#for the record i also do not care whether the dynamic is platonic or romantic
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Do I lose brain cells every time I go on the Stranger Things subreddit and read an anti-Byler post? Yes. Do I keep doing so? Also yes. Why? Idk. Notice there’s not an intelligent thought in sight. Everyone regurgitates the same stale, boring, mind-numbing “arguments” against Byler like broken records. Here in Byler nation, we have thoughtfulness. We have clever analysis. We carefully study the themes, parallels, and symbols used in the show. On Reddit, there seems to an anti-analysis, anti-intellectual mindset. So weird.
“We’ve built up mac and cheese since season 1.” Okay, first of all, “building up a relationship” has no bearing on whether it’ll be endgame or not. Plenty of relationships in shows have been built-up and then ended for one reason or another. Break-ups happen. And Season 3 and 4 explicitly brought to the forefront all the ways that the Miami Dolphins are flopping. But I suppose that was just for no reason, right? Plus, Mike and El weren’t really “built-up” throughout the show; they jumped into a romantic relationship extremely quickly. The opposite of a slow burn. But you know what was built up…
“Mike and Will got barely any development since Will was in the UD and possessed for the first two seasons.” Ah, the old “Will is just a plot device” take. Okay, that’s just false. Will was taken to the UD, and he was possessed, but these storylines explicitly showed how important Will is to Mike, and they also don’t detract from Will’s main character status. Season 2 was literally all about Byler’s dynamic, and the fact that Mike stayed by Will’s side even though he wasn’t acting like himself for portions of it, even though it was a dangerous situation, did more to build up Byler’s dynamic than Season 3’s “summer of love” did for Mace Windu.
“Mike is straight, there’s no proof that he’s gay whatsoever.” 🤔🤔 Do you look at your totally platonic bestie with absolute adoration in your eyes, like they are light personified, like they hung the moon and stars? Do you say that asking to be their friend was the best thing you’ve ever done? Do you consistently have romantically coded conversations with your bestie and promise to go crazy together with them? Do you gaze longingly at your bestie’s lips like a deer pants for water? Do you have something to share with the class?
“Majority of them are young kids who have nothing else to do and want to force some imaginary gay relationship that don’t exist! EDIT: But I’m not homophobic, I swear!” Bestie, that sounds homophobic. You are calling Byler imaginary and insinuating that we’re delusional for shipping it, even though it’s literally semi-canon. If one cares about Will as a character, why wouldn’t they ship him with the boy he’s in love with? It may not be fully canon yet, but it’s literally not imaginary. And you are dismissing “young kids” for wanting representation and seeing themselves in Will and Mike, but you would NEVER dismiss “young kids” from shipping literally any hypothetical straight relationship in any show ever. Your beef is with “young, delusional queer kids,” and that’s homophobic and deeply cruel and invalidating.
“There is zero chance of it happening. Absolutely nothing in the show is going in that direction.” The very clear love triangle imagery in season 4, the entire plot of Mike not being able to say or write ILY to his girlfriend, El’s obvious set up for an arc of independence, the final shot of season 4, the entire miscommunication painting plot…
“The only people who think Byler is gonna happen don’t understand good storytelling. The point of it is that it’s not gonna happen.” Hahaha, we don’t understand good storytelling? The point of Byler is that it’s not gonna happen? If that’s true (it’s not), what a shitty and cruel “point” the Duffers are making. Yup, let’s just write our deeply traumatized, deeply kind, innocent queer teen as madly in love with his best friend, make that friend canonically what helps him not feel like a mistake, only for the “point” of that storyline to be some kind of lesson that we can’t always get what we want. “Good storytelling” in this context obviously means the surface-level, straight-forward reading of these events. Mike is in love with El because he said so. But that’s bad storytelling.
“Only dumbass little kids believe that shit.” Okay Season 3 Mike Wheeler.
“The only people forcing Mike into this weird “love triangle” are the fans/crazy shippers.” Actually it’s the LITERAL show. It’s not like we’re arguing there’s a love triangle between Dustin, Fred, and Troy. We’re literally following the plot explicitly set up by Season 4. Do you not understand the painting storyline? Even if Byler somehow ended up being one-sided, it still is a love triangle, so drop the quotes.
“My bet is there’ll be a new guy or something next season. I’d ship will with someone who appreciates him. Oh, there won’t be any new characters? Well, then I ship him with no one.” Okay, well this is just the “Will deserves better than Mike take” repackaged. Just because Mike is struggling and going through it right now doesn’t mean he doesn’t deeply love, cherish, and appreciate Will. Broski literally lit up when Will handed him the painting, wdym? And if you are willing to concede that there won’t be any new characters, what a terrible ending it would be for Will to just end up sad and alone while all the other characters get to fall in love.
“The accusations of homophobia get tiring, don’t they?” Well, then don’t be homophobic. I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not reading all that. Happy for you. Or sorry that happened?
“I’d happily put money on it not happening.” Well, then be prepared to lose a lot of money? Your overconfidence is misplaced and foolish. And I’m taking screenshots of all these moronic takes, which should be framed in the fandom Smithsonian one day. You will look really, really silly in two years. But have fun gambling.
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Yo! If that's okay could i request the brothers (or some of the of your choice) reacting to a teen mc who already has a pact with a demon long before coming to the Devildom and this demon is pretty much their (very protective) guardian/caretaker? Like, the demon is really sweet and gentle with MC and babies them constantly but they're wary of the brothers (Nothing romantic, just platonic hcs!) Feel free to ignore if i'm bothering you!
Congrats on the 400 followers!!💞
Who’s The Guardian?
On another episode of “why didn’t I see this in my inbox before-“ but this is such a cute request.
I...haven’t played OMSWD in half a year ;-;. I never got past lesson 40 so, sorry in advanced for the OOC-
When you already have a pact
Lucifer
...is caught off guard, big time.
He probably skimmed through your files and records but not once did the thought of a seemingly innocent teenager already having a pact with a demon prior the exchange program crossed his mind.
That’s coming from someone who overthinks a lot.
As the so called right hand man of the young lord himself, he’ll want to conduct a thorough investigation on whoever this demon is. He can’t risk sullying the honor of Diavolo because of some minor slip up.
Under the guise of a friendly get together he asks MC to invite their demon pact mate over for a nice afternoon tea. Harmless correct? Well that -less becomes -ful when the demon immediate smothers their favorite human with such rare affections he didn’t knew demons were capable of.
He’ll attempt to be discreet about his intentions but, it seems the demon is more vocal about their displeasure of finding out that their dear human is living with seven of the most powerful demons in hell. So lucifer would blatantly put on a facade to keep the dignity of the council and the prince at peace. But if it were up to him...
“We all care for the human’s well being yes? A little cooperation is to be called for”
Mammon
...Feels betrayed. And disappointed
He...wasn’t MC’s first- oh god the others are laughing at him as we speak aren’t they.
Would probably try to not so discreetly compare himself to the demon, arms crossed™️
Is that why MC was so fast in making a pact with him? Like no fear whatsoever because they’ve already done this before? Now he feels dumber than before
It all ultimately ends with..the demon and mammon trying to out do each other when it comes to spoiling Mc whether material wise or affection, of course mammon is at a disadvantage given how much he denies his concern for not being Mc’s first.
But in the end, if anything bad no matter how small happens to the two demon’s beloved human, they’d probably set aside their differences and hunt down the source. It’s a whole other story if the source was mammon-
“Oi the human also has a pact with me Ya got that!”
Leviathan
...is both amazed and disdained.
On one hand- HOLY SHI- YOU’RE YOUNGER THAN MOST SUMMONERS AND YOU ALREADY HAVE A PACT? THAT’S SO SHOUNEN-
And on the other hand- wow...you’re such a normie for being able to pull in other races, what in the name of damned friendship is this-
But that disdain turns to envy, whether envying you or the demon sometimes it’s interchangeable- because he wished he was also that cared for. Being able to be brought gifts or being protective over- it’s the otome dream he’s secretly wanted.
But once he realizes that the demon just genuinely cares for MC, for whatever reason- he seems to understand along the way, maybe he to wishes to protect one of the few people that willingly put up with him with a wild smile. Teen mutuality huh.
He might even invite their demon pact mate over for a game or two- heck if things go well they three might even become a triumvirate. Overall he’ll learn to get along with them but...it’ll take a good while djdndnbd.
“H-hey...ya sure you wanna hang out with someone as yucky as me? Ah- wait I have games for three here somewhere.”
Satan
...Is highly intrigued suffice it to say.
The guy was highly enthralled when you managed to even make a pact with him through hard work and it seems there was a much farther history as to why.
Unlike the first born however, he’d be actually successful in hiding his true intentions when he decided to investigate whoever demon managed to wind up with the young human in the first place.
Those detective novels did him good Huh-
On a more serious note. He’d actually be encouraging to a certain extent until the demon directs their threats to him. Like how dare this lowly bastard make a point to the Avatar sin of Wrath- oh it was for MC’s sake...hard pass-
At one point he’s probably the closest to this demon in terms of peace next to Beelzebub since he’s the most serene of the brothers. Overall neutral to them unless the demon gives him a reason to.
“It’s nice to see the human having someone to lean on to...I wonder what would happen if that support were to suddenly collapse”
Asmodeus
...is sappy to the brim
Look at the lovely human already catching demons with finesse! Proud wine aunt moment™️. And the fact that it was prior to the program? Damn the kid has more potential than he thought.
At first the demon themself is gonna- Ehe carry MC away everytime asmo ties coming in but. With a little nudge and convincing they’d probably stay to listen to Asmo.
Trust me when I say these three will go shopping every weekend once everyone is comfortable with each other. And for what it’s worth they might even get matching outfits.
Asmo would probably try and nitpick how MC even managed to wind up in a pact with a demon without knowledge of the Devildom in the first place but at the same time he thinks it adds to the younger’s charm
These three end up being the child the mom and wine aunt dynamic and y’all can’t convince me otherwise.
“Ehh~? Oh don’t look so weary it’s bad for your face darling~”
Beelzebub
...For some reason happy.
Is this why MC managed to make a pact with his brothers so easily in so little time? Is this why the teen never seems to be bothered by any of his brothers’ threats? Overall he’s happy that you have experience.
He remembers something oddly like this...but in his case he didn’t had experience prior the fall wow way to go at angsting this am I right-
Because unlike him, a being millennia old was so confused of what’s in store for hell after the fall but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and bare the fear.
And someone so young managed to get a taste of a fraction of that experience but here was MC...laughing without a care whilst this other demon places a protective arm in front of them as they interrogate beel- oh wait they were talking to him-
Food as peace offering? You bet, thankfully they did settle with food and unlike first impressions- the demon actually is the most sensible to beel seeing as he was one of the few who...didn’t actively attempt to kill their human- in fact, the demon is probably the one to inform Beel of what demon food the young teen can actually eat and what they prefer.
“I see...ah, would you maybe wanna join us? Food always tastes better when shared”
Belphegor
...could care less until they talk about the whole time universe killing thing-
Ohhh boy- belphie run I’m telling you run- no beel won’t defend you on this one in fact I think I see mammon running with the demon but belphie run boy run-
In all seriousness him and the demon will take the longest to get into terms. Heck not even Mc’s convincing has effect, because the demon really really doesn’t like the avatar of sloth for good reason.
Depending on how the demon even winded up with MC. Belphie would also not like the demon.
That...is until something actually bad happens to MC-
The demon might blindly pin it on belphie but the thing is- he’s also panicking because if he and his brothers were there and the demon was there- wHO TF IS WITH THE TEENAGER-
He...didnt want to have what he did to MC happen again. Let him be the last one to harm the spunky human. I even considered him and the demon to never actually get along no matter how long of a time but...again it all depends on the Hows and Whys.
“I...Care for them as much as you do. Just- Tsk... I don’t need you to believe me.”
#if there are any typos Gomen ;-;#now I want to write another angst fic jdjsjsjs#obey me#obey me shall we date#obey me!#obey me swd#swd obey me#obey me headcanons#om headcanons#obey me lucifer#obey me mammon#obey me leviathan#obey me satan#obey me asmodeus#obey me beelzebub#obey me belphegor#obey me mc#rras’ inbox#rras writes#writings from the eclipse
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From Jimin: To the hyungs Jungkook is just my little brother...
I have no idea what that says. But if this is what he said, then definitely it leaves room for interpretation because it's an incomplete statement. You don't need to know the nuances of the language to understand that that statement is a sentence fragment that expresses an incomplete thought on the surface of it.
The omission of a second clause implies the opposite of what was said in the first. It's as simple as that.
The question anyone would ask upon hearing that is, so... he's more? Or, so he's not your little brother?
Makes sense...
But I've seen other translations such as, to the hyungs JK is like my little brother and in other instance, Jk is our little brother etc.
Makes you wonder if these interpretations took the context of the conversation into consideration or even why Jimin would make such a statement in the first place in their attempts to provide nuance.
"SUGA: Jungkook is good at everything
J-hope: Jungkook always surprises us. he changed his style recently!
Jimin: The hyungs all think he's like my actual little brother.
V: Jungkook is good at keeping his focus
JK: Everything about Jungkook is pretty!"
It's Jungkook from the members' lens.
When you interpret Jimin's bit within this context then it's more likely he is trying to highlight his dynamic with Jungkook more than anything, mainly to the effect that Jungkook is perhaps obedient, likeable, sweet, puppy etc.
Comparing Jungkook to his actual little brother is a compliment and perhaps has a much deeper meaning than mere friendships in my opinion. It shows just how close, more than co workers they are, how more than friends they are, how really close they are.
I don't know why shippers shy away from comparisons to family bond when in fact the bond of family is the greatest bond one could ever have.
BTS do have a habit of liking their bond to that of family- and they love to show that bond off.
It's interesting seeing Jikook through the lens of the members when most times the bond of those two are invalidated, watered down and downplayed.
Everyone would have us believe Jikook are sworn enemies from rival states. So however you wanna interpret what he said, there's value in taking things at face value. You don't need to do too too much with it to try to get its meaning across because then that would be analysis and analysis are always subjective and subject to our own confirmation biases.
To the hyungs, he's like my little brother, he is just my little brother, he's like our little brother- all have the same sentiment if taken from the perspective of that whatever JM said was intended as a compliment to Jungkook.
Perhaps Jungkook treats JM just like a younger brother would a Hyung- given the culture of respect between hyung/dongsaengs, given the way hyungs are expected to take care of their dongsaengs, given the emphasis BTS places on their bond, honorifics culture...
Perhaps he means, Jungkook treats me in such a way you'd think he were my actual younger brother- a theme which to me is in line with that whole Jimin treats me better than my own brother does or the numerous times he's compared him to his own brother or something along those lines.
They love eachother very much. Whether that is platonic or romantic is up for debate but I don't think after this anyone can invalidate their bond or gaslight is into thinking those two aren't close at all.
If the members see them as this close then it really puts an end to this whole Jungkook is uncomfortable with Jimin nonsense.
The busan bros, the busans, the sun and moon duo, the exceptionally close pair, the hyungs all think Jungkook is like my actual little brother etc
They all have a similar vibe to me.
I guess what I'm saying is, I don't care much about the nuances of the language in this context or in any context to be honest as the intention behind the text is pretty obvious💀
To me he is either providing the hyungs' perspective to affirm his dynamic with Jungkook or to affirm all that he's been saying of his dynamic with JK which is that JK is like a little brother to him just as he repeated in Festa.
To highlight and affirm their bond or to compliment Jungkook like the other's were in this instance.
This is the diagram some Karny drew to explain the nuances of the text.
And here I thought I was extra chilee.
I'm not mad at this. Love when a moment brings out the delulu in yall's eyes😭🤣🤣
I don't know why we are hung on Jimin's words out of all the statements that were made trying to dissect and over analyse it.
On one hand I feel some people are over sensationalizing while others are just plain invalidating Jikook's bonds- especially over something Jimin of all people would say.
He slick slick. I'll give him that. And he loves him some double entendres. But he's also usually the one to use dictum that makes it easier for his words and meaning to be translated- if they get translated. So it's fascinating to see the confusion his words are creating out in these streets. It really ain't that deep if you ask me chilee.
Alas, we are all adults and we all have different perspectives on these things. I'd say, find a source you trust based on their track record and stick with it. Do your own analysis or seek out others' perspectives on it. This is mine and how I take it- regardless of what any Karmy says😊
My delusions are mine and mine alone. No disrespect to Karmy. In fact, yall great people doing great holding it down for the gays🤭
Also disclaimer, I'm not a translator and any translation used here isn't mine.
In conclusion,
Hyuna screws her dongsaeng and Rain fucks his Noona. Dead that whole Jikook womb mates shit before I lay my paws on ya.
youtube
Please pls Jikook is louder than this🙄
youtube
Jeonlous counts. Keep your wokeness yo yourself please. You must be in the wrong industry if you think you have to live by a code of ethic in these ship streets.
There is no ethical nor moderate consumption of ships under shipping. There is nothing like ethical or moderate shipping for the holier than thou shippers in the back.
We all ghetto ma'am. You might as well go all out😴
My favorite line from their song though is when Hyuna sings, "I'm finna tell my father about us and pledge eternity to you. You have to be careful always though, there are lots of pretty girls out there. We have to tell the world, I can't share you with another girl."
Eventually they told the world🤭
Their careers suffered but they did it anyway.
Please no nondelusional, fake woke, moderate shipper person should tell it to me when I talk about Jungkook's frustration to come out with their relationship and come act like it's illogical hence implausible for him to want to come out etc😒
I like my delulu perspective better😌
Peace.
GOLDY
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So we've discussed Chenrich headcanons, it stands within reason that Luchen should be given the same love and attention: Any personal headcanons for Luchen as a couple? How would their dynamic as a couple be? How could you picture basic interactions between them to be like? Any personal ideas of how they interact with one another, cheer each other up, keep one another grounded, expressions of affection, and other things? Would love to hear your ideas! :D
Oh, absolutely! Chenrich is cute but Luchen would definitely be the whole dorky “two kids in love” vibe :D
Right off the bat, Alex relates to Ryan’s quiet introversion, and his inner calm balances out her emotional volatility. At the same time though, Ryan’s a silly teddy bear of a guy, and he makes her laugh just as much as he keeps her grounded, present, and comfortable. He’s also just so incredibly easy to trust, and Alex not only confides in him about her powers first in the trailer, but also her deepest fears, dreams, and hopes. He always listens quietly and never judges or pries, which Alex deeply appreciates. “I feel like I can tell you anything. You’re a good listener,” Alex says after only knowing him for a short time.
Ryan is spare with physical touch and doesn’t initiate it much (he’s so startled when Alex hugs him that he barely knows how to react), but he showers Alex in affectionate gestures and words. He tells her “I really care about you” and “You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met” in pre-release material, and that holds true whether platonically or romantically. He doesn't exactly "flirt" (he's a bit too clumsy for that), but his words are always simple but sweet: “You look beautiful.” “I love your taste in music." “I could listen to you sing forever.” He never hesitates to ask if Alex is okay, even in public. Alex feels every compliment in her heart because she knows Ryan always speaks with the utmost sincerity. Even Ryan’s touch is firm and grounding: a steady hand on her shoulder, a long, tight hug that says “I’m here for you,” or Ryan’s fingers interlocked with hers that remind her that she deserves love and happiness. As they grow closer, she finds herself reaching for Ryan’s arm or hand when she’s anxious, and Ryan is always there to squeeze her hand back.
Ryan loves making Alex laugh, and somehow Alex loves Ryan’s bizarre sense of humor— I mean, she even giggled when Ryan said “And this dude hands me the best… beers?” Internally, I bet Alex cringes and thinks “Oh God, can I make it any more obvious?” But once they’re firmly established friends, he'll text her memes from across the record store just so he can hear her burst out laughing from the other room. Even when they're sitting together, Alex resting against Ryan’s side, Ryan will wordlessly text Alex a meme and then she's laughing so hard she's shaking, her face pressed into Ryan's shoulder. Alex (because of Steph’s influence) also grows to enjoy pulling harmless pranks on Ryan. Even though he’s a burly park ranger, he startles easily, so Alex gets a kick out of just rounding a corner and shouting “HELLO!” And Alex may be an introvert, but she has to draw the line somewhere, and she will roast Ryan for preferring nature to social events: “You’d rather go hiking than watch my first big gig? With Steph? I’m devastated. I will never recover from this."
Their dynamic as a couple is basically every chivalrous trope. We already see him hold Alex’s hand as she steps over some rubble. Ryan holds open doors, pulls out chairs, and wordlessly drapes his coat over Alex’s shoulders when he notices her shivering. Who said chivalry is dead? While physical affection is sparse, when it’s romantic, it becomes extravagant: slow dances, swinging hugs that sweep Alex off her feet, long kisses that make the rest of the world just fall away. When Alex kisses him, she pulls ever so slightly on his shirt collar to bring him down to her lips. It’s so dreamy, she can hardly believe it’s real.
When Ryan rattles off more nature trivia or gives hiking tips, Alex always says, “You are such a park ranger.” For example: “Actually, bread crumbs can pollute the water and encourage algal bloom. It’s better to let the ducks fend for themselves.” “Ugh, you’re such a park ranger.” Or, “Hey, did you know this variety of mushrooms is edible? Gabe actually added them to a stir fry once; you should try it!” “Whoa, that’s cool! You’re such a park ranger!” Or, “Careful, there was a landslide here a little while ago. You should probably go around.” “Thanks! You’re such a park ranger!"
But in a more serious moments, Ryan is there for Alex to balance out her emotional volatility. When Alex goes too far with a fear nova and Ryan finds her having a panic attack, he sits her down, holds her hands, and guides her through a breathing exercise. When Alex’s vision finally clears, she gasps, “I thought I was dying. How did you do that?”
“Trained in CPR and first aid,” Ryan says. “With some panic responses thrown in. You really scared m—“
“God, you are such a park ranger,” Alex says, before wrapping her arms around him in a grateful hug (or pulling him in for a kiss).
And when Alex’s grief gets to be too much and she has to cry, she feels safest when she’s in Ryan’s arms. It’s the closest feeling to her brother’s embrace. As if he’s still here.
#anxiety tw#life is strange true colors#listc#life is strange#lis#lis: tc#luchen#ryan lucan#alex chen#lis headcanons#true colors#life is strange true colours#life is strange: true colors#life is strange 3#anon#answered asks
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Historical Make Me Choose! 2. Mughal or Maurya, 8. Religion or Art. Talk About: 3, 6, 9, 15
Make me choose between the Mughal and Maurya dynasties:
This is especially grueling, because--well, luck being on my side--I want to someday write origfic historical fantasy based on both of them. So, to start with, I will take the coward's way out and say both, because they're both entertaining in different ways.
The Mughal dynasty is well-documented, which is amazing for finding out hilarious anecdotes (Hamida Banu dissing Humayun! Akbar's cheetah obsession! Jahangir's hilariously honest autobiography) as well as--reading between the lines--some pretty amazing women. The Mauryas, in contrast, are so spottily documented, we can't even be entirely sure that the Buddhist and Greek/Macedonian sources are even talking about the same events/rulers, but assuming it is so--it's a wild ride, starting with a teenager overthrowing the dominant dynasty and his line conquering most of India within two generations. From a writing standpoint, having so much left empty is a gift, leaving so much available for the imagination. And yet, I wish we knew of more ladies from that history, because what little we do get is so fascinating (Durdhara's family connections and bizarre death! Dharma who sounds steely enough to be a second Kunti! Most of Ashoka's wives, who all seem super strong-minded in their own right.)
Make me choose between studying religion and art.
