. And in an act of cosmic fate- she plays for him his favorite childhood arrangement. It’s just as Touga says. He can’t let the world get to her, the way its getting to his sister. The way its getting to him. He needs to make sure that Anthy, and his memories, are safe. But alas- it seems she doesn’t feel the same way. She’d rather be with Utena. Hopefully, Utena can protect her where he cannot. Miki and Utena go back to being friends, and he nurses his hurt feelings privately. It wouldn't do to make a scene about it, and besides, it wasn’t appropriate for him to think of her like that anyway. Thinking about anyone like that. He can’t help but feel disgusted with himself for allowing it. Later, his relationship with his sister continues to deteriorate, and his father is remarrying. But he can stick by his principles, and stay out of it all, the dueling especially. Kozue, Touga, and Akio have other plans. He is confronted with Reality, and it terrifies him. He sees himself in the drivers seat, Anthy his. This is what he is now, no point in trying to hide from it. He challenges Utena again, taking an early advantage utilizing his new resolve and Utena’s confusion. But that resolves breaks quickly. What is Kozue doing with Anthy?

Pay attention, or you’ll lose.

Fig 6: Crash!!

Miki is disgusted with himself, his role, because he does not want it. He hates what’s happening to himself and his family. He admires Utena and Juri, for embodying his ideal self. He listens to Touga, puts up with his music teacher, even if they make him feel gross and uncomfortable, because he feels he has to and that he doesn’t have a choice. He idolizes Anthy, so much. He is attracted to her, but maybe there is something more. Maybe, Miki wishes he could be her. Miki, in my mind, is a closeted trans lesbian going through puberty as a boy. I think that part of this might be projection, perhaps. But I hope that I might have made my case using the text of the show. But even if you disagree, I hope that you might have a better appreciation for his character. I think he’s fairly consistently people’s least favorite council member as a character, but honestly he’s my favorite and I think there’s a lot more too him than a lot of people give him credit for.

Fig 7: Three Lesbians Hanging Out

… this all being said. I think it’s interesting that Miki thinks Anthy is the picture of femininity right? That this is what he wants.

In the end, all girls are like the rose bride.

Please wait patiently while I make the case, that while Miki is an egg. Anthy has long since hatched...

(And I do mean be patient! This subject, and the concept that Ohtori represents a transmisogynystic institution at its very core, is WAY more personal than this headcanon, and also is much more of a difficult thing to write for dozens of reasons. I'm still not 100% sure it would even be right of me to post my thoughts on that publicly. But if enough people are interested, maybe that would motivate me to write it!)

*What’s a good Miki essay without some sort of Stopwatch Theory tm? Well (and I freely admit much of this is probably projection, but it’s not just me projecting! It’s also my girlfriend!!), Miki seems to get very wrapped up in his own thoughts. He is very self conscious, takes the criticisms of others very seriously, and also seems to get ideas about How Things Are Going To Happen in his head. He desperately tries to make sense of his surroundings, and finds himself consistently failing to do that. So my guess is the stopwatch is a way for him to regulate and calibrate his thoughts and hypotheses and self image. He picked it up in his duty as council secretary, but its something he feels is significant outside of that. Aha moment? Click. Unexpected end to a council meeting? Click. Something go completely as expected? Click. It helps him process I think. That is my formal Stopwatch Hypothesis tm.

Supplement Fig 1: Stopwatch

[kekaki-cupcakes]

Hey !

Hope ure doing good

I like AU and I wondered if u could please do a leo valdez x reader fic

Like...They live in the same apartment at the same floor and they see each other frequently in the corridors, and with the time they create an affinity

I have emerged from my cave. hello world. <3.

Leo Valdez x Reader--- Mortal/Apartment AU

»»————-��★　————-««

“...Hi?” You said, hitching your tote bag, the Kiki’s delivery service-patterned one, back onto your shoulder. It always fell down when you were walking down the front steps, past the skinny stray cat who slept underneath the mailboxes. Everyone in the building had named her Stick Insect. 

It was in a loving way. You hoped. 

Leo made an odd wheezing sound that sounded a lot like a beached whale taking its last breath as he dragged one of those old-fashioned red waggons behind him. He wiped his hands on his green army jacket, the one with all the jangly badges you could hear coming from a mile off. 

Your favourite was the Minecraft TNT one, underneath the trans flag pin, and one that just simply said ‘BBS’. You didn’t quite know what that meant. 

He grinned at you brightly, despite his shaky arms, and lugged the wagon of cardboard boxes and what seemed to be an entire chunk of golden sheet metal along the pavement.

»»————-　★　————-««

“Hi,” you said, holding the door open a second longer than necessary so that Leo could lug his giant cardboard box through. You still hadn’t figured out what he kept in all those boxes and bags.

“Hey!” he said, and bumped straight into a doorway with a red face. Then he scurried up the stairs and left you in the liminal space that was the empty apartment complex hallway after ten p.m. 

You stood there for a moment, and then realised you were still smiling.

»»————-　★　————-««

Shit. Shit. 

You were running so late. I mean, technically, it wasn’t your fault you were going to miss the start of your favourite classes ever. Your alarm clock, one of those old-fashioned red ones [it was also missing one of the bubble things on top and only rang on one side until it vibrated itself off your bedside table], hadn’t gone off in time this morning and began ringing loudly at nine thirty instead of seven thirty. 

You tossed your apple core into the little waste paper basket by the big hallway windows, and searched your pockets for your keys. Shit. 

“Hey,” Leo said, from where he was unlocking his door. He was room 7. He also had massive bags under his eyes, you noticed. You also noticed that his eyes were the prettiest glowing brown when the morning sun shone through the windows.

You blinked, forgetting why your hands were in your pockets. You probably looked like an idiot. “Uh, hi.”

He looked away, scratching the back of his neck. “Sorry… if your power went out at some point last night…? That might’ve been me.”

“Can you, like, control electricity or something?” You asked with a laugh. 

