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thewayuarent · 7 months

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Boston is the worst

And how we get into stupid game of compared morality that doesn’t actually exist

This moment got me thinking. A lot. Mostly something like “Sand, honey, are you okay?” but also about how it doesn’t make sense for Sand to say that. Like even Ray was like “Hmmm, babe, actually, no”.

And then I got it. It’s not about why Sand says it, it’s about why narrative implies it so often.

But why is it constantly implied by narrative that Boston is the worst? Not just bad, or shitty, but actually the worst of all of them? And I kind of feel that I got it. But first, let’s go through the whole list of Boston saying be gay do crimes and compare it to other characters. And yes, I know that all those situations and motivations were different. I understand that this is not the same situation playing out the same way every time.

1. Boston recorded Ray and Mew intimate moment.

So as Nick recorded Boston and Top and Top recorded Sand and Ray. And Drake’s character I forgot his name again did with Boston.

2. Boston shared it with Top.

So as Nick, Sand, Ray and Mew did with BostonTop tape and Mew did with TonDrake clip (I kind of get Ray a half-free pass in that cause in my opinion he was more a tool than active participant but I still remember him).

3. Boston manipulated Nick’s feelings for his own goals.

So as Mew did with Ray on several occasions, and Sand did with Ray that one time to hurt Top, and Mew did with Top and the whole using sex as a test thing. (Also Ray kind of tried it with Sand but Ray sucks at manipulation and failed miserably).

4. Boston slept with Top when Top was in a relationship with Mew.

So as Top probably (?) did with Boeing. And you know who also did this? Yep, Sand. With Ray. Who also was with Mew.

5. Boston chased Top against his will.

So as Ray constantly chased Sand since ep 2, and Top constantly did with Mew since they broke up. And Nick did with Boston at the Halloween party. And Atom now doing it with Boston.

(Honestly, the only normal reaction to that in my opinion was from Ton who was like fuck off to Nick and Atom. But it kinda worked for both Sand and Mew so good for them I guess?)

6. Boston took an advantage of Top on several occasions.

So as Ray with Mew - twice, Ray with Sand (seriously bro stop it) and Top with Mew (and yes, hugging your unconscious ex who can’t give his consent and who told you several times to fuck off is not okay, I’m sorry. Try to put yourself in Mew’s place - not cool)

7. Boston outed Ray’s personal information.

And so as Ray did to everyone in the bar, and Mew did with Top and Ton in the Halloween disaster party TM.

8. Boston gets violent with Nick.

And so as Sand and Top, and Mew with Ray, and Sand with Ray, and Ray with Boston, and Top and Ray, and Mew and Boston, and literally everyone to everyone except Nick who is apparently hippie.

9. We all know that Boston didn’t cheat on Nick, right? Their relationship was communicated pretty clear. But I’ve seen those takes so.

Yeah, Top and Ray both did it with Mew.

10. And don’t even let me start to talk about slutshaming and purity culture. Ton is constantly dragged down for his active sex life both by other characters (Mew, Cheum, Ray, Nick) and the audience.

And yeah, Top is the same, and Sand is the same, and they never told us about Ray but did you see that guy? He’s the same.

And what distinguishes Boston from others is that he actually always - since the very beginning of the show - owns his shit. He’s almost never remorseful (for now), because he knows who he is. Bitch and proud, I would say. And I believe that it’s actually the case - because it’s way easier to feel superior towards someone who’s not denying their wrongs.

And this is about characters, but also about the audience. Every week, whatever happens in the show, Boston gets his amount of hate. Ray was winning after episode 8, but somehow Boston was still there. Boston, who actually didn’t do anything since episode five. It’s nine episodes aired already, can we leave him alone, please?

Every character in this show does shitty stuff. And it doesn’t make any of them bad irredeemable people. It makes them complicated, and young, and stupid, but not evil. This is not the “who’s the worst” competition. But somehow, for whatever reason, Boston keeps winning it.

Because the audience kind of get used to it. Because he doesn’t look remorseful. And who cares that he was punished by narrative way more than once, right? That he is isolated from his friends group - the only friends he has, and we can see that it affects him. That he was betrayed by Nick who he trusted. That he was a victim on revenge porn not once, but twice. That he did his best to clarify his boundaries but still get the creepy stalker behavior both from Nick and now from Atom.

Why does he need to change his personality to get some level of understanding and compassion? Why is he’s the only one who doesn’t deserve it? Because he’s a slut. And a bitch. And a bad person. Because while we have Boston it’s so much easier to apologize whatever other character we want. Because while Bostons exist it’s way easier to compare ourselves with them and keep winning some moral high ground points.

Because instead of thinking about these characters as complicated and trying to understand the motivation behind their sometimes morally wrong and questionable behavior, it’s so much easier to brush it off saying “Well, at least they are not Boston”, right?

#ofts #only friends the series #only friends #only friends meta #only friends boston #can you say he’s my favorite character? he is #I’m so close to get a tattoo with leave Boston alone caption

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allgirlsareprincesses · 10 months

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I'm so curious as to what your thoughts are on acomaf/Rhys. Personally, the reason the second book infuriated me was bc SJM completely shifted Tamlin's good traits onto Rhys, while erasing the fucked up things the latter did (like breaking Feyre's arm 😅), and thus clumsily erasing chances for interesting complex grey-morality characterizations for both characters. Also Feyre forgot about Tamlin so fast it almost made the first book seem useless lol. idk, I just liked Tamlin and feel he was done dirty with the weird lib-feminist makeover acomaf got. I did continue reading the series though. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable speaking about this, so feel free to ignore this ask. Have a lovely day 💖

Phew! So my issues with the series are NUMEROUS and some day I will go into all the reasons I quit ACOMAF 3/4 of the way through, but for now, let me sum up my problem by comparing it to another modern phenomenon: Frozen.

Like ACOTAR, I have many specific dislikes about the Frozen series, but my main problem with it is the way it cynically uses fairy tale motifs against the audience, but then still wants to claim it is a fairy tale. Frozen's setup gives the audience absolutely zero reason to doubt or distrust Hans (other than the arrival of Kristoff). In fact, Hans and Anna have one of the best insta-love songs from the Disney collection, and it galls me TO NO END that it's a trick, a lie. And then the rest of the movie repeatedly mocks the audience for believing in fairy tale love ("You can't marry a man you just met!"), as if to say everyone who has enjoyed Disney fairy tales up to this point is a sucker. Yet then it expects us to invest in the Anna-Kristoff romance after punishing us for the Anna-Hans one. And meanwhile, Kristoff is about as interesting as stale bread (sorry not sorry, it's true. I love you Jonathan Groff, it's not your fault sweetie.).

So anyway, back to ACOTAR. Book 1 is a straightforward Search For The Lost Husband. Taken on its own, it honestly rules as an example of this Cupid & Psyche tale type. It has the hunter-huntress motif, the jealous sisters, passage into the otherworld, hidden/cursed prince, supernatural helpers, three trials in the underworld, and even resurrection from death. It's literally perfect, other than Rhys marking her and just generally being creepy.

And then the next book PUNISHES the reader for enjoying that. HAHA you fool, you sucker, you got taken in by an abuser! Actually that whole book was a f*cking waste of time and a lie, and what Feyre really needs is this dude who's secretly perfect and who has all the aesthetics of a tormented prince but none of the actual psychological damage (like, say, Tamlin had). And who pursued Feyre not because of any natural affinity but because he knew she was his predetermined MATE (ew ew ew and I repeat EW). And who dictates every f*cking plot point and then magnanimously gives Feyre the OPTION of participating and we're all supposed to cheer because he says "It's your choice" before repeatedly using her and endangering her.

And to the extent that this is another Search For The Lost Husband, why would I want the same story told again, especially when the narrative wasted my time and mocked me for investing in the last romance? I just... really resent the author using those motifs without signaling sooner that she's going to deliberately undermine them (which can be done, in fairness, but it takes more skill than SJM has displayed).

So yeah, that's my issue. It really seems to come from this faux feminism that has a lot of antipathy toward traditional fairy tales, but doesn't know how to critique them without mocking the protagonist and audience alike.

#acotar #acomaf negativity #acomaf #a court of thorns and roses #a court of mist and fury #sjmaas #acotar negativity #critique #rant #frozen #prince hans #tamlin #feyre archeron #rhysand #tamlin x feyre #search for the lost husband

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anzynai · 5 months

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Idiot

Tsukasa & Nene (Project Sekai)

a/n: @thatonetickleblog PAYTON IT WAS REALLY HARD KEEPING IT A SECRET FROM YOU, BUT GUESS WHOS UR SQUEALING SANTA! i was really happy that i got you, especially we have similar interests and i originally planned to get this done for christmas but things came up… anyways, i kinda struggled characterizing nene so sorry if she’s ooc, BUT I HOPE U ENJOY PAYTON ILYSM

summary: when nene and tsukasa are left alone to practice for a show, things end up turning in a way neither of them expected.

word count: 1.2k

——

Nene stood awkwardly as Tsukasa prattled on and on about their next show. He was clearly and very vocal about his excitement. Of course, she was excited too, but… did he have to be. so loud?!

The two were at Tsukasa’s house. Rui realized he forgot an important prop and went to go get it, Emu deciding to tag along. This left Nene and Tsukasa all alone, which Nene didn’t mind, but she wasn’t used to dealing with the other’s seemingly infinite amount of energy.

“So what do you think, Nene?!” Tsukasa shouted, after a few minutes. Nene flinched at being addressed all of a sudden.

“It’s.. an idea, alright..” She started, but trailed off. “But…”

“But..?” This caught Tsukasa’s attention as he slowed down his movements, intent on listening to her completely.

“I think if we reveal who the culprit was at the end… it might leave the audience feeling unsatisfied? It kinda.. takes out the magical feel to it…” She mumbled, feeling shy. “I-I mean, it’s a good idea but the kind of story we are acting feels like an open ending would fit better.”

Tsukasa was silent for a few moments and Nene wondered if he didn’t like what he said.

“Hah!” Tsukasa yelled out, suddenly, hitting his fist to his palm. “You’re right, Nene!”

Tsukasa pulled out a pencil and began marking on the script. Nene, on the other hand, watched. She didn’t respond to his words, but she could feel happiness swelling up in her chest. She was afraid he wouldn’t like her changing the script, but she forgot what kind of person Tsukasa was.

“There we go! How’s that?” Tsukasa exclaimed, handing her the script. She read over it and skimmed through the notes, before giving an approving nod.