Oh, religion definitely. Not that art isn't great (it is!), but religion involves so much stories, and such insight into the psychology of any given culture. I had a college instructor who argued that religion and the afterlife told you more than anything about the general optimism/worldview of a culture (ie, Mesopatamia which had erratic floods and a harsh worldview had gods who really didn't care about them; whereas ancient Egypt, with regular floods and prosperity, had an afterlife that, assuming you could get in, was one big party.) Plus, religion affects passing references (how many casual Mahabharata and Ramayana references do you see in India media? Or just in conversation?) and swear words (such that an utterance as hilarious as the word "Zounds" could be an actual profanity. Amazing.)
A historical misconception that you hate.
AHHH there are so many--the inherent classism in deciding Shakespeare couldn't actually be a dude from Stratford, but a university-educated nobleman!--but at the moment, one of the most bemusing is the claim that Mughal princesses were forbidden from marrying. I keep on running into this as fact, and...don't actually see that it has any actual basis in fact, at least not during the reigns of the six major emperors. For evidence, I present the following deep dive:
(behind the cut due to length)
Most of the time I see this cited as "Akbar forbade princesses from marrying" so we'll start with him. Certainly Akbar's aunts and sisters were mostly married, so that's not an issue.
Of Akbar's daughters that I can find: Mahi Begum died young, so she doesn't count. Aram Banu Begum seems to have been --well, if we believe her brother Jahangir--kind of A Lot, despite being her father's favorite, so it seems likely marriage either wasn't her thing, or no one was agreeable to marry her. His other two daughters, Shakr-un-nissa and Khanum Sultan, were both recorded as having married, however, with their marriages arranged by Akbar himself.
But, hey, maybe he came to that decision later. So let's look at his granddaughters: Jahangir had plenty of daughters, and I can't find references to the marriages of all of them (or even how long they lived, for that matter)--at least one, Bahar Banu Begum was married to her cousin Tahmaras, and probably others too. Another of Akbar's granddaughters, Jahan Banu Begum (daughter of Murad) was also married to her cousin Parviz.
Of the generation following: let's put aside Shan Jahan's three daughters for now, since none of them married but i would argue they're a special case. Parviz, who I mentioned before, had one daughter Nadira Banu, who married her cousin Dara Shikoh; his brother Khusrau also had a single daughter Hoshmand, who married (you guessed it!) a cousin. The final granddaughter was Arzani begum, also granddaughter of the disgraced Nur Jahan, about whom I can't find a reputable death date, much less whether or not she was married. So--yes, for the most part, these women all ended up married cousins, but it's not strictly accurate to say they couldn't marry period.
A final note on Aurangazeb, who also gets accused of hte "prevented daughters from marrying" stance: yes, his most prominent daughter Zeb-un-nissa never married, but it certainly seems she had proposals aplenty and her father only vetoed the most prominent because he disapproved of the groom's father (who was his brother. the cousin thing, again.) Two of his other daughters did marry, with no objections recorded.
So honestly? It seems marriage wasn't forbidden by any means. And for those women who didn't--well, is it so impossible to believe that these princesses figured that a life in the imperial harem (which isn't the Orientalist boring fantasy most people imagine, but instead a city of women, with libraries! and schools! and markets! hunt! play chess and polo! From the harem, women could watch politics, or engage in trade, or create architecture, or participate in community service. By no means, it was great, but opportunities sucked all-around for anyone who wasn't a cis-male in that time, and this life must have seemed preferable....) with a loving father/brother was much better than being married to some rando. Plus, esp in the case of Shah Jahan's daughter, their mother died in childbirth, quite infamously--to me, it makes perfect psychological sense that they might all be leery of marriage/childbirth.
A historical figure you think is underrated.
Sadly, most figures from Indian history, but picking one at random: Razia Sultan! Not only awesome for being the first female Muslim ruler in Indian history, but also a really really good one--committed to public service, working for civil rights for the poor and those who didn't share her racial/religious/cultural background, and also open-minded/anti-racist enough to, at the very least, make a man of African descent her foremost advisor and friend. (I ship Razia/Yakut, and NOTP her relationship with Altunia pretty strongly, but even otherwise; she clearly respected Yakut as an equal, which says a lot about her. LOVE HER.
A historical myth/legend/rumour/story (flexible)
Oh, forget it, we're going to talk about Razia and Yakut, or at least the rumor they were romantically involved. A few words on Yakut: he was of Abyssinian ancestry, and actually came to her father's court as a slave, but was soon freed and allowed to rise up the ranks (this was very much a socially accepted Thing in the Mamluk court--more on this later--but he definitely had to face significant racism. Sure, there's no actual proof that he and Razia were involved, but--she made him her Master of the Horse (you know who else did? Elizabeth I for Robert Dudley. Just saying.); she never turned from him, even in the face of nasty rumors, and his loyalty to her meant he died in battle defending her throne; and fwiw, she didn't marry another as long as he lived. It's...questionable, too, how voluntary her marriage to Altunia was to me; certainly, being held hostage by the dude doesn't make for a great start. Now, again like Liz I/Robin Dudley, they could just have been BFFs/platonic soulmates, but if so I don't care--their dynamic is just A+ to me and I love it.
A historical headcanon that you have.
Akbar was dyslexic, and this was the reason behind his famous illiteracy.
#history#indian history#women in history#opinions avani has them#mughal history#maurya history#razia sultan#ty for the ask! this was super fun to answer
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Hello everyone! Today is the one year anniversary of my favorite fic I’ve written (so far), Puzzle Pieces! I thought I’d give a full length director’s commentary to commemorate the occasion.
Spoilers for the fic below!
The idea for this fic stemmed from a few things. I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of a soulmate au where colors appear on your skin when you first touch your soulmate(s). I think I initially encountered this in a newsies fic that I’ve since lost track of that was heavily focused on platonic soulmates. I liked this convention because the possibilities for multiple soulmates are endless and I like the idea of colorful splotches on people. I also think that identifying soulmates via touch rather than the first sentence they say or some sort of other identifier gives a lot of opportunity for relationships to grow and develop before they know that they’re soulmates. I am always a little bothered when soulmate aus have people fall right into a relationship and kissing and intense emotions right away when the two people don’t know anything about each other. This seemed like a way to combat that a little, but I’ll speak more on that later.
The Beginnings
The first record I have of this fic is a message I sent to Helen on May 8, 2020. The fic was very much only in the idea stages then, as I took over three more months to write it and wrote Too Close to See during that time. A google doc for the fic wasn’t started until July 20, 2020, and it was titled “soulmate colors au.” My method for writing is going in order these days, and for this particular fic there wasn’t a specific scene that I started with in mind. I really was just going or it and making it up as I went, chugging along and seeing what happened.
The Colors
A pretty significant part of this fic is the colors. When I figured out that colors would appear on people when they touched, I knew that figuring out who had what color would be very important. Initially I was going to have each pairing have their own color (so for example cashton would both leave blue on each other but malum would both leave green on each other) but I quickly decided that I didn’t like that and that each individual should have a color that they leave, instead. I sent a message to Bella asking what colors she thought the boys would be, but I can’t find that message anymore and know that while it was similar it wasn’t quite right. Here’s some reasoning behind each of the boys’ colors:
Michael: I went with red not just because of the iconic red hair, but because it’s a pretty loud and brash color. Michael (especially when he was younger) doesn’t really filter things, wears a decent amount of his personality on his sleeve, and first reaction that said red to me
Calum: Calum has always been forest green. This is partially influenced by the empahty hoodie, even though it’s a bit brighter than the green in my mind for him here, but I also think green is a very dependable, stable color. (I used that color symbolism in one of my fall out boy fics years ago lol) It reminds me of pine trees, and I think Calum can give off that same sense of reliability in weathering the seasons. It’s a quieter color but can really pop next to another one. It also worked out nicely that Calum and Michael’s colors were compliments
Luke: Luke gets gold because he is a sunshine boy! Luke actually was the person I had the most trouble with, because I was flipping between gold, a lighter blue, or pink. Pink ultimately was too close to red to make me be able to visualize what the marks looked like on each boy to my satisfaction. It just looked ugly and clashing. I went with gold because there is a lot of outward brightness in Luke. He’s the kind of person where if he’s happy everyone else gets a bit happier, and gold also seemed fitting for the eventual shift into a rockstar and the amount of talent he has
Ashton: Ashton gets purple, but a deeper purple. Dynamic but still relatively stable, has a lot of depth. Purple is a secret color, but it’s still beautiful and it draws people in. When I visualize it it ends up being a really dark shade, but in reality he’s probably more of a royal purple than a plum purple. I feel bizarrely passionate about his color specifically. I don’t know why that is.
The colors didn’t have any sort of influence on the fic, but they were deliberately chosen.
The World of the Fic: Chosen Soulmates
So here’s the thing. I feel very strongly about love being a conscious decision that people make over and over. It takes work. It takes a deliberate commitment.
Soulmate aus kind of negate that.
So, how do you fix this? Well, I did that by having these marks not necessarily indicate soulmates. The way that the marks are described in the fic is that they indicate how easy it should be to love someone and how compatible two people are. It doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll adore them forever and never leave their side. You still need to put in the work. (Luke shows this early on when Michael asks if he loves Calum and he says “I don’t think I know him well enough for that yet. I know I will, because the colors say it should be easy and I want to, but not like you do.” He has made the decision to work toward loving Calum, but he knows that just having the colors doesn’t immediately make them love each other.) In that way, it almost isn’t a soulmate au, at least not in the traditional way. Things aren’t inevitable. There is still an element of choice.
This was also shown with Ashton. I don’t remember when I made the decision to give Ashton a Tragic Background with his dad, but I know it was relatively early because by the time I wrote his introduction I knew that would happen. I wanted to give a bit more of a reason for his hesitation to let them touch him, which I was already including because Ashton has always been the least touchy of the band, and I saw this as another opportunity to show that necessity of choice. It’s sweeter to me for the boys to choose each other rather than to just be stuck with each other, and if Ashton hadn’t actually been a soulmate of theirs then I wanted there to be the assurance that they could still love him just as much, because all love is chosen.
In the end, having a broken soulbond in Ashton’s past was a good way to accomplish all of that. It’s heartbreaking to not be chosen despite the fact that it should be easy, but once Ashton accepts that Michael, Calum, and Luke are vehemently choosing him with or without the soulmark, it makes his acceptance of their love very sweet to me. He’s saying that he trusts them to put in the work to love him. The scene where he talks to Michael in the car and the scene where he accepts their touches and soulmarks are probably my two favorite scenes in the fic.
The World of the Fic: Touch
In a world where the first skin-on-skin contact can indicate whether it’ll be extremely easy for you to love someone, how common would touch be? Would we greet people with handshakes still? Would gloves be more common fashion accessories? Would touching someone be a Big Deal?
Hence, the First Touch was born!
I figured that, with touch possibly being a lot more significant in this world, people would be a lot more careful about whether they make skin-on-skin contact. Kids would be taught that it’s impolite to try to touch someone, to a more extreme degree than they are now. Handshakes simply are not a greeting anymore. Instead, sometimes the first contact people make is considered a big deal, seeing as it can indicate whether two people are soulmates or not.
I figured that Luke especially would enjoy important first touches, because he’s a sentimental sweetie. Of course, his first touch with Michael ended up being special simply because it was with each other :)
This also let me really lean into Ashton being touch-adverse. Now on top of not liking touch, he also has another reason to avoid it, which makes every cuddle moment after the first touch even better, because he’s definitely touch starved. The band cuddles him so much once they share the colors.
The World of the Fic: Platonic Soulmates
Guys. GUYS. I love platonic soulmates. I love them a lot. I feel very passionately about them. Romantic love is not the pinnacle of human love, and as someone who cannot at this point see myself with a romantic partner I really wanted to ensure that platonic soulmates were a thing. Given that information, it’s a no-brainer that I included them in this fic. Part of the appeal of this type of soulmate au was that it gave opportunity for more than one soulmate and more than one type of soulmate. As such, platonic, familial, and romantic soulmates could all be indicated by the colors. I also really liked that there wasn’t any sort of differentiation between the types of soulmates. One type of love isn’t hailed over the others. It’s an even playing field here.
That was one of the things that immediately drew me to this type of prompt, actually. I wanted to write a fic about Michael parsing through his emotions and figuring out what he feels for Calum. The difference between platonic and romantic love has always been very interesting to me, because I find that the line can be pretty blurry personally. The best way to do that was to give him a set of soulmates who he cares about equally but in different ways.
The following excerpt really is the theme of the story to me: “Calum is an old, comfortable sweater, but Luke is like a favorite pair of shoes. They both fit him perfectly. He feels more at home when either of them are around, and although the love he has for Calum is different, he thinks he could love Luke just as much.” Each of us love everyone we meet a little differently, because everyone is a different person, but different doesn’t mean unequal.
While the fic is about Michael figuring himself out, it’s equally a love story between all four of them. The moments where Michael finds out he’s soulmates with Luke and Ashton were just as important to me as the moment he and Calum get together, and I really wanted to be sure that each relationship had it’s time in the limelight. That’s ultimately why the idea of puzzle pieces became a theme (that I added on editing). I like the idea of all of them coming together to create something bigger than themselves. They fit. They click. They are better for it. The first time someone referred to this as an ot4 fic it threw me off, because only malum is romantic in it, but I really like that classification for it, because it is.
Asexual Representation (Accidentally)
I didn’t know I was writing Michael as ace until about 4 days before I posted the fic.
Looking back, that’s a little bit ridiculous, because I was brainstorming this fic for three and a half months and actively writing it for two before I realized. I believe there was a conversation in the discord about ace rep in fics (Bella and I think Heath were part of it, I can’t remember any other participants), and I thought to myself “hey I’m ace and like ace rep, Michael in the soulmate colors au could probably be ace.” Lo and behold, he already was. All I had to do was add a few sentences and finish the fic (I hadn’t written the scenes in England yet).
My asexuality definitely influenced the way I had been writing Michael’s confusion over his feelings for Calum. Part of the reason I myself see the line between platonic and romantic as so blurry is because I’m ace and so much of romantic love in media is tied in with sexual attraction. When you don’t feel sexual attraction, that can get confusing, especially since most strong feelings of love are depicted to be romantic.
While Michael and I had very, very different paths to figuring out our sexualities, I drew on my own experiences of ace-ness to write him. This was a bit more apparent in the sequel scene Bedroom Activities, but it ended up becoming a core of the story. I genuinely don’t know how I didn’t realize that’s what I was writing.
As an ace person, ace rep means a lot to me, given how little of it is in popular media. I’m glad I explored it so early on in my 5sos fic career, and I’m proud of this one.
Miscellaneous Things
The process of writing this story was, as I stated before, pretty linear. I went from the start to the end without a lot of planning. I specifically had no clue what was happening at the Hot Chelle Rae afterparty until it was happening. The kiss came out of no where. However, I want to point out that initially I thought this fic would be 8k. It is now my third longest fic ever written. I have never learned to correctly estimate how long a fic I’m writing will be.
I have a few various favorite lines, but one repeated theme I love is Michael craving Calum’s touch. I say he’s touch-starved for him twice, once relatively early on and once at the end, and I love that Calum’s touch has been a constant for Michael. They had their first touch accidentally and became best friends immediately in the way that little kids do, so Michael has always had him as a constant, tactile presence in his life. That’s why losing him to Luke scared him so much and why then gaining Luke and Ashton as soulmates is so good for him.
I really like referring to Michael, Luke, and Calum as a triangle. I first did it in this fic, but it’s now my tag for the three of them. Idk I just like how equally distributed a triangle is, all sides touching, no one left out.
Branching off of this, one of my favorite lines is when Ashton and Michael do their first touch: “The dark purple reminds him of spilling grape juice on his clothes as a kid, and when he collapses into Ashton he feels like they could have known each other at that age, too.” There is something so charming about meeting someone later and feeling like you’ve known them your whole life, and that was significant here because Michael has known Calum and Luke since they were younger (although Luke did come in the picture when they were tweens/young teens instead of kids). I wanted to be sure that although Michael, Calum, and Luke are the triangle, Ashton is an equal part of their soulmate group. He doesn’t have the same history, but that doesn’t matter because it feels like he does.
Luke’s obsession with soulmate statistics is a convenient plot device and partially a result of his mom being a math teacher. Above all things, it’s a manifestation of his desire to be loved. The guy just wants to be loved!!! and he wants others to be loved, too!!!
This is by far my favorite fic that I’ve written. It’s not perfect (there are for sure two lines that I would change, and I think I could’ve done things differently with the very slight OCD I gave Michael that manifested in his hand washing), but I love it dearly. It’s the type of fic that I would’ve loved to read, and the response to it has been wonderful. Thank you to everyone who has read it and special shout out to everyone who has made it to the end of this very long director’s notes <3
#my writing#puzzle pieces#soulmate colors au#director's cut#y'all i love this fic i just really do idk what to say#i could've talked a little about the possibilities of a sequal#since i do have some ideas for one#but i don't have drive to write it right now#and idk if adding on would take away from the original#it wouldn't be michael's story anymore. i feel like puzzle pieces told that rather well#it would be ashton's story this time#anyway that's neither here nor there i have many other projects first
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Sora/Tobi Getting Together and Relationship Headcanons
THEY’RE HEEEEEERREEEE! Maybe Tobi will finally leave me alone now and stop taking up my whole brain.
Please read this post or this won’t make sense, it’s HCs about their third year. There’s also a part two that you don’t need to read, since everything you need is in part one. (U can if u want to tho.)
(If you don’t want to, basically all you need to know is: Nao, Sora, Tobi, and Mokichi are on first-name basis since the end of second year; Sora and Tobi have had a running prank war since the end of their first year and everyone on the team hates them because of it; Sora is captain, Mokichi is vice. Oh also Tobi’s aunt is awesome and she stormed into his parents’ house in Hiroshima to yell at them for being terrible parents. Tobi didn’t find out for the longest time.)
This is some 10-ass pages so headcanons below the cut!
This. Is. So much more chaotic than my Sora/Nao HCs. Prepare for disaster gays, very tired and very exasperated queer parent friend Momoharu, very very tired Mokichi, "usually a functional bi but the second you involve emotions he becomes a grade-a disaster bisexual" Tobi, Sora struggling to deal with "OH shit I'm gay," and "bows to absolutely no one and done with everyone and everything 24/7" Nanao Nao. This version of Nao is so much more of a tired badass than Sora/Nao's Nao, who stays more true to her canon self.
It's also twice as long. Yeet.
Tobi and Sora have had growing feelings since their first year and Mokichi and Nao are fucking suffering with these stupid gays.
They were friends at first, and it really was just pure platonic feelings. It started to turn into something more a little after the first Taiei game, but Sora is shy and a certified disaster and Tobi is way too emotionally constipated for either of them to do anything about it.
Tobi I love you but you're a fucking mess.
Tobi actually got kicked out by his "father" in large part for being bisexual, and therefore wants absolutely nothing to do with growing feelings for tiny cute short teammate, nope nope no thank you-
But basically, Tobi has known he's bi for a while now, and while he's having some acceptance problems, he's not having the "OH GOD I'M GAY" panic
Sora has not known, and he's having a panic in the background because "I'm attracted to guys?!"
Sora starts realizing what's going on some time in second year, and Momoharu takes one look at the panicking Sora and goes "aight the fuck happened to you?"
You will have to pry their friendship from my cold dead hands and I'm not sorry. I love Momoharu and Sora's dynamic.
Sora eventually confesses to Momoharu (after a lot of prodding) that he thinks he's turning gay, and Momoharu immediately starts laughing. Sora, hurt and feeling very stupid, goes to run, but Momoharu tugs him back down to sit and tells him, "Jesus, Sora, you don't turn gay. You either identify as gay or you don't. Sorry for scaring you, the concept of turning gay is just... oddly funny. Don't worry about it dude, I'm pansexual."
"...Pansexual?" Sora asks nervously.
"Yup, I'm attracted to all people regardless of gender. Men, women, people who don't fit either -- I don't much care. Gender doesn't really factor into whether or not I'm attracted to people."
"You can be attracted to multiple genders?" Sora asks, eyes wide.
Oh boy, Momoharu thinks. Poor kid. "Yeah, folks who are attracted to just men and women are called bisexual. Homosexual is the official word for those who are only attracted to their own gender, but gay or lesbian is usually used. Heterosexual is for those only attracted to the opposite gender. Of course, the lines aren't as clear set as those labels suggest they are. Sexuality is fucky, dude. Don't worry about not having it figured out. I only decided on a label a few months back, myself. Some people just choose not to label it at all."
That makes Sora feel better, and he takes to talking to Momoharu about it quite a bit.
At one point, Sora brings up how the team would react, especially since they share a locker room. Momoharu just gives him a deadpan look and then says in the flattest voice ever, "Wow, imagine being so insecure in your masculinity that you can't share a changing room with a gay man." That gets a laugh out of Sora and makes him feel a lot better.
As it turns out, this was word for word Chiaki's reaction to Momoharu being nervous about coming out to the team back in their first year.
It is also, word for word, Chiaki's response to Sora coming out to him going "I'm sorry I hope this doesn't make things awkward-"
Momoharu laughs hysterically when Chiaki pulls the exact same face he did and says in the exact same deadpan tone, "Wow, imagine being so insecure in your masculinity that you can't share a changing room with a gay man." Sora also stares at Chiaki for about ten seconds in silence, then doubles over laughing. Chiaki is so confused until Momoharu explains.
However, this does mean that Momoharu has to deal with the brunt of Sora's "TOBI DID A THING HOLY SHIT" rants for the rest of the year, even though he denies that Tobi is the one he was attracted to if ever asked.
Momoharu, rubbing his forehead: Chiaki the baby gays are being stupid what do I do
Chiaki: I'm a straight so unfortunately I don't think I can help here?
Momoharu: Ugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Tobi is freaking out in the background because "oh no gay feelins oh no soft feelins fuck what do I do????"
His aunt: Kid, please calm down, you'll be fine.
Tobi, putting a groove in the floor with his pacing: NO I WON'T WHA' IF 'E FINDS OUT WHAT IF THIS RUINS THA TEAM DYNAMIC WHAT IF 'E 'ATES ME-
Accent go yeet when upset!
She holds him while he panics and lets him curl into her, and then makes his favorite foods and puts on a movie and cuddles with him, and once he's asleep, she calls her brother-in-law with every intent of murder because how dare you make this child feel so unloved?
Anyway, Tobi eventually comes to accept himself and his sexuality in full thanks to her, the team, and Juri. It's primarily just a thing of time and needing to have more conversations where he's open about it and accepted by people he cares about.
Poor Sora still isn't totally comfortable with being gay? And a month or so into his third year, he comes out to Nao and later Mokichi. They make him feel much better, but the final piece is actually Tobi himself. Tobi finds Sora having a breakdown in the locker rooms and holds him to help him calm down and pushes him to talk about it, and Sora finally tells Tobi he's queer.
And Tobi, having been through this struggle before, just kind of pulls him into a hug and says, "Well, tha' makes two o' us" and Sora goes "wHAT" and Tobi tells him he's bisexual. Tobi does not pry about who made Sora realize he's queer, because it's personal and touchy, and he respects that.
That does, however, extend the mutual bullshit period.
But also:
Sora: oH MY GOD HE'S GAY HE'S GAY HE'S GAY I'M-
Tobi: 'E's. 'E's Bi. Deep breaths deep breaths deep breaths just don' panic and ask 'im out that's a bad plan-
Tobi that's actually how you deal with romantic feelings like a functional human being but sure, go off.