This was the first time you’d exchanged more than a few words since you’d asked for his name when you watched a very loud girl dressed solely in Olivia Rodrigo merch yell at a confused white guy to ‘pivot’, as he carried a complicated looking egg chair up the stairs. 

Leo shook his head. “Nah, I wish. ‘Was just... working on a project... And I may have blown up my power sockets. And the street lamp.”

“What are you building in there?” You asked, “A moving castle?”

»»————-　★　————-««

Your friend burped in your ear—in quite a disgusting way, may you add—and stumbled forward, arm slung over your shoulders. You roll your eyes at their inability to walk like a normal person after only three shots and pull your phone out of your pocket. After a few tries at putting your password in, 1989, you manage to unlock it. You’ve got charms hanging off the clear case—little soot sprites that swirl in your vision as you blink forcefully. 

The Uber’s on the street now, so you heaved your door shut behind you, room 4, and began to trudge down the staircase. There’s a new scorch mark on the third from the bottom step, and you picture a dragon stomping up after his 9-5. 

You tried to hold in a laugh, only to fail. Your friend giggled loudly, the laughter contagious, and faceplanted. 

“Fuck, dude,” you heard, and then turned to see Leo standing by his door, three raspberry slushies in his arms. It was the first time he hadn’t been lugging canvas bags or wooden crates in a while. 

He nodded. “Metal.” 

“Shut up!” you chuckle, wiping your brow. You reach down and pick up your friends floppy arms as they begin to snooze diagonally. The taste of vodka and pineapples rose in your throat. “Come on, get up!”

Leo peeked over the stair bannister. 

Nosy little bugger. Cute, nosy little bugger, you corrected yourself. Then you frowned, watching him blink owlishly and blush from the roots. You didn’t say that out loud, right?

“Uh, yes,” Leo squeaked, “you did.” 

»»————-　★　————-««

You carried the coffee cups as you walked up the stairs, eyes on your phone while you texted your friend to stop watching reruns of Brooklyn Nine Nine and get onto the word doc. 

The group project was due tonight, and the lazy bugger was stress-obsessing over Gina Lenetti, the human form of the one hundred emoji.

You slid your phone into the back pocket of your jeans, soot sprites catching on the denim, and fished out your keys once you reached your door. Another one banged shut further down the hall. You stuck your keys into the lock. “Hi.”

“Hey!” Leo panted, still in his pyjamas, and raced out of the building.

You rolled your eyes and grinned.

»»————-　★　————-««

“You’re gonna have to tell me what you’re doing with all of this junk,” you said cheerfully, moving your eyes in sync with the black and white cat clock hanging on the wall. 

You turned away when you got dizzy, taking in the piles of things balanced precariously around you like a steampunk library. Vintage machines like typewriters, telephones with the spinning number circles, and record players—the ones that have that big tuba shape sticking out the top—.

Drills and hammers were scattered on the layers of cute little rugs, posters from animes you hadn’t seen yet stuck to the walls, and a lot of Polaroid pictures. You picked one up. 

The two people you’d seen helping Leo move in a few months ago were grinning at the camera with Mickey Mouse hats on. 

“It’s not junk!” Leo looked up from the pile of jackets—black and white chequered ones, a giant purple hoodie, and one with flames up the sleeves—that he was hastily shoving off a mustard-coloured armchair. 

“Sorry,” you apologised with a laugh. “You’ll have to tell me what you’re doing with all those bits and bobs.”

He ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. “Okay, okay, but you can’t dob me into the landlord.”

“I would never,” you said, completely serious. Leo stared at you for a moment, his eyes all weird-looking. They made your chest feel like Ponyo, floating around and grinning. 

Then he looked away nervously. You smile and look away too. Leo’s kitchen, in the same spot as yours, with the same apartment layout, could not look any more different from yours. 

There were coloured magnets moved into swear words on the fridge and golden, oily instant coffee machines in parts on the bench. 

Your kitchen had jam jars of little flowers and chocolate-covered almonds scattered around the collection of salt and pepper shakers you’d inherited from some badass old aunt. You had matching sets of penguins, mushrooms, and creepy baby dolls, all filled with salt and pepper. 

“Sure…” Leo shoved some empty take-out boxes into his bin.

He looked at you with a wide smirk. He led you through to what you’d made into a spare room for your friends, and opened the door triumphantly. “Come on through... to Leo Land!”

You stepped around the door, even though you could’ve looked through the wide hole in it if you really wanted to. A hulking metal form was hanging from a wooden stand in the centre of the room, with wires and coils hanging out of it. 

More collections of scrap metal folded up into shapes that could be claws or grabber machines, maybe, were sitting on benches between spray cans of gold paint. 

Welding material, or at least that’s what they looked like, took up a corner, sparks flying. 

You narrowed your eyes at Leo, finally realising why he had so many tears in his cargo pants and paper clips in his jacket sleeves. “Leo…”

“Yah?”

“Are you perhaps building a bomb?”

“No!” Leo scoffed, literally hugging a giant metal boot to his chest like it was his baby. Except the boot had green eyes. “This is Festus!”

“A foetus?” you asked, wondering how deranged this pretty boy was, despite his cool old-fashioned toys, big jackets, and need for multiple slushies at a time. “Are you feeling okay?”

Leo rolled his brown eyes at you. “Festus is a dragon! Well, he's not a dragon yet; he’s just a torso, a half-done head, and a bunch of feet. He’s got nine feet right now, cause I haven’t been able to replicate a working one more than once.”

“You’re building a giant metal dragon in your spare room?”

“Well, it sounds stupid when you say it like that.”

“You’re so cool.”

»»————-　★　————-««

“Hey querida,” Leo said, kissing you on the cheek before you grabbed your mail from the boxes outside the building, waved to Stick Insect the skinny cat, and ran to your car. 

Stupid broken alarm clock.

“...Heyyy.” 

»»————-　★　————-««

“Mi amor!”

