#there’s very little difference between the sub and dub

[onepiecesb]

Ok so I saw Film Red again today and here are my ramblings about it

Spoiler warning!

-I love Uta’s outfit when she takes out the pirates trying to kidnap her the lance is really cool

-The stamina it’s gotta take to keep the sing-sing illusion going is bonkers Blueno makes a comment about how taxing it is to use the door-door fruit and remembering how little Law could do during Dressrosa and Punk Hazard to save his energy for fighting I think helps put into perspective just how crazy it is that Uta is creating a fantasy world where the people there essentially can have anything they want while also duking it out with the marines in reality and being under the affects of wakeshroom overdose

-Explains why she can save luffy from water despite being a df user herself because his real body is still on dry land

-I just thought it was interesting that when they were younger after Luffy Yassop was the first other pirate to wake up from Uta’s singing

-When asked what the audience thinks of pirates a child screams for the pirates to bring their mother back which makes me think if Uta has enough information could she “Bring back the dead” in a sense?

-During the little montage of Gordon explaining Uta’s past when she gets the transponder snails and starts to gain fans she literally starts climbing pedestals as the fans send their love until finally she sits on the very top and all she hears are all the awful things happening elsewhere (mostly due to pirates) which if you think about the fact that Uta KNOWS she was the one who destroyed Elegia (only a year after it happened?) it makes sense why she feels the need to bring a world of peace to these people that maybe it can right her own wrongs (even tho it was really tot musica possessing her as a child and taking its revenge on the island that imprisoned it)

-She isn’t omnipotent in the sing world it being the limits of a df but I imagine her awakened form very much could be

-I love that SunnyKun is a little lion thing but god I wish Law had to carry his ship in a fish bowl or a little room bubble

-WHY DOES SANJI SLEEP LIKE THAT 💀

-The fact that Uta can also use peoples devil fruit powers is crazy wild and the fight between Uta and Fujitora/Kizaru is super fucking cool

-The snails can still transmit videos outside of reality I think it would be cute if you caught a transponder snail napping u could see their little snail dreams (I imagine doflamingo’s transponder snail has nightmares 💀)

-ODA PLS I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROCKY PORT INCIDENT QUIT TEASING US WITH KOBY AND GIVE HIM THE SPOTLIGHT FOR A SEC I BEG

-I love that there are people in the crowd for and against staying in Uta’s sing world I imagine if things had gone differently and Uta was upfront about her ability she really could have made a world for people to be happy for a bit even if it is ultimately a dream

-Law putting Luffy in timeout is hilarious but also Luffy breaks out of Bart’s ball and ends up getting put BACK IN TIME OUT 😂

-Ok so they explain that Tot musica is literally man’s fear and doubts given form to this “demon” I love that on the flip side Uta is an angel of hope (but also love the fight between luffy and tot being a god vs demon thing)

-I was surprised for a second when Robin didn’t chew out Franky for destroying the records room but it is only in the dream I imagine when they woke up she took another peak down there 👁

-Going back to Tot being an entity created from human emotions luffys is too? Luffy’s is just happiness

-Oven makes a comment about there being a record because this was an incident that happened before and with how old the music papers were I wonder if this was during the void century ^reasons robin would take another look

-Everyone looks so good everyone looks so hot usopppppppp ♥️♥️♥️

-I like that Luffy actually gives a clear answer on why he wants to become the king of pirates and it’s to create a new era I wonder what it would be called

-Is it just me or did Gordon sound WAY more upset in the dub when he goes “THEYRE DEAD! EVERYONES DEAD!!! THEY KILLED THEM!” Because in the sub he seemed a lot more reserved about it

-I still don’t think the red haired pirates should have left uta I get that what happened is a lot they didn’t want that on her consciousness but I think just straight up lying to her about it was also terrible imo

-“Bad guys need to look like Bad guys” literally makes them look so fucking cool probably my favorite strawhat outfits individually but absolutely my favorite look as a group for suresies

-When Tot Musica shows up the Five Elders couldn’t mute the recording making me think for a second they were asleep too but also where do the people asleep elsewhere go in their dream? And that Tot can manipulate the transponder snails too is scary

-Tot musica is actually super scary ngl

-That flute is way way too loud when luffy and uta make up

-Ben saying our daughter kills me yesss

-Sanji bringing back the “Something only u can do” for Brûlée

-Also can I take a second and say brûlée and oven look so good in this movie I do wish that other characters got more spotlight but I’m glad they don’t look like trash or are used as the butt of a joke

-I could do with less Bartolomeo……

-I loved seeing Koby take charge for the final battle strategy wise I really want to see the Rocky port incident!!!

-Katakuri and brûlée sharing sight is cool but that also makes me think brûlée has observation haki considering katakuri usopp and yassop do which makes sense considering her df powers and how she uses it mostly for intel gathering for mama

-Sanji and zoro cooperating for .5 seconds is always fun

-Usopp finally calming down and using his haki is so so good

-Zues is alive and with Nami pls pls pls pls plssssss

-Everyone fighting simultaneously at the end is probably one of my favorite one piece moments I’m ngl all the build up and then actually knowing the characters it just all fit so well the music fucking rocked and I had a great time

-Shanks being found by Rodger in a chest is super fucking cute but Oda really pulled one over us giving Uta red hair but that makes me think why would a baby like Uta be found in a chest (I’m assuming it’s bc baby uta ate a df so someone was just going to sell her or whatever) but before Uta’s backstory was revealed I was leaning heavily on Uta being something created by Vegapunk a la the seraphim

-Uta looks so tired by the end Jfc let her sleeeep

-Oda really has to kill all of Luffy’s siblings Jfc 💀

-Loved the credit scene now I know that Johnny and Yosaku are just chilling with Nojiko

-Also the after credit scene when luffy tries to talk to sunny again for a second is still cute and I’m convinced this proves that sunny has a soul because uta only affects people’s souls and when she changed the people in the dream she didn’t make them disappear but changed their form into toys etc that’s why I think sunny didn’t just disappear but was turned into sunnykun

[doumadono]

Who's laughing now? - Aizetsu x Reader

Warnings: dom!reader, sub!Aizetsu, modern AU, Hantengu clones are brothers, tormenting, dirty talk Synopsis: you are plotting revenge against your ex-boyfriend, Aizetsu, for ending your relationship because of your dominant nature. Little does he know that your plan for revenge involves using that very aspect of your personality against him Requested by: my lovely @within-eyesight ♥

MASTERLIST

It had been a long and arduous night, and you couldn't help but feel a tinge of anticipation. Tonight, you were going to assert your dominance over him once again.

His name was Aizetsu, and he had truly messed up. Once upon a time, he had been your boyfriend, though the relationship had only lasted a brief month during your college years before mutually deciding that remaining friends would be a better path to take. Well, at least he had made that decision. Aizetsu, with his reserved nature and gentle demeanor, rarely voiced his opinions, even when faced with a wrong order from a waiter. In contrast, you possessed a bold and vibrant personality, exuding confidence and an extroverted charisma that both charmed and overwhelmed Aizetsu. Initially, his timidness had intrigued you, as you were drawn to men who could be easily rattled. And in the beginning, things seemed to go smoothly. Despite your contrasting dispositions, there was an undeniable attraction between the two of you, and you managed to navigate your differences fairly well.

Difficulties began to surface when your intimate encounters took center stage. In the realm of the bedroom, your true nature emerged — dominant, in every sense of the word. You reveled in overpowering others, relishing in their helplessness, delighting in the act of humiliating them. It was vulnerability that stirred a primal desire within you. Unfortunately for Aizetsu, he was not exempt from this treatment.

During your first sexual encounter, Aizetsu anticipated a conventional experience: a gentle exploration of each other's bodies, perhaps some tender foreplay, and a traditional missionary position that would conclude the encounter. Little did he know, your desires ran much deeper than that simplistic script. So, imagine his surprise when you slapped him across the face, ripped off his clothing, and threw him onto the bed. Before he could even form a word of protest, you straddled him. "Shut the fuck up, slut." That was all you said, before sliding him into you and fucking him amazon style until his eyes rolled back into his head. In the depths of passion, he succumbed to overwhelming sensations, his hypersensitive cock relentlessly stimulated, eliciting gasps and moans that pleaded for respite. Aizetsu must have come three times at least. Yet, you disregarded his pleas, driven by an insatiable desire to fulfill your own gratification. Unyielding, you continued to thrust your hips into him, unrelenting until your own satisfaction was attained. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the drool escaping his mouth, as you taunted and belittled him, mocking his vulnerability and dubbing him pathetic. You reveled in his submissive state, declaring his moans akin to those of a feeble soul, challenging him to futilely attempt an escape, fully aware of his inability to overpower you.

Following that intense encounter, you engaged in sexual intimacy only once more, and the outcome echoed a familiar pattern. However, a week or two later, Aizetsu timidly approached you, breaking the news that despite his affection for you, the relationship simply wasn't working out. He expressed the sentiment that although you shared mutual friends and could still spend time together, he believed that the two of you were not compatible in a romantic sense. He did not explicitly state that the reason for the breakup stemmed from the intense and degrading sexual experiences you had shared, but the deep crimson blush on his cheeks spoke volumes as he delivered the news, implying an unspoken acknowledgment of the overwhelming strain on his masculinity caused by those encounters.

In the aftermath of the rejection, you outwardly handled it with composure, maintaining a facade of acceptance. You gracefully navigated the remainder of your college years, engaging in amicable interactions with Aizetsu and the shared friend group. There was no need for anyone to pick sides as you all continued to hang out and study together. Initially, Aizetsu approached the situation with caution, wary of any lingering grudges you might hold. However, over time, the ease and familiarity that characterized your friendship from the beginning began to resurface. Aizetsu came to believe that you had moved on, finding solace in the arms of his older brother, Sekido. He assumed that you both had reached a mutual understanding, accepting that remaining friends was the best course of action.

But he was wrong. Oh, he was so wrong.

Your viewpoint on sexual partners was characterized by an unwavering and stringent belief. Once you had assumed the dominant role with a partner, in your mind, they belonged to you. This conviction held particularly true for Aizetsu, considering the extent to which you had exerted dominance over him. It baffled you that he could oscillate from weeping and pleading, exhibiting complete submission and vulnerability one moment, to requesting a breakup the next. How could someone in a submissive position have the audacity to believe they had a say in matters? The idea that individuals in such subservient positions could determine the course of the relationship was entirely unacceptable to you. The moment Aizetsu welcomed you into his bedroom, he had made a choice, whether he comprehended it or not. In your mind, he now belonged to you, and it was necessary to remind him of this undeniable truth.

And so, your meticulous planning, patient waiting, and cunning schemes were finally reaching their climax tonight, following the party hosted by Sekido, Aizetsu's older brother. As you stepped into the living room, the soft glow of the TV screen casting a serene blue light, three of his brothers — Sekido, Urogi, and Karaku — were strewn across the room in different states of repose. One nestled in an armchair, while others found comfort on the love seat or curled up on the couch. Disregarding their presence, you carefully tiptoed past them, your focus fixed solely on your intended target, your prey.

Aizetsu lay sprawled on a small couch, isolated from the others, his body barely concealed by a scanty blanket that partially slipped off onto the floor. Your gaze roamed over him with an insatiable hunger. Deep in an intoxicated slumber, he lay stripped down to his boxers, exposing much of his physique. One arm stretched behind his head, while the other dangled over the edge of the couch, his fingers grazing the wooden floor of the living room.

The mere sight of him in that vulnerable state stirred an overwhelming arousal within you. He was oblivious to the impending events, completely unaware of the intense desire that coursed through your veins. Gently settling yourself near his waist, ensuring not to disturb his slumber, you delicately trailed a solitary finger along the length of his muscular torso. Your elongated nails traced a tantalizing path from his collarbone to his waist, eliciting a slight twitch from him as you brushed over his nipple. Aside from that subtle reaction, he remained still, oblivious to your presence and intentions.

"Perfect,” you whispered, smiling at how well your plan had worked.

Your hands ventured beneath the confines of his waist, cautiously  prying open the front of his boxers. With delicate precision, you extracted his flaccid member, revealing it to the cool air. Aizetsu's legs twitched slightly in response to this intimate intrusion, his body instinctively reacting to the stimulation.

"Shhh. That's it, bitch," you cooed in response, your tone barely above a whisper. You took the head of his penis in one hand, slowly rubbing the underside with your thumb. 

Aizetsu let out a soft moan.

"You belong to me," you whispered, even as he remained lost in slumber, oblivious to your presence. His manhood responded, gradually stiffening under your touch. With increasing fervor, your stroking intensified, adding three fingers to the top of his shaft, gliding up and down with a swiftness that mirrored your mounting desire. A soft moan escaped his lips, and his lithe form began to stir. Aware that time was fleeting, you quickened your pace once more, firmly grasping his throbbing member. It grew fully erect now, and you propelled your hand up and down its length, the rhythm deliberate and unyielding — once, twice, thrice. His hips instinctively bucked, a subconscious response to the intoxicating sensations of arousal that engulfed him. Sensing his impending release, you hastened your movements, gently caressing his balls with your free hand, fueling his mounting pleasure.

His moans grew in intensity, a mixture of vulnerability and desire escaping his lips, the very sound that you had often ridiculed him for. His hips undulated eagerly, meeting the air with fervor, while his legs quivered and tightened in sync with your rhythmic motions. The signs were unmistakable — he was on the precipice of release. In a daring move, you leaned forward, your tongue tracing a tantalizing path along the head of his erect dick, further heightening his pleasure.

His eyes flew open, startled by the abrupt interruption of his slumber. Confusion etched itself upon Aizetsu's face as he grappled with the bewildering realization of being roused mid-act. His gaze shifted from you to his throbbing member, then back to you, a concoction of shock and revulsion coursing through his features — an expression that you secretly craved. Swiftly, you pressed a hand firmly against his mouth, stifling any protest that threatened to escape. Simultaneously, your other hand maintained its unwavering grip on his erect shaft, persistently stroking up and down, despite his futile attempts to resist. Sensing the need for further control, you straddled his hips, leveraging your weight to subdue his movements entirely.

"Keep that fucking mouth shut, you little bitch," you whispered, a sadistic glimmer dancing in your eyes. "Do you really want to awaken the others? Is that what you desire, to showcase your debasement before your brothers? To reveal the depths of your sluttish nature?"

Aizetsu's eyes widened in sheer terror at the mere notion of his brothers witnessing such a compromising scene. The fear of their judgment, of their perception of him being dominated and coerced by a girl, consumed his thoughts. It was a vulnerability you recognized, a weakness you could exploit.

"Will you comply?" you inquired, a sadistic smile playing upon your lips. "Or shall I awaken them to indulge in the spectacle?"

He hesitated a moment, considering putting up a fight but he knew it was hopeless. He couldn't risk being seen like this. Reluctantly, he gave a small nod. “No, Y/N, p-please. Don’t do that.”

"Good boy,” you replied, before returning your tongue to his cock head, swirling it around and around. 

A stifled gasp managed to escape Aizetsu's lips, swiftly muffled by your hand. Sensing a need for further control, you shifted your hand from his mouth to his throat, exerting a light pressure as your fingers encircled its delicate contours. "Better be quiet, Aizetsu. Karaku is a light sleeper,” you teased, "If you wake him up, I'm gonna ask him to join us." You gave his shaft another hard pump, grinning. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Fucking pervert. Maybe I'll wake him up on purpose."

"P-please, no!" Aizetsu whispered in response. “Don’t, please. They can't see me like this," he pleaded, his voice laced with a sense of anguish and vulnerability.

You tightened your grip on his throat, cutting him off. "Or maybe I'll wake up Sekido?” You continued to stimulate his throbbing shaft, your fingers deftly caressing the sensitive head. Aizetsu's member twitched in response, signaling his impending release. However, you maintained control, deliberately keeping him on the edge of climax. With a skillful touch, you twirled his cock between your index finger and thumb, exerting just enough pressure to tease and tantalize, but not enough to grant him release. "I can only imagine the surprise on his face," you remarked, a hint of twisted amusement tainting your words. "To witness his little brother, who he perceives as meek and delicate, being dominated so effortlessly by a mere girl."

Despite his conflicting emotions of fear and revulsion, Aizetsu found himself helplessly succumbing to the twisted allure of your taunts. The shameful prospect of being humiliated in front of his brothers, dominated by a girl, and reduced to nothingness ignited a perverse arousal within him, intensifying the conflicting sensations coursing through his body.

With one final firm pump, Aizetsu reached the peak of his pleasure. However, you swiftly withdrew your hand from his pulsating shaft and seized both his wrists, pinning them above his head to deny him any true gratification. His hips thrust aimlessly into the air, desperate for contact, as his essence spilled onto his own chest and stomach, leaving him marked by his own surrender. You strategically positioned yourself just beyond his reach, denying him the satisfaction of any physical contact with your body. Helpless moans escaped his mouth, prompting him to bite down hard on his lower lip in a futile attempt to stifle his cries. The look of desperation in his eyes, the silent plea of a man utterly defeated, served as a gratifying sight to you.

After a few moments, his spent body slumped against the couch, drained of energy. Slowly, you released your grip on his wrists, taking a moment to admire the aftermath of your actions. His face flushed with embarrassment, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, and his entire being adorned with his own release from chin to groin. The expression on his face revealed a complete absence of masculine pride, a stark indication that you had truly stripped something significant from him.

Extending your hand, you gently ran your fingers through Aizetsu's hair, coaxing him closer to you. Your lips met in a passionate, fiery kiss, tongues intertwining in a display of unadulterated desire. Breaking the kiss, you pushed Aizetsu away, asserting your dominance. "Lie on your back, fully," you commanded.