Tobi comes out to Nao and Mokichi with Sora's support shortly after that, and their reactions are, respectively: "NICE!" "Cool." and then Nao tackles Tobi in a hug that is the start of a big grouphug.
There's lots of hugging and crying (the latter is Nao and Sora and a little bit of Mokichi), and Tobi will vehemently deny that he cried at all, but a few tears got out.
(Lbr Tobi's gay pining for Sora was Not Subtle, so they already knew, but they don't tell him that for a while. When they do tell him, he's gotten to the point where he just stares at them blankly for a moment and then groans rather than flipping out. Mokichi chuckles quietly and Nao just outright laughs at him.)
But anyway, both of these Absolute Idiots are still crushing on each other, and everyone is suffering.
Actually, scratch "crushing,” it's moved into full-blown pining now.
Sora eventually also accepts that, alright, he has a big crush on Tobi. Tobi, their ace. Tobi, one of his best friends. Tobi, one of the best wings in all of Japan. Tobi, who is ridiculously attractive. Tobi, who looks like an actual bush when he doesn't tie his hair back somehow, because his hair is insanely (and adorably) frizzy and voluminous. Tobi, who will whoop at the top of his lungs and grin like a maniac because he just pulled off a fantastic drive and double-clutch, even though he's exhausted and soaked in sweat and they're four minutes into overtime. Tobi, who makes the cutest face with the sweetest smile Sora has ever seen when he talks to his sister. (Tobi, who is a boy, and Sora has stopped caring.)
Sora even stops denying that he likes Tobi after a little bit, and Momoharu is just in the background going, "good job, it only took you two entire years to figure that out."
Sora: LEAVE. ME. ALONE.
Momoharu: Okay but have you considered: No. Absolutely not.
Anyway Tobi mostly complains/gay rants to Nao and sometimes Mokichi, and at this point, even Juri is slightly sick of her brother talking about "our amazin' point guard." Yer not subtle, Anchan????
Except it eventually moves from "wow he's amazin' but NO I do not 'ave a crush on 'im" to "oh my God I am SO gay," and then later it moves to a more resigned gay panic. ("Nnnnnnghhhhh I nearly fuckin' kissed 'im after practice today what do I do-")
Nao is trying to bully both of them into confessing, but neither will take the first step, not because of pride, but because they're scared. (Nao is. So. Done. Even if she sympathizes, it has been two years of this bullcrap please-)
Tobi, especially, is afraid of losing everything again after his nasty stepdad booted him out.
Sora is like "that is one of my closest friends, and given this team's stability record I am Not Poking That Mess With A Long Stick."
Momoharu, who is the one he says this to, is just kinda like, "Yeah I can't really argue with that, as much I want you to confess."
Nao, later, having been subjected to a similar rant, after he said "closest friend" instead of "a dude": HE'S GROWING UP KANAME-KUN I'M TEARING UP-
Mokichi is far too tired of everything to interfere, which is fair.
Juri badgers Tobi for a solid four weeks before he admits what's really going on, and then it kind of all comes spilling out, and she encourages him to confess to Sora, but he's still reluctant.
Nao also bluntly says, "Kenji-kun's family abandoned him, Sora-kun, and it may be because he's the words ‘problem child' given physical form, but it may be because he's queer. If you want to work this out, I think you'll need to take the first step."
(Tobi told the team about his past late first year/early second year. Crying happened and everyone basically group-tackle-hugged Tobi, and he finally got the hugs he very much needed and definitely deserved.)
And Sora angsts over that for a while until Chiaki very simply says, "Do you want things between the two of you to change?" And Sora realizes that yes, he does, he doesn't want things to stay the same, he wants to hold Tobi's hand and go on dates and call each other at weird hours for the sake of it and hold each other until they fall asleep and kiss him and -- well, you get the idea.
So he works up the courage, and it's one night some months before the national tournament when Sora asks Tobi to stay behind with him for extra practice. Sora is really nervous, and Tobi is like "??? Sure? Are ya okay?"
Sora, voice cracking: yEaH I'M FINE
Anyway, Sora misses like a solid sixty percent of his shots that practice and Tobi is. So confused.
Tobi to Mokichi: Did. Did somethin' happen.
Mokichi just shrugs, which does not make Tobi feel better.
So Tobi stays behind all the others to talk with Sora, and they're both really nervous. Obviously, Sora is about to confess, and Tobi is just so confused, and also some small part of him is going, "oh God did he figure out I like 'im????"
Nao and Mokichi kicked all the first and second years out after just an hour of individual practice, and Sora is grateful but also, "guys please don't make me confront my problems."
Nao: "Sora-kun if we waited for you to deal with this we'd be here 'till sunrise."
Mokichi, tiredly: "No, we'd be here until we turned old and gray."
Sora asks Tobi to sit with him while blushing, and Tobi complies, still very puzzled.
They make small talk for a minute, and then Sora abruptly says, "Kenji-kun... I... I think I have a crush on you".
Tobi gapes at him like a fish, opening and closing his mouth for a solid minute, and eventually, Sora.exe unfreezes and goes, "Sorry, I-" and Tobi just goes, "Fer real? Ya aren't prankin' me again?" in a surprisingly quiet voice.
And Sora is mildly offended but knows that's a fair assumption given their track record of prank wars, and he also almost wants to use the excuse Tobi has handily provided, but he just stands and goes "I'm sorry, I should leave-"
And Tobi leaps to his feet, grabs his hand, and says flat out, "Sora, I've 'ad a crush on ya since first year."
And Sora just kinda… short circuits. "Wait, really?"
Tobi just kinda rubs the back of his neck (shyly? Tobi gets shy?) and goes, "Yeah, I... I kinda only admitted it in tha middle a' second year, though."
And Sora says slowly, "You... you like me. You like me!" He laughs, relieved. "Holy shit, I was so scared you were going to reject me and it was going to ruin everything--"
And Tobi is just going oh my God, he's adorable, I can't deal with him, and takes Sora's chin in one hand and asks quietly, "Sora, can I kiss ya?" Sora's eyes, predictably, go wide, and he nods. (And please take a moment to recall and appreciate the fact that Tobi is canonically an entire foot taller than Sora. Sora is 149 cm (4'10.7) and Tobi is 178 (5'10.1). This is fantastic because I will bet actual money that this height difference has not shrunk; if anything, it has grown.)
They kiss just as the entire team bursts into the gym. Turns out, they were watching the whole thing, and honestly, none of them look that ashamed; they put up with the pair's bullshit for this long, they're invested now, and they deserved to know what happened.
"ALRIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS, THIS IS REVENGE FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF USELESS GAY PINING," Nao yells. "KANAME-KUN, EVERYONE -- GRAB THEM!"
And the team lifts the yelling and protesting couple above their heads as Sora loudly objects and Tobi swears at them. The first years learn some creative new insults. The second and third years, on the other hand, are very accustomed to Tobi by this point, and aren't remotely surprised, but -- oh, haven't heard that one before, actually, says a second year. The others mutter assent.
We have, Mokichi grouches. We third years have heard them all.
Sora is small and easily hauled around, and Tobi is also pretty helpless when being held up above the heads of Mokichi and their first-year center. So they can’t really like... do anything about being dragged around.
Nao leads the team forward like an army, and they march to the pool to drop the two of them in, and when they resurface, fully clothed and soaked to the bone, Sora is laughing hysterically. (Assume Sora learned to swim at some point.)
Tobi is groaning, but he's grinning, and he swims over to the side of the pool -- and grabs Nao and Mokichi's ankles and drags them in, both of them yelling.
And Sora thinks, with Nao yelling in irritation but a sparkle in her eyes and a grin she's failing to fight off, with Mokichi laughing quietly as he flings his wet bangs out of his eyes, with Tobi laughing hysterically, his hair slicked back by water, with the four of them wearing all of their clothes and soaked to the bone, their entire team yanking off their shirts to jump into the pool with them and the moon and stars shining overhead, that he's never been happier.
And Tobi turns to him and grins, and Sora can't keep himself from jumping at Tobi -- who catches him, startled -- and kissing him again.
And, like, hey, Tobi isn't about to complain.
They take about two months to settle into things, and then it's just like... I'm sorry, who thought letting Kurumatani "Embodiment of Chaos" and Natsume "Biggest Problem Child Ever" Kenji date was a good idea?????
It's a bit awkward for a while because they're still feeling things out and figuring out what they're both comfortable with, but then they finally click, and it's... pure fucking chaos.
Sora will not stop stealing Tobi's clothes and Tobi is not happy about it, mostly because -- Sora, if ya keep stealin' my clothes while I am in the changin' room, then I do not 'ave clothes to wear ya stupid chibi--
Tobi has stormed into the gym shirtless at least twice yelling, "SORA! GIVE BACK MY FUCKIN' SHIRT!"
Listen. Listen we have a total of three scenes of Tobi being shirtless, and two of them were in front of plenty of people. Tobi is many things, but body shy is not one of them. He wouldn't care.
(Post-Kitasumi loss, post-Shinjo loss, and that one scene of him dribbling in a park or something at night with an audience. The night before they played Taiei.)
Tobi: Are ya ever jus' tryin' to figure out where all yer clothes have gotten ta and then ya turn ‘round and see 'em all on yer dumbass tiny boyfriend?
Sora, clearly utterly unapologetic, wearing Tobi's sweatshirt: Oops.
Chiaki, probably: SOME OF US ARE SINGLE STOP RUBBING IT IN.
As mentioned before, Sora is canonically 149 cm (~4'10.7), and Tobi is 178 cm (~5'10.1). There's a 29-centimeter difference, almost an entire foot, and frankly, that difference has grown a few centimeters, and you bet Tobi is going to abuse the shit out of this.
He literally holds things Sora wants over Sora's head all the time and Sora hates it. Like yes, Tobi did this before they dated too, but now Tobi is doing it more just to be annoying. It's also the only way Tobi can keep his clothes out of Sora's hands whenever they aren't on Tobi's person. (It's kind of hard to steal a shirt when someone is wearing it.)
"THIS IS ABUSE!"
"Me holdin' m' own jacket above m' head so that ya can't steal it from me isn't abuse, it’s self-preservation! It’s like -20 degrees out there, Sora, use yer own jacket!"
I personally headcanon Tobi shooting up like a weed, but whether he did or not, he's probably between 180 and 190 now (5'11 and 6'3). Meanwhile, Sora is like maybe 155-60. It is possible that Sora also shoots up, but I feel like he would hit 165 at most. That would have him growing 16 cm, which is 8 inches, so. That's a lot of inches to grow in two and a half years.
The things Tobi holds above his head are mostly his own clothes and also food items, plus the occasional basketball.
He also sometimes will nab Sora's clothes and hold them up in the air just to get back at him. Sora will be leaping up in the air, trying to reach his clothes, while Tobi stands there with a shit-eating grin holding Sora's shirt over his head. It looks so stupid. Nao and Mokichi both have multiple videos of it. (Nao has like five.) (What? She suffered, alright? Let her have this blackmail, at least.)
Sora: :( My boyfriend is too tall for me to kiss him on the lips, what should I do?
Momoharu: Punch him in the stomach. Then, when he doubles over in pain, kiss him.
Nao: Tackle him.
Chiaki: Dump him.
Mokichi: Kick him in the shin.
Tobi: NO TO ALL A' THOSE, JUST ASK ME TA LEAN DOWN!
Nao and Mokichi and Momoharu and Chiaki and Madoka and literally all of their friends are still giving them a hard time for being useless gays and taking two and half years to deal with their feelings even five years later. They're never going to live it down.
As adults, juggling careers and their growing relationship is hard.
They both go to universities in Tokyo, thankfully, and don't have to do long distance, and get an apartment together in their third year.
Tobi probably joins the B.League, and maybe Sora does too. (I dunno, I'm not committing to anything with career HCs.)
If they do, they have to keep their relationship secret; it would be a huge deal to be gay athletes in Japan (or... anywhere.) Most of their teammates know, though. Like... Sora regularly shows up to practice in Tobi's sweatshirts.
The sexual tension whenever they play each other is intense, though.
(My pet headcanon for Tobi is actually him going to university in America and joining the NBA. While I want to do that with Sora too, the mangaka apparently turned down two anime deals because they ended with Sora in the NBA. I haven't fact-checked that, though.)
They're around 25 when the world as a whole finds out. It either comes out because one of them is like, "hey babe do ya wanna just come out? We have enough money to retire if this goes south," "Oh sure," or because they mess up so drastically that people figure it out. After all, it would take a lot to break past the "they're such good friends!" mentality of sports reporters. Like seriously. These two are not subtle. They can let heteronormativity do most of the work for them, in all honesty.
Anyway, it comes out, and the media goes into an uproar, and they retreat to visit Sora's dad in Nagano without telling anyone except their coaches and closest friends where they've holed up and just let the world burn while they enjoy tea and the view of the mountains and avoid social media like the plague.
Assuming it was planned:
Tobi, the day before coming out, on his official twitter: I'll be doing a no-electronics retreat with my partner for two weeks, so I won't be on social media. Enjoy your week!
Or possibly the way he came out, besides their official announcement on Sora's account, was just "I'll be doing a no-electronics retreat with my boyfriend, @KurumataniOfficial, for the next two weeks. Bye y'all, have a good two weeks! :)" because that has Tobi's chaotic energy.
Edit: Actually? I take that back. SORA would do that. That has SORA'S chaotic energy.
When people get homophobic, all of their friends -- high school, college, adult life -- are immediately down to throw hands.
The Japanese highschool circle of people who went professional is small and pretty close-knit, and the NBA and B.League sides are quite close to each other as well. Shiraishi and Fuwa, who are both in the NBA, both riot when people attack their old acquaintances from high school. I personally headcanon Fuwa as a raging chaotic bi, because -- hair. Yozan, for that matter, is also pretty pissed off.
Fuwa probably gets on twitter and goes, "What's this bullshit about them being gay???? Of course they're gay. Have you ever seen them interact for more than two seconds??? Are you blind??? Wait, nope. Sorry. Don't want to insult blind people. ARE YOU ACTUALLY THAT DUMB????"
Momoharu tweets," 'Wow, imagine being so insecure in your masculinity that you can't share a changing room with a gay man' --My twin Chiaki, and Sora and Tobi's HS teammate, upon them coming out in HS" and first Sora's teammates start retweeting it and then Tobi's and then every single one of both their teams’ members retweets it. It's fantastic.
Then Shiraishi (who, again, is in the NBA) retweets it, and it goes completely viral. Chiaki is so happy but also really pissed that it's Momoharu's account.
Momoharu ribs him about it for a solid three weeks just to be obnoxious.
There's actually no one on either of their teams that didn't already know about the relationship. Again, they're not subtle together. If there was any drama, it was presumably resolved by getting rid of the homophobe.
Anyway, so while shit hits the fan, Sora and Tobi just shelter in place and their friends all react by going to war, which both of them are a bit taken aback by, but like, they aren't complaining about it. They're both touched actually.
For marriage, honestly, neither one of them proposes in any fancy manner; they probably decided to get married because the topic comes up due to taxes. Sora goes, "Hey, do you think we should get married? The taxes would be cheaper," without really thinking about it, and Tobi goes, "Honestly, if it means everyone will stop badgerin' us about 'tyin' the knot' or whatever, I vote we elope," and that's that. Some two hours later while making dinner, Sora goes, "HOLY SHIT WAIT ARE WE ENGAGED?" and Tobi, who was reading, stares at him for three seconds, processes that, and slowly goes, "...I guess? Yeah, I guess we are. Wow. We did that."
Sora slams his head on the table and Tobi just very tiredly says, "babe, no, ya need those brain cells."
Assume gay marriage is by this point legal and accepted.
When asked how they got engaged, everyone is just like, "THAT'S SO ANTICLIMACTIC?????" This is also the media's reaction.
Interviewer: Why did you and Natsume-san decide to get married?
Sora, shrugging: Taxes are easier with your partner when you're married.
But they went to get rings together on their tenth anniversary shortly after deciding to get married, and if that isn't sappy as hell, I don't know what is.
They probably don't wait long for the wedding and don't bother making it a huge thing; they invite all their friends, hire some folks to keep the media out no matter what, and hire a few people to film it and figure they can share that footage later. ("I am not havin' the media at my weddin' that is a private event for friends and family -" "Love, I am not arguing with you, I don't want them there either???")
Nao will be best woman for one of them at the wedding, and you bet she will give them so much shit for being disasters back in high school in her speech.
Juri, who by that point is like 20 something, because the disaster gays don't get married till they're at least 28 to 30, is either Tobi's best woman or playing some significant role in the wedding. She also roasts her brother and brother-in-law.
Tobi and Juri are definitely half-siblings, just in terms of time. He looked five or six when his biodad died, and she seems about the same age, meaning there's a ten-year gap.
Also, it's implied in the manga, so.
The newly-weds are just sitting there groaning as their friends/family members roast them, but they're both grinning.
The vows are probably really, really sappy, and Tobi can claim it's Sora's fault as much as he wants, but he's honestly also kind of a sap too and all his friends know it.
Tobi's stepdad is not invited. In fact, Tobi goes out of his way to send an edited version of the invitation to him that basically says, "Wedding! You're not invited!" while Sora and Juri die of laughter in the background. His mother does come, though -- she eventually moved out following the "her younger sister stormed in boiling with righteous fury on behalf of her son" incident. While the couple never got a divorce, they haven't spoken in years.
The invitees are actually mostly friends, not family. While Sora's dad, grandma, and extended family come, Tobi's only present family are his sister, his aunt, his mother, and his biodad's brother (and the brother's wife and kids.) But they have hundreds of friends there; Nao, Mokichi, Momoharu, Chiaki, Madoka, Yasu, Chukie, Nabe, their kouhai from their second and third years, Satsuki with his wife and two kids, Shiraishi, Fuwa, Yozan, Mineta, Yakku, Nino, Tarou, both of their professional teams and all the team staff, the national team that they played with, Sakamaki, Yuka and Tomohisa’s friends, Madoka's older sister, their college teammates and classmates -- the list literally just doesn't stop. For like. Days. That guest list was the hardest part of the wedding, actually.
The symbol they use on the invitations is a dragon. Momoharu and Nao both cry when they see the nod to the Kuzuryu team. (Chiaki does not cry, he claims. Momoharu calls bullshit, and Momoharu is, for once, completely right.)
The cake has wing patterns curving up the sides; one kite wing with a healed injury, and a duck wing in front of the silhouette of an eagle wing. ("I'm sappy, Ken, sue me." "Actually, I think that's adorable, so go ahead.")
The healed injury was Tobi's idea, though. Sora was confused, but Tobi explained that Sora and Kuzuryu brought him back to basketball as a team sport, and healed him from the pain of being pushed away from his family. Sora cries.
The shadow of the eagle wing was also Tobi's idea. He says "I agree that yer a duck because I love ya to pieces but yer still short as shit-" "Oi." "-but I also think ya learned how to fly in yer own right. Swimmin' and duckin' be damned. Ya fly on the court, Sora."
Sora does not cry again. He does not. ("Sure ya didn't." "SHUT UP KEN-") (He definitely teared up a little, because Tobi is looking at him with a soft smile and the most affectionate look in his eyes, and holy shit, I love him, and I'm going to marry him????
They go to Nagano and Hiroshima to visit their parents' graves after the wedding. Both of them are sappy about it. "I wish you could have met him" speeches, basically, while the other stands out of earshot.
They then proceed to screw off to Hawaii on a honeymoon for two weeks, since it's the offseason.
Either they combine their names, or Tobi takes Sora's last name.
I feel like Tobi would, just to spite his stepdad. I'm pretty sure Natsume is his stepdad's last name, since Tobi is seen wearing a helmet that is probably his dad's in a flashback, and it has a different name on it. Might've been a company name, though. Idk.
Sora is maybe crying when they change the nameplate on their Tokyo apartment to read "Kurumatani-Natsume Sora and Kurumatani-Natsume Kenji" because "holy shit that's my fucking husband!!!!!"
And Tobi just laughs and wraps his arms around him and drags him down onto the couch to hold him, and Sora thinks that life is good. Very good.
And if Nao and Mokichi and Momoharu and Chiaki and Madoka and Juri and crew all crash their place five seconds later, well, Sora thinks, that just makes it better.
wow! if you made it through this entire thing i am grateful to you for reading! and lowkey impressed because this is almost 5000 words. see my Ahiru No Sora Headcanons tag for more! there is also a Sora/Nao relationship headcanons post.
#ahiru no sora#ahiru no sora headcanons#headcanons#kurumatani sora#natsume kenji#kurumatani sora x natsume kenji#tobisora#maybe these two nerds will finally LET ME REST IN P E A C E#go AWAY tobi jesus
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can you rank (loosely if u don't want to play exact favorites) villanelle's most important or influential denny relationships?
i’m just putting them roughly in the order she met/reunited with them on denny, for the record. and in case anyone was thinking of coming for me, this is just what i reckon are the most INFLUENTIAL, good and bad, not a complete list of her friends or family or important interactions
okay and this is just going underneath a cut because it got long as fuck
fox is villanelle’s best friend, her -- if we lived in the, like, idk, homestuck universe (not to immediately make this cursed.) where you can have a romantic soulmate AND a platonic soulmate, he’s her platonic soulmate. and in terms of influence, i want to emphasize how much of villanelle’s denny arc, like... could not have been possible without fox. fox was the first person who was ever kind to her despite having absolutely no reason to be, and he was also the person who challenged her in such an important way at such an important time. during the whole GRACE plot, HE came back for her, and HE’S the one who essentially said “look, you have a choice. you’re not just a tool for this organization. one way or another, you need to make a choice.” which. again. a huge first in her life!
i’m trying to keep these short and sweet since i have so many to talk about, but genuinely like... i cannot understate fox’s importance as a part of villanelle’s life. and for her to even be able to have a best friend, to begin with? that’s such a like, idk. cornerstone of things Normal People Get To Have, and every day i write her i am so so happy she found him. from an ooc perspective, they’ve like, been to hell and back together also, and there’s a fierce kind of joy as writer when you look at a relationship that’s over a year old and has evolved so much over that time and get to go “we made this together!!!”
konstantin meanwhile is... well, he’s the healthiest parental figure villanelle’s ever had. which. really isn’t a high bar! their relationship has always been so tempestuous because it is built on konstantin’s manipulation of villanelle, both to use her for his own gain and... y’know, for his own survival, being able to manage her as long as he did! but he also genuinely loves her, and has gone out of his way on a number of occasions to protect her or help her or take care of her whereas it’s quite likely that most of the twelve’s handlers... just wouldn’t give a shit! i highly doubt that the twelve are the kind of organization where you’re supposed to get actually attached to your agent. and for villanelle, konstantin’s affection for her makes things more confusing, because it’s hard for her to ever draw the line between what’s sincere affection and what’s manipulation. post-canon update, she kind of now aggressively thinks he’s full of shit and is rejecting him for her own well-being which i think! is an important boundary for villanelle to be able to learn to set for herself! and you and i have spoken about how we don’t want to reconcile that immediately, but i also think... she would very much miss him and that it would be very, very strange for her to be without him when she’s ALWAYS had him to fall back on on denny, and indeed in most of her adult life in general. she needs to learn to stand without him, but at the same time.... i’m super interested to see how they approach each other now from this more honest, fractured place.
and then we have ruby , which. i still think ruby and villanelle are one of the most delightfully unexpected panfandom dynamics i’ve ever helped form PERIOD. and it’s interesting because hunter and i have always talked about how you would never expect these two characters to connect on the surface -- and you wouldn’t! but in exploring the ways they’re different, we’ve also found these really jarring similarities between them, too? and i think in a way, they’ve kind of bled into each other on top of that. villanelle’s relationship with ruby is like, INCREDIBLY formative to her learning empathy and just how to... nurture a relationship and be there for other people, but she has also become someone who ruby looks up to, and i think she’s contributed to maybe. Darkening ruby a bit, in that way.
i also think of all the girls, ruby is the one who villanelle has the most explicitly maternal relationship with. weiss too, but i’ll get into why i think that works a bit differently in weiss’ section. but anyway, WHEN you have that kind of relationship with someone, at least when you’re approaching it with earnesty and a determination to do it Right, it challenges you with a certain kind of responsibility that i think has been essential to villanelle’s development too. not only has it taught villanelle how you love someone in a comparatively selfless way from what she’s used to, but requires from her a certain kind of self-awareness and moral awareness (if she doesn’t care about doing the right thing In General, she cares about doing right by ruby) that has allowed her to mature a bit on denny. so yeah, ABSOLUTELY one of of villanelle’s most influential dynamics.
she’s obviously also very close with weiss, and i would also call her feelings for weiss maternal, but compared to ruby/villanelle i think weiss and villanelle’s relationship tends to take on a more Sisterly overtone on the surface. and i think that’s maybe because weiss HAS a sister who is basically villanelle’s age, who is her other maternal figure, so for weiss that’s more just how these kinds of feelings tend to Manifest. idk. you know, not to speak for jay, that’s just my take on it. but while weiss and villanelle have never really clashed the way ruby and villanelle have and then had to work through resolving that, i think in a way weiss just holds villanelle more accountable on a more day to day basis? they’re always quite honest with each other, weiss has always been quick to call her out, and like -- post-graceplot, for instance, weiss was the one who was like “i believe you didn’t mean to hurt us but you still need to find a way to make this right.”
and not that weiss did this deliberately, but she’s also the person who REALLY tested the person villanelle has become on denny and how... committed she is to loving the people she loves, via everything that went down during the hunger games. the way villanelle feels about the sacrifice she made is still really complicated -- it’s not something she feels comfortable being commended for, but it’s also not something she regrets. she’s not one to put selfless sacrifice on a pedestal, especially not in a horrible situation like that where neither of them should have had to to begin with, but a part of her... does find a deep sense of relief in finding this validation that her love for weiss - and all the girls, really - is real, and that she proved it to herself. after the games, i think maybe villanelle can be open with weiss in a way that she can’t entirely be with the rest of the girls. it’s just one of those things where if you go through something like that together, the bond it forges is quite unique.
i wavered on whether to include blake because villanelle didn’t do quite as much active development with her or yang, but i’m throwing blake in here for a few reasons. 1) post-graceplot when villanelle was kind of avoiding everyone, blake was the person who was able to approach that from the most empathetic point of view since she had just recently been on a “running away from everyone” arc herself, and i think that ultimately helped villanelle a lot in easing into wanting to make things right.