You turned around on the couch, putting down your takeout box of noodles [from the good place near the park where the old dude who plays chess against anyone who walks past lives]. “Yah?”

Leo came trudging into the lounge, slash kitchen, with your bright red alarm clock in his arms, all parts attached. “Fixed!”

He plopped down on the couch next to you, squashing the lion squishmellow that had been ripped open in the back, and showed you the now shiny metal and matching bits on the top, with that stupid little grin of his. 

You kissed the top of his nose and took the clock from his greasy, scarred [incredibly nice-looking] hands. “Thank you.”

The TV crackled in front of you both, balancing on the stack of old record players Leo was repairing for the second-hand store full of goths and old ladies down the street. You put the little alarm clock down near your feet and pulled out the strawberry-patterned blanket Piper’s girlfriend crocheted you both for Christmas. 

Leo leant over and curled his arm around your waist, laying half across you like a cat in the sun. You sat up a little, as he fiddled with the remote he’d added far too many buttons to for no reason at all. "Here, stick insect, kitty! Stick insect, here, kitty!”

Little padding sounds came from the hallway, and then the chubby, spotted cat launched herself over the back of the couch and onto Leo’s shoulder. 

He shreiked and headbutted you as Stick Insect hopped over and sat between you both, plopped down in loaf position, fluffy feet hidden. Leo sniffed haughtily and sank into the hug you gave him. Stick Insect began chewing on the necklace around your neck, the blue teardrop one Leo had made you a while ago. You kissed his forehead, stroking the cat's soft forehead gently.

He turned the TV on, looking up at you with sparkling eyes. “Howl, or Kiki?”

»»————-　★　————-««

I HAVE A PJO EVENT GOING ON RIGHT PLEASE GO INTERACT YOU CAN REQUEST ANYTHING JUST CHECK THE POST <3 <3

[elliespuns]

Okay, so ever since the pics of Bella and Isabela on a horse came out, I've been receiving some hateful asks about the actresses (rude comments about their appearance, acting skills, etc.) and the show itself too. I won't be answering those.

I am not here to hate or demean. I never said I hated the show, Bella, or any other actor. I never said that Bella looks ugly or is a bad actress either. I never said anything hateful about anything related to HBO Tlou.

What I've recently stated was that (from the pictures we've seen) the actresses seemed to look too young in comparison to the original characters. There was nothing hateful about it. It was just thinking out loud because every game fan wants the show to stay true to the original in every aspect that can be implemented. That's understandable, right? It doesn't mean that when some of us point out something, we're being hateful.

For example, we all know nobody can make the actresses taller, so only a dummy would complain about that. But at the same time, we all know that there are make-up artists that can make them look older, so why not do so to stay in tune with the original? That was literally everything I meant, and I don't think it was a bad thing to vent about.

I guess a lot of people confuse straightforward opinions and honest insights with hate or rudeness.

No one said that Bella or Isabela looking young was their fault (people be throwing arguments about how they are adults in real life too), of course they are; nobody's blaming the actors for looking young. We are blaming the creators if the final result will give people a reason to shame the show for a lack of realism due to this matter. Keep in mind that not everyone watching the show will be aware of Bella or Isabela's real age. What we want is to prevent the haters from hating on the show even more after they watch two young-looking girls making out, slaying everyone throughout Seattle and then settling down on a farm with a kid. Because remember my words—if we really have Ellie and Dina looking too young and adorable in the final result, it's going to be a feast for the assholes that have wanted to shit on the show since day one.

Anyway, I shouldn't be even justifying myself, but since I'm already typing this… I've always appreciated the show, even though there were many aspects that made me highly disappointed (I said it so many times in my past posts). The game lovers all know what these aspects are, and I think we can all agree.

One of the reasons I always liked the show though, was the cast. I fucking love Pedro for Joel. Bella wasn't at all a bad choice either (sure, people will still bitch about their appearance, but for me, it's the way a person performs, not the looks). Bella is a great actress, and they've dealt with what they've been given with grace. Also, I admire Bella and Pedro's dynamic and bond behind the cameras. This is a huge plus for the relationships they should have as Ellie and Joel, just like Ashley and Troy back then.

So no, I won't hate. I know a lot of you would enjoy me trashing the show, but I am not going to do it because I don't feel it. I may have opinions that are considered negative for the hyped HBO fans (even though I perceive them more as a form of venting to the game fans), but I mean no harm with those. After all, they are just opinions, and people don't have to agree with them and can move on.

I will still be answering asks about the show, even if you send opinions that are not at all positive. I will still comment on them, or just post them so you can be "heard." But I won't share those that I consider unnecessarily rude. I'm not going to participate in this kind of blogging.

After all, I'm 99% of the game blogger anyway :)

[ghostofhyuck]

NCT Dream as One Direction Songs

Mark Lee ; Night Changes

Does it ever drive you crazy Just how fast the night changes?

I don't know but Mark just suits Night Changes the most!! I feel like it talks about how you and Mark grew together until you two grew older and realized that a lot has changed between the two of you. And yet, your relationship with him never changed at all!! CRIES. Your personalities may changed, and something shifted in yourself but you and Mark? still the same! also the song has a lot of assurances, so that's why it suit Mark the most. 

Huang Renjun ; More than This

When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight, It just won't feel right, 'Cause I can love you more than this

Renjun just suits More than This the most. The lyrics, the angst??? yeah it describes Renjun who's your best friend WHO at the same time loves you for so long. And he has witnessed you date a lot of guys and deep inside i feel like he knows that he can love you more than the guys you've dated before. But he doesn't know where to place himself, so he just remain there as your friend, and could only yearn to love you. 

Lee Jeno ; Where do Broken Hearts Go?

Try to find you, but I just don't know Where do broken hearts go

Upbeat song with a depressing lyrics about a heart break and break up? this is Jeno! I don't know but I can imagine Jeno singing this to be honest BUT imagine ex-bf! Jeno who you broke up with you and you two were SO devastated about it. And soon, Jeno realized that he fucked up with his decision to break up with you, so he's wanted to find you again and wanted another chance with you. 