Complying with your instructions, Aizetsu obediently positioned himself, his body stretched out before you, vulnerable and exposed as he pushed his boxers down his legs.

You positioned yourself astride him, allowing your front-buttoned dress to fall open, revealing your enticing breasts and the absence of panties. With deliberate intent, you traced your fingertips along Aizetsu's chest, tantalizing him with delicate caresses that elicited shivers of anticipation.

Aizetsu moaned quietly, desperate for more.

You leaned in close to his ear. "I want you to worship every inch of my body," you whispered. 

Aizetsu nodded eagerly, his mouth finding your neck as he lavished you with kisses.

You raised up and moved your body forward, sliding up Aizetsu's torso.

Your wetness enveloped his face as you pressed yourself against him, the sensations causing you to emit soft, sultry moans. Aizetsu's tongue eagerly complied, skillfully exploring your intimate depths. With fervor, he lavished attention on your inner thighs, gradually ascending towards your pulsating cunt. Intense pleasure surged through you as his tongue delved inside, while his hands firmly grasped your hips, keeping you in perfect alignment.

"Yes, Aizetsu," you gasped. "That's it. Just like that, you’re such a pretty boy. Worship your mistress like a good boy you are.”

He found himself in a state of bliss as your open pussy enveloped his face. You had taken control once again, using him for your own pleasure. His tongue worked eagerly, lapping at your delicate folds and exploring your clitoris.

Your ecstatic moans resonated throughout the room, momentarily disregarding the presence of his slumbering brothers nearby. Lost in the intoxicating pleasure, you rhythmically undulated your hips against Aizetsu's eager mouth, the intensity escalating with each passionate grind. His devoted tongue explored your intimate folds, skillfully delving deeper to savor the essence of your desire, propelling you towards the precipice of absolute bliss.

The room reverberated with the symphony of your ardor, the unmistakable wetness of your intimate connection resonating in the air.

Sensing your body's mounting tension, Aizetsu redoubled his efforts, wholly dedicated to bestowing upon you the ultimate pleasure. His ministrations intensified, driven by an insatiable yearning to fulfill your every desire.

As your body quivered with an impending climax, the culmination of your ecstasy permeated the atmosphere, enveloping Aizetsu's senses. His gaze, fixated upon you straddling him, your thighs provocatively parted, reflected his own insatiable longing, aching to be consumed by the intoxication of your passion.

You let out a low moan, moving your hips down against his rock-hard cock. You were wet and ready for him. "And now, let me fuck you, my little bitch. Are you going to be a good boy for me?"

His affirmation unspoken but unmistakable, Aizetsu positioned his hands beneath the curvature of your supple buttocks, lifting you with a purposeful grace. With precision, he guided you to the precipice of his pulsating cock, and in one fluid motion, he impaled you deeply, filling you completely with his throbbing length. The fusion of your bodies, an exquisite joining, ignited a surge of pleasure that coursed through your intertwined beings.

The electrifying sensation of his presence within you elicited a gasp that escaped your lips, punctuating the air with a symphony of pleasure. In perfect harmony, your bodies moved as one, synchronized in a passionate dance. Your hips gyrated with fervor, grinding against his, igniting a rhythm of unadulterated ecstasy. Each connection fueled the fire within you, compelling an unending cascade of breathless moans to escape your quivering lips, surrendering to the waves of sensation that surged through your intertwined forms.

Aizetsu's gaze was fixated upon you, his heart drumming a wild rhythm within his chest, matching the fervor of your passionate union. In that moment, he embraced the intoxicating blend of pleasure and degradation, fully embracing his submissive role. The realization that you held absolute control over him fueled a surge of exhilaration and contentment. Surrendering willingly to your every desire, he discovered a newfound joy in the depths of his submission, relishing the sensations that washed over him with each commanding touch and fervent connection.

As your bodies intertwined in a passionate dance, Aizetsu could feel the familiar signs of his impending release. The mounting pleasure surged through him, rendering him powerless to resist the imminent eruption of ecstasy. His voice quivered with desperate urgency as he vocalized his inability to restrain himself any longer, his plea intertwining with the rhythmic thrusts. "Fuck. Y-Y/N... I can't. I fucking can't..." Yet, he pressed on, driven by an insatiable desire to bring you pleasure. And then, in a primal release, a guttural growl escaped his lips as he spilled his thick cum deep within you, the warmth of his seed mingling with your own intimate embrace.

You were overcome with waves of pleasure, your voice echoing in the room as your climax washed over you and your moans became loud. Your body quivered, and you clung to Aizetsu's torso for stability, surrendering to the bliss coursing through your veins.

Suddenly, the room stirred with movement as his brothers began to rouse from their slumber. 

A mix of panic and disbelief swept across Aizetsu's face, his mouth agape, unable to find words to explain the unexpected turn of events.

Urogi opened his eyes first. "Aizetsu? What the fuck?”

Karaku chimed in, rubbing his eyes, "Dude, what the fuck?! You’re fucking your ex in our living room?! Are you serious?”

The room was alive with shouts, jeers, and laughter, all directed towards Aizetsu. He tried to defend himself, tried to explain; but only sobs would escape his lips. 

You got off Aizetsu, and smiled, feeling your mixed cums dripping down your thighs, content in the knowledge that Aizetsu's torment was only just beginning, particularly when his brothers discovered what had transpired.

"Wait a moment, Y/N. Where do you think you're going?" Urogi's voice echoed in the room as he swiftly rose from the love seat, displaying his well-built physique. He closed the distance between you, placing a firm arm around your naked waist. “I’m sure you would like to taste a real man, wouldn’t you?”

A faint blush spread across your cheeks, and instinctively, you rubbed your shoulder, feeling a mix of discomfort and unease settle within you.

"She's quite attractive, isn't she? Despite being a bit of an idiot, I must admit, Aizetsu, you have a discerning taste," Sekido remarked, sitting up on the armchair, stretching with a yawn. "That being said, it doesn't change the fact that I'm fucking annoyed you woke me up."

Karaku, already in the process of removing his shirt, nonchalantly tossed it aside. "It's not fair that only Aizetsu gotta have fun with her gorgeous cunt. I want a taste too."

Their objectifying words washed over you, leaving you feeling unsettled, as if reduced to mere objectification, as if your worth was nothing more than that of a piece of meat.

Meanwhile, Aizetsu remained nonchalant, sitting up on the couch, unaffected by his nakedness. "Well, my sweet Y/N, sometimes the tables turn, and this time, it seems you're not the one doing the tormenting, but rather the one being tormented." 

[the-nysh]

Rewatching Trigun's 98anime (subs this time, being used to the eng dub) since I was curious to note the characters' shifting pronoun usage.

For reference, Stampede Vash always uses the softer, more humble, modest, boyish 'boku' - as expected (like Trimax Vash), even after his glow up in ep12, he still regards himself the same way. While Knives (Nai) exclusively uses the harder, more assertive, masculine 'ore'...ever since he was a little baby, which immediately differentiates them apart, but is...extremely (lmao) edgy of him.

But in the 98anime? Oh my god, it's all flipped around and completely different! Which quite interestingly reveals a lot of contextual nuances to many characters, and quite frankly rewatching in Japanese trying to catch all these things only thoroughly kicked my ass throwing in so many difficult-to-understand, unexpected curveballs; I'm both shook and humbled by what I've heard!

Because 98 Knives refers to himself as 'boku' O____O;; even during his most 'villainous' lines yelling at Vash too. Him having that casual but 'polite' poised dissonance in his voice comes off extremely unnerving;;; when he speaks of horrible things thru such an 'innocent' self-perception like that. (Even Legato uses 'boku' like him! Same in Stampede.) Damn I'm disturbed. He and Vash notably both used 'boku' when they were kids, but Knives in particular never really stopped saying that from their childhoods, so that says a lot about him. (His "did you just shoot me [boku]!?" comes off very uncannily childlike. No wonder Vash freaked out in guilt.)

But 98 Vash? Whoa, he requires a whole damn essay flips around ALL the time, interchangeably using BOTH! :O Often switching pronouns between 'ore' & 'boku' within the same episode, or even as quickly as every other sentence, even towards the same person. Depending on the immediate context/topic of what he's saying and the emphasis on how he's saying it. Via all his posturing, which 'persona' he switches into, his familiarity/humbleness/honesty/trust--even hostility towards certain people, and his mood's silly vs seriousness levels. Often reflective of how determined/confrontational/casual he is vs being walled off (masking) to openly repentant, lost or distressed too - but not always! It's Extremely inconsistent fascinating but confusing!!! Because there's no....fixed 'rules' to his usage. For ex he'll often use 'ore' casually within his own internal monologues to his more bombastic public self-introductions, or even when he's at his most serious in private moments about grave matters, like settling his past during his scar scene with Meryl. Even Eriks!Vash still uses 'ore' when confessing his guilt to Wolfwood about the Fifth Moon! So there feels to be a general preference for using 'ore' when he (internally and externally, both in casual and serious contexts) needs to show his 'determination' - aka being the man (the ideal 'Vash'?) he wants to become.

But then he'll flip around using 'boku' for some of his most exasperatingly fake ✨playful✨ bits when he's kidding and messing around in mock courtesy (bonus: he even uses 'watashi' as a joke for his ridiculously long 'formal' name introduction to Wolfwood).....AND 'boku' will be used for his most sincere humble (polite) conversations back with family members he knows at Home, and when he connects back to his childhood with Rem in his dreams. The Diablo ep is a good example: he uses 'ore' throughout the ep until he reverts to 'boku' after speaking to Rem deciding not to kill, and that humbling shift, like to that of a lost younger boy, makes so much sense. The shift happens again when Eriks!Vash thinks about Rem feeling just as lost: "what should I [boku] do?" And after the tragic incident at Home when he's depressed and masking himself behind his glasses, while quietly reflecting to Wolfwood with a reproachful, "Everyone who touches me [boku] dies." ...Before immediately changing back to 'ore' in the next sentence firming his resolve to face Knives.

But in general it really depends and you have to listen hard (pay close attention) to hear how much contextual teasing, sincerity, irony, genuine respect, or...humbling self-reproach and self-depreciation he uses. Indicative towards how much (or how poorly) he internally regards himself and how he externally presents himself to others, because it changes. All the time. His personal pronouns aren't fixed! ...Basically, I'm just as confused as Meryl (and it really makes narrative sense why she's so confused by him), not knowing which 'persona' is the real him! x'D

...Oh but a really good moment, in ep24 when Meryl pleads at him to be honest with her for once about all the tragedies, he uses 'boku' explaining everything to her about Knives. That's....really good. :O Like umm...him using 'ore' before with her (in the scar scene) kind of erected a subtle barrier when he refused to elaborate further, but using 'boku' so sincerely for her request.....like it..extends her the same humble level of courtesy/trust he'd use towards the 'family' he loves back at Home (+Rem)....but it's so loaded, cause he's being honest but still...distant telling her why he's better off alone. :')) Man...(the aaangst) Oooooh, but then ep25 is very telling too, cause he's mentally lost for the whole ep, always using 'boku' so anguished and self-deprecatingly....until Meryl saves him and he gives her his softest genuine 'boku' yet, after he recovers back to himself donning the red coat again, thanking and assuring her he'll be alright. :'D (Hooray~) Before internally switching back to 'ore' on his final quest setting out alone for Knives. Ep26: he still keeps that distinct assertive 'ore' in front of Knives "I [ore] will survive!" and 'boku' for Rem: "I [boku] will continue to believe in you, but will look to my own [jibun] words for guidance." :')) (Bonus: 'jibun' is added when he philosophically thinks in terms of 'oneself'/'myself' from now on.)

Bonus nuance: while younger Vash may have dependently followed Knives' lead around--back when they both used 'boku' together, older (current) Vash--using 'ore' with him, feels like he's grown to assume the role as the more independent, responsible older brother now, when he finally understands how to put Rem's last words to 'take care of Knives' into practice. :'))

So tl;dr: Vash tends to have a casual leaning preference for using 'ore' in most situations both private and public, but especially for whenever he asserts his determination involving Knives with a confrontational edge. 'Boku' is used exclusively (politely, with genuine deference & care) towards extended family members he loves (like Rem, Brad, Doc, and eventually.....Meryl; using the softest 'boku' towards her I've ever heard. ;.;) And for whenever he humbles himself in distress, feeling lost in turmoil or self-reproach. But it's not set in stone! Since both pronouns can be used sincerely or ironically in jest, for whenever he's feeling silly or playing a bit (donning a mask), easily switching depending on presentation or context too. 98 Vash simply does what he wants! While Meryl screams in confused exasperation!

As for 98 Meryl, she often uses the book-standard, more formal/professional 'watashi' when introducing herself (Stampede Meryl too), and her speech patterns are typically very polite and pleasant to listen to (with many lovely 'desu-wa' sentence finishers.) ...Until she changes to the informal, more feminine 'atashi.' Ex: when screaming at Milly to let her go (to Vash) as the city blew up during the Fifth Moon incident. The raw sincerity in her voice for that change is so...🥺 of her. Note, cause most other girls - from Rem, Milly, younger kids like Lina, to older (but youthful) grandma characters all informally use 'atashi.' So for Meryl to drop her usual formalities when her honest feelings come out ("I [atashi] need to go there!" - to the epicenter where Vash is) means a lot. :')) ...Ah! Cause she slips to 'atashi' again in ep25, in front of Vash (while he uses 'boku' at his most mentally lost and openly wounded state) at his bedside. o///o Oh my... Using 'atashi' again while crying to Milly in regret that she couldn't confess anything yet to Vash on his sendoff. So yes, Meryl's feminine 'atashi' side shows whenever she expresses her honest feelings. :'3

Now 98 Wolfwood is a special case, cause he speaks primarily in Kansai dialect, which is extremely hard for me to understand what he's saying in modified/shortened slang all the time. (Compared to say, Meryl who speaks very cleanly and polite.) I've heard him use 'ore' when offering kids food, the more rural/casual form 'oira' when confessing his turmoil to Milly at his most vulnerable, 'uchi' when talking about 'our orphanage,' 'washi' (the 'old man' form of watashi) when speaking in more formal/aged terms of 'God', to the slang form 'wai' (he casually prefers this one a lot, and Stampede Wolfwood uses 'wai' too, esp when introducing himself to new people, for most of the few eps he's even in, and it makes him sound like...way older than he actually is?) to even 'jibun' when talking about himself with distance in flashbacks. The impression he gives off is like that of someone who's come from a rural/street kid (orphan) background...but who speaks like a chill elder now?? who's aged far too soon for his years. That's my best interpretation of what's happening. (His slang 'wai' even slurs to sound like 'oira,' almost like 'wai-ra' sometimes; gah it's really hard for me to discern, I'm sorry.) Bonus: he teasingly calls Milly 'my honey' in english, while she playfully answers him back with the pronounced 'a-na-ta' (dear), so they def have an inside thing going on. Bottom line, he's very complicated *bangs head on desk* and his accent is too unfamiliar/beyond my meager course level to fully grasp! :'D

To sum up (to the best of my hearing comprehension):

Stampede Vash: always boku, modest and unassuming towards everyone 98 Vash: BOTH ore & boku; not fixed. Casual preference for ore vs more humble courtesy using boku, but it's extremely context/mood/persona dependent, since he can mask & switch for jokes. Has a serious confrontational/determined edge using ore vs Knives--as if Vash becomes the older brother here, but always reserves the softer boku towards Rem and the found family he loves Stampede Knives: always ore, ever since he was a baby; so much edge 98 Knives: boku, coming off unnervingly childlike vs Vash's ore Meryl (both): watashi, but changes to atashi (98) when her honest feelings towards Vash show Wolfwood (both, Kansai dialect): primarily wai, but can use many other forms Legato (both): boku Roberto: ore Milly: atashi, but can mask using watashi when she's not fine Rem: atashi (98) & watashi (Stampede) Stampede Luida: watashi, but atashi when casual with teen Vash Brad (both): ore Dr. Conrad: watashi Stampede Elendira: watashi Stampede Zazie: boku

Now besides the animes, since Trimax is a whole other overwhelming complicated beast, and since I don't have access to check (nor would I even be able to easily read/understand) the Japanese raws, I'd be VERY interested in someone's investigation and breakdown into the manga's pronouns, especially for Trimax Vash, since I've heard that beyond 'boku,' he shifts and evolves throughout his journey too, possibly ending on a very soft wizened, matured 'watashi' that I'd love to hear more!

[dungeonpuppykai]

|| Shackles of Love ||

Summary: Your husband Pete reads the epilogue of the book you're on and there's only one way to keep him from spoiling it for you now… 

Pairing: Dark Husband!Pete Brenner | Naive Wife!You.

Disclaimer: I (unfortunately) do not own Pete Brenner. This story contains dark and mature content so browse at your own discretion, please. Minors do not interact.

Warning(s): Soft-dark!Pete Brenner, non-con/dub-con elements, boob play, humping, stockholm syndrome, age-gap, m!dom, f!sub, power imbalance, housewife kink, misogyny, bondage/chaining, brainwashing, choking, teeny bit of overstimulation. 

Note: I contemplated whether to make this dark or not but then said what the hell?! Shorter than usual (I think) because it's been a hot minute.

MASTERLIST

"Aw, thank you, baby." Pete flashed you the million dollar smile that had charmed you so much the first time you saw it that it had directly led to this very moment. 

"Honey~" you sweetly called out to your loving husband in that one tone he adored so much that he preferred you spoke to him in it all the time. "Here~" you held out the mini tray containing a chilled beer and loaded sandwich for him to snack on while he watched some old movie that you were frankly too young to know anything about.