2) blake’s death during the games, and her not coming back afterwards, was a HUGE driving factor in how desperately angry villanelle became after the fact. it’s also maybe the most raw experience she’d had with grief up to that point, and it wasn’t something she was able to reconcile. that loss really helped to fuel her rage and also taught villanelle that even when you do your best to love someone else, things can still go wrong and you can still lose them, and that... wasn’t an easy thing for her to come to terms with.
and 3) she promised to fuck up adam for her if he ever showed up which, i think, should be the driving goal of the rest of villanelle’s life,
sun and villanelle aka the single greatest example of “what if we jokingly shipped this oh god oh no wait i’m invested.” look they were always meant to be temporary but they were so goddamn sweet! while they lasted! i think planning temporary ships can give characters MOUNTAINS of development that endgame ships just can’t give you in the same way (not to say there’s not plenty of development that comes from endgame ships; i’m just saying there’s. a special kind of development that comes specifically from being brave enough to approach ending things with finality.) in villanelle’s case, that kind of stable, sweet relationship where she was tempering so much of herself deliberately could have never lasted, but it was good for her to get to experience that for a little while regardless? while i don’t think she was in love with sun, she did learn to just love him, and i think the clarity and simplicity sun approaches people in general with was something villanelle really benefited (and still benefits) from. most of all, it was significant for her to be able to see and understand that she wasn’t going to be able to be present and stable in that relationship in the way that sun deserved, and to make the decision to let him go. even if she was never OBSESSIVE about sun, villanelle still used to be a pretty selfish person who didn’t see any reason to let go of things if she enjoyed them, so i think. it can’t be underestimated, what sun taught her about love.
emerald and villanelle have come SUCH a long way. first they were friends, then they were very bitter enemies, now they’re friends again approaching even a familial fondness. when villanelle was angry at emerald, it was never so much morally based as it was specifically based in the way emerald had hurt ruby, and penny, and had lied to villanelle herself. and although they started to resolve that after em didn’t take the chance to take advantage of villanelle during the memory glitch, i really think it was all the cinder stuff that allowed them to become close again. there are a lot of parallels between emerald and villanelle: both of them have coped by refusing to acknowledge the depths they’d sunken into over their heads with their respective organizations, both of them have been stuck in incredibly fucked up situations with older women. i think when villanelle acknowledges what emerald’s been through and is able to recognize that and feel compassion for her, she’s in a way learning to feel compassion for herself, and that’s very significant. i’d love to see how they evolve after villanelle’s canon update because i think now she’ll even have. More feelings about that. and i also think on some subconscious level as the new fall maiden she feels some kind of obligation to em, to be better than cinder was.
eve is, of course, a given on a list like this. she is such a powerful - the most powerful, in fact - influence on villanelle in any universe, and i think a lot about that in the context of villanelle having so many other people in her life now who she loves and who love her. as we’ve kind of seen on at least one occasion, if villanelle had to choose between eve and everything and everyone else she has... she would always choose eve. which isn’t something i’m trying to paint as sweepingly romantic (i love villaneve and i love how disastrous they are around one another, but i can still admit i’d be concerned for someone who would choose their partner over EVERY OTHER LOVED ONE THEY HAVE COMBINED,) but then again, it’s not even necessarily only for romantic reasons. it’s because eve is someone and something villanelle... craves, needs, finds time and time again that she simply cannot live without.
and them trying to make a relationship with one another work on denny has really provided its own unique set of challenges that’ve had an impact on both of them. eve and villanelle are deeply intrinsically connected, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to peaceful coexistence. any semblance of that, i think, is something that they’re always going to have fight for durations of, because their instinct is so much to consume one another instead! while its effect on villanelle of course can’t be described as wholly healthy - like i just mentioned above, she can be pushed into that place where she just sabotages everything else in her life for eve even still - that isn’t to say that there aren’t things about eve that haven’t changed villanelle for the better too! because to even have a romantic relationship with eve for an extended period of time like she has, villanelle has had to get better at certain things. she’s had to access a place of vulnerability and willingness to communicate that she hasn’t with anyone else, she’s had to accept eve’s own agency and individuality separate from their relationship (which is something she did on denny even before season 3 had her do it in canon!), she’s even had to do things like confront what her, say, killing bill actually meant and how it affected and continues to affect eve. it’s an absolutely explosive and constantly unstable dynamic, but there is of course GENUINE love between the two of them, and i really love all the ways in which villanelle’s been challenged to fight for that.
carolyn bears a mention because she’s undoubtedly been hugely influential in the choices villanelle has made (and the ones which have been denied to her), especially lately. i don’t think villanelle ever particularly underestimated carolyn, but i think she was much too proud and too cocky to have imagined she’d have ever ended up under carolyn’s thumb the way she did. carolyn forced villanelle into the RID, and that was a situation villanelle was pretty complacent in for a while if only because it generally worked out for her. it took being backed into a corner to realize exactly how fucked she was, and interestingly enough i think that started to open villanelle’s eyes to the reality that she keeps ending up trapped by these higher powers, which is something that her canon update is going to heavily heavily emphasize. so. yeah, although while canon villanelle is mostly ambivalent to carolyn, denny villanelle absolutely HATES her. which. heh. may not end well. for at least one of them.
natasha is such a significant relationship for villanelle because i think, even with all the time she’s spent on denny and all the people she’s met? villanelle does not know... many people who are like her. most of her friends who know she’s an assassin either shy away from that part of her, or acknowledge it without really understanding what it means or what villanelle’s relationship is with killing and her own inner darkness. but natasha is such a PARALLEL to villanelle in so many ways, she was shaped into a weapon and told it’s the thing that defines her too, and even though she got out, she still has to grapple with that part of herself every single day. villanelle and natasha have their differences, sure, their variations in character and how their individual stories play out, but they also share a very specific understanding with one another that i don’t think either of them can really get anywhere else at the moment. and that’s a huge part of why nat has been such a significant influence on villanelle. when nat shows villanelle compassion, it comes from a deep, unfiltered place of empathy, something that could never be mistaken as Pity because they both understand what an insult that would be. when nat shows kindness and affection towards villanelle, it always seems to come from a place of “i understand the place you’re in completely, and you deserve to be treated like a human being anyway” which i think is so tragically ironic considering the self-loathing nat still carries around with her.
and i think there’s a part of villanelle that... while on denny she’s never expressed outward interest in completely changing her lifestyle or anything like that, i think there’s a part of her that looks at nat and admires how far she’s dug herself out of the hole she was in and, in some small quiet way, hopes to be like her someday.
pyrrha is pretty unique among the ruby girls in that like, rather than bonding with her gradually, villanelle kind of latched onto her immediately in a very “THIS IS TEAM RWBY’S DEAD LOVED ONE I MUST PROTECT HER” sort of way. which is interesting in its own way, because villanelle is rarely that protective of other people, and i think it goes beyond the physical (because she knows pyrrha can take care of herself) and more into the emotional. which villanelle does not especially consider herself well-equipped to handle, but hey, she’s gotta make sure pyrrha values herself beyond just what she can give or sacrifice to others!!!
on the subject, in terms of influence i have to mention that pyrrha gave her life for villanelle during the games, which is something that no one has ever done for her before, and an event which directly compelled villanelle to do the same for weiss. i don’t think villanelle knows how to even... address that, really, and can’t fully process the scope of it even though she made a similar decision in the end. in simplified terms, she feels like she owes pyrrha a debt, and one she hasn’t yet fathomed a way to repay.
elizabeth really just started out as a minor infatuation, a lil crush like villanelle gets on any pretty woman who intrigues her for more than 5 minutes. her flirtations with elizabeth were all in line with that, and i don’t think villanelle really realized how much she was encouraging elizabeth’s feelings for an attachment to her, particularly because her own feelings were not particularly intense for the first stretch of their friendship! in a way, villanelle’s relationship with elizabeth is a good examination and challenge of something i haven’t really done before with villanelle, which is that, like. it’s not her fault that she doesn’t bond or attach the way other people do (or at least, is much slower to), but she also has virtually no self-awareness of the way she engages and sometimes leads people on as a result. a lot could have been averted if she’d just... had the sense to set boundaries or had found a way to be more honest about the person she is.
but a lot’s happened since then, and now villanelle has to contend with the fact that she DOES love elizabeth, but at a time when their relationship has already just become too strained and impossible for the time being. additionally, villanelle really has no reference at all for being IN love with someone (or approaching that, anyway) in a way that’s non-obsessive and more quiet and gradual and just... very different from the way she loves eve, so she has a real hard time distinguishing this grey area between platonic and romantic feelings. because villanelle is still very literal in the interpretation of her emotions, so her reference for being in love with someone is “eve”, and she doesn’t know how to recognize anything on such a different part of the spectrum (particularly because villanelle is probably physically attracted to like, many of her platonic adult friends,)! SO elizabeth and villanelle’s relationship is very influential in the sense that it really pushes villanelle into exploring parts of herself and emotional experiences that she hasn’t really yet.
do i need to put cinder here? she wasn’t in villanelle’s life for very long, but technically she is the reason villanelle has maiden powers, which changed her life entirely, so,
and then i’ll also toss in jigsaw (and technically also handsome jack), who will be INCREDIBLY pleased to know that his trap had a lasting effect one way or the other. don’t get me wrong, she was pissed as hell about it and would go on the WARPATH if she ever caught so much as a whiff of their involvement, but i mean. aside from the fact that lasting trauma definitely counts as an influence, i think it is one of the events that definitely brought villanelle closer to and more attached to eve, if perhaps in a. somewhat codependent and overprotective way. still can’t believe they caught villanelle saying she would give up everything else in her life and die for her gf ON TAPE,
#fizzlep0p#tony genuinely this is an essay you dont need to feel obligated to read it all#or read it all in one sitting#BUT THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE EXCUSE TO GUSH ABOUT THESE DYNAMICS IVE LOVED SO MUCH#seriously this started out as a quick list of character names and then i wrote like 2 paragraphs for each of them#so feel free to look up your character (s) and then just nope out#cuts dennys lvad wire#long post /#i guess. because the cut will not fucking work the way its supposed to for some reason
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Objection!: Chapter 8
Chapter title: It's Not So Bad
A/n: Yay! New chapter! I love this book! I'm not going to lie, it's one of the favorites that I have ever written. I hope you guys are enjoying it too. Also Toddler!Remus and Logan OWN me, they're so cute?? Also, Remy and Virgil as partners is something that I love, I love writing their dynamic.
Make sure to leave me some comments, I really appreciate them!!
First | Previous | Next
words: 4481
summary: Though the case starts out bad, Patton finds the night gets better
pairings: Eventual logicality, eventual prinxiety, platonic demus, romantic remile
warnings: Murder mention, child murder, Law and Courtroom, swearing, choking, choking mention, Blood mention
Ao3 Link
“What” Virgil shrugs, “I was being honest”
“I will hold you in contempt of court Detective Tormine” Joan eyes him, Virgil smirks at them folding his hands maliciously in his lap.
“Ok, you can't reall- What am I doing I don't care” Patton sighs exasperated sitting down. Roman tries his best to stop laughing. He gasps a little more before banging his gavel and waving it around.
“Order! Order in the court” he yells, both lawyers share a look they were both familiar with. Virgil shakes his head. Joan grunts before returning to Romans side, he smiles affectionately at them, and they return the gesture. Virgil's rolls his eyes, how is everyone in love with this man? “Virge, we can't really start unless you say yes” Roman reminds gently, Virgil sighs.
“Fine yes whatever” Roman nods, banging his gavel once more. It's unnecessary really, Logan presumes he just enjoys it. Logan makes his way to the stand, he holds his papers in one hand.
“Would you please state your first and last name for the record” Logan requests, Virgil trills his lips but sits forward. It isn't that he hates this exactly, it's just he’s been through this so many times. It never gets easier, the constant eyes watching him, the pressure, the stakes.
“Virgil Tormine” He wrings his hands trying his hardest to dismiss the incessant noise of the reporter typing on their computer. The smashing of the keys echo throughout the room, Virgil swears someone was talking but he can't hear them.
“Mister Tormine?” Virgil returns his focus to Logan, the court watches him expectantly.
“What was the question?”
“I asked what your occupation was” Logan repeats, Virgil glances around, the jury hasn't budged since he arrived. He itches the tips of his fingers, his stomach tightens, he struggles to get the words out.
“Uh...I'm a detective” He mumbles, Logan nods. There's the typing again, the irregular pattern of the clacking, the air conditioner whirring, the occasional shuffle of someone. He needs someone to speak, something to focus on.
“Thank you,” Logan says as if reading his mind. It's simple and short but it's enough to ground Virgil. “Detective, you, alongside detective Nyx,” He looks to Remy who waves jokingly. Virgil smirks at his partner, the calm manner that Remy holds has always eased Virgil. “Are the leading detectives of this case, correct?” Virgil nods “Wouldn't you say you were pretty familiar with the case?”
“Objection, leading the witness!” Patton calls out, there are two things that Virgil will never get tired of. The look upon Logan's face, and the pride on Pattons. He remembers the first time he witnessed Patton against Logan. No one thought he would win, it's not that he wasn't smart or good but he was Patton, and Logan was...well Logan. But when the jury reached their verdict finding the defendant not guilty, Virgil learned there was more than meets the eye. For the past ten years, Patton had been Logans number one competitor. And it was glorious. Logan purses his lips, it really was too early.
“Sustained” Roman decides. Virgil smirks at the judge, something about the way he says it.
“Let me rephrase, how familiar are you with the case?” Logan tries. Virgil spins in his chair, landing on the stand. Logan rolls his eyes at the dramatics.
“Very familiar”
“Would you please describe the crime scene?” Virgil raises an eyebrow. He glances to Patton.
“Which one?” He doesn't know where he stands on this case, to be frank. (But you're not Frank, you're Virgil, as Patton would joke). He sees and understands Patton's perspective because it doesn't make sense. Evidence doesn't just appear after the fact.
“Let's start with the first murder,” Logan turns to the jury “Because as far as the detective's reports go and police reports there were multiple” He informs, they know this but Logan wants to remind them. Patton furrows his brows, pinching the tips of his fingers.
“Ok...uh..” Virgil tries to recall the first murder. “It was…” He purses his lips looking to Remy, he mouths something “David Floss I think…” Logan shoots him a glare “I know, sorry, it was on the night of September thirteenth, happened in his apartment” Virgil continues, Patton scribbles this down “Uh...no evidence or traces of anyone besides the victim and a letter-”
“What letter, detective?” Logan interjects, Virgil presses his lips together. “Apologies, continue”
“It was...uh the letter ‘E’” Virgil snaps remembering, that was the first letter they had found.
“Was this the only letter found?” Logan continues, Roman leans forward now, tapping his foot below the desk.
“At this scene? Yeah” Virgil tells “But not the only one for the other murders, we found an ‘a’, ‘L’, ‘I’, ‘T’ and some others” Logan nods skimming down his paper some more. Roman thinks about the letters, obviously, he was aware of the other letters and for weeks had been trying to figure out what they spelled.
“What do you think the letters were spelling detective?” Logan queries, preparing his pencil for the notes. Patton stands.
“Objection, calls for speculation” He claims. Virgil didn't mind, the less he had to talk, the better. Logan looks to Roman, his eyes pleading the judge. Roman pinches his nose glancing between the lawyers. Patton waits expectantly, he didn't mind if it had gotten overruled but throwing Logan off his rhythm was important. Street smarts, he smirks.
“Overruled” Roman decides, Logan shuts his eyes relaxing his shoulders. Patton shrugs sitting back down. He feels the table shake a bit, looking over to George he notices the man tapping his foot. He has tried his hardest to dismiss these feelings but as the case went on he did grow more uncomfortable around George.
“Mr.Hoff? Are you alright?” Patton whispers leaning over, he can hear Logan continue his questioning in the background. George turns to him suddenly becoming very still, Patton swallows putting on his best smile. Remy notices the interaction he leans forward. “Mr.Hoff?” Patton tries again. George stares before smiling, not a smile that reassures Patton in any way. His eyes remain so still as if nothing lived behind them. His lips twisted in a way like it was the first time he had ever smiled and didn't know how to do it.
Remy was the first to see it happen, jumping out of his chair, calling attention to it. Multiple gasps are heard from the jury box. Virgil was next, his eyes widening as he scrambles out of the witness stand, jumping over it. Logan's confusion quickly turns to frozen horror as he watches Remy and Virgil pull George Hoff off of Patton. His hands are clasped around Patton's neck, tears begin running down his cheek. His face resembling that of a tomato, Logan finds the ability to move once more as Joan rushes past. Finally, the detectives are able to pull him off, restraining the fighting man. Patton clutches his neck gasping for air, his coughing is deep and dark. Logan works quickly, kneeling next to Patton. While Remy works on the client, Virgil joins Logan at Patton's side. Roman does the same finally being able to get out of his stand. Patton coughs, the red hand marks on his throat pulse. Logan waits, he waits for it to calm down, but he doesn't. Logan finally grasps why.
“He’s not getting any air!” He shouts, no one moves. Virgil watches alert.
“What...what do we do?” Virgil asks, Patton's coughing only gets more sporadic. Logan shakes his head as if everything he once knew had fallen out. There wasn't any time to respond, Pattons coughing silenced as he went limp in his chair, giving Logan only a few seconds to catch him.
~~~
“Feeling better?” Virgil asks softly, Patton swallows nodding, his throat searing with pain as he does so, pressing his lips together. He doesn't want to alert them. Roman takes a seat next to him on Emile's couch. Emile sits on Patton's other side, holding water. Logan, Remy and Virgil stand, watching Patton intently. “Pat...we have a confession, we ha-”
“He didn't do it” Patton croaks, Logan sighs exasperated. “He didn't Lo!” He argues as if Logan is the only person he wants to convince, to believe him. Emile puts a comforting arm on his shoulder. Patton sits back pouting, the way his little face chubs when he does so is enough to make Logan's knees weak. Who am I?
“Patton he just choked you!” Virgil blurts, the groups turns to him, silent shock runs through “He put his hands on your neck, and squeezed” He explains, Patton shrinks back, his hands tracing the marks on his neck. Remy moves towards the angered detective. Virgil bounces angrily in place, his fists clenched so hard they’re turning red.
“He knows dude, he knows” Remy assures, Virgil huffs rubbing his head, a normal color returning to his fingers. Patton watches the pair, twisting a ring placed on his own finger. Logan can't pull his eyes away from the smaller lawyer, an overwhelming pit forms in his stomach. “Whether or not you want to continue, he can't be present anymore” Remy informs, Patton glances up, he strokes the nape of his neck. Usually a cause for distress or concern, Logan thinks, Although in Patton's case it's probably just pain. Remy examines him, folding his arms almost instantly “Patton no-”
“He has to be there Rem!” Patton sits forward, his hands clutch the couch. “He has to deliver his testimony, he has to show that he is not this...person” Patton gestures, his eyes stay fixated on Remy, he wasn't glaring but his stare was icy. There is a lot to say about Patton but Logan will never not admire his...passion, the way he believes and trusts so strongly. But he also fears this for the lawyer. The phone rings on Emile's desk, he stands making his way to it. Everyone falls silent.
“Hello, Dr.Picani speaking” He greets, small mumbling can be heard in return “Great! Thank you for letting me know” He listens for a quick moment before hanging up. “Patton?” Patton breaks his eye contact, turning to Emile. “The twins are here” He notifies, Patton instantly softens. He stands prematurely, practically collapsing once more had it not been for Romans brisk catch. Having the air practically squeezed out of him made him feel so shaky and weak .“I'll go get them” Emile smiles warmly before leaving. Patton sits back down, supported by Roman.
“You gotta take it easy Padre” Roman advises, Patton takes a shallow breath struggling for air. Virgil shoves his hands in his pockets huffing, Roman turns to him raising an eyebrow. “Something to add mister brooding?” Romans face scrunches. Virgil scoffs, Remy closes his eyes.
“I have to go,” Virgil announces, Remy rolls his eyes. Patton and Virgil share a look before he leaves promptly followed by an apologetic Remy. Patton groans burying his head in his arms, Roman rubs his back comfortingly. He looks to Logan, the one person who hasn't spoken thus far. He might have been silent but his mind was so loud. Unfamiliar feelings and impulses are flooding him, he wants...to be there. He wants to…..it's a foolish and inappropriate thought. Thankfully, Logan didn't have much time to reprimand himself, the door swings open. Patton looks up, Emile stands in the doorway holding the two tiny hands of Remus and Valerie. The twins face light up at the sight of their father wriggling out of Emile's grip running right at the lawyer. Patton embraces them, swallowing his pain as they jump in his arms, smothering them with kisses. Logan moves forward seeing Patton wincing in pain as Valerie wraps her small around his neck. As if recalling the events of early, Patton tries to smile. Once they have calmed, they plop to his side.