“It’s good.” She said, giving it back to the other.

“Great! Let’s practice!”

“N-now?! Shouldn’t we wait until Emu and Rui come back?” She asked, though she stood up anyway.

“We’ll practice when they are here too, but no harm in getting a head start!” Tsukasa explained, standing alongside her. He stretched his arms up for a moment, but pointed at a certain scene. “Let’s start here!”

“Okay..”

——

And so, they practiced. Since Tsukasa was the star of the show this time, that meant there were more scenes were Nene wasn’t as present or kinda just… stood there awkwardly. She didn’t mind, though. She didn’t want a lead spot like Tsukasa, anyway. Still, the role she was in, as the main character’s magical fairy guide, was a bit more out there than her previous roles.

“Hi-yah!” Tsukasa shouted, thrusting his palm out to the side and…

“Ow!” Nene gasped, holding her nose.

“Nene! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!” Tsukasa all but lept at her, concern painted on his face.

“You..” Nene said, voice a bit nasally from covering her nose.

“How can I make it up to you?!”

“You idiot!” Nene let her impulses get the best of her as she pounced on Tsukasa, feeling a sudden desire for payback. She wasn’t exactly sure what fo do, thouugh, until she landed on top of him. Tsukasa, clearly not prepared for this uncharacteristic action, toppled over, landing on the sofa. A small squeal slipped from his mouth and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why. Nene looked down, her hands gripping each side of Tsukasa’s ribs.

“NenEHEHEHE?!” He blurted, but was interrupted by his own laughter. Nene didn’t really know exactly what she was doing, but now that she started, she felt she couldn’t stop.

“You need to be more careful wifh your actions.” She pouted, annoyed, but kneaded her small hands into the other’s sides.

“Whahahat ahahahare y-you dohohohoing?!” Tsukasa screeched, shocked and embarrassed. Nene felt embarrassed too, but she pushed that feeling away.

“Payback..” She said, simply, not trusting herself to say any more. It was hard to admit, but Tsukasa actually.. looked quite cute like this. She was used to his boastful smiles and laughter, but this.. felt more genuine, like a side of Tsukasa she rarely got to see.

“Pahahahay bahahack?! I sahahahaid I wahahahas s-sohohorry!”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have been so reckless!” Nene spat, pinching in between each of the bones in his ribs. His ribs seemed like a sensitive area, but they couldn’t ellicit anything more than giggles and Nene had the urge to incite laughter out of the blond.

Instead, she began squeezing at his sides, light and barely there, but enough for yet another squeal to pass Tsukasa’s lips.

“NOHOHOHO N-nohohot thEHehere!”

Oh. This seemed like a good spot. Nene decided to linger there for a couple seconds, testingly trying different areas of his sides, different pressures, anything to see what gave her the most reactions.

“You’re so sensitive. It’s fitting for you…” She muttered, pressing at his sides like they were buttons on a controller.

“W-whAHAHAt is thAHAHAHAt s-sUHPOSehehed tohoho mean?!” Tsukasa cackled. “Just pihick sohohomewhere else!”

“If you say so.” And so, somewhere else became his stomach, including his belly button. She scribbled over his ticklish skin, though she could tell the clothing he was wearing offered some protection, but still drove him mad nonetheless.

“EhEHEHEHEh..!” Tsukasa shrieked, giggling and laughing. He seemed to squirm a lot, but didn’t put up much of a fight. Nene decided to store that in her mind for later, but then she thought about how stupid it would be to do that, so she erased it from her mind. (She would still remember.)

“Everywhere is just so.. sensitive, isn’t it?” Tsukasa blushed at that. It was true. Tsukasa was one of the most ticklish people she knew, even among her troupe, which were embarrassingly ticklish themselves. She was sure it was her and Tsukasa who held the record. Though, it was only Rui who knew about this fact compared to everyone being aware of Tsukasa’s ticklishness, through the fours’ countless tickle fights. Nene usually stayed out of those, though.

“Stohohohop..!” Tsukasa mumbled, through his laughter, holding his hands up to his face.

“…” Nene dipped her finger into his bellybutton. At least, as far as it could go through his clothes, and vibrated her fingers.

“AHHHAHHAAHA!”” Tsukasa laughed and laughed and Nene smiled along with him, resisting the urge to laugh to show him just how much she was enjoying this. But, she could indulge herself in a smile at the very least, she thought to herself.

“Ah, looks like you two had fun without us, huh?” Rui’s smirk could be heard in his voice and just like a cat, Nene jumped from her current position to almost all across on the other side of the room, her blush matching Tsukasa’s for being caught. Tsukasa stayed where he was, residual giggles leaving his mouth.

“Nene, you tickled Tsukasa?! No fair!” Emu pouted, though she seemed happy that they seemed to have a good time.

“Shut up..” Nene muttered, quietly, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, she got me pretty good…” Tsukasa sighed, the laughter and tingles finally leaving his system.

“I wanna tickle Tsukasa too!” Emu exclaimed, wiggling her fingers. Tsukasa only responded with a gulp.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it?” Rui pondered, almost as if he was feeling nostalgic.

“It’s only been two days!” Tsukasa squawked, panic and anticipation in his face, but before he could say any more, Emu was already tickling him, Rui following shortly after.

Idiots, Nene thought, as she smiled and decided to join in.

#my favorite <3 #nenekasa #tsukasa tenma #nene kusanagi #project sekai #colorful stage #lee!tsukasa #ticklish!tsukasa #ler!nene #project sekai tickling #squealing santa 2k23 #tickling #tickle fic #jai’s fic

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pinkandpurple360 · 5 months

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I really appreciate the Octavia related posts you make. Sorry if it sounds weird, but as someone who relates to her character, i really don't like the direction the show is taking if the leaks are true by having her being potrayed as "evil" or whatever for being rightfully upset. She really did deserve better

[I will discuss mastermind leaks in this]

She really did. And still does. The worst part is in the leaks, right before her big moment, Viv wrote Stella saying “he’s been trying to contact her all month! Haha” Invalidating all of her feelings and putting the blame entirely on Stella and making stolas a victim, before Via has sang a single note. Even her song is all about stolas dying plants and his anti depressants. What about her mental health?? She clearly has depression because of her parents behaviour. Shouldn’t she be medicated as well.

What would be better is if these were her prescribed meds that she refuses to take, or forgot she is supposed to take, but stolas was secretly taking them and using them as a coping strategy. Imagine the plot twist of that? Because that way, the audience would be torn. Via would have a reason to be mad at him and feel lied to, because he was being deceitful and using something meant for her—he’d be given nuance as someone who is stealing meds which is bad, but using them because he is sad which is sympathetic. AND—it sends the message that lying about and abusing medicine that isn’t yours is bad, not that using them at all is bad. Because right now? The message is “people on anti depressants are liars who don’t work on their problems”

Also by having Stella and Andrealphus who exists for no reason—take everything from stolas it eliminates his conflict of having to choose between Octavias need for familial love, and his own need to sexually get off, and feel like he’s the princess. It just makes Stella and Octavia narratively scream at stolas then shove him into Blitzos arms. Despite the fact we have seen stolas’ terrifying demonic form and his maniacal temper. He is defenceless and a victim against the Elsa powers of an upset seventeen year old girl. And when their imp servants eventually rebel, it will be all targeted on Stella while stolas gets off Scott free for how he abused them.

By all accounts it doesn’t make any sense.

in any other show she’d be a main character. Like many people have said. Most of the time she really feels like an audience self insert, she says the things we are all thinking. And she doesn’t have an evil bone in her body, Viv must really really hates women and girls if she thinks otherwise.

I think a story arc of her learning to forgive Blitzo by seeing that this wasn’t consensual and he’s not the evil seductress Viv and Stolas see him as, and him making it all up to her somehow, would be so much more heart warming. If he decided to ditch stolas and with IMP, protect Octavia from the Goetia using their own weapons of blackmail and the disgusting Grimoire, while she gets to feel free to explore the human world, that would be a story.

I still feel like a minority in the fact that I find the grimoire a much more interesting tool than the crystals because it’s just full of so many different kinds of undiscovered powers.

#helluva boss #helluva boss critical

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hexiquin · 26 days

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AND IN THE CASE OF THE PEOPLE VS RANMARU THE VERDICT IS…

GUILTY!!!

(Here is the post this is all referencing)

(Not my best work but I decided to make a proper ‘thank you’ art last minute, sorry it took so long) *Now I’ll give a full explanation (of what I’m generally thinking about saying in class) under the cut. also my pictures aren’t updated BUT they are very similar to the final product (my professor let me do some proofreading cause she’s gonna use my slides for examples)

So the summarized version of my case (for all who forgot) is that on a school day afternoon Haruaki had gotten jumped on the academy’s roof while getting a package for the Principal. The crime scene was covered in feathers, papers that turned out to be photos of the main suspect, an empty box, and a sentient potted plant. After our favorite suspicious tengu was reported to be flying nearby and bragging about getting an “ultimate score”, Ranmaru Karasuma was taken into custody for this.

Term explanations (updated version)

Ranmaru is high in practical intelligence. This type of intelligence means that he is able to adapt and manipulate his environment to his benefits. An example of this is when in Chapter 101 when he tells Haruaki to pretend to be his ancestor that he happens to look exactly like to manipulate ranmaru’s ex coworker, Byakko, into helping them fix a disastrous issue. This works since Byakko has a deep fanatic love for Haruaki’s ancestor. This shows that he isn’t above using people’s weaknesses and to get them to do what he wants. Knowing this, ranmaru can easily manipulate Haruaki into letting his guard down with what he already knows about him, the fact that Haruaki has a hyperfixation about sailor uniforms.

Ranmaru karasuma has an avoidant attachment style. This style of attachment is where the individual is distant, blames others for their mistakes, is unwilling to show their feelings, and has more positive views on themselves than others. He shows this attachment style in chapter 108. During a misunderstanding between him and the principal. his first response, after revealing one of his crimes, was to run away and blame the principal for not understanding him.

An even better example chapter 93, where he shows that not only does he physically but also emotionally distance himself from others. It is seen that after committing a crime that even the heavens could not ignore,he not only kept the information that he would be punished from the principal, but also coldly pushed him away. He even cracked one last joke before he got graphically punished, not even showing the audience his true thoughts and feelings. In this same chapter, we can see that he didn’t try to reach out to the Principal after his punishment, with their first meeting after the incident being unexpected, as if he was avoiding him on purpose. Because ranmaru is distant and unwilling to show his emotions and thoughts, the possibility of him doing something like stealing from the person he is closest to , the principal, instead of asking, means that he is likely the culprit.

