#well for one of the boys

[loslentesdepedrito]

Broken Bottle, Broken Heart

Characters: Jack Daniels ‘Agent Whiskey’ and Frankie ‘Catfish’ Morales 

Word count: 3.4k+

Rating: 18+ no explicit content but I'd rather not have minors read these type of subjects. Warning contains spoilers, but please read if you'd like!!! They are below the cut

Summary: You go to Jack's house, expecting a perfect evening with him, but instead you are met with hostility when Jack accuses you of stealing his deceased wife's necklace. His words break you, and then seven years later, he’s back.  

Warnings: angst, topics of death and mourning, language used by the characters is harsh and contains strong emotions, lines can definitely be viewed as emotional abuse, pregnancy mention. Hope I didn't leave anything out!

As you entered Jack's house, the sweet aroma of his favorite dish filled the air. The table was already set for two, and you couldn't help but smile as you imagined a perfect evening with the man you loved.

"Hey, cowboy," you called out, looking around for him.

Getting no reply from him, you walked towards the hallway. He was rummaging through the closet, and it seemed like he wasn't finding what he was looking for. You asked him what he was looking for, but he snapped at you with a harsh tone that sent chills down your spine.

"Where’s her necklace?” Jack grits out and you can tell he’s panicking over this necklace.

What is he talking about? You wondered. “What necklace?” you ask 

“Why does it matter to you? I bet you stole it. It's not like you care about her, or me for that matter," he said bitterly.

You were taken aback by his words. Of course, you cared about him. You loved him with all your heart. But before you could even ask what the hell he was talking about, he continued his outburst.

"You're just a replacement for her, you know that? You're here to fill the void she left behind. But you could never measure up to her. You could never be her," he spat.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you realized what was happening. Jack doesn’t love you. He was using you to mourn his deceased wife. You were just a temporary fix until he could move on.

The way he said those words, with such venom and hatred, broke something inside of you. You could feel your heart splintering and your spirit breaking.

"I don't understand what you're saying, Jack," you managed to whisper, trying to hold back the sobs that were threatening to escape.

"You don't understand? You're not like her, and you never will be. You're just a pathetic imitation," he said, his voice growing louder and angrier.

You tried to speak, to defend yourself, but your words were choked with sobs. You didn't want to believe that Jack could be so cruel. He said he cared about you. You didn't want to accept that you were just a rebound. That you meant nothing to him. But his words made it clear that you were nothing to him.

His eyes are red when he screams at you “Leave! I don’t ever wanna see you again.”

“No, Jack. Let’s talk about this.” You get closer to him and the intense smell of whiskey hits your nose. 

“I fucking told you to get out! I don’t need you. I will never need anything from you.” Jack said with bloodshot eyes, and his voice slurred with the effects of the alcohol. His face contorted with anger as he shouted at you, his words laced with venom and bitterness. The tension in the room was palpable, and you could feel your heart pounding in your chest.

As you tried to reason with him, he grabbed the whiskey bottle and held it tightly in his hand. You could see his knuckles turn white from the force of his grip, and your heart sank as you realized what was about to happen. ‘No, please don’t do it, please don’t break it.’ 

Without warning, he hurled the bottle against the wall with all his might. It shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, sending a spray of amber liquid in every direction. You jumped back, startled by the sudden explosion of glass and liquor. 

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the house, and the smell of alcohol filled the air. Your heart was beating wildly in your chest, and your breathing became ragged and quick. You could feel your hands trembling with fear as you gazed at the broken glass and liquor that now covered the floor. Jack stood there, breathing heavily, his chest heaving with anger and frustration. He looked at you with eyes that burned with fury, and you knew that there was no reasoning with him. At that moment, you were terrified of Jack. you had never seen him like this before, and you didn't know what he was capable of.

Every muscle in your body was tense as you tried to keep yourself together. A voice inside was telling you to run and get as far away from him as possible, but another was asking you to stay; To make sure Jack was okay. Paralyzed in fear, you felt like you were walking on eggshells, afraid that any wrong move could set him off again. You could feel your heart racing and your breath coming in short gasps as you tried to calm yourself down.

You could feel the tears welling up in your eyes as you backed away from him. All you could think about was ‘It broke into a million pieces. It’s shattered beyond repair, and there was no going back’ 

With a heavy heart, you turned to leave, your steps were unsteady, and your feet felt heavy as if you were wading through mud. You felt like you were being watched like Jack was still hovering over you, even though he was several feet away. Every sound made you jump, every shadow made you flinch. It was like the fear had settled into your bones, and you couldn't shake it off. You kept glancing over your shoulder, half-expecting him to come running after you, and half-hoping he would. But he never did.

Finally, you made it outside, and you took in a deep breath of fresh air, your heart still racing. As you walked out into the cold night, You felt like you were leaving a part of yourself behind. You didn't know how you could ever forget this.

Seven years later

As you sat in your home office, surrounded by ancient texts and artifacts, you heard a knock at the front door. You got up to answer it, only to find Jack standing on your doorstep. Your heart raced as you felt anger bubbling up inside you. You had moved on with your life after he cruelly pushed you out of it seven years ago. You had built a family with Frankie, and you didn't need Jack to come barging in and disrupt it all.

"It's good to see you," he said softly. 