Lee Donghyuck ; 18

All I could do is say that these arms were made for holding you I wanna love like you made me feel when we were 18

No seriously, Haechan just matches 18 the most! (insert his 10 years unrequited love.) so I bet that Haechan knows what love means since he was young. He would probably don't know how to but at that young age, he just knows that he wanted to be with you!! That's why 18 is such a cute song for childhood friends to lovers because imagine this trope at Haechan :< Like until you two grew older in your 20s, you two will still recall your young love at 18. 

Na Jaemin ; Perfect

If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about Then baby, you're perfect

Oh, perfect is so Jaemin-coded. I just know it!! The secret affair, the late-night rendezvous, and doing the most wildest things despite the scandal, Jaemin is willing to do so just for you!! It's a risky love and there's a lot of gamble about, but god, this is Na Jaemin. Even though your relationship with him is uncertain, you still are willing to risk it just for him!! (I mean look at him, and tell me you wouldn't risk everything for him.)

Zhong Chenle ; They Don't Know About Us

They don't know I've waited all my life Just to find a love that feels this right

It was hard to find a song for Chenle to be honest. CRIES. But I feel like TDKAU suits him the most. Imagine a forbidden love with Chenle! It's so genuine and everything just feel so right even though it's wrong!! But for Chenle, he wanted to protect you, he wanted to show the world that he loves you and he's willing to go against everyone!! He's hardheaded and he doesn't care about what they think about!! All he wants for him and you to be together!! <3

Park Jisung ; Last First Kiss

Baby let me be your Let me be your last first kiss

Oh this is so friends to lovers Jisung! This sounds like Jisung confessing to you!! He muster up all the courage to tell you what he feel!! And it sounds so cheesy and cute, but he's just tired of being in the friend-zone so he confessed to you!! I don't know why but this is just Jisung-coded, and honestly, this is so cute :< because after his confession, you two kissed, and it's innocently intimate and you two ended up laughing after!!

[nevarroes]

I love your art. I find it interesting that you chose to draw this very specific feeding kink and get super indulged in it - with the willingness to lose a lot of people who might turn away from the art (as you started very differently). Was this always your *main* goal (to draw fetish art) or did it just develop with your OCs over time? There are a lot of very successful fetish artists so it really is all about audience, do you plan to approach this more, or do you think you will ever go back to be more "mainstream"?

First of all thank you!💜 and I mean hmm.... the thing with this question is I do not consider myself a fetish artist in that way anyways because I am uninterested in drawing this kink in a way that'd be generally applied, if that makes sense. Like I have no interest (and also didn't really have much of it before since it fit no character that I was writing) to draw any other character in such a dynamic or just to draw the kink, so it feels disingenuine to say that. I'd say I'm just drawing whatever I'm interested in oc- and dynamic-wise without really caring about who it may drive away or attract. it's none of my concern really since I'm not a professional artist that needs to curate what I post and I just see it as not attempting to separate any of my interests

So.... with that being said, no It was never my goal since I still don't think that's a thing I "achieved" or anything. however the thing that do I wanna point out is that back then I had a lot of personal issues with art. As in... even if I did a lot of OC stories that touched on kinks and other stuff in private I'd never post anything that is less than polished/rendered when it came to art, which made it seem like I'm only an illustrator or character portrait artist while nowadays I'm finally comfortable drawing simpler stuff as well as dynamics/interactions so I do think I'm where I wanna be in that regard. Again though I really do not care about who or what exactly my audience is, I don't intend or ever did try to actively build an audience. I appreciate everyone that sticks around right now and enjoys my content and I enjoy every interaction a lot, but I'm not trying to make a name in any specific niche or something like that, I'm quite literally just sharing my art and stories for fun and if that at the time aligns with fetish content to the extent that I would be seen as a fetish artist then I suppose it does, same as with mainsteam-y art, it doesn't really concern me🙏

[wings-of-ink]

I'm rereading the demo again b/c its so fucking good, inject it into my veins. But I'm at that part where Nathanael asks MC if they feel OK (re: illness) on their birthday. There's mention that ppl in the town do gossip about MC's illness, and sometimes unkindly. I have so many questions and thoughts about this, sorry! Does MC's family/friends know, how do they handle it (I mean they probably do if MC is aware of it)? Is this a frequent thing that happens? Is MC subjected to blatant harassment (for a lack of better words)? Since Oswin and MC drifted apart do ppl take this as an invitation to shit talk MC to Oswin assuming that they don't like each other? Hes not a ppl person so I doubt many ppl gossip with him/he wont partake but not everyone is the brightest and can be quite shameless. Are ppl shit talking about MC to Nathanael? What does he think of this? Is he asking about MC or do ppl just spill the beans to him b/c its a (what I assume) small town and he travels all over with interesting stories idk??? AND ANOTHER THING, I'm sure this has some sort of impact on how MC views themself/their illness depending on their personality which is a totally other thing to dive into. I'm sooooo curious about how the dynamics of the community with MC and the other characters. I want to crack their heads open and read their thoughts. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

That's awesome, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

As far as the gossip train goes, it's fairly typical small-town rumor mill stuff that goes on. You have some whispering falsehoods and exaggerations, pity from others, and some speak highly of the MC for their perseverance. MC and family are very aware that it goes on; it's been hard to keep things private. All it takes is one person at Kavi's clinic to see an unresponsive MC being carried in for the story to spread like wildfire. And, poor MC has had a couple small public episodes as well.

When MC was a kid, Kip could get pretty angry about people running their mouths, and he'd confront them directly. Some would insinuate that he's a poor father, question his ability to do what's best for MC - things like that. Dov is the type to ignore it, and few would have the courage to challenge him directly on anything. He's a total softie but he doesn't look it, so no one is looking for trouble with him.