“Remember what I told you” Emile chimes, the twins look up at him “Careful with your father, he’s a little delicate at the moment” Patton shoots him a grateful glance, smiling down as the kids. “Alright, I will be right back, I have to go check in on some things” Emile announces, Logan and Patton nod, waving him farewell. Roman feels his phone buzz and excuses himself. The twins bounce excitedly, clearly oblivious to the energy of the room.
“Dada! Can Mister Logan come over?” Remus requests, Logan turns towards him, his eyebrows raised. It was sudden, and not something he was expecting. However, now two pairs of eyes were planted on him, watching expectantly. Patton looks up at him giving him a lopsided smile, his eyes apologetic. Logan's chest grows, heat rising through him. He wishes it would stop, the unexplainable disappointment when Patton looks away is something Logan can’t go through every day. Because Pattons going to look away, he’s going to focus on something else, he’s going to be somewhere else, with someone else-
“Logan is very busy, and so am I” Patton informs gently, his hands wrapped carefully around the twins. “Maybe another night” They groan, clearly they've heard that phrase before. Logan smiles, it's small and barely noticeable but even he's not immune to this. The sweet pouting on the children's faces, the loving look radiating from Patton. It's complete, and just a little part of him...wants to be a part of it.
“I'm not busy,” He says suddenly, suddenly because he's taken off guard. He scrunches his eyebrows almost instantly as the words register. Patton recognizes it, he sighs, maybe a tad disappointed. He may have wished Logan had meant those words. Logan doesn't necessarily wish he could take the words back, but the way Remus bounces in his seat does diminish the option.
“Yay! See Dada? Mister Logan is coming!” Remus exclaims jumping off the couch, Patton purses his lips nodding. Valerie frowns but is quickly pulled into Remus’s dance causing her to smile. Patton wants to stand but fears his own strength, it isn't that he’s hurt anywhere else but he just feels so weak, Logan notices. He watches the twins before making his way around them, stopping by Patton. Patton looks up at him, tilting his head. Logan gives a coy smile before offering his arm.
“Here, let me” He assures as Patton takes his arm. He stands struggling, Logan grasps his other arm cautiously. It was soft, Patton was careful not to press down so hard but still get enough support. Neither of them expected the connection to cause their hearts to race. They share a quick look, unsure of what it holds. Patton bites his lips trying to suppress the incoming blush as he stares at Logan. He always loved the way Logan's face looked, not that he stared at it...but just the way his features worked so perfectly. Now, Patton always said there was no such thing as perfect, but as he stares into Logan's face (Not to be dramatic) but there were a few exceptions.
“Papa and Logan sitting in a tree!” Another exception would be his kids. Patton faces them still clutching to Logan. Valerie dances around them, singing enthusiastically. Logan swallows, the heat on his face increasing. Patton giggles shakily at the song, he’s heard them do it before but this time it feels different. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Now Remus joins in, the two creating their own tune. Patton smiles at them, Logan avoids eye contact, Patton's hold on him feeling more prominent than ever. (Literal hold and possibly something more). The pair of lawyers share a glance and smile as they shake their heads turning back to the kids, letting them finish their song.
~~~
“He’s going to get himself killed! Or worse hurt!” Virgil knew what went wrong with his concern as soon as it fell out of his mouth, but he was too upset to care. Remy decides that calming Virgil down was more important than laughing at his comment.
“Dude, we are going to be there” Remy assures, Virgil shakes his head slamming a fist on the table. The rest of the precinct eyes him but know this is Remy’s job and frankly he’s the only one allowed to. They’ve been partners for years, one slight twitch and they know exactly what's going through their partners head. “Patton will be ok” He tries again, Virgil turns to face him. His face is red, save for the growing dark bags under his eyes. Remy approaches, lifting his hands to Virgil's face, Virgil raises an eyebrow but ultimately lets it happen. “You need to sleep” He quips, tracing the under bags, Virgil scoffs.
“Tell me something I don't know” He retorts finally swatting Remy’s hand away. Remy bites his lips, subtly trying to examine his partner. Trying being the operative word, Virgil knows his partner too well by now. “Don't do that, I already have Emile and Patton on my case” He scolds, Remy holds up his hands defensively. “Speaking of Emile” Virgil eyes something behind Remy. He turns as Emile joins them, smiling at the two detectives.
“Hey, hows Patton?” Remy inquires. Emile turns to him pursing his lips. He interlocks his fingers with Remys much to the detective's delight.
“He’s alright, I left him with the twins and Roman and Logan are still in there” Emile informs, Remy nods. As if on cue, Roman appears tucking something away in his robe, joining the group. “Oh! Nevermind, here’s Roman” Emiles greets him. Remy furrows his brows.
“So you left the happiest person alive, and his spawn with Logan?” Remy repeats, he shakes his head. “Oh boy…” Virgil bites down a knowing smile.
“I don't know Rem, I think Logan will be just fine” Virgil smiles, Roman eyes him. He can't help but stare at the way the detective smiles, the smallest light in his eyes as he does so. Emile giggles, Remy feels as though he’s missed something.
“Alright, well I should get going” Emile disrupts, Remy tilts his head. “I've got to go do another psych analysis on George” Remy's heart sinks, he really doesn't want Emile near that...thing. He knows the doctor has to, and he does it every day but it still worries him. And in turn, watching Remy rush out of the precinct every day towards danger worried Emile. They sometimes wondered whether working at the same place was good for their health. Remy scans the precinct setting his eyes on a young police officer.
“Dylan!” He shouts, the man looks up weary. Remy gestures for him to come over, he does so afraid of what might happen did he not. The group watches Remy curious. Remy turns to Emile “Here take Dylan with you” Emile lets out a small laugh, he shakes his head. “What?” Remy shrugs “You can never be too safe” Dylan shuffles awkwardly, knowing he didn't have a say in this.
“You are impossible” Emile sighs, he kisses Remy quickly on the cheek before leaving followed by a very nervous Dylan. Remy glares at the officer, he and Dylan are friends but he likes Emile a whole lot more. Virgil rolls his eyes.
“You know if something happens to Emile, you're not allowed to kill Dylan” Virgil teases, Roman chuckles. Virgil’s not sure why his chest tightened when Roman did so.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that” Remy responds. Virgil goes to protest but is quickly cut off by ear-piercing shrieks. Valerie and Remus race towards them, unfortunately right into Roman who snatches them up. They laugh in his arms, hugging him. Virgil's fixed gaze on the man becoming almost impossible to tear away. “Well if it isn't thing one and thing two” Remy jokes, the twins smile at him giggling.
“Oh Ro! I'm so sorry” Patton apologizes appearing from the office, Virgil stands up now. He swallows his smirk as he witnesses Logan supporting Patton as they approach. A hand on his waist, and an arm holding his own. Unbeknownst to both lawyers, the detectives can definitely tell that they're both blushing. They are detectives after all. It's not exactly something they can just turn off.
“Hey don't worry Padre” Roman assures smothering the twins with kisses. Roman looks up smirking as soon as he sees the position the lawyers are in. “Where are you off to?” He asks coyly, Logan glares at him while Patton gives an awkward chuckle.
“Home-” Virgil turns his attention back to the conversation, peeling his eyes away from Roman.
“Are you sure that's a good idea to drive home?” Virgil intercepts, Patton smiles sweetly at him.
“I will be driving Patton home” Logan announces, Virgil and Remy share a glance, looking down to the ground trying not to laugh. “I do not understand why this concept is of any joy to you two” Logan scolds, Patton rolls his eyes playfully. “Its reasonable, and feasible” Logan argues. Patton uses his other hand to comfort the be-speckled lawyer.
“They're just being silly Lo” He assures, Logan's gaze softens and he nods. As if anything Patton says Logan would agree with no matter what. And to be honest, the vice versa was true. “Roman, I hate to ask but I was wondering if you could help me get the kids to the ca-”
“Say no more!” Roman declares, hoisting the twins a little more securely. Patton giggles waving farewell to the two detectives as Logan helps him follow Roman out of the precinct. Remy waves a little finger goodbye at Valerie who sticks out her tongue. He laughs turning back to Virgil who watches them go wearily. He goes to say something but his focus is drawn into shouting coming from down the hall. Virgil and Remy go alert heading towards the noise, as scurrying people run past them, Remy's heart sinking as soon as he realizes where the source is. Virgil turns to him but it's too late, he’s rushing down the hall with one thought in mind.
Emile
~~~
“You really don't have to stay for dinner Lo” Patton whispers as they enter the house. The twins race ahead of them as they say goodbye to Roman. Logan shakes his head softly.
“I don't mind Patton, I do enjoy spending time with you” He admits, Patton bites his lips hiding a smile. Logan leads him to the couch setting him down gently. “I will start dinner if that is ideal” Logan informs, Patton looks up at him nodding. The twins return bouncing around the taller lawyer, Pattons bottom lip quivers.
“Guys...stop” Something catches his throat, he coughs. Logan glances towards him and turns his attention to the twins. He kneels in front of the energetic kids, they stop facing him expectantly. Patton eyes them curiously, he swallows a giggle, Logans following his example.
“Would you two like to help me with dinner?” He asks the twins, they share a look before turning back to Logan, a sudden twinkle in their eyes. They jump into his arms, smiling widely. Logan takes this as an invitation to lift them, so he does making their way to the kitchen. Patton turns, adjusting his posture on the couch. As he carries the two twins, Patton can't help but think of the muscle it must take...
Logan sets the twins down on the counter carefully, telling them not to squirm too much. He worries they might fall off but they listen. Patton watches as he reaches for something higher up, Logans shirt tugs almost falling out of his pants. Patton reprimands himself, blushing. He grabs a cookbook flipping through, landing on a recipe. The twins get antsy trying to peek what he’s looking at. They start cooking and it goes by quickly, Valerie helps with the more strategic things while Remus does the things that are more fun. At one point Patton stands to make his way to the kitchen arch, he leans watching the trio cooking.
“Remus, careful” Logan warns, he lifts the tiny boy showing him what he’s cooking. He guides Remus’s hand to the spoon, showing him how to mix it. “See? Careful and slow” Logan teaches Remus giggles following his example. Patton folds his arms, trying his hardest not to smile. He can’t help but think of Liam, he should be doing this, he...said he wanted to. But instead, Logan stands...smiling? Guiding his kids, teaching them, showing them...and he loves it. Patton doesn't mind that he prefers Logan doing it, he’s not sure where the thought had come from but he likes it. Patton could watch Logan forever. “Good job Remus, that's perfect” Logan commends, he moves back a bit “Careful with the smoke” Remus takes the spoon dripping on the floor, the twins squeal in delight Logan sighs shaking his head. He sets the little boy down. He turns to clean up spotting Patton. His face falls, concern overwhelming him, he moves forward. “Patton, you should be sitting” The twins pay no mind to Logan, playing their own game now.
“I got choked Logan, not beaten” He chirps back, Logan's eyebrows raise. “Sorry, I just...I wanted to watch you-” He stops his eyes growing wide, he coughs “I wanted to watch the cooking” He corrects, a tight smile on his lips. Logan has trouble maintaining eye contact, another blush rising on his face. He’s starting to really hate this occurrence. “Whatcha making Lo?” Patton inquires trying to sneak a peek.
“I believe a simple potato soup” Logan informs, Patton smiles. He loves potato soup, it was the perfect meal when you needed comfort, or a cuddle night with the kids. And apparently, dinner with his competition. His very cute competition. He shakes his head, he doesn't have time to think about this. He has two toddlers, a 24/7 job and a murder case. But Logan...he understands. He works the same. “Patton?”
“Sorry, what?” Patton looks up realizing he missed a question. Logan wrinkles his nose but waves it off.
“It's complete, the food I mean” Logan announces, Patton nods. While Logan serves the food, cleaning up in the process, the twins help Patton set the table. Once the food is served, they sit, well in the twin's case, bounce. The table shakes as they bob in their high chairs. Patton sighs at them lovingly, Logan hopes he doesn't feel embarrassed. Little does he know, Patton could never. The twins come first, and no matter how energetic, how loud, how grumpy they might be, they are perfect in Patton's eyes. And in Logan's eyes...they aren't so bad. In fact, he likes them a lot. Logan can't remember the last time he sat down for dinner, with other people and had a pleasant conversation. He doesn’t think he would choose anyone else to do so with, however, the night was...more than ideal. In Logan's professional opinion.
#objection au#patton sanders#logan sanders#virgil sanders#thomas sanders#remus sanders#deceit sanders#roman sanders#emile picani#remy sanders#oc's#orignal character#logicality#prinxiety#platonic demus#demus#remile#writing#my writing#sanders sides#archive of our own#ao3#youtube
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Hello again! Here I am sending more 😂 Do you mind doing character thing with Kasamatsu, Imayoshi, Wakamatsu and Otsubo? If it's too much, can you do with the first three? Thank you 💕
Hello again! ^^ (So sorry for the delay I was half done and then I got hit with homework and classes and didn’t have much time to do more analyses, but they’re done for the week now! I’m free!)
I don’t mind at all! But if it’s alright with you, I probably will just do those first three, not just because it’ll be ridiculously long otherwise, but because I don’t really? think I have any strong specific feelings for Otsubo? Idk why, I like him I just didn’t connect that much with him I don’t think... but I’ll gladly talk about the others!
Kasamatsu
How I feel about this character
GOOD SENPAI. I love this guy so much and wish he got to interact with more of the cast, I really vibe with his character design (his eyes are just... damn, also SOCKS), and I love the relationship he has with his team. He’s ruthless but obviously cares about all of them working together well, and is just looking for the respect he’s due as captain. Boy puts up with so much bullshit from his team of chaotic flaky weirdos, someone needs to cut him a break.
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Kise (KiKasa ftw, the character development Kise goes through because of Kasamatsu is excellent, and almost instantaneous after he joins the team [“I liked being Kise of Kaijo”]. it’s really easy to interpret his behavior toward Kasamatsu as a crush; there’s no denying they’ve got chemistry and work well together... and even tho Kise drives his senpai nuts, they obviously both care about each other a lot)
Aomine (I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. They have one [1] interaction in canon, but that one interaction sold it for me. Aomine showing deference to someone and calling them “senpai”, helping him up after he got knocked down which seems... pretty unusual for him at the time, I’m so down for these two being in a relationship, it’s such a different dynamic than I usually see with pairings featuring Aomine, and there seems to be some legit respect to build off of there)
Imayoshi (I blame Lysapadin’s fic The Long Game for this, the way these two play off each other there and also canonically is... hilarious, the flirting, the Banter, please give me more quality captain ships I have a need)
Hyuuga (MORE QUALITY CAPTAIN SHIPS. I talked about them a little in my list for Hyuuga, but I just love the idea of both of these tough, exasperated captains getting to be vulnerable with each other)
and this one is a crossover but
Oikawa Tooru (maybe because he reminds me so much of Kise, and Kasamatsu so much like Iwaizumi, I feel like they’d have a similar dynamic, but it’d be interesting to see how, unlike Kise, a hardworking somewhat self-destructive person and a fellow third-year like Oikawa would get on with this guy.)
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Hmmm.... I’m gonna have to say Imayoshi again, even tho they work together as a couple too. The way they interact is so good, whether it’s platonic or not, and I’d love to see more one-on-one interaction with them. It could just be because the way Lysapadin handles their respective personalities in multiple fics is so perfect, but if they’re not romantically involved I’d at least like to see them as snarky semi-begrudging basketball buddies.
My unpopular opinion about this character
I don’t know? If I have one? Mostly bc I don’t really know what the fandom itself thinks about Kasamatsu, he didn’t get a lot of press even in KNB’s heyday. A random opinion/hc of him tho is he seems to be a bit of a pessimist. Whenever he’s commentating he’s just talking about how the team’s gonna lose, and even before his own game he seemed to just be thinking about how he lost before. Idk what else to give ya, just something I observed that I don’t really see talked about or portrayed for this guy.
One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.
*deep inhale* MOOORE SCREEEENTIME. And not just as a commentator/attachment to Kaijo where Kise hogs the spotlight, give this guy some time to interact with other characters and flesh him out some more please! I know I’m a broken record but that’s the only thing I can think of to improve him.
Imayoshi
How I feel about this character
I didn’t used to have much opinion of this guy tbh, when I was new to KNB… but NOW, damn, I love him every time he appears. He’s hilarious, I love how sassy and clever he is, I love that he has an accent (tho it’s only pointed out in the manga), I love that he gets to have little tidbits, like that he’s bad at drawing but good at mind-reading, and how he wears slippers in a school environment and just goes around teasing everyone, whether they’re teammates or opponents. Love this guy. I love how extra he is and I’m living every time he’s on screen.
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Aomine (ok I talked about this quite a bit already in my Aomine rant analysis, and I mostly blame Lysapadin’s A Firm Hand series, but I just can’t get enough of the idea of these two together… [also this comic ] Imayoshi taking Aomine in hand and knowing how to handle him when no one else does, and gradually warming up to him when he stops playing tough and finally shows his soft side. good shit)
Momoi (also probably bc of A Firm Hand, but I could see these two having a very interesting relationship. They’re both extremely smart, and good at understanding people, and I really like the idea of Imayoshi taking Momoi under his wing so she doesn’t have to suffer in silence and handle everything by herself. I feel like they’d be surprisingly sweet to each other, but lesbehonest, also a potentially terrifying power couple that I almost never see done)
Kasamatsu (again, just like above, a unique dynamic and a lovely rarepair that doesn’t get talked about enough. they didn’t get nearly enough time to play off each other in canon but what we did see was damn good)
Hanamiya (ok so… I’m not immune to this ship. I’ve seen some art, a couple fics, and it doesn’t seem to be much of a thing anymore, but still, why the hell not. they’ve got history, they’re both smart slightly evil [or very evil] shits, and they’d be such a disaster of a couple that’s why I love them)
My non-romantic OTP for this character
If not Kasamatsu, then probably Susa. They only got a little time to bond in canon, but I do love their dynamic and how chill they seem to be with each other. They remind me of a team mom/dad duo (tho I couldn’t tell you which was which lol). I could probably be talked into shipping them romantically, but I also just like the way they get along as friends and teammates.
My unpopular opinion about this character
This is more an argument I keep having with my sister… but I actually, genuinely like this guy’s design. She thinks he looks creepy and too evil and doesn’t like that his eyes are drawn closed, but esp in the manga, he looks really polished and I like that you can tell when he gets serious by whether you can see his eyes open. (or as I say to my roommate “oh shit he’s got eyes they’re in trouble”)
One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.
I wish we got to see more of him just hanging with his team. Idk maybe I’m biased, but I feel like Touou in particular doesn’t get that much time devoted to, like, practice and normal everyday shit (maybe bc we got to see Kaijo twice and Shuutoku got a whole training camp plus some, but all we get of them is the hot springs scene and a very short scene at the beginning and end of the show imeanwhat) I would’ve liked to get to know this guy better and see more of how he runs his very strange individualized team, but that could just be me.
Wakamatsu
How I feel about this character
My dude puts up with so much shit. I mean the first we see of him he’s getting kneed in the stomach by a certain dickish first-year, and he just always seems… so done with what’s going on around him. When he’s not yelling about it, which… mood, tbh. He’s relegated to little more than a background character in the anime, and only gets a liiiittle more development in the manga (as well as lots of really good faces), but tbh I’d love to see more of him. I’d love to know what he’s like as a captain and see more of how he gets along with the team; he’s the kind of hotheaded noisy player they make into the protagonist of other shows and I want to know more about him.
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Momoi (k a couple of my friends @spaztictwitch and @hadenxcharm actually sold me on this one. It’s a really really rare pair, but now I can’t stop thinking about it and I really like the possibilities of them as a couple.)
Aomine (again I talked a little bit about this in my Aomine essay, but I’m a sucker for this kind of ship… the love/hate dynamic, I mean. that doesn’t get old does it. and yet I don’t think I’ve ever seen content for these guys together, maybe I should take it on myself)
Sakurai (hot-tempered senpai/captain and anxious apologetic mushroom, sign me tf up these two would be Hilarious as a pairing, oh my god. I love it)
Kiyoshi (k listen. LISTEN. yes all I’ve got is the fact that they’re both centers and they only interact, like, twice, but the idea popped into my head and I think I could actually totally see it. any takers?)
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Imayoshi. I don’t know if I’d ship them as a romantic pair (tho like with most things, if someone made a good case for them I’d consider it), but I do like their canonical interactions, like Imayoshi explaining the exceptions made for prodigies in sports (“do you know the golfer Tiger Woods? How about Shaq?”), and passing the proverbial hat to him when he retires as captain (“no worries, you’ll do fine!” like he’s reassuring a new parent or smth lmao). They’re good teammates even if Touou is not really about teamwork, and I like the mutual respect in how they seem to get along.
My unpopular opinion about this character
Not just a one-note guy who yells all the time. I mean, yes, he does yell and he’s got a short temper, but so does Kagami and people don’t portray him as a guy with only one emotion and that emotion is Anger. I mean… usually they don’t. Idk maybe it’s because most of his screentime involves him butting heads with Aomine, but he seems to get along with the rest of the team alright. He respects his seniors and the spirit of the team too, he’s just an all-around good guy that seems to get the short end of the stick a lot.
One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.
I have a MIGHTY NEED to see how this guy does as captain, I want to know how he does things differently than Imayoshi and how he handles all the bullshit the team throws now that it’s all gonna be landing on his shoulders. We only got a tiny scene at the end of the show demonstrating his policy about Aomine, and we barely saw him at all in the Last Game, is he doing okay?? Is he ruling Touou with an iron fist or getting into screaming matches with his kouhai? I need to Know.
Thanks so much for asking, I really appreciate the show of interest! <3 Sorry again about the delay!
#Answered#knb#kasamatsu yukio#imayoshi shouichi#wakamatsu kousuke#long post#if any of y'all need me to put a readmore break in these just let me know#otherwise im just gonna take up the whole screen real quick k?#shin speaks#kuroko no basuke#kuroko no basket
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Hello dears!
A little bit late, but here we have my contribution for the last day of @3-days-of-lenalove on the theme of Romance!
This has four parts, they are still written as Lenalee’s thoughts; and each part is indepedant.
The first is about the OT4, which is my main ship I have with Lenalee (though I left it purposefully unsaid if the boys are also dating/will also date). The second is Lou Fa/Lenalee, which I blame one of my friend for making me think of this couple. The third is Road/Lenalee, as I always more or less wondered about this ship.
And the last is, as I named it, “No Romance”. I wanted to also celebrate that she might not want or need romance in her life, and I left it vague purposefully whether it is because she is aromantic (and/or asexual), or simply not looking for it.
Fun fact: I also ship Alma/Lenalee, but I did not find inspiration to write something. I can see them bonding by sharing a friendship with Kanda (which can also make an OT3).
I hope you enjoy!
Romance
Kanda, Lavi and Allen.
Part of Lenalee had not believed she would have the heart to feel romantic affection, and yet she had been proven wrong. Three times.
The first had been Kanda, however, she could not tell if it really was romantic, and neither could Kanda. In fact, it had never truly occurred to them to wonder, up until Lavi entered the picture. While Kanda and Lenalee grew up together, they soon realized siblings did not apply to them, and yet their closeness did not feel romantic.
They had never truly spoken about it, but Lenalee could still recall all the times she sought safety in Kanda's dojo. She could still recall the first time Kanda held her in his arms, soothing her from a break down after she first saw a friend die.