You snorted, "Is it really? After everything you did, you just expect me to help you? I’m assuming you need my help. Why else would you show up out of the blue? Didn't you say 'I don't need you. I will never need anything from you. I never want to see you again.' You may have forgotten, but I never forget things," you spat at him as you stood with your arms folded tightly across your chest. Fuck you were going to slap this man. You were going to drop-kick his ass, but before you could further imagine his demise you saw his guilt-ridden expression. 

Jack hung his head, looking ashamed. "I know I messed up baby, and I'm sorry. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jack shuffled his feet. "I should have come to you sooner, baby, I know that now. But I've thought about you every day for the past seven years. I should have run after you, I should have looked for you. But I was scared. I should have told you how I felt about you sweetheart.” 

You raised an eyebrow. "And how did you feel about me?"

He looked at you, his eyes searching yours. "I loved you, dammit. I- I love you more than anything baby."

"What the hell do you need from me?" you asked, relenting slightly.

"I um... I need some classified documents translated. I know you're the best in the field, and I need someone who will be discreet," Jack explained.

Taking your silence as too much he started to explain himself. "I thought you stole my ex-wife's necklace," he said, his voice filled with regret. "I couldn't find it anywhere, and then her sister had it. I'm sorry, I should have trusted you. I should have known you’d never steal from me."

You didn't respond, feeling the anger still simmering inside you. But when you heard the sound of the car pulling up into the driveway, you knew you had to compose yourself.

Unsure if you wanted to get involved in his mess again, you hesitated in giving him an answer. “Okay, you need to stop with the pet names. I’m mar-” Before you could tell him you’re happily married and give him an answer about the job, the sound of the car doors opening interrupted your conversation.

"¡Mami, ya llegué de la school!" (“Mom, I’m back from school!”)  your daughter called out, her voice echoing through the front of the house. You felt relief flood through you as you saw her, happy and carefree, running towards you. Frankie followed closely behind, and his face instantly contorted with anger when he saw Jack.

Frankie knew you could handle yourself, but he still worried about you. He knew you too well, he knew that seeing Jack again was hurting you. 

“Mija, entra a la casa y ve a jugar con tus muñequitas y carritos arriba,” (“Mija, go inside the house and play with your dolls and cars upstairs”) Frankie spoke to his daughter in a soft tone as he gently touched the top of her head. 

Everything was in slow motion for Jack when he saw your daughter. His heart was racing as he watched your daughter run towards you, her hair bouncing in the sunlight. She looked so much like you, but there was something about her that made Jack's heartache. He couldn't quite put his finger on it at first, but then he saw it - the shape of her eyes, the curve of her lips. They were just like his own. He couldn't help but wonder, was she his? Had he missed out years of her life, never knowing that he had a daughter? The thought made him feel sick to his stomach, and he had to take a deep breath to keep from hyperventilating.

“Hi, cowboy! Bye, cowboy!” Your daughter told Jack as she zoomed past him excited to go play.

What pulled him out of his trance was also heartbreaking. “This is my husband Frankie, Frankie you already know who he is,” You point towards Jack, watching as his eyes widened and then darted to your left hand, where your wedding ring glinted in the light... ‘Fuck’ he thought. Of course, you’re married. You were such an amazing person. He was an idiot to push you away. 

Frankie's arms wrapped around you tightly, his warm embrace a comfort against the tumultuous emotions stirring within you. His lips pressed softly against yours, and for a moment, you forgot that Jack was even there. You melted into the kiss, savoring the taste of him, the feeling of his body against yours. It was a familiar comfort, a reminder of everything you had built together.

But as quickly as it began, the kiss ended, when Frankie pulled away to face Jack "Let’s go inside. I don't want to cause a scene out here,” your husband gently led you inside, followed by Jack. 

Jack stepped into your home and paused, taking a deep breath. The scent of a home-cooked meal wafted through the air, filling his nostrils and stirring his appetite. He looked around, his eyes taking in the space, and he couldn't help but notice the bookcases lining the walls. They were filled with ancient texts, tomes, and artifacts - a reflection of your passion for history and knowledge. Jack felt a pang of regret as he remembered how he used to love listening to you talk about history and archaeology.

His eyes wandered around the room, scanning the pictures on the walls. There were several family photos - one of you, your husband, and your daughter all huddled together on the beach, another of the three of you smiling brightly at a family gathering. Jack's heart sank as he realized that he could have been in those pictures. He could have been a part of your family.

He continued to inspect the room, taking in the little details that he had missed out on. The vibrant, hand-woven rug that you picked up in Peru. The small figurines on the mantelpiece that you had collected from your travels. Every item in the room told a story, and Jack felt a sense of longing to be a part of those stories once again.

As he stood there, taking everything in, he felt a lump form in his throat. He had let you go, pushed you away, and now he was just an outsider looking in. He couldn't help but wonder how things could have been different if he had just been honest with you and if he had fought for you. He had missed out on so much - your laughter, your love, your family.

With a heavy heart, Jack turned to you, his eyes filled with regret. "You have a beautiful home," he said softly. But even as he spoke the words, he knew that he could never be a part of it again.

Jack’s restraint broke when he saw the picture of your daughter as a newborn. Jack's teary eyes searched for answers. "Is she mine?" he asked, his voice quivering with emotion.

