thekuroiookami

[thekuroiookami]

In my art history class we’re discussing museums and repatriation and I am so fucking angry

Just wait until I have some free time, I’ll post my favorite whiny bitch responses from European museums.

[thekuroiookami]

Guys I found Saitama cosplaying as a samurai

[thekuroiookami]

YOU GUYS I AM ALL OVER THIS

Hey internet, can we make this happen?

So my mom works at a church. Actually, she works somewhere that is located in a church, but close enough for government work. It’s not important. Anyway, they had an artist gallery, because sometimes churches do that; it’s a whole “supporting local artists” thing, and it’s pretty standard. 

What is very not standard is the artist they happened to host this week.

Susan B. Hale is a musician and painter in the Upstate NY region. (For people wondering where that is: it’s all the not-NYC part. There’s actually an entire state attached to the city, like a big, slightly-racist wart. I’m getting off track.)

Susan’s art is fairly standard, lovely oil-on-canvas Impressionist stuff. Mostly flowers –

– some pretty landscapes –

– some weird abstract shit –

Pretty stuff. If I had anything resembling disposable income, I’d wanna buy some of this stuff, because it’s gorgeous.

You know what else she paints, sometimes?

BIG FUCKING DINOSAURS

BIG FUCKING DINOSAURS FROLICKING WITH FLOWERS

BIG FUCKING DINOSAURS NOSHING ON HUMAN SKULLS IN A BLACK VOID-LIKE HELLSCAPE

BIG FUCKING DINOSAURS ON BIG FUCKING CANVASES PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH DEAD FLOATING LADIES BY PICTURESQUE PONDS HOW ARE YOU NOT DELIGHTED BY THIS

Obviously, my immediate reaction was to seek this woman out and find her all of the money. But while I did absolutely spend two hours looking up who she was and then emailing her, she doesn’t appear to have an Etsy – or any online store at all. She has virtually no digital presence, and not much of a reputation offline either.

And this is tragic.

Because let’s be real: this woman should be a fucking internet star. She paints lovely scenes of tranquility and fills them with T-Rexes for no apparent reason, other than that she thinks they’re rad. There’s an alternate reality in which she’s a Tumblr legend, and I want to live in that reality.

So here’s the thing. I know I’m not a Big Tumblr Person. I have virtually no clout in things like this, and the odds of anyone seeing this post are kinda limited. But I also want this woman to be so inundated with requests for awesome dino paintings that she has no choice but to open up an online store. I want my home and those of everyone I know to be filled with humungous, lush oils of morbid hilarious dinosaur beauty, like if Monet spent a glorious weekend binging all of Jurassic Park while also on a cocaine bender.

Reblog this. Email her telling her how great you think she is and how much you wish she had an amazon site or whatever. Consider supporting her, if you have some money and love dinosaurs. Boost the shit out of this, because even if she doesn’t get a single dime, her artwork makes me smile and I want to at least share the happy with others, and maybe bounce some of it back to her.

I am not sorry for the length of this post. You got pretty flowers and fucking dinos and you are welcome for it.

[thekuroiookami]

Cartoon Network is the reason why I will never be a completely stable human being

[thekuroiookami]

Ahhhhhh, thanks so much!

I. Loved. It. That civilized conversation at the end - “Would you like to have tea and some third base” - did me in. I can’t even be offended at the low spice, because the sugar was high. You’re a gem, Lethey.

Much hugs!

Heya @thekuroiookami,

I got you! *fistbump*

So I’m basing myself on what I know about you and my match may be a little unexpected, but I think you’d do well with Iida Tenya.

You guys are pretty complementary, to be honest. Iida admires your studious and creative nature. He won’t readily admit it, but he’s more than a little impressed by all the random factoids you know, and how passionate you can be about art and history, both subjects he would like to know more of, but doesn’t really have the time to invest in. On the other hand, his innate sense of discipline could really aid in guiding you in your work (*cough*). He finds that you are quite similar when it comes to bursts of spontaneity and passion, but he rather loves that you manage to steer yours towards innocuous things such as unplanned outings or pick-nicks (as opposed to trying to murder a supervillain by yourself). I mean, the boy has his demons, but you’re both friendly and reasonably outgoing people, so this should be a fairly easy relationship.

Putting this under a cut because while it’s mildly spicy, it’s still fairly nsfw.

Keep reading

[thekuroiookami]

Welcome to BNHA Brofest!

Hear ye, hear ye! You’ve searched high and low for those platonic fics celebrating Kirishima and Tetsutetsu’s manly fist bumps. You’ve travelled far and wide, seeking more of that Bakugou and Uraraka being bros. You hanker for more cast-wide beach episodes. Well fear not! The Brofest: BnHA edition is here, and you can fulfill your chosen destiny by challenging these tiers. So come, hero, and take your scroll of prophecy! The world needs you!

Welcome to the BnHA Brofest

Because we are always looking for new gen fic, and we can’t get enough of Horikoshi-sensei’s universe, we’re rolling out the carpet to the Boku no Hero Academia Brofest Challenge.

What is it?

Brofest is a two month challenge for platonic fics. Set your word count goal by choosing from 7 different tiers and challenge yourself to reach it by the deadline.

When is it?

Challenge begins March 1 and will run until April 30. Sign-ups end March 7.

Applications are now open!

Are you up to it?!

Do you have what it takes to write a platonic ship or gen fic in 2 months’ time?

Enlist in the tier of your choice and see if the power of friendship is strong enough to score a no-touch ace!

Message brought to you by your friendly neighbourhood admins,  @bsinoranges​,  @haruhi02,  @leeva-z-kai,  @lethesomething,  @thekuroiookami

SIGN UP HERE // AO3 // RULES // TIERS

[thekuroiookami]

Reblog if you write fanfic and would be totally down with your followers coming into you askbox and talking to you about your fic

[thekuroiookami]

I’M CRYING THIS IS PERFECT

Scales

Whelp. It’s been a while, but I wrote smut again.