You smiled and turned on your heels to place yourself next to him on the couch that faced the tv, feeling a tiny butterfly flutter in the base of your tummy due to how he patted the spot beside him for you to sit in that dominant way of his. The man could literally so much as breathe and have your whole stomach flip. He had you whipped. 

Not much interested in the rather vintage movie, you turned to your book that you had bookmarked before leaving to make your husband a sandwich because he liked a snack or two with his movies. Your fingers hurriedly turned the pages as you found your chapter, bottom lip moving itself between your teeth in excitement. You had been perfectly engrossed in a particularly thrilling part where a plot twist was unfolding when your husband had ordered- no, requested his craving. 

Why would Pete ever order you outside the bedroom? Pfft, no way. He was a very giving and kind husband who would never disrespect you!

Yes, maybe sometimes he was just a little mean during punishments but it was never not duly deserved. 

It wasn't unfair. Not by a long shot. Pete worked hard for the both of you and your future family throughout the week so you could stay at home in pretty dresses and do whatever you pleased. Your only jobs were to cook, clean and take care of his husbandly needs. 

And that was all!

You weren't the one who had to go out into the scary outside world and deal with all those dangerous people that lurked past the protective doors of your house! Honestly, if it weren't for Pete being such a supportive and devoted husband, you didn't know where you would be right now.  

You would be cold, alone and miserable with no one to protect you. His words from training time faintly rang in your ears.

Pete was right. 

He always was. 

Your love was the only one who meant you no harm and could keep you safe. 

Everyone else had already failed you or eventually would. Even your parents. Because seriously, what guardian is so careless as to take their child to baseball games where the ball could crack your skull open anytime! Honestly, how careless could your father be! Your mother was no different because, what kind of a woman encourages her daughter to have a career instead of teaching her the much needed and important domestic skills so she could keep her future family happy and healthy! Making you risk your precious life by letting you persue a career in law out of all! 

If this wasn't the prime example of the fact that no one except for Pete truly cared about your comfort and safety, you didn't know what was. 

Yes, so what if he had roofied your drink in the bar before taking you to your real home with him? He had only meant well! You had been far too headstrong and stupid a girl back then to know proper manners for someone your gender. But Pete had been very kind. Though you had fought relentlessly in the beginning and attempted to escape the premises of this house that was nothing but love and care, he forgave you for everything! 

How much more wonderful could this man get?! 

Your husband had smiled at every insult, laughed at every injury you had inflicted on his skin and heart, kissed away every tear you had so foolishly shed. 

And then he had taught you proper wife etiquette. 

Honestly, no one had ever bothered to put up with you that much. 

"Honey?" Pete called out to you in a semi-distracted tone, blue eyes still trained on the tv as you stared at the pages in front of you with wide eyes as a realization washed over you. But before you could communicate your thoughts like you had been taught to do so, your husband continued. You hummed for him to go on, mind still stuck on the page. "Want to know something real funny?" 

Obedience had been woven into every fiber of your existence. So you turned your head to look at him with curious eyes after making a mental note to tell him what you had realized just now later. Because Pete always came first. So you had to await your turn.

"Funny?" You tilted your head to the side, one arm looping around his arm as you perched your chin on his shoulder. "Sure, dear! I like funny…" Your nose crinkled a little as you smiled in the way he had taught you. 

A devious smile spread over your husband's lips. "I read the epilogue while you were in the kitchen" it took you a few moments to realize what he was hinting at. He had done it before and the way he finally turned his head to look at you with mischief dancing in his ocean blue eyes, placing the now empty tray on the table in front of the couch, you knew he was about to do it again. 

"No! You didn't!" You squealed as he laughed in the comic typical evil way, tackling you until your back was flat against the couch. "No! Please, honey! No!" You helplessly whined as you shook your head violently, tossing the book open and hurrying through the words. "I am almost at the epilogue! You cannot do this to me!" 

"That's just a shame, isn't it?" The protestant kicking of your feet that rested on his back now caused a clinking sound in the air due to the thick iron cuff enclasped around one of your ankles.

"Noooo! Pleeeeease!" You pouted as his goatee gently pricked your fingertips that were pressing against his mouth in a desperate attempt to quieten him. "Honey, please! I've been a good girl!" That was the reason why you had maintained your reading privileges for three straight weeks at this point. "You're being cruel for no reason!" 

"Aw. Don't you remember?" Prying your fingers off his mouth was no challenge to the older man. "Husbands can do whatever they want whenever they want…" You whined loudly as you ignored the tingle in your nether regions that his dark tone had caused, flipping the page and hurrying through the words, holding the book between your faces. "Okay, soooo… what happens is–"

"Ohmygosh you're so meeeean!" Now your free hand desperately darted to your own body before you fished out one of your boobs from the neckline of your dress. A whimper escaped from your lips when you reached for Pete's nape next before arching your back to further close the gap between your bodies. The action clasped the space of your husband's mouth shut as he hummed against your tender flesh now. 

Pete had this rather mean way (that you didn't actually mind) of torturing you when you were reading sometimes. He would sneakily read from a section way ahead of where you were and then tease you with spoilers until you shoved his mouth with one of your private parts. 

You faintly recalled being heavily opposed to it at one point.

But there was no other way to stop him when he was at this. 

And that was alright because he was your husband who loved you and loved him.

… Right?

"Hmmm~" you softly moaned in the way he liked. His clothed dick instantly stiffened under your pussy like it always did; a confirmation that you had done the right thing. Your hips that were not as securely clad as your husband's began to slowly piston against his crotch, the dress being the only cover for your bottom since you weren't allowed underwear inside the house. Pete liked you accessible 24/7. So he could bend you whenever he pleased over any surface with no hassle. 

It was the least you could do after all that he did for you. 

Your legs tightened around Pete's waist as did his arms around yours. It was crazy to you how easy it was for him to handle your body however he desired since he physically looked more on the lean side. But his strength was no joke, you were nothing but a doll between his fingers.

And the reminder always made your wifey parts quiver. 

"Hmmm… my perfect wife~" Pete's husky grunt caused your holes to clench around empty air as he latched onto your other boob that you had pushed out next. "Such a good slut… knows exactly what I like…" Your brows were furrowed and hands shaky, breaths hitting the paper that you struggled to both hold and read without dropping it on your face. "It's almost as if-" a loud sucking noise erupted in the air when he forcefully pulled his mouth away from your hardened nub, the feeling causing your back to arch as your hips increased their pace. "-As if you were only born so you could be my good little wife, huh baby?" His slightly rough hands were manly and strong against the soft skin of your chest, lips and teeth grazing against your sensitive skin while the goatee caused the tickles that never failed to tip you over the edge. 

"B- Because I was, hubby!" You whimpered submissively as you failed all your attempts to make sense of the words in front of you. Pete had already told you why this was and he was right. 

You were far too simple minded to multitask. 

"What was that?" As his hips started to work against yours, the soft burn of the expensive fabric of your dress rubbing against your throbbing and leaking pussy caused tiny droplets of sweat to form on your temples. The book fell from your hands and on the ground besides the couch at last. 

"I- I was only born s- so I could be your good little wife, hubby!" You cried out as you attempted to sink your nails in his shoulders but your husband beat you to it. 

"That's fuckin' right…" Pete's breaths were heavy as he reached for the chain that connected to your ankle cuff and pulled it upwards. It was locked around a sturdy hook hidden under the living room couch on the other end. Long enough to allow you to move around the house to perform your wifely tasks but not an inch longer to entertain any funny or rebellious– dangerous attempts that could be made while he was out earning your bread and butter. Only Pete had the key that could unlock it. 

You whined loudly when he deprived you from touching him while exposing your aching core in an even more intimate position at the same time by snaking the chain around your wrists and holding both your hands as well as your shackled ankle above your head. 

The new position further distanced your pussy lips as you rubbed your swollen flesh against the soft material of his trousers now, your dress a wrinkled mess in the middle of your body. 

"Mmm… I need you so bad, hubby…" You whispered out, throat dry and face twisted in need and want. "Please…" 

"Do you deserve it, huh baby?" Now he laid out some of the cold chain against your throat with his free hand, lips parted and eyes dark. "Have you been a good wife for me?" 

You vigorously nodded, clenching around air once more as your eyes rolled to the back of your head when he applied pressure to the makeshift leash against your windpipe, the loss of air and realization of the imbalance of power causing you to pant and hump the man harder. 

Pete could do to you literally anything that he desired and you would happily let him just to please him. 

That was your only priority after all; your real duty.

"You're gonna have to use your words, honey…" Your husband released your windpipe as he spoke, causing your back to arch once more to try and breathe better. 

"I… I…. deserve it, hubby. I really do… I've been s- so good… I promise…" Your chest rose and fell as it glistened under the lights due to the tiny beads of sweat coating it along with Pete's saliva. "I- I deserve you~" your last word was a gasp against his lips that he finally smashed against yours, chaining down your windpipe again as he helped stimulate your worked up pussy by moving his own hips in sync to yours. 

You were too close. It was dangerous. You had to break away and ask his permission if you didn't want to get punished. Cumming without Pete's permission was always followed by cruel edging that stretched on for weeks. Your husband was a master at taking you high to the point of utter dumbness only to leave you deprived and trembling at the last moment.

But you liked to kiss him so much…

That and you didn't want him to feel like you were prioritizing your pleasure over kissing him.

That would be such a selfish thing to do!

And good wives were supposed to be giving, understanding, patient and supportive.

It was a dilemma.

But as always, your knight came to your rescue and you knew you could never love him more than you did in this moment. "Cum for me and I'll consider…" It was like he could read your body and boy did you adore him for it.

Your air came back -or rather, was allowed to do so- just as fast as your vision went out when your tense insides finally bloomed open and went crashing over you the barrage of pleasure that had been building up inside of you. You moaned Pete's name along with heartfelt praises as you trembled, hips slowing down to avoid overstimulation as you blinked away the stars in your vision.

Rubbing and humping definitely had their own kinds of orgasms. 

"Atta girl… That's it… Just like that…" Your husband whispered in your ear, his still clothed cock now rock hard against your worked up pussy. "Good girl…" Though he still kept a firm hold on your ankle and wrists, Pete let go of the makeshift leash to reach for your marked boobs that he began to caress. "You feel that, baby?" A soft whine pushed past the pout that formed on your lips. "This is what you do to me…" His voice was strained as he held back a moan, his stiff crotch teasing you now as he let go of your breasts to open his fly.

It was then that it suddenly occurred to you. 

And though you knew from ample experience that it was never pleasant… you had to do the right thing. 

You owed it to your perfect husband. 

"U- Uh, honey…" You hissed out softly, trying to move your hips away from the torturous humping he was still subjecting you to. When Pete didn't respond, you tried again, only this time more timid because you knew too well how he responded to denial and rejection. "D- Darling…"

His nostrils flared as he exhaled loudly in annoyance. "What?" Your bottom lip wobbled at his snappish tone. 

The man of the house did not like to be delayed when he wished to wreck his lady apart. 

"I- I need to tell you s- something…" Pete gave up fiddling with the fly, looking up at you now. 

"And it can't wait?" Your eyes stung when he refused to mend his tone but you told yourself it was because he wanted you so bad that he didn't want anything to come between you two. 

Yes, that was it.

The truth. 

Pete had told you this many times. 

"I- I don't think you would like it…" Averting your gaze from his heated one and training it on his neck, you whimpered out your next words because of how his body had suddenly stiffened against yours. "I- I…" You bit your lip, already heightened heart rate refusing to slow down. Pete appreciated it when you were honest about this, you didn't understand why it was making you feel so panicked and sad.

Hopeless. 

"D- Dangerous memories have been r- resurfacing again…" His tone and expression instantly changed after hearing this. They were darker but less rude now. 

"Oh…" Pete stopped for a few moments to recollect himself. "F- For how long, baby?" 

"D- Dunno… didn't really notice it until I remembered a whole episode from my time in court in the m- morning…" You couldn't help but whimper when you looked back up at him. 

He seemed almost dumbfounded for a second before he spoke. "I see, honey…" Stopping for a few moments, Pete let go of your chains to caress your hair lovingly. "... And… What do we do when that happens, baby?" Your husband's voice was barely above a whisper as he peeked up at you with skeptical eyes. 

"W- We have to go downstairs to fix it so the dangerous memories cannot form any silly ideas in my simple baby mind, hubby…" The man's worried expression changed to one of surprise.  

And then the biggest smile made its way on his handsome face. 

"Aren't the most perfect little girl, huh?" You couldn't help but blush and relax when he went back to being nice.

Disappointed and angry Pete was one you preferred to avoid at all costs. 

"I just love you, hubby…" It came out the way the man had programmed you to say it before you gently pressed your mouth to his. "Wanna please you and make you happy…" Your husband pulled at one of your cheeks lovingly before he peppered soft kisses around your nose, making you giggle from how his goatee tickled your skin. 

"So, then… shall we?" The older looked almost proud and smug as he crawled off of you and undid your ankle cuff, softly caressing the slightly red skin before he offered you a hand to sit up. 

You smiled as you pushed away a rather unfamiliar stinging in your chest, focusing on the man in front of you instead as you took his hand and stood up, naively following him out of the living room and into the basement, hand in hand with your fingers intertwined.

Pete smirked to himself darkly as he turned the dial of the combination lock on the door of the basement cell before opening it for you to step in. He could still remember the time when you used to push all of your faculties to try and override the lock system somehow. 

All that fight to get out only to voluntarily step in with a smile now. 

You were definitely Pete's Magnum opus.

[pinkacademic]

Studying Language

Sorry I've been rather inactive, I'm slowly trying to get back into the swing of things!

This is something I’m actually qualified to talk about! I speak three languages fluently, albeit in need of a little practise, and I’m learning one more currently, with one on pause due to time constraints. Nevertheless, I feel pretty confident in my information lol. I’m also a qualified TEFL teacher and have worked abroad teaching English!

Full immersion is the best option. The best thing you can do is spend your time in a country that speaks your target language and force yourself to learn, once you have the “Hello,” “Goodbye,” “Where is the bathroom?” all mastered. In Ireland, there are places called Gaeltachtanna where you go for different lengths of time depending on the course and live in a town speaking exclusively Irish, usually staying with an Irish-speaking family, and going to classes for the language and for games and dances. Of course, that’s not an accesible option for everyone, so you could try going to places like your nearest Asian market, Eastern European market etc, and any areas in your city with a lot of immigrants that might speak your target language. If you have friends who speak that language, natively or just to a better level than you, ask to meet them for coffee and chat as much as you can in your language.

Immersion Part Two: Culture. The people who speak your target language natively do so not just becaus that’s the place in which they exist, but because that’s the place that they live- they get their groceries there, they go to school there, and their language developed because of the day-to-day, as well as unique aspects of their culture such as dances, music, and especially food. Learn about the culture of the country or countries that speak your target language. Eg, fold a paper crane or eat sushi if your language of choice is Japanese, watch an telenovela or go to a salsa class if your goal is to learn Spanish.

Watch TV shows in your Target Language. If you can’t access the locations, and even if you can, watching TV or movies is great because it’ll help you understand the cadences of natural speech that you can’t get from a textbook or formal class situation. Start with movies you might be familiar with like Disney movies (I will die on the hill of “Mother knows Best” from Tangled is better in Spanish). You can also combine your subtitles and audio, using subtitles in your own language at first, and challenge yourself to changing the subtitle.

Similar to the above points, use YouTube or Twitch to your advantage too. That’s probably a lot easier if your target language is English, but there are creators that speak in their non-English native language too. My friend watches a Mexican Minecraft YouTuber called Quackity who has a Minecraft server modded to feature a live translator between Spanish and English, which is very cool.

Read books in your Target Language. We don’t love The Chronicles of the Boy Wizard in this house, but the books are available in 85 languages. The Hobbit also has a tonne including Cornish, Thai, and Ukranian, and Twilight has about 37 translations, just to list a few well-known examples. Learn especially about books written originally in your target language.

Consume Media Originally from the Country or Countries that Speak that Language. Read the Witcher, watch Física o Química, join the dubbed vs subbed anime bloodbath. It can be so beneficial to your understanding of a language to see how those who speak it write it themselves, not just for localisation purposes. It can especially be useful for slang and dialects.

Duolingo and other apps. I’m swiftly approaching my 365 day duolingo streak,* and I fully intend to celebrate with pierogis and a green cake. But there are other options out there, and all of them are great for beginners. I can only speak about Duolingo as its the one I use, but I’m having a lot of fun with the layout of it. However, I do need real practice if I’m going to become actually fluent.

That’s it! I hope this has been helpful!

*I've surpassed it since writing this!! I'm at 400+!!

[room-surprise]

Delicious in Dungeon Anime Season 1, Episode 2 Review

Spoilers for season 1, episode 2 below the cut! There may also be mild manga spoilers so proceed with caution.

This episode was great! I think it was a big improvement on the first. Honestly no real complaints... I do kind of wish both Marcille and Chilchuck could have had stand-alone episodes dedicated to their character development, to allow for a deeper focus, but I understand why they didn't do it, and the pacing was still excellent. I do still sometimes feel like the show is in fast-forward at times, because with 3 meals in one episode, it feels like the characters finish eating, and we jump cut to them saying that they're hungry again, without anything to help really impress upon viewers that time has passed. Makes it feel a bit like we're reading a collection of short 4-panel gag comics instead of a continuing story… which, early Dungeon Meshi DOES have that as part of it's format, but it changes with time, as we get into longer individual stories.

