#what he looks like. thats who he presents himself to be on purpose

[termagax]

tldr "what does his face look like" that is his face. dont be rude.

[rubysparx]

Honestly I don't think I'm qualified to make this post, I just don't know if I can make coherent enough words man. But the thoughts are in there and I will try to articulate them. This is probably going to be mostly images though. anyway yeah KABRU POST.

A couple nights ago (at approximately 2:30am, lasting a little over half an hour) I had a bit of a moment about Kabru. That, too, was mostly images- most of what you see in this more concise post were presented then as well. I think my main points of the "moment" were about Kabru's trauma + self hatred, his autism and/or general otherness, and also a little labru if you'd like..

I think something easy to start with is I wanna point out Kabru's constant back and forth and conflicting opinions of demihumans and how, I believe, thats a reflection of how he goes back and forth on what he believes his purpose of living is- and the general worth of his own life. I've said it before and i've just kinda shown it in images; Kabru is "i think im a monster and it disgusts me" where Laios is "I know im a human and it disgusts me" (i could go more into the latter on another post)

the above are both from the world bible, with the left being from the section on kobolds and the right being from the section on Kuro specifically. Utaya was very near to the desert where most of the kobold population is, this is likely why Kabru is able to speak Kuro's language- he grew up around demihumans. (chapter 48 cover, kobold chapter in the world bible) I won't try to speak for how his mother or the rest of utaya felt about the kobolds but I can say that Kabru was very much othered as a child, as was his mother, purely for the way her son's (kabru) eyes looked.

I feel like its fair enough to say that both kabru and the kobolds were othered, and possibly for similar reasons (villager's seeing them as nonhuman, as monsters) and the fact that Kabru learned their language probably didn't help his case. I think his perception of kobolds (and all demihumans, subsequently himself, as he probably still views himself as nonhuman or not human enough.. deep down) was damaged by the Utaya incident. at 2:30am when I first started this ramble my main comment was that "had the utaya incident not happened kabru would have little reason to feel ashamed for his connection to monsters. and may have ended up similar to laios in that he couldve had otherkin swag" which is just a sort of silly way of saying Kabru could've learned to love the thought that he is possibly nonhuman or at least not hated himself so much for it.

in the original ramble I said, and quote, "he has been STALKING laios. laios is his hyperfixation to learn how he can ever be loved. he keeps going back and forth so harshly on wether or not he wants to kill Laios and he clearly sees his survival from utaya not as an unfortunate trauma [*] but as a necessary, deserved fate. a punishment for his mother's witchy sins, and for his sin of being non-human. to atone for it all, to apologize for being alive, he tries to better the lives of all humanity. He was set on his way to dethrone the governor of the island . do you understand? im going insane" *i also said somethings about the way he processes other people's traumas and not his own. He's able to understand and even help some people, but he struggles to process his own issues and see himself as worthy of love and life.

^some examples of Kabru being understanding of or helping others who have suffered greatly. I think its also worth mentioning that with Rin (called "Lynn" in that translation) he says "I wish there was a way to get her out of this" though he's insisted and pushed for himself to go into a dungeon;

In chapter 94, Mithrun says "The desire I had left wasn't revenge. All I wanted.. was for it to finish devouring me." and I don't feel like it's a stretch to say Kabru was in a similar situation. Mithrun sought out the demon with no plan on how to kill something like that because deep down he wanted it to end his (Mithrun's) own life, to finish the trauma it caused and kill him. I think Kabru went into the dungeon in part with the hopes that it'd kill him. That the same thing that destroyed Utaya and caused him so much trauma would just.. finish him.

I just think Kabru is a beautifully complex character, I have a lotta thoughts on him and I don't see nearly as many analysis posts for him than I do Laios (despite labru being such a popular ship)

there is no tldr for this post idk how to summarize it. do what you will with this collection of images. have fun. go crazy

fun fact the woman in the bottom left corner is his mother, she is labeled here as "witch"

[kroosluvr]

present day

if every day will be like this from now on, i'll look forward to every single one.

ok. Sits down. help meeee i tried using csp's comic tools for once (and also gradient maps + coloring w monochrome) to save time bUT I ENDED UP SPENDING THE USUAL AMT ANYWAY SO. . erm. WELL IT WAS FUN ANYWAYS

hiiiiiiiii i wrote this script 4 months ago nd finally did it (had this on the backburner for 20 million yrs bc i wanted to get out other angst bullshit first)

the parallels of goro's back (x3) on the first 2 pgs are kinda not 1:1 as i'd like but REGARDLESS i still like them. goro, who had utmost control over his life, running it like a machine, regardless of how he feels or if he's tired or if he wants to give up.......he was in control. knowing, of course, that his life is on the line at every waking moment, but since he was always on edge, always alert, he was still in control.

but now, surviving the long winter and coming out to the other side, he's lost that control AND that edge. now what is he left with? what is there left?

very speficially in the 2nd page.... i think its so <3 YAY <3 that goro, now, doesn't feel the need to take such spic-and-span clean-cut care of his appearance.., guy who rolls out of bed and throws on a shirt to go hangout w akira and sumire. he decides to tie up his hair and forgoes his gloves... feels more "comfortable" to change his apperance, to let down his guard a little. <- was the rough symbolism JKDSHKFS

sumire getting the choco croissant but letting goro have the first bite YEAHHHH WHATEVER

4th page symbolism is also rough i didnt think abt it too hard LMAO. 3rdsem goro watching his detective prince self leave. he knows acutely well that chapter of his life is over - whether he survives the long winter or dies in it. all that he knew - even though it was miserable and awful and frustrating and dangerous - is gone.

and now there's just this: the present day. whatever that means.

i think something important to me abt royal trio is just the idea of Learning To Just Exist: no need for a "purpose" or a "calling" or some overarching "goal". they just learn to exist.

and of course none of them really have a benchmark for "wow i like this i want to live like this" so they just roll with the punches, as they always have, but yknow. finally getting to live their honest student life as they always deserved

edit: and most importantly for goro, i think, is learning to cut himself some slack. "despite everything" he says, despite all the shit he's endured AND all the shit he's done, he feels like this is "right." whatever that means, he's ready to take it day by day to figure it out. AND THATS THE WHOLE THING Punches wall really hard

edit: I ALSO FORGOT. i think the sentiment of "being waited for" for goro means a lot. since he had to do everything by himself, fight for himself, decide everything for himself frm such a young age, the idea of akira and sumire waiting for him, inviting him out simply for him to be there -> is really meaningful to him, more than they could know.

edit AGAIN: also goro sleeping in means a lot to me. i imagine that guy has pretty terrible insomnia. ALSO HE HAS A BEDFRAME! i like the thought of his apartment being so /r/malelivingspaces throughout the game. he doesn’t deserve a bedframe. BUT HE HAS ONE NOW!

goros expressions in the last page gve me a hard time. sparkly....

also im SO freaking sorry if his voice isnt too well-written... i had a crisis over the wording while draiwng htis so much DSKHASKDASJK AND THE PANELING AND WHATEVERRR IDEK WHAT IM DOINGGG but it was fun!!!! exploratory..... regardless i will keep workign to do him and royaltrio justice. THUMBSUP EMOJI.

[crazylittlejester]

i don’t know if this is something Jojo is doing on purpose, or if it was an intentional detail but i grabbed and ran away with it, or if I’ve just completely read far to into things and entered the realm of just making shit up, but Warriors and his little crooked smile are so GODDAMN important to me and I am shaking him like a squeak toy (gently)

(big yap/analysis under the cut)

disclaimer, i just have a lot of thoughts, probably way too many thoughts, and 97% of them are about Wars so I might be insane, and what you’re about to read provided you’ve stuck around so far might be the equivalent of your high school english teacher yelling with tears in their eyes about how the curtains were blue to “symbolize her sadness”. also my apologies for weird spelling mistakes or oddly misspelled words, i am dyslexic 💔 but with that being said:

Warriors to me comes off as someone who’s constantly acting larger than life. He masks a LOT in front of the chain, he acts overdramatic and a bit ridiculous on purpose, and to an extent he just is a bit ridiculous, but his reactions to things are sometimes blow way out of proportion or are just larger than life in a comedic way where it just seems like he’s doing it intentionally. He comes across as a very extroverted, talkative person, and he seems like he’d honestly be a bit loud too (whether that’s who is REALLY is or what he’s REALLY like is a yap for another post). His (physical) image and the way his character/personality is perceived by others both seem like things that are not his CORE values or the things that mean the most to him, but they do seem to be at least a LITTLE bit important to him just based on how he presents himself and the way he acts. And to an extent, the whole thing with him caring so much about his looks is canon in LU, with that one sketch of him and Legend where he’s looking at his eye in a reflection of a shield and Legend says “alright break it up you two” being the first thing that comes to mind (which is in the post “Mirror Shield”, click the name for the link)