Without hesitation, you replied, "No."

"How old is she?" Jack pressed on.

"She's six," Frankie, answered with a calm yet firm voice.

Jack's eyes widened as he calculated the dates in his head for the first time. "So, she could be mine?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Frankie's eyes narrowed as he shot Jack a sharp look. "No, she's my daughter," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Jack looked ready to lash out, his fists clenching at his sides. "But biologically speaking, is she mine? She looks an awful lot like me," he insisted.

"She looks like Frankie too," you interjected, snapping at the man who hurt you so long ago.

"But biologically speaking, I don't know," you added, wanting to be honest.

"I met Frankie right after you kicked me out," you said, your voice trembling with memories you'd rather forget.

Jack's expression turned sour. "Oh, so you spread your legs for the first man you saw," he accused. He knew it was hypocritical of him as he reverted to his old ways the same night he kicked you out. 

Frankie's temper flared as he grabbed Jack by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "You don't get to judge her for seeking comfort in someone else," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Jack flinched, feeling the weight of Frankie's words. "She loved you, you know," Frankie continued. "But you never deserved her. You took advantage of her while still grieving. She was in love with you from the moment she met you, and you didn't even trust her."

"Do you even remember what you said to her? How much you hurt her?" Frankie asked, his voice rising with each word. "Because she couldn't forget. She would cry every day when she remembered how quickly you threw her away like she didn't matter. But she is not a replacement and she didn't deserve to be treated as such."

"That little girl is my daughter, got that?" Frankie said, his eyes burning with fierce protectiveness. "I don't care if she may not be biologically mine. I didn't even want a paternity test because I know she's my little girl."

"I've been there since my wife started getting pregnancy symptoms, when she took a pregnancy test, when she took 5 more, when she went to her first appointment, when she first heard my daughter's heartbeat," Frankie said, listing off each milestone with pride. "When my little girl grew every day in my wife's womb, when my princess first kicked, when my wife craved all sorts of street food at 2 am, when our daughter was born, when she first rolled over, when she first crawled, when she took her first steps, when she said her first words, when she had a fever that wouldn't break, when she broke her leg, when she was scared of her first day at school, when she graduated pre-k and kinder. I've always been that little girl's dad."

Silence hung in the air as Jack absorbed Frankie's words. He looked at you and then at Frankie, his face a mix of regret and resignation. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Frankie's grip on Jack's collar loosened, and he took a step back, and he sent you a look. You knew what he was thinking. It’s something you discussed together before- what if Jack found out about your daughter and came back for her? Although, you thought he would demand a paternity test. As the years went by, the possibility of his return diminished and you and Frankie stopped discussing the possibility. You certainly weren’t expecting him to turn up now. 

You had never expected Jack to show up at your doorstep, but here he was. "Give me your phone number," you said, your voice distant and cold. "We'll get back to you as soon as we figure out a plan." The words slammed into him like a ton of bricks, and his heart dropped into his stomach. He knew that things would never be the same again.

Jack could feel the weight of your words bearing down on him as you continued to speak. "I don't think it's a good idea to introduce you to our daughter as her father just yet," you said quietly. "However, you might only see her on special occasions, such as birthdays." Jack knew he should be thankful. It wasn't certain your daughter was his because she could have been Frankie's. Even if she was Frankie’s, it would be his only opportunity to be a father figure, and he would take it.

And then came the crushing blow. "I'm not going to let you hurt her, Daniels," You said, your voice rising with anger. "Your words... they have the power to make you feel weak, pathetic like you don't matter. I am not going to expose my daughter to that. I don't care if you didn't mean to hurt me. You said those words. I need to make sure you’re not capable of saying something like that to my daughter."

Jack felt a lump form in his throat as he remembered the fight that had led to this moment. The hurtful things he had said to you, the things he wished he could take back. He had never meant to hurt you, but he had, and now he was facing the reality of it.

"Did you know I still flinch around loud noises?" You continued, your voice shaking with emotion. "I'm sorry if you think I'm keeping her from you, but I'm doing this for her own good. She already has a dad who loves her so much. I don't want to break that bond."

Jack felt a wave of jealousy wash over him as he thought about another man raising his daughter. He wanted to be the one to hold her when she cried, to teach her how to ride a bike, to be there for all of her firsts. But he knew that it wasn't meant to be.

"When she gets older, we can tell her about you," You said, your voice softening slightly. "We always planned to be honest with her, and if she wanted to look you up, we weren't going to stop her."

As Jack walked away, he couldn't help but think of all the things he had lost. The chance to be a father, the love of a woman he had hurt, and the sense of belonging that he had always had with you. He was a man adrift, lost in a sea of his own mistakes and regrets. He could only hope you could forgive him one day. 

As soon as Jack left, you turned to Frankie, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. "Why did he have to come back now, after all these years?" you asked him, your voice choked with emotion. Frankie took your hand, his touch warm and comforting. "I don't know, baby. But I won't let him hurt you again or our princess. Todo estará bien amor, ya lo veras," (Everything will be okay my love, you’ll see) he said firmly.

Note: I have been writing for plenty of fictional characters for years, including Pedro’s characters. However, this is my first time publishing anything I’ve written. This was intended to be a series, but I ended up writing one part. Apologies for any mistakes, I don’t have a second reader. It’s just me double checking within seconds! 

