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to-the-other-side-of-the-sky · 1 year ago

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Hello!

So, I watched the ovas, then read the manga and recently read the newly released version of the manga (I haven't read the doujinshis yet, maybe you can tell me if it was a mistake or not.) I'm torn regarding Taki and Klaus' relationship.

Do they have this game where Taki enjoys resisting, lusting over him and also along the same lines con non-con and obsession with Klaus and vice versa? The whole purity thing comes into play because of his status therefore having sex with Klaus defeats the purpose of it, yet Taki keeps doing it because is the only way the can be together now and in the aforementioned question? Also, Taki is shown to be very capable of defending himself (but with help? Like a mop, sword) The first few times Taki anf Klaus are seen to be intimate with each other, Taki had the choice to forbid Klaus to come near him but he doesn't and when Klaus takes Taki to his cabin it's explained how did they get there without nobody seeing them and in the manga of that scene Taki does say he can do whatever he wants in challenging way though he underestimates how serious Klaus takes it? Until Taki cries for Klaus to stop later on.

It would make sense for each of them to care for one another hence there are parts where Taki is shown to be concerned by Klaus' well-being, overall existence and tries very hard not to worry him despite what went down earlier and who's around them. Keeping his own bruised up and sore body a secret between him and his doctor.

Also, Klaus' hunger and demand for Taki's body and attention, ultimate time together, Klaus' disposition and usefulness and protection as a knight regardless the conditions. Klaus doesn't want to worry Taki either therefore he keeps popping pills but his new and old injuries never heal. Jumping from that point, I read somewhere in your blog I believe, that you mentioned that Klaus assaulted Taki because he was delirious; for context it was after Klaus was in the frontlines with the kid cadet. Did you mean because of those untreated injuries? Wouldn't that be too soon? And it doesn't start as an assault but it does end up like that. Taki asks for forgiveness for not fulfilling the promise or for not being properly together now? Taki later defends him from being tortured, let everybody know if Klaus did anything to offend him, he will take care of it himself and takes him away to his room. So, Taki says that he forgives him. Because maybe in his own way maybe he thought Klaus had no other choice? He thought he deserved it?

Later in the manga happens something similar where Klaus says his hunger for Taki is also filthy (Taki' status, Klaus' position, and their relationship?) and Taki slaps him, for a few panels more basically promising he wouldn't touch him again (and it's almost visible Taki' disappointment)Taki also makes sure that Klaus knows he belongs to him and he won't tolerate such behavior or disrespect (also referring to what happened earlier) But it doesn't last, I think chapters later, Klaus follows him into the showers, Taki tries to stop him but he retreats when he touches Klaus wounds then Klaus ties him up and feels him up and gives him chances for him to speak up (as Klaus has done in the past) and stop him, when Taki doesn't, he continues until Taki says 'no' and 'stop' but Klaus doesn't listen (he sees how turned on Taki is, as he had previously been but then again, the body reacts in one way but the mind/mouth does differently) Until he sees Taki's bruised body, a reminder of what he did to him, from when they were at his cabin, Taki's assault.

Maybe I answered my own question here but I also wanted to add it.

It's also curious that only then the bruises on his torso are visible but it might have been overlooked during editing and the timeline is confusing too (the manga jumps from toddler Taki, pubescent Taki, Academy Taki (18-19) to 20 year-old Taki)

Because that's how I interpreted it. Perhaps I missed something and trust me I really want to understand. If it's that way, I completely get it. I enjoy that kind of sexual chemistry/games/kinks (that can also go hand in hand with complex dynamics) in my personal life but if it's on a form of media, particularly queer media, I really would like clarification.

Then it also confirms my theory the fact that Taki goes to see Klaus, sees him tied up, banded up and unconscious, his doctor warns him not to untie him because he would be delirious and Klaus insisted it on Taki not see him for his own safety. Taki not only unties Klaus on his own free will but it seems to lock the door of the room and lays next to him fully knowing what could happen and when it does, he never shows any kind of distress, until it seems to be too much to handle and knows the doctor is outside but stops himself when Klaus asks him why. Why did he come? Why did he untie him? Then Taki fully lets go.

Later he sees all the blood and infection coming from Klaus injuries and of course he is worried and pissed because he never told him the truth and he is also mad at himself for never speaking up when he needed it. Alluding at the fact it wasn't about sex.

Can you see why I'm kinda all over the place?

So, first of all thank you for the ask! I can safely say it's the longest one I've ever had, and I don't know if I'm qualified to answer it🤣

I think a lot of your questions are entirely down to the interpretation of the reader, so any answers I give would be my personal opinion and general consensus reached in discussion with other fans.

First, I would say that the doujinshi are pretty much essential reading if you want a balanced view of their relationship. Because a lot of the doujin are stories of the two of them growing closer at Luckenwalde in a very sweet, natural and mutually respectful way. The development of their relationship that we see in the doujinshi serves two purposes: it makes their current dynamic even more painful to witness (because we know what a good relationship they're capable of having when they're outside the pressures of Taki's country), and I think precludes any idea that Taki might get pleasure in resisting. I don't think Taki gets anything from resisting but pain from guilt and remorse (because of what the two of them once were together, and because he feels he didn't try hard enough to explain what would be expected of Klaus once he became his knight). I don't think any of it is a game to Taki (although it might be a bit of a bitter and resentful game to Klaus sometimes).