To me, from what I’ve seen and from my perspective, there are very few times we see an actual genuine smile from Warriors, and when we do it tends to be in moments where he’s not in the spotlight, he’s not trying to command the center of attention, and/or the focus is NOT on him. It tends to be moments where he just seems genuinely happy or at peace, and those seem pretty rare. He smiles a LOT, but the majority of his smiles seem big and flashy and performative, and not that that means he’s not happy AT ALL in any of those moments, but those smiles seem a lot more controlled and closely managed because he’s aware of the attention on him and therefore thinking about how he’s perceived. (I’ve made some posts in the past and I’ll probably make others in the future about how I think Warriors puts on this “Captain” or “Hero of Hyrule” persona because of how an entire war was started because a sorceress found him beautiful, and how he feels like him being just him isn’t really good enough for that and how he feels like he needs to fit in and look/act/seem like the legendary heroes he’s being compared to. He’s created this idea of what he COULD be and that’s what he presents to others, fake it till you make it and all that, but thats another yap for another day)

However there are these little moments where we see him smile, and the same one side of his mouth is pretty consistently always just a little bit higher no matter which way his head is facing (here’s a few examples):

@/linkeduniverse, from the 2023 monthly art, “January- Cold Sunrise”

@/linkeduniverse, both from “Dawn pt. 2”

And the thing that really started this whole headcanon of mine that his REAL smile is crooked was this specific part of Dawn pt. 2 where Warriors sees that Twilight is gonna be find for the first time after most likely worrying about him and being up all night:

That middle panel, to me at least, is probably the most genuine expression of a positive emotion we’ve seen from him this entire time. No one’s focus is on him, no one’s really looking at him, he doesn’t have the pressure of being the center of attention on him, and honestly even if that WERE the case, the genuine relief that hit him once he was Twilight was gonna be okay probably would’ve been enough to get a genuine smile out of him anyways. But the second he walks into the room officially, he kinda, for lack of a better way to put it, announces his presence and starts “acting” again (also from Dawn pt 2):

And while that same one side of his mouth does seem a bit higher and not very straight, it’s definitely more even than it was just five seconds previously

Now, acknowledging there is an art style, and that I also just might be insane, but Warriors’s smiles for the most part (when they seem controlled) appear to be a Lot straighter and more even to me than when it’s a more genuine moment and he doesn’t seem like he’s “acting” so much (and just a note: it certainly isn’t EVERY time, but in general, in moments like these his smile seems consistently straighter unless he’s just flat out smirking. and im not saying it’s PERFECTLY straight either, just noticeably more even). When he’s being more dramatic or intentionally obnoxious or the attention is on him, it really does feel like his smile is more controlled: here are just a few examples, obviously this isn’t every single time he’s smiled in all of LU

@/linkeduniverse, from “Swords”

@/linkeduniverse, from “Shady Escape pt 2”

@/linkeduniverse, from “Divine Dark Reflections pt. 8”

@/linkeduniverse, both from “Magic Sword”

am i looking too far into a little thing? probably. am i insane? yeah. but i just really love the idea that when Warriors is truly, genuinely happy, the part of himself that he tries to hide, the sweet and caring person he hides underneath all the dramatics, that true self he’s probably kept hidden away since the start of the war who’s been buried under insecurity and hidden because of the fear that who he is just isnt ENOUGH peaks through, and that person comes out through his happiness in the form of his smile. and yeah it does probably mean nothing and Jojo might not have done any of this on purpose, but i’m crazy, and Warriors’s crooked little smile is so so important to me *insert image of a guy crying face down on the floor because unfortunately i’ve hit the image limit*

[cheolsfae]

☾ Enhypen Sensitive S/O!

Notes:

Long post ahead! Some of these surprised me more than they should have. Keep in mind these guys are still pretty young they are trying to get it together in front of the world!

Tarot Reading

Request: Hiiii your readings are so good I just binge-read all of them (I think thats a word) Is there any way you do a reading on how enhypen would be with an s/o thats more sensitive? Like one that constantly needs reassurance kind of thing. If you can't do all the members that's fine I understand. 🤍🤍

*Disclaimer: solely for fun! Please do not take this seriously. For entertainment purposes only!*

Heesung

Past: ace of swords, the empress

He may have been ready to comfort this type of person. Willing to do what he could to help his sensitive partners. I feel like he was pretty empathetic with them. They were crying? He was also crying. They were mad at someone at work? So was he! He really might have been good at this. He felt like he was able to be that support system for his partners. Someone they could rely on. Dependable.

Present: the high priestess (reversed), queen of wands

I keep hearing the cats out of the bag. Not really sure what that is about? Maybe that's important to him in some way. Anyway, He may choose to withdraw from a sensitive s/o if he had/has one right now. I don't think he could provide any emotional stability for them. He might be nice and friendly with them but I think it would wear off quickly. His emotions are focused elsewhere at the moment (most likely work). He could be dealing with this type of person right now, things just aren't working out. This person might be his soulmate but he's not giving it much thought.

Future: 5 of pentacles (reversed), king of swords

If another person were to enter his life, an emotional one, I think he would have to turn them away. He's not in a place to handle that right now. He's fully aware that he cannot give another person the affection that they are seeking right now.

Bottom of the deck: the emperor

He's trying to be more stable. He's trying to balance his personal life with his work life. I don't think he wants to add another person to the mix at this point in time. Seems like he's stressed enough.

Jay

Past: 8 of pentacles, 2 of swords

He could have ignored the issues and distracted himself with other things and tried not to over think anything his partner was saying. He's also someone who is sensitive so it could have really affected him deeper than he was letting on. He may not have been looking at the bigger issues at hand. Just focusing on the comments that may have seemed like personal attacks when they weren't.

Present: temperance, the fool

He doesn't want to keep doing that with his partners anymore. He feels like he's more patient with them, like he's willing to listen and take into account about what they are thinking and feeling. It feels like he's willing to trust them more than he previously had. He's being warned to not make any foolish mistakes with the next person. He's being cautious with the next person to make any sort of approach on him.

Future: knight of cups, 10 of cups

He knows the type of relationship he wants in the future and the type of trust and love he wants to be able to give to that person. But I think he's working on becoming a better person. For that future person. So they can have that stable connection for that total happiness. He's willing to be more submissive and listen to them and trying not to take the whole thing as a personal attack.

Bottom of the deck: 3 of swords (reversed)

He's trying to heal past wounds. He's trying to be that person that's healed so he doesn't hurt the next person he's involved with. The healing process feels like it's something that is never going to end but it will. He will be a better person by the end of it. It's a bit of a tough journey but he will get through it just fine.

Jake

Past: king of pentacles (reversed), 4 of wands

In the past, I don't think he reacted very well to his partners being "overly emotional". He may have been quick to dismiss them and write them off as no big deal, which clearly it was, to that person. He was not one to take it too seriously. He may have been guided to pay attention to what he was doing to this person. He knew what he was doing was wrong to do but it was like he couldn't get his head out of his ass long enough to straighten his act out.

Present: ace of swords, the sun

It seems like he came to some kind of wake up call to this. He's realizing that you need to listen to what the other person is feeling even if you don't necessarily like it. They need to be felt like they are being heard, like they are genuinely cared for. He knew he was the main issue in that past relationship. He knew what he was doing. He's wizened up since then, at least a little bit. But he's still stuck quite a bit.

Future: page of swords, page of pentacles

He could have recently heard something about this past person. The one who was "overly emotional" and he's not liking what they are saying about him. They could be gossiping about him. He's being guided to speak to friends or family about this situation. See what they have to say about the situation. He's trying to come to some type of acceptance of the person he once was. He knows he screwed up and he knows this person has every right to say what they said but it still hurts.

Bottom of the deck: 2 of swords

He's debating if he should approach this person about this or not. One one hand, he wants to move on and live his best life but on the other this person is testing him with all of the negativity they are spreading about him. He doesn't want to because he knows whatever he says could affect his job but at the same time it still sucks to know that someone you once trusted is now just shit talking about you.

Sunghoon

Past: 7 of cups, the moon

He's a runner, he's a track star. I feel like he took the easy way out of this. He may have thought about his options before leaving but ultimately he would always leave them when they became too much for him to handle. It may have been a while before he left but he still left without a second glance.

Present: 6 of pentacles, 5 of cups

Now, he might be more willing to help out more. To do things that can help his sensitive S/O. But I think to him, it's draining. Like it's hard for him to keep a positive attitude. He's doing better but still kind of in a selfish vibe. He's stuck in his masculine vibe. He's not really wanting to move out of it. Someone may view as weakness.

Future: ace of swords, 6 of swords

He's going to be moving to more stable waters. He's trying to better himself so he can keep a healthy relationship. He doesn't want to keep this cycle going. He wants to be better than that! He wants to do more things to help out and such. Acts of service may be his love language.

Bottom of the deck: ace of pentacles

He's slowly moving toward a new person. They might be like that and he is going to be trying to be better. I don't know how successful he's going to be. Considering he isn't trying to fix it all that much. . .

Jungwon

Past: 9 of pentacles, 3 of wands

He might have valued his own independence in the past. He was more interested in furthering his own career goals. I don't think a person was even on his radar. He was more so following his own intuition more than anything else. I think he knew he was nowhere near ready for any type of commitment.

Present: the sun, 5 of cups (reversed)

He might feel like he can handle someone more sensitive but he could hold a lot back. Kind of like muting himself or shutting down because he doesn't know how that person might react. It's more out of fear than anything else. He doesn't want to make them upset. He needs to look at how he handles/carries himself over all. Rather than looking at the bigger side of the issue (with his sensitive S/O), he's looking at the fine details. Little things that do not matter in the bigger scheme of things.