MC as a child also received more pity and sympathy from adults - nothing terribly malicious except maybe a question about what their parents are or aren't doing to them. The hardest part for them as a kid was with other kids. It will come up in a flashback sort of deal with Oswin, or will at least be talked about with the MC and him. Some kids could be hard on MC about it - some would say they were pretending to be sick for attention, things like that. And would you believe that little sweet baby boy Aster/Lakota viciously defended MC from such teasing? Generally, his bullies were the same punk kids, since he was also sickly as a child and got the same guff. 

Along the same lines as the flashback and discussions to come between Oswin and MC, when it was clear there was something odd between them, they both had a lot of rumors going around about the reason. Oswin may have gotten into a tussle over something that was said…He never tolerated others talking about MC (even if it was only speculation and not necessarily malicious rumors) - but MC does not currently know that.

By the time MC is an adult, the word still gets tossed around, but it's all pretty common knowledge, so you're not getting as much in general. The kids have grown up too, and they've stopped heckling poor MC, Lakota, and Oswin. And, oddly enough, Oswin both is and isn't a people-person. He treads the line there and it just depends on the person - which made it more difficult when he and MC fell out because he was still sociable and friendly to other people. In his late teen and adult years, he's actually reached a lot of popularity with the townspeople and local guard, as well as people in the cities he's helped. He's just quiet about it and isn't energetic about socializing. (He's also picky about who he talks with.)

With Nathanael, he's not one to tolerate malicious talk about people he respects, and he does have genuine respect for MC and company. Kip was the first customer in town to give his store a chance, and they hit it off with a good chat. Others have told him about MC's history, since it's probably one of the more interesting things about the town, and he would have heard their "ideas" and rumors about that. He would not be one to tolerate shit-talk though.

I hope this helps sate your curiosity, and I love that you're interested in this since it's not something I can dive into a bunch in-story as it would make for some very boring prose, lol. But there is a whole social community there that the MC was steeped complete with rumors, gossip, and both kind and cruel words. I enjoyed your Ted Talk and I hope you got something out of mine too! ^_^

[mairitess]

the biggest baller in ninjago // fluff!jaya

summary: When the Ninja don’t want to train but Wu’s making them keep up their stamina and strength (“I cannot have you all get so lazy again! The fate of the world rests on your shoulders — thus for you to get off the couch!”), they turn to various sports. But Nya’s game of choice? Basketball. She’s easily the best out of all of them, but there was one time — one time — Jay beat her at HORSE (though in this world, DRAGON).

a/n: should i wrote sports one shots lmfao they make me smile + also on ao3!

words: 2.3k

tags: fluff, basketball, minor dragons rising s2 spoilers, inspired by a scene in dragons rising s2, no beta wtv, minor angst, competitive!nya, loving!jay, technically jaya but not heavy-handed

preview:

Kai huffed, his cheeks puffing out. “Is my sister… Cool?” Nya yelled back from inside, in chorus with Zane and Jay. “Yes, she is!”

“Everyone gets their ‘one thing,’ Kai.” Nya said, smirking as she dribbled the ball in front of him.  “Jay’s the best at video games—” “Hey!” Cole objected. “Zane’s the best at Chess—” “Affirmative. But I process all potential plays at a rate that may make gameplay unfair against humans.”

“And I’m,” she said, spinning around him, “the best at basketball.”

Nya faked a pass to Zane as she ducked under Kai’s attempted block, running up to the hoop to dunk with a successful clunk. The ball’s final bounces echoed throughout the courtyard as Jay and Zane cheered, rushing around Nya as she dropped down, satisfied with her play.

“Well guys, we tried.” Lloyd put his arms around Cole and Kai as they all shook their heads in disappointment. “That makes it 21 to 5.”

“How is it that they put the worst people at basketball with Nya and they still won?” Cole asked.

“How is it Jay didn’t solo-tank the entire game?” Kai retorted, arms crossed.

Overhearing, Jay marched over, still beaming. “Let me remind you that I was a critical assist in one of Nya’s baskets.”

“Yes, but according to my calculations, Nya would have made the shot without you,” Zane corrected him.

“Sure I would’ve made the shot without you, but your pass definitely didn’t hurt.” Nya joined the boys’ circle, spinning the basketball on the tips of her fingers. She let it fall, then kicked it back up with her heel over her head just to catch it again, as they watched her in (poorly) reserved awe.

“Nya, I would pass you any ball any time,” Jay said dreamily, to everyone’s mocking laughter. Jay shook himself out of his affections. “Uh, I mean, let’s give it up for Nya, everyone! Woo!” He applauded awkwardly, and Nya rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t hold back her small smile.

xx

Nya was in the library at a desk the next day when she heard a gentle knock behind her against the wall. “Hi, Nya. What are you doing?”

She turned, and Jay was standing there, a basketball under his left arm. His shorts were an awkward length, and his tank top hung loose over his shoulders. Jay walked over to peek over her shoulder, close enough Nya could feel the warmth of his breath next to her. “Master Wu recommended I read more about Nyad and have some more history knowledge,” she sighed. “But at some point everything blurs together, and I feel like I’m just rereading the same thing from 20 different people. What are you doing?”

Jay had a sheepish hand up as he lightly scratched the nape of his neck. “I was going to practice some more. I thought I might pull you away for some coaching? If you want to? But you seem busy…” he smirked.

Nya rolled the scroll up hastily. “Anything to get me away from this. Just give me a minute to change.”

“Change?” Jay stuttered, his eyes growing wide and smirk dropping. “I was thinking you’d be on the sidelines and tell me to fix my form, jump higher, something like that.”

Nya raised a questioning eyebrow. “How do you expect to get better if you’re not actually playing?”