[violent138]

Starting to think a cooler headcanon for Clark’s upbringing might just be that the entire town of Smallville collectively decided to just go with it and accept that Martha and John's kid has superpowers, but we don't talk about it.

Someone's tractor gets stuck and nothing can get it out? "Be a dear and run down to the Kents, would you? Ask for Clark?"

"Why Clark, we need a machine--"

"Run along now."

Or if he kicks too hard and the football vanishes into the upper stratosphere, no it didn't, we all collectively saw it land over there *vague hand movements*

[hansoeii]

the best person I know.

[hinamie]

dead man walking

[autumn-may]

Mostly spoiler free summary of my viewing experience

[missmisnomer]

They're my little guys. My good time pals. Just a couple of goobers.

They are also menaces to society, but that's besides the point 😁

More Rise silliness [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ]

[chloesimaginationthings]

FNAF movie Mike meets Jeremy Fitzgerald

[queerdraws]

it's zoro's birthday!! happy birthday big guy, may you say many more insane things to your enemies in the coming years

[thepersonperson]

Why the hell is JJK 270 called Dream's End?

JJK 270 being titled Dream’s End is so fudging ominous. That’s some Umineko type beat. I’m not sure if I should even judge this chapter as presented because of this. In fact, I'm holding off on posting the other analysis I had for today since I no longer am certain of what JJK 268–270 are.

There's two lines of thought I have:

1) Gege suffering from burnout and bad working conditions plus rushing has caused the writing to decline.

2) Gege still has a hidden ace saved for the final chapter and the weird writing is deliberate.

I'm going to humor Option 2, but only because the title of this chapter is called Dream's End.

(The most 'hear me out' discussion under the cut. Using TCB scans and leaks. Click images for captions/citations.)

[Small Update: Follow-up Discussion on why everyone feels OOC.]

Preface

"Without love it cannot be seen."

This is a phrase and philosophy I have borrowed from Umineko since I've started these JJK yapfests. It essentially boils down to 'discard your negative biases and try to examine things in good faith.'

JJK 268 & 269 have fudging tested that for me. I've been giving Gege and the characters a pretty hard time with the caveat of knowing how exploitative the manga industry is. I initially rejected the idea that these chapters were to be taken at anything other than face-value because of this. In fact, I cited the JJK 268 chapter title of Finale as a reason I've accepted things as is.

And with that same logic, I'm now doing the opposite... So hear me out! I've got some pretty good reasons to be doing this.

What's wrong with JJK 268–270?

There's a lot of things in these chapters that are fundamentally inconsistent with what's been established in throughout the manga. If we use Option 1 to explain these contradictions, these are last second retcons because Gege forgor.

Option 2? We're about to have the rug pulled the hell out from under us because the last 3 chapters have been delusions.

What first tipped me off to something possibly being wrong on purpose was the fate of the incarnated culling game players in JJK 270. Not too long ago it was established that the souls of non-sorcerers in vessels were unsavable.

The souls are suppressed in a way that distorts them permanently or their consciousness is outright destroyed. They were gambling on Megumi's survival due to him being a sorcerer and Sukuna's incarnation method being unique. 99% of them will die and those who survive will likely be vegetables, so why is there a sudden gamble on their survival in JJK 270?

It's such a neat and fine bow to tie this mess up that goes directly against existing lore. It's so ideal that it has me suspicious.

Brain damage from sorcery on non-sorcerers has been established as extremely taxing. I think about Gojo's Unlimited Void (UV) the most when it comes to this. Non-sorcerers were hit by it for 0.2 seconds and required medical intervention for 2 months to fully heal from it. Sukuna, the absolute strongest, tanked some of it and it affected him for the rest of the battle. ...And then we have Megumi who was under it for about 6 minutes and seems to have very little problems from it.

This is bizarre. Someone who underwent the month long bath and UV without Reverse Curse Technique (RCT) should be struggling to even stand after waking up. Sukuna had RCT and the Gojo brain damage still took him out. This screams of inconsistent writing unless...this is a deliberate hint that something is amiss.

I want to draw attention to the panel Megumi's UV damage is addressed. Just about everyone has been seemingly waiting around in the same spot for him to wake up. It's a bit weird given that sorcerers don't usually do that. They usually get a move on asap. And after the destruction of Shinjuku and the Culling Game Players still running about, why would they take a breather to discuss their plans that worked?

But that's not what started bothering me about that panel after reading JJK 270. It's that characters who aren't in the room, start appearing without warning. Look who is behind Maki and to the left. It's Kusakabe. And to her and Yuta's right? Inumaki. So why is it that Hakari, Kiara, and Ino are in Kusakabe's place while Todo spawns where Inumaki is? (And Yuta is facing the wrong direction too.)

That's pretty fudging weird right? You can chalk it up to Gege forgor but it doesn't stop there. Higuruma enters the discussion in a way that causes Yuji to pause.

Why is Yuji surprised to see him? (And where the fudge did he come from?) Shouldn't he know of his survival by now? And why is he in a cast? Higuruma had learned RCT and fully restored his arms before leaving the battlefield. If he's conscious, then he should be able to heal himself fully no problems.

And that got me thinking... Why is Yuji still missing his fingers?