Future: 5 of swords, king of swords

He might even cause fights. Not intentionally but accidentally, frequently. He might be a bit guarded with this person because they are so sensitive, he might feel like he has to watch his own emotions too much to not set off his partner. This would end up being a bit of a habit. Again, not intentionally.

Bottom of the deck: knight of swords

He would foolishly do things without thinking. Kind of reckless behavior. Having a sensitive partner would make him think more about his actions but I don't think he would really want to.

Seonwoo

Past: 3 of cups, the chariot

He may not have cared for a sensitive partner in the past. He might have just tossed the whole idea of a partner aside, he might have just wanted to have fun and play the field a bit. He most definitely knew he was not in any sort of mental space to deal with a partner. He knew he was not capable enough to handle anything so serious at that point in time.

Present: knight of pentacles, 4 of pentacles

Now, I think he could handle the situation a bit better. He would definitely be taking a slower approach to them though. He might even be a little protective of his own energy. Like trying not to take their over flow of emotion to heart. Like trying not to take it as an attack on him. Again, would be protecting himself and really hesitant to make a deep connection with an emotional person.

Future: the wheel of fortune. ace of swords

He might even feel blessed/lucky to have someone like that is good for him. I think this would help him grow as a person. I feel like his spirit guides might be sending him signals to let him know that his person is near. They are close to him but he needs to grow up a bit more before he meets them, so he is able to be that emotionally available partner.

Bottom of the deck: 5 of wands

Again, he's trying not to take things as a personal attack. He knows in doing so it would only cause chaos and a huge argument. It would do more harm than good in a relationship. He needs to go through some rebirth before anything like a relationship can happen for him. He needs to break some habits.

Ni-ki

Past: king of pentacles, 8 of swords

He might not have been ready to take on this type of relationship. He probably felt like he couldn't be the person they may have needed him to be. He might have been too much in his head about this. It might have caused some anxiety about this whole thing. He was looking at the bigger picture of things. Like he knew this was something he needed to get together before he entered any relationship. He wasn't stable in any regard.

Present: 6 of pentacles, 4 of cups (reversed)

Now, I think he feels he has more to give to an emotional/sensitive type of person. He feels like he can do so unapologetically. He might feel like he's more ready to do that. he's since changed. He feels like a brand new person. Someone more capable and emotionally available. So I think he could handle this better now than he could back then

Future: 7 of cups (reversed), 9 of wands

He might feel like he's ready for a relationship overall. Yea, he's a little scared of getting hurt but he feels like he can handle it. It's something he might be needing in his life or he feels like he needs right now. He feels like he can give more. More than he could in the past. He would value this person like the world depended on it!

Bottom of the deck: 6 of wands

He's feeling pretty good over all, he feels like he has his shit together. He thinks he can handle anyone the universe brings him. It's just a matter of someone coming along for him lmao.

*Oracle deck was also used!

[igottayellsomewhere]

From Episode 5

"sometimes when I try to look ahead, all I see is back"

back where sanji

like, you could think about this line on a surface-ish level and say back to germa and all that angst ect, sure, but then what is back? what could there possibly be to go back to that he'd want to go to?? and that begs the question, what is forward?

so, at this point in opla they show that he's getting increasingly frustrated with zeff and that is the conflict thats set up to be a push forward, but it also really feels like the characters could have been at this crossroads before. Like, this is a repeating pattern but it always ends the same, sanji is frustrated then zeff let's him back into the kitchen then creativity and the need to be Free strikes and theyre at it again. And because sanji has decided to dedicate himself to zeff and repaying a kindness he could never imagine *there's nothing to look back or forward to*. This is the best scenario. He needs to fulfill zeffs dream before he can think about his own and There's No Other Option. So what is back?

Back is repaying zeff. A debt he can *never* repay

And though they do share the same dream and sanji still wants, yearns, for the All Blue, he can never give himself permission to do so. So forward is Here, at the Baratie, and he daren't dream because it's impossible to wrap his head around why zeff would do anything for a person like sanji, scratch that *just* sanji.

And then you gotta take into account that zeff is purposely squashing sanjis potential at the Baratie cause zeff wants sanji to realize that that's Not the path for sanji. If zeff gave sanji the responsibility he craves that would be like zeff putting the final blow on both their dreams. Zeff is begging sanji to want more but for sanji thats unfathomable; again, This is the Best Case Scenario and he can't bring himself to believe there's more.

So thinking forward or backward is just a moot point, which is why it's so jarring for Luffy to come in and say both that he doesn't do regrets or 'complicated' cause that's what sanji's dream is. When presented with the idea that it could be so simple, when Luffy says join us, there's a long pause. The idea has sprouted but the roots must be crushed. Like always.

I guess here would be a good time to compare the live action and the anime, like, zoro's dream having a big part in the anime/manga, ect. It's true that the only interaction opla zoro had with opla sanji before joining the crew officially was the dinner scene but I don't think the influence of zoros dream on sanji is as lost as some might say.

Opla sanji sees the aftermath of The Fight clearly, sees how many lengths Zoro would go to. He sees Luffy defend Zoro's dream vehemently, when Nami asks why Luffy didn't stop Zoro. In this moment it's reiterated that a person's dreams are Important and that Zoro was *right* to go after them, was *right* to be selfish and try to take something he wanted. Nami's was the dialogue sanji has been telling himself all his life, keep those you care for safe no matter what, no matter if it hurts to do it. Luffy's was a dialogue of I will not keep people from doing what they want, no matter what. No matter how much is "owed" to someone, a dream is Worthy, even if it makes those you're close to disappointed and sad. Which. Is one of many things sanji has been trying desperately to avoid. There's the tiniest crack of light trying to shine through, that maybe one can follow their dreams and have people care about you.

If this moment between the crew had not happened I'm not sure opla sanji would have joined the straw hats.

In this moment, sanji sees someone (zoro) who is willing to go forward, no matter what, and witnessing there are still people that care for that person even in that decision (Luffy, Nami, Ussop). The last time sanji Left there was a severance and no one to help him. He was on his own. Mustering up that courage Again would be... well, it'd be impossibly difficult. Seeing that there were people *for* the fool who followed their dreams was just as important as seeing someone follow their dreams, but Zoro needed to have a dream in the first place. Not one that could be squashed down, but one he was willing to and nearly died for. Someone could do anything for a dream and still be, well, worthy.

So he sees this crew, sees a chance, sees a worldview he's never dared hope for. And it's kind of the perfect opportunity but he darent hope quite yet. All he can do for now is feed and take care of these incredibly kind people and appreciate who they are while theyre here. So he does.

And then the Fishman show up. Sanji is Needed and he Can't abandon his home he needs to be there, end of story. Then Luffy offers to help and the world shifts. Again, sanji is facing a kindness he can't fathom deserving and the guy offers it enthusiastically, without hesitation. Sanji allows this kindness cause maybe its a way to be even, to allow someone to be kind is a kindness kinda thing. But either way he's gotta Go so let's not think on this too much and help zeff.

In the restaurant, sanji keeps his promise. He fights for zeff without hesitation. But then he gets thrown into a table (ouch) and can barely move. What now??? It's probably Panic City but then Luffy is there. Luffy is *defending zeff's dream*. Sanji takes a moment to recover and then we don't see him until he dives into the water after Luffy. But can you imagine????

This random boy is going head to head for zeff's dream. The thing Sanji *has* to protect. The other two fishmen are standing watch at the baratie entrance but as soon as they're gone sanjis out there, and what is out there? This random boy getting thrown to his death. And this random boy has a dream. And if he can save this random boy's dream, maybe sanji can have a dream too. But not now, later. Now we gotta help zeff rebuild.

And so sanji faces a final Forward. Zeff can see how much sanji cares and knows he has to break this boy's heart. There's no other way. We don't explicitly see zeff hearing that luffy offered sanji a place on his crew but a bit ago luffy got right in zeffs face and defended sanji, told him outright sanji is the type of person zeff hoped he would be. If this is gonna be the final push zeff can push him to somewhere he knows sanji will be valued. So he does, in the only way he knows sanji can accept.

This makes their final farewell even more heartbreaking. We can see there's a moment where both parties consider not saying anything. Theres Too Much but also Not Enough. And then they do, they say "take care", sanji says thank you, "thank you for putting up with my shit" and "I owe you my life". There's a thank you for the Past and a thank you for the Forward. Thank you for what is about to be.

"sometimes when I try to look ahead, all I see is back"

And now there's Both. A past to fondly remember and grow from and a future to look forward to.

back where sanji? What is back now?? Forward. Ahead. Back to a life of adventure on his terms.