During the Basilisk/Doni and FIonil section, I really do miss some of the dry humor from the manga. ("Hurry, he's getting cold!" "Move him closer to the fire!") The hilarity of slowly preparing a meal while someone is dying of poison has unfortunately been lost, which makes Doni and Fionil much less memorable characters…. But it benefits the other 2 stories in the ep to have more time so I think it was the right choice to make. It also gives people something to go back and read the manga for, since it's a little different! If you're reading this and you're an anime only, consider reading the manga while you watch the anime! I promise it's worth it. I'm excited about next week because I think they'll devote the entire episode to Laios and the living armors, which is me and my spouse's favorite early DM storyline, and the part where we both said "Oh, I LOVE this manga..." and got really invested. It's 2 chapters in the manga so it could be an entire episode…. which also would make sense, if that's why they needed to crunch 3 chapters into episode 2. Just like the first episode, animation was fantastic, and as usual the weakest points are when characters are just walking or talking and not doing much. Everything more dynamic is just bouncy and adorable and full of life. Very rarely is anything animated in a dull or flat way. They're doing their best to use "move a drawing around" or "zoom on a drawing" for comic effect and I think it's working well so far. There's some great animal animation in this episode, the bat flying around and the basilisk chasing Marcille in particular. Translation was better this time around, no dumb modern or game references in the dub ("newbs" "as if" etc.) … But there are differences between the subtitles and the dub script that change how easy it is to understand what's happening. When Senshi tells Chilchuck to cut up the giant bat, the subtitles make it hard to understand what he's telling him to do, and the dub makes it a lot clearer. In the subs when Senshi calls Chilchuck a half-foot child, the subtitles say "I'm not a child" and the dub says "I hate it when people call me 'kid'"… The latter is more interesting for keeping the mystery going for things that happen later in the story. If the show continues like this, I think the English dub may be the more satisfying way to watch it (even though the Japanese performances are great), mostly because the subs are very literal and sometimes miss things that the English dub somehow manages to include. And for some reason Netflix isn't including translation of Japanese signs on-screen during the subtitles, but they DO provide them when you watch the English dub. A lot of Dungeon Meshi's humor is sometimes in those background signs so completely missing out on them sucks. Anyway those are my thoughts for this episode! See you next week Meshiheads.

[feekins]

so I can't find it rn but I saw this post a while back theorizing that Knives can't hear plants? which struck me as a little strange, bc in both the English subs (pictured below) and dubs of ep 9, Knives specifically references their dying screams.

which got me thinking - the key differences in Vash's and Knives' defining moments interacting with Dependents in eps 8-9 don't lie in their abilities but in their circumstances.

thanks to his gut instincts and humans putting their trust in him just in time, Vash was able to do something to save that plant. meanwhile, even with the top plant engineer at his beck and call, Knives couldn't do a damn thing to save all those plants bc by the time he got there, it was already too late.

it's chock-a-block full of narrative foils - Studio Orange gives us A LOT of those between Vash and Knives. furthermore, those differences in their earliest Dependent life-or-death situations are VITAL to their character development.

Vash starts out believing himself to be incapable of contributing anything meaningful/doing anything of importance - also, being what he is, humans don't trust him at first. then, he begs to help the moment he realizes something is wrong with one of the plants, and humans choose to go out on a limb and trust him. through this experience, not only does Vash realize that he DOES have value and he CAN make a difference just the way he is - he also learns that he CAN coexist with humans in a good way.

on the flip-side, starting out, we don't see any evidence that Knives doubts either his abilities as a plant or his value as a person. additionally, he has a pre-established relationship (in a flashback towards the end of ep 10, we see that Conrad recognizes Knives from before the Fall and literally runs to greet him with open arms) with a pretty skilled (we know from a Studio Orange tweet that Conrad was the leader of the Project SEEDS science division), pretty influential (from the same tweet, we also know Conrad p much built July from the ground up) human who is p much at Knives' command (albeit forcibly). even with that, Knives is ultimately powerless, unable to bring all those plants back from the brink of death (again, they were past the point of saving by the time he got to them) - worse, he's there to bear witness to their massacre at the hands of humans who intentionally bleed them dry. through this experience, despite what power/resources he has at his disposal, Knives is once again traumatized by his (and his brethren's) lack of control/agency at the hands of humankind, and it reinforces his beliefs and his genocidal conviction.

things could have easily turned out VERY DIFFERENTLY. if Luida had waited too much longer to let Vash out, that plant would've died - and Knives would've been able to do something using Conrad's influence and/or skills if they'd somehow gotten there before all those plants were pushed hard enough to cut them off from the higher dimension in the first place. if either of those things were the case, though, Vash and Knives would most definitely not be the Vash and Knives we've come to know.

[nyctophiliq]

COLLEGE HAREM AU feat. ekko, vi, sevika, finn

please be aware that every character is over the age of eighteen in this au and there will be sexual themes across the whole au- minors do not interact.

content warning. lowercase writing intended, sub ! afab ! reader, dom ! characters, oral sex, blow job, cunnilingus, dub-con/non-con elements,

EKKO, president of the IT club

ekko can be found at three places during the day- library, IT class, or his dorm room. his head is always buried in his screen, headphones on his ears listening to whatever kind of music he was in the mood for while coding his next game, app, or just improving the college's website with little tweaks here and there, maybe sending out maintenance emails to students about the school emails shutting down for the afternoon. he often gets frustrated that his codes don't work out the first time, or that whatever he was trying to improve turned out worse than before. at times like those, he likes to have you under his desk, pants pulled down under his balls with your pretty mouth wrapped around his cock, helping him relax and clear his mind.

"you have to swallow all of it, we wouldn't want my cum wasted on my pants or laptop, would we?"

VI, president of the wrestling club

despite being in one of the most aggressive sports out of all the choices in the school, vi is somewhat of a quiet student, only speaking if needed or when frustration gets the best of her. she is often at the campus patrol office to listen to caitlyn's whining about one of her club members beat up a student on campus and now sevika is gonna be involved. she would head right back to the training room to empty her head, trying her best to cross ways with you and when she finally does the whole wrestling gym will be cleared for only the two of you. she clicked the sliding door shut before pushing you on the pile of mattresses and immediately hiked your skirt up, fingers hooking under your panties and pushing them inside without any foreplay. she was very forward with her desires, and she would not settle for any less than her tongue dwelling in your drenched core.

"i wanna hear you sweet cake, loud and clear, don't worry about anyone else okay? just focus on me, only me."

SEVIKA, president of the beautification council

despite being one of the biggest troublemakers on campus, sevika has scored herself a high place in the school hierarchy, all thanks to silco who was one of the biggest financial supporters of the school. she enjoys the power she had been given, always threatening the students by putting them in front of the council for this and that- you weren't an exception. she walked with you, leading you into a trap as she went on and on about what you were gonna be held accountable for. sevika gives you a few options for not getting a 'black dot' in your permanent record before pushing you up against the inside of the council room's door and giving you her favorite option- eating her out. don't worry, it will be the secret of the two of you! do this for her and it's swept under the rug. so you do, kneeling down in front of her after she undid her pants, pushing your face as far into her crying cunt as you can, and start eating her out.

"fuck doll, you are not as innocent as i thought, you are eating me so well!"

FINN, vice-president of the beautification council

despite his somewhat scary pierced, tattoed face, body, and deep, accented voice he is a kind of decent person. he goes after sevika with the whole power trip of taking somewhat advantage of his status. first meeting with him was when he and sevika were passing balls between themselves with the different 'charges' they came up with. finn made little of it and thought his president was messing with you like every other student until he saw you in the council room with his president, lapping at her core eagerly. he is so pent up about it that the next day he pulled into the council room once again, sitting in the chair sevika sat in, and have you sitting on his lap. his fingers rub along your folds as he whispers how frustrating it is that you were with 'her', pleasing 'her'. he is just so jealous of sevika having you first that he can't help but tease you until you are crying, begging him to put his fingers inside and let you come.

"sevika is a tease don't worry about her, I'll make sure she doesn't bother you anymore. she can't make you feel this good, i am the only one, okay? nobdy else, just me, finn."

[monstrousvoice]

Royal Treatment

A/N: I wrote this for a Discord server and someone said it was good enough for posting so…here you go.

Tags: Smut, Spanking, Light Bondage, BDSM,, Dom-Sub, Dub-Con, Consensual Non-Consent, Kidnapping, Drug Induced Knock-out, Playing a Scene, everything is consensual I swear, Female Tarnished

Read on AO3!

You're sneaking around the castle of Lyndell when it happens. Margit the Fell, who you now know is the King, finds you. 

It was unexpected, you didn't know he had been watching you the entire time. In a quick flurry of attacks you were disarmed and a potion of sleeping draught was broken at your feet. The cool mist seemed to seep into your very bones, making you drowsy and desperate for sleep. You collapse, but don't hit the floor. The last thing your mind registers is the Fell Omen of Lyndell staring down at you.

When you awaken, you're staring at the stone floor. Your joints ache and you feel weary, the aftereffects of breathing in so much sleeping draught. As the pounding in your head clears you look up, taking in your surroundings. 

First thing you notice is the cool air on your backside. You're naked, head to toe, not a scrap of clothing to preserve your modesty.

Second, the surface you rest on is actually a rack, one your wrists and ankles are tied firmly to. Even if you were at full strength, you wouldn't be able to break through the binds. Said binds have been chosen carefully, clearly. Leather straps that hold you in place but don't dig roughly into your skin. 

If you're a prisoner, why would your captor make sure you were safely tied up for no injury...?

And finally, the room you find yourself in is not your typical prisoner cell or torture room. The walls and floor are pristine, no remnants of blood, no corpses left to rot. The smell of calming perfume tickles your nose. A fireplace, a genuine hearth like you've only seen in the Roundtable Hold, sits in the corner and cackles with flame. Everything is bathed in warm golden light and despite your nakedness you don't feel cold. Just pleasantly cool.

It would be enough to lull you into a false sense of security were it not for the objects lining the walls. Shadows from the fire dance and twist their shape, and fear pools like ice in your belly as you stare at what looks like instruments of torture. 

Some you recognize immediately. A wooden paddle, a leather whip and flock. Different types of shackles for your captor (and now torturer, you're certain) to move you into different positions and shapes. Some of the objects are just...so odd looking.

Some look...you blush and chastise yourself for thinking something so lewd, but they look...phallic? 

Rising panic makes you yank at your bonds with more force, and you cringe at the loud clatter of leather and metal against wood. You need to get away, you need to get out of here- 

The creak of a door opening behind you makes you freeze. Muscles tense and heartbeat in your throat, you crane your neck to look over your shoulder.

Margit the Fell stands, his arms folded across his chest. If you weren't so terrified you would have admired the flex of his muscles, the way his thick pectorals are pushed together by his strong arms. His golden gaze looks heated in the glow of the fire.

"M-Margit?" You whimper. "Please...please whatever you have planned, please don't do it, I swear I-"

"Quite a lovely sight, little Tarnished. A wonder thou does not walk around the Lands Between in such a state." He cuts you off, as if he doesn't even hear your pathetic pleas.

"W-wha-?" Your eyes dart down, and in reflex you try to clamp your thighs closed, only now realizing that with your tied position, everything is on display to the Omen.

Your shackles clatter and hold tight, keeping your legs forced open. You squeal in mortification, tears pricking your eyes at being in such an embarrassing position.

"Calm thyself, Tarnished. I took great care in choosing bonds that would not hurt thee, but too much struggle and thee may do so anyways."

You bow your head, wishing that you could simply disappear. 

He can see. 

He can see your shame, your lewdness. See how wet you are from simply being tied up.

You can't let him know, you can't-!

How did he even know!? How did he know that you would be in the castle? That you fantasized about this exact scenario on your journey through the land? Was he watching you the whole time?

Did he...did he see you at night? Hiding away in your camp near Grace, whispering his name and plunging your fingers into your dripping cunt? 

What would he do with you now? You were helpless, tied down with your only exit being blocked by the very being making your most shameful fantasies a reality.

"I-I don't know what you want with me-please-!"

"Tis no use little Tarnished. I can smell thee." Your neck snaps up, trying in vain to face him again. "...Yes, I can smell thy scent, that sweet coiling spice of heat and arousal..." 

"N-no-!" You whimper, wiggling against the table as molten heat, the kind he smells you now know, pooling in your lower belly. You can feel your cunt leak at his words, at the sound of his lower timbre of a voice.

He laughs at you, a deep chuckle that you can feel vibrate through you to your very core. It makes your opening clench, and you bite your lip hard to keep from making more noise.

The heavy thud of his feet along the stone floor echoes in your ears. With no warning, massive scarred hands grip your thighs, the curve of your ass resting just above them. You squeak in shock at his touch, jerking your hips forward out of instinct.

"Don't move away from me, Tarnished." He growls. 

"P-please-" He ignores you. You feel his thumbs, each one longer than your palm and as thick as two of your own fingers, pull at you drooling slit.

Your lips open to him, muscles clenching and winking at him as you bury your face against the table and squeal. Your cream beads from your opening, making the skin shine with arousal, all for him to see.

"Ahh, such a lewd sight. A beautiful cunt thou has, my little Tarnished. Tight and wet. Desperate for a cock to fill it, hmm?" You don't say anything, not trusting your voice to work how you want it to.

Embarrassed beyond belief you jerk again, pulling your hips away from him. Immediately you know this was the wrong move. Margit huffs in frustration, his hands falling away from your skin.

"Tis thy wish to be difficult, hmm?" He growls, moving away from the rack. You peek up from the wood to watch him as he goes towards the many shelves holding the various devices you can't even imagine the use of. He goes for something simple, a durable leather flogger. 

You tense up again, eyes wide. He won't possibly-!

"Wait! Please, Margit I'll do whatever you ask, p-please not this-!"

"Silence. Or thee shall wear a gag the rest of the night." His eye pins you, and you whimper once more. "I would rather not have to use it. I want to hear thee scream my name by the end of the night."

Resigned to your fate, you give up. There is no changing his mind. He plans to use you, to play with you, to break you.

Make you his. 

And trying to fight it would be pointless.

"Now, thy squirming is adorable, but not when thy goal is to pull away from me. Punishment is needed for thee to learn thy proper place." You tense as he walks behind you once more, and flinch hard at the feel of the flogger gently laid against your backside. He simply lets it drape over you, again and again until your muscles relax on instinct at the feel of the leather.

"What should thy punishment be? Tis a first time offense against your Master, I understand that thee must learn first. We shall start small." His free hand joins the flogger on your ass, fingers gripping the flesh of your cheek hard.

"We shall go to ten. Thou shall count every strike, is this understood?" You tremble, nodding your head.

"Y-yes Sir...c-count to ten..." You whisper. 

"Good." He purrs.

And the first strike hits. 

You cry out, body tensing up all over again as pain ripples through the soft flesh of your ass. Your back arches, trying to pull away even knowing it would be useless. The entire right side of your ass feels like it's on fire. 

You fucking love it.

He switches the flogger to his other hand, using his right to grab the stinging flesh of your right cheek. Large fingers massage the area, diluting the pain and making your muscles unclench once again.

"O-o-one..." You croak.

The second strike somehow feels worse. Right against your left cheek, the flogger strikes true, and heat spreads to match the intensity you feel in the right side of your ass. You jump hard again, body rocking back and forth as it tries to make sense of this painful pleasure combo it's been hit with. As Margit's hand massages the area, your own hands turn and grip at your leather cuffs, pulling at the bindings for some sort of stability. 

"Tttt-two-!"

When the third hit strikes your right cheek, you scream.

"FFFF-FUCK-! T-THREE-!" Your voice sounds distant to your own ears, the blood pumping through your system making everything feel both heightened and dull.

You can feel your cunt clenching rapidly on nothing but empty air, slick gushing out of you and coating your thighs. You need...you need something, anything. Anything that the Omen behind you will give to you.

"Good job little Tarnished, thee are doing very well..." His voice rumbles. A burst of smug pride and bliss spreads through your whole body at his words.

Yes, you are doing good. You're taking Master's punishment and doing exactly as he commands...what a good pet you are~

Another strike of the flogger against your abused skin.

"G-grace give me str-streng...Fff-four..."

Margit rubs soothing circles into the flesh again, watching as you go lax to his touch. Your skin is already hot to the touch, welts forming over your skin. 

His cock is aching between his legs. It has already slipped out of his sheathe, the head leaking precum into a pool on the table between your feet. His knot was still tucked snuggly away inside, not yet swollen enough to come out. 

He wanted to see your ass ruined, the skin tender and sore as he rubbed his cock in between the meaty flesh before pounding away at your cunt. To hear you cry for him as his cock stretched you open and his hips slapped against your abused skin.

He needed to move this along.

You were starting to relax fully at his gentle touch, the sting in your butt slowly fading away. And suddenly in quick succession, two strikes hit you at the same time.

Your back arched again and you threw your head back, staring wide eyed at the ceiling in a silent scream as searing pain blossomed into hot pleasure that shot straight to your cunt. It spasmed hard, a gush of cream squirting out and soaking your legs and Margit's hips. 

You weren't sure if you just came, you didn't know. You could feel the release of tension from your pussy, waves of pleasure rolling over you from head to toe, but the heat in your belly remained. 

The need to feel something more was still there. 

The flogger was laid down next to you, both the Omen's hands kneading and massaging your abused ass this time.

"Nngghhh-fuhhh-fuck-...Fffive and...and s-sssix..."

You fell limp against the rack, tears in your eyes as your overstimulated body finally gave out. You let your tears fall, unashamed as your body squirmed and wiggled. You didn't know what you needed anymore, a rest? A cock, to be bred by your Omen Master? Did it even matter? 

What did anything matter when Master was here for you? He knew what you needed, he would take care of you.

"P-pleasssse...Master I...I need-..." You needed him, anything from him. His words were as soothing as his touch.

"Yes my little one, I know. First thee must finish the punishment. It shall be over soon, dear one. Just four more." 