She could see in her mind, how it became something they both sought, to simply lay together, or sit so close their side touched. The first time they kissed, it was chaste, Lenalee had seen something in Kanda's eyes that betrayed he was thinking hurtful thoughts, and she had placed a hand on his cheek, and a kiss on his lips.
It was another little habit they shared after this day, cheek kiss and forehead ones, chaste kisses when they needed reassurance someone cared.
When they met Lavi, and Lenalee started to feel fondness for the red haired, she had not been certain what to do. Should Kanda and her speak, define their relationship? Should she even act on the warmth that was forming when she was with Lavi?
However, for a while, nothing happened. Lavi slipped himself, expression softening, one hand on a shoulder in comfort, even one arm around her shoulders. Compliments would sometimes leave his lips, just soft enough to convey genuineness.
In the end, none of them had the courage to take a step forward, not when they all knew death could await them. Yet, an understanding formed between the three of them, and sometimes, when it felt really hard, Lenalee would find herself laying between Lavi and Kanda, feeling safe and protected with the casual closeness.
It was Allen that unpurposefully prompted her, and all of them, to fully communicate. Mutual fondness had formed between he and Lenalee, however as she realized how much she was growing to care, she also noticed that Allen seemed to backtrack whenever he showed something that was not simple friendship.
One day, Lenalee could not help it, and rather than let it slide when Allen walled himself after giving her such a soft smile and warm look, she touched his cheek with her hand, watching the wall fall back right away from the surprise.
I care about you, Allen; she had admitted in a soft voice.
Emotions had swirled in his eyes, and then hesitantly, a little lost, he told her, Aren't I coming in between you and Lavi?
The surprise had soon shifted to understanding, and then Lenalee had breathed out a laugh. I think it's time I speak with him and Kanda, and with you.
The shocked look on Allen's face when his mind seemed to make sense of what she suggested had been lovely, Lenalee decided, especially mixed with the light hope in his silver eyes.
And then it had all fallen into places. Lavi and Kanda had not been blind, and they had long ago accepted they were both important to her. Allen had already fallen into their dynamics without realizing, but now, he knew he did not need to restrain his affection. Just like Lavi. Kanda did not change, they had always known it was not quite romance between them, but he was still her partner.
Still, Lenalee had hoped Komui had more or less guessed, he had always seemed to eye the three boys in a way that made her think he had realized.
They were proven wrong when they were laying down for a bit, all cuddled, and heard the shriek. Or maybe he had thought it was unsaid affection, not acted upon.
Somehow, Headquarters stayed standing after the Komurin of that day.
Lou Fa.
Their first interaction happened when they arrived from the battle of the Ark, and even if it had been brief, there had been a surprise in Lou Fa's eyes as Lenalee smiled at her, both feeling a certain comfrotableness as two young women watching the silly boys. Lenalee had thought the small blush on the scientist's cheeks had been from Allen, but later, she would realize it had not been the case.
They met more often, as the Asian Branch helped Headquarters more. Lenalee would find Lou Fa sweet, and Lou Fa would feel she understood why Bak had a crush on Lenalee.
Lenalee had more than once offered reassurance to Lou Fa, noticing when the young woman would get uncertain of herself; but their relation changed the day Lou Fa saw Lenalee walk off from a room with a look that made the scientist's heart hurt.
She had followed, and Lenalee had stopped when she noticed, Lou Fa had hesitated but when teary eyes glanced her way, wide but hesitant and longing, Lou Fa had rushed the little distance that separated them to hug Lenalee.
Lenalee had almost crumbled into her arms there and then, but she gathered the strength to lead them to her room.
And it had been once Lenalee had calmed down, that she realized how much she loved the hand brushing her hair, the warmth close to her; it had been them both who realized how much they loved having the other in their arms.
That was the day they shared their first kiss, and the day that marked the start of their romance.
Road.
note: it is left unsaid if Road has mentally played with Lenalee or not, but I do consider Road didn’t, meaning that Lenalee’s feelings are not planted by Road, but really Lenalee’s.
Still, if you are really sensitive to dub-con, Lenalee’s own thoughts can seem as if she is victim of manipulation, so be warned!
As much as Lenalee's mind had not been there until Miranda's Time Record had healed her mind, she had always remembered the feeling of Road's hand brushing her cheek, the soft voice murmuring, such a pretty doll.
Lenalee felt Road had done it on purpose, and many times, she wondered wih a shiver of fear, if she had fully been released from the Noah of Dream's hold.
Why else would she think more of this memory that should not be, rather than the fight that followed? Why else would she feel annoyance when Road kissed Allen's lips, the Noah's eyes meeting hers subtly after?
Oh, Lenalee had tried to tell herself it was because it was Allen, but she could not feel herself. She knew that she did not feel this way for him.
Tried as she might, Lenalee could not ignore the pang of sadness when Allen exorcised Tyki-or so they thought. She could not ignore how similar Road felt to herself, when she watched the apparent young girl grow dangerously protective, how she knew that if anyone harmed Komui, Lenalee could not deny for sure that her own reaction would not be unffiting for an Exorcist.
Maybe, Road had sensed that long ago. Maybe Road had seen Lenalee's mind better than Lenalee herself, seen all of it to destroy it better.
Maybe Lenalee's dreams that she could not share, that sometimes left her waking with her body still burning, were not quite dreams after all.
No romance
Lenalee watched with amusement as Lavi once again tried to steal Allen's food, her gaze sliding to Kanda, her fork finding her mouth faster so she could take a bit and muffled the giggle she felt rising at the twitching eyebrow from the swordsman.
It did not help that Link looked like he both wanted to be out of here and to bonk Allen's head, or that Marie did it for him, not sparring Lavi either. Poor Miranda though, but Lenalee could see the amusement that made its way into the woman's gaze, just like Krory's hesitant look had a little smile with it.
Lenalee wished for more of these moments, of these days they could laugh and enjoy life, no matter how hard it was, no matter how they fought a war.
Sometimes, she felt blessed to have found so many people that she wanted close, that grew to be part of her world. She felt that she had earned more than she dared to hope for, and that was why Lenalee fought so hard.
She had so much, and she wanted to protect it, to keep it.
And sometimes, it amused her that the one thing her brother seem to fear most, was not part of her world.
Lenalee had wondered, at times, if her heart had swayed toward someone. After all, love could form whether someone wanted it or not, even in the middle of a war. Or maybe, even more so in the middle of war.
Yet, even when she knew some could have captured her heart, it did not happen. Whether it felt more platonic, or simply that it never developped past friendship, Lenalee simply did not find anyone who truly brought romance to her heart.
And Lenalee felt she didn't look for it, either. Whether she did have crushes, or it had been a desire for platonic closeness, she could not know. Whether it was because she did not feel it, or because she felt she did not need it, romance was not part of Lenalee's world.
Not because it was impossible, but simply because Lenalee held no desire to look for it.
Love was in her life anyway, not romantic, but no less meaningful. And that was all that mattered.
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IS JIKOOK REAL?
In light of everything that's happened over the course of the month: Taekook in the Soop, the missing birthday post on Jimin's birthday and the following silence that's ensued in its aftermath- we are all still waiting for Jimin's birthday VLive; every Jikook fan past and present, deep and shallow, I feel, is left wondering whether Jikook was ever as real as bigfoot and the Easter bunny, a figment of our imagination. Is Jikook real, we all wonder.
Now, I can't answer the later with Vim and Vigor without opening myself up to all kinds of law suits under the sun- I don't care much for the skepticism and ridicule that usually follows. Nor can I in good conscience come out here and outrightly out these two that I feel are in fact a couple and dating. That would be very hypocritical of me.
The best I can do in this instance is to stream my consciousness and share with you why I believe them to be a couple? Let the records show, I am full on delusional. *smiling.
I think when it comes to Jikook the universal consensus within the fandom is that they have a really special bond. We can all agree on that much. Their bond is unique and just plain beautiful; the days of disclarity and obscurity over whether they even like each other long gone.
Thus I refrain from indulging in any conversation that calls to question the intentions of either party towards the other when either act in a certain way that most find displeasing. Such as, questions about why JK didn't promote Promise or Friends, why he didn't wish JM a happy birthday. Is Jk envious of Jimin or vice versa, etc.
Such questions as simple and as innocuous as they may seem are always hard for me to answer. JK promoted Promise, had the funniest reaction video to it. He promoted Lie, every chance he got with teasing Jimin's dance moves in Lie, literally had a gun to Jimin to perform Lie in run and that hand on his heart said it all. Is that not promotion enough?
We heard serendipity, you are me, I am you and the many tireless times JK has talked about it- he won't shut up about it. What more does he need to do to show he loves and supports Jimin's career?
I find when people ask these kinds of questions that they are operating on the mentality that JK doesn't love Jimin *enough* or worse that Jikook ought to love each other in a certain kind of way, their own arbitrary ways and to their own satisfaction.
I keep reiterating that this is their love and their relationship. Ours is just to observe how they are choosing to express that love for eachother and uWu while we are at it. Lol
That's not to say that we shouldn't have certain expectations of them if we believe them to be a couple. Expectations are important and necessary to sustaining our belief in them as a couple. But that expectation should be reasonable and should be determined by the patterns of behavior we see in them towards eachother, towards the group and with consideration to their values, culture and beliefs- stay with me.
If our expectations of them is that they are not loving eachother enough or in a way that satisfies and appeases our spirits then that's no longer expectations. That's projecting.
Thus, I'm often discombobulated by the questions i recieve on the quality of love they express towards each other because quality is relative and highly subjective.
Jikook only have so much room to express their love and affection for eachother since they are not out yet and so we may not fully be privy to the extent of the love they express for each other much less to ascertain its quality.
The space they inhabit is a working space and when the cameras turn on it is work and business...
That being said, what they are not doing within this constricted space they have is equally as important as what they are doing within this space. Whereas questions of the quality of their love is irrelevant, to me as an Alt shipper at least, I find questions of the degree of love between them highly important.
Jikook's special bond is indisputable. The conflict then has always been about labels, whether or not that bond they share is purely platonic, romantic or something in between- the degree of love between them.
And I see there are different schools of thought on this matter. There are those who operate on the assumption that Jikook are just special friends and reserve the possibility that they could be something more to them.
Then there are those who believe they are real or could be real but reserve the possibility that they could also not be real.
These are the conventional shippers. They play it safe. Good for them. But then there are the full on delulu folks such as myself who are risk takers and go all in or nothing- alternative shipping.
To me Jikook is real or I am not shipping them in the way that I ship them at all. Lol. Chileee, I prefer Yoonmin, Minimoni, Jihope, Vmin, Jinminkook, Vminkook as conventional ships for fun and what not. Jikook has always been that alternative ship for me.
And as an alternative ship, what Jikook do for eachother is equally as important to me as what they do not do for eachother. If Jikook are real then I think it's imperative that we have reasonable expectations of them in the way that they behave with eachother, enough to distinctify them as a couple within the group.
Couples are expected to behave in a certain way marked and defined by the couples themselves but that also set them apart nonetheless. Some people choose to be in an open relationship, may be friends with benefit etc but will still exude certain patterns of behavior definitive in itself that it distinguishes them from mere friends.
If Jikook are a couple they will define their relationship in a way that sets a standard for them such that this standard sets them apart from the rest of the group. And I think I have mentioned some of those standards as intimacy, speaking eachothers love language, exclusivity and the right to claim amongst others.
Yes JK loves JM and vice versa but are they loving eachother as friends or lovers? What are the patterns of behavior they put up or not put up to distinctify themselves as a couple within the group if they are one?
Yes Taekook are friends, but are they putting up distinctive characteristics that set them apart from Jikook? The answer is a resounding no- atatattatatatat, no buts. I'll bitch slap you. Lol
Tae cuddles Jimin and shares a bed with him but that is ok because they are besties soulmates. Vmin cute. Tae cuddles JK and suddenly the fandom is in uproar? Chilee, what's y'all on?
This is why I shy away from conventional shippers- well, some. The tendency they have to dismiss certain certain moments when they happen or import standards into Jikook's dynamics based on their own understanding of intimacy and romance without taking into consideration what Jikooks understanding of romance and intimacy is baffles me.
These are the people who would scream why is Jimin blowing kisses at Suga here, why is Jk cuddling Tae there without considering whether skinship with others is a deal breaker for Jikook. JK does skinship with Jin, Tae and suddenly they are questioning whether Jikook is real- I really can't relate.
If skinship is not a deal breaker for Jikook then such reactions to moments like these are nothing but censorship of JK and Jimin's behaviors and goes to question the quality of their love which as I said is irrelevant to the determining of the realness of Jikook.
If you think these skinship they do with others are disrespectful towards eachother then indirectly you are saying Jikook's relationship is toxic- but toxic relationships are still relationships and so that doesn't invalidate Jikook's relationship or disprove it.
If you expect JM to behave in a certain way because you think he is in a relationship with JK or vice versa that is no longer reasonable expectations of them but blatant censorship.
Put censorship aside, the question of the quality of their relationship aside, our own personal idiosyncrasies aside and hopes- what do you see?
REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS
I mentioned above how it's imperative to have reasonable expectations of Jikook if you believe them to be a real couple because without these expectations Jikook is no different from any other ship in BTS.
I talked about what constitutes reasonable expectations though and attempted to outline what doesn't count as reasonable expectations but allow me to shed more light on it for the sake of dissolving any ambiguity around the term.
Unreasonable expectations are those expectations we have that result in us questioning the validity of Jikooks relationship without cause. They often result in us assuming something is wrong between Jikook because we feel there is something we ought to see in their interactions because we are used to seeing them in Jikook dynamics.
Unreasonable expectations is drilled in us by false conditionings. Some of these false conditionings are external to Jikook, such as our exposure to analysis videos or edited videos. They often condition us to think Jikook are in BTS to screw eachother seven ways through the roof all year round. We tend to forget quickly that when the cameras turn on it's all work for them.
The worst part is, we get used to the slowed down gazes, the two seconds lingering stares and touches that go on for minutes in these edited videos and so whenever we are exposed to actual content from BigHit in real time we feel JK didn't stare too long, JM didn't laugh at JK's Jokes therefore something is wrong.
Some false conditionings are induced in us by Jikook themselves.
Take for instance, Jimlous and Jeonlous. Are these something to be considered reasonable expectations for us to have of Jikook because we see them do this all the time? Absolutely not.
While jealousy is an integral part of the Korean dating culture- allegedly, it is subject to the mental state, personal values and growth of Jikook.
As they mature, they may outgrow certain behaviors not limited to Jimlous/Jeonlous. It is thus unreasonable to expect these of Jikook all the time.
Coupled with long exposures to edited videos, we soon become conditioned to expect Jk or Jimin to react strongly to when the other seemingly crosses boundaries with others- aka skinship.
If you expect JK to pout each time Jimin smiles at another member and they don't, it simply means you are stuck in the past and aren't growing with them on their love journey. It doesn't mean something is wrong with Jikook or that Jikook is not real.
That doesn't mean Jeonlous is not important. It is a distinctifier. In my opinion.
Jikook are able to enforce boundaries with each other because they have the right to. I keep saying they are the only pair in BTS that has and exercise this right of claim over eachother. Jimlous/ Jeonlous is how we know they feel a boundary has been crossed and depending on the situation or environment they would often exercise that right of claim.
I have said, the only times I feel they don't and can't exercise this right of claim is if they are not a couple and just friends- when they are broken up. I saw this because even in official settings they seem to have this right of claim even if they are not exercising it.
What I'm trying to say is certain behaviors and patterns of behavior in Jikook are distinctifiers in that they set them apart from the other pairs and those distinctifiers can be reasonably expected of Jikook and so if we don't see those in them- over a period of time mind you, then questions and brows ought to be raised as high up as possible. If Jikook is not real then frankly I want to know. I'm not about to believe in bigfoot.
What I'm saying basically is, whereas Jeonlous and Jimlous are not a distinctifier perse as such shouldn't be reasonably expected of them, right of claim is a distinctifier and should be reasonably expected.
Skinship is not a distinctifier- if I have to repeat this one more time I swear to god imma wield JK's pan on y'all. Lol but deadass.
Now, is JK wishing JM a happy birthday openly on social media reasonable expectation? Come now, Y'all don know I had a complete meltdown over this on my TL. Of course I'm gone bring it up. Lol
Jikook wishing eachother a happy birthday on social media is reasonable expectations to have if it is a distinctifier or something that sets Jikook apart from the rest of the members. Is it? The answer is a flat ass no.
I mentioned that one of the reasons I believe Jikook is real is because I feel out of all the pairs in BTS they are the ones that speak eachother's love language.
Jimin loves to be made to feel special. Jk makes Jimin feel special. I mean he did gift JM a present without doing same for the others so it's safe to assume he gives Jimin special treatment on his birthdays- as should he. Mr Park set the standards high for his man.
Y'all know I was on my personal agenda with this whole JM birthday thingy. I was hoping Jk was going to post but only for Jimin and make a statement with it- a girl can dream.
The fact that he didn't post doesn't mean he didn't make JM feel special on his birthday. Had JM and BTS not talked openly about JK buying JM a present when he didn't do that for the others, frankly we wouldn't have known he ever did that for JM.
It sort of leaves you wondering what goes on behind the cameras. I mean if memories 2019 is anything to go by, Jikook is closer than we think.
Jikook show us a lot but there are a lot more we don't see.
In their early dynamics he used to do alot for JM that he seemed uncomfortable showing openly. We only knew of those moments through Jimin who seemed giddy and excited about them and would often overshare those information.
Personally, I feel whatever they did for Jimin on his Birthday is going to show up in a Bangtan Bomb or something in the future.
Due to BTS' inability to hold physical concerts due to the virus, I feel BigHit are on an agenda to increase demand and patronage for BTS content online by creating scarcity and making BTS less available and accessible- demand and supply, economics 101. They ain't slick. Bless them.
Social media is an outlet for Jikook. In my opinion. It is one of the means through which they express themselves individually and as a couple. But it's my understanding that Jikook use these outlets in different ways.
While JK uses it as an outlet to express his feelings because of his introvertedness, Jimin uses it as a means to connect with his fans and build their platform.
What I mean is, if JK is feeling happy he is going to come on here and tweet, cup of milk let's rock and roll. When Jimin doesn't pick up his calls, he's gonna come here and tweet it's hard to love. And when JinMin leave him out of a VLive he's gone drag his man's ass to film an impromptu live with him- bless him.
Jimin I find doesn't show up on social media on impulse as JK does- we all know what happens when he does. Thats when the multiple tweets and misspelled names roll in.
Jimin's presence online is often curated, in my opinion. He will often make time to talk and share his thoughts and feelings with Army to connect with them. It's the quality time love language bit in him.
Together, they use social media as an outlet to tease their relationship as a means to relieve the stress that comes with hiding their relationship. Their relationship. They do this through the flirty banter thingy they do on line- posting after eachother, responding to each other's messages etc.
An example is the recent Weverse thingy JK did which I posted about. And more recently, the D5/D4 posts they shared on Twitter where JK posted a picture of his mic on stage, an Army Logo and a purple heart. Which together read, JK purple's Army.
Jimin responded with a complimentary post of himself performing in a black and white photo with the hashtag Jimin, I miss Army. Now you don't need me to tell you what that means and if you think it's a coincidence- sorry to you.
When JK does these things, he is often connecting with Jimin, reaching out. Not every post he sends is about Jimin or intended for Jimin. I find usually the ones that are about Jimin, Jimin responds to them through his own posts or that they will have something in them that indirectly points to Jimin.
Like the 123 song recommendations or even recently the pinky ring, sky and cup of milk photo he posted after his birthday VLive.
A lot of people kept saying perhaps the chrome heart ring he wore on his pinky was a gift from Jimin. It could be. But I think the pinky was reference to the pinky ring Joke he shared on stage when he took Jimin's ring and put it on his pinky.
The blue sky reference, well... you know. But I was more concerned about the blurred out yet visible tags on the buildings in the background- this is weird for me to say out loud but I felt the message of that post was we are not hiding. Don't mind me.
Jimin loves to flaunt their bond and flex it on social media. He gets giddy and excited when Jk shows his affections, interest and attraction to him.
I have said JK and JM have two different personalities and while often Jimin is loud, open and overwhelmingly affectionate, JK is equally intense with his affections but at his choosing. They both have intense feelings and passions for eachother but they express it in different ways due to their different personalities.
Jikook are together but they are on their own unique personal journeys of growth as well. And as much as they start certain traditions, they also end certain traditions. This is especially true for JK.
He is the one who started their 123 coded flirty banter and he is the same person who ended that tradition with the ending scene post he shared on Twitter.
Because JK likes to retract and conceal aspects of himself, often I value and pay more attention to the things he does share than the things he don't.
And because Jimin is very loud and forward with his expressions, I value and lay attention to the things he does not share more so than the things he shares.
Often I hear people say Jimin acts the same with everyone, he is so openly affectionate so certainly his love for JK doesn't go beyond platonic feelings nor can it be exclusive to JK.
That's just the thing with JM's persona. It is so loud it blurs the line between his true self and his idol self.
The boy in love with Jungkook is a facade. That is the role Jimin took on at debut. If you don't know this you've been played. If you dislike JK's brand of love, his way of expressing his love for Jimin because of this persona Jimin has you owe Jk an apology.
That one person who loves Jungkook unconditionally in BTS is just a performance. All BTS were given roles, a marketing role to sell the bromance and sell the fans. Most of them have since out grown those persona's and those kinds of performances- especially JK.
JM still holds on to his persona compared to the others in my opinion: that hypersexualized, aigyo cute persona, a bit brazen, confident, shameless etc. He projects a lot of himself into this persona but I feel often he injects bits of this persona into his real identity as a way to break himself out his limitations as Park Jimin-That never mind tattoo is there for a reason.
And so when he is being loud and daring and a tease that's not when I find his love for JK. His love resides in the calmness of his storms. In his moments of quiet when he isn't screaming and disappearing while he laughs; when he is staring at JK, taking in his visage as if he is the most beautiful thing on earth- that's when you see all the love he has for him in his face. He never does this with any of the members.
When JK is injured and he switches off his loud persona, that's when you see the real park Jimin.
I don't know which is worse, people who believe this sick persona of his is real or the people who see this persona for what it is but fail to look deeper than that.
Then there are those who believe they are dating but then dismiss certain questionable things when they happen in their dynamics. Isn't that why some people believe Taekook is real? in spite of Jikook? How can you believe a ship to be real when the existence of another ship calls into question the entire ship and not just aspects of it? It beats me.
Are they any ship in BTS that calls Jikook into question? I'll leave you to answer this.
If your answer is wrong, I'm blocking you.
Signed,
GOLDY
#Jikook#kookmin analysis#jikook is real#kookmin#jikooktheories#kookmintheories#jikook analysis#goldy analysis#goldy theories#goldy#nightswithkookmin#jikook scenarios#Jikook tns#bts ships#bts Jimin#bts Jungkook
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Do you have any ships in the clone wars/repcom fandom?
DO I
TBH I have a really… really long list of ships. I’m one of those people that could potentially ship anyone/everyone given enough time to come up with at least vaguely acceptable reasoning.
I mean … I’m the one behind the ship of Mereel and The Stars so I don’t … uh, have a whole lot of requirements for shipping.
My lines are: Everyone is an Adult at time of ship; and any potentially coercive relationships are written with a very clear, honest presentation and understanding of that coercive nature (zero tolerance policy for romanticizing abuse).
Fair warning, though: I do have clone/clone ships, too, and I know that makes people uncomfortable — hence the warning. And for the record, any of the below ships? I don’t expect anyone else to ship it, and I don’t generally expect people to be down w/ it or write it, either. B’)
I also … have Mereel listed kind of a lot in here. He just has so much love to give, okay. B’)
and under a cut bc damn this got long
Republic Commando:
Mereel and the Stars
Stars. Ka’ra. Ruling Council of Fallen Leaders.