[catboygirljoker]

because it was last year when i got into kingdom hearts, i had all of the (current) kingdom hearts story available to me at once. i didnt really avoid spoilers at first because i assumed it wouldn't matter to me. so i knew about xigbar being luxu before i really knew xigbar at all—i knew about xigbar being luxu before i knew who vanitas was! i found out about this in the context of looking up kingdom hearts character names in order to make an oc; i saw that Xigbar also went by the names Braig and Luxu. i was like, huh, thats weird, and looked it up.

and i found out that he was an immortal body hopping prophet who had been forced to bear witness to the slaughter of countless child soldiers and whose entire life's purpose is to ensure the second coming of the man who orchestrated that slaughter.

and at first i thought it was boring.

like. i actively thought it was a bad, uninteresting writing choice. now, [gestures,] CLEARLY i dont think that. and because this is my damn house and i feel like it, i wanna make a post about why i thought what i did and why i changed my mind.

at the time, i had never played any of the games and assumed i never would. i'd only ever watched cutscene compilations and a couple of streams, up to DDD, not including KHUX. i hadn't paid very close attention to xigbar, beyond the impression that he was a weirdo and an asshole and pretty fuckin ugly*¹ but also kind of a silly goofster who's fun to watch and maybe he can get it idk.

so i found out about the luxu reveal by reading wikis and posts. and the way the luxu information was presented was this: his entire personality was fake. that he was only putting on an act this entire time. "xigbar" was a persona, and "luxu" was the real person.

i. think that's wrong. and also boring. i think it's boring because that means that we've spent several games getting to know this iconically weird dickish character, forming—well, not necessarily an attachment to him, i know a lot of people think he's annoying in a way that doesnt fill them with unbridled lust—but some kind of connection with him, some kind of idea of him. and if his whole personality is fake, that means that that connection didn't mean anything. he was a blank void this entire time, we know nothing about him. where there was an interesting, memorable character, there's now a stranger instead.

i think it's wrong for a few reasons. one, even if the luxu we see in KHUX isn't very much like xigbar, there are still glimpses of xigbar. the veneer of cold pragmatism in the face of the keyblade war when we first meet him, the bit where he's with the master of masters and goes "sigh.......sigh..........SIGH—" trying to get his attention. he's more innocent and bright-eyed for sure, but he's still kind of a little shit! and is it not believable to think that over the hundreds or thousands*² of years his personality would change?

and also . if his personality were fake. if it were a ruse, if he had put on a character just to hide his true identity and fit in with the organization and carry out his plans. wouldn't he. i dunno. pick a better personality? like wouldn't he be less of a shithead? wouldn't he try harder to get along with people and ingratiate himself to them so they'd spill their secrets or stay loyal to him or whatever?

the reason i changed my mind on whether the luxu reveal is boring/uninteresting is because, well, for one, we do get to meet luxu before it's revealed that he ends up being xigbar. it's shockingly difficult for me to get the timeline on when different story updates in KHUX happened, but at the very very least we get his first scene, and in that scene, him wearing the black coat and holding the Gazing Eye is a pretty compelling introduction. he's not some rando, he has significance in the story, he raises a bunch of questions. (i assume we got a lot more of him before the luxubar reveal, but my point remains.)

also, having paid more attention to xigbar, there are absolutely indications for the entire series that he has More Going On. it's difficult for me to be "objective" about this, as someone who started paying attention to him after i found out what that More was, but ive seen a lot of anecdotes from people who picked up on there being something weird about him, wondering why he has so much presence and significance and power. it may or may not have been setup for luxubar. but him turning out to be a primary antagonist for the next arc of the series doesn't come out of nowhere and isn't a sudden jump in his importance or change in his role. he goes from being a lynchpin in one antagonist's master plan to being a lynchpin in another. he goes from being weird and mysterious to being even weirder and more mysterious. he's had a significant role in every game he's appeared in, and his role remains significant.*³

in conclusion, it was the thing that made me write a fic about him.

[or start writing. ive got 20 pages in that notes document and counting.]

ENDNOTES:

*¹—at the time i couldn't tell the difference between any of his models (besides 3 versus not 3, ofc) and conflated all of them with his model in 2, which, i am world number 1 fucked up old man xigbar simp, and man. his model in 2 is jacked up. i try&try and still have a lot of trouble finding him hot in that game. sad! oh well. there's other games

*²—i dont think it's been thousands of years. or i hope it hasn't. A Thousand Years is a comically long amount of time and multiple of that is kind of ridiculous. i'm willing to accept a few hundred. maybe one thousand at the MOST. ah well, its not that important

*³—in contrast to this, i do not . personally think that "demyx is the master of master" theory is very good. i think that if it were to happen it'd be bad writing. i will spare you my paragraph about this.

[taki118]

How Bayonetta x Luka and Bayo3 Makes Sense to Me

SO I just finished the game and while I do agree it has issues I think I know what they were going for (whether or not they landed is debatable) but basically I think the series and the coupling of Bayo/Luka makes sense if you look at them as parallels of each other.

I wanna say two things first before getting into it.

1) I have no horse in this race. I never really shipped anything in series but could see how others shipped what they did and saw them all as pretty cute. My only real bias is I’ve always loved Luka and never got why others hate him (well 3 I can kinda get but thats more poor implementation than the character)

2) I very much believe this franchise is a “You get what you put in” kind of game when it comes to story and lore. This is typical of a lot of Japanese games, Square titles come the most to mind. But basically it relies a lot on intuiting via context clues and how I look at something may not be the way you look or even how the writers meant it, but its’ how i make sense of it. 

Now that thats out of the way. I think Bayo and Luka’s stories purposely mirror each other and shows the evolution of child to adult. HEAR ME OUT

Bayonetta 1: So in this game both Bayo and Luka are in a state of arrested development, neither of them are able to move on and therefor grow. 

With Bayonetta its due to her amnesia. She is unable to mature as she feels something is missing. She can’t know herself without knowing her past and therefor is stuck. The entire game has her thrusted into the role of an unwitting protector and thereby maturing as a result, while also recalling who she was. In reconciling who she was with who she is Bayo is able to move on and grows changing from who she was for the past 20 years. 

With Luka he is unable to move past the death of his father the trauma of the scene and how no one believes him makes him stuck in the past no matter how much he psychically ages. He is still very much that little boy at the lake, I mean the most prominent aspect of his design is the scarf he wore as a child. And like Bayo is being thrusted into the role of a protector to a child and that along with the discovery of the truth forces him to let go of past and grow. 

Like they are BOTH playing at being adults in this game. (this could explain why the sexual jokes lessen with each game though it’s likely more nintendo) They both are acting how they THINK adults should act this is most evident in Luka as he very clearly is emulating his father and there is a conceptual image where he presents a nun a flower as a child just like he does as an adult. Luka has clearly modeled himself after others the way a lot of children and teens do and it isn’t until towards the end of the game that his true self begins to shine. We can infer this in Bayo herself as she appears influenced by the people around her most notable being Jeanne, this being what Baldars plan was in a way. Molding a child to conform to the parents desire therefor the ending is Bayo showcasing her adulthood saying “this is who I am”.

Bayonetta 2: Now this game is about those early stages of adulthood where you are trying to be more adult like, if that makes sense. Of trying to appear more in control than you are, the I’m striking out on my own phase until you realize actually I do need some help. 

With Bayonetta you can kinda see this is her design its the most visibly distinct in the games and can be seen as her trying to push past the child she was. This can also be seen in how despite telling Loki he can call her Cereza he states throughout that she doesn’t look like a Cereza. This is tied into the main conflict of the game with Balder and what happens to many children with their parents. First they are a hero, then a villain, until they can finally see what they really are a person. Bayo at the beginning of the game could never imagine herself calling out to her father in genuine care but the one at the end can. In this game she is  now able to see people for who they really are and I think this includes Jeanne. Despite Bayo actually being a year older than her Jeanne has always been presented as more of a protector and mentor figure to Bayo. So the notion that her being the one to save and protect her this game serves to further show her growth, that she does not need to rely on Jeanne anymore, ending with the two truly becoming equals.

With Luka its more to be inferred as he’s in the game less but I think that is the point. In the 1st his LIFE is tied with Bayo because he needed closure with his fathers death. Since he has it his life no longer revolves around her, he doesn’t NEED to follow her, he’s becoming more of his own person. He’s made contact with Rodin on his own, has his own glasses to see the spiritual. In fact Bayo seems to need Luka’s skills in investigation more than he needs hers. Their interactions in this game are more happenstance than prior showcasing that Luka is becoming his own person. Is he still playing at adulthood? a little but he seems to actually believe his own hype now that he isn’t trying to prove he’s of value, an important step in becoming a true adult. You can also see his growth in his design as while the scarf from his childhood is still there but its far less prominent.

With the two we see a shift in how they interact with each other. Luka has proven himself to Bayo and she is adjusting to how she treats him because of it (but she seems to almost miss the old days as she secretly calls him Cheshire and remarks how much Loki reminds her of him) and Luka is still not use to her actually acknowledging him and being less of a try hard. They are essentially colleagues now, like it or not Luka is a part of Bayo’s world and we see this in how it ends with Luka working with Rodin. 

Bayonetta 3: Now this game is where they come full circle where they are both become sure about who they are and truly become adults and reach self actualization. (Now I play the game with the thought that you are playing the same character played in the last games. However even if you don’t think that this thematic reading still works as what is presented as the previous Bayonettas are said to have lived similar lives to the one in 3.)