You gave a choked sob. You didn't want to do four more! You wanted it to be over, you wanted him-!

"Thou is doing such a good job...such a good little pet for me." You heaved and panted, taking solace in that you were being good. You didn't want to do it, but you could. Your Master knew you could.

His hands moved lower towards your lips, spreading them once more to watch you unabashedly.

"Fuck...look at this pretty little cunt, pulsing for me...so wet." You heard him say as a single finger dipped into you. It didn't even press against your opening or your engorged clit before it was gone again, a sticky trail of moisture connecting it to you. The trail snapped under its own weight, the slick falling back onto your trembling thighs.

You heard Margit suck on his finger, tasting your cream on his tongue. You hoped he liked it.

"Let us continue."

The flogger was picked back up, the threads of leather trailing on the table in the corner of your eye. You took a deep breath, bowing your head and presenting your sore ass for more punishment. 

A strike on your right cheek, a cry from you. Tears leaked down your face as more pain bloomed under your skin. 

"S-seve-!" Your count is cut off as another strike makes its mark, and your body convulses. Your hips wiggle and hump empty air, your lungs feel empty as you try to breathe. 

"FFF-FUH-Fuuuckk...please, please, pleasepleaseplease-" You beg, unsure what you're asking for at this point. All you know is that you need this.

"What is our count little one?" Margit growls, his hands already kneading your flesh. You give a choked cry in response. 

"Tell me. Otherwise we shall have no choice but to start over." The threat has you shuddering and crying again and you force yourself to mumble with some coherency.

"Sevvven...a-ah-ahnd...e-eight...ooohh fuuhcck..." 

"Hmmm, good. We are on our last two little Tarnished." You feel his body press against you, his towering form easily able to press against the entirety of your back and bring his lips to your ear.

His hot breath fans against your skin, and you're overwhelmed with the urge to feel his tongue shoved forcefully down your throat. You can feel his cock, hard as steel pressing against you, his hips pushing burning pressure against your ass.

"Count these last two...and thy punishment is over..." He purrs, nipping your earlobe. You give a broken sob, tears running down to your neck.

You can't take two more...you can't. Your ass feels broken and sore, the skin burning like hot coals were under your skin. Your cunt felt so empty, you just wanted this to be over-!

Margit pulled away from you, standing to his full height once more. His hands give two quick gentle pats against your ass that has you squeaking in protest.

Not that it will earn you a break. The end of your punishment is here.

With a resounding 'WHACK' two more strikes are dealt to your bruising skin. You scream loud enough that if anyone is in the halls of wherever you're being held, they surely would have heard. Your hips buck and thrash as your skin throbs in time with your heartbeat. 

You look a mess, tears staining your cheeks as bruises stain the lower ones. Your thighs are coated in slick, your pussy throbbing for any kind of stimulation as the pain slowly fades and leaves pleasurable heat behind. 

You give a shuddering gasp when air finally returns to you, dropping your head against the wooden table below you as your muscles all go slack. 

"Nnnn-nine...t...ten..." 

Margit gives a low groan in his chest at the sight of you, his cock twitching. He doesn't give you a moment of reprieve, simply climbing up and settling himself down against your thighs. You don't protest or try to pull away from him, from your kidnapper, only laying still and watching him over your shoulder with hooded, tear filled eyes. 

He grabs his dick, pushing the head down towards your puffy pussy and pressing insistently against the tight hole.

"This will be a tight fit for thee...but I know my little Tarnished whore can handle it~" He smirks, meeting your gaze as he pushes inside. He wants to watch you as he breaks your cunt on his cock.

He watches as your eyes widen and roll to the back of your skull, your jaw dropping open in a silent cry. He bites his bottom lip, endeared by your cute reaction to taking him fully.

With the head snug inside he removes his hand, placing both on opposite sides of you to hold his weight. He shifts to be more comfortable above you before sinking further inside. You give the most adorable mewl at the feeling, your cunt giving a wet 'squelch' as he pushes deeper.

"I-ooohh fuhhck...sss-so deep...b-breaking me-" You gasp, your arms pulling futilely at your cuffs.

"Yes, that's right...this is my cunt now. Mine to use and break how I see fit...no one else." He growls.

You can feel him stretch you open, your muscles lax and sensitive as his fat cock pushes forcefully through. Your gummy walls spread until they can't any more, until his cock goes as deep as it can.

"Margiii-it...my-my womb-your cock is-! Fucking g-!" You can only squeal as he finally stops, his hips resting against your abused ass. His balls, swollen with cum and desperate for release, rest against your pussy, pushing against your blood engorged clit that hasn't gotten any attention this whole time.

He simply sits there for a moment, enjoying the way you pulse against him, the cute noises you keep making.

"Yes little Tarnished, tell me. Tell the world whose cock it is stretching thee so well...who thou belongs to..." His hands move to your back, massaging and pressing against the tense muscles. 

"Yes!! Yes-it's yooouuu-! Fuck, it's Margit the F-Fell Omen inside me! S-stretching my p-pussy so faarrr-!" You cry, shuddering.

A sudden wave of pleasure washes over you as you scream those words, bliss overtaking your mind. Your cunt squeezes down hard like a vice as you finally cum. You shake and shudder on his cock, drooling all over yourself as the intense pleasure makes you cry more.

"Fuck, there it is...My little one cumming for thy new Master...So good for me..." He moans. With sudden speed your body is not prepared for, Margit pulls out of your welcoming heat.

He thrusts back in immediately, setting a harsh and brutal pace that knocks the air from your lungs. Your pussy isn't able to keep up, just keeping a tight grip on the fat cock breeding it as wave of bliss after wave of bliss washes over you. Your first orgasm never truly ends…Or it does and is immediately followed by another one, your mind is too blank to tell. Your toes curl and your back arches to keep your ass up and open for the pounding you receive.

Your ass stings with every thrust, sharp jolts of pain that mingle with the pleasure you feel. Margit's fat sack slaps against your clit with every thrust. Your body is trapped in an endless loop of pleasure. You can't do anything except lay there and accept that this is your place now.

Your mind slowly fades, washed away by pleasure and joy as you give everything up to your Master. 

Margit watches, entranced by your whimpers and tears as you take him, your body being molded to be his perfect little mate to breed and fill with his thick cum. 

He keeps thrusting, holding off on the urge to push his knot inside for as long as he can. He never wants this feeling to end. Your tight heat pulsing around him, opening up to him, welcoming him inside. 

His eye looks down at the hypnotic sight of his cock disappearing inside you. Puffy cunt lips spread wide and stands of sticky cream that break and conjoin with every one of his thrusts. His cock is coated in the stuff, the pink skin covered in creamy white with every thrust.

It's too much, his body feeling on edge after your punishment. He feels his knot grow, finally slipping out of his sheath to press against your too small hole. 

He'll make it fit.

His hands move down from your shoulders to your ass once more, thumbs hooking against your wet lips to spread them further. It gives him a wonderful view as his knot presses against you, being pushed back out from the tightness before finally-!

With a shuddering groan from deep in his chest, he watches as the knot slips past the tight ring of your cunt and inside. He bows over your prone form, teeth biting into the soft skin of your neck as his hips press deep inside.

Your only reaction is to coo and cum again, head laying limp against the wooden table as Margit takes what he needs from you.

Pump after pump of thick, creamy cum is unloaded inside you, filling your waiting and abused womb. A small bump immediately forms in your abdomen as you’re flooded full. You can feel the liquid slosh back towards your opening, trying to find a way out as you're filled to the absolute limit. Margit's knot does its job, keeping you plugged even as he absentmindedly grinds against your ass for more pleasure.

He's lost in his own mind, huffing and grunting above you, teeth still in your skin as his eye slips closed. It feels so good...pumping you full of his seed, making you his. 

You'll never belong to another. Never.

Your body is made for him, made for his cum, for his future pups, for wherever he needs. 

You let out one final moan of his name, a plea and a promise, before you fall completely limp against the rack, mind unconscious.

                                                 ~~~~~

When you come to, you're no longer in the cell. 

You lay on a soft luxurious bed, wrapped up in silk sheets. The curtains are drawn but the ever present glow of the Erdtree seeps through and gives the room a soft glow. 

Margit sits at his desk, bifocals on his nose as he looks over paperwork. At your shifting, he looks to you.

He smiles and stands, taking his bifocals off and laying them on his desk. He makes his way over to you, and grabs a glass of water off the nightstand you didn't notice.

"Drink. Ye need it." You do as he says, and find he's right. Your throat is sore and tender after all that screaming.

"Ye should have told me it was becoming too much. It was thou's idea to have a safe word for such situations." With a small cough, you clear your throat.

"Yes-...Hrmm, yes. But I didn't want you to stop, love. It was amazing~" You coo. You look at your wrists, and then show them to him.

"And look! No scrapes or cuts! I told you leather cuffs would work just fine!" You smile, taking his hand in yours. The Omen sighs through his nose, sitting down on the mattress next to you. His tail rises and falls in slight agitation, showing his anxious thoughts,

"I worry that I will hurt ye too much someday..." Your expression goes soft, and you bring his hand up to press a gentle kiss to his palm.

"I know you won't. That was wonderful and I loved every moment of it." He looks more reassured by your words, but the doubt is still there. You think for a moment before speaking.

"How about we talk a little more about this and I can tell you how much I loved it? We can have dinner here! I...can't exactly walk, heehee~" You giggle. Morgott smiles, a small quirk of his lips, and nods.

"I shall have the servants bring something up for ye."

"And you too! You need to eat with me." You insist. He pauses for a moment, then bows his head to you.

"Whatever my mate wishes."

[maybege]

Ooo okay okay 222 and 223 with either Paz or Boba? 👀

Marital Favours

Summary: You ask your husband for a favour.

Pairing: alpha!!Paz Vizsla x omega!fem!Reader

Wordcount: 3.0k | Rating: E (18+ only!)

Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers vibes (but really it is just idiots to lovers), dom!Paz, sub!Reader, vaginal fingering, dirty talk, size kink, pet names (some of them a tiny bit degrading, but all of them loving)

Prompts: #222 “No one can ever find out about this.” + #223 “For your safety I'll be gentle.”

Thank you so much for the prompts, anon! And shoutout to @ayybtchch for giving me the idea to pair these prompts with etl!Paz and to @galacticgraffiti for sending me thots when I was supposed to write my thesis. As always, let me know what you thought in a comment or reblog!

masterlist | crossposted on AO3

This was one of your lowest moments, you decided, as you stood in what you had dubbed the Throne Room.

Your husband still insisted that it was merely a gathering place but the prominent chair at the end of the cavernous hall made you think differently. Especially when you saw him sitting there, bare-chested, fur cape on his shoulders, thick legs spread wide as he rested his chin on his fist, listening to his advisors.

It could not be anything less than a throne, not with the way he was sitting on it.

Paz had made a comment, once, about how his wife ought to have her own chair next to his. You had put it off as a joke, knowing that the Vizsla clan would never accept an outside like you. And you did not want one either, happy to hide in your rooms or the archives or the childcare quarters when it came to the weekly storytelling sessions.

But whenever you had thought about spending more time with him, you could not help but feel a flutter in your chest. You had tried to blame it on you being an omega at first. After all, your husband was an alpha and a giant one at that, it was only natural to find him attractive. But after weeks of your marriage had passed and the tingling in your fingertips and between your legs had grown stronger with every gentle word, every discussion, every teasing remark he made, you had to face the fact that maybe … maybe you were attracted to him.

Great.

So here you were, heart hammering in your chest as the moon took residence in the sky, its light shining through the windows high up on the ceiling.

“So, what can I do for you, my wife, that you seek me out in the middle of the night?”

You debated turning around and leaving. The alpha’s voice was deep, playfully posh and you knew he was in a good mood when he chose to tease you. That didn’t make it easier though. You shifted on your feet, the hem of your nightgown barely brushing the cold stone floor. You remembered when he had wordlessly handed it you. (“It’s colder here than your home, omega,” he had said, “No need for you to get sick.”)

“No one can ever find out about this,” you started carefully, your voice echoing around you and you found yourself thanking the stars that even the guards had retired at this hour. You two were probably the only people awake in the entire covert.

He leaned forward, clearly intrigued. “You have my word.”

“I was thinking about what you said today when we were going over the inventory plans,” you admitted shyly, “About making me feel good with … with your fingers.”

He hummed, the epitome of relaxation in front of you. “What about it?” he asked.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for what you were about to say.

“I want you to do it.”

“What?”

If you hadn’t been so nervous, you would have laughed at the shocked expression on his face. You had seen Paz Vizsla display many emotions but shock was never one of them. Maybe because he had seen so many things already, saying of himself that “there is very little in the universe that can surprise me anymore.”

But his silence, the way his eyes had widened and his whole body had tensed had not helped you in your insecurity. You avoided his eyes, following the lines of the grout on the floor and shifted on your feet. “I want you to, uh, to finger me,” you repeated shyly.

His laughter made you flinch and for a second you feared that perhaps he was laughing at you. Rejection burned deep in your belly, the fear of him rejecting you even brighter in your chest.

“C’mon up here then,” he grinned, patting his thighs and you took a tentative step towards the dais he was sitting on.

“Don’t worry,” he grinned, his legs spreading, “For your safety I'll be gentle.”

You rolled your eyes and he laughed, warm and full. His hands were warm and slow as he bunched the fabric of your up around your hips. You hissed as the cold air touched your bare skin and the desire to hide away from his gaze – from anyone’s gaze – was stronger than ever. But then his hands landed on your thighs, running up and down as if to calm you.

“Has anyone ever touched you like this?” he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. You put your hands on his shoulders, spreading your legs so you could open up for him. His fingers brushed over your inner thighs and you took a deep breath, allowing yourself to enjoy the way he was touching you. Yes, this was the enemy of your birth clan, the man your parents had warned you about again and again. But this was also your husband and the only alpha you ever dreamt about.

You nodded, avoiding his heated gaze as you thought back to one of the first intimate encounters you ever had. A large hand came up to your chin, tilting your head so you had to look at him.

Seeing him like this, in the half-dark, dressed like the alpha leader he was, you remembered how scared you had been when you had first seen him. How intimidating he could be, still, when someone crossed him. But he had never hurt you, never even touched you unless you had indicated your consent. No, Paz Vizsla was an alpha clan leader through and through but he was a good one.

“Another alpha?” he asked, his lips tight. For a moment, you imagined seeing a furrow between his brows, his scent a little sharper than usual. Was he jealous? Of the man you had been intimate with before him?

You shook your head. “He, uh, he was a beta.”

For some reason, that seemed to relax him and you melted into his touch when his hands reach around to your back, pulling him closer to him.

“A beta, hm?” he echoed, his nose brushing against yours. You could feel his breath on your face and your heart started to race. Was he going to kiss you?

The thought made the blood run into your cheeks. Somehow you hadn’t really expected a kiss to happen. You hadn’t expected him to want to kiss, well, you. You had never thought he wanted to kiss you.

“My parents never allowed me near alphas,” you burst out, trying to distract yourself from how nervous you were, “You know that.”

“I do,” he nodded, his mouth landing on your neck and you shuddered when his lips brushed over your unmarked scent gland. It had been your decision, your condition, that he wouldn’t mate you upon your marriage, something that Paz had never questioned but at that moment, you wished he would just sink his teeth into your skin and mark you as his. “I remember how they locked all of you princesses away when it was time for negotiations,” he rumbled, his nose nudging that space just under your ear, “Only got to see you at the dinner, that one time, remember?”

You did. What surprised you was that he remembered. But you did not dwell on it when his fingers rubbed softly over your pussy. “Oh, you’re wet,” he chuckled, pressing a quick peck to your neck before leaning back, clearly admiring the view of his hand on you. You squirmed, trying to close your legs but his spread legs kept you from it. That and his disapproving look.

“Keep them open for me, omega,” he instructed, “I want to see how pretty you look, all stretched out for me.”

“Paz,” you gasped at his words, yet you could not keep your hips from bucking towards him when two of his finger sought out your clit. It did not

“Is that all for me?” he asked you teasingly, nipping at your bottom lip and it was instinct, to lean closer to him, to chase his lips, to whimper for just a taste of him.

“Ah,” he breathed, brushing his mouth over yours, “I think it is all for me. Your pussy is weeping for me, little one.”

“Uh huh,” you nodded eagerly, moving closer to his fingers, to his mouth, to him, “Just for you.”

You could feel his fingertips at your entrance, gathering the wetness there, and you wished you were brave enough to ask him for more. Wished you could put all that you desired into words. Without shame, without fear, without that dreadful feeling in your stomach every time you thought of something that you wanted just for you.

Paz pressed his mouth to yours just as he slowly pushed one finger inside you. It should not have fried your brain but it did and your walls closed around him. He was much larger than your own fingers and despite the many nights you graduated from two to three fingers (especially when your heats neared), you felt the stretch of his finger inside you and you could not shake the nervous feeling from you.

Here was your husband, the first alpha who touched you like this and you didn’t even particularly like each other – or at least you tried to tell yourself that – but then why did it feel so good, the way he touched you, the way he pumped his finger inside you slowly, as if he was just as nervous as you were?

The little peck quickly developed into a kiss that had your toes curling and your hands tightening on his shoulders until the need to breathe became too strong. With a gasp, you parted from him, your heart skipping a beat when it was Paz that followed your lips, breathing into you. His eyes were impossibly dark, looking into yours, and his scent of woods and fire and something sweet burnt itself into your nose.

“Relax for me,” he whispered, his thumb circling your clit and you shuddered, trying to ignore how your legs were trembling, perched on top of him. You could feel your slick on his finger, easing his way into you even more and you tried to relax your thighs, resting more of your weight on his lap.