When Mand’alore die, it’s said they ascend to the stars. Is that where it ends, really, or do they become something more, something greater than they were in life? And if they do — do they interact with the people?
Do they keep favorites? Do they adore and adulate their champions?
And how difficult, exactly, is that relationship for the mortal who can’t quite reach out and touch the one he loves most?
Ordo and Besany
like honestly my OTP for the longest time lmao
I never finished my ‘Are These For Me?’ 30 drabbles for them … but maybe one day. One day.
Fi and Ordo
Boy meets Boy. Boy compliments Boy’s skirt. Boy hugs other Boy so hard they hit the floor.
#true love
Besany, Fi, Ordo
Besany is the type of person who is so kind, and so considerate, and so understanding. And Fi … he needs that. He needs it just as much as Ordo needs it, and as they need each other, and Besany.
Some might not find a closed polytriad “normal,” but if it works for them, then it shouldn’t be anyone else’s business.
Darman and Etain
My heart constantly breaks for them. They deserved so much better than what they got, and it kills me.
And their relationship was so … so good. So good, in the beginning. Tragic, what Kal did to them.
Atin and Laseema
They were lucky in that they weren’t Kal’s favorites, and so were able to fly mostly under the radar and out of his attention. Kal still held a lot of … really unhealthy financial control over them, but … I genuinely feel that Atin and Laseema could relate deeply on several levels.
They have… compatible demons, for lack of a better term. They balance each other. And Laseema was always an interesting character I wish we could learn more of — and her friendships with the rest of the clan. After all, she seemed to be the one in active communication with everyone.
Niner and Boss
Listen … I love this ship. I feel like there’s a lot of UST going on whenever they’re onscreen, and it’s an interesting sort of dichotomy that goes on between them — two sergeants of two squads whose trainers viciously hated each other during training days.
There’s a competitiveness there that can’t really be quashed, but there’s also an understanding that exists between them that’s unique to their experiences.
Jaing and Kom’rk
This is one of those incredibly obscure, controversial ships.
Full disclosure: this is a pretty fucked up ship, and it’s mostly from the perspective of “wow, that’s kinda fucked up.” I don’t expect anyone else to ship it, and I don’t generally expect people to be down w/ it or write it, either. If they do, the fucked-up part needs to be recognized and recognizable, however obliquely, or it just doesn’t work.
They’re two very damaged people, there’s no use shying away from that.
I fell into this ship by total accident, going through all the nulls’ tags on ao3 years ago and stumbled on one fic, and like … since then, I haven’t really been able to climb out this hole.
Corr, Ruusan, and Jilka
I am not a fan of Corr and Jilka, alone.
That said … I am a fan of Corr and Ruusan, of Jilka and Ruusan, and … of the potential dynamics of this poly combination, with the given that Jilka and Corr remain platonic as opposed to romantic.
It just feels more … balanced? Also Rev @thesummerstorms and Gena @cassiansfuzzyjacket explain it way better than I do.
RepComm crack!ships:
these are very, very clearly not-canon and not to ever be taken as canon (by me, at least?) but damn. they’re nice to think about, and try to come up with ways in which it might work.
Etain and Mereel
“WHAT THE FUCK IZZY?” I KNOW! I KNOWWWWWW
But more seriously … Mereel was there every day for Etain during a very, very difficult time (the months after her almost-miscarriage). Of all the characters in the series during the course of the series, after Etain and Darman, Etain and Mereel spend the most unobstructed alone time together (about three months?) — and we would never know because, lol, the pacing and timeline of the series is not really presented in a way that makes that noticeable.
Mereel also does something with Etain he doesn’t do with anyone else, ever, that we see in the series: admit vulnerability. He’s genuinely vulnerable with her, in a way that he is not with anyone else. That means something — especially given the context that he doesn’t open up with anyone else, not his brothers, and never Kal.
Someone that Mereel can be genuinely vulnerable with? That he must trust, implicitly, to share that vulnerability?
And then you have Etain, who is isolated after the mess of pregnancy news blows up. She’s someone who doesn’t have anyone she can trust, or depend on, who isn’t looking to use her in some way — or someone that she can be equally open and honest with — in those months … right up until Mereel (and Rav), when she’s evac’d to Kyrimorut.
And when she is, she’s treated like a whole person. Not someone who’s just a vessel for a potential, not someone to be used or leveraged for misogynistic reasons. A genuine, whole, person who is highly intelligent, highly capable — and treated as an actual equal. She was not given that respect since the conclusion of Hard Contact (except, briefly, when hunting with Vau).
The whole situation, as terrible as it all is, allows for the foundation of genuine, real, trust to form between them.
There’s a lot of … well, there’s a lot of potential there. A lot of room for complications and conflicted feelings and angst — UST and one-sided pining and mixed signals and confusion and just raw feeling — and it’s all things that don’t necessarily need to be resolved negatively (or right away, or at all), that don’t have to end in heartbreak, that can be just as it is: complicated feelings that begin during a difficult time and, given room to grow, become something else or something more many, many years down the line.
Mereel and Boss
Don’t even look at me.
So this ship came as a result of SW RP (bc of course it did) and, tbh, they have a lot of … difficult commonalities and clashes of personality. Boss is a difficult man with a lot on his shoulders — a lot of responsibility, a lot of stress, just … a lot. And Mereel? Mereel is someone good at managing stress — out of necessity, and practice, and effort.
And the thing with Mereel is he’s fun, he’s easy, and he demands nothing. Boss doesn’t need to take care of him, because Mereel can take care of himself — and sometimes Mereel can take care of Boss, whether he likes it, or not (or likes to say he doesn’t when he does).
Boss certainly needs someone like that, especially after long days and hard nights with other people always needing him, depending on him. It’s good, it’s necessary, to have someone for whom he can truly relax and let his guard down around — that he can trust implicitly, and be allowed to be vulnerable, to have his ugly parts exposed, and still be loved unconditionally, because that’s just what Mereel’s best at doing.
Parja and Mereel
“SERIOUSLY?” LISTEN
This also came as a result of SW RP, and mostly takes place in an AU where … Parja and Fi’s relationship inevitably crumbles, and they split — but they split amicably, and remain friends. Parja remains a mechanic and never is forced to give up her shop because of (poor misogynistic writing and) Kal.
Mereel and Parja and Bardan are all particularly good friends and get up to all kinds of nonsense and pranks, and prank wars.
And … sometimes, late nights spent tinkering on separate projects in the same space, late nights working on the same projects, late nights spent together — and sometimes Mereel can’t quite come clean that he needs someone, that well after the conclusion of the war he needs physical contact in order to sleep.
And after the end of what Parja put too much stock and energy into what she hoped would be a sure future, a sure thing — maybe it hurts too much to sleep alone, but it’s too much of a risk to fill that empty space with romance when she’s not ready. Why not someone she trusts, that she knows would never, not ever, not in a million years, ever cross that boundary — someone who would never violate that trust, never take the invitation to share her bed as anything more than just that: a mutually beneficial way to get some rest.
Sometimes feelings happen. Gradually, and slow, and sneaks up on even the most vigilant. After a while, it becomes expected. After a while, it becomes wanted. After a while, they become needed.
other ships I’ve fallen into that I don’t have time/want to explain:
FI AND SEV
Atin/Sev
Sev/Boss
Scorch/Sev
MAZE/ZEY
Jaing/Sev
Fixer/peace of mind
Uthan/Mij (but way more hostile on Uthan’s part)
Walon/his star-crossed princess (literally, a real thing. I can’t get over how this is an actual thing)
Clone Wars:
admittedly, it’s been a while since I watched the series all the way through, but … repeating the warning for clone/clone bc that’s a thing in here, and the explanations are shorter bc, again, it’s been a while.
Marshal Commander Cody and Captain Rex
Their personalities mesh so well together, and honestly they’re just … so compatible ??? They also work so well together, went through training together … if there’s anyone Rex can really trust implicitly, it’s Cody.
Their friendship grows over the series and expanded (Legends) materials, and just … it works, in the way they need it to work.
Echo and Fives
Just punch me right in the chest.
really any combination from Domino Squad
because we all need tragedy in our hearts
General Aayla Secura and Commander Bly
You know … for the most part, I’m a little leery on ships like this where there’s a clear and obvious potential for really serious coercion. Most Clone/Jedi-who-are-their-direct-superiors tend to fall into this category.
but I’m just a sucker for Bly-post-war angst, for the conflict of fraternizing with a superior, with trying to navigate that Aayla really did have his life in her hands, and then the conflict of navigating those feelings surrounding killing her at the end of the war.
I’m a terrible person.
Duchess Satine Kryze and Obi-wan Kenobi
let me just like … repeat the above. My one thing about this is that I hate how Satine was killed off for Kenobi-man-pain, and generally only want to know stories that you know … fix-it, lmao, or give her a more respectable death that was written with better care to her character and her arc
Ventress and Obi-wan Kenobi
All of that flirting went fuck and nowhere. What a hugely missed opportunity — especially when Ventress was trying to work towards being better, or making a life for herself, turn over a new leaf or whatever.
I mean, we all know she hangs out in the kind of tapcafs Kenobi loves to get drunk in, let’s be honest with ourselves.
clone wars crack!ships :
I’m sorry in advance lmao
Captain Rex and Lieutenant Mereel
“What the hell.” Listen.
“Did this come out of SW RP?” HOW DID YOU GUESS.
Much like the other ships with Mereel, it’s all contingent on … Mereel operating as a free agent — a solo operator. Mereel pulling strings and favors across the GAR to make things just a little bit easier for Rex, for clearing up or speeding up administrative bull shit so that Rex can focus on getting what he needs for his men in a reasonable amount of time — or free up some time for himself.
And with the way Mereel’s … operations tend to go, paths sometimes cross that didn’t before.
Anyway, who doesn’t like camping?
Quinlan Voss and Obi-wan Kenobi
Listen … they have a kind of fun playfully antagonistic thing going on. I don’t know if I could ever seriously ship it, mostly bc everyone who falls in love with either of them straight up die, so we come to a “unstoppable force vs immovable object” impasse if this ship ever actually came to fruition.
that and fandom can be kinda … gross w/ this ship sometimes so I’ve been avoiding it lately for that reason.
Senator Padme Amidala and Duchess Satine Kryze
how can anyone watch the episodes where they’re together and not see how good they are together. and like, the men in their lives, cause their deaths. so why not just … leave their men for each other?
Everyone wins.
not exactly clone wars honorable mention:
Ahsoka Tano and Kaeden Larte
I ship it so hard. if only !!! if only they didn’t meet when they did, when Ahsoka wasn’t as wounded, still, from the fallout of the end of The Clone Wars. and all of that tragedy. i just.
I just !!! ugh. they’re so good together.
aaand I think that’s all of them, or at least all that I can remember off the top of my head for now.
#Anonymous#izzy talks repcomm#izzy talks ships#I have ... a lot of ships. lmao#asks.txt#izzy talks clone wars
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As You Wish
[Author’s Note: This is a repost of Love, Faith and Fantasy–my piece on Jake and Dirk’s character arcs and the relevance of Knights and Pages in understanding them. I thought breaking it up into chunks would make the content more accessible, and give me room to flesh out each argument. Thus there will be some updates to the content. Hopefully this will mean more people can easily approach it!]
[Pt. 1 - Knights/Pages - Service and Ownage]
[Pt. 2 - Faith and Fear] [Pt. 3 - Fearful Heart]
[Pt. 4 - Nobility]
A disclaimer before we get started:
I think reading Jake as aromantic is copacetic with the canon. Obviously I don’t share this reading--I see him as Bi and romantic--but all I’m going to argue here is that Jake deeply, truly, profoundly loves Dirk. I’m going to explain how and why he loves him, too.
But whether that love is romantic or platonic is up to interpretation, I think.
You can read them as lovers or best friends or whatever shade of grey between is most pleasing to you, in my humble opinion. All I’m arguing is that the love is there. That out of the way, let’s begin.
I don’t feel the need to deconstruct Jake’s every line to determine why he didn’t mean each and every one that could suggest a lack of romantic interest. You can pretty much put almost all of them down in one of four categories:
He worries about other people’s perceptions and discomfort with queerness, a byproduct of internalized homophobia...
His later discomfort with feeling unsafe and sexually threatened/objectified, a byproduct of his traumatic experiences with Hal, Jane and Aranea...
His lack of surety regarding the nature of Dirk’s feelings for him...., a byproduct of his willful ignorance and his desire to avoid talking about the possibility he may have hurt Dirk’s feelings growing up.
And then there’s the one moment I actually want to talk about.
Jake says this in response to Roxy talking about feeling like it hurts to let Dirk down. The thing is, Roxy--like Dave--is a Passive player, who is predominantly motivated by the perceptions and needs of others. Of course failing someone she cares about is going to sting for her more than it would for Jake.
That has nothing to do with Jake’s capacity for love, it has to do with the fact that Jake is selfish. It has to do with him regretting his self-absorption. Jake does love, and he loves intensely--he loves enough to die for it, which is pretty much as intense as it gets. He’s just deeply, deeply selfish about it.
And I love that selfishness about Jake. Because it turns all doubts about whether Jake loves Dirk back to ash in one fell swoop, in one single, brilliant, shining moment.
In this moment all of Jake’s plot threads come together--his sexual abuse and lack of agency, his growing fear, his certainty none of his friends wants him anymore, his selfishness and fantasy indulgence AND Dirk’s desire to live up to Dave’s image and be helpul to Jake are all built up into this one single, spectacular moment.
A cinematic moment. A moment with deep philosophical implications.
Everything about Jake and Dirk’s narratives builds up to this. Dirk’s desire to live up to Dave and Jake’s inherent selfishness are complementary, symbiotic forces. I mentioned earlier that when Dirk’s lamp and Heart Light up and overflow he performs incredible, unbelievable acts whilst rushing to Jake’s side.
And when Jake is Lit up by Aranea, removing his agency as a person COMPLETELY while also making him the brightest object in the sky, Jake manages to find a way to turn his power against her. And what he chooses to create reveals everything about his character.
Because what he chooses to do is call Dirk to his side, to protect him and keep him safe from his perceived threat.
Both of the boys literally LIGHT UP with their feelings for each other, in a comic where the concept of Light is explicitly linked to relevance, importance, understanding, and the concept of reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana. (Stay tuned, I’ll flesh this out more in my next three videos.)
I’ve gone over the inherent romance in Jake choosing to create Dirk over literally any other option imaginable. But with the new context of Jake explicitly looking to serve himself through Hope, it takes on an added edge. What Jake wants more than anything else in the world is Dirk, but not at all to make Dirk happy or because it’s what Dirk would want. No.
Jake wants Dirk because he’s selfish. Because he wants life to be happy and easy and adventurous but carefree, and he believes he can always rely on Dirk to take care of things or bail him out when things get too intense for him to handle. Jake wants Dirk as a best friend, a bodyguard, a partner, a rival and a servant all rolled into one.
Jake’s feelings for all of his friends have nothing to do with them and everything to do with himself. He’d rather die than live in a word without Jane, and that’s why he saves her--not because he thinks he owes it to her for past slights. The same is true of the way he wants to be with Dirk.
All of this is textual by implication. Dirk’s line:
”I am Brain Ghost Dirk. You kissed my boyfriend. Prepare to Die.”
Is indicative of the Dirk that Jake wants and believes in in his head. This line is a movie reference to The Princess Bride, a romantic fantasy adventure comedy with a very curious dynamic between the romantic leads.
No shortage of people have pointed out how Jake seems to see himself as or end up in the positions of sexualized and marginalized female protagonists, but I think there’s a cause to be made Jake’s “arc” draws from this specific one--Buttercup--above all others. Buttercup’s romantic dynamic with Westley is simple: She issues requests to him, and he responds “As you Wish.”
This As you Wish is an explicit I love you, and the power of love is put forth as the source of Westley’s power and endless competence and ability throughout the entire story. It doesn’t matter what needs to happen, Westley finds a way to do it. And he does it because he believes in their love.
Buttercup, however, struggles to hold on to her faith that love can overcome all things possible and wavers in her commitment to living for it, ending up nearly trapped in an unwanted marriage. Buttercups’ arc is resolved when she chooses to believe in love even at risk of dying, promising never again to hide what she truly desires--Westley.
Jake perceives Dirk as his Prince Charming, an idea that could also be described as a Knight in Shining Armor.
This is the essence of Jake’s fantasy, and we know that’s what it is--a fantasy-- because when Caliborn threatens to kill Dirk in the Masterpiece (which the Credits suggest we’ll soon see once again), Jake responds by shifting his and Dirk’s fundamental power dynamic--once again Lighting Up with love to save Dirk by delivering Caliborn his destined serving.
Jake’s victory ends up giving Hope to all those opposing Lord English, but Jake himself doesn’t give a shit about that.
Jake’s stated motivation for trouncing Caliborn is one thing and one thing only: Saving Dirk. Serving his own desire to see Dirk safe. Caliborn is hurting his friend, and Jake is mad about it. His motivation is essentially identical to his desire to save Jane--he doesn’t want to live without Dirk.
And on Dirk’s side, this dynamic ultimately validates the idea that he became everything he wanted to become by emulating Dave through a bit of understated environmental storytelling.
What’s more, this bit of environmental storytelling also prompts us to consider looking back towards the early Acts with the Beta Guardians with a bit more of a serious eye--the darkness of Mom’s House and Bro damaging the symbol of Dave’s Self begin to take on heavier tones, for example.
What’s more, it gives us more reason to be excited for Hiveswap, through virtue of the fact that it demonstrates Hiveswap’s care and attention to detail with regards to Homestuck as a whole.
I already argued in favor of Grandpa being able to on some level remember his relationship to the Alphas, so click here to see full version of that argument.
The shortform is this: Grandpa’s manor has three rooms, each lit by one of the Alpha’s colors and filled with items linked to them, and the Distinguished Houseguests in his Grand Foyer each link to one of the Alphas as well.
Here are the rooms in sequence:
Take a look at the fireplace--it’s got Derse colors on one side, and Prospit colors on the other. On the Prospit side, you’ve got a Blue Lady--matching Jane, who Jake liked to trade posters of blue people with-- and an alien species with horns on it’s head, also wearing a suit--matching Calliope.
On the Derse side you’ve got a Mummy, matching Roxy both by sharing both Jake and Roxy’s interests in bodily preservation, and through the fact that Roxy’s planet includes Pyramids. There’s also the wordplay between the words Mummy and Mommy, if you’ll allow me to stretch a little.
And then we have a Knight, representing Dirk. This dynamic answers a question that didn’t even need asking--why the Knight sitting on the Derse side of Grandpa’s house wears a suit suspiciously similar to one of Dave’s most well-known ones.
It suggests an explicit linkage of the idea of Knighthood and the idea of Dave, and suggests that this is the imagery that comes to Grandpa’s mind when thinking of Dirk. In one way, you could view this as Dirk managing to destroy his own thematic legacy in Bro and succeeding at living up to Dave’s thematic image instead, at least in Grandpa’s mind--a sort of ultimate implementation of his Prince of Heart role.
This existentially validates Dirk, setting him apart from his Splinters and rendering him unique in the context of the Dirk Strider ultimate self--at least in the eyes of the boy he loves. And, well. Fuck? That’s beautiful to me.
And just for the record, this is a connection that has held true across not only the entirety of the Homestuck, but through Hiveswap as well, with a Knight standing right in front of a smuppet in Grandpa’s garage:
Which suggests to me that WP has approached Grandpa’s memories and the Alpha’s arcs with the same attention to detail the comic itself gave them, and makes me extremely confident in what’s to come. Hopefully now you are too. Hiveswap’s attention to detail speaks to the quality of the story they’ve crafted, and we should all be excited beyond reasonable belief, in my humble opinion.
Conclude.
So that’s it. That’s pretty much all my evidence for this reading of Dirk, Jake, Dave, and the wider story surrounding them. I look forward to hearing your responses. Personally, putting this together was revelatory for me.
I hope it was for you, too. If it wasn’t quite, I hope you want to talk about it and keep track of the ongoing conversation I hope takes place here as a result.
This series has been a passion project, but also a side project to my youtube series aimed at welcoming and explaining Homestuck to new, incoming Hiveswap fans. If you find yourself trying to make it easier for a Hiveswap fan to understand what Homestuck is about and how it connects to the game, I hope you think of me.
If you like my writing and have a buck to spare, you could also really help me out by enabling me to focus on putting more of this content out there through pledging on Patreon. Doing so will also give you access to my private community of enthusiasts trying to advance new and interesting readings of this wonderful property.
See you again soon, everyone. Until then,
Keep rising.
#Homestuck#Jake English#Dirk Strider#Dave Strider#Dirkjake#My MSPA Analysis#Alphas#Knights/Pages#Princes/Bards
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miranova23 (@kaiba-fangirl) replied to your photo:
Hey no prob! On mobile rn (& should be doing hw <.<) but as far as the ~controversial~ ships, I know they can still be aged-up or the ship name used for just any other kind of relationSHIP. Heck, most of the characters are canonically underage, and there's even the reveal of Seth & Atemu being cousins, buuut it's Ancient Egypt, & does that mean their reincarnated spirits count as cousins??? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
btw finally wrote out a long-time-coming brothershipping post. we seem to be on the same page though 👍 As far as ettushipping i don't really have anything else rn i guess... but I'll keep u in mind =)
It took me a minute to realise you were referring to locketshipping aka tabloidshipping aka incesty Mokuba/Seto. For some reason, probably just wishful thinking, I thought at first maybe you meant battleshipping (Jou/Seto/Yuugi) or buddyshipping (Honda/Jou)...
I made the statements I did without really contextualising them within the context of the ygo fandom. It didn’t occur to me you were referring to a distaste for the fandom presence of certain ships or the way they’re presented. So... sorry I got kind of weird on you in the tags.
below the cut is tl;dr about controversial stuff and incest and sibling abuse
re: tags. I know people in fandom use the term ‘pedophilia’ as a catch all for... whatever they view as having the potential of including child sexual abuse. I personally think maintaining the distinction between pedophilic and ephebophilic attraction patterns (which people may or may not act on), and acts of child sexual abuse (for which attraction may or may not be a factor) is important. But really I knew what you meant when you said what you said, so I realised I was being pretty nitpicky. But also, even more generally, I think people should be free to write about controversial and potentially disturbing topics, so long as they realise what they’re doing and include proper tags/warning.
re: scandalship. Usually when I’m talking about incest ships I’m not talking about cousins. Not that cousin incest isn’t technically incest, but it’s allowed in most of the world today including some US states. And it doesn’t have the same kind of relational baggage as parent or sibling incest. The bigger part of what makes things incest in my mind is the person having been closely involved in the other person’s formative childhood development in capacity as a parent or sibling, and it almost without exception coincides with abuse. Malik/Rishid is an incest ship in my mind because Rishid was undoubtedly a brother to Malik during his upbringing. (Isis/Rishid is harder for me to make a call on because we see less of their relationship. It’s not clear whether they were raised together in an intimate proximity, or whether they really relate as siblings. So, depending on what headcanons you’re working with, I think both incestuous and non-incestuous interpretations of a romantic relationship between them could be valid.)