 *cough* So, uh, technically this is a fanfic of a fanfic? Fanfic squared. There’s a Haikyuu gods and monsters type au (perfectly innocent, teen rated and all that) called Bonds of Descendants, and in it Tendou is some kind of snake shapeshifter and… well… this happened.

So this is a remarkably fluffy piece for something that’s technically snake sex(?). So be warned, I guess. Also, it’s.…weird but probably not as weird as you’re imagining right now. I’ll just leave it at that. Do with it as you will. Highly NSFW, in case that wasn’t obvious.

Thin sheets rise and fall with your breath. You stir, restless. The heat of a high summer night is making it difficult to get comfortable. In the corner of the room, a fan blows a soft breeze but all it does it move hot air around. With a sigh, you close your eyes and focus on your breath, slowing it gently until you fall into a shallow slumber.

The window opens a crack, letting in the smell of dry grass and the sound of humming cicadas. It swings slowly, opening just enough for a small forked tongue to peek through. It flicks once, twice, taking in the scent of the room, before a scaly head emerges from the window. The snake, a vivid red, turned deeper in the gloom, glides across the window sill and slithers down to the floor. It appears to grow in size as it makes its way across the wooden boards, producing no sound but a soft rustling. It lifts up its head to peer over the bed, flicking its tongue once, twice, before ducking underneath the sheet.

Keep reading

[thekuroiookami]

WE MEET ON THE COURT!  (AGAIN)

Last year, in a quest to find more platonic friendships, new heroes were born. Gods, even. Well, we’re doing it again.

🏐Welcome to HQ Brofest: Second Edition🏐

Because we had a lot of fun last year, and are always looking for new gen fic, we’re rolling out a second edition of the Haikyuu!! Brofest Challenge.

🏐What is it?🏐

Brofest is a two month challenge for platonic fics.  Set your word count goal by choosing from 7 different tiers and challenge yourself to reach it by the deadline..

🏐When is it?🏐

Applications are now open! Find the form here.  Challenge Begins February 1 and will run until March 31.  Sign Ups end February 7.

🏐Are you up to it?!🏐

Last time, you were able to spike through the writer’s block.  You received the plot bunnies and served that word count.  Think you can do it again?  Do you have what it takes to write a platonic ship or gen fic in 2 months’ time?  Enlist in the tier of your choice and see if the power of friendship is strong enough to score a no-touch ace!

Message brought to you by your friendly neighbourhood admins,  @bsinoranges​,  @haruhi02,  @leeva-z-kai,  @lethesomething,  @thekuroiookami

SIGN UP HERE // AO3 // RULES

[thekuroiookami]

Haute couture (in which Shigaraki gets a makeover)

It was a quiet day at the headquarters. Shigaraki looked blearily around the room as he shuffled to the computer. Kurogiri was mixing drinks at the bar, Dabi was dozing off on the couch. Jin and Spinner were arguing in a corner, while Himiko read something on her perch at the counter, kicking her feet merrily.

Shigaraki took one more step before pausing.

Wait.

Since when was Toga Himiko literate?

He turned around and narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you reading?"

"Hmm?" She looked up, tongue poking out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. "Oh, a fashion magazine."

He put in as much disdainful disbelief into his voice as he could without actually having to change expression. "Why, is cutesy bimbo going out of style?"

She ignored the barb and giggled. "No, silly! It has dating advice, look. I'm fortifying my maidenly heart for the next time I run into Izuku."

He was a little disturbed. She knew what fortify meant. "I'm glad you're taking this villain thing so seriously."

This time she did roll her eyes. "You know, Tomura, being a villain isn't that different from setting out to date someone."

"Really." He stretched out the first syllable in a contemptuous drawl. "Enlighten me."

"Yup, it is. The principles are the same, you see. You gotta make a good first impression, you have to be convincing and-" she held up a finger - "you need to dress well."

Spinner and Twice stopped squabbling, momentarily mesmerized by the idea. Kurogiri also seemed interested.

"It's true," said the bartender, "that all the famous villains had distinctive appearances. Hitler. Al Capone. That one president."

The first tendrils of a fire prickled under his neck as he digested this. She may, very distantly, and in her own, simplistic ameoba-like way, have had a point.

"So what? Are you saying I need a bowler hat and sequins?"

Dabi finally cracked open one eye to peer at the discussion. Himiko jumped off the counter in excitement. "Noooo, but a makeover sounds fun! How about it, Tomura?"

They broke into the department store around midnight. Nothing was actually broken, because that would set the alarms off, and what was the point of a Kurogiri if something as trivial as a door stopped them, anyway.

Himiko threw some lights on and dragged him over to a mirror. "Okay, so we need to decide what kind of look you want.   Evil goth? Evil preppy? Evil preppy goth?"

He shrugged off her touch and buried his hands in his pockets. "I'm fine the way I am."

Spinner, Twice and Kurogiri arranged themselves on a couch like bridesmaids waiting to criticize his dress. Dabi leaned languidly against a mannequin with a mild yawn. Spinner shrugged awkwardly. "Dude, the hands are a cool touch and all, but if we think about it, you're just wearing slacks and a coat. That doesn't exactly scream menacing. More like, 'it's Monday morning and this is the most I could be bothered to do.' "

"Also," added Jin, "that trench coat sometimes gives me the impression you're a different kind of villain."

Shigaraki gave him a look that could have crisped ashes. "Did I hear someone asking for a live autopsy?"

He heard Dabi mutter something about it being called a vivisection, but ignored it. Spinner dove into the shadowy racks of clothing and came back with an armful of…something.