Jay gulped, nervous, and Nya took the opportunity to swiftly pull the ball from his arm. “You’d think the Elemental Master of Lightning would have the lightning reflexes to match.” Jay yelped in protest to her slyness. “We’ll work on that,” Nya grinned, tossing the basketball back to him.

xx

Before Nya was the Water Ninja, before she was Samurai X, even, she was often left alone at the monastery — well, not entirely alone, if you were to count Wu, who she didn’t really think counted. At some point, trying to prove she could work the obstacle course faster and better than any of the boys got a little dull, once she’d proven herself over and over again. So she went into town and bought a basketball, and built a hoop just off the monastery roof (“Has that always been there?” Jay asked four weeks after she’d put it up.). She’d watched the other kids around play when she was younger, but she’d never quite gotten the chance to play herself. Being kept from the “official boys’ club” once again was her final straw, and she was decidedly going to do things herself if they wouldn’t let her join.

Whenever they left for a mission, she’d practice everything: Her free throws, jump shots, three-pointers, layups, and her favorite, for the finesse, floaters. Once Nya felt she’d nailed the foundations, she started playing in town, and increasingly built a minor reputation for her skills. But all that was kept secret from the ninjas, except for Wu, who once he’d found out, went to her tournament games to cheer her on. She’d already been playing for two years before the boys found the basketballs in a storage closet and started to play in the courtyard.

“Whoa! Guys, there’s, like, 20 basketballs in here!” Cole called out one day, all of Nya’s training balls rolling out. “Whose do you think these are?”

Kai ran over and picked one up, starting to dribble it. “Who cares? Get ready to eat my fire!” He yelled, lobbing a ball towards the hoop. But his shot was too wide, and it ricocheted off one of the pillars, hitting Jay on the side of his head. “Ow! Watch it!”

“We should play a game,” Lloyd suggested, picking up one of the basketballs. “We could do a quick 3x3?” The boys quickly nodded, and started forming their teams: Lloyd, Kai, and Cole; vs. Jay and Zane. “Who shall be our third?” Zane asked. “Master Wu?”

Nya stepped around the corner with her hand raised, doing her best to look hesitant. “I can play. I mean, if you really need one.” Kai grinned, determined. “Boys, looks like we’ve got an easy win ahead of us.”

Normally, Nya wouldn’t let a comment like that slide, but she was too excited to show them up to let it bother her. “First to 21 wins.”

The game started off with Lloyd’s team in possession, and at first, Nya “accidentally” tripped Kai, causing him to turn the ball over to Zane. “Oops! I’m so clumsy. Sorry!” Kai sneered and ran after Zane, who made an easy layup. Zane making the first point of the game was enough to get Lloyd, Kai, and Cole into high gear, and the three of them scored 15 points in the next six minutes, leaving Nya, Jay, and Zane trailing behind by 5.

“Time out!” Jay called, pulling Nya and Zane into a huddle. “Guys! What are we gonna do?” He whined, breathing hard. “I didn’t think basketball would be this hard.”

Nya shook her head. “Don’t worry, boys. I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve.”

Jay gulped and looked at Zane, who shrugged. “It seems the best option is to follow Nya’s lead. We have few other options aside from blatantly cheating,” Zane said. “You’re not going to cheat, are you?” Jay asked Nya.

“How could you even ask that?” Nya yelled, lightly smacking him on the arm. “Ow! Okay, okay, I’m sorry! Do what you gotta do!”

And with that, Nya unleashed everything she’d been holding back. Her first points back on the court was a three-pointer, and then Jay intercepted Lloyd’s rebound and threw it back to her, allowing her to make a bank shot. At almost nine minutes in the game, Nya had almost single-handedly not just closed the deficit, but gotten her team to 20 points. And with one final jump shot, Nya sank the ball through the hoop, blowing everyone else away.

“Yes!” Jay and Zane celebrated, picking up Nya and throwing her up into the air. Lloyd, Cole, and Kai stood dumbfounded, wholly unexpecting a brutally embarrassing loss.

“What was that you said, Kai?” Nya asked. “An easy win? It sure was.” She winked at her brother, then tossed his team the basketball, walking inside with Jay and Zane as they commended her.

“What… Just happened?” Cole asked, staring at the ball in Kai’s hands.

“I think we’ve severely underestimated Nya,” Lloyd replied.

Kai huffed, his cheeks puffing out. “Is my sister… Cool?”

Nya yelled back from inside, in chorus with Zane and Jay. “Yes, she is!”

xx

“Why do you want to practice?” Nya asked, passing the ball to Jay. “It’s not like basketball’s your job or anything,” she said, casually trying to steal the ball from him. He dribbled it around his back to his other hand and kept dribbling.

“Honestly? It just looks so impressive when you play. And whenever I’m playing, I feel like I’m holding everyone back,” Jay responded. “I know everyone’s joking, and it’s just a game, but I wanna get better.”

Nya smiled. “Then better you will get. Let’s run some drills.”

She went back to the storage closet and pulled out the basketballs on a cart. “Your dribbling is honestly pretty good. But your shooting could definitely use some work. So let’s start with that. I’ll pass you a ball, and you try making a layup,” she said, Jay nodding. “I’m ready.”

xx

After three months, Jay had already improved a lot — definitely nowhere near she was, but maybe, at this point, better than most of the other ninjas. While Nya knew Jay hadn’t told anyone else he’d been practicing with her, what she didn’t know was that he was also practicing on his own with the kids in town. Once his skills had grown enough for him to be able to play against Nya, though he lost every time, he wanted to push it further and give her a genuine competitor. Part of him wanted to impress her, and the other part of him saw how happy she was getting pushed to play harder and still winning. He’d snuck down to watch one of her tournaments and saw how happy she was to get to really compete. All Jay wanted at this point was to make her happy, and if that was one of the ways he could do it, then so be it. He’d recently been winning games of DRAGON in the nearby villages, so he figured that would be the game he’d suggest to Nya.

“What are you doing tonight?” Jay asked Nya, pulling her aside after dinner.

“Nothing notable, I don’t think,” Nya said. “Why?”

Jay pulled a basketball out from behind his back. “Game of DRAGON?”

She grinned. “Let’s do it.”