But, in terms of what you were talking about in your post here - I haven’t run into a lot of Mokuba/Seto personally - not enough to view it as some sort of fandom problem. But admittedly I haven’t gone looking for fics specifically featuring the two of them, so maybe that’s why. I know I’ve seen someone else also complain about the abundance of Mokuba/Seto in the search for gen fic, and I also had a similar experience pretty recently, so presumably it is a common fandom experience. I was searching through doujinshi on pixiv and opened something that I assumed to be Kaibros gen but was not. I had actually long since thought the internet has massively desensitised me to everything, but I actually shuddered irl. This isn’t to condemn the artist - admittedly I think everybody should label/tag things like that but I assume they did and I was the one that went around clicking links without taking the time to read the Japanese. But from a perspective of what I found disturbing was the kind of ease that you described in your post - that kind of moves between something I’d consider part of a very close and caring and acceptable sibling relationship, to something unacceptable that immediately undermines the validity of Seto and Mokuba hugging or sharing a bed in a nonsexual context, but also tries to capatalise on and continue off of the ‘cute’ vibes set up by what could have once been reasonably interpreted as a platonically intimate gesture, instead of a symptom of abuse.
(Yeah, for the record, I don’t think it’s abnormal for siblings to be physically affectionate to a degree. A lot of siblings aren’t as close as you and your brother, even siblings with more or less amiable relationships, but I agree it’s odd and unfair to assume that you guys can’t or shouldn’t be platonically affectionate. Otoh, though, I feel like it’s not always easy to spot a family resemblance, so I get how people may be confused. And also just wanna throw out there that sibling sexual abuse is more common than anybody wants to admit, and there’s a critical lack of attention towards the issue compared to rarer types of child sexual abuse, so it’s unfortunately possible that people are projecting their own unhealthy histories and dynamics onto you.)
But, hmm, there was another case I had where I ran into (appropriately warned for) Mokuba/Seto that I think handled the topic pretty delicately. It was about a Seto that had a plethora of sexual desires (including feelings for Mokuba) that he felt unequipped to find an outlet for - partly because of the ferocity with which he isolates himself and pushes away human contact. It was an unsettling story - but what made it palatable for me was the way both the narrative and Seto himself were keenly aware of how inappropriate acting on such desires would be. Seto’s guilt-ridden, convinced of his own monstrosity, and desperate to escape to VR (or wherever he can go to not deal with anything even remotely like an emotion). Seto immediately understands this attraction poses a threat and threatens to topple every way in which he’s tried to protect Mokuba. And Mokuba’s increasingly worried for his brother, and too naive to really understand exactly what the big deal is - even when Seto crosses the line and kisses him (and immediately pushes Mokuba away and runs off and curls up into a ball of self-loathing). And, when VR proves to be an insufficient method of escaping his own humanity, Mokuba finally convinces Seto to reach out to Yuugi, and Seto agrees because - even thought the last thing he wants to do is reach out to anyone - he cares more about remaining a good brother to Mokuba than maintaining the comfort of his own emotional isolation. So it becomes a reassertion of how much Seto values Mokuba as a brother and puts him first, rather than an expression of sexual violence.
I’m not saying this story is something for everyone (it’s not. it made me uncomfortable at times. and the solace that it was meant to make me uncomfortable was enough to soothe me, but I realise that’s not enough for everyone.) It also doesn’t blend with my personal headcanons, tbh, and it’s not something I would be interested in writing about with regards to Seto and Mokuba. But as a reader and letting the author take the reins, I enjoyed the fic, and I see the merit in it exploring the concepts it did. Far more than I see the merit in exploring Seto and Mokuba in the context of ‘aw, cute they’re hugging. now they’re kissing. uwu’ But, idk, I’m also not the arbitrator of what fiction has merit or isn’t too irredeemably creepy for anyone other than myself.
idk, like I said, I haven’t run into much Mokuba/Seto during my (mostly relatively recent) run of the fandom. Maybe it’s a bigger issue than I envisioned. And, well, I can’t stop people from creating fanart of Kaiba and Mokuba cuddling with whatever understanding they have of the circumstances behind the scene. But- yeah. I don’t support locket-/tabloid-/brother- shipping them in that manner. I’ve heard a lot of people just say ‘Kaibros’ to refer to Seto & Mokuba as a unit. But I don’t know if there’s a consensus on what people use as a tag for gen Seto & Mokuba things *shrugs*
(And, um, just more generally regarding the Kaiba brothers - I think they can be pretty unhealthily codependent, but no more than I’d expect two brothers having been through foster care and alone against the world to be. I don’t mean to undermine how important and loving and their relationship with one another has been, and how much it has been a saving grace for them.)
Anyhow, sorry for this upsetting tl;dr but- Thank you again! And, lol, yes! Keep me in mind for all things ettushipping related! And polarship and pupship and rivalship and battleship and 5000 other things tbh, lol.
#Kaiba Mokuba#Kaiba Seto#meta#DeLurk words the meta#save me from this card game hell#cw: abuse#cw: csa mention#cw: incest
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RE JIKOOK IS ESTRANGED
Them
Me
Lol
JUMP CUT ALERT: This is a continuation of an ongoing discussion behind the scenes.
DISCLAIMERS:
Article 19, UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Every person has the right to freedom of opinion and expression which includes the freedom to hold an opinion without interference through any media.
Misinterpretation of my opinion, my words constitute a violation of my human rights. Please do not take my words out of context, share it on another platform in furtherance of your own agenda. If you do hold yourself accountable first. You are the author of your own intentions and interpretations.
I do not intend malice by my words nor do I seek to be disrespectful of any member mentioned in here. I simply enjoy mentally stimulating conversations and thought provoking discussions.
Let the records show.
MATTER OF THE DAY
Thanks to everyone that's shared your thoughts on this matter with me and thanks to that person that brought this matter to my attention.
I haven't looked into it and I don't know how severe this issue is.
I think people have the right to believe in anything they want to believe in. Personally, I don't think Santa is real but clearly others do, doesn't mean I'm sane or that they are crazy.
I don't think discussions of this nature should be about who is right or who is wrong. Everyone's opinion is valid and holds true to their own delusions. Lol.
Frankly, I prefer this kind of ship wars to the slurs and abuses and they are distributing hard core porn now?? What is going on! Chileee.
I have never believed JK and Tae to be anything more than friends. At one point, I wondered if they were even friends at all lol but since they admitted to having had a falling out themselves at one point the topic is now moot.
Tae and JK have- had- have a really special bond. To me anyways. I always saw them as the evil power twins of BTS due their ability to come together to wreck havoc especially on Bang PD's scripts. Lol. I think I have mentioned this a few times now.
I smiled to myself when I heard them call themselves partners in crime. The bond is there no two ways about it- you either appreciate it for what it is or you don't. personally I love their bond. Can't stand their shippers but I love their bond. They keep the drama going for me- love it. Lol
The question has always been whether their bond is as profound as their shippers make it seem. I argue it's not and I will always argue it is not. Lol
I think it's only fair that they also question whether Jikook's bond is as profound as we make it sound. I really can't be mad at that. All is fair in love and war- at the very least we can agree to disagree.
I mean even Jikookers themselves question the extent of JK and JM's bond. Some think they are just very special friends and nothing more. I think I talked about this in my is Jikook real post when I mentioned labels and the degree of love between JK and JM?
We know JK and JM have a unique bond. The question then is how far does that bond go. Is it just platonic, romantic or something in between?
This is the question I was aiming to answer with my is Jikook real post. My objective was to try and dismantle all the nuances that keep us from seeing the 'truth' about Jikook- that they are real. At least the way I see them.
I talked about unrealistic expectations we have of Jikook, false conditionings that often leads us to see Jikook as something more than they are- the amplified Jikook. We get used to highlight reels of Jikook's interactions in edits such that we feel there is something wrong with them when we see them in real time.
I mentioned that Jimin's nurturing nature often also estops people from reading more into his relationship with JK. He is nurturing of everyone, JK ain't special- they argue, just as this person is doing.
I talked about Jimin's Idol persona, the facade of the boy in love with JK- Jimin's role within BTS since debut and how that can equally blind us into thinking Jikook is something more or less than they really are. I have a post dedicated to this topic sitting in my drafts so I will not go into the details of it here. Please look forward to that.
But this person's post touches on another aspect of Jimin's personality that I feel is one of the things that often keeps us from seeing his relationship with JK for what it really is- his inclination for professionalism.
I keep saying this, several times now, that Jimin's Idol persona to me seems well developed, elaborate and very elusive.
I have mentioned a few times how I think during Jikook break ups that they keep it civil and professional for the sake of the team and that you might not even notice the difference especially if you place high value on their skinship.
The skinship would be there, the cordiality and civility would equally be there- except for moments when they are fighting, that gets bloody. Lol. They are best friends at the very least. It is why it's important to reevaluate the metrics we use to determine whether or not they are a couple.
I wish I could dialogue with this person to understand her assessment of Jikook and what she is using to determine whether or not Jikook are a couple and what makes her think Tae and JK are. Know what I mean?
What makes her think Jikook were a couple before 2017? What makes y'all think Jikook are a couple at all? I would like to hear from y'all- but come at me with the skinship bit and I'll block you deadass. Lol
So on this person's post, I think I agree with her assessment of JM's persona but I don't agree with the Jikook have been broken up since 2017. And I think I understand where this is coming from... I think some of us do. Yes they had a few fights that year especially leading up to Jimin's birthday- August was it? but we all know JK more than made up for it with the damn GCFs. Lol. kindly visit the timeline, peruse as many content as you can and form your own opinion on it. This is just mine.
Are Jikook Jikooking all the time? Absolutely not. They are human too. They fight, they make up, they break up they get back together, they have introverted, extroverted moments, they go up, they go down- have bad hair days, it's all part of their dynamics I'm afraid. From my point of view of course.
I feel some people notice these things too and when they sense Jikook aren't in a good place they bow out and Jump ship- I don't blame them. They are shippers not supporters. What Jikook need are supporters not shippers- or maybe both, do you.
Could this person be one such people? DNF shippers? Given up on Jikook before the end of their story? I don't know. May be.
Jikook is not a fantasy that you ship. It's a relationship that you support. You can't escape into them. They are an ongoing love story- chapters close, chapters open, you just have to ride it out till the very end.
I think the challenge of their post for me is whether or not Jikook is a performance. Her post leans into the whole Jikook is fanservice bull especially in light of the recent photoshoot video which some are using as evidence Jikook don't 'click' when the cameras are off- the lies they tell on Beyonce's internet!
I think I have speculated on this and shared my thoughts on this whole Jikook is fanservice bit. I will delve deeper into it in my next post on Jimin's idol persona but as I've already said, Jikook is fanservice is equally a misnomer.
Yes Jikook does fanservice sometimes, but they are not fanservice. Fanservice is the cover for their relationship. It's their glass ceiling- nothing to see here folks just two snakes under glass. Keep it pushing. (Sorry. Couldn't help myself. Lol)
But you do raise a valid question, what is Jikook like when the cameras are not filming?
Is the mood of Jikook in that footage the general mood of Jikook behind cameras as Tuktukkers are claiming? They barely interact, JM doesn't pay much attention to Kook, yadda yadda yadda?
And the part that gives me a complex, that JK only interacts with JM when they are the center of attention. Huh???????????
Sigh.
I feel caught between a rock and a hard place on this one.
The theory you pointed out in support of this assertion isn't mine and I think I made it clear I didn't share the same thoughts on it. I said it was valid nevertheless. Chilee, this is hard. Lol
Yes JK is an introvert, Jimin is an extrovert, JM doesn't live for JK, all that is true and some Jikookers have said that too- so when you ask, if this is who they are when the cameras are off does that mean what they do when the cameras turn on is fanservice-
I-👁👄👁
I don't know the thought process that went into that theory so I can't confidently defend it. I'll ask? Lol.
Personally, I'd like to know whether or not they see the tension in that footage as tension in the first place. Chileee I don't know.
I see it as tension. Not a very serious one though. So we'd have to agree to disagree on that one.
But the part I can argue, the part I agree with is Jikook aren't hyper super duper lovey dovey on each other all the time. They aren't cuddly all the time. They have their moments of quiet- Jimin seems like the more affectionate kind who'd rub all over JK in the comfort of their homes but still...
If you ask me though, I think Jikook are tamer on cameras than they are behind scenes. I always talk about the fear and panic in the members' eyes when they see Jikook gravitating towards each other- it's probably because they know the extent of Jikook's shenanigans. They know how worse it can be because they've seen it all.
And when JK panics sometimes when JM gets closer too you just know dude is scared perhaps because of his Mochi chick's devil may care shamelessly in love policies- Jimin wild. Bless him.
I did say also that Memories 2019 is equally eye opening. These were censored bits. BigHit was holding all of that and giving us crumbs- stingy mfs. Bless.
All that said, again I don't think Jikook are hyper lovey on eachother behind the scenes. Another part I diverge from that view is that this is not exactly off camera. It was just behind the scenes of a photoshoot. Something we've seen a countless times.
This is not BTS's first ever behind scenes photoshoot. It's just a different angle that's all.
They were working. They were at work. This wasn't an alone private space for them so they can't base on this to say Jikook don't interact when the cameras are off.
The cameras were rolling. We saw them interact, JM was interacting with everyone the way he always does on camera all the time except he wasn't interacting with JK the way he does all the time, grainy footage or not- I mean let's call a spade a spade and not a big fat spoon. Lol
As to why he was doing that- let's just say there are many schools of thoughts.
My thought as I've said is JM was freezing JK out. I think with anyone that's recognized and is familiar with Jikook fights, that mood is all too familiar as I mentioned earlier.
If JM was being courteous and not mad at his man then he would have kept it 'professional' and done the 'fanservice' bit with Jk as per usual just as this person is saying since the cameras were still rolling.
Jikook is not fanservice. They are real.
I have refrained from providing a detailed analysis of that '5 minutes' footage for reasons I will explain later when I do share my thoughts on that footage- eventually. Some day.
But my hypothesis remains the same that I think Jikook were fighting or had a minor issue. As to why they were fighting, chileee I don't know. The confirmation bias in me feel it had something to do with JM's birthday but honestly it could have been over anything at all- dumplings, microphones- we all saw that slap on stage, a certain Iphone notification perhaps, did JinMin make a secret VLive without Kook again? Lol
There are plethora of reasons, I can only speculate on a few. And I think we've all seen Jimin when he is not 'Jimining' with the others, JK included. Take his mood with Tae at GDA for example- since this is not a VMin post I won't go into it.
But it seems they squashed whatever beef they were having on stage when JM extended his hands to Tae and they shaked it out.
We've seen him and Suga bicker too- which again, I am not gonna to get into out of respect for their shippers but I can point you to the On comeback VLive early this year when Suga touched JM and JM mouthed Hajima to him- which I think had something to do with what was going on with him and JK at the time but that is besides the point. Every shipper for themselves.
I contrast his 'fights' with Suga and V to show you the difference between Jimin being professional and courteous and Jimin being rah rah. He was sat next to suga, talking and laughing with him but snapped the moment Suga held his back.
He did the same in the Dynamite MV Vlive, smiling and laughing with Suga but the moment JK teased him with the Yoonmin comment his countenance fell.
Jimin is not that good of an actor if you ask me. I have said he is very Kumbaya in nature, often makes compromises for the sake of the team but that don't mean he is a pushover or one to trifle with- he scares me when he is mad. Lmho.
The scene in that footage didn't look to me as that he was being nice and courteous to JK- is that y'all's definition of professional courtesy? Damn.
If they were having a lover's squabble then the 'icy' mood of Jikook we saw in that footage is not the general mood of Jikook when the camera's are turned off.
I have to state again that I don't know much of what goes on behind the cameras and most of the things we see sometimes are equally missing context.
That been said we have seen enough of Jikook 'behind cameras' and they are more intimate than we can imagine. A certain cozy selfie at the back of an abandoned truck comes to mind. Whatever they were doing at the back of the track wasn't intended for the cameras judging from JK's reaction.
We've had glimpses of Jikook when they are not the center of attention enough to have a fair idea of what they are when cameras are off and I don't think it is that mood we saw in that footage.
We saw them at Jingle ball bell, towards the end of 2019. We saw them in their own space doing what they do best- making us feel single as fuck. Bless them.
We've seen them at awards, we've seen JK eating Jimin's ear nom nom to calm him down- like I would have just bought him icecream to calm down his nerves or rubbed his back but whatever JK. He is your man; you know him best. Good for him. Good for both of you. Now come back and feed us.
And the bit about JK only laughing with JM when he noticed he was on the Bangtan Bomb cameras in that footage- now that's nasty below the belts phony ass ass! I felt that one straight in my chest, shit. Lol
Dude was in a doghouse it seemed and I noticed them stealing glances at each other and.... sigh.
I just think JK was looking for an opening to warm his way back into JM's good graces- it's really nothing we haven't seen before.... sigh.
This is 2020 that narrative of JK hates Jimin, JK doesn't like JM needs to stop. It's dead. Pack it up. Chileee, y'all tried it with this one.
Jk is nice to JM only when the cameras are on him? Nice try.
JK is so fake and fraudulent he glared RM down till he stepped away from Jimin- again, in the very same photoshoot footage y'all swear to God is proof Jikook is not real.
Find it. RM stood next to JM. Looks up see's something- or someone. Does his tell- the hand to head thingy he does when JK glares at him over Jimin. He backs away inches from JM.
Cut to JK. Dudes a mood. Jin bumps into him, stares at him but JK wouldn't even look at him and then deadass looks away grumpyly- talk of professionalism. You doing great swidy keep going!
You can hide a relationship, fake it on God but you can never hide the intimacy. Taekook just lack that intimacy, I'm sorry. Even in that 'estranged' moment Jikook's intimacy was still there-
Even in whatever mood JK was in- which again, I believe was just due to their lover's squabble- JK still was claiming his man and exercising his right of authority over him. That's how you know they are not broken up. In my opinion. Chileee. I'm gonna get in trouble. Deep sigh.
Y'all think JK was hovering over Jimin because he was preparing to strike him down like a censored censored censored? Yea, he was preparing to strike alright- All the corners of Jimin's heart. Y'all better stop before I find you. Lol
I said I wasn't going to analyze the footage in this post but damn. This man out here serving us all kinds of brooding assorted jeonlous as his man takes a time out or two to wiggle wiggle wiggle on him Malfroy style and y'all are out here peddling nonsense. Strike one.
He was a mood alright. Did y'all see Tae rubbing his chest, arms and legs, ears did y'all see any body else in there doing that for him? Y'all's falcon cannot hear his falconer give it up and sorry, Jikook can't relate.
As I've posited, JM I feel was mad as hell for whatever reason and wasn't in the space to be that person JK needed him to be- in that moment. Doesn't mean they are like that behind scenes all the time.
And before I get attacked again for causing drama, being toxic etc by Jikookers understand that I am just a delusional person shipping these two in a way that makes sense to me. Write me off as delulu, and go please.
Whatever ambiguity surrounds that moment, to me, Jin and RM's reaction to JK clarifies things a bit. Jikook were boiling hot. JK was still keeping an eye on his man. Lol. Bless them. That's my conclusion. I'm running miles with that. Catch me. Lol
Feel free to come up with your own theory in a way that makes sense to you.
I'm not sure how long that fight lasted but from the rain day incident I'm hoping it wasn't that long. Jikook are fine I believe- I hope. Judging from the way JM drew JK out in his VLive with the whole I miss JK comment? Did that not sound familiar to y'all? And that Mickey mouse thingy- JM ain't slick. Bless him.
JM is the perched akekeke whisperer whispering all kinds of things in JK's ear, feeding JK news of what goes on on social media and what not. Dude don told his man they won a BB on his birthday, told his man Jin wasn't happy he chose his bag over his- definitely told his man Army was missing him- what? I'm going with that too sue me. Lol
Did you or did you not see Jk coming out to do a live log afterwards? And JK seemed less grumpy, in very high spirits? Wedding bells- I'm manifesting it for JK. Manifest with me.
Remember when JM did a log and talked nonsense about JK, and JK did a rebuttal log to respond to JM and address some of the things JM had said about him? Remember that? It's a jikook thing and it's back😌
I have said JM uses social media to connect with Army while JK uses it as an outlet to express himself. Through out his Live he kept talking about how he wasn't prepared to do a live and it shows in the way he kept saying it was awkward, he just kept it business and didn't know what else to share... I wonder who put his paws on him, dragged his ass to turn on the camera because Armys had asked of him- a certain quick tempered chick who dragged his man out on social media to do the whole Chuseok greetings 2020 on Twitter perhaps?
And JK is so whipped he'd do just about all the hoops to appease his man- Jikook AU written by Goldy. High five. No but seriously...
Behind the scenes, JK sneaks into JM's bed at night- Taekook does it too? Please! The look on JM's face when RM spilled that tea is enough said.
There's only two people in BTS that panic and don't want us to know they lay one on God in bed and it's not Tae Kook.
JK: Jimin hyung and I will sleep here
JM: how about we let the others choose first
Everyone shares a room:
Footage:🦄🍲🐯🧀🐺🍟🐓🥛🐑🛏
JIKOOK share a room:
Footage: 🚪👀
Behind the cameras Jikook sneak into each others bed- camera caught them live. You saw JM's face, I can't make this shit up. Lol
Behind the scenes, Jikook do laundry at 1am. *insert JM pervy face meme.
Chileee, y'all making me trip with this one. Deep breaths.
Jikook have their moments. This was one of them. Can they be human? Please. Thank you.
At this point, these folks are not even shippers. They is shoppers shopping a man for their bias. Lol. Just admit y'all want Jeon thick thighs strong butt for your bias and go. Just admit you want some tall glass of Tiger charming face husky voice strong chest for your bunny and go. Lmho
Chilee, when we say Tae and Kook had a falling out we don't mean they freeze eachother out behind cameras. Hell, we don't even mean they fake their bond or interactions. C'mon! Tae and JK admitted they are not lovers and y'all is bitter. That's why y'all is making up this nonsense about Jikook. Speak the truth and shame the devil. Peter would be proud.
When we say Tae Kook is not real, We just mean JM spends JK's birthday with him while every one including Tae is out there cruising for Jesus with friends. We just mean Jikook claim eachother even when they beefing. That ship beefed and didn't even know they was beefing and they are real? Damn.
We just mean Jikook make efforts for each other even when they are having bad days- Had it not been for Jimin they'd still be gnashing on these cold streets. Place some respect on his name, y'all's ungrateful. Lol
Tae and JK don't want each other they both want Jimin- there. I said it.
Thanks for attending my Tedtalk. 👁👄👁
Now where was I? Never mind. I'm just gonna go burn some sage. There's too much negativity going on around. Hakuna matata!
There is nothing wrong with Taekook as a ship. Personally, I'm a multishipper I ship all the ships but I support Kookmin. I don't mind their shippers calling them whatever, but my eyes twitch when people who claim they support Jikook act wishy washy with Jikook. Lol. Like are you going to withdraw your support of Kookmin if JK sits on Tae's lap?👀 Yall make me nervous. How can you think Jikook is real but then look at Taekook and go huh??? What are y'all seeing that I can't see?
Like those are two completely different dynamics. It's the skinship isn't it? Talk to me. Jikookers who see something nonplatonic in Taekook honestly give me trust issues. Y'all have me out here looking over my shoulders.
I am delusional but I'm confident in my delusions because to me it is about the love and support for JM and JK as LGBTQ plus couples. Please stop shipping Jikook, stop shopping JK and JM for eachother and start supporting them because they are real.
IN MY OPINION.
Signed,
GOLDY
#jikook#jikook analysis#kookmin#kookmin analysis#jikooktheories#kookmintheories#goldy blogs#goldy theories#goldy analysis#nightswithkookmin#jikook fights
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