He gingerly picked apart the tangled mass. There was a military coat that buttoned up to the neck, knee high boots and a belt with a heavy buckle. Shigaraki dangled the visor cap in fingers, squinting at the skull insignia. "I'm not wearing this."

The group spent the next few minutes trying to persuade him otherwise, but Shigaraki was an immovable rock and refused to budge. Himiko suddenly hopped on one foot.

"I could wear it!"

They took a moment to absorb the implication.

"NO." Shigaraki looked her in the eye. "I'll kill you if you try."

"Then you gotta try 'em on, Tomura."

"No."

"Say yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

"Great, the dressing room's that way!"

After a brief scuffle in which Shigaraki tried to put his bare hands on Himiko's face and Himiko tried to a put a knife in his, Kurogiri somehow managed to calm them down enough to compromise. Shigaraki gave her a drop of blood with extreme reluctance and watched with an equal amount of trepidation as she ran off.

"I hate you all," he mumbled to no one in particular.

"Here she is," announced Jin importantly.

Shigaraki watched in dawning horror as he strolled out jauntily - he'd never been jaunty in his life - and struck a pose in front of the mirror.

"Tada," came his familiar rasp. "Whatcha think?"

"Hmm, can you spin?"

The churning in his stomach grew as his three-dimensional reflection twirled beautifully on one foot.

"It's a bit…" Kurogiri trailed off meaningfully.

Shigaraki said it for him. "I look like an underpaid chauffeur," he intoned flatly.

His doppelganger drooped. Twice timidly held out an outfit. "How about this one?"

Himiko took and it and - Shigaraki swore creatively at this - skipped away. On him it looked…he couldn't bear to think about how it looked. She came back equally cheerily a minute later. "I like this one."

For the first time during the whole ordeal, Dabi reacted. The mannequin toppled over with a crash, followed by the sound of wheezing. The itch came back to life under Shigaraki's skin and he wanted to claw someone's eyes out.

"I. Am. Not. Wearing. THAT."

THAT was a full set of ninja gear, only stupidly impractical. The outfit had no sleeves, and had a chunky scarf obscuring his face up to his nose. That's what Father was for, thank you very much. The only real decision to make here was whether to kill Jin on Tuesday or Wednesday, because his schedule was a bit tight. Shigaraki settled for right now.

Shigaraki 2.0 put his hands on his hips and examined his reflection critically. "Okay, so maybe Tomura is a bit too skinny for this."

"Bitch, come here and say that to my face."

"But he has a nice chest," said Jin dreamily, "and his collarbones are good too…"

There was an awkward silence which Shigaraki used to calculate how many volts were needed to fry Twice's brain.

"It's certainly better than the last one," Dabi cut into the thickening silence. "You could use it for your final form or something."

"It's mind-meltingly stupid. Do you know how clammy fourteen hands get when they're directly on your skin? I didn't think so."

Spinner tilted his beaked head. "Why do you even need that many anyway?"

"Because I'm a sad, lonely child inside and this is the only loving embrace I've ever known- Why do you think, dumbass?"

Kurogiri cleared his throat. "May I suggest a more formal look? It worked well for All for One."

Himiko disappeared into the darkness and reappeared in yet another outfit. "Better?"

Shigaraki didn't absorb the colour of the suit until she angled his body into the light and he nearly disintegrated her on the spot. She sauntered out in a lovingly cut tuxedo, which was tolerable, but firstly: it was velvet. Secondly: it was the colour of wine. Burgundy.

How the hell had he ever thought this League was a good idea?

"Oohhh," said the others in unison. "Nice."

"Thanks." Himiko adjusted her - or his, rather - posture, slouching a bit and tilting the head down. He found her skills of observation terrifying and moved her further up his mental hitlist. "How about now?"

"It's very suave. It says, 'I'm a man of the world' but exudes a certain aloofness at the same time," opined Kurogiri thoughtfully.

"Kurogiri, I'm trying to take over the world, not seduce it."

Not-Shigaraki threw his hands up in exasperation. "You're so high maintenance for someone who can't even be bothered to brush his hair."

"Fuck you too, Toga."

"You could always go for the basic catsuit and personalize it," Spinner said hopefully. "Like Twice here did."

"Spinner," he said blandly, like there weren't fire ants crawling along his veins, "I want to distract the public with my villany, not the outline of my dick."

Jin frowned, confused. "But no one ever gets distracted by my suit?"

"Exactly."

Dabi stopped wheezing long enough to speak. "What's wrong with his current gear anyway?"

Shigaraki felt a surge of something like gratitude, but quickly tamped down on it before it got out of control. Everyone else looked at each other.

"Well," started Himiko slowly, "for one thing, it looks like yours."

They simultaneously looked down at their dark clothes. "Oh."

Irritation crackled along Shigaraki's spine. "So all this time, you could have played dress-up with him instead?"

They looked bewildered. "But Dabi looks cool," said Spinner, like that explained anything.

He gritted his teeth. "You're talking about a guy wearing a wife-beater under a half-assed jacket. Not that I care who beats their wives, but that shit should be illegal."

Dabi looked down at his tank and shrugged. Himiko shook his head. "No, no, Dabi's got the high collar and the stitching and whatever those braces are. Tomura has a hoodie. It's different. Also, have you seen his pecs?"

He had, actually. More than once. But that wasn't the point.

"I'm done here. Kurogiri, let's go."

The bartender sighed heavily and made to follow. Spinner flailed pathetically and made a very big mistake.

"Come on, at least try and be bit more like Stain!"

Shigaraki froze mid-step. The itching, which had subsided, came with a fury. Pure rage roiled off of him as he turned around.

Dabi rolled his eyes and slunk back to a safe distance. "Here we go."

The other villain shrunk back as Shigaraki loomed over him, the blackness of his clothes seeping into the atmosphere. Tomura's hair looked paler, his eyes a little crazier in contrast to the dark nothingness of his coat.