“There we go,” he murmured, his mouth brushing against your ears, “Good girl.”

“Oh,” you whimpered, your pussy fluttering around him again.

“Can you feel how you open up for me?” he asked you quietly, his voice just a whisper in the wide halls and as if to prove his point, he sunk his finger into the knuckle. He hit something inside you then, a spot you had never felt before but that made you clench even harder. Pleasure overcame you like a wave, and you fell forward, trying to find something – someone – to hold on to.

“Steady, ‘mega,” Paz warned you, his other hand gripping your hip, while he crooked his finger inside you, “You’re meant to enjoy this, are you? Enjoying it?”

You wanted to slap him for how smug he sounded but all you managed was a weak attempt at grabbing his shoulder. You could barely put two words together and he made it a point to ask you something? Insufferable.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he grunted, rubbing the heel of his hand against your clit, causing another moan to escape your lips, “Stars, you’re so pretty like this.”

The blood was burning in your veins and you could feel a kind of knot in your core that seemed to get tighter and tighter with every brush of his fingers over that spot inside you. And Paz seemed to notice it, too.

“One finger and you’re already so tight,” he hissed, slowly pulling out of you, “Sure you can take more than one, little wife?

Stars, how could the pet name that used to infuriate you to no end suddenly make you want him even more?

“P-Paz,” you whimpered, feeling painfully empty. You ground against him, trying t create some of the friction that was missing when you felt something hot and ... hard underneath you. Paz’s groan was so loud it seemed to surprise you both and your entire body heated up even more when you realized that he was aroused … by you.

You did it again, rubbing your folds against the bulge in his pants and in the

“Good thing I haven’t mated you yet,” he growled, moving his hips up against yours, “I don’t think my cock would even fit in that little pussy.”

You whined, rubbing your pussy against his crotch again; the thought turned you on more than you would ever admit. The image of him above you, driving his cock impossibly deep inside you again and again and again –

Two fingers pushed inside you and you moaned, trying to move your hips even more so you could chase the high that had been building ever since he had started touching you. “Look at that,” he marvelled, running his nose over your scent gland, “My little wife riding my fingers like the good omega she is.”

Your cheeks warmed up with embarrassment but when he carefully scissored his fingers ever so slightly, you decided you could not care less. You needed

“C’mon,” he growled, his mouth opening over your neck, sucking at your scent gland and a whole body shudder went through you, “be a good girl and come for me, ‘mega, you can do it.”

“I – I can’t,” you shook your head, whimpering when his thumb brushed over your clit again, “Please, Paz, I – “

“Yes, you can,” he murmured, “I got you, love, I got you. What do you need?”

You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to think, trying to feel, trying to –

“I – I don’t know,” you shook your head, continuing to bounce up and down, “It just all feels so good and I –“

Paz growled, surging forward and kissing you, his teeth clashing against yours, nipping at your bottom lip. You gasped in surprise, your arms tightening around his neck as you continued to grind against him. His free hand went to your neckline, pulling it down until you heard a rip and you felt his fingers on your pebbled nipple.

You arched your back, overwhelmed by the new sensation that made your entire body tingle.

“Omega,” he grunted, rolling your nipple between his fingers, “If you don’t come right now, I’m gonna have to knot you and then you will have the entire night to get used to my size.”

“Fuck,” you cursed, clenching even harder, “A-Alpha!”

“Oh, shit you liked that, huh?” he chuckled breathlessly, his mouth moving over your neck down to your tits, “You like the idea of letting this dirty alpha claim you? What would your parents say? Their pretty little daughter whoring herself out to the next best clan leader, she can find? Melting at the thought of a thick cock stretching out those walls?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” he hummed against you, “I am the only alpha who ever felt the way your pussy clamps when you’re getting close,” he sucked your nipple into his mouth, “And I am going to be the only one who knows what it feels like when you come for me.”

It was the image of him mating you, of spending all of your nights in his arms, that finally broke you. You came around his fingers with a gasp, your walls clenching so tightly it almost hurt as your hips moved against him.

“There we go,” he whispered, his fingers slowing their pace inside you, “Good girl, let it all out.”

You whimpered at his gentle words, burying your head in the crook of his neck, your entire body feeling numb and tired and relaxed in a way you had never experienced before. Your pussy was still pulsing around him and only slowly did you become aware of the wet mess between your thighs.

Feeling so vulnerable was not something you were used to and before you could even try to calm yourself down, you tried to shimmy out of his lap, avoiding his eyes. Stars knew if you looked into his eyes, it would all be over.

“Not so fast, love,” Paz grumbled, his arm keeping you close to his chest. You could feel the heat of his body against your bare skin and your eyes fluttered closed when you felt his heart beat against yours – it was just as quick.

“B-but your pants,” you mumbled, feeling shame and insecurity build up once again, “I made a mess, I’m so –“

“Don’t you dare apologize right now,” he interrupted you, his voice still so calm, his nose still at your neck and you could feel the way his scent imprinted on your skin before he pressed the lightest of kisses just under your ear, “You just came apart in my arms, little one, aftercare is non-negotiable.”

“After what?” you repeated with furrowed brows, tilting your head so he had more access to your neck.

His large hand ran over your back, to the side of your thighs until it reached behind him, closing around one of yours. “Aftercare,” he whispered, pulling your hand to his lips, his thumb brushing over the scent gland on your wrist, “I am making sure you are feeling okay, that you have enough time to come down and that you are comfortable.”

You had never been more comfortable than right now, resting against his chest. But you would never tell him that. At least not yet.

“So, who was that beta?”

“Is my husband jealous?” you joked, a small grin on your face and you turned your head, resting your chin on his chest.

Paz’s face was serious and he was looking far away as if he was lost in thought. “Maybe he is,” he grunted, his lips absentmindedly pressing a kiss against your wrist, “Maybe he is.”

(You hoped he was.)

[sojourner-between-worlds]

Thanks to @ygobattleroyale 's King of the Autism poll/tournament/thing that's gearing up, I am here to once again spread propaganda for my (current) favorite autistic blorbo, Yusei Fudo, since he rightfully made the bracket.

I had a whole essay started once that I never finished, but here I will be summing up some of the main points. This is also based on the sub. (Not hating on the dub in this post but the two are so vastly different they are practically different canons so I thought I should probably specify.)

Someone on here pointed out once that Yusei has "resting b*tch face" aka flat affect and I've been thinking about that ever since. (Wish I could credit them but I can't find the post again, haha. Had screenshots and everything. Very thorough.)

He's pretty straightforward. He says what he means and he means what he says. He doesn't sugarcoat things or beat around the bush. The first line he has is a very blunt question followed by an equally blunt response to the answer he receives.

My guy oscillates wildly between semi-verbal and hyperverbal. He's the main character but you literally do not hear his voice for the first seven minutes of the show and when he's not in life-threatening situations he's really pretty quiet most of the time. But then you also have the episode with Bruno where Crow comments how Yusei has never talked to him that much at once -- maybe in total ever -- and along with that, Jack being offended that apparently Yusei never has important conversations with him (also pertains to the above point since Yusei was being very blunt in that moment and a little bit mean, though that's not the way he obviously meant it to be, lol.)

The whole of meeting Bruno, okay? All Of That. He makes friends with Bruno in about .2 seconds to the point of sharing Super Secret Plans with him all because of a shared interest in mechanics and engineering. #autisticbonding

Crow also points out that Yusei really seemed to perk up while talking to and working with Bruno, which is very on point for engaging with a special interest especially when you have someone to engage in said interest with.

He's obviously shown to have a strong interest in Duel Monsters (obviously) as well as mechanics and engineering. He built his first fully functional d-wheel out of scrap parts by the time he was 16, after all.

During the WRGP opening gala, one of the other teams comes up to him and are excited and wanting to talk to him and he completely brushes them off and walks away. Crow calls him out on it (“hey man, that was really rude!”) and he’s like “oh whoops, yeah I guess you’re right.” He may have been distracted by other things, but this is still peak "failure to read social cues".

Having a strong moral compass gets him into trouble on more than one occasion. Because of his circumstances, he has a strong (and justified) distrust of authority, and he’s not afraid to break laws that he deems unjust. Even though breaking out of Satellite isn’t in itself for any moral reason (its just the means to an end), he isn’t afraid of breaking the law that says he isn’t allowed to leave because he sees that law as unjust and doesn’t understand why it exists. (For the record, it is unjust but that’s not the point, haha.)

I am sure there are more points, but that's all I've got for now, haha. Feel free to add anything I missed, and be sure to vote for Yusei when the polls start!

[fandomfluffandfuck]

Crossing my fingers this goes through. I was waiting for a week for it to be anwered, only to find out it didn't go through.

What if Bucky body mods/med kinks big!serumed!sub!Steve into an alpha? Gives him big, sensitive glands, a knot, and increases the (already high) sensitivity in his dick and balls? Gets him to knot the first time so he knows how good it is, and then tells him he only gets to do that when he's told he can? And later, he tells Steve what to expect from a rut, but when it finally starts, Steve is too horny to figure out what's going on until Bucky spells it out for him, and that makes the rut even stronger.

-🐍

It went through! Sorry about that, whether it was me, Tumblr, or something on your end 🤷🏻‍♂️ either way, it sucks

Hmm 👀 that'd be really interesting and would definitely require Marvel's advanced medicine and science, but I like the idea. For whatever reason, I imagine in this AU, Bucky would take beta big-sub!Steve and make him into an alpha.

Of course, you could, theoretically, make big, subby omega Steve into an alpha, but there's just something about the idea of him being a beta first that appeals to me. I suspect the part of it that I am drawn to is how if he were a beta, it'd mean that he's never experienced a mating cycle before, translating into one hell of a situation once his first rut does hit. Like, teenage presentation of rut, but on steroids. Nothing he's ever felt before.

(That or perhaps this is a "normal" AU, not omegaverse, and so Bucky is modeling all his work off of this shared fantasy they have about omegaverse, kind of like this collections of roleplay fics on AO3--"bucky loves his 'alpha'" by hey_you_with_the_face)

*slight dub-con vibes throughout this drabble since Steve doesn't actually know what's going on. He's just trusting Bucky to make mods to his body. BUT, he very much wants all of it once he knows what's happening.

Sensitive glands

*it occurred to me after I wrote the first part of this that you meant scent glands. Listen... I have no actual excuses, I just dive into things, and the only thing I think about is dick so... 🤷🏻‍♂️

I would like to imagine this happens before Bucky gives him a knot.

His glands suddenly swell, getting bigger, barely bigger, but there's still a change. His glands tint pinkier and become even more sensitive to the touch than ever before. It's different.

Just the slide of foreskin against his glands makes his knees feel wobbly with sudden jolts of sensation. Moving back to expose his sensitive head or moving forward to hide it again. Either way, it's sharp. It's almost painful. So, so sensitive. His skin feels too tight just from that tiny change! These helpless little shocked noises fall out of him, especially when it happens by accident--his dick getting caught on the zip of his jeans, his dick bunching in his underwear, his own clumsiness when washing in the shower, leaning too hard against a counter, etc. The drag of his foreskin against himself is suddenly unbearable.

Like, curl-your-toes-where-you-stand unbearable.

Like, unbearable [outrageously sexy].

Also, I'd like to imagine that the change to his glands is one of the first changes that Steve notices in this transformation. It's the sudden unbearable sensitivity, the way the head of his cock swells ever so slightly, changing in shape, and the overnight change in shade is also noticeable, flushed.

Steve even notices it when he's hard enough to start dripping pre-cum from the slit of his cock, the sizzling, hot-feeling liquid seeps down the head of his dick and gets between his foreskin and the glands and... there's something he can't identify exactly. It, it feels different. It feels like he's never felt it before! Like he's back in puberty experiencing erections for the first time.

The change really, really sinks in, though, when Bucky insists, one evening, on stripping him bare, laying him out, tying him up, spread eagle, and doing the unthinkable--

All Bucky is doing is just jerking him off.

God.

Steve wants to wriggle and scream and cry.

Bucky's doing nothing else! Nothing else to him! He needs more! He needs to never fucking be touched again! He wants to crawl out of his skin, he wants to sink into the sensation and never move ever again.

It's wild.

Lungs heaving. Neck twisting side to side. Abs clenching. Hips siezing up. Eyes squeezed shut but not stopping a few tears from escaping.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Bucky has restrained Steve so that he can't touch anything--each arm and each leg to one bed post. Steve can't touch Bucky or himself. His legs aren't even rubbing together. He's spread so wide that his balls aren't touching his upper inner thighs. His arms don't brush past his head, held above his shoulders. Nothing. There is nothing.

Nothing but the sensation of Bucky jerking him off. It is the only point of focus he has. The only connection. The only torture. Sweet, sweet torture. And, fuck, jerking off isn't even the right way to say it because that implies he's using his whole hand and that he's moving his wrist, stroking him. He isn't.

Bucky is using this new weakness against him mercilessly.

His fingers--the fingers of his flesh-and-blood hand are folded into a tight ring, specifically just his index finger and thumb. Bucky is using that ring to move Steve's foreskin, pulling it up the head of his dick, stimulating his glands, and then pulling it back down again, also stimulating his glands. Playing with him. Milking him. The ring of his fingers feels like it pops over the ridge that separates the head of his dick from the shaft with each slide.

It hurts.

It feels so good.

Tight and sensitive and everything.

He's burning alive; he's melting; he's never been wetter. So wet. Dripping--dripping down the throbbing, hot shaft of his cock, and dripping down the tight, unforgiving hold Bucky's hand has on him.

Steve's crying.

Steve's screaming--

Because, because, fuck, Bucky has finally moved his other hand from where he positioned himself neatly between Steve's shaking thighs so their skin doesn't touch, and he uses that other fucking hand to fucking rub one finger against his slit, too, using his fingernail to scrape against it just so.

Steve's vision goes black for a moment.

Oh, oh, oh.

He's not sure he can even make a sound. Nothing comes out. His neck goes limp.

Still. Bucky keeps torturing him. Wringing sensations from him that feel like electricity. Shooting through him. It's almost too much to think about cumming. Overstimulated.

Help, Steve wants to cry for help, he can't--

He can't!

Everything in him gives up at once, fully boneless, and just when he does, Bucky feels it. And Bucky rewards him for it.

Bucky changes Steve's thoughts about cumming because he tells him to. He squeezes the crown of his cock so hard that Steve squeals and tugs hard enough on the restraints trying to curl up in a ball and protect his poor, poor cock that the shock radiates down his limbs. It's his voice, rough and in arguable, that pushes Steve over the edge. He feels his cock flex and twitch and pull the orgasm up from his balls.

GodfuckingJesusGOD.

There's too much pleasure to register all of it. It shatters him.

Scent glands, though...

Bucky would have Steve squirming with just the lightest brush of his fingers against the new, raised, sensitive patches of skin. Extra pink compared to the rest of his pale, freckled body. Those new additions are practically begging for Bucky's attention, standing out in such a way.

Anyway--

Just the pads of Bucky's fingers barely gliding over the glands now on the sides of the base of Steve's neck, under his arms, and high on the insides of his thighs as well as near the base of his dick is enough to make shivers race up Steve's spine. Ticklish. Yet, also, panting from it. Mouth hanging open. His dick twitching and swelling until he's desperately hard.

And Steve will be hard so long as Bucky keeps the touches up--no matter if the touches don't get harder or not. Soft and gentle keeps him throbbing when he's so reactive.

Electric.

He can't help it!

When Bucky touches him there, Steve can't think. He doesn't even know how to ask Bucky what he's done to him. It shuts his brain off like a switch. He looks dumb like that. So turned on that his brain has been turned off.

Empty headed.

When Steve has an influx of hormones as a result of Bucky's playing with him--injections, pills, and other medical play that Steve enjoys with his eyes closed and head lulling back from the impersonal and examining touches and clinical, dettached speak--those glands get inflamed. They're tender. Painful, almost, just barely on the edge of not.

As a result, Bucky decides to rub some ice cubes across those sensitive patches of skin. Watching the chilly cubes melt against his pale, gorgeous skin. The chilly water makes alluring rivers across his goosebumps.

Steve shudders--he can't stop shivering.

The whole time, he's gasping, whimpering, and shivering, trying to get away from it. It feels like it's inside his body. Like the ice is in his veins. Traveling from his new scent glands to his heart and back around his body.

Afterward, when his new, shiny glands are somewhat numb, Bucky massages them. Pressing his thumbs into his skin, trying to make sure they don't remain inflamed. Soothing. Or, it would be soothing if it weren't still sending waves and waves of hormones through Steve's body. Leaving him a husk of a man. All he is is sparks of muted pleasure. It's like being touched through his clothes because he's mostly numb.

Fuck.

Steve is only a puddle.

A knot

Steve is going to town between Bucky's plush thighs, fucking them, begging Bucky to hold his legs together tighter, needing the slick, hot friction and clawing at him, so, so close to tears, when Bucky tells him, beautifully deadpan, that he doesn't know... his legs are starting to hurt. It's hard to hold them together like that...

No, no, no!

He can't!

Steve is so close! He needs something hot and tight to fuck.

Bucky threatens with a teeth heavy smile that's mascarading as being sweet, that, oh, well, if he just needs something tight than Bucky can go and get him a fleshlight. That should do the job, right? Especially with some nice warming lube to make it reeeeal sloppy and wet.

Steve collapses on top of Bucky, crying with real tears all of a sudden, spilling onto Bucky's hard chest, that he can't do that! Anything but that! He needs Bucky. Bucky. He needs Bucky.

Any part of him he's willing to let Steve use!

Fine.

Bucky agrees to let Steve keep fucking his thighs as if his own cock isn't hard and drooling a puddle onto his twitching abs--as if it's a fucking hardship.