As you said, Taki can defend himself perfectly well. I think maybe he doesn't because 1) Klaus is almost always injured when he attacks Taki, and Taki can't bear to hurt him, and 2) perhaps he subconsciously wants to send a message that he doesn't truly hate Klaus (just hates the circumstances that have brought them to this point). And yeah, to some extent I do think he thinks he deserves it. As Klaus comes to realise in the latest chapters chronologically, Taki is completely bound up with the idea of "sacrifice".

Klaus also feels huge amounts of guilt and remorse for what he does; problem is, it doesn't stop him doing it!

I don't have the bandwidth to answer all your questions about Klaus' mindset, but you asked:

"I read somewhere in your blog I believe, that you mentioned that Klaus assaulted Taki because he was delirious"

That is the assault we see in the more recent chapters (new Vols. 3 and 4), when Klaus has a very bad infection after being exploded in no man's land, and is also in serious withdrawal from morphine. The time he rapes Taki after the rescuing-the-cadet and getting injured in the arm (Vol.1), he wasn't delirious. He knew exactly what he was doing. Also, the bruises on Taki's body are from that more recent assault, not from the attack in the cabin. If you want a super simple timeline of these events, it goes like:

Klaus rescues cadet, gets injured in the arm

Takes Taki back to his cabin and assaults him

Takes Taki to Suguri for treatment, Suguri realises what's been happening

Klaus almost gets killed by Hasebe for being a "spy", injured arm is ripped up even more by his torture

Klaus is recovering with Taki looking after him when they get the news about the Eurotean train

Klaus and Azusa go to no man's land, Klaus is taking morphine to cope with the pain

Klaus gets blown up and drowned, which causes a bad infection

Klaus is being treated by Suguri and says he wants to give up the morphine because he knows he's reaching his limit (because Klaus has a history of drug addiction as well as Taki addiction)

Taki visits the hospital after his various other duties, sees Klaus' condition and orders Suguri to leave them

Suguri ignores Klaus' wish to keep Taki away because he can't say no to Taki, but injects Klaus with one more dose (this was a big mistake!)

Klaus does indeed reach his limit and attacks Taki while delirious

Suguri obviously realises what happened, and Taki tells him not to say anything to Klaus

A few days later (while Taki is still bruised), the Western Alliance attacks and they go out to intercept them

Klaus notices Taki has an injury on his wrist, follows him to the shower stalls, and forcibly strips him

Sees the injuries, and realises that the vague memories he has of the attack weren't a dream, he actually did it

Drugs Taki and takes him to Suguri, demands to know why Suguri broke his promise

Klaus and Suguri have a fight about sacrifice and how Taki is treated by his people

All the above happens in maximum a couple of weeks, probably less!

By the way don't try to figure out the chronology all in one go, you'd have to read the manga and doujins multiple times over to get it, cos she is deliberately all over the place🤣. It does actually all make sense, it just feels like it doesn't unless you reread. (One of the fans might have made a full timeline, though! I'll give you the Discord link and you can ask. The Discord is essential to me, haha.)

"Taki not only unties Klaus on his own free will but it seems to lock the door of the room and lays next to him fully knowing what could happen and when it does, he never shows any kind of distress, until it seems to be too much to handle and knows the doctor is outside but stops himself when Klaus asks him why. Why did he come? Why did he untie him?"

This is a very major point in the development of both Taki and Suguri (his doctor). I believe Taki came because he simply couldn't help himself. He loves Klaus and feels a huge amount of responsibility and guilt for the state Klaus has ended up in. Seeing him was both his wish and (what he perceives as) his duty as Klaus' master. Untying him was a foolish, emotional act, and then he refuses to call Suguri because he knows Klaus would be killed if he made a public scene about being attacked.

From this episode, in the (chronologically) following chapters we finally see Taki break down, then get his ass together and vow to actually do something to protect Klaus (we don't really know what he's planning to sacrifice yet, though). I think that's why Taki wouldn't tell Klaus what he had done while he was delirious: he was trying to protect Klaus from that knowledge.

From this episode, Suguri learns that obeying his master (as he has Taki's entire life) might not actually be what's best for Taki, because Taki can't be trusted to act in his own best interests. That's why in new Ch10 (it hasn't been published in a volume yet), Klaus rants at Suguri about Taki acting as a sacrifice for everybody, and says that if things get worse he'll take Taki far away from all of them. Then Suguri orders Klaus to do just that and keep him alive at all costs, even if Taki doesn't want him to, because he now knows Taki won't be able to take the steps to save his own life.

So in conclusion, I don't think the current dynamic these two have is really mean to be enjoyed as non-con kink (although obviously it can be!). I think it's meant to be shown as aesthetically beautiful (cos everything she draws is) but painful and bitter, to be contrasted with their past relationship in Luckenwalde (although this becomes much clearer when you read the doujinshi, including the nekomimi ones set in Luckenwalde). And as readers we're hoping like hell that they can get back to that loving and respectful relationship someday!

Anyway, feel free to join our MR Discord, it's much easier to ask questions there as they come, and there are a lot of knowledgeable fans on there!

#mr lore and introspection

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