#i like the dynamic a lot. neither of them know how to exist without purpose | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

regenderate · 1 year

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Say more about Rose and Yaz, I think you're onto something

I'M RIGHT. THIS IS THE THING. I'M RIGHT. like i don't know i feel so deranged sometimes but i literally am right. (and also who cares if i'm deranged it's doctor who fanfiction and i'm having a good time)

i mean okay so like full disclosure i've written extensive fanfiction with a number of different rose&/yaz relationship dynamics. at some point last year i had a real unhinged spiral about parallels between the two (uhh i have a post about it here. i don't really think thirteen was written that way on purpose anymore though, i was a lot more optimistic about the specials when i wrote that).

but like... okay so of course i'm deeply attached to both of them as individual characters. but my interest in their dynamic i guess started as just... noticing that yaz fits the same archetype as rose (19-year-old woman, bored with her job, meets the doctor, falls in love) and wanting them to meet and talk about being with the doctor. and then my unhinged spiral last year ended with me being like "okay so they both spend their early 20's looking desperately for the doctor. what if they met during that time." and at that point i didn't really ship them romantically, but i thought that just by virtue of both being in love with the doctor, they would each understand something really fundamental about the other, and between that and just being really really lonely/touch starved they would find a connection.

but then it's like... okay so like. rose is really emotionally intelligent and open. i would consider that to be one of her main character traits. and she expresses her attraction openly too, for the most part. like it takes her a long time to verbalize her love for the doctor, but you can see it in everything she does. and yaz is a lot more reserved/repressed in that area. so putting rose into the equation helps her open up, helps her relax a little bit, and also forces her to express herself, because rose will straight-up be like "so you're in love with the doctor" and then yaz has to deal with the fact that yes she is very in love with the doctor.

and then i think in a lot of ways i see yaz as very steady. like of course she and rose will both run into danger at a moment's notice, they are doctor enjoyers, but i think yaz has sort of a logic to her that i think makes her very stable specifically for rose, if that makes sense. and like i think she's also very emotionally intelligent but in a very different way. so like she's someone rose can rely on for support, she's good in a crisis, etc.

and they give each other a level of understanding that she really needs from someone-- yaz sort of gets that from dan, but like… like do you ever think about how rose and yaz both canonically ran away from home as teenagers? i think about it. i think they have a lot in common that they don't necessarily get from anywhere else. like i just feel like they see each other in a way neither of them is necessarily used to. and they can be open with each other in a way they kind of can't be with anyone else, up to and including the doctor, because with the doctor (and to be clear i do hardcore ship both of them with the doctor) there's still this sense of uncertainty, like they don't know where they stand, they don't know whether or not the doctor even does romance like a human, etc, and there's this sort of barrier (i mean also like. the doctorrose is gay meta is relevant here too, because part of why that barrier exists is that the doctor does soooo much repression). but with each other they can express themselves, and there's a lot they just understand without expressing it.

and then also i think it does give them both space to exist without the doctor/outside of the doctor. which of course they can do without being shipped with anyone (one reason i love the rose tyler dimension cannon audios is they showcase rose's character and growth without the doctor), but like both rose and yaz are so strongly associated with the doctor that i think it's fun too to step back and say "yeah that's cool but what about this other dynamic?"

of course with doctor who there are so many different dynamics to explore, and honestly i find most of them to be really fascinating. like you can put any two characters in a room and i will find something to go full unhinged blorbo brain about. but of course rose and yaz are both really dear to me as characters and i think about them often. separately and together. and i do maintain that they stabilize each other in a really interesting (and arguably healthy) way.

if you are. interested. i am going to link a few of my fics too that explore their dynamic/illustrate my personal thought progression. i feel like linking my own fic here comes off as insufferably self-centered but like the fact is if you want me to say more you might be thrilled to hear i have already said like tens of thousands of words in fic form. and i think too it's something that like... it's easiest to explain by just. showing examples of how i think their dynamic could play out naturally. i guess because when i first say "yaz/rose" i feel like it sounds like it comes out of nowhere but if you put them both in a story and give it enough buildup i think it's easier to understand? but of course then i have to convince people to read tens of thousands of words of fanfiction about it. anyway:

this is the first one where i was like. yeah yaz and rose should meet and possibly be friends

this is the one where i was like... okay yeah they'd be friends but let's see if thasmin and thirteenrose can exist in the same space (spoiler alert They Can)

this is the one i wrote after my super unhinged brainrot where they meet while yaz is stranded in edwardian era and rose is dimension hopping

this is not the first thirteenyazrose i published but it is the first thirteenyazrose i wrote. it's also part of the series in which i established disabled rose but that's... a different post.