With Bayonetta having come to better understand her parents in the previous game she now embraces her past more fully showcasing this in her design that is inspired by the child design in 1. She no longer needs to PRESENT as an adult she is confident in her identity as an adult. In this her main growth is in her self actualization and better understanding of what SHE wants.  This is showcased in how she is essentially training a new witch something only a true professional can do, showing us she has reached the peak of her powers. Once one gets there the only thing left is to pass on your knowledge to the next generation. (What I’m getting at is that the idea that this was Cerezas swan song as Bayonetta is pretty obvious) Her journey is also filled with lives she COULD have lived and deaths that COULD have been hers. This sort of thing leads one to introspection that comes when one reaches adulthood, the notion of the paths we could take and what options are left for us, it also imparts the things that are the most important. (I’ll expand on this is a bit)  Then there’s the ending where after connecting with the alternate Bayos of the game the pervious games Bayonettas arrive and the three fight alongside each other and combine. With this she has come face to face with who she was, with her past and embraced it fully. Whether or not you think you are playing the pervious character, the game makes it fairly evident that the three experienced very similiar lives and the bios indicating that the other two are still on the journeys Bayo 3 has finished. The journey of self actualization of becoming the truest version of yourself, of embracing the person you have matured into. 

Now I know a LOT of people hate the end and while I think it could have been done far better I think I get what the devs were going for. Bayonetta knows if she keeps going she will die but that doesn’t matter she can stop Singularity and thats what matters. She’s sort of following the idea of not caring if she loses she just doesn’t want him to win. And that is VERY in line with with the franchise, you don’t get to choose how I die I do. Like her mother before her she has given her life to protect her child (even if Viola isn’t technically hers) the cycle repeats as it were. And as I said she has no where to go she has reached the peak of her powers and personhood, she is passing on her knowledge, and she is confronted repeatedly with her death. “Bayonetta” dying is really the only way this could end. Do I think it coulda been better? Yes I think the game needed a few more levels, but I also think this was the natural end to the character. Also Cereza might not really be dead just her presence as Bayonetta she can retire that part of her and rest, as she if fulfilled. 

With Luka he is DIRECTLY going through the same thing as Bayonetta the difference is it’s not on his terms. Luka has thought he reached the level of self actualization Bayo has but he really hasn’t, there is an aspect of himself that was unknown to him that he needs to confront. The problem is that part is thrown on him. (I really wish we got more levels for Viola so we could see this more but it is what it is.) He is having a crisis of self, his world and perception of himself is being thrown on its head and he has to come to terms with that. I think it’s important that while Bayo tries to help him through it, it is ultimately another version of himself that saves him and helps makes sense of it all. Once Luka and Lukaon are joined and Luka accepts that there is more to him than he ever thought we are presented with a more refined version of the dork we love (well I love, I know he’s not for everyone). In understanding himself he understands what needs to come next. The world and Viola are more important than his own wants and desires. Luka has become a proper adult, just as Bayo has, this is why he snubs her when she looks for a kiss. It should also be noted that this is the first time his childhood scarf is not an aspect of his design showing that he has grown past it and into himself.

When looking at the two in this game this is the most blatant of their interest in each other. (but was always there like the amount of shit Bayo lets Luka get away with is very telling) Their relationship has gotten closer in the years to the point where he calls her Cerezita and while she claims not to like it its very obvious that she enjoys it. (this is paralleled with Viola and Kitty) This nickname also indicates that he sees her for who she truly is as the only other person to not call her by her birth name is Jeanne. Bayo herself isn’t even all that surprised by Luka’s presence as she just assumes he will always show up which leads into my thoughts on a main complaint I see in the fandom on the relationship. People often say how Bayo’s actions towards Luka in the first half is completely different from the second but it actually makes some sense. See Bayo has come to see Luka as a constant in her life but she likely hasn’t forgotten how long her life is. The idea of pursuing her feelings towards Luka has probably been something she has debated on, like fluctuating between theres plenty of time to do so and maybe even the thought of is it right to as his life is shorter, and if you think this way it makes sense that Bayo has kept a line between them. However seeing yourself die, seeing them die with wants left unfulfilled, would 100% effect her. By the time Bayo’s feelings seem to “Shift” towards Luka she has been confronted with her own mortality multiple times so the notion that she would follow feelings she has had but kept at a distance for sometime is not that hard a push. It is also why that kiss snub happens, seeing him nearly die is the last push to act on these feelings she has pushed back but Luka who has always acted on those feelings realizes he needs to hold back for the first time. Its actually kinda sweet in a way the two have been maturing together over the years but in opposite ways at times, that resemble the other.

I would say the cheesiness of their last scene was a little much but it is hard to tell if the game is literally saying Luka and Bayo are always meant to be together or if its just the two being cheesy which Luka has ALWAYS been. Also just like Bayo paralleling Rosa with Viola its very evident that the creators are trying to parallel Bayo and Luka with Rosa and Balder, the aspect of tragic love that can’t be “together” (again theres an implication that they aren’t dead but might be separated by plains of existence) Once more I think had the game been longer this idea could been shown more but I do think its purposeful. The series does seem to love the idea of the cycle repeating itself.

It should also be noted that the two interact with a companion in each game that shows their own growth. In 1 they take care of a child someone they need to protect and watch over and they need to be gentle with, mirroring their own struggles with healing their inner childs. In 2 they assist a teenager (I know Loki is technically older than both of them but he acts like a teenager) they have to guide and help him but they can’t protect him like a child, he can do this himself and asserts his personhood. Therefor they have to be better and do more to impress and help him than a child requires. Finally in 3 they have a young adult someone who resembles who they were before, someone who doesn’t need them, but someone who WANTS them around and wants to help them. And like most parents with a young adult the focus is on leaving them with the best tools to continue without them. Like the idea of them being parents together was planted in every game so I don’t know why it really surprised people. Parenthood has always been a theme in the franchise and it makes sense to end the series with Bayo’s own child.

I want to say I did not come up with this reading to make sense of 3, this is how I have ALWAYS read the games that it is a coming of age story for adults and I’ve only been more secure in this reading as the years go on and games are added  and my own maturity grows. So while I do think there were probably issues behind the scenes and that the game needed adjustments I don’t doubt this basic story was always part of the plan. To me the lore should be looked at more figurative than literal, its an avenue in which to explore internal ideas and concepts that’s why its always been rather loose. If you get bogged down by lore I think you kinda miss the forrest for the trees.But like I said this is just how I read the series maybe it helps you maybe it doesn’t. 

[dailyoyo]

for all the talk of yoyo being an insincere fake fuck who considers himself made of masks over an empty shell hes actually not as good at acting as he thinks he is. I mean that goes without saying beacuse almost everything he concludes about himself is wrong but

the person presently known as "yoyo" thinks of the pseudonym of yoyo and its associated personality, behavior, etc. as some kind of totally constructed identity he created, a role he's playing. BUT TBH the thing is hes just... being a somewhat more flanderized and to some extent sanitized version of himself, and while he Is successfully masking his constant overthinking and cynicism and wholly unnecessary mind games, Ultimately like. he's good at playing a reckless dumb idiot because he IS, ACTUALLY, a reckless dumb idiot. he has little to no self-awareness about this because what he mistook for self-awareness was actually just self-loathing.

Kind of guy who writes a """cringy""" trollfic, but then you read it and you see all this genuine heart and soul poured into it under a flimsy veneer of stylistic suck (which Just So Happens to mask the bits of technical skill he actually struggles with). and youre like "Are you... SURE this is actually 'ironic'?" and hes like "LMAO yeah duhhh just look at it" but internally hes trying to blow you up with his mind so he doesn't have to think about the fact this is what he really wanted to write but he can't accept it so he makes it Bad on purpose so it can't be criticized and you can't see the vulnerable core of it.

being around mew and garam does thankfully help diminish this behavior in him though since he feels a lot Safer to be himself with them, even if he doesnt consciously realize thats how he feels.

[another-day]

hey guys, its been a while since i’ve done one of these, but i’m bringing it back - episodes in review!!! (that’s its name now)

featuring spoilers for iii episode 17!! make sure you watch that before you check this out

i feel like this episode was all over the place in the best way possible

for those unaware, i’m actually in the northern hemisphere for once which is why this is so late, i simply haven’t the time to watch it!!

to begin, why is he here

i love the asset yes, but cheesy is the last person i expected to see, is this balloon projecting the people he wanted to be friends with at the hotel??? i dunno, but this was such a silly scene

now, i had to rewind this bit at least five times to process what i saw

so remember what i said about balloon projecting? scratch that, i forgot this was a thing

first the fact that when he thought of fighting a shark the FIRST scenario that came to mind was him saving candle, that and the fact that he imagined her calling him “my spoon in silver armour” was so silly this fellow has read nothing but fairytales ever ok

also he was literally blushing do i have to say anything about that here? no, because this is tumblr and everyone understands everything

“awwwh but vee he turned go” shhhh sh i’m gonna get to that but can we just revel in this

…

okay lets move on now

why are they here

i’ve been on a bfdi binge lately so i was actually very happy seeing coiny also the line about balloon only making friends with coins was so funny to me and i’m keeping that forever

as for paper he was so silly in this and for what, i love the guy

okay back to serious stuff

can i just say, the first thing i thought when i saw this scene was “that’s something cobs would say”

like,,, i was kind of terrified this entire episode because mephone’s desperation to chase his aspiration reminded me of just cobs’ whole demeanour. i know its a little silly of me, but this idea that ‘revolutionary technology’ should solve it all is just a liiiittle too similar to the way i feel meeple functions

but maybe thats just me i dunno

do i really need to say anything

little mans has attachment issues, i don’t think he actually likes the contests and all that as much as he actually likes the contestants, and i don’t think he realises he can just be friends with them

i feel so bad because he’s been brainwashed by the people around him that he thinks that the only thing giving him purpose is this show, its tragic

okay so back to the silly, this caught me so off guard because i adored enanimat ensanitay and yellowangiru’s ii song parody videos when i was younger, so seeing this gave me such bad whiplash i had to pause and think a second

it was such a random callback (if it is at all) and i absolutely loved it

oh back to the sad again wow!!