Ranmaru is low in agreeableness. This means that he can be selfish, uncaring and critical of those around him, and rather unkind. Ranmaru usually steals from the people around him, justifying it by putting the blame onto the victims. He also bad mouths those close to him to people who don’t need to know. Towards most people, in most situations, he only show interest and kindness if he can use them for his own gain, such as getting money from or scrounging off of them. This makes him very likely to have committed the crime of stealing from the principal.

To the 33.3% of you guys get in line it’s time for cartoon physics bonking!

anyway time for personal thoughts I guess…

Big thanks to all of you who had obviously thought really hard about this! And now I’ll explain how it is supposed to be done in my class.

We (my class) were supposed to use of preexisting fictional character’s psychological traits (as shown below) to use as evidence for their verdicts, and as time had went on all of his traits didn’t really…help his innocent case. Like a lot of examples that I was able to use only proved that he was guilty. And all of my observations (or at least the traits we could choose from to explain) were really making him come off as villainess. So I made it so that he was guilty (originally I wanted to trick my class into thinking he was guilty only for him to be innocent) cause I literally couldn’t defend him.

Me: I’m gonna make you innocent! Ranmaru: Good luck with that.

TLDR - Ranmaru’s traits and personality didn’t give me a good defense for him so I made him guilty…probably should’ve seen this coming since in his literal first introduction he called himself a villain but still

Thank you to anyone who voted and helped me with my project, it was really fun to be one of those people on here who does fandom stuff for school. My professor thought our talk about ranmaru’s attachment style was fun (she saw some of it) and was kinda surprised that we took it so seriously (which isn’t surprising for this fandom honestly). It was fun talking with you guys and seeing your tags (the most fun I had all semester)!

*more detailed case file in the next section (if you’re wondering about where I got that bar graph it’s from a big 5 personality quiz link)

**my final versions are written above so if the pictures are different now you know why (feel free to discuss about how I don’t know how to psychoanalyze him properly, jk jk)

*highlighted parts are what I’m using in class and used above and my references are the same as in the original poll post

#I had decided to just be honest about the sailor uniforms cause the more I tried to censored it for more ‘normal people’ the worse it sounde #Sorry it took so long but here you all go hopefully this is at least a little bit satisfying #thank y’all again I loved all the tags when you guys reblogged it #i was soooo tempted to vote just to see how the results were going BUT I HELD BACK #semester is almost done and I’m so happy to finally be free for a bit #again as you all can tell I don’t know how to draw hands #long post #hexi posting #youkai gakkou no sensei hajimemashita #yohaji #a terrified teacher at ghoul school

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isfjmel-phleg · 18 days

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I'm rereading Mother Carey's Chickens, a 1911 children's book by Kate Douglas Wiggin, mostly because there's a subplot in it which I think might be relevant to my search for portrayals of CEN in children's literature of this era (...and guess what subplot got axed in Summer Magic, a loosely adaptated 1963 film version--but that's another issue). Anyway, this time I found myself unexpectedly sympathetic toward a character Wiggin does not want the audience to be very sympathetic toward.

(and wow, this got longer than I expected and is A Rant, sorry!)

Basically, the book is about the Carey family--a widow and her four children--who have suffered a significantly finanical decline after the father's death and have to move into a new house in a small town and make a lot of sacrifices and adjustments, while having various slice-of-life adventures. Not longer after the move, their cousin Julia comes to live with them.

And Wiggin really hammers it into the reader's head that Julia is annoying. She's "the pink of perfection" (a phrase memorably used in a song in the 1963 film), she knows it, and she never lets anyone forget it. (Think a female version of my OC Josiah, and you're probably not far off.) She won't shut up about the rich family she used to live with, and she can't be bothered to join the others in anything so demeaning as chores. She's so dull and imaginative that "she bored her own mother terribly." She has no sense of humor, she's no fun, she's tidy and clothes-conscious, she gets perfect grades in school--in short, she's the worst and nobody likes her. Even Mrs. Carey admits "frankly" that she doesn't like Julia.

And the other children are understandably frustrated with her and very vocal about this among themselves. There's friction between her and the Careys--and the Careys don't always come off looking very good either, although the narrative doesn't recognize it. The two oldest children (who are about fifteen and fourteen, I think) even go so far as to write a poem mocking Julia's appetite (and, by implication, her weight) and tacking it up in her room. Julia in tears shows it her aunt, who finds it funny and has to struggle to show the proper sympathy. Julia protests that the family she used to live with never mentioned her appetite and instead encouraged her to eat. Mrs. Carey concedes that her older children can get carried away with joking and forgot Julia wasn't used to it.

And then she adds, "And don't forget, my dear, that in a large family like ours we must learn to 'live and let live.'" So clearly it's Julia's fault for being so oversensitive about just a joke, right? Because nobody likes her, and she had it coming. She needs to learn to have a sense of humor!

Eventually, Kathleen, the younger Carey daughter, in a moment of provocation lets it slip that Julia's father is the reason the family has so little money (long story). An angry Julia tells her aunt. Kathleen feels horrible about it and apologizes profusely, but Julia is not immediately forgiving and points out what a victim she is here--as a fatherless girl and a guest in their home.

And then Mrs. Carey gives her A Speech (emphasis mine):

"You are wrong there, Julia. I fail to see why you should not take your full share of our misfortunes, and suffer as much as we, from our too small income. It is not our fault, it is not yours. You are not a privileged guest, you are one of the family. If you are fatherless just now, my children are fatherless forever; yet you have not made one single burden lighter by joining our forces. You have been an outsider, instead of putting yourself loyally into the breach, and working with us heart to heart. I welcomed you with open arms and you have made my life harder, much harder, than it was before your coming. To protect you I have had to discipline my own children continually, and all the time you were putting their tempers to quite unnecessary tests! I am not extenuating Kathleen, but I merely say you have no right to behave as you do. You are thirteen years old, quite old enough to make up your mind whether you wish to be loved by anybody or not; at present you are not!"

Does Julia deserve to be informed that she has been standoffish and unhelpful and whiny and needs to be a team player? Absolutely. Blaming her for the Carey children's behavior though? Not so much. And to tell anyone--especially someone so young--that whether she is loved is solely up to her and currently no one loves her--is incredibly harsh and uncalled for.

The narrative consistently presents Mrs. Carey as The Ideal Mother, so there is no recognition of the hurtfulness of such a comment. Instead, it's that comment in particular that is presented as what finally prompts Julia's character development.

Not to be loved, if that really were to be her lot, rather terrified Julia. She secretly envied Nancy [Carey]'s unconscious gift of drawing people to her instantly; men, women, children,—dogs and horses, for that matter. She never noticed that Nancy's heart ran out to meet everybody, and that she was overflowing with vitality and joy and sympathy; on the contrary, she considered the tribute of affection paid to Nancy as a part of Nancy's luck. Virtuous, conscientious, intelligent, and well-dressed as she felt herself to be, she emphatically did not wish to be disliked, and it was a complete surprise to her that she had not been a successful Carey chicken.

At this point, I am feeling sorry for this child, obnoxious though she can be. This girl has a father who isn't in her life much and a mother who was flighty and bored with her and either died or left the picture when her daughter was five so she was raised by a governess and has been trying really hard to be everything her mother wasn't--well-behaved and responsible. And now after living with an apparently kind and accepting family, she's been transplanted to an unfamiliar environment with cousins who complain about and mock her. No one is listening to her; no one is bothering to help her. She talks about her friend's family so much because that's all she knows. As annoying as her displays of perfection are, it's her flawed attempt to seek love and validation. She feels inadequate compared to her outgoing and universally adored cousin Nancy (who co-wrote the mean poem and has been the most vocally critical of her--guess her heart doesn't run out to meet just everybody!), and the narrative faults her for lacking the right sort of personality. Apparently the only acceptable way for her to earn love is to make an effort to be more like Nancy. And Julia desperately wants to be loved.

But there are people who love her unconditionally! She points out that her friend, the daughter of the family she used to live with, always loved her. Mrs. Carey replies, "Then either Gladys has a remarkable gift of loving, or else you are a different Julia in her company [...]"

Ouch.

She then proceeds to accuse Julia of committing "the sin of causing your brother to stumble" by provoking her cousins' annoyance. Kathleen, though, doesn't agree and apologizes again. And Julia takes pity on her, shows some affection, and they make up.

From here, Julia is on the road to character development, and Mrs. Carey gets all the credit for it. And sure, Julia has learned that she needs to be more helpful and less critical, but she has also learned that love is earned and that her family will only accept her if she toes a certain line. Is this really any different from her previous efforts of performing perfection?

And anyway, it bothers me that the narrative is so merciless to her. Yes, she's got major issues that she needs to grow past. But is being a girl exhibiting the results of a problematic upbringing enough cause for the level of vitriol that she is given? Couldn't there have been a more effective way to prompt her character development than for a family member whom she respects to tell her she's unlovable? Wiggin's narrative extends compassion to the flaws of characters like Nancy but withholds it from others (not just Julia). Why? Why are some people more deserving of understanding? Because they're the main character?

And that's never really struck me before, I've always read this book at face value, but somehow today I ended up with emotions about Julia Carey. Who knew. If you've got this far, thank you for coming to my Rant.

#Mother Carey's Chickens #I don't know if this is coherent sorry

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marinagail · 5 months

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@marqenobi thank you for asking my thoughts on Berlin show.

First of all, first time they mentioned the spin off I was very excited. I love LCDP so much, even some of the things I disagree in later seasons, season 4 & 5. Still, my god. It was authentic, thrilling, made you doubt that this teams could ever get away. Both heists were very AMAZING, one of a kind. The show that never been created like that.

The mint heist still and will always be my Fav. But the Gold heist, it was Grand. The mint heist was like Classic Noir Suspense, thrilling and dramatic, holding my breath most of the time. The gold heist was loud, a touch of war, a test for the humanity, shocking, and didn't give us the audience mercy by UNAFRAID to kill our fav characters 😢 both heists were showing us a very thin line between bad guys and good guys. Okay i'll stop ranting now before it gets too long lol.

Now comes the Spin off. Berlin fans favorite.