It was established that he kept his fingers unhealed to help with Yuta's plan. This means that if he won, he has no need to keep them missing. Yuji has fully regenerated missing chunks of his face, including his eye, and stomach. He has RCT just like Higuruma. But it doesn't end there either. Yuji's number of fingers on his left hand keeps changing.

4 fingers, 3 fingers, dubious amount of fingers, 5 fingers. Once again, you can chalk it up to Gege forgor, but JJK 270 came out and the same problem started happening with Megumi's scars.

The same mistake is made within the same set of panels and very big page. That's weird.

ONCE AGAIN, you can chalk it up to Gege forgor, but when these errors occur, like with Yuta mistakenly having his ring on in JJK 251, Gege will note the mistake outright. Gege has made no such comments for Yuji's fingers or the scars. This many “errors” in row when Gege has otherwise been careful with these features could indicate it really is on purpose. (Kind of like Sukuna's everchanging mask. The thing was just moving around and pulsing. That was deliberate not inconsistency.)

What does this mean?

I think it means what we are seeing isn't reality. After all, the most common way to tell if you're dreaming is being unable to count the number of fingers on your hands. Another way to tell is the distortion of faces.

Readers have noticed that something is wrong. The weird timeskips, the lack of lasting consequences, design inconsistencies, characters behaving like similes of themselves, death and pain being glossed over like it's nothing. It all feels so off. But it's still close enough to the original to be somewhat believable. ...Is that not what it's like to dream and not know you are dreaming?

Why is it that the chapter titled Dream's End ends with the hunt for a curse user whose ability is to distort the perception of reality?

Dreams and Delusions in JJK

We already know Gege weaves Buddhist symbolism and ideas heavily into JJK. I'm not an expert in Buddhism at all, so there's a lot of it that goes over my head. I decided to look into if dreams are significant in Buddhism and boy howdy are they. Quoted directly from the source:

"Dreams can be a message from a Bodhisattva, an ancestor, or a god, The intent of the dream may be to test the dreamer’s resolve: is he non-retreating (avaivartika) from Bodhi (enlightenment) even when sleeping? The purpose of the dream visit may be to communicate information vital to the dreamer’s well-being. The Buddha himself had five dreams of catastrophes, falling stars and worlds in collision just before his enlightenment. The dreams were sent to him not by a benevolent Dharma-protector, but by an malevolent sorcerer, intent on disrupting the Buddha’s samadhi and preventing his awakening."

In summary, (correct me if I'm wrong) dreams appear to be seen as another state of being just as valuable and impermanent as reality.

There's also this other bit I'll quote directly.

"The most common use of dreams in the literature of the Mahayana, or “Northern School” of Buddhism in China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam is to see dreams as a simile for sunyata, (emptiness) the hollow core at the heart of all component dharmas (things). For example, in the well-known Vajra (Diamond) Sutra, the Buddha taught that:

“All conditioned dharmas, are like a dream, like an illusion, like a bubble, like a shadow, like a dewdrop, like a lightening flash; you should contemplate them thus.”"

That's starting to sound like what Yuji's Domain does, right? He projects memories that did happen and mixes them with delusions and dreams. Sukuna and Megumi both experience this in full.

It's incredibly suspicious that it hasn't been named yet. Yuji is the son of Kenjaku who has a domain based on the Womb Sutra/Realm...which is paired with the aforementioned Diamond Realm to encompass the entire Dharma. It's very likely this is what Yuji's domain is—a realm of dreams and reality combined as one.

Unreality Runs in the Family

When Sasaki Setsuko "wakes up" as the Culling Games begin, Kenjaku explains her situation with this:

What follows is a sequence that cannot be described as a dream. It seems to be a blend of reality and hallucinations. But that's not anything strange, Sukuna does it too with Kashimo in reverse.

As you can see, both the positions of the characters and even the backgrounds change suddenly from reality to ??? and from sequence to sequence. It's all incredibly dream like.

Another strange thing about this space is Kenjaku creating it as a part of an escape route Binding Vow. You know, the kind Sukuna uses for Malevolent Shrine.

What I want to draw attention to here is this reality-dream state somewhat requires consent (in the loosest possible definition) to appear. The person entering this state has to desire it themself. We see this with Jogo and Gojo who are mutually interested in having a relationship of somekind with Sukuna. (Same with Kashimo.)

(It's also very hard to tell if they are dead or still in the process of dying during this.)

This is where the delusions Yuji projects differ. They are forced onto others when he is near death or severely injured, seemingly as a defense mechanism.

And would you look at that...the syntax is identical for Todo and Choso's Brother Yuji Delusions. "At that moment, a memory was born inside X's brain...of a past event that never happened." It's kind of like how Yuji replaces Gojo in Megumi's memory to reach him. It's also very strange that Sukuna, Choso, and Jogo go "What is this?" to this in-between space.

My point here is that Yuji having access to this space has been hinted at since the start of this manga and that it was inherited it by blood. (Totally Not Kenjaku showing up with Takaba Mr. Reality Warping CT in JJK 270 supports my case too I think.)

What does this mean for JJK 268–270?

The battle ended in JJK 268. Of that I'm certain. What I no longer know is if anyone survived.