Being ninjas, elemental masters, and decent basketball players all at once had their perks when it came to a trick shot game like DRAGON. One of them would work some spinjitzu into their shot, another would use their powers to generate some extra power in their shots. Despite the differences in their powers, they remained pretty evenly matched. After 30 minutes of play, both Jay and Nya were at DRAGO-, having missed five shots each: including a spinjitzu into a jump shot (nailed by Nya) and a cyclon-do into a powered drop shot (shot 50 feet directly over the net, nailed by Jay).

This was the first time Nya had played Jay and felt like she was truly competing the whole time — and she’d never had more fun. She tied her hair up into a loose ponytail, and had her game face on, which Jay hadn’t seen before used against him. He took a deep breath, then smirked. There was one particular trick he’d been working on in his DRAGON games, made more difficult because it used no elemental powers.

“This might be the game-winning shot, Nya,” he warned. “In your dreams, Jay,” Nya bit back, a glint in her eye. “Then never wake me up.”

With that, Jay threw the ball up into the air to the far side of the courtyard, and ran up the wall. He backflipped twice, and on his second spin, kicked his foot upwards against the ball, and to Nya’s shock, made a perfectly clean shot, the ball plummeting through the net without touching anything. Jay landed with a quick roll out, then stood defiantly in front of Nya. “Your turn.”

Nya stood there, mouth agape. “What — How did you — When did you learn to do that?” She shrieked, shoving his shoulder. Jay laughed loudly as Nya picked up the ball. She dribbled as she walked over to where Jay had last stood for his shot. “I’ll try it, but you have to teach me how to do that,” she said, tossing the ball up high.

Nya managed to do all the moves, but just barely missed getting the ball into the hoop. “And that’s D, R, A, G, O, N,” she sighed, grabbing the rebound. “That was… Amazing, Jay. When did you get so good?”

Jay smiled. “Only at these trick shots, and only recently. I took a page out of your book and started playing in town. Those kids do not play.”

“Next time we play against the others,” Nya started, “you and I are going on opposite teams. I’d like to see you try and beat me in a different game.”

“You’re on,” he agreed. 

Nya shook Jay’s hand and kissed him on the cheek affectionately. “Good game, Jay.” She pulled him in by his collar. “Don’t think I’ll let it happen again,” she threatened, a wide grin across her face.

There were lots of reasons Nya had fallen in love with Jay. But one of the biggest ones? She’d always had the most fun with Jay out of anyone else.

xx Years later, and Nya woke up alone in the monastery, wiping tears from her cheeks. She would give anything to go back to those days, lighthearted and fun. Now she was running around the world, searching for any clue as to how to get Kai back, and any clue as to where Jay could be.

[paimonial-rage]

lol yeah ok - how about 12 and 13 instead? - last anon

[Character Analysis Ask Meme]

What is Neuvillette’s love language?

As that he does not have a way with human relationships, Neuvillette shows his feelings best through acts of service and gift-giving. After all, words are difficult and easy to construe. Quality time often leaves him at a loss for the very words he has a difficult time with. And physical touch? That’s simply too intimate for him. So what better way to show how he feels through something concrete? Surely if he gives of his time and resources for the people he cares about, they will understand how high of a regard he holds them. At least, he hopes. 

What is Neuvillette like in a relationship?

As unfamiliar with human emotions as he is, you notice Neuvillette’s feelings for you long before he does. How can you not? You see it clearly—the softness in his eyes whenever they fall upon you, the fondness in his smile, the requests for you to stay if not just a moment longer. You are taken by surprise the day he notices. He approaches you with a troubled, albeit bashful expression. He says that it was brought to his attention that he has feelings for you. Adorable as he is, what else can you do but accept them?

Much to your expectation, there is a hesitance in his step after he begins to court you. He has never been in a relationship before. He doesn’t want to mess it up. So how close is he allowed to walk next to you? Is it proper to offer you his arm? Will you refuse him if he asks you to accompany him to a show? But your presence at his side leaves him light-headed. How many times this has lead to social gaffes and things of the sort? But when you laugh, how can he not chuckle to himself in turn?

With Neuvillette, you will find no bombastic displays of affection. There will not be poetic words of love and adoration. After all, Neuvillette is a simple man and will show his love through simple, yet earnest ways. He will want to spend time with you. He will want to do his best to communicate and be honest with you. He will want to make you happy in any way you see fit. He will do his best for you.

Zhongli's below the cut!

What is Zhongli’s love language?

Anyone close to the Geo Archon knows his penchant for gift-giving. Really, it often catches many by surprise the sheer thoughtfulness and rarity of the gifts he gives. Not only are they often pricey, but also chosen with the receiver specifically in mind. It’s not rare to see people moved to tears upon receiving them, touched by the amount of care he puts into each one. As with gifts, Zhongli is also liberal with the words of affirmation he gives others. He does not hesitate to state a person’s strengths, nor how high of a regard he holds them. With him, there is no room for doubt. 

What is Zhongli like in a relationship?

You don’t exactly know when you both became an item. As wordy as Zhongli is, he never bothered to tell you his feelings plainly. He even rejected you at first, stating he didn’t see you in that way. But then he said he’d try, didn’t he? And from that point, things began to change. How he’d invite you to Miss Yun’s performances, or offered his arm for you to take while he’d walk you home. How he’d tell you the most outrageous stories with a straight face, then laugh with an amused glint in his eye when you took him seriously. Somewhere along the way, the wall he kept began to fall.

Still, it is hard to tell his feelings as he never becomes the most physical with his affections. He does not hug you, nor does he hold your hand when you walk at his side. Sparing the moments when you’re the most endearing, he does not often kiss you of his own accord. Still, there is a level of familiarity and intimacy that he displays with no one else. You’re the only person he’ll let by his side on the days he wants most to be left alone. You’re the one whose opinions matter the most. You’re the only one he’ll tease as mercilessly as he does. You’re special.