We expected the background stories of this maniac, his sly and intelligence ways to do the robberies. Why he never get caught. (This one I believe it had something to do with Sergio). And other things that We're so excited to found out about this man. I don't think fans care whether he turns out to be worse than we want him to, or not as evil as the fans thought he might. Fans would love any kind of representation on his arc. And this is why I love fan base, they can cook whatever there is in canon and made their own interpretation on him. It'd be fun. But not the overly obsessed in love with a stranger middle aged man.

When I watch the spin off. I finished them in one day lol. I'm sure some of us did somehow. We've been waiting. If I can be honest,

Berlin is the worst character on his own show. First, the fashion. That man cares about his look, his fashion is quite bad there. I'm sorry. The turtle neck is too much.

Second, Andres in LCDP season 1&2 were a fucking professional who would kill a witness, Advicing sergio to kill Angel in the hospital to cut a loose end, and other rational smart decisions in regard for his teammates, which some of them I agreed with him. That's why He's known to be a ruthless professional with a brain. That's what makes him worth to be the Captain that you can actually depended on.

Andres in the Spin off looks like a cartoonic character chasing a woman he fell in love with in 5 seconds, and for those who haven't watched, that's what He'll be doing until the end of the show. He forgot about Everything and it makes me so mad, because he doesn't care about his teammates, doesn't give a shit about the plan, he looks more of a dumbass than Arturo. A professional thief would never did that, especially if He's the one who leads the team.

The kind of love story is almost similar to Sergio and Raquel. The difference is Sergio really were a fucking cruel professional. Sergio still rational even when he knows He's falling for her. But his priority is the plan, the teammates, to get them out safely. He's willing to leave Raquel and even thinking of killing her mother (lol), ruin Raquel's career and possibly life, ALL PART OF THE PLAN. it wasn't just a sudden choice, it was all planned down to the last details, and that is the cruelest most ruthless Romance and revenge to the cops, that one could possibly think or interpret what Sergio experience weren't love but infatuation and adrenaline in the midst of heist. I'd like to talk about this some other time, it's gonna pissed off some Serquel fans. But We're not here for that.

Whereas Andres, the cold hearted Sociopath, he chased down Camille into the elevator and kissed her (cringe), singing Felicita with Damian with no care while his team being chased down by the cops (ok). Taking care of camille's best friend's kid (wtf), going to see Camille's husband in Jail and offer him help, because he is so in love with her, and tried to freed him. what is the point of helping her husband? What does he get from it?! I mean... They want to make him look like the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man lol.

They also tried so hard to make him look like a psychopath but failed, the worst trials. First he threatened that guy in the opening scene, that was quite good actually, probably the best scene in the show, but it went down hill from there. Second, looking at the fork in the restaurant because he's angry lol, Alex Pina. You don't have to do that. That was very unnecessary. Andres killing a guy in the restaurant with a fork is done. And no need to remake that scene. And then, he threatened the Lawyer, I just realized that Andres is all talking, and talking, trying to scare people with his threats. Nothing much.

Third, the heist in the spin off. The advertisement of Berlin Spin off is that the Red Gem that They're gonna steal. The mystery heist we've been waiting for. And in the spin off, I don't know when did the heist ended. Just like that. What did they steal anyway? Only jewels. There weren't any red gem. How much? And what about the tunnel they made under the chapel? Did they just leave it like that? There are too many loose ends and of course the heist, the plan weren't great. I can say it was a very bad bad robbery, and an easy one too. No wonder sergio and martin weren't there. No need for the masterminds help.

The members of the crew were just like bad copies of the original. Nobody can change my mind on this. Tried so hard to bring back the old vibe gang, doing Everything wrong in this show and they have the audacity to promote it by saying "We're making a thing better than the LCDP". At least have some respect with the former show. The former actors also work hard to achieve a great show together.

Damian and his problem with his wife, Cameron and her past which Nobody cares, Roi (rafael 0.2) that's why andres asked him to wear glasses. Perhaps it reminds him of his son. But how does he know how his son looks like when he never ever seen him? (Season 5 plot), Bruce (i've got no problem with bruce, the dude didn't try too much, He's cool), kaila (Surprisingly I like keila more than the rest. She's not Trying to be somebody in the past, she's more of a fresh character than Berlin ever could).

Now Alicia and Raquel. They were meh. Their dialogue were bad. The chances of these two could thrive in Berlin if they have their own story. Instead of forcing their friendship on our faces. I was excited about their roles. But it turns a bit forced??? Idk if it's just me I guess.

The whole story line could work if they focus more about the robbery. And see where the characters develop from there. I thought perhaps if they gonna ruin Berlin character at least perhaps with a great heist plot could save this spin off. But it turned out to be a bad heist nobody even really care about.

Still there are some moments where berlin were tolerable and ofc great on some scenes. I have HUGE respect on Pedro for his acting skill but even a great acting skill couldn't save a bad plot and direction. The potential were there, but they are TOO focus on the Nostalgic that they ruined the chances to bring out the origin stories for Berlin.

The fans could do better tbh. Making gifts like @marqenobi did, or @pedroalonso did with their arts. And perhaps creating a better story lines like @roccinan fics for examples lol. About Berlermo and Hermanos. And others I too enjoyed very much. Since I guess we do it out of love for the characters themselves and not for anything else.

Strange that I still hope for more seasons you know why? Because I love the character. And yearn to see more of them. I was left disappointed. But what can I do but cringe all the way through watching berlin spin off.

Pedro you did great. But i'm sorry. Berlin spin off were very bad. And that's my honest opinion. If you have your own thought on this @marqenobi please don't hesitate to share yours too. Even if you disagree with me, I'd be delighted to hear another opinions. That's what i've been doing here on blogs reading different thoughts n opinions about things. Xoxoxo happy new year.

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corey-beepington · 3 days

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Hey there!

After watching the trailer for Pretty Kitty, I am really hyped for the final film! :D

However, I have a tiny question/theory about the themes.

Please correct if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember you referring to the protagonist (forgot the name, I'm so sorry) as "they" (i.e. no gendered pronouns).

Is the protagonist trans or gender-diverse (e.g. non-binary), or were they written to have an ambiguous gender so the audience can be more immersed into their world as if they were them (if that makes sense)? If you don't want to answer that, no stress!

I've noticed that the design of the character Pretty Kitty has both a feminine voice (at the end of the trailer) and what may be viewed as stereotypically feminine features (eyelashes, heart motifs, pink fur, etc.). While I am fully aware that gender (man (cis/trans), woman (cis/trans), non-binary/gender-diverse) and gender expression (masculine, feminine, androgynous) DO NOT ALWAYS have to 'match', can you please clarify if Kitty (the character, not the weird mascot) goes by she/her or by different pronouns?

While my theory may change with your response, I have a tiny theory that the themes of the short film focuses on are identity, how it can change over time, and the anxieties/traumas attached to these changes (e.g. childhood trauma with the imagery of carnivals/puppet shows, and Mascot Kitty's line "You know by now you'd rather be doing something more fun!").

Perhaps things like 'imposter syndrome', internalised queerphobia. and/or gender dysphoria may also play a role in this, since so far we've seen the protagonist constantly running away from or being uncomfortable/frightened by the sentient Kitty mascot (perhaps a representation of their pre-transition self and/or the expectations from the world around them to suppress their genuine selves - i.e. the mirror maze scene and the possibility that Mascot Kitty may be deceiving/luring the protagonist with the line "Don't you want to embrace who you really are?").

If that last part of the theory holds no weight at all, I would love to hear your input (minus spoilers ofc).

1. The main character (Kasey) uses all pronouns as does Kitty. This was because sometimes I literally can't decide on character genders. There was a sense of "I'd like anyone to relate to this." in it too but mainly me being indescisive and I'm also nb and sometimes it's fun to smack characters with the Nb hammer.

There is a REASON that kitty has a female voice at the start and a more masculine sounding voice for the rest of the film but it's a bit spoiler territory

2. For some reason, a handful of people think this film is a trans metaphor or even weirder, transphobic, the latter being an odd as hell take because I myself am trans.

I do want to say, as I cannot go into spoilers, Pretty Kitty was not intentionally written with trans themes in mind. I cannot stop or change how someone may interperet the work however...and maybe small bits of my own trans experience subliminally snuck in but from what I did consciously create, Kitty is more of a film about nostalgia and what happens when we become just a bit too wrapped up in the past.

I think that's how I'd summarize it.

Thanks for the question! I like talking about thought processes or clearing things up!

#corey speaks #pretty kitty

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tired-reader-writer · 9 months

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G-witch AU Infodump

Enabled by @werewolfcoochie @marchdancer @sharpdistances @germanpillow @kallista-dragonsoul and @iwantthatdickgrayson here is me infodumping about random shit in my G-witch AU:

After being rescued by Ellyus, El4n takes on a new name and identity— one he would choose for himself— though Shin Sei doesn't quite have the means necessary to turn his face into something else, nor does he remember what his original face is supposed to look like anyways.

Anyways, his new name is Nary, bc “nary” means “nothing, none” and he's basically someone who has nothing, starting from scratch with a clean slate and even before that he had nothing. Also it's a reference to @stil-lindigo 's fantastic poem-comic here and @telamont 's fic may the little garden where you smile, last forever since I read both of them at roughly within the same timeframe and they double-teamed up on me in terms of brainrot. I am not sorry for this.

I'm still struggling over his new surname however, though Frey is a temporary placeholder— as a reference to the goddess Frigg whose divine domains included clairvoyance and prophecy, and though Nary himself is no prophet his love interest is so hmmm. Does Ellyus count as an Odin figure? I'm not well-versed with Norse mythology. (what El definitely is is a trickster/prophet/fey type character)

Shin Sei in this AU is comprised of the friends and families of the slaughtered Vanadis researchers who want justice/vengeance for their fallen loved ones— and so support Prospera in her schemes. There's also mercurian folk in there but yeah.

Ellyus gets his mother and Shin Sei to fake/develop a new identity and backstory for Nary/El4n. It's up to him whether he comes back to Asticassia but I like to think he does.

He dyes his hair the same colour as the woman who's presumably his mother, the lady with the birthday cake? Yeah? The same brown.

He still wears soft earrings bc this analysis of El4n's gender thing lives in my head rent-free. He also wears a lot more feminine clothing because he can. (EDIT: added the link that I forgot to add bc fucking hell I knew I was forgetting smth)

He has a new hairstyle. I actually have a design in mind but since I can't draw right now... lemme dig up my gallery in hopes that there's something that looks like it—

(I'm not sure if I could share these, as far as I could track these were drawn by the original artist of the comic this character is from, I eventually seek to replace these w my own drawings when I can.)