A common complaint about Sukuna's death is his lack of an afterlife scene. Everything ended so abruptly. And then Megumi wakes up.

It's so jarring in out of place. ...But that's how all scenes involving the space between dreams and reality begin. Sasaki Setsuko "wakes up" once and then again. Most of us have experienced those kind of dreams right? (They made a whole movie about it called Inception which is based on the movie Paprika.)

There's one other thing I need to draw attention to. Yuji's Domain shattered after Sukuna cast Domain Expansion (DE).

When a sorcerer withdraws their domain voluntarily, it does not shatter. Gojo has demonstrated this for us in quite clearly.

When a domain is broken by force, it will shatter and shards will scatter. When a domain is withdrawn, no shards are left behind. Yuta uses these facts as a part of his plan. In JJK 252, it's revealed by Kusakabe that Yuta shatters his own domain on purpose to trick Sukuna into thinking he won.

What this means is that some kind of violent action needs to be taken to shatter a domain. Yuji's domain is massive and his attacks only targeted Sukuna. What could've shattered his domain all at once? He's not had the time to practice shattering parts of it like Yuta.

Gojo has shown us what a uniform domain shattering looks like—it happens when Malevolent Shrine activates. (Please note that the sfx used for Sukuna breaking Gojo's domain is カシャア. It's the same one used for Yuji's domain shattering.)

I'm proposing that we've been in unreality since the end of JJK 266. Sukuna and Yuji are both severely injured, on the verge of death, and have a connection with each other. These are all conditions that trigger the space between dreams and reality.

And I must remind you that Yuji first triggers this event with Todo after a severe head injury. Right before Sukuna casts his domain, they do this to each other.

Everything that has come after has been perfect for Yuji to a unbelievable degree. Everyone whose death was uncertain is alive and the living are getting exactly what they wanted. The effort behind it and the logistics are all missing. And yes a rushed ending can explain that, but that too can be part of the ruse.

Another massive complaint is that mourning has not occurred. Not for Gojo or Choso despite how much Yuji cherished them. It's like they're being willfully forgotten by the cast despite being crucial to their success in Shinjuku. It feels out of character, especially since Yuji is of the few that showed concern for them no matter what.

But if this is a delusion on the brink of death designed to bring happiness, why would Yuji think of the dead? He's always been so avoidant with it. When his grandpa is dying and trying to talk about his parents, Yuji tells him to shut up. When Nanami dies, he thinks of him then and then never again directly leading up to his talk with Sukuna. When Megumi tries to discuss Nobara's fate, Yuji ends the conversation as quickly as possible.

The only people in this world are the ones who may or may not be dead. He saw Yuta in Gojo's corpse. The only way that can happen is if Gojo is dead. Yuji has no choice but to believe it. Choso burned away before his eyes. Yuji has no choice but to believe it. He went through some of Megumi's memories and saw Tsumiki's corpse. Yuji has no choice but to believe it.

And since Tsumiki is the only person Yuji wasn't close with, she's the only death that has been outright acknowledged. But not for too long! That would make Megumi sad.

Another complaint is that Sukuna really didn't kill anyone in the final battle outside of those two and Kashimo. The dudebros call it Disney Kaisen. But the fairytale-like idea that everyone is ok? Todo was the one who put that idea in Yuji's head.

And Yuji has always been one to fall to story-like logic when things look like they're finally wrapping up.

"And then everything will be just fine." (Yuji before the worst possible outcome for both him and Megumi happens.)

This is similar to the line Gakuganji uses in JJK 270. "Everything is fine." This line is the whole reason I sat down and wrote this all out without stopping. I know Gakuganji. He'd never say that. This man has been in a state of worry over Jujutsu Society since his first appearance. He doesn't even fully believe in Gojo's cause as someone who values tradition. He's a stickler for details and will do everything in his power to ensure stability. For him to toss Sukuna and Tengen's remains in a shrine and call it a day? Who is that? He's changed but not that much.

And so I compared the raws.

It is very much the same 大丈夫 (Daijoubu). These are Yuji's words.

What I'm proposing is that JJK 267–270 are Yuji's delusions of the happiest possible ending. It's a picture perfect little end where all the trauma and death has no effect on the living and people move on like nothing happened. I don't know if this means he's dead or if Megumi's dead or if they're all dead. But what I'm seeing now? I don't think it's real.

Reexamining JJK 269

CW: Brief discussion of suicide.

Even if this turns out to be a part of the smokescreen, I'm always going to hate JJK 269. But I do want to give it some grace under the assumption this chapter titled Examination (which can also be translated as Reflection) is about Yuji's guilt. Both him and Megumi's tbh. I think their feelings for each other and their situations are driving these delusions. That's one thing about this space that's real—the feelings behind them.

Yuji has a lot of guilt surrounding his existence after ingesting Sukuna, Megumi does too. Straight up Yuji has been seeking death over it since JJK 9.

He struggles to forgive himself for being the centerpiece to violence he had little to no control over. The only thing that upsets him more than that is knowing that his death will break Megumi's heart. He doesn't want Megumi to feel any guilt for it whatsoever.

The kicker is, Megumi already knows Yuji is planning to die. And he wants to do everything to rid him of that guilt. Up until they connect inside of Yuji's domain, they were unaware they shared the same goal for each other.