Fine.

Steve cries his thank you out of quivering lips. Breaking down.

His crumbling doesn't prevent him from getting back. to. it. Fucking Bucky's thighs. Hard. Deep. Making the worst kind of obscene sounds with every weight-honed thrust. Sucking and wet. All that lube smeared indecently across the soft, fatty flesh of Bucky's inner thighs. He's going and going and whining, and suddenly--

He doesn't know what's happening.

There's, oh, God, there's this pressure!

He doesn't know where it's coming from because surely Bucky's just clamping his thighs together tighter, finally giving Steve some mercy, but then why does it feel like it's coming from inside Steve? Why does it feel like a balloon expanding that's about to pop. Overfilled. Pressure and pressure and--

OH!

Through gritted teeth, Steve screams, his orgasm smashing into him like a freight train. Destroying him.

All the pressure, all that pleasure--it feels so good that it hurts. Like fire. It feels like fire! Like he's been ripped open and filled with lava. His vision gets black spots before going completely blank, eyes rolling back, jaw clenching until the joint creaks from the stress.

He's never felt--

He's never felt anything like it.

He's never cum so hard.

OhfuckingGod.

His mind is still spinning faster than he can keep up with when suddenly Bucky is surging up, flipping their positions so he's on top of Steve, straddling his trim waist, and is wrapping his fingers around Steve's wrist to pull his hand down to his cock and placing it on--

What?

Steve's mind isn't just spinning anymore, it's spinning so fast that it's being pulled apart by gravity, spread thin. He has no concept of gravity himself. What's up and what's down? What is fucking happening?

Huh?

He's struck dumb.

Bucky has him grabbing his cock but it doesn't feel like his cock because he's fisting the base and it's, it's thick.

The base of his dick is swollen and so fucking hard, taut, Steve can feel his pulse thudding through him like a fist banging on a drum with the furious intent to break the instrument. It feels like there's a ball that's been shoved down his slit all the way to the base of his cock. Impossibly large. So tight.

Steve is whimpering in a way that's hilariously pathetic. Tiny. Thin. High. Tears streaming out of his tightly shut eyes.

What?

Bucky puts both of his hands around Steve's and makes him squeeze his cock hard.

AH!

Steve screams again even though he doesn't have enough air for it. Suffocating. He sees God. It feels so unbelievable that it's killing him.

What. is. that?

Steve thrashes as Bucky keeps making Steve grope himself. It almost feels better now than it did before his cock did... that. Whatever is happening to him. How? How can it feel better?

How can he cum again when he's just, just been destroyed by the best orgasm of his life?

What?

When Steve is finally not still cumming and his dick is still swollen but throbbing somewhat less, Bucky cautiously lets him touch himself more. Shift his hand around. Get both hands on it. It doesn't feel too good to keep his hands off of it, the lack of pressure hurts under his skin in a way that's just wrong, so Steve holds it like he's got the desperate urge to piss. Both hands tight around the base of his cock. It's humiliating. It's fucking great.

Steve can't believe Bucky when he tells him that this is his knot.

He stares open mouthed at Bucky.

Is this gonna happen every time he orgasms? How long does it last? It's not permanent, right!? He flicks his eyes down to his cock weary of his body in a way that he hasn't been since he first got the serum.

Bucky just smirks and kisses him on the forehead, pretending he's not an evil mastermind fulfilling Steve's deepest sexual desires--so deep that he wasn't even aware they existed before.

"Dunno, guess you'll have to figure that out yourself, huh?"

Steve wants to groan in complaint, but all that will come out is a complaining whimper...

Overall sensitivity

Poor Steve, overall, his body has gone h a y w i r e

It's almost like a repeat of getting the serum. The symptoms aren't the same, but that confusion of what is happening to him and how different everything feels all at once are the same. Steve thinks it might be better the second time around. Maybe it's because he's able to enjoy it this time around (re: Bucky can take advantage of said new sensitivities whenever he likes, no war, overt homophobia, or anything else to distract them). Or maybe it's because Bucky is doing it to him.

It's probably because it's Bucky doing it to him--no matter how often they roleplay with Bucky as the doctor and Steve the patient, Steve knows Bucky is doing this to him.

Bucky is making his body so sensitive to even the slightest touch that he's nearly fainting, knees weak. Even when doing something as normal as zipping up his jeans, he can't help but fall apart. Steve stays in sweatpants for weeks.

And, God, Bucky just brushes a hand over his crotch and Steve's whining, shrill, and getting hard so fast that his vision swims, lightheaded.

It feels like not even a single hour can pass without Steve needing to be scraped off of the floor, couch, or bed, depending on what he was doing when his sensitivity finally wore through him. Unable to take it. Needing. Now. Needing something, anything right now--humping the floor, sliding a hand into his own pants, getting off against a stray pillow, pressing a hand against himself over his clothes, fondling his own junk or his own chest, gasping, begging Bucky for help, anything.

Anything.

And to think that Steve thought he had a hair trigger before...

Compared to now, like this, adjusting to his alpha-body, it seems like he had unbelievable stamina then. He's so weak.

Rut

The first rut that Steve goes into is a surprise to Steve, of course, but it's also a shock to Bucky. If Bucky knew it was coming, he wouldn't've left the house, but... because it isn't a sure science and it comes when it wants to... Bucky isn't home.

And Steve is left to sink slowly into insanity by himself.

At first, he thinks the thermostat has turned itself up or the AC isn't working, and so that's why he's feeling hot and sweaty. No problem, he turns it down. When Steve's body starts telling him to pay less attention to his book and more to his cock, Steve assumes that, well, nothings wrong. This is his life right now. He's always ready for it. Although, usually not so ready as to need to strip out of all his clothes, save for his underwear, and lie back on the sofa, feeling wound up for... no apparent reason. His sweats weren't even rubbing against his dick. He's not reading anything particularly stimulating. He's not thinking about Bucky.

He's just hard and sweaty and... kinda itchy and achy. His neck itches, especially around his scent glands, and his jaw aches. He's not hungry, but he's feeling like he needs to bite something. Not chew. Bite.

The seemingly random urges only grow and grow as Steve continues to be left alone.

Time drags out unbearably. So. fucking. slow.

However, Steve refuses to stop reading. Mostly because he's stubborn--it's not that good of a book. But, also because, damnnit, he gets off so fucking often (especially when Bucky isn't home and he's getting off alone, it's nowhere near as satisfying, so he needs more). But, it's fine. He'll be fine until Bucky comes home. He can wait.

He's not fine until Bucky comes home.

By the time Bucky is coming through their front door, Steve is not good. He's sweaty as fuck. His chest is heaving. His skin feels like it's paper thin and too tight at the same time, sensitive and uncomfortable. He's burning with a fever. He's obsessed with the thought of grabbing Bucky--he wants to feel him under his hands, under his jaws, he wants to have him. He needs to have him. It's the only thing he can think about--

BuckyBuckyBuckyBuckyBucky.

So, immediately, Steve is all over Bucky before the other man can even shut the fucking door. Steve is panting, and so, so hard. He's been hard all fucking day. It won't go away! He's vibrating.

He needs.

Before Steve even registers the thought of speaking, he's begging Bucky. Begging so fucking hard that he's sliding down onto his knees and wrapping himself around Bucky's legs, pressing his face as close to him as he can get. Nose smushed against his thigh. Smelling him. Kissing him. Licking him. Dragging his teeth against him. Begging him.

Caught off guard, but very pleased with this delicious development, Bucky hauls Steve by the back of the neck toward their bed. Steve whimpers the entire time, stumbling, twisting, trying to reach out and touch Bucky. He's so fucking hard. He's so close to getting what he needs. But this isn't it! Why can't they fucking fuck in the doorway! What's so wrong with that!? It's their fucking home! So, Steve's upset. But, he's also thrilled--this crazed state is going to stop! And it's going to be sweet, sweet release.

Please.

Or, Steve thinks it's going to end. But, with Bucky-?

C'mon.

He should know better after so many years--after so many lifetimes.

Once they're in the bedroom, Bucky is throwing him down onto the matress and getting on top of him, normally, Steve is more than fine with being ridden into oblivian, but the ache deep inside him says no. No. Just this once, he can't have that. He can't! He wants to fuck Bucky so hard that he puts him through the mattress.

He needs to.

He needs to take him.

Bucky doesn't give him a chance to think about it, though. Instead, he interrupts him with a demand, "how horny are you?"

Steve whines. He can't rub two brain cells together to form words! And he can't move either, no matter how much he craves mounting Bucky and making him take it, this is his dom. He can't disobey him. So he suffers. He lets Bucky sit on top of him without having the fucking decency to fucking do anything when he's in such a state. Suffering.

What does it feel like? Are you close? Does it hurt? Does it feel good? What do you want to do to me?

Bucky asks him question after question.

Unrelenting.

But Steve is just too goddamn dumb to answer, whimpering and humping up, trying to grind against nothing but empty air.

Please!!

It's unspeakably frustrating.

Steve grits his teeth until they feel like they're going to break. His fists clench the sheets so hard that he rips them. His skin is slick with bullet after bullet of sweat--its practically a firing squad. Hell, facing a firing squad would be easier than this.

He's dying.

And Bucky's questions only get more and more filthy. His fucking mouth, doing all the heavy lifting when he's not even touching Steve other than where he's sitting low on his thighs, weighing him down.

This is hell.

Steve has already died, and this is hell.

Do you need to knot? Do you need to fuck something? Do you wanna fill something up with cum from those big, heavy alpha balls? Do you need to breed something? Do you need to knock something up? Rut it out?

Steve sobs and sobs, humping fucking NOTHING even though he's shaking from the strain of lying immobile.

He breaks.

Shatters.

He admits yes. His tongue only working after what feels like hours of his mind begging for it.

Are you a slut for having that hot cock squeezed? Are you a slut for having anything around your cock? Do you need a nice little cocksleeve?

Yes.

YES.

Y-E-S.

Steve's incoherent now, blubbering affirming sounds and hoping that Bucky takes at least one to be good enough. If he could make his body work, he'd admit to anything at the moment. Anything. Just for a chance at fucking Bucky.

PLEASE.

Finally--

Finally, Bucky takes pity on him. Flipping them and letting Steve fuck him. Steve wants to mount him, get Bucky actually on all fours and take him from behind like the primal urges demand, but Steve cannot wait that long. Even if he wants it more than he wants air, he can't fucking wait one more fucking minute.

Bucky flips them, and Steve is taking the gilded opportunity.

In no time at all, his face is planted in the center of Bucky's pecs, whimpering and whining and crying. Humping him. Fucking him. Mating him. Defiling him.

Steve knots him and ends up passing out. It's so intense. Too much for his body.

He wakes up when Bucky knows his knot has gone down enough to slip out of him and Bucky does just that. Just to see what's happen. Steve wakes up with a pathetic cry. He's hard again. His knot has deflated, but he's still jaw-achingly hard. And, well, they have to do something about that, don't they?

This time Steve fucks Bucky doggy style, blubbering, promising to breed him good, knock him up nice and heavy and give him big, heavy babies, gonna pump more cum into him, and he's gonna do it until Bucky's pleased. Until Bucky passes out. Anything he wants.

Anything he wants.

Steve passes out again after another helplessly frantic round, waking up later to have Bucky feed and water him by hand as Bucky explains that this is rut.

Steve moans, thinking about this happening every month. Every few months? Every six months? They won't know until his body settles. Either way, whatever the time frame, fuck, he's never going to get anything done!

I hope this was worth the wait!

[misogynisticmediatournament]

I think the warrior cats and warriors in your submission list are the same thing,btw do you have reccomendations of like. anything that writes woman well

Ah, you might be right; I think I skimmed that entry's propaganda, and it was very specific to whatever series it was about without dropping the full series name, and I was like "Maybe this is Warrior Cats? I feel lazy, I'm not going to look heavily into it."

So, as a reminder: use the full but common name for the series! For example, Miraculous Ladybug (this seems to be the most common title despite being a shortened version), Warrior Cats, BBC Sherlock, etc. And check that you don't have a space after the title's entry, as that counts as a different entry than the title without the space when using the UNIQUE function in Google sheets (which is how I count the unique entries).

As for recommendations, this is hard because I watch a lot of trash, especially recently, but:

- You can never go wrong with Revolutionary Girl Utena. Note: this show (and start with the show, not the movie) has a lot of potentially triggering stuff, so check out those warnings before you start if you have any triggers at all. It uses the triggering stuff very well and to tell its story and explore its themes, not just for, like, titillation though. Indeed, it is, I would argue, necessary for the story and themes the show seeks to explore. It is legally free on Youtube in...I want to say 480p, and in better resolution on Crunchyroll and Funimation (yes, Funimation's site is still up; I find it superior to Crunchyroll's since it actually includes closed captions for dubs, although it doesn't include newer anime from after the two companies merged). Also, you want to watch the sub for this. I'm normally not one to say "the dub is bad" and stuff and be a purist about it—in fact I normally go to bat for dubs—but, uh... yeah, the dub is bad this time. Crispin Freeman and Dan Green are delightful in it though, I'll give it that.

- Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood uses its female characters well. Maybe it could be better, I've seen some people in these tournaments have beef with it, but it's a pretty perfectly told story, like solid A+, with a lot of really great female characters who I find very satisfying so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. This is on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and I believe Amazon Prime?

- Don't let the title fool you: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a fantastic show with great female characters who are complex and human, have compelling arcs, and are vital to the story. The relationship between Rebecca and Paula is central to the show and SO good, especially as the show goes on. The title is because it explores the trope of the crazy ex-girlfriend in a very humanizing way, and the title/opening song even mentions how the title is a sexist term, but it's a lot more nuanced than that. Also, it's a musical with very good original songs every episode. But check trigger warnings for this show too though. The show is streaming on Netflix last I checked.

- Uhh... maybe the first two seasons of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic? It's a kid's show, but it's good. I haven't seen it in years and years though, so I don't know if I can still fully vouch for it. I believe it is streaming on Netflix?

- Revue Starlight? I haven't thought about it heavily, but I had no beef watching it. This is streaming on HiDive.

- I've heard good things about Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, but I can't vouch for it personally. It's streaming on Crunchyroll.

UPDATE: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is also legally on youtube!

Honestly, I know more imperfect shows that I'm satisfied with, like I give it a B+ to A- at least, but that I haven't thought heavily about than stuff where I'm like, "Oh, yeah, definitely, definitely, nothing I'd pick out there as a problem." For example, Baccano! is probably imperfect (as well as not streaming legally anywhere), but I don't remember being, like, struck by a bunch of problems there. So, I'm not the best for recs that I can give a 100% guarantee for.

[kohakhearts]

hey that pokemon 2000 gifset + your jn dub analysis made me think about the pokemon 2000 dub - I've only seen it subbed once (compared to the hundred times I watched it dubbed as a child) so I could be misremembering, but didn't the dub completely change the themes of the movie with the chosen one ash thing?

i actually haven’t watched the sub nearly as many as times as the dub either :p but i have read extensively about this topic bc it’s personally my favourite pokemon movie and yes! the first and second pokemon movies are both victim to this (like mewtwo’s epic speech we all love so much at the end of the first movie…being a complete fabrication by the dub team :p you gotta give those writers credit - they were VERY good at what they did), largely i’m guessing due to cultural values and expectations. since they were trying to sell the anime to an american audience, not a japanese one.

tangentially, i will say i also think that’s the root of this like…subtle distinction some people have between the characters “ash” and “satoshi.” i don’t differentiate them in any big way myself because fundamentally they still are very much the same, but it is true that in japanese, ash has somewhat different mannerisms and responds differently to events at times, especially in the early anime when it was so much easier to get away with making big changes for…a big assortment of reasons haha.

in THIS movie in particular, some of those things are like…well. the prophecy is probably the most obvious change. the dub team rewrote it to include the chosen one reference, which works great because of the word play on ash’s name. in japanese, it just says “an exceptional trainer will appear to help calm the wrath of the gods.” ash’s response to this is more mild trepidation than outright fear. he doesn’t hesitate like he does in the dub. and tbh? both reactions make perfect sense for his character in my opinion.

in japanese, his concern is more "do you really think i can fit that role?" this...tracks pretty well with his character development by this point. like yeah he said he could win the indigo league, but he's also thinking about dropping out after gary loses; it's that little grain of insecurity he has, which he's normally good at covering up with arrogance (a lot of which is also very genuine, don't get me wrong). but he sees the opportunity to help and he takes it. that's just...what ash does.

in english, though, the prophecy is pretty clearly about him. there's no one else it could be. it has to be him. and he...doesn't like that? that scares him. which, fair. anyone would be terrified by being singled out like that. it's also so much...not ash's thing, even at this point in the series. his character development is about embracing having to work hard to do well. to keep trying until you get it right, no matter how many times you get it wrong. the idea of being a "chosen one" completely robs him of his ability to be so single-minded about what he wants his destiny to be that it manifests as pre-determined; it just...pre-determines it for him, if that makes sense. lol.

the thesis of the japanese version of the film is that no one person or pokemon can stand on their own. everyone needs help. it's about harmonizing with each other and with nature. about letting others help you, and helping them in turn. the english version rewrites that into a story about power and destiny. the title alone says it all, right? it's called "the power of one" - no reference to lugia, no reference to the birds. in japan, the title is about the revelation (or "birth") of lugia.

westerners love a good chosen one story, so this was a really good choice by the dub team in that respect. i mean, it's a narrative that's stuck really well. fandom loves chosen one ash! in general, western fanbases are really into this narrative. it's everywhere. and there's a lot that goes into that, culturally, and especially religiously, historically, etc. so at the end of the day, i don't think the change is so much about conflicting ideas about collectivism and individualism. it's more about goals and ideals, on a personal level.

let me say again for the 273456784th time, i love that they resolved ash's story by having him realize that the goal he's really been striving for all this time is to meet and befriend pokemon. to learn from them. to earn their trust. it's like...he did the thing that everyone else thought represented his goal, maybe even himself included, only to realize that his dream was never about the end of it anyway. it was about everything he learnt and everyone he met along the way. (i also suspect nobody writing in 1997 knew that that would be the ultimate resolution, either. but it makes sense in the entire context. it's kind of a nice irony, even. to only figure it out after writing the story :p)

and i think this little distinction is important to that goal! it's his whole character! which is why even though i too love chosen one characters, i don't necessarily think of ash as one. because even if he is, his whole Thing is that he wants to try. a lot of the chosen one narrative is about characters being reluctant to be used for a "greater good," or about them collapsing under that pressure. ash doesn't really have that. he does what he thinks is right because he...thinks it's right. sometimes, sure, others have to push him into it a bit, but usually they're actually pushing the other way - it's too dangerous, you're going to get hurt, etc. and to me, i don't know - thinking of times he's died, or nearly died, and some legendary or mythical pokemon has saved him at the last minute...i don't think that has to mean he's special in a cosmic sort of way. i think it just means he's special to them. that he did something for them, or for someone else they had come to care for (thinking manaphy responding to may's emotions, not just to the fact that ash was drowning, or in mpm ash convincing latios to trust him because of their mutual desire to save latias, etc.), and so they want to help him. which is completely opposite to the typical chosen one narrative, i think? because he doesn't do those things out of obligation...he does them because he thinks he can become a better trainer by doing them, and he wants to do that. and well. he did do that.

anyway my tl;dr here is YES they changed the theme a lot haha, but i find it fun that they also changed the characters’ responses to that theme. funnily that’s…kind of also what fanfiction writers do all the time, lmao, but that’s a whole other conversation.