i think mephone’s realising his fault in managing the show, getting too ahead of himself when presented the promise of longer air times, but the issue is that he thinks that this shows he isn’t fit to run the show at all

i think this belief that “one mistake means your conpletely incapable” may have stemmed from meeple in some form or another, especially considering all the flashbacks and all

this brings me so much emotion

look at how far they’ve come, like genuinely. from worst enemies to one of the closest friendships in season 3

they can communicate, they can be vulnerable with one another, and they’ve improved one another substantially

i often tell people that i’m not the biggest fan of iii3 because they almost completely changed nickel’s personality, and i still relatively stand by that, but seeing this version of nickel who is capable of change and development just warms my heart (even if it feels wrong)

this was so so sweet, and i was smiling every second of the elimination (i would say a first but box’s elimination existed too)

aaaaanyway that’s all from me, thank you for listening to my rambles about this gem of an episode, and i wish you all well till the next!!!

[j2zara]

thinking so hard about j2 looking and acting like jace when jace isnt pretending for anyone or putting on a show of being cool girl. dirty blonde hair, comfortable baggy clothes in pastels, soooo sweet and willing for anyone who’ll show him a soft touch. maybe a pair of glasses. he literally Is jace before porter and jace haaaaaates his ass so much.

J2 IN BIG OL' GLASSES AGENDA FINALLY WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER!! Also pastels Bluejay trutherism. He would look so cute in pastels. Jace doesn't understand bc i think he's a jewel tones person. But. J2 is so cute i love him so much.

The funny thing is that Jace HAS all the clothes from his slutty college phase and his grunge phase and his emo phase whenever even *I* write cloneverse stuff but actually? This might be the truest thing ive ever seen. Something about IYWD paints pre-shatterstar early aguefort jace as. Almost a Goodboy. Like. Very much deconstructing from either of his religious upbringings but i do think there is even a shy, slightly buttoned up conservative vibe. Like. Literally buttoned up. Porter is the one who convinced him to stop wearing his scarves so tightly wound lol. Held in place by a family heirloom with a symbol his mother's galicaean faith. Replacing one god for another. That's J2 to me. He's so 25 year old green new hire jace coded it's not even funny. Desperate for direction. For someone to tell him he's getting things right, maybe even give him a little guiding hand.

(And how much does Porter dictate? Porter told Jace he liked his scarf undone. Sure J2 gravitates toward blue, but did Blue become J2's thing because it was the one thing that Porter was able to pick up as well? Was he bluejay before, his own person from jace, or did he become Bluejay for porter?)

For the record. I still think jace can have those rebellious phases that we love to use to give the clones fodder for dress up so i will chalk this up to like. He's at a new job he's kinda falling back onto what he knows and what he knows is putting on that perfectly cultivated Jace Stardiamond Personal (Lights Camera Bitch Smile)

Anyway. I honestly think out of the clones J2 is probably the most like myself (not really in personality but maybe when it comes to things like personal taste and presentation). That wasn't really on purpose I think I just needed thing thats differentiate him from Jace. But. Like. He's very oldest daughter he's very like takes on all the responsibility for himself and i wouldn't exactly say perfectionist but I do think he just. He takes on a lot and is terrified of failure, desperate to prove his worth, his utility. Like off the clock you know he's changing into sweats immediately but when he's on the clock you know he doesn't crack.

Again the differentiation from jace i guess. I liked this idea of someone who was actually kind of frumpy and laid back in his downtime, as opposed to Jace who is always on always performing always perfectly cultivated (which is why J2 feels so manic pixie coded so You Belong With Me Frumpy Next Door Neighbor Taylor to jace's Bitchy Head Cheerleader Taylor). And i don't think these traits are too distanced from jace, Jace is very preoccupied with his own comfort (and like i love the autistic headcanons, particularly abt him dressing for comfort especially because i relate to that so hard i wear the same halter top in different color every day fjkldjakfjla) but that's why jace is willing to put in the work sometimes right? Work to maintain the comfort. Or at least the illusion of effortless, the cache of being a hot and fuckable elmville 9. And Again that idea of everything being effortless and the illusion of being laid back while Jace has this white knuckle grip on everything.

And like. Jace takes all that one willingly, that's self imposed, but if you had to perform being perfect all the time, if you were told that was your job, wouldn't you want to escape a little? Relax on your downtime? Be a creature of comfort? That's J2 to me. And tbh i do think there are a lot of instincts in J2 that might be his own thing but also might be Of Jace. Would jace be a more relaxed and carefree if he didn't feel the need to be On all the time?

Tbh i am compelled by Jace's dislike of J2 b/c like. I get it but also you created this and he thinks he created his perfect replacement for porter and you WANT him to be able to take care of porter while also resenting him for taking care of porter while also seething because J2 is a low rent knockoff but also look at him he doesn't even CARE about playing the part of the cunt porter married and Porter still likes him (Jace does not know the extent to how much J2 is obsessed with wanting to be the cunt porter married. J2 is willing to put in the work for that and that alone. Otherwise he is a dirty blonde in old badidas shorts cardigans and slides w/ socks. with a gender he thinks is probably not cis but does NOT want to unpack rn).

I do also wonder if Jace resents how soft J2 is and does want to push to see if there is that underlying cunt porter married in there somewhere. Like. This guy CAN'T be as sweet and perfect as everyone thinks he is. (it comes out sometimes. Cunty j2 is something i hold very close to my heart bc it doesn't come out nearly as often as cunty j3 or j4 but it does exist)

[sleepdeprivedsimp234]

I was watching a video to get a screenshot and I had a thought.

Massachusetts acts all tough on purpose. He's convinced himself that he has to in order to be what the other states need. He's all smiles and brags about having started a war because that's what people expect from him, right?

Then someone sneaks up on him on accident, and he snaps because he thought of the other state as a threat at first. Though he feels bad about it. And that's when another state realizes that maybe he's not actually how he presents himself all the time. And Mass finally admits to it, so long as the other state doesn't tell anyone else about it, and doesn't worry too much about him.

Aw poor Mass 🥺 a little fic idea for the Doctor Duo (Mass and Texas) before they were GOOD friends just popped into my brain so here it is:

Texas walked into the kitchen to get some water when he noticed Massachusetts standing over the counter with his head down. He was a little confused, seeing as Massachusetts was usually standing tall and proud and loud and uncaring of what people thought of him. And tbh, Texas sorta idolized him to an extent. So seeing him of all people hunched over the counter looking like a kicked puppy was weird. He decided to the big grown up thing and go check on the Northeasterner.

He walked over and placed a gentle hand on Massachusetts' shoulder. He did not, however expect to be swung around and thrown at the kitchen island and pinned there with a knife to his neck. Once he regained his composure to some extent, he opened his eyes to see Mass staring back at him with wild green eyes that were filled with fear and unshed tears and he was panting a little bit.

"Mass?? The hell's wrong with ya?!" Texas exclaimed. Tho he was a bit impressed at the fact that Mass was able to throw him that easily, despite him being a foot taller.

Mass's eyes flashed back to their usual brown color, and he seemed to snap out of something. He noticed that he currently had Texas pinned to the kitchen island with a knife.

"Oh sh*t- uh- s-sorry about that Texas...." Mass muttered, just barely loud enough for the younger to hear. He moved the knife and pulled the taller state into a standing position. He walked to the counter and put the knife back into its drawer.

Texas brought his hand up to his neck and wiped some of the blood off from where the knife had grazed his skin. "I-its fine I guess... Are ya alright tho?"

"Huh? Oh- uh- yea ya just scared the sh*t outta me is all." Was Mass's response. Texas was calling bullsh*t tho, there was clearly something else that was wrong.

"Are ya sure? Ya looked a wet kicked puppy when I walked in ere'."

"I said I'm fine okay?!" Massachusetts snapped, turning around and glaring at the taller. His face softened a little bit when he saw the momentary hurt look on the younger state's face. "S-sorry I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's fine...."

"No it's really not, you're just trying to help and I'm being an asshole." Mass said.

"....Are you sure yer alright? Yer actin' weird Mass, and not a good weird. Ya dont normally apologize for... Anythin'." asked the Lone Star State once again.

"I already told ya, I'm fi-...." Mass started to say before trailing off. Was he really gonna lie again? I mean- how much longer could he lie? How much longer could he keep up his strong, stoic stature? He continued thinking for a while before a Texan accent broke him out of his thoughts.

"Massachusetts?"

"Im just- tired." Mass said with a defeated sigh.

"Of what? Didja not sleep last night?" Texas asked, visibly confused.

"No no- I slept fine.... I meant mentally."