And that's what JJK 269 is. It's a very cold and harsh breakdown that allows them to forgive themselves. Blame is passed around and ultimately pinned on a combination of Gojo and Kenjaku. (It's really weird Sukuna isn't blamed either, but that's not the point of this for now.)

Kusakabe's comment is especially harsh. Telling Yuji point blank he should've died and that both sides on the issue were valid? He may have believed that to an extent, but he made a point of not telling it to his face. Why have a whole chapter discussing how kind he is only to turn around and do this?

If this is all a delusion, a manifestation of Yuji's guilt and trying to absolve himself of it for Megumi's sake, that makes sense. This version of Kusakabe is what Yuji feels guilt over the most—Everyone's lives being better if he died.

In the same breath Kusakabe tells them to solely blame the adults. It's very reminiscent of Nanami telling Yuji that being a child is not a sin.

It should also be noted that every single time Megumi tries to apologize for being possessed, he's stopped. Maki tears into Yuta without checking in on him, but she asks if Megumi is ok and tells him to not blame himself. JJK 270 is full of this too. He tries to apologize to Tsumiki at her grave and Shoko tells him not to sweat it. He tries to apologize to Hana and she hits on him instead.

This delusion is crafted out of love. It allows Megumi to live in a world where he can move on from the guilt surrounding his possession and saving Yuji. It's all Yuji has ever wanted for him. And now that Yuji knows Megumi wants him to forgive himself, he has no choice but to do that too.

It's a perfect ending for Megumi that's too good to be true.

It must be a dream...

There's another thing I can't reconcile about JJK 269 unless it's a delusion—Todo's explanation for Yuta's plan. It's another one of those glaring contradictions.

In JJK 269 Todo claims Boogie Woogie can't target Maki. But in JJK 259? Todo makes plans with Mei Mei knowing that it works with her.

Either Todo lied...or Yuji never fully knew the plan and that Boogie Woogie could target Maki. Otherwise she would be dead. Her surviving Sukuna's flames would be impossible.

I've already talked about how Yuji believing those who may or may not be dead are alive is Todo's doing. He's always been the one to save Yuji from his breakdowns. But let's talk about his speech in Shibuya.

"Looking for meaning or logic in death...can at times defile the memories of those we've lost!"

Everyone who has read these past 3 chapters has really felt the defiling of Gojo's memory. And it was all in service to a strange logic that helped them cope with all this death. Acknowledging how massive Gojo's sacrifice was would riddle both Yuji and Megumi with immense guilt, so it's best to ignore it for Megumi's sake. (And perhaps that's why Yuji replaces Gojo in that memory.)

"What have you been entrusted with? You don't need to answer right now. However... Until you find your answer, never stop moving."

In a way, JJK 269 is an answer to the question Todo proposed. Yuji was entrusted with saving Megumi. Saving Megumi requires Megumi and Yuji forgiving themselves. And Yuji won't stop moving until it's done. All these time jumps and rushed developments are Yuji moving Megumi forward. He's getting that happy ending even if it's to the detriment of everything else.

What about Sukuna?

When Sukuna respects his opponents and they have a connection, he gives others these dreams before they pass. He's been very impressed by Megumi since JJK 9. It's not out of the ballpark for him to allow Megumi to die satisfied in the way Gojo did. Yuji also seems to understand that Sukuna was manipulated by others just as much as he was. I think that's why Sukuna is spared of the blame for the most part.

I don't think Sukuna won. He's probably dead. But he did warn Yuji not to underestimate him. I think the worst absolute last fudge you to Yuji he could give is this happy ending dream before ripping it all away as he dies.

In Conclusion...

I'm not sure that we're going to get that happy ending. Reggie Star warned us not too long ago.

"...it all comes down to a sorcerer's lies."

Reggie is a lot like Sukuna here, outwitted by modern sorcerers and dying to someone he loathes. Sukuna is good at tricking people. He let Gojo think he won before tearing it all away. Yuta did the exact same thing to him. Or did he?

"Can you do me a favor? After all, you've killed me. Let fate toy with you, become a clown, then die."

If the last 3 chapters are delusions...Megumi will be playing the part of a clown.

Gege said the manga would end with either 1/4 or 3/4 of Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, and Gojo surviving. This of course, could be changed throughout its development, but Gege said the manga is ending in its original vision. There's a real chance that it's only Yuji or Nobara surviving.

Remember, Gege is a troll first and foremost. Somehow Gojo was revived, but in the worst way possible (Yujo). Somehow Gojo did tell Megumi about Toji, but in the worst way possible (dead man's final letter).

Gege also said this about the final chapter:

"I am working hard to create a final chapter that will (hopefully) satisfy as many people as possible who have supported Jujutsu Kaisen. So everyone, please bear with me!"

I can't think of a better way to appease everyone than by making the last 3 chapters nothing more than dream.

[wasabi-gumdrop]

Kabru has a secret admirer in the castle!

[mab1905]

Ive lost all control and painted on the back of this denim jacket, might add a quote but I’m not sure which one

[clouvu]

Father-Son bonding moment ✨

[technically-human]

St. Hilarion's ghost story

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The indescribable tension between an overworked and underpaid smut writer, and his biggest fan hater.