"Hey Kurogiri. This guy thinks I should be more like Stain. Me, of all people."

Kurogiri said nothing, apparently waiting for the inevitable. Spinner tried to melt into a puddle and failed.

"If he likes that talkative bastard so much, maybe I should help him out so they can see each other, huh?"

"Itsfineyouroutfitisgreatimsorry," Spinner squeaked.

"Really? Are you sure? You don't think the sneakers are too last year?"

"Nope, they're brilliant, can't believe I never noticed. That symbolic red and black, truly a stroke of genius."

"Damn right they are." He pressed one foot into the lizard-man's face. "Here, take a closer look."

"They're amazing," gasped Spinner. "Just fabulous."

"That's right. You know why? It's because I'm fabulous. Aren't I, Jin?"

Twice nodded exuberantly. "You're like God, Beyoncé and chocolate rolled into one."

"Right. I'm going to walk out of here now and all of you will give fervent thanks that you get to see this fabulous ass that is perfectly fine the way it is. Kurogiri."

And then Shigaraki tossed his coat around his shoulders and walked into the warp door.

[thekuroiookami]

Long black (in which Shigaraki gets really annoyed)

It was only a matter of time before he snapped, really. No one got between Shigaraki and his coffee without consequences. No one.

He surveyed the whiny brat with their back to him, a tallish young man with an air of undeserved entitlement. Under the shadow of his hoodie, Shigaraki's eyes lingered on the fit of the idiot's jeans. Pity he'd have to kick such a nice backside.

The barista clenched their hands on the counter and hissed through gritted teeth. "For the last time, sir, what would you like? You're holding up the line."

The brat - who was probably named after some abstract concept or mythical creature, in typically annoying fashion - sneered at the exasperated woman. "Don't you know who I am? Keep your mouth shut if you want to keep your job."

Shigaraki narrowed his eyes when the barista's face went red. It would be a pain if she quit. She made the best coffee.

The worm ploughed on, acting as if he was doing them all a great favour. "Fine then. One americano."

The woman rolled her eyes in an expressive motion that Shigaraki nearly echoed. He watched in silent contemplation as the moron left, and slinked towards the counter.

"Who was that?" he asked the barista off-handedly.

She sighed heavily. "Hyousuke, the owner's son. He's a pain in the ass, but there's nothing we can do about it. He'll probably turn up tomorrow and do the exact same thing all over again."

He picked up the paper cup and regarded the curl of steam rising from it. "Is that so."

Shigaraki made sure his entrance befitted his status as an iconic villain. The lights flickered, the doors to the café exploded open and even though he hadn't really planned it, a gust of wind flapped his coat around him when he strolled in.

The customers were all in a suitable state of terror when he reached the counter. It might have been the hands, or possibly Kurogiri leaking darkness into the air, but it all went perfectly with his design.

Hyousuke, who had been leaning condescendingly towards the beleaguered barista, froze, jaw slack. The woman stared at him, white and wide-eyed.

Shigaraki tilted his head back slightly. "Don't mind me. Finish your order."

Hyousuke just blinked at him like the stupid pig he was. Shigaraki fixed his stare on the idiot. "Kurogiri, you can hear me, right?"

"Perfectly, Mr.Shigaraki."

"So this fucker must be deaf.  Hey, maybe I'll lend him a hand, huh?"

The prig didn't even begin to react. By the time Hyousuke had realized what happened, Shigaraki had clamped his wrists down on the counter with two disembodied fists. Literal handcuffs, he thought to himself.

Hyousuke came back to life and pulled at his restraints. "Y-you'll regret this! My parents will never let this go-"

Shigaraki casually rested a palm on the wooden countertop, a portion of which disintegrated into so much ash. "Look, Kurogiri, it talks."

"Unusual for vermin," mused the ethereal bartender.

Hyousuke abandoned jabbering for gaping at the remains of the table.  Finally self-preservation kicked in and the young man panicked. "Let me go!"

A familiar prickle danced across the surface of Shigaraki's skin. He rubbed his neck irritably, scowling under the press of Father's palm. "Urgh, now it's shrieking. Kurogiri, shut him up."

The barista whimpered as purple ink suddenly enveloped Hyousuke's upper half. The café collectively flinched as a distant crackle sounded, followed by an unearthly screech. When Kurogiri returned to his usual self, the boy was visibly shaking, tears pooling in his eyes. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that his eyebrows had been scorched off.

"Please," the fool blubbered, "I won't get in your way. Just let me go."

"Hmm." He pretended to think about it. "But you might hold up the line again. It'd be easier if I just killed you right now."

"NO!" The high-pitched squeal nearly obliterated his hearing. "I-I promise I won't come back. I'm sorry, o-okay?"

Shigaraki exhaled heavily, feeling the air warm his face. "I suppose it's not worth my time. Disappear."

The boy scrambled to pick up his things. He backed away a few steps, eyes darting back and forth between Shigaraki and his minion. It was all going according to plan until he caught the end of Hyousuke's muttering.

"…what kind of degenerate wears no socks?"

The prickling on his neck burst into an unbearable fire. Shigaraki ground his teeth together.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say."

He didn't really hear the dimwit's response. He couldn't really hear much of anything over the excruciating burn that made him want to claw his skin. He distantly noted Kurogiri's resigned sigh and a child crying, but it didn't impact him.

"Bitch, I'll show you what personal style means."

Kurogiri sighed for what seemed like the thirtieth time that day.

Shigaraki took a sip of his coffee with a pleased hum. "Spit it out."

"Was that really necessary?" His butler-assistant made a vague gesture with his smoky hands. "That- whatever that fiasco was."

He scowled. "That dumb fuck thought I needed a lesson in fashion. Me. I was just helping his primitive brain catch up to reality."

"By…disintegrating his clothes?"