"Okay.... Can ya elaborate a little bit?" asked the younger, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

Mass also walked over and took a seat. "Of pretending. Like im something I'm not... Everybody thinks im this strong stoic 'i-dont-give-a-f*ck' type'a guy. Thats not at all who i am.... Im just some jumpy nerd/coward that threw some British sh*t over the harbour and started a war cuz we didn't like how we were being treated...."

"Oh.... I kinda get that..." said the taller.

"Ya do??" Mass asked, a little surprised.

"Yea.... Y'know how scared I was when I was a little girl being mistreated by her father and then she decided to start a war all on her own?" Texas asked quietly with a small chuckle.

"No?"

"I was terrified, and I was worried that maybe that wasn't the right decision, and that maybe all of my people wouldve died for nothin'. I'm still terrified to this day, but I'm not gonna let any of those motherf*ckers know cuz I know that I would never live it down." sighed Texas.

"Yea I get what ya mean kid..."

"Mhm..." The two were silent for a while before Texas spoke up again. "Mass?"

"Yeah kid?"

"Now I'm not all too good at that sappy compliment stuff.... But I want you to know that you are strong and stoic and all that razzle dazzle. Maybe not in the way that you make yourself to be, but you are strong, and you are brave. And you are smart as well, I'm not gonna deny that part. But you're not just some jumpy coward. A coward wouldn't take that big of a stand to the world's strongest empire, let alone their asshole father."

"You know about that?"

"Yea. York has told me about y'all's asshat of a father."

"Oh..."

The two states were once again silent for a while. Mass sighed out of nowhere and stood up, breaking the silence.

"Well this was... Nice i guess. I think im gonna go do whatever work my government decided to give me."

"Okay then. I'm gonna go check on Ranger before closin' up the barn for the night." Texas said, getting up as well, and the leaning back slightly and allowing his back to pop several times. And of course leaving the Bay State in genuine fear that Texas had broken his back.

"Holy crap didja just break yer damn spine or somethin'?!"

"Uh nope I don't think so hehe. My spine is just crunchy as hell" Texas said, grinning slightly.

"Okay then..." Mass said, breathing a sigh of relief. He watched Texas walked away before starting his way up to his room. When he walked into to hallway, he felt two arms grab him and wrap him in a hug. He was about to punch them, but he quickly and luckily recognized the slight scent of apples, coffee, and roses and just hugged back with a sigh of contentment.

"Hey Masshole."

"Hey Yorkie..." Mass answered, burying his face in York's chest (not a ship lol). Once again, silence befell their existences as they hugged each other tightly.

"If ya ever tell anybody im huggin' ya, I will kill ya in yer sleep. Cuz I will never hear the end of it." York said, burying his face in Mass's hair.

"Don't worry, I won't gigglebug." Mass said with a small snort.

"I'm not a damn gigglebug."

"But you are tho." Mass said before standing on his tippy-toes and blowing a gentle raspberry on York's neck, making younger shriek a little and move away whilst giggling like a child. "See? Gigglebug."

"F*ck you."

"Love ya too Yorkie."

"I'm goin' back to my hobbit hole- try to get some sleep tonight so I don't have to deal with your b*tching about how tired you are." York said, before walking away.

"Pfft- okay then. You try to get some sleep too for once!" Mass whisper-shouted.

"Yea yea whatever..."

Mass laughed to himself a little bit. "Lil idiot...."

[vir2k]

my sander sides hc ☆ purple = new update

skin + eye colour chart

general ;; ♡

not every side is good or redeemable. whereas MOST have good qualities (janus advocating for thomas' GOOD selfishness, virgil being thomas' self preservation in a sense), others may not.

the sides physical appearence actually differ greatly from thomas' outside of the fact that theyre all masc presenting. their appearence changes based on how they feel themselves to be, ie roman being taller, broader, and tanner than the others due to his elevated sense of vanity and want to be prince-like. these appeared can NOT be changed at will, and are more like how theyve "grown"

each side has their own personality outside of being apart of.. thomas'... erm. personality..

all the "darksides" have animal like features that coincide with their purpose! like janus' snake features! virgils are cat features, large ears, larger eyes, a tail, etc. remus has rat like features lol

the "light sides" get along with MOST "dark sides"

(almost) every side has functions outside of their "core" trait. for instance, virgil represents a lot of thomas' overwhelming feelings, not just his anxiety. like if thomas becomes too excited, thats something virgil feels. its commonly misunderstood that patton is the one harboring every emotion of thomas' outside of anxiety, but patton actually feels anxious too! its like, patton creates these feelings and feels them first, but if they become overwhelming for him they shift to virgil. the reason virgil was created in the first place was because patton always found it difficult to control anxiety and fear in moderation.

characters ;; ◇

VIRGIL visualizer

physical ; - black catlike features (ears, sharp teeth, tail, claws) that represent how he is viewed as being bad luck, an unwanted guest - longish hair, down to the base of his neck and his jaw line, almost angled like a mullet, black at the roots with purple ends/highlights, its fluffy enough that he can hide his ears in it - darkest eyes of the group, representing how he finds himself to be a particularly dark side of thomas, reflecting the lack of self worth and anxiety he feels as the representation of anxiety himself - pale with freckles from "sun damage", the freckles being his way of showing how theres still some light in him (as in, he can still spend enough time in the sun (bright side of life) for it to cause "blemishes"), pale because he thinks it fits his aesthetic of goth guy LMFAO - shortest of the group, representing how small he feels in comparison to the others (how his anxiety makes him feel small and scrutinized), skinny as well, but muscular in a lithe way, showing how powerful he is even if he doesnt look like much - large eyes (not comically so, but almost in a cute way), a soft look to his face, almost disney princess like, his physical forms way of representing how unthreatening anxiety can seem to those who arent experiencing him. eyes are larger to almost show how alert he always is. - instead of eyeshadow (which he does wear, but not as intensely), he has tired bruises under his eyes general ; - virgil is extremely sensitive to sounds, loud noises causes immediate anxiety, hes hyper vigilant and easily startled - virgil is technically both a light and dark side. anxiety can be good and bad. whenever he becomes too much (frequently and typically unwillingly), his voice begins to shift and become darker, as well as his general appearence and vibe around him becoming a lot darker. its as though his panic is connected to the world around him. hes also more ambiguous due to him encompassing all of thomas' overwhelming feelings rather than just anxiety, even positive ones. (its unfortunate that his overwhelm tends to turn into anxiety but you take what you get) - virgils core function is to be thomas' fear and self preservation, he just manifests in a way thats too much because he worries that if he isnt overbearing thomas will get hurt.

[cycle-hit]

realising ive never put into words character speech/think patterns that ive absorbed while having to write them nd i need to so. here u go.

haruka - guilty of not rly paying attention to how he speaks so i have less knowledge of it. used to stutter over his words a lot in t1, had a poor grasp of vocabulary. in t2 he stutters less/not at all, his vocabulary has improved but because of this i like to think he probably speaks close to how muu does (since she taught him) (i have no idea if this is canon or not)

yuno - lots of usage of the word "bothersome". presents a facade that she cares more than she actually does. i dont have a lot of thoughts on how i write her honestly- she's close enough to myself that i just WRITE her speaking manner as myself but a little different. she has a habit of teasing people. can be sexual (in speech) at times. homophobic dog. can make people uncomfortable with her knowledge of them or her general attitude. warmth.

fuuta - also guilty of analysing him less. i just write him sort of like how i speak to people im close to. has a regular angry anime boy speech pattern thats actually not angry- mixed with twitter user. in t2 he develops cult speak habits which actually makes him sort of hard to write bc i have to google things like "Religious words" "Words like salvation" every time i write his dialogue. hes stupid as all fuck.

muu - she's so fuckign funny. "passive aggressive" teenager in high school. says "muu" instead of stuff like "i" or "me/my" 10x more than mahiru's habit. doesnt "care" for most people she speaks to and it shows (unlike yuno's facade). spoiled rich girl. can be ignorant and not necessarily always on purpose. shes just a mean teenager man idk what much else to say about her speech patterns. in t1 she actually used to trail off a lot and hesitate to speak bc she was scared

shidou - guilty of not looking into him a lot. has a habit of "looking down" on the people he's speaking to with the sole exception of kazui (though he tends to think of kazui solely as Older Man Like Me rather than anything. deeper?? idk if that makes sense). verbose like some other little furry shit that i know. doesnt emote well. i write him like myself as well

mahiru - MAHIRU!!! in t1 she used to say her own name a lot like muu. in t2 this changes- she doesn't say do it as often. she apologises a lot in t2. low self-esteem that she makes known in speech whenever talking about herself. she just wants people to be happy. references her magazines/stuff she reads a lot in t1- im always rly sad she's lost this trait in t2. i want her lit major-ness back. sunshine incarnate that's been extinguished. "airhead" and "carefree" are words that describe her but i also tend to write her as being slightly hurt by them- its likely not a nice feeling to be thought of as "stupid" in gentler terms. i like to write her as more observant than people think though i dont think this is canon- she's lit major.......come on milgram...make her strange!!! let her observe people like those who like writing are so prone to do!!!!!!!! cant handle anyone making fast/unpredictable movement towards herself anymore after t2. also. NANDE, NANDE NANDE? (constantly questioning why.)

kazui - i need to analyse him more. his gaze makes people uncomfortable, notably those who dont like parts of themselves "seen". likely an aftermath of his employment of being a detective- he has to be able to know and analyse people accurately. reminiscences on his younger days a lot. i miss my wife tails i miss her a lot.

amane - guilty of not analysing her speech patterns at all actually. verbose. stuck in a cult. more "childish" than she lets on and tries to conceal this fact.

mikoto - i have to make sure he talks about work. tendency to present himself as more "simple" than he is. john speaks more aggressively. "carefree" like mahiru but less and more self-aware.

kotoko - oh boy. stupid fucking verbose bitch she takes so fucking long to write especially since i have to do her pov you have no god damn idea. she is constantly analysing and overthinking everything around her it doesnt stop. blunt. asks a question in return when she doesnt want to answer a question or gives short statements like theyre fact. struggles to read social aspects bc of her paranoia. uses the word "ridiculous" and "-ne?" ("right?") a lot. as well as "evil" or "sinners" or "criminals". thinks shes sooooo fucking smart when in reality shes stupid as all fuck. i write her very much like myself. theres a lot to say about her speech patterns/way she is that influences her speech that idk how to put into words bc its just been absorbed into my brain like a sponge. sounds like shes analysing you every time she speaks. naturally intense-looking in a way that scared muu even in t1.