this is the human au i'm currently posting weekly in which i have yaz and rose already knowing each other long before they meet the doctor. i have another au with similar dynamics but it's nowhere near being ready to post, i just rotate it in my mind every so often.

so yeah that's all. thank you so much for sending me this ask i literally could rotate them in my mind forever. like. i really really could. blorbos

#doctor who #meta #lifeblogs #literally like i would have elaborated on my own but i feel so much less silly about it if other people are asking me

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tibby · 2 years

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politely requesting mandy and lawrence friendship thoughts if you have them to give…. Thank u…

god i have a lot of feelings about mandy and lawrence but i'm never quite sure HOW to put it into words. they're both such interesting characters and it's sad that we never really got to see them interact (unless you count lawrence being forced to watch her talk about her game) because it could have been so good and i really do think they would have liked each other, even if they found each other weird.

i think they could potentially have a very good understanding of each other without having to say much - lawrence would be able to see that amanda is just looking for love and for purpose and amanda would recognise that lawrence feels stagnant and that his life lacks any kind of passion, and possibly always has. lawrence would be drawn to amanda for a lot of the same reasons that he's drawn to adam: this kind of dangerous unpredictability and an anger that hides a good heart that's never been looked after. and i think amanda would eventually grow to see lawrence as someone who is safe and sturdy and stable, and she'd sort of cling to that.

i don't know. i think they'd be weird friends who are very fond of each other even though they don't have much in common and don't even really talk much. they're able to sort of Get each other without having to vocalise it and it's nice to have someone that you can just sit in a comfortable silence with. they found each other offputting at first and sometimes they still think the other is a bit of a freak but they're probably the most chill dynamic of the apprentices + adam collective.

anyway. i realise that you might have just wanted some headcanons about them so here's a few. as always they exist within the jigsquad unvierse:

amanda isn't really one for apologies and a bit of the sentiment is lost when they're still doing john's work, but she does let lawrence know that she feels bad about the role she played in his (and adam's) game.

every so often they'll both be awake in the middle of the night - nightmares or lawrence coming home from a late shift or amanda coming back after spending time with lynn - while adam is having one of his rare Sleeps through the night - and they'll hang out in the kitchen and drink tea. they usually just make small talk but every so often amanda will feel brave enough to broach a difficult topic or ask a tough question ("did you ever...hate me. for what i did to you. to adam.") and lawrence is always very good about it. gentle and honest in a way amanda isn't used to.

they're easily the most competent duo of the apprentices and the only two who are always able to successfully kidnap victims together.

they watch documentaries together on the couch. sometimes adam will sit with them and call them losers while he brushes his cat, and sometimes hoffman will sit around and ask fifty questions until amanda throws the remote at his head, but usually it's just the two of them.

amanda tries to get lawrence into her punk and rock bands and lawrence tries to get amanda to listen to songs he loves from the sixties or whatever. neither of them understands the appeal of the other's music taste but it's the thought that counts.

amanda is not really one for physical affection because she's never really experienced it, and she doesn't trust men as a general rule, but once she finally feels comfortable and safe enough to let her guard down around lawrence...she DOES go for a hug from time to time. he's a dad and eight inches taller and has a bit of a Stomach and gives great hugs. she blushes after and pushes him away but. it's nice to have his arms around her.

for the first few months of lawrence's apprenticeship/awkward forming of the world's worst found family, she exclusively referred to him as "gordon." sometimes when he's being annoying and pretentious she'll go back to mockingly calling him doctor gordon but for the most part, she calls him by his name now.

lawrence can't really go on long walks anymore but the two of them do stroll around the neighbourhood together sipping coffees and being gay little bitches. once a passerby thought they were father and daughter and it was mortifying for everyone involved.