"Well the other option was to bitch slap him, but then I wouldn't get to see his face when he realized he was in the deep end."

"And the bit where you strung him up from the streetlight?"

He shrugged. "So sue me. I have an aesthetic."

Kurogiri went silent for a moment. Then: "I hope the coffee was worth it, Mr. Shigaraki."

He looked down at his caramel soy latte with cream, no sugar. Just the way he liked it. "It's perfect."

[thekuroiookami]

Erm.

What.

WHAT.

ha?

every single person who reblogs this

every

single

person

will get “doot doot” in their ask box

[thekuroiookami]

Why Uraraka is my favorite BnHA character

Warning: this a sorta meta character analysis, but also mostly a rant. I got a bit emotional.

In part inspired by this meta by @lethesomething.

All good essays begin with a nice, broad philosophical statement that introduces the general argument you're about to push on the reader.

Here's mine: every successful story has behind it, in some form, a character you identify with. That's obvious, you say. Writing 101.

And I agree. But. How many characters do you actually remember identifying with?

I mean really identify with, on a soul-deep, cellular level. Not sympathize with. There's a big difference.

Take Bakugou, for example. Most people aren't going to identify with this guy. He's constantly high on rage, he has a superiority complex, he has next to no social skills, he's an out and out bully sometimes.  This is not most people. Sure, we can sympathize with him, imagine what it might be like to be in his position and then feel for him, but we can't ever be him.

And I don't know about you, but I certainly can't be Midoriya either. I can't constantly break myself for people I don't know. I can't put the masses of humanity above everything else. I might save a child or a kitten one day, and I would certainly not think twice if someone I loved was in danger, but I'm not heroic. Not many people are in the Midoriya sense. He's the main character, but he's the least relatable person in BnHA, I think. Which is fine, because shounen likes to take the underdog and the 1% character and give them a chance to be more.

But the readers belong to the 99%.

Which brings me to the real point of this post: the wonder that is Uraraka Ochako. 

Now, I know she's big in the fandom and plenty of people love her, she gets shipped with everyone but the kitchen sink etc.

She's still an underappreciated character.

I don't think people appreciate how wonderfully, utterly, normal she is. And how she is so much more of a hero for that.

I didn't particularly care for Ochako's character in the beginning. I didn't hate her, but she seemed like a two-bit airheaded love interest. That didn't really change until the sports tournament arc.

Aha, I hear you say. You like her because she's a badass.

She is indeed, but I like Ochako because she has one simple, pure goal: feed the family.

It's not a saintly goal. It's not a selfish goal. It's not even a new one. But it's one I can 1000% identify with. Everyone knows parents - family - are important. BnHA is chock full of examples of all the things that can go wrong when you don't have a true family to back you up. Todoroki, Shigaraki, to some extent Bakugou, and Midoriya as well. And for some reason, shounen (and media in general) tends to treat anyone with a normal, loving family as boring. As if wanting to support your parents - to show them the affection you received from them - is worthless in the face of grander schemes. As if there is a height chart for individual ambitions, and anything below "making history" falls short. As if wanting to love the people who love you isn't an ambition at all.

Uraraka's reason for becoming a hero - I need a salary to support my family - is initially presented as modest, and perhaps not quite as good a reason for becoming a hero. Even Bakugou's less-than-pure motives somehow are more acceptable, because he has a vision that will change the world, and the power to do it with. Ochako apparently has neither. Even she acknowledges this.

Another but.

This modest goal - a humble sparrow among the brilliance of peacocks, really - goes toe to toe with that grandeur and holds its own. BnHA is an ever shifting kaleidoscope of surprises. Uraraka, who wants what the ordinary person wants - to able to eat on a daily basis, and keep the people she loves happy - is not weaker than the powerhouse of intention that is Bakugou. She is more than equal, and he acknowledges it.

On the surface, the Uraraka-Bakugou fight is a way to call out inherent sexism, and a tool for character development. Uraraka is presented as more than a pretty face, and Bakugou wants more than just an easy win. Under that, however, is a clash of ideologies. It's the all-rounder vs the average person. The prodigy vs the student that doesn't do badly, but not great either. It's "I will be the best" vs "I'm putting in my best, and that's enough".

In some ways, not having an exciting goal is seen as the absence of a goal at all. I've had this happen to me several times. As a postgrad, interviewers, teachers, and the wider public like to ask to me what I want to do next. They expect some kind of high-achieving, Instagram tagline kind of answer. Like, "Oh yes, I would like to research this niche topic, write a thesis on it, and then spend my life doing an intellectually stimulating, socially useful profession." What I say is, "Oh, just a job. Any job in a museum." They then blink and nod with mildly disappointed expressions.

This is what happens to Uraraka as well. With the exception of Aizawa (because that man is godly), she is largely written off by the rest of the cast, even Deku, because she has more humble wants. Even though technically, no one has any reason to believe, until the sports tournament, that Deku is more useful than Uraraka. (He's not, really.)

Ordinariness, if it can even be called that, is not a handicap. It is a strength, a deep-rooted one. Uraraka's wants are no less solid than Bakugou's, no less powerful and ultimately, no less world changing. While Bakugou wins the fight, Uraraka doesn't lose the war.

In the long run, it even works out better for her. Ochako gets a mentor that helps her strengthen her existing skills and add new ones. Bakugou...gets some hair gel.

This is not to say that they are one note characters with a singular goal. Uraraka doesn't have to be the absolute best to achieve her ends, but she tries anyway. Because if you do something, you might as well do it well. Her internal crush-turned-rivalry with Deku is a product of this. She doesn't need to be number 1 hero or better than him to support her parents. Hell, she doesn't even need to be in the top ten. But she's here in the hero course, and if she's doing it, she's going to give it her all. Just like Bakugou, and Midoriya.