He probably ends up taking the surname of some Shin Sei employee, though argh, it fucking pains me that we know practically nothing about Shin Sei!! Who's Godoy and what does he even do?!

The Plant Quetta attack does not happen. There will be another attack to replace it, alright, but it's been moved down the timeline. I don't know when it'll be or by whom, but it happens on Earth, while Ellyus is there. Why is he there? Dunno, probably some GUND-ARM related reason. He's one of the main mechanics of Aerial after all, and someone who's heavily involved in the production of GUND-prosthetics.

Speaking of Ellyus' engineering work, Shin Sei did develop the drone technology Prospera mentions in the witch trial— it's just that Ellyus is the one who created it. Maybe he could also be present in the trial room? His presence wouldn't really help against Delling but hey, it's the thought that counts. Besides, he (and we the audience) already knows Miorine will come to save the day.

Delling is fucking dead. No mercy for the fucker, he probably dies in the same attack that lethally wounded Ellyus? Or perhaps after that, in another incident. Vim Jeturk is accused of the murder, and subsequently silenced by Prospera and/or Shaddiq.

Shaddiq takes the presidency. Ellyus left behind pre-recorded video messages tailored to each recipient, he sat down and recorded them before he died, set to automatically be sent to the ppl he wants in the Know after his funeral, and Shaddiq and El4n's messages include the entire backstory, basically, and so Shaddiq knows about Quiet Zero and who it's for. He seeks out Prospera and basically proposes an alliance— much of their goals align, he can use QZ's might to strong-arm favorable negotiations for Earth, he knows who QZ's for and realizes that Ellyus can be “alive/free” again like Ericht since he's deduced that the night Ellyus went missing from his hospital room and came back dead was actually him being uploaded into a GUND-bit.

(It's part of Ellyus' machinations, to protect Miorine from Prospera, to bridge Shaddiq to a strong ally who shares a lot of his goals, and... yeah. Fuck Spacians, this alliance is gon be a bulldozer.)

Shaddiq does not ally with Peil.

Peil will meet a karmic end. I don't know how yet, but El4n and El5n are involved. Anyways, that'll probably happen during or after the struggle for the Benerit Group presidency.

Guel actually learns something beyond “daddy good”, dammit.

Miorine and Prospera have a... complex, shall we say, relationship. Prospera holds back from roping her into revenge unlike in canon— mostly because of Ellyus' pleas to not let GUND-ARM be ruined/soaked in blood, partly because Miorine is the one who resurrected and kept true to GUND's ideals of medical research and stuff. Prospera hates her bc well, Delling's daughter, but on the other hand... a successor of sorts to carrying the GUND research torch. Miorine doesn't trust her, no, buuuut she still can't deny that together w Shaddiq they're... actually doing decent work. (Again, unlike in canon LOL)

Suletta's off to the side having her own Identity Journey. The video message to her also explains her origins and everything, so she now knows she's a repli-child. I don't know what I'll do with the journey proper but I want the eventual outcome to be: “I am not Ericht, I was never a Samaya and that's just fine. I'm Suletta, and the name Mercury is mine in a way it isn't for mom. I still love you, mom, Aerial/Eri too, but I am a Mercury and I'm proud of that. I still love you but I'm me and you're not my entire world.” kinda deal. Basically, independence, loving her family on her own terms.

No Plant Quetta means no tomato paste and no divorce! Huzzah! (I mean, another attack still happens but due to Ellyus' and Miorine + Earth House's influence Suletta focuses more on disaster relief and evacuation and stuff.)

Adding a new layer to Ellyus' non-linear time thing (I've posted about it, I've linked to it before in another post, it can be found in his character tag), he's allowed to make phone calls to One (1) person in the past. That person happens to be Jeru Ogul, aka Shaddiq's child self, way before he's learnt to put up barriers around his heart.

(Ellyus was never meant to be human. If the G-witch cast proper is comprised of 3D beings and us the audience 4D, he'd be like, 3.5D. That's why he's allowed time shenanigans by me. Only as far as I allow it, though. He's a plot device, a robot w its guts exposed. I have also posted about this before. I won't link to it here bc well, I already have before and ppl didn't seem all too interested in the makings and structure of his character. Meta-narrative fuckery ftw.)

The calls are sporadic, but kid Jeru comes to hold this mysterious friend person in the phone very dear to his heart. Their non-judegmental and gentle encouragement was one of the things that kept him going in those days.

He's buried the memory now, in the deepest layers of his heart, under twenty vaults, along with the tender hurt and angry child self that was Jeru Ogul and everything that it represents. It fuels him, it's his impetus, but it's hidden, carefully so.

It's a surprise to the both of them when they find out.

(basically, Doylist reason was that I needed a narrative tool strong enough to break through his walls and allow him to be changed for the better, to stop having tunnel-vision, and Ellyus became the narrative device responsible for that task)

This development allowed for Shaddiq to be more proactive and open. To the point he might actually ask for Miorine's support/help during the competition for the presidency. I'm still contemplating it.

I don't know what I'll do with Dawn of Fold yet.

Not the Space Assembly League, really.

Somebody help.

Well, that's it for this episode of info-dumping! Thank you for enabling me, I was afraid to do it bc it's disheartening to scream your heart out into the void and have no response.

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misc-obeyme · 2 days

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I forced my dad to take me to get the leg pain checked out, now I'm in hospital 🙃

Hopefully they can figure out what's wrong

Anyway, obey me related dream I had back in 2022:

it was a theater type place, with assigned seats, and then also some evil king dood was doing some things, also the characters from Obey Me were there, pov sat next to Beel because 1) he is himbo, and 2) he would probably be someone who could catch you if you fall from a tall height

- 🦊

Ahhh??? I'm sorry you're in the hospital, 🦊 anon!! I hope they're able to help you, though!

More OM dreams, eh?? A theater?? That sounds interesting! And yeah, I definitely think Beel would be able to catch you and thus save you from falling from a high place.

I wonder what the evil king was doing? Part of a play? Or in the audience?

Dreams really are so bonkers, though, I don't know how anybody could possibly hope to interpret them.

My only OM-related dreams have been where I'm dreaming about trying to beat Ruri Tunes levels. And I fail every time 😭 It's like my own dreams are taunting me.

Anyway, I do hope you get well soon!! And may you only ever have good Obey Me dreams~

ETA- I put this in my drafts yesterday and then forgot to post it, I apologize 🦊 anon!!

#still holding out for Barbatos one day...#maybe if I think about him really hard before I fall asleep #like I'm not just thinking about him all the time anyway #obey me #obey me nightbringer #🦊 anon #misc answers

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spookfished · 2 months

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media roundup february

hi everybody :3 i didnt really read a lot in february i was busy 'doing school' and 'looking for employment.' sad! i have spring break coming up so im planning on using that time to read a bunch (and also apply for more jobs -_-) this post and previous can be found on my neocities!

books:

revenant gun by yoon ha lee: the last book in the hexarchate series, starting with ninefox gambit. (slightly edited from my discord review, SPOILERS INCOMING). in machineries of empire, there a disconnect between what the audience craves and what the book is willing to give them-- for example, things like Whats up with the calendar + the hexarchate, why did jedao do all that, etc. this works in the books favor (imo) by increasing tension, creating a sense of discovery, and avoiding clunky exposition.

however in the two sequels it expands not just to what the audience wants but also what they like. care about? some big examples are the weight of the remembrances* and less cheris, but also stuff like jedaos focus. which isnt bad like i like jedao. but like, if you Dont you sure do get a lot of him. also did anyone actually like brezan sorry. hes fine like for example with the end of a memory called empire, when the protag (forgot her name sorry) loses her brain buddy, it feels like a second coming of age almost--her brain buddys been a crutch but now she gets to stand on her own (albeit as a changed person, with brain buddys influence). vs cheris who kinda starts to feel like a cameo character who literally fucks off for nine years??? there is also a sort of ongoing sense of "these sacrifices for the greater good are ok (if sad) and these are not" whihc ngl sometimes feels pretty arbitrary to me. and given that machineries of empire focuses on like the Littlest most downtrodden people it really is wild yhat we dont see a lot of civilian life? anyways i enjoyed it and i think its worth finishing out the trilogy but it wasnt as satisfying as i could have hoped (ALSO NINEFOX GAMBIT IS A REALLY FUN SOLID READ. I LIKED IT A LOT)

*the rememberances are a set of ritualized tortures that create a power structure that literally powers a lot of the empire's technology. this is a very cool concept! a big part of jedao and cheris' rebellion is about making a place that Doesnt have to run on torture. except that like, besides the intellectual knowledge that Torture Is Bad as a reader i didnt really feel that invested in this? like we only get to See a remembrance happening midway thru book 3. im not like advocating for torture porn or anything but it seems weird to have that be the focal thing when neither cheris nor jedao had any scenes where they were affected by it (and so the audience didnt have anything like that either). idk it kinda just stood out to me. like yes i care about these characters but why should i care about This specifically

hexarchate stories by yoon ha lee: an anthology set in the world of machineries of empire, expanding the world and fleshing out some stories. this was pretty solid! theres a wide range of stories and lengths, and i liked the variety :3 its like a little charcuterie board. (yoon ha lee's bias for shuos jedao really stands out here though..) its kinda essential reading to me imo though bc otherwise the ending of revenant gun isnt that satisfying :| lol anyways once again if youve read ninefox gambit check it out! spoilers for the whole series tho

exordia by seth dickinson: hard scifi about agency, impossible choices, and how they shape you. also, international geopolitics! like ninefox gambit, exordia demands your attention and concentration. you kinda have to read it at a time when you have brainpower to spare. however, exordia rewards everything that you put into it :3 i ended up learning so many random facts during this book… like AGL meaning above ground level. i feel like i need to read a book about democratic confederalism now also. a couple of my other friends read this book and got lost in the large cast and intricate web of events--i didnt have as much of an issue but u might need a piece of paper or sth. exordia is a book that's dense enough to feel like three books, and that can be good or bad. seth dickinson has this really spare, concise prose that leaves a lot to your imagination but also like. can sum up a person or situation in just a couple sentences? and that leaves a lot of room for the reader to investigate which i like :3 hm what else to say…. i really liked clayton (clayton!!!!) but i found erik super annoying ymmv. the ending kinda leaves you at a loss which i honestly kinda like? like yeah obv a sequel would be nice but i like it the way it is. anyways not for the faint of heart but id still recommend<3

accidentally engaged by farah heron: f/m romance aww so cute <3 really nice contemporary romance which tosses together a bunch of tropes--arranged romance, fake dating, baking together--into something that actually works really well! the two leads were very charming and i liked reading about the good food. i liked the way the protagonist's almost-stereotypical portrait of a loving but strict south asian family (am i allowed to say this) gets fleshed into a group of honestly kinda bizarre people that love her and that reena can genuinely connect with. yay family! overall, not especially memorable to me personally but still enjoyable. rec if youre into contemporary romance

last breath: the limits of adventure: realistic fiction (?) about what it feels like to drown, die of dehydration, fall from a cliff, etc. lots of research, very thorough! (well sometimes they live and sometimes they dont). an expansion of this absolutely fantastic article about hypothermia. honestly none of the stories quite live up to this one imo but this is still a really solid and exciting read! i couldnt put it down! although it does have a touch of the orientalism that you get from like, a lot of extreme sports circles lol. i would definitely recommend reading the article, and maybe read the book if it especially interests you.