[x-authorship-x]

for the ask game: ❔

Hey anon!

Everyone is asking about WIPs 🤭 I'll pick a nice dramatic one~

Rebel:

Shisui has always been quietly rebellious. He skipped ahead in his studies to race through the forests alone, he trained twice as much as his peers without the required supervision of his sensei or the clan tutors. He gorged himself on his favourite foods because he was alone in his parents' house, he bought treats and presents for Itachi even when his aunt and uncle said 'no', he pressed money into begging hands before pickpocketed the extra back from nobles who sneered at the public as they passed. He was, in his own quiet acts, always chipping away at the stranglehold of control that the Elders had over him.

...But Shisui was also obedient to a painful degree; he's Mikoto-hime’s nephew, second in line for the clan headship after his baby cousin, and an orphan to boot; fugaku has raised him from the day itachi was born, especially since Shisui was orphaned (3 years ago, his parents died just before Itachi turned 3) to be the shadow, shield and sword of his cousin’s present and future. Shisui would follow Itachi’s leadership, haunt his progress, for the rest of their lives.

Its an honour.

Its a prison.

Its weighing down the only real friendship Shisui has.

And Shisui’s not sure how hes supposed to go on like this, a pawn to the elders and clan head.

And then... his genin team dies and Shisui wakes up in the hospital with the youngest ever matured mangekyou. The Elders, horrified and delighted, are huddled around him, looking like he's the best weapon they've ever seen. A thing, a tool, and Shisui wishes none of it had ever happened, could feel the choking need to flee from everything... But they're interrupted:

The Last Hatake, son of the ruined White Fang, has arrived back from the front lines with a stolen Sharingan implanted in his head. They want to kill him, a public execution and a complete annihilation of everything that the Hatake had ever been, and they don't seem to notice that Shisui is listening. That Shisui is sneaking from his own hospital bed to the next ward, creeping through the window to find a boy, a few years older than him, shivering from grief and from the malevolent Uchiha chakra on the other side of the door.

And thats when Shisui really starts breaking all the rules.

Ta dah! I'm not sure where else this wip is going but it's a good premise, I like it a lot because Minato features very heavily and it's very much found-family and healing and finding purpose, but... Enjoy what I do have to offer!

Thanks for playing, Anon ✨

[springcatalyst]

so i may have rewatched murder on D street. again. abandon all hope ye who enter here

all the major characters foil fukiya in a really nice way. for a movie that claims to be a detective story, the murderer is really the focal point.

I guess since it's a ""detective"" story I'll start with akechi. he is obsessive and he goes through a period of uncertainty, where he doesnt know who he wants to be or what to do. in the last scene he is directly compared to fukiya when he says "some men cant live without being consumed by something," and the cop hes working with says outright that that's awfully similar to how akechi functions. akechi only catches fukiya BECAUSE of this obsessive, meticulous method. and fukiya is nothing if not meticulous in his work. both of them work-obsessed, both of them consumed by it, both of them detail oriented and the best at what they do, it's hard to not see those similarities. but where fukiya derails and spirals, akechi pulls himself out of that depressive uncertainty with his work. he finds a purpose and a goal in his work, he can safely place his identity within the work he does because not only is it socially acceptable (as opposed to art forgery and gender expression), but its rewarded. fukiya cannot find the same stability in his work by its hidden nature, even if the outside factors at play werent there.

tokiko is also of note: her and fukiya share a certain vanity, a certain pride, and an easily damaged ego. tokiko knows this of fukiya very early on, using his pride ("tell me now if you cant do it"/"surely a man of your skill would have no trouble") to get him to agree to work for her. but it's there in her, too. in how she feels betrayed, double-crossed, lied to, when she figures out he referenced himself for the akegarasu works. in how she shows him the pictures of her as the original model, in how she preens under the gaze of the men she shows the paintings to, because thats her. and then, of course, his own pride takes THAT information- that she was the ORIGINAL original- and leaves him feelimg betrayed, like he lost something, like something was taken from him. and he kills her to reestablish the value that he thought he had and so quickly came to need. HE needed to be the original. he rested his understanding of himself on it.

saito isnt so much a parallel to fukiya as he is an opposite. saito is emotional, passionate, hedonistic. he knows what he wants and what he likes and he pursues it: the most obvious example is through sex, but I did notice that when he recognizes akechi's name, he pursues that: he gets a drink with him, likely having to lure that depressed bitch out from his room to the cafe, but he did it because he knew of his work and wanted a conversation with the man responsible for it. he met a celebrity, basically, and weaseled his way into dinner with him. saito knows what he wants and he gets it, not by manipulation or violence, but just by chasing it with a certain sincerity that fukiya always lacks. fukiya is meticulous and careful in a way that either stems from his work or drew him to the work that suits it, but either way its present in his personal life as it is in his work. he moves and speaks deliberately, with measured emotion, none of the genuine reaction that saito expresses. he rarely does things for the fun of it, and while it's obvious he finds satisfaction, pride, expression, in his work and his art, it is so meticulous, theres none of the hedonism that we see in saito. fukiya finds lying very easy, so much so that he cheats a psych test, where saito is so genuine that his looks incredibly suspicious just because he reacts bigly. and also, of course, its impossible to not mention the distinct sexlessness of fukiya's character, especially compared with saito, who is having lots of sex all the time. fukiya is averse and avoidant of sex, uncomfortable with it, uneasy. when faced with it, it is something he fights and then resigns to, a far cry from the almost gratuitous pursuit of sex that saito does. additionally, in the scenes where sex comes into play, saito is in control of his, literally the dom with his partners, where fukiya is very much out of control of his situation, not given much choice, and not really an active participant. the fact that these two are the two main suspects for the murder, then, is a great, jarring contrast. saito has every reason to look guilty, and he does, but the fact is that he is innocent.

even the minor characters have some fascinating roles. the couple across the bookshop, the way they arent involved with anything, just witnesses. saito runs into the street yelling about murder and we dont see him, we see the couple, watching through the windows. theyre voyuers, an audience, an outside eye. somebody to perform for. the nature of both fukiya's work and his life is that it is heavily scrutinized- his restorations have to be perfect, his forgeries even more so (or are all his restorations just forgeries passed as originals?...) his life must find a balance between being what he wants, and being something more broadly acceptable, something that fits within the world around him. its only natural that some of it ends up being a sort of performance.

i dont really have a satisfying conclusion i just think that all the characters are used to their absolute most potential and the end result is an impeccable exploration of what the fuck is wrong with fukiya. and i enjoy it immensely. thank u for coming to my ted talk

the student/assistant of akechi's is a clearer version of what's going on with fukiya. we're not given enough time with the character to know the nuances of their situation, but at baseline they're a girl passing herself as a boy for whatever reason to work with akechi. at the end, we see them put on the dress, the lipstick, look in the mirror, same as fukiya. that outward performance dissolves and we see something closer to the truth- it drives home the broad strokes of fukiya's situation with a less nuanced one- look at these two characters, what do they share? its a visual shorthand, as well as a continuous cycle, echoing that fukiya is not uniquely different, not totally isolated. (even if HE is isolated, its because of him, not because of this)

mayumi (the model) is similar to saito in how her sexuality highlights fukiya's lack of one. in the scenes where he's painting her, it gradually becomes clear that she's into it. she's having a great time; he's just painting. he's getting more and more frustrated which leads to rougher movements and more intensity but it is, again, strikingly sexless. she either doesn't pick up on this or doesnt care, and thinks the natural conclusion is to have sex, even when he obviously doesn't want to.

the girl saito is fucking (i dont think shes ever named?? if so i missed it OOPS) plays a kind of one-two parallel and contrast. her affair is a secret for obvious reasons, some kind of deeper desire that is kept hidden for her's and other's benefits, even as its pursued nonetheless. this mirrors fukiya's own queerness (in whatever sense of the word you think fits) in a pretty one-to-one way. but the way they go about it, or what it is in the first place, is vastly different- again, her open demonstration of sexuality and comfort in sexuality, of desire, makes his own lack of both of those things all the more obvious.