She's not a complex bundle of issues like Todoroki, and lots of us aren't. But she's not made of just one defining element, and neither are we. She doesn't need a dark backstory, or want to save the world, but she has the potential to become number one. Equally, if she decides that she doesn't want to be a top hero, she won't be any less heroic or badass than the others.

I think so too.

[thekuroiookami]

Horror, as promised

I’m assuming it’s the 31st of October somewhere in the world at this point, so here goes.

Cruel Stitch is up on AO3 for y’all to read, if you feel like it.

Featuring: Uraraka Ochako, a mystery stalker, some ship with best girl Jirou, body horror, psychological terror, general darkness.

Happy Halloween, everyone.

[thekuroiookami]

Dentelle noire

Warning: A vaguely PWP oneshot featuring Aizawa follows. NSFW content below the cut.

Aizawa Shouta had a few well known weaknesses. These famously included cats, a good cup of coffee,  someone in need of saving, groups of villains (though he would call the last one more of a hindrance than a weakness). The other thing that no one knew about was black lace. There was something deliciously sinful about it, the way it painted the skin in a delicate tattoo. A decadent secret under demure clothing. Sure, red lace had its advantages, and satin wasn't all that bad either, but black. Mysterious, inviting, aloof. It was a little irresistible. That little became a lot when it was you in the black lace.

He was currently discreetly trying to gauge your motives over the edge of a report. Or maybe it was a term paper. He hadn't really read it. "Hey." You looked up from the bookshelf in query. "Aren't you cold?" You looked down at the slip you were wearing. He looked too. It was ridiculously flimsy, with a fine lattice of floral patterns around the hem and neck. An additional panel of lace ringed the bodice, hinting at tantalizing expanses of skin. When he found your eyes again, you looked distinctly amused. "Not really." You went back to perusing his collection of battered hardcovers. There weren't many of them; as much as he wanted to, he didn't really get time to read for leisure. "The heating is on." He dropped his gaze to the sheet in his hand, still envisioning his hands sliding up the negligée. Aizawa made a skeptical noise. "If you say so." You wandered over to where he sat, a dogeared copy of a detective story dangling loosely in your grip. From the corner of his eye, he saw the hem ride up a fraction as you leaned on the desk. He kept staring at the paper until it seemed to shrink away in fear. "Besides," you murmured, "with your eyes burning into my back, I couldn't possibly be cold." He raised an eyebrow, wishing he had his scarf to hide the smile that was threatening to take over. "And what makes you think I was looking at you?" You pretended to think. "Well, for one, you're reading that paper upside-down." He snapped his head back to the sheet, startled. "It's not-" "Aha." You folded your arms, making that flimsy excuse for a sleeve crumple off your shoulder. He gripped the report a little tighter. "I made you look." Aizawa closed his eyes with a sigh, silently admitting defeat. "What are you up to?" "Me?" You blinked innocently. "I was just looking for something to read. I certainly didn't mean to interrupt your very important…what is it you were doing?" Honestly he had no idea either. He was still stuck on the way the neckline of your slip dipped just so, whispering dark suggestions that he really shouldn't act on. He had work, dammit. "-----", he said with a warning note, "I have paperwork to get through. I don't have time for games in the bedroom." You smirked in a way that set his pulse to pounding. "Who said anything about the bedroom? There's a wall right there, completely free." He narrowed his eyes at you, vaguely annoyed that your tactic was working. You watched him with a self satisfied expression that made him want to punish you a little. But apparently he wasn't done being on the receiving end. You smoothly slid onto his lap, leaving a waterfall of sheets to tumble off the table. Aizawa's breath hitched as you grazed his ear with your teeth. "I mean," you suggested, "it would be a shame if you missed out on this…" His heart starting drumming madly, dangerously,  when you gripped his wrist and pulled his hand to you. The pads of his fingers skimmed across the softness of your thighs as you guided his hand upwards under the dress. He exhaled slowly when his touch came across a familiar stretch of fabric at the curve of your hip. Your eyes had become a little glazed at the end of that torturous procedure, he noted with a surge of satisfaction. You were starting to shift restlessly in his lap. He kept watching you hungrily, rubbing tiny circles of suggestion over the edge of the lace. Two could play that game. "You're right," he murmured huskily. "Wouldn't want to waste your hard work. Or that wall." Your smile was more than a little victorious when you leaned down to kiss him.