video games:

pokemon legends of arceus: a pokemon game set in the past that breaks the mold by letting you dodge roll. my opinions here coincide pretty closely with the dunkey video, which is that this is a really fun game that is also literally half finished. controls are clunky, story is paper thin, graphics are fucked, overworld is extremely empty but its also just very fun?? it took over my life for like two weeks and i missed class???? anyways i would not get this at full price but if you can borrow it from a friend its super interesting to experience. im looking forward to the kalos one :3

slay the princess: a horror? romance? visual novel about saving the princess, slaying tbe princess, and everything in between featuring the vocal chops of that one magnus archives guy. dudeee this is so fun! i think its very kind to the guy inside of me who is Embarrassingly Anxious about any and all video game choices that can like, affect the narrative. lmfao its fun to fit in a couple runs or two between other things, but i did start losing track of what previous paths id taken after a bit of a gap. however!!! i would definitely think about playing this game if you like visual novels or Narrative or Loops! or girls who kill lol theres a free demo if you want to try it out

movies:

velocipastor: action movie about a priest who turns into a velociraptor to punish the wicked!!!! so fucking cool a lot of love put into this (low budget) movie made me so sad i dont speak cantonese (? at least i think thats what it was) watch this with friends

music:

Gato by nobonoko: really fun 80s synth jazz? album written by two fictional gay furries. no wait come back ok this is one of those things i got recommended by youtube and then actually listened to it a bunch of times its just very soothing and nice :3 ive been listening to jazz pretty much my whole life so i have a huge bias. also im a sucker for fictional bands eg splatoon… also the art is so cute?? those two guys?? its hard to pick a favorite song but i think i like the titular gato! also theres a bunch of other stuff made by the same two artists

option by Crosses: i totally forgot what the genre for this is but its like when metal guys are like i need to have a song for my metal wedding. song recommended by neil -_- anyways very sappy im fond of it nonetheless. i definitely did think it said "can you promise me to the grave"

Roy by Idles: from british rock band idles new album tangk! im going to be honest i did not like this album as much as some of the other ones by idles, but thats ok! hmm when i play this song out loud during crew shifts i feel embarrassed. but i really like seeing how idles' vocalist's voice has evolved over time! the way hes branched out into more melodic and belty stuff over time is very fun. the prechorus + chorus are very fun to sing along to as well :3 its just a fun song

anyways if you read any portion of this thanks as always :3 what else to say.. i made pandesal recently and its been my only successful bread that i can remember. go me! anyways see you guys in a bit

#txt

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aizawife · 1 month

Text

Caught in Your Web

Requested: Getting together with Mirko.

Summary: Everyone knew Redback, barely anyone saw Kenji — except for Mirko, who saw the spider, its web, and its prey.

Word Count: 4622

Prompt Notes: Mirko x Spider-Man OC! Specific to the OC, written with a male reader in mind.

Author Notes: Good Lord, it has been a while! Sorry for taking so long with new content — I’ve had a lot on my plate the past few years with graduating uni (yay!) and moving on to med school. Even through it all, I never forgot about my love for both anime and writing, so here we are! Now, about this request…y’all. Huge shoutout to this requester !! This was not supposed to end up as long as it is (seriously, if you think you know how long this is, you really don't), but after talking to them about their OC and learning the backstory, I fell in love with them and ended up pouring so much into this. This is like a chapter worth of content, but I’m happy and so grateful I got to help deepen this character. I hope you all enjoy it (and share your OCs so I can write for them >.<); I'll be uploading some other stuff I wrote from before I went MIA soon, so look out for it! Welcome back <3

••●───── 🕸️⋅🕷⋅🕸️ ─────●••

“Wow, fourth one this week, huh?”

“Nah, that’s his sixth; keep up, man!”

It was a typical Thursday — well, as typical as it could be for anyone living in the Age of Heroes. As per usual, most people’s workday lunch break had now become a free all-inclusive ticket to a Spartan brawl between some Hero and any of the handful of villains propagated by the emergence of quirks. Today, the competitors in the ring happened to be two people of contrasting appearance: one small and fast, barely visible with both traits combined, while the other was almost comically large and consequently looking to be moving in slow motion with every movement.

Due to the fact that heroes and villains were always engaged in combat, it was ingrained in daily life, so most people just kept going about their usual routines. Regardless, any disturbance was disturbance, and onlookers gathered, a mixture of ordinary people and reporters vying to be the first with the exclusive story.

The crowd watched as the swift Hero struck the hefty villain with pinpoint strikes as he dashed around at breakneck speed. Excited comments and whispers spread throughout the group of people as they watched the two fight, all curious to see who would win the epic battle between David and Goliath. But although the majority of competitors would have had serious expressions on their faces as they plotted their attacks and tried to read their opponents, the figure who was darting around appeared to be grinning broadly. With his smile, and the numerous taunts that erupted from his mouth, the sizable crowd observing became certain that it was the Vigilante Hero known as Redback.

“He’s really fighting to keep his No. 7 spot on the Hero list, isn’t he? Six villains in one week, that’s crazy.”

At the end of the block, the onlookers stared fixedly at the big brown behemoth as it feverishly swiped at itself. Redback moved so quickly around it that it seemed as though he was floating in the air, and with every dart around the enormous figure, his webbed cape flew around him. He sported a deep blue-tinted custom made suit that alternated between crimson and black. His calling card was a giant red spider insignia on his chest, which both villains and civilians recognized as a sign that justice was about to be served.

"Hasn't your mother ever told you to wipe your feet at the door? Look!" Redback delivered a straight punch to Dirt's face, tripping him backwards over his own two feet. With the Hero’s brutal strike, masses of dirt flew off of his body. "You're tracking dirt all over the place!"

The audience watched as the brown giant staggered through the street, still trying to recover from the last hit. Now that it was closer, it was more visibly the plain outline of a man covered in crumbling earthy dirt. It grumbled as its big feet slapped the ground, launching specs of dirt into the air with each stride.

Despite finding enjoyment in his battle just seconds before, panic swept across the audience as he looked to be approaching them. One of the commentators grew nervous and turned to his friend. "Dude…"

His friend instantly smacked his shoulder and raised a finger to his lips. "Shh! Don't make a sound!"

Thus, the two guys, as well as the rest of the crowd, stood there, one man quivering with fear and the other paralyzed with shock, watching as a gigantic brown foot kept stomping down the street. As the dirt monster came closer down the block, their bodies trembled from the sheer weight of his feet colliding with the earth, causing thundering steps to bounce around and ricochet off their bones. All they could do was watch as their fate approached, knowing that civilians were in no position to take on such villains, whether they had Quirks or not.

Suddenly, they heard something whizzing over them. Their eyes tried to track the shadowy figure that moved above them, but it was futile; his four limbs possessed the strength, dexterity, and speed of eight. But as they looked back down the street, they noticed a shimmering pattern. There were dozens of thin, tiny, glittering strings in front of them, and where they met, they resembled raindrops frozen in place, twinkling as though someone had taken each droplet and glued it so that the sun could dance across them.

Upon completing his web-making and landing out of sight, Redback watched as the dirt creature charged up the street and stumbled right into the crystalline net in front of him, almost breaking through the wall of webbing. However, as expected, the strong webs simply absorbed Dirt's pressing force and pushed it back into him, causing him to become entangled and collapse, all nearby objects within a twenty-foot zone shaking as he crashed to the ground.

“Arghh!” He cried out, grumbling following suit as he struggled to get up. But before he could get off his knee, Redback descended from above and landed on his back.

In a swift motion, Redback lifted Dirt’s right arm in the air. He whiffed the air before saying, “You need a shower, dude — bad.” Then, he pushed the arm towards the left side of his torso while throwing his own body weight in the same direction. From a mix between the motion and Redback’s sheer strength alone, Dirt flipped over entirely, causing his chest to be exposed. Redback pinned him to the ground effortlessly, his knee pressing into Dirt's chest as he still struggled to break free from the webs. "Looks like I've got you right where I want you," Redback taunted with a smirk.

He swung his head down towards Dirt's chest in an instant, releasing his chelicerae from his jaw. His fangs emerged from the basal section and swung out at their prey. He was aware that the feeling of them piercing his victim's skin would be no more agonizing than that of two tiny needles; but these tiny needles weren't entirely harmless, as they could easily pierce the skin before pumping neurotoxin out of their poison ducts.

As soon as they did, Dirt released a deep groan before attempting to pull Redback off of him, but his attempt was simply that - an attempt. His arm reached up, but soon went limp and fell back down with a thud. Dirt winced as the venom seeped further into his bloodstream, causing his muscles to weaken and his vision to blur before fading to black.

Redback leaned in close, muttering, "You should've known better than to challenge me."

He leaned back with a triumphant grin, watching as Dirt's body went still. Once he got confirmation that paralysis was taking over his body, he retracted his fangs and quickly pulled his mask back down over his mouth. He jumped down, landing right in front of the large group of spectators, with the majority of them sprinting forward, a combination of congrats and whispers of awe taking over them.

“Redback, you’re so cool!”

“What a hero.”

“Hey, Redback!” He glanced down at the youngster holding out a blue cap and permanent marker. The scar under his cheek and bruised knuckles stuck out to him. “Can you sign my hat?” Before he knew it, his observations had compelled him to fulfill the request.

“Sure, kid. Don’t lose it.” He grabbed the marker, scribbling his signature with a steady hand. Once he placed the hat back on the kid’s head, a recorder was thrust in his face.

“Redback, can you answer some questions for us?” The reporter's voice cut through the excited chatter of the crowd, drawing all attention to him.