With Zhongli, you realize that your relationship with him is not primarily one of romance, but of companionship. He does not simply view you as a friend. No, you’re much more than that. Out of all the things that come and go in his life, you are and will always be the only constant. You are everything to him. Even if you may part ways for a time, the place by his side will always remain yours. A relationship with you is a contract, one that he will always uphold. 

[walker-lister]

I just have to remind myself sometimes that no matter what anyone else says, the way a piece of media makes me feel and the positive impact it has had on my queer identity is valid, and that tearing myself apart thinking I have to defend it or questioning my own place within queer communities is not at all important when compared to the almost tangible sense of 'rightness' that piece of media helped me to feel about myself.

[misclogarts]

mfw i'm writing questionablepie +strawberry family fluff and bb drops more content for them (it's angst)

[fortes-fortuna-iogurtum]

hey let's all just take a moment to remember that sometimes the characters we hate (even with very good reason) mean something important to some other people out there, ok?

[arcaneyouth]

super random and personal rant but i have thoughts and i wanna let them out

one side effect of accepting my mortality and feeling really chill about the concept of death, is that i actually have a more positive relationship with my art now. my main reason for doing art has always been because its fun yes, but up until i was like. 18-19, the other big reason i did art is because i thought itd make me immortal. you know how it is, even if you dont Know it. "its like theyre still living on through us appreciating their work", "all writers put a little bit of themselves into everything they make", "if i do something great, I'll get in the history books and they'll always remember me". everything along those lines. the message was very clear to me. good art is immortality. make something they'll never forget, and you'll never die.

this was one of the few things that (i thought) gave me comfort in those trying times being aware id probably be dead in a couple years, so i worked my ass off to create. and as my therapist knows, it kinda just made me worse. i was so obsessed with finishing my long form comic before i died, i was driving myself to paranoia thinking i'd actually die at any moment and everything would have been for nothing. because i needed to live on. because i needed to survive, somehow. if i died with my lifes work half finished, it'd just add to my tragedy, which i was so sick of.

anyways. im like. normal about it now. deaths not really a big deal its just a thing that will happen. when i started reaching this point of acceptance, i also started thinking about what I'd want people to do with me after i die. for the most part, i just want to be forgotten. i chased after immortality so long, honestly i hope no one outside my close circle knows that ive died when the time comes. its a gift to myself for all the pain i put myself through. so, forget me. dont mark my grave especially not with a name, dash my name and details from all records, delete my accounts, and let me rest.

but. what about my art? if i want my memory to be removed, what will happen to my comic? my proudest art pieces? my silly doodles? art preservation is a big deal to me, so i thought this was gonna give me a lot of problems, but actually my gut feeling solved it pretty fast.

yeah, my art can stay up. its not me, so it doesnt matter.

its not me. <3

my soul is not in my art. i am not my art. my creations are not a 1:1 replica of me. my art is something ive created and nothing more. it has 0 ties to me other than my name i put on it sometimes. it has nothing to do with me, my life, my self worth. it is art. that is all

and boy lemme tell you that sure loosens up a lot of pressure on literally every negative thing ive ever felt about my art

[mxbitters]

i met someone at this pride event that happened in town (first time this has happened) and like honestly i really really wanna get involved w what she was doing, my mom like introduced us since apparently at the opening thing my dad was talking about me coming out(again. smallish town pride event and my parents are fairly active) and like yeah !!  she’s an older trans woman (though it was really fucking funny  she said i was ‘older’ in regard to like time being out) and president of this group that’s like, she was explaining it as a panel that goes to different schools, colleges, etc. around the state and it’s just like, queer people and allies talking about their experiences and she like invited me to join and like, i put my email and stuff so i think i’m just gonna need to wait to hear back from her???  honestly i think the wait is the worst part like i’m sososo excited to potentially do this, i’ve only talked on a panel at the true colors conference once though that was kind of a pathetic occasion because uhh. NOBODY came even though they were invited but i think even just being able to like sit with other like queer people, teachers, administrators, family members, etc. and just like talk was great so like i really feel like this is something i want to do and also i could probably use the public speaking experience lmao but yeahh

[gibbearish]

"can bi nbs say dyke" "can trans men say tranny" "can this specific identity reclaim this slur" ENOUGH !!! ALL that matters is whats in your heart when you say it. is there love for your community or is there hate for people not like you. are you saying it to hurt someone or to give a hurtful thing new love-filled meaning. theres your answer.

terfs are finding this now so just to head this off at the pass my tranny ass will not be debating you, you are going to be instantaneously blocked so you may as well save us both the trouble of typing out whatever long rant youre planning about how im an evil transsexual betraying the community by daring to call myself a faggot or w/e. also go fuck yourself

edit 2: hey terfies do you think perhaps that the fact you had to block me before purposefully starting fights with randos in my replies says something about the kind of people you are? do you think that's the kind of thing good people do? can you look yourself in the eyes and genuinely tell me that deep down you don't know that if you constantly have to lie and infiltrate and block evade to harass people, that just means youre a shit person? can you with a straight face say that doing these kinds of things actually feels morally sound, that there's no tiny sliver of yourself in there that knows youre acting like a piece of shit all the fucking time which is why everyone leaves you when they find out about your beliefs? could you honestly tell me that a person who acts like that is good, and that behaving like this actually makes you feel like you're adding something positive to the world? or is it just the rush that comes with punching a wall in rage?

you harass trans people for the same reason parents beat their children: it feels good to hurt other people when youre mad. it feels good to take your anger out on someone else. and so you find people you can hurt and you convince yourself youre doing it because theyre stronger than you, that youre fighting back, you punch and you punch and you keep punching on and on forever. because that anger is addicting and trans people have always and WILL always exist, so we will always be available as a target.

look at the way youre behaving and ask yourself if this is what you want to be doing with your life. and google the signs of a high-control group. and if youre going to be a piece of shit in my replies then at least don't be a major fucking coward about it. unless youre literally 12 you should not be arguing like a middle schooler starting fights about steven universe. grow the fuck up and get real problems