Few people knew Aizawa as well as you did, and even you didn't know everything about him, which was fine. You did, however, know how to successfully push his buttons, you reflected happily as he slammed you against the wall. A picture frame rattled, and possibly your neighbours were too, but you were beyond caring. Exquisite tendrils of heat curled up from your toes and danced up your spine as Aizawa nipped at your neck. "Such a tease," he said into your skin, the words reverberating somewhere deep in you. His voice had turned smoky and unrepentant. "I should pay you back for toying with me." You couldn't summon up a protest when he kissed you deep and hard, lips fitting over yours in puzzle-piece perfection. Every sensible thought seemed to fly out of your head, replaced by white-hot desire at the slick slide of his tongue against yours. Aizawa pulled back to regard you with dark eyes, as if he was analyzing your defenses and the best way way to crumble them. Apparently coming to a decision, he pinned you higher against the wall, lifting your feet off the ground. You tightened your legs around his waist with a soft gasp as his fingers suddenly brushed over your core. "Shouta." His name sounded like helpless plea, even to you. He merely smirked and dragged the strap of your dress down with his teeth. A moment later, his breath washed over your bared chest and your head fell back against the wall at the rush of electricity. Aizawa glanced up from where he was languidly trailing his tongue over your nipple, look a tad smug. You weren't the only expert at pushing buttons, it seemed. Your bit your lip, desperate to resist, but it was difficult when his touch promised relief, so close. Aizawa casually rubbed his thumb over your sex, a slow, agonizing build up of delicious friction through the lace. You tried to push against his hand, but you were immboilized between the breadth of his shoulders and the unyielding wall. "Patience never was your strong point," he noted with a faint smile. "Glad you noticed," you retorted breathlessly. "You can start acting on that wisdom." "Hmm." He moved to your other breast, nipping playfully. Somewhere along the way your underwear had ended up on the floor. You moaned as his fingers simultaneously curled into you. "I'm fine, thanks." "This is- nngh- not at all heroic." You raked your nails down his back gently in retaliation, feeling a bit better when he rumbled in response. "Good thing I don't care about public opinion, then." His smile was teasing, but Aizawa finally shifted to slide you down and rub his hard length along the inside of your thigh, his breaths getting shallower. You moved to pull the slip over your head, but he shook his head. "Keep it on." Heat flared in your chest at the brusque command. You curled one arm around his neck and reached down to undo the ties of his loose trousers. Aizawa kicked them away mid-kiss and slid his hand up to pin your wrists to the wall. His whisper brushed over your spine in a tremor. "Caught you, minx." Any pithy comments on your part were promptly eliminated as he pushed into you in a fluid motion. Aizawa's lean hips rocked up into yours with a steady rhythm, every thrust of his cock hitting a spot that made your vision blur. You slid up the wall with each surge of momentum, the silky dress gliding over your sensitive skin, heightening every sensation to unbearable intensity. You dropped your head back and gripped his biceps, barely able to hold yourself up under the onslaught. "Ahh, Shouta, right- right there…" His responding growl made your spine go weak. Aizawa suddenly slammed into you with unexpected force and the simmering heat building in your core imploded, turning your body to golden sparks. Still caught in a wave of bliss, you distantly noticed the sinews in his neck go taut with tension. A low groan escaped from his chest as Aizawa found his release, expression shifting into unguarded emotion for a rare moment. You wrapped your arms around him as you both slumped down on the floor. Aizawa looked up after taking a moment to recover. "Well." You gave him a small smile, threading your fingers through his hair. "That was…interesting. I should derail your work more often." He scoffed, carefully pulling the straps of the slip back over your shoulders. "That's not going to happen again." "Oh?" You gave him the saddest look you could manage. "Why not? You liked the dress, didn't you?" "No," he said gruffly, "because next time it'll be me doing the seducing." You bit your lip. "I can live with that." He rose gracefully and extended a hand. "Come on, we need a shower." You pulled yourself up on shaky legs. "We?" "I didn't say when next time would be."

[thekuroiookami]

Otome Mania

This is no longer a secret, I have played, do play and will play a fair number of otome games. I’m weak to cliched romantic plotlines, okay?

Since I did promise @lethesomething a list, here it is. The summary is...I’ve played a lot of games.

Games organized by console, arranged from meh to great.

PS Vita

I pretty much got a Vita so I could play otomes. Don’t judge me too harshly. And while a lot of these are incomplete (i.e. I haven’t played through every route), I feel like I can give an opinion.

Norn 9: Var Commons - Admittedly I haven’t gotten far into this, but lord is the plot confusing. Like, what is happening? What is happening? So many pretty people, though...

Sweet Fuse - Cute, fun, though not high on replay value. The characters are really weird, but don’t let that stop you. They have charm, and the parody elements are worth it. Plus blowing your top has never been so satisfying.

Collar x Malice - I almost finished one route and I’m really enjoying it. The heroine has so much personality and she chews out the dude whose route I was doing, and the mystery is so intriguing, if a tad weirdly investigated...

Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth - By far the best otome game I’ve played on anything. A beautifully built world, excellent artwork, a heroine with backbone, massively diverging plotlines, and just about every love interest is actually interesting. I’d encourage everyone to play this when it comes out on PC. The Suwabe character is just the icing on the cake for once.

PS3

Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom - Hugely overrated, I think, though not many games can match the artwork. Incredibly long, painful storylines that made me yawn. Heroine has zero presence. I do love Saito though.

Mobile

Mystic Messenger - Is entertaining, but every love interest needs immediate help from a psychologist. The format works to the game’s advantage, and the voice acting is good, I spent a ton of money on it. But the romance doesn’t always feel like a romance.

Liar: Uncover the Truth - This is a surprisingly fun game, but I didn’t have the patience to wait for tickets, or spend money on the black hole. Sad but true.

PC

Games you should definitely never play:

Amnesia: Memories - out and out horror, that one. I don’t know why player character has a sprite, because her personality is non-existent.

Ozmafia - Theoretically very interesting, but in practice, suffers from a spineless heroine. I have a knack for finding the yandere route the second time I play any game, and...let’s say if you play the doctor’s route you’re in for some surprises. Yeah.

Men of Yoshiwara: Sigh. Terrible translation, first off, backed up by terrible writing. Just don’t.

Games that are okay to pass the time:

Seduce Me and Seduce Me 2: Demon War - It’s not like this one is bad, just not amazing. It’s decently voice acted, and the first one is a cute rom-com. The second game gets a lot more complex and weird, and it’s super easy to die. The first game is free.

The Lady’s Choice - A Regency romance otome game with only two choices, but it’s nice how much you can shape the MC’s personality. Free on itch.io.

Dandelion and Nameless - Both of these are Korean-origin, produced by the same company that did Mystic Messenger, and while they do have strong writing plus original concepts, somehow the games never keep my attention for long. Nameless is a bit dark in tone, if that appeals to you. Dandelion is a stat-raising sim, which I hate with a passion.

Loren the Amazon Princess - I think this was one of the first ones I played, and it was pretty ahead in the range of LGBTQ characters, but now that I think back on it, the RPG/romance combination was a tad strange. But I do recommend it.

Days of the Divine - Another of those free itch.io ones, I can barely remember this. It was passable.

How to Take Off Your Mask - Cute, but I can’t remember what the point was.