Redback took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the questions that were about to come his way. ‘Interviewers…typical.’ It wasn't that he disliked them, they just all seemed to enjoy picking out bits and pieces from each response and spinning them into a mainly fictitious tale for profit, fame, and undeserved glory.

“We know about your dedication to restoring society’s order for not only civilians, but also Heroes and our judicial system. How do you plan on going about that? Was this villain a part of your efforts? How does he play into your mission?”

Just as he was about to answer, a loud pinging sound rang out. He traced the sounds down to his watch, where he noticed the alert:

[15:00 — XXX BUILDING]

He smiled as he was reminded of the meeting he scheduled – it was perfect timing. With a wave of his hand, he announced, “Sorry, folks, gotta run! Stay safe!”

“Wait!” He turned around to see another interviewer. “What about, um…him?”

He followed the gaze of the crowd to Dirt's limp body, then shrugged. Although he wasn't always confident that the police would carry out their duties to the best of their abilities—which was why he decided to administer justice himself—he was certain that their interests would coincide when it came to a minor threat such as Dirt.

“The authorities are on their way.” At their concerned faces, he added over his shoulder, “Besides, he’s not going anywhere. Paralysis lasts for the next couple hours!”

With that, he took off, a few strands of webbing ejecting from his hand and latching to the edge of a small building. He leaped up, the webbing propelling him upward and into the air, where he began gliding and swinging with his webs as if they were white vines in a jungle of skyscrapers. The city beneath him appeared to diminish as he soared higher, the wind roaring past his ears.

His thoughts wandered as he swung between rooftops, hardly staying on one long enough before moving on to the next.

‘Redback…what a stupid name.’

When the name Redback was assigned to him, he didn’t reject it, as he didn’t expect to hear other people calling him it all the time. But, then again, he truthfully hadn’t expected to become the hero he was now known as. In fact, before he became known as the vigilante hero he was, he used to be the one causing the trouble. Petty crimes, but still, he used to wreak havoc more than he prevented it.

He sat off the side of a building, his web supporting him as he ceased swinging. He was gazing at the sun sinking beyond the horizon, his webbed cape billowing in the breeze.

‘Kenji O’Hara.’

That was the name he was given at birth. Beyond that name held nothing.

And then there was Redback.

Redback was the name he earned. The brutal man with nothing to lose and nothing holding him back. The man whose origins could be traced to the Underground Masquerade, an illicit fighting ring in a covert car park. The man whose Spider Quirk bestowed upon him such freakishly powerful abilities that most saw an opportunity for exploitation rather than allyship. The man who, in a foolish adolescent moment, branded a large symbol of a spider on his back—a mistake that, when exposed in the middle of a fight, gave rise to the grimly gallant fighter. This man's reputation preceded him wherever he went, striking fear into the hearts of his opponents.

Everyone knew Redback, barely anyone saw Kenji.

He took a few steps upon landing on the XXX Building before resting on the railing. From this vantage point, you could see the beauty of the city and catch a glimpse of the peace that comes from the hustle and bustle of city life. The idea that such tranquility could be found in the midst of such mayhem gave him comfort. Cars slickly skimming the streets, little specks strolling to the train station. There were no people, no heroes, and no villains from up here. It was simply a city, and everybody was one.

“O’Hara.”

Turning around, he saw her hallmark tall bunny ears. Their massive presence overshadowed her, bestowing upon her an air of innocence mixed with authority. Her grin sent the same message—it was kind yet commanding. As if he had never noticed it before, her skin caught his attention next. It was a delicate bronze that, in the sunset, seemed to have the hue of a highly prized and lovingly preserved gold coin. And, of course, this wasn’t his first time seeing her Hero costume, but the white sleeveless leotard that showed off her hauntingly impressive muscles never failed to entice him.

After a few seconds of observation and appreciation, he decided to return the favor of her casual greeting. “Usagiyama.”

“Don’t web your shorts looking,” Mirko joked as she sauntered over to him, her knee-length white hair swaying with each step. “But I am impressed – you’re on time.” She slid in the space next to him, her back against the railing as she faced the opposite direction. Her triceps flexed as she rested her elbows on it. “I thought you’d be late, especially after seeing your work.” At his raised brow, she added, “Dirt monster.”

He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “Ohhh, dirt boy. Yeah,” he grinned, “I handled that. And don't worry; I'll always be on time for you.”

She rolled her eyes playfully, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Good to know," she replied, stretching her legs out in front of her as she grew more comfortable. "Just don't let that dirt guy slow you down next time."

Kenji was acquainted with Mirko from prior Hero events. Being the fifth-ranked Hero, she was there for both award ceremonies and simple accolades; being No. 7 himself, he was also there, his unwavering attention fixed on the most attractive and self-assured lady in the room, perhaps one characteristic enhancing the other.

"Slow me down, eh? You think I can be slowed down?" As he carried on, she lightly exhaled and rolled her eyes. She knew what he was going to say next. "Or is that the fear of losing your rank to me talking?"

She snorted at his competitive spirit, unfazed by his attempt to intimidate and stir her up. "You've been saying you'll take my spot for weeks now; aren't you tired of your wishes not coming true?" At the wave of his hand, she leaned in close to him with a playful glint in her eye. "Actions speak louder than words, darling," she challenged.

"Which makes me curious as to why you have that No. 5 spot to begin with."

As they both hummed off their playful retorts, the conversation died down. Suddenly, it felt as if a chilly wind passed through, and Kenji awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. Despite sharing the same characteristics of a rabbit, a prey animal, Mirko seemed to have the abilities of a predator — she could sense fear. It worried him, asking about it, but if he didn’t, she would sense that there was something he was afraid to ask, and she would find out and press him about it anyway.

He took a long breath, bracing himself for the question that had been plaguing him; already, at the change in behavior, she raised her brow. "Did you, uh…did you get the flowers?"

Besides the wind whistling and the little noises from urban life, there was not a sound to be heard between the two. Mirko's piercing stare seemed to see right through Kenji, making him even more anxious as the question hung in the air, awaiting her response.

He wasn’t quite sure what he was so nervous about – they had been on a couple of dates already. Kenji, who had lived his entire life fearlessly, had no trouble approaching Mirko at the aforementioned events, chatting her up and praising her on her successes before going in for the kill with a simple date proposal. In all honesty, he didn't expect her to arrive, but when she did, they hit it off just as well as before, and the rest was history. The first date had been cut short by a tiny gang of petty terrorists, but there seemed to be nothing better for Kenji and Mirko to connect over than kicking ass. Following that, dates continued amongst the usual turmoil that came with hero life, and they grew a foundationally sound friendship.

A Hero of Kenji's caliber was not familiar with the feeling of anxiety; however, he felt as though his heart would burst. That was, until she gave him a kind smile. She seemed to enjoy seeing him stress, even if just for a few minutes. "I did."

"Bold move sending a rabbit some flowers"—she turned to face him, a wider grin on her lips—"but that is what I like about you."

Kenji chuckled, relieved that she appreciated his gesture. “So, are you anywhere close to being ready yet?” He didn’t mean to rush her, but he knew she would correct him if she felt a boundary was being pushed. As ironic as it was, the only thing keeping them from taking the next step was the very thing that had brought them together in the first place.

"C'mon, O'Hara," she murmured, transferring her weight from one pawed foot to the next while looking straight ahead. "You know my rule."

“Right, the rule.”

She chuckled at his grimace, but it quickly got silent again as both Heroes fell into deep thought.

When Kenji first proposed that they become an official couple, Mirko froze. It was actually the only time he had ever seen her confidence waiver, and it was the first time she explained the rule.

‘No attachments, no hardcore relationships. Not while I’m a Hero.’

It was a good rule, except for the fact that anyone who knew Mirko knew that she would be a Hero until her body was physically incapable of fighting, and everyone knew that would be when she was dead.

When she first told Kenji about it, he didn't take it too hard. They had only gone out a few times in the past five months, so being the confident man he was, he didn't see much harm in continuing a casual relationship. When he was ready to get serious, he would eventually find someone who shared her beauty, personality, and sense of humor, at which point he would just move on.

That was what he told himself at first, until he ventured out into the dating scene and returned to the one butterfly among flies forever caught in his web.

The pill he had to swallow at that point was not particularly difficult, but it was one he hadn't previously acknowledged as existing. Nobody shared Mirko's drive. Nobody possessed her energy, her spirit, and most importantly, her passion. She was the only Hero in the world who matched, if not exceeded the gratification he received from reading his opponent, delivering blow after blow, and emerging victorious.

And, of course, the thing that attracted him most and kept him trapped in her web – no one matched her confidence.

The one recurring thread in most of Kenji’s failed dates was the one perception he had tried to get away from. The explanation given by almost every girl that walked away was that he was just too intimidating. Sometimes it was his appearance; to be fair, being a tall, well-built guy with a deathly aura designed to scare off any assailant didn’t come in handy all the time. Sometimes it was his jokes – most people were offended by them, while others simply couldn't match his sense of humor. But some had offered to divulge further, claiming that they sensed a wall up that they knew he would not allow them over. Whether it was his physical state or his mental one, among all complaints, he always seemed to be too much.

But for a girl who found the word ‘challenge’ simply did not exist in her vocabulary, as she had never encountered one, Kenji O’Hara’s walls were akin to stepping stones that forged a path to a person with deeper experiences and emotions than most normally have. Whether they saw it as beneficial or detrimental, both had grown up fighting and sparking up trouble, and Mirko, given her status, found it difficult to connect with anybody who understood her past and present behaviors. But when she told Kenji of her experiences, he did the one thing most failed to do – he listened. There was no excessive questioning or feedback, and although Mirko generally preferred people speaking their mind with confidence, she respected his undivided attention as his version of a bold statement. Despite his experience matching hers to a tee, having both come from the Underground Masquerade, the fact that the ‘intimidating’ Redback had the capacity for empathy and support was what stuck with her the most.

“I understand, take all the time you need.”

Unfortunately, that was where her problems started.

Behind the aura he had built up to protect himself, Kenji was a caring jokester with a confidence that seemed to inspire even the most insecure people. Even though it was naive to believe, he appeared to be without flaw. So, if she indulged and pursued a long-term relationship with him, she would do all in her power to assure that it was secure, all because of the man underneath that mask. This was the precise reason she was hesitant to start a relationship with him.