(for @frummpets)

[savanir]

DP x DC prompt [3]

during one of the final psych evals at Arkham right before he gets to be released, the whole thing wrapped up so tidy, just a little relapse which involved a robbery. Getting sent back to Arkham, but he got to stay at the asylum so long that he no longer has to serve a prison sentence, score!

But during that eval his overseeing psychiatrist recommended him to have a change of scenery, some fresh non polluted air.

Riddler was rather convinced the guy was making this recommendation to everyone in Arkham in their own weird way to convince them to just leave Gotham and become someone else's problem. should he notify Batman about it somehow? nah, it’ll be more interesting to see how this is gonna turn out in the long run.

But can he leave the state? Can he even leave the city? he never really bothered to look into it, at least not legally, up until now if he felt he needed to leave for one of his plans he just did it.

Turns out he can, it’s a whole hassle and a half though, first a judge and then a probation officer and he’s pretty sure both were like “what the hell is this psychiatrist guy thinking!?” but at the same time, shrink probably knows what he’s doing (WRONG) so he’s allowed to go visit out of state family or whatever.

he had to wear this nice ankle monitor though, Wayne Enterprises™ tech, not overly bulky but still very present. real fancy, and a fun extra challenge heh.

now as for a good reason to leave New Jersey he’s going to need distant relatives, and he finds some, great grandpa walker also has a son, who had a son who had a daughter Madeline, who married some guy Jack Fenton, and she lives somewhere out in the boonies Illinois. great he’ll visit her.

far enough away in all sense of the word that there is no way she knows anything about him. it would be best to call her first though, be polite about it.

“hello, you have reached Fenton works, this is Maddie speaking” 

“Riddle me this-” ah whoops, habit, oh whatever, “we don’t share parents, but certainly a part of your life, from laughter to strife. Who am I?”

there is a pause …  he’s going to be a bit disappointed if she hangs up if he’s honest.

“cousins~” comes the cheery reply.

“correct! the name is Edward Nygma, we are distantly related you and I and well-”

“oh you simply must come visit!” 

well this was rather easy, perhaps a little too easy, but she lives in the midwest so maybe just going with whatever some guy says over the phone is normal there? stranger danger not really a thing in a small town where everyone knows everyone?

things start to make a little more sense once he gets there and he’s starting to think some things might run in the family. like a preference for the colour green and weird hyperfixations and genius bordering on insanity. Though that remains to be seen, Jack does not seem like a very bright light after his very enthusiastic welcome.

their kids however are observant and sharp. young Jasmine is wasting no time trying to psychoanalyze him. and the boy, Danny, he had not really meant to and he swears he’s sticking with calling the kid Danny so he wouldn’t seem overly familiar, but he might have called him little bird a couple times now.

but that’s all whatever, he’s playing nice here. and he doesn’t even have to worry about his eccentricities tripping him up because this place is insane.

There actually is a local teen vigilante active but he seems about as loved as he’s disliked. and the ghost boy’s enemies are basically all his own kind, which another crazy thing to now know about. ghost. they are real actually, how is Gotham not completely overrun? and how do they even work? and where do they keep coming from?

Edward might be getting a little sidetracked here. He had fully intended to sneakily get his next big game plan underway all the way out here, ankle monitor be damned. but he hasn’t made any progress at all.

Instead he’s been listening to Madeline and Jack to maybe figure out what the deal is with these ectoplasmic entities, he has to know, at this point he might go crazier if he doesn’t. 

He’s making Jasmine promise him not to get her doctorate in Gotham, he’s going back and forth with space riddles with Danny.

so yeah the whole thing kinda just became a vacation, maybe the psychiatrist had the right idea after all? hmm nah, probably not. but this is fun. He’s thinking about recommending this place to some of the others.

It's different enough to get the vacation feel, but enough crazy shit happens to make it all feel like home.

it is not until Maddie wants to talk with him about potentially switching the position of godfather of Danny to him rather than some weird rich friend of theirs that Edward realizes he might have lost the plot somewhere

Apparently the little bird basically begged them with a powerpoint presentation on how he likes Edward so much more than that Vladimir guy. 

And honestly, the fellow sounds like a Dracula Lutho so even if it’s kinda sad Edward can understand why he’d be considered a better option. Even if the guy has more money and a huge company that makes him said money. And it’s not like the Fentons know about his Riddler activities.

Thinking it over, Edward does think that Danny would like Gotham and Wayne has that space program thing right? The kid is definitely smart enough for that (Nygma certified), and yeah Edward does quite like their space themed back and forth. So, fuck it, why not, what is the worst that could happen?

He doubts Maddie and Jack are gonna kick it any time soon anyway out here in the boonies, it’s just a title thing, a stamp of approval or something.

he should have known he was going to eat those words later… he had this whole beautifully elaborate trap set up for the whole Batclan, and he was just getting to the good part when his phone went off.

Had to put the whole thing on pause cause that particular contact wasn’t gonna get ignored. He did promise to be available.

If the whole thing he had planned now went tits up he could at the very least laugh later at the reactions of the bats as he told them to “hold up one second, I have to take this.” while they were all in various perilous positions. 

Sadly he did have to go, he had a very distressed godson to pick up.

[flower-dagger-gay]

This show has infiltrated my brain send help 🧍. (Also (re)watch it!!! My guess is that we're running out of time for an approval of s2)