Games that are super cute and definitely need to be played at least once:

Cute Demon Crashers - It’s a pretty short game, but utterly wonderful in its simplicity and earnestness. An R-18 novel that is very high on sex positivity, I’d recommend this one a lot. Free on itch.io.

The Blind Griffin - An odd but good work set in the age of flapper dresses and speakeasies, following a Chinese heroine who accidentally stumbles upon a secret magician’s guild and trains as an apprentice. Great art, comes with a slang dictionary, and makes up for its abruptness with cuteness. Free on itch.io.

Heartbaked - Lots of aggressive pastry references in this one, and one guy who is? a sheep? Or something? I dunno, it’s adorable. Free on itch.io.

Hustle Cat - A cat cafe, only the staff are the cats. Light hearted fun, though it is easy to mess the game up and get a bad ending.

Autumn’s Journey - So cute. So much fluff. Dragon boys. A girl knight. Enough said. Free on itch.io.

Magical Otoge Ciel - If you want to simultaneously have your soul uplifted and go “WTF is this meta”, play this. It’s so irreverent and sweet, and the art grows on you. @batensan‘s Magical Otoge Anholly is a good read as well, though it is technically a linear novel. Free on itch.io.

Taarradhin - A beautiful fantasy short, but incredibly hard to figure out. The high probability of getting it wrong kind of put me off. Free on itch.io.

Lads in Distress - Exactly what it says on the tin. Overly competent princess with pink hair takes matters into her own hands and saves the princes. I only wish we also had the option to date the childhood fried cum fairy advisor.  Free on itch.io.

Re: Alistair - This one is really good, and honestly would have been included in the best games list if it had more LIs. There’s a cute mystery to sort of solve, and I don’t even mind the stat-raising elements. Free on itch.io.

Ristorante Amore - Gorgeous art, and a major plot twist once the story really gets started. I can’t give away anything for fear of ruining it, so just go play it.  Free on itch.io.

Yo-Jin-Bo - One of my guilty pleasures, honestly. Yes the MC is a wimp, but the absolute comedy that passes for dialogue is worth it.

Games that sink their claws in and don’t let go:

Cinders - I cannot recommend this enough. Sublime story-telling, the option to be Machiavellian, naively sweet or something in between. The LI’s are good, of course (guess who’s my favourite), but the real star of the show is female relationships - Cinders and her stepsisters, the daughters and the mother, the godmother in disguise. There’s so many possible outcomes as well. I wish the original fairytale were half as interesting.

Cinderella Phenomenon - A free game I backed on Kickstarter, and it’s looking pretty good. The heroine is unapologetically bitchy, but goes through some satisfying character development in the routse I played. Intrigue abounds, and even though I wish there was a little less blushing to go around, it’s pretty good overall.

Demonheart - I am a little torn about this, because it’s an ongoing game on Steam (released in chapters). On the one hand, I feel like romance things happened really abruptly in the last chapter. On the other, the concept is executed very well and there are so many choices. Plus, excellent worldbuilding.

Nachtigal - A really good shorter game about a spunky heroine trapped with two vampires. There’s a whole variety of ways to die in this one, so it’s extra satisfying when you do land the guy.

The Royal Trap - Say what you will about it, but as one of the first VNs I read, I still quite like this one. So many romance options, and so much intrigue. Each route reveals something different about the overall plot. Good stuff. 

The Second Reproduction - Starts off typical, but then it goes down some truly unexpected routes. Strong heroine, attractive demon king. Be sure to play it with a guide to get the whole story.

There are plenty I haven’t played at all, or not enough to comment, but this is the list I’d give out to anyone who wanted some recs.

[thekuroiookami]

Tag questions

Erm, @lethesomething tagged me, so here I am.

1) How many works in progress to do you currently have in progress?

Hahahaha, funny you should ask.

I have the ongoing Bakugou and Kiri fics, which people probably think I’ve abandoned, but are more like stewing on the back burner. I started and stalled, in that order, a request for Himuro, a fluff fic for Todoroki, and a BnHA desert fantasy fic whose characters are a secret. I also keep attempting to finish a Tamaki fluff one shot but that’s not happening. And just the other day I started another thing on my phone...

2) Do you/would you write fan fiction?

I never thought I would, but here I am.

3) Do you prefer paper books or ebooks?

I like both. I do read a lot of ebooks because they’re cheaper, but a lot of my favourites I own in paper.

4) When did you start writing?

Hmm, when I was about eight? That’s when I definitely remember. Funnily enough, I never used to write prose until I started writing fanfics. I wrote lots of poetry until I was fifteen or so, and I used to do that for competitions and stuff. I started writing fanfiction around December last year.

5) Do you have someone you trust that you share your work with?

Well, poor @lethesomething usually takes the brunt of my frustration, and my beleaguered family often helps me with plot without actually knowing what said plot is. I know some amazing people. 

6) Where is your favourite place to write?

At home, but also in quiet cafes. Also, I recently discovered, a museum’s front desk?

7) Favourite childhood book?

This is a very difficult question! Lots of stuff by Enid Blyton - Willow Farm, Faraway Tree, the Family stories etc. Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I also really loved classics like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Swiss Family Robinson.

8) Writing for fun or writing for publication?

It’s very rare for me to not have fun writing, so there’s really no difference for me.

9) Pen and paper or computer?

I do like writing by hand, but my handwriting isn’t great and it hurts after a while. So computer it is.

10) Have you ever taken any writing classes?

No, not really.

11) What inspires you to write?

If you mean writing as a process, I like the challenge of finding the right words and interesting phrases to describe things. I love reading reader reactions to works, I think it’s a big motivator. As for writing specific plots, well, it could be a conversation I had with someone, a random but intriguing thought, or really wanting to mess with a trope. 

Oh boy, who do I tag? @doomedtemperament and @yzzy-gggg, if you guys want to tell us more about yourselves?