Throughout her life, Mirko always had to choose one or the other. Similarly, when she chose to be a Hero, she gave up all else. The battle and its outcome always came first; even if it meant her body, she would sacrifice it for the fight. Yes, that was the duty that came along with the title, but she had always been that way, even as a combative delinquent. So, upon her ultimate transformation into a Hero, she knew she had to establish a self-rule, something that would make sure she remembered the choice she had made for the rest of her life.

‘No attachments, no hardcore relationships. Not while I’m a Hero.’

If there ever happened to be anyone who managed to slink between the trees and brush and make their way to the clearing that was her heart, she knew she would eventually be forced into another choice. So with that rule in place, becoming a Hero was the last life-altering choice she would make.

“But didn’t you say you’d live every day like it was your last?”

At O'Hara's question, her eyes widened. This wasn’t Kenji’s first time challenging her, but for some reason, this time threw her off. She slowly nodded, “I-I did. I do, but-”

His hand caught hers, fingers weaving with such delicacy that she almost didn’t believe that Redback and Kenji were the same man. The sincerity in his eyes spoke more to her than his words as he asked, “Then why stop now? Live everyday with me like it’s your last too.”

Thinking of such a possibility made her breath catch in her throat. Breaking her own rule and possibly jeopardizing her Hero career by pursuing something as selfish as a relationship sounded like a no-brainer to her. However, in regards to someone as special as Kenji...

She quickly caught herself, shaking off that small fear of diving in, and shook her hand free from his, taking a few steps back. “Woah, don’t tell me you’re getting all soft on me now, O’Hara.”

Mirko sighed, his only answer to her jest being a stare. He was serious, and when Kenji was serious, he meant it. With her back to him, she crossed her arms and closed her eyes in thought. "I've already made my final choice. You know that I'm done picking between 'this' and 'that'; I can't have it be 'this', 'that', or you."

With this, she was confident that he would back down and accept her decision. She knew Kenji would be disappointed; hell, it disappointed her too, but she knew in any out-firming contest, she would be firm enough to keep him at bay.

But Kenji was fast approaching, dancing through her trees, heading straight for her clearing.

"Make it 'this' and me, or 'that' and me, because that's all it'll ever be." And all of a sudden, Mirko discovered that he had overcome each obstacle designed to prevent him from breaking through her own barriers and reaching her heart, and was now standing in the center of her clearing. "I'm not going anywhere."

When she opened her eyes, he was standing in front of her. His face was so unbelievably close to hers, his masked nose resting against her own. "I don't care if it takes you eight days, eight years, or eight lifetimes. I will always be here." His unwavering commitment to her rendered her dumbfounded, and before she knew it, she had reached by his side, grabbing his hand with fingers as soft as rabbit paws.

“I just don’t want to mess things up,” she whispered.

Kenji put his other arm around her waist protectively, softly pressing her against him in a moment of vulnerability he was certain he would never see from her again. Even though she wasn't in a physical altercation, being brazen or aggressive, he still cherished the transparency that came along with her confidence. It was just this—her shameless acceptance to vulnerability and her newfound openness to failure—that drew him in even more.

He moved his covered lips against her ear to whisper, “You’ll never lose your No. 5 spot.”

With those words, he promised, in his own unique way, that he would never be one of her options, and they stood there in silence as they both indulged in the newly discovered sense of belonging.

“Y’know, except for when I surpass you.”

He was met with a hard push to his chest, sending him back a few steps. “What? Being No. 7 is getting boring,” he laughed.

Through her own smile, Mirko replied, “You’ll have to catch up to me first, O’Hara.”

They embraced again, Kenji clutching his new partner in justice. Gentle fingers grazed the ends of his mask as she reached up to raise it and reveal his lips. They locked eyes and drank in the intensity of the moment before leaning in, their lips—

Both of their heads whipped to the side as the sound of a loud explosion erupted, grey smoke emitting from an intersection a few blocks away.

“Ah, duty calls.” Glancing back down at her, Kenji's smile appeared to be permanently stuck as he realized he had finally caught the girl he had been chasing for months. “So, ‘this’ with me or ‘that’ with me?”

She looked to the side one more time before returning her gaze to Kenji. She loved being in his arms, and wouldn’t have minded letting another Hero take care of things, but Mirko had met her equal in experience and in valor, and she knew there was no one else she would want to fight beside.

"‘That’ with you.”

"Alright, you're on!" Kenji raced away from her, leaping off the roof. The following second, she noticed him land on a nearby rooftop before flipping in the air to the next.

Mirko did not hesitate to take up the challenge. She immediately hopped over, already utilizing her Rabbit Quirk to narrow the gap and pass him. "See you there, loser!"

Although Kenji knew she’d push herself to leave him in the dust and get there first, he didn’t quite care to do the same. In fact, for once, this was a battle he didn’t mind losing. He looked over to her again, his eyes tracing her every movement as she raced between buildings and streets.

For some reason, he felt as if he already won.

••●───── 🕸️⋅🕷⋅🕸️ ─────●••

#my hero x reader #my hero academia #mha mirko #bnha mirko #rabbit hero: mirko #usagiyama rumi #boku no hero academia #hero academia #my hero acedamia #mirko #rumi usagiyama #male reader

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yannig · 2 months

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So. I've finished binge-watching Pit Babe.

and I have opinions. (yes I am aware it came out like a year ago. who cares) so, with very little order :

Tony died!! Yeah!! ngl, at one point I hoped Babe's father would come in to kill him, but Kenta doing it is even more satisfying so i'm happy with it. also those knife sounds were great. 10/10 no notes.

Babe's father was very obvious as Babe's father the second we met him. it's not necessarily a problem, i just found it funny that they were trying to create a mystery around him.

i didn't know it was an omegaverse when i began watching the show, but it was a pretty sanitized omegaverse, all things considered. no mentions of heat/rut, knotting, mate, pack, mating bite, bond, nesting. the mpreg was only implied. the word omega was uttered exactly once. beyond Tony wanting only alpha kids (with no explanation of what an alpha is), the plot to get a child from Babe, and Babe's fixation on his partner's smell (and most likely, Babe and Charlie's fixation on each other's neck), i often forgot it was an omegaverse. i understand not wanting to scare newbies, omegaverse can be wild, but i was surprised with how little we got of the common tropes. its not a flaw, i was just surprised.

Sonic needs to tell North he loves him. the guy is clearly ready to die for you. just because he's too stupid to realize he's in love with you doesn't mean he isn't.

also this two idiots were still in the building!! i thought they got the USB and then got out to publish the videos! but no! these two idiots were still in the building! thank fuck Kim was close by!!! (he was probably there on purpose, yes, but still. they should have gotten out!)

Way stays a walking red flag until his very last breath and I hate that for him. don't get me wrong, I saw his death coming. he was unredeemable, and we don't want the audience to hate him, so of course he was gonna die. i really don't like this trope, I'd rather he left Babe and X-Hunter behind and got a new chance with Pete, who was clearly ready to give him one and also who he hadn't betrayed and hurt in the worst way possible. but no, that's not how the trope works. he dies. because we don't know how to redeem characters without killing them. and to make the matter worst, he dies having one of his most fucked up interactions with Babe yet, and that's saying something considering his track record, confessing his love for the nth time which was understandable but already awkward on its own, and then asking if Babe ever loved him back when he has made very clear several times that he saw Way as his closest friend and nothing else, begging for forgiveness for trying to rape Babe, i swear to god!! the correct thing to say at this point was "i'm sorry i ever hurt you, i hope you get to be happy with Charlie, don't blame yourself for my death". instead, he gave him enough therapy material for the next decade! with one conversation! how the fuck is Babe supposed to grieve Way, or make peace with anything he has done to him, after that kind of last breath!

(seriously, i probably have enough to say about Way to write an entire essay. the man was fucked up)

Kim has now been officially adopted in the family, he's even invited to the funerals! (i am aware he was still Tony's prisoner during Charlie's funeral, i just found it funny.) we did not see enough of Kim after Tony imprisoned him btw. he is one of my favorite characters in this show and he deserved more screen time!

Did Charlie stole a power that just- teleport him to Babe when he's in danger? this is a least the second time he just appeared out of nowhere to save Babe with no explanation, and with a perfect timing at that.

Babe deserved to scream at Charlie for faking his death. Or a least have a breakdown the like of the one he had with his father. The reunion scene was great and emotional and shit, and it was adequate for the context, but i needed them to have a real conversation about it later. will look for fanfics on the matter.

my man Babe is gonna have so many trust issues it's not even funny anymore. like mate. both his fathers betrayed him (and sold him, though for different reasons), his best friend of 10 years betrayed him in one of the worst way possible, one of his other teammates betrayed him, and his boyfriend has been lying to him the entire time the have known each other, to the point of faking his death without telling him he was alive. listen, i was berating him every time he pushed Charlie away at the slightest sign of dishonesty because I don't like that trope, but I think in this case he was justified. it's going to be fun to get him to trust anyone ever again!

also that man can cry! and make me cry with him at that! like, i knew Charlie's death was a fake out, and i knew it was coming, but episode 10 still got me in tears because Babe's grief was fucking real. giving him his senses back just for him to hear his lover flat-line on the operation table was incredibly cruel. also "He's still warm. Maybe he's not dead yet". are you trying to kill me? also also : did he say "i love you" for the first time at Charlie's grave? because i think he did.

overall, pretty good execution of the fake death trope, they gave us time to feel the grief before revealing he was alive, it worked. (did the plot around said fake death make sense? not... quite? but the feels were there and that's what matters)

Jeff is my baby and i love him. he got a lover and a support system and that's great, though they could do with better communication and still have shit to learn about respecting boundaries. which is saying something because Jeff tends to be pretty fucking clear about his boundaries. i'm watching you Alan. also i've decided he's autistic. for obvious reasons.

the whole "papa and mama" thing Babe and Charlie have going on is not my thing, but it is particularly weird in a context where the last two men Babe called "Papa" betrayed him and hurt him terribly. i get that what they have going on is different, like it's not a daddy kink (which would have been even weirder), but it still left a weird taste in my mouth. i just - i don't know what to make of it. i don't think they got the implication of it when making the show?

Babe and Charlie both need therapy to a desperate level, and i do not trust any of them to try to get it on their own. let's hope the rest of the family team manages to get them there. i'm mostly counting on Jeff to start the movement on this one. and then the others can nicely bully them into getting professional help.

#pit babe the series #pit babe spoilers #pit babe charlie #pit babe way #pit babe jeff #pit babe #pit babe babe #pit babe kim #pit babe sonic #pit babe north

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