[tigirl-and-co]

what was that abt Astro boy siblings au? 👀

The Astro Boy All Siblings AU, ready for action!!! also known as

I'm putting it under a readmore, bc it's gonna get long winded!!!

Most important stuff: it's something of a mix of all three major adaptations + Pluto, most emphasis on '63 and '80 though. And really, Pluto's very gently adapted, I really just want Gesicht and his wife in there. Pluto as a character is closer to his animated counterparts, especially the '80 version, where he's not so much 'aggressive' as he is just doing what he thinks he's supposed to be doing.

I should clarify- dub 1963, sub 2003 + 1980. Because that's what I watched.

This AU exists because I L O V E writing character interactions and developing characters with little to no screen time. So I've saved a bunch of characters who were supposed to die, and now they live with each other yaaaaay and also a bunch of one off characters who had good story potential haha

There are some characters whose names I sort of waffle on between the dub and Japanese versions, mainly Minute/Bill and Zero/Denkou.

Both 1980 and 2003 Atlas are here. I figured they were different enough for it. In this case, Daichi has a different name in his alt mode, I just haven't thought of it yet.

idk if Chi-Tan is gonna be here. I'll get back to you on that.

GRAPHIC 1: THE TIMELINE

This is a rough timeline and subject to change.

Marble is on this timeline, but she's not a 'sibling' so to speak, but she and Lucky Louie are kind of Astro's first friends. So Marble is Astro's sort of bestie in this and he takes a trip out to go visit her every so often. Louie, despite being in jail, is kind of an uncle figure to Astro. Astro can ask Louie for advice or opinions without being judged or worrying that it'll get back to anybody else.

The meeting with Atlas is very similar to how it goes in the anime, except I think I'm still going with 'sold his ass to the circus' backstory, so it's more likely he was on a cruise with Ochan, or maybe his parents. Maybe both?

Cobalt has always had middle sibling energy to me, so I switched him and Uran around. I'm working with something a bit closer to the manga backstory, but with the anime personality.

Uran is somewhere between her 1963 and 2003 self. She's more self-sufficient, can drive and did the whole fighting ring shebang (in fact I'm thinking of KEEPING her doing it part-time, for reasons I'll elaborate on later.) But like her 2003 self, she's still emotionally very young, and craves the approval of her older siblings, even if she thinks they're goody two-shoes.

Pook's dad goes to jail, and Ochan agrees to take him in until he's released. He's still very rowdy and kind of a prankster, but he's less actively malicious since his dad instructed him to be nice, and he'll be back.

Pluto! The events play out closer to '80 + '03, but Gesicht still gets to do his whole detective schtick and have ~trauma.~ I'm debating about Epsilon, bc him having the orphans would imply the war was a thing, and that's just not something I'm suited to tackle. On the other hand, Astro being the cool older cousin to a house full of orphans brings me great joy

ANYWAY Pluto is damaged and out of commission, but technically reparable. Ochan brings him to the ministry of science, and works on him in his spare time.

The events of Atlas' episode play out pretty much the same, except that Ochan and Ban have been tracking him down- after all, a robot that can stand toe-to-toe with Astro is a big deal! The whole operation is busted directly after Atlas discovers Livian's parts. Atlas agrees to go with them, but only after Ochan promises he can repair Livian with no problems.

Daichi/Atlas 2003 happens, but instead of building him to test Astro, Tenma does it to *spite* Astro. I'm keeping Tenma out of this au for the most part. I just want him where it would make for good angst.

Livian moves in with Ochan! She helps both as an assistant during research, and as a helping hand with Pook. Ochan is an older man with a busy schedule, and looking after a rambunctious child is not something he can do single-handedly. Livian also wants Atlas to grow as a person without using her as a crutch, and now that he has a family willing to help him she thinks he finally can.

Pluto's full body is restored and he is brought back online! His size means he's kind of relegated to the bigger rooms of the Ministry, outdoor activities, and Ochan's backyard, but he tries to make do. He and Astro get on well, but he's actually much closer with Uran! He and Livian also begin to become good friends, and have late-night chats about philosophy and junk.

Later on, Pluto finally asks to have a humanoid body. He wants to participate in society. He does have a few demands, though! He wants to be tall still, and he wants horns similar to what he has now. Ochan agrees, but says it will be difficult and take a while.

Daichi episode 2! I'm not entirely certain how I wanna play this, but blah blah stuff happens, and Daichi's dad makes a promise to try harder to be a good parent. Daichi moves back into the mansion. Things aren't perfect, but they're actively trying, so it's better than it was before.

Pluto's body is finished! I have some design ideas for him, but nothing I'm ready to talk about yet. He's tall as hell, and keeps his horns curled to the side a ram. I'm going for kind of a teen vibe. He's still got a lot to learn, and I wanted to reflect that in his design. He finds he actually enjoys being helpful, but he is also not afraid to throw punches when need be. It's really just that his standards for 'need be' have been raised. He and Daichi get along okay.

I'm going with the 1963 design for Denkou here. I know everybody likes the 2003 one but I'm not a huge fan. I'm also going to call him Zero just for ease of writing, but tag him as Denkou so he doesn't get mixed up with the other Zero I blog about haha.

His backstory plays out kinda like a mix between all three versions, with him willing and ready to sacrifice himself like in '63, but he lives like in '03. Daichi actually helps out, using himself as an example of how even if you do the wrong the thing, you don't have to be bad forever. Zero moves in with Daichi (after Daichi can convince his dad- it's not hard to convince a wealthy man to take in a very expensive, one-of-a-kind robot, it turns out), and they become very close, with Zero looking up to Daichi, and Daichi realizing that means he really needs to shape up.

I rewatched the ending of Mighty Minute/Humanoid Bill, but I need to take time to watch the whole thing again. I'm going with 'they create a suit with a suitable filtration system, which allows Minute to roam free.' He still needs a lot of rest, but it's better than nothing. He and Pook become GREAT friends. Inseparable. If you make a lot of noise while Minute is resting, Pook will absolutely tell you to shut up.

Eventually Pook and Minute move in with Higeoyaji. He's good with kids, Ochan just really doesn't have the energy to care for them, and they actually can help him out in detective cases! He doesn't bring them to anything he thinks might be dangerous, of course, but Minute's predictive abilities and Pook's strength and transformations are very helpful.

How does he pay for them, despite being a schoolteacher/detective and broke as balls? Why, a stipend from the ministry, of course! Both Pook and Minute are outstanding scientific achievements! It certainly doesn't have anything to do with Ochan being biased, why would you think that?

Last Day on Earth plays out, Bem survives and stays with Astro for a while, but 5 super kids is just kind of a lot. Astro and Ochan reach out to Gesicht, and ask if he and his wife are interested in trying to raise a child again. They've had time to process their grief, and are more than happy to welcome him into their home! Bem is a recurring character from this point, but mostly through video calls.

Then Future shows up! Yaaaaaay Future! He survives his ordeal but is badly damaged. Ochan rebuilds him to the best of his ability, but certain parts were so advanced that it's out of his wheelhouse. He still has predictive abilities, but they're nerfed somewhat. Instead of a picture perfect vision of what will happen, he moreso sees a few different possibilities of what COULD come to pass.

Eventually, Daichi and Zero move in with him. Daichi is still on decent terms with his father, but he feels the need to get out from under his thumb, and Zero goes where Daichi goes.

So, in essence

OTHER IMPORTANT BITS:

I was raised to see my cousins like siblings. Our parents would just kind of shuffle kids around between houses + my grandma's house as need be. That affects how I see characters interacting. So while I see Pook as more of a little cousin to astro, that really more means 'little sibling you only see sometimes'

Zero helps Ban on his detective cases! Zero genuinely REALLY likes using his powers to help people. He'll help put criminals away, sure, but he much prefers doing stuff like tracking down lost pets or items and returning them to their owners. He gets the warm fuzzies.

Idk if you remember those robots with like. sensitive stomachs? Who were escapees from a country or something. The kid's name was Piko. They eventually do actually move in as neighbors.

^these guys.

Atlas is still gruff, but he secretly very much enjoys being praised. He'll work a lot harder for people who are kind to him, but he does NOT express affection verbally, and only very rarely physically. He starts out very cold and aloof, but over time he gets ~*character development*~ and becomes incredibly protective of his siblings. He's also willing to throw down for ANYBODY he sees being taken advantage of. Astro prays he never learns about bosses being mean to their employees.

He's also somewhat misanthropic. Not to the degree he gets in canon, but his first life experiences were of him being abused and taken advantage of. If you can prove you actually care about robots, he'll drop from 'watching you like a hawk' to 'just kind of guarded' and after a LONG while he might consider you a friend. He's now at the point where he's just as protective of Marble as he is any of his siblings, especially once he learns about what went down with her and Astro.

Because of his distrust toward humans, the blue knight actually targets HIM and not astro. This will (hopefully) be a fic in its own right, so I won't get too into it here. Blue Knight is also NOT happy that Uran fights of her own free will

Pluto is completely genderblind. Like fully and completely. But bc he takes looking out for others VERY seriously now, a lot of the women who work at the ministry talk to him about their frustrations, and know he's the person to call out to when they feel unsafe. Icon.

Atlas can not be left alone with Tenma, Hamegg, or Skunk. He would turn their insides into outsides for what they did to Astro and Zero, respectively. Honestly they're lucky he has better things to do than track them all down.

Two other characters that show up from time to time after their introduction is Abra and Cadabra, the magician robots!

astro has free tickets for life.

Astro's school friends are still all here. They're kind of protective not only of Astro, but also Atlas, once they learned what he went through. Atlas and Shibugaki are especially vitriolic buddies. Atlas isn't so stupid that he can't see how similar they are, and also one time shibugaki bit some random guy spewing anti robot shit, and that impressed the hell out of Atlas.

because I'm mental I AM shoehorning black jack and pinoko into this au as reoccurring characters. Dr. Honma was an old friend of Ochan, and thus he and BJ are on good terms. Pinoko is basically a cousin from the other side of the family, since she's in a weird limbo area between biological human and artificial creation.

I think Future just ends up going by a super normal regular guy name, like Dennis or Adam. He, Daichi, and Zero move in together, for reasons that make sense in my brain I promise

I'm also bringing in a lot of one-off characters I like to be background roles, but this whole thing has taken so long to post and I'm tired. I'm NOT bringing back the scary buff horse man, you'll be glad to know.

so uh. Yeah. All Siblings AU. I'm sure there's guys I'm forgetting, and would likely want to add, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. And also once I read the manga

If you read this whole thing mwah mwah mwah thank you for being so gracious about my blatant insanity.

[arttheclown]

alright alright i finally had time to sit down & compose my thoughts on how beelzemon / beelzebumon’s villain arc was handled in the original japanese sub versus the english dub because holy shit they are. different. i think both versions have their merits but there are things the dub got so wrong, especially as far as beelzemon’s relationship with renamon is concerned.

first off, i’m gonna talk about the differences - not so much which version did what better, but what sets them apart.

putting this under a cut because this is gonna be a long one. (also keep in mind i still have a couple eps left to watch from his villain arc in japanese, so i may reblog with an update or write a part 2 soon.)

1 -- the tone of impmon’s talk with caturamon (the “deal with the devil” scene) is very different in japanese. while it’s still a somber scene in dub & you feel sorry for impmon, his sarcasm is much more subdued in the original, drawing more attention to how scared & helpless he feels rather than his defence mechanisms.

i think what really drives this point home is that the little montage where he reflects on his time with his friends & realizes he’ll have to betray them in exchange for power; in the dub, old conversations are re-played for the audience, while in the og, these flashbacks are silent aside from a sad song that plays. this not only puts us in impmon’s shoes better, but helps set the tone for the tragedy of what’s about to happen & the gravity of his choice. i plan to upload a comparison soon. also, maybe it’s just me, but given that the last image we land on during the flashback montage is impmon striking renamon in the face... i’m inclined to believe that was supposed to signify that he was sorry for doing it, especially since the context of the flashbacks was that he’d harassed all of the main digimon in some way. maybe impmon was trying to tell himself that he’d already been so awful to them anyway that he might as well just cut his ties? who knows - but that’s something i feel sad music sold a lot better than voice-overs. 2 -- beelzemon / beelzebumon’s entire characterization. jesus christ, as someone who’s been praising how the dub handled such a dark storyline for years (and to be fair, derek stephen prince absolutely KILLS his role as beez in the best way), i was completely thrown off to see how radically different he is in the original. in the dub, beelzemon is still recognizable as impmon even during his reign of terror. he’s gone off the rails, but his speech patterns & personality remain the same - we’re just seeing a much darker side of him. it feels a lot like we’re watching a smaller person stumble around in a body that’s too big for them.

in japanese, beelzebumon’s demeanour is entirely different from impmon’s. his speech patterns aren’t the same & his cheeky from humour before is pretty much gone. he’s much colder. you don’t know who the hell you’re looking at anymore, which lends some disturbing credence to beelzebumon’s insistence that “impmon is dead.” for a second, you actually worry he might be telling the truth.

and then there’s his relationship with renamon & the role that plays in this particular storyline, which leads me to my next (and arguably most important) point.

3 -- i’m just gonna say it! i think the dub did the relationship between these characters dirty in this very pivotal storyline. i think there are aspects to enjoy about dub!beelzemon and sub!beelzebumon (depending on your preference on how his personality is portrayed), but they just. totally dropped the ball on his confrontation with kyubimon in episode 34 and i’m gonna explain why.

as mentioned before, sub!beelzebumon seems like a jarringly different character from impmon. almost unrecognizable. when caturamon reminds him that he has a job to do, he agrees to do it and seems prepared to carry out the gruesome task... until the moment comes for him to strike down kyubimon.

i’m gonna let these screencaps speak for themselves.

it’s only NOW that we see him breaking. he isn’t enjoying this, he doesn’t WANT to do it. he’s falling the fuck apart & it’s only now that we realize all of beelzebumon’s behaviour up until this point has been a facade. he blows up at kyubimon for “making him look like an idiot” because he’s still the same sad, insecure person he was before he evolved.

in the dub, we’re given pretty much the reverse of this set-up. beelzemon still acts very much like impmon - albeit an overpowered one - and doesn’t seem very happy when caturamon reminds him of their deal. (”let’s get this over with,” he says in response.) it gives the audience false hope that maybe he won’t actually follow through with it, making it feel like that much more of a betrayal when he does try to kill everyone & successfully takes leomon out of the picture. some people may praise that kind of bait-and-switch, and i get it, but...

there is far less real build-up to beelzemon going berserk in the dub. one minute his heart isn’t in it and the next he’s suddenly kicking kyubimon around and going out of his way to harm her. (which puts a really icky, abusive spin on their relationship that i don’t like at all.) the sub makes it much clearer that he’s trying to punish her for helping him & attempting to make things easier for himself by taking out the digimon he has the strongest connection with first. still a sick, unforgivable act, but one i can follow along with better on a psychological level.

which brings me to my final, and other Most Important point: the context of leomon’s death.

4 -- much like kyubimon, leomon recognizes immediately that beelzebumon doesn’t actually want to do this & that this isn’t the right path for him.

in the english dub, the dialogue is different & ultimately boils down to leomon telling beelzemon to fight him instead of going after the kids. that doesn’t happen here. beelzemon just kills him mid-conversation while leomon is trying to reason with him, and - having committed an act he knows is unforgivable - spirals out of control.

so no, i won’t say the dub butchers the entire storyline so much as choosing to handle aspects of it differently... but those choices aren’t always for the better, and i wish they just left a lot of this alone. the original context for these scenes are much more powerful & handle the characters & their dynamics more thoughtfully.

tl;dr: even if you have a soft spot for the tamers dub (which i do too, mostly for nostalgic reasons), try watching it in japanese at least once. it puts a lot of things into perspective & elaborates much more heavily on themes & ideas that the dub just skims over.