technically lawrence can afford the house they live in together without the other two chipping in but amanda feels weird about living in such a nice place and not contributing so she keeps the house functioning and slips money into lawrence's wallet every so often to cover her share. he never acknowledges it because he knows it would make her uncomfortable but he does appreciate her and enjoys her presence in the house, even if her and adam keep smoking indoors.

sometimes amanda goes to lawrence for advice about lynn and sometimes lawrence goes to amanda for advice about adam and it's awkward and the advice isn't good but. solidarity.

idk how to really word this one but i think lawrence is just...very good at keeping an eye on amanda and making sure she doesn't relapse without ever feeling like he's suffocating her. he checks in and looks after her but he's never overbearing or patronising about it and it's a very refreshing and helpful thing for amanda to experience.

she DOES steal his nice button down shirts and she DOES get blood all over them but whatever. he's rich, he can buy more.

#ask #inaflashback #headcanons #meta #maybe???#idk. they're my best friends.

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kaitsawamura · 3 years

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would you like to stay forever?

SUMMARY⎮ Sparring with Pro Hero Kirishima Eijiro in his private gym at his home doesn't seem like a bad idea if you don't count the fact that you really, really like him.

STATS⎮ minors do not interact, 18+ ⎮ Rating: M (for mature) ⎮ WC: 5525 ⎮ Pairing: Pro Hero Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader ⎮ Tags: Aged Up Character(s), Friends to Lovers, Sparring, Smut, Fluff, Age/Experience Gap (if you really squint) ⎮ AO3

NOTES⎮ Thanks to @spacelabrathor for listening to me scream about this and to @some-kindofgnome for fueling my Kiri fever dreams. Yes, that title is based on a Mulan quote. This whole fic was based on THIS POST and Kirishima seemed like the perfect character for this pwp. Hope y'all enjoy! (Also please for the love of God, click on the banner to see in HD if you’re on mobile, it looks so much better lol)

It was Saturday and even though you’re on your way to becoming a Pro Hero, you can think of several things you’d rather be doing with your one day off than going to Kirishima Eijiro’s house to spar. But here you are pulling into his driveway, going over combat moves in your head as if your life depended on it. They weren’t really serving their purpose which was to distract yourself. Kiri had offered up his personal gym, encouraged you to stop by with one hand in his pocket and the other rubbing the back of his neck as if he was nervous.

A couple of his friends had already taken him up on the offer. You were the only one he’d offered who hadn’t come over yet. He had texted you a couple of weeks later saying he was starting to take it personally… and then immediately texted with a laughing emoji just to clarify he was only giving you a hard time. It brings a smile to your face now as you remember it. Yesterday he had also clarified it would just be the two of you if you were self-conscious sparring in front of other people. You’d have the whole place to yourselves. Like that should mean something. Which it did. It does , you realize with butterflies growing in your stomach. Kiri doesn’t need to know that though.

The two of you had been toeing around something since you had been hired at Fatgum’s Agency a year ago. Neither of you had made a move. Kirishima, the Red Riot, was a big Pro Hero and while you took pride in your quirk, it didn’t hold a coin to some of the others you’d come in contact with. It had surprised you when Toyomitsu had brought you on. But he had mumbled something about “liking your spunk” and that he thought a teleportation quirk would be a useful one to add to his agency. The first day you had shown up, Kiri had immediately caught your eye. Not for the obvious reasons. Obvious reasons being the fact that he was climbing the Pro Hero charts or the fact that he had a dynamically interesting quirk or that at twenty-five he was already built like a brickhouse.

Those were all valid reasons, yes, but what had pulled you in was his smile and his genuine interest in you outside of your quirk. But he was just like that you had quickly discovered. He knew everyone’s coffee order and what they liked for lunch. He knew when to push and when to back off. He knew when to talk and when to listen , knew when he still had a lesson to learn. The kids flocked to him. Even now you’re still entirely convinced that’s actually his quirk, getting people to like him. It’s not a difficult thing to do though.

Your brain stutters back to the present when a text notification pings from your cell phone as you sit in Kiri’s driveway, picking at non-existent lint on your gym shorts. The cute ones you’re still convincing yourself were your only clean pair and that’s the only reason you wore them.

KIRI : i saw u pull up, u gonna come in or what 😂

Had he been waiting for you to get there? You tapped out a quick response, one that hid the little flip in your stomach at the thought: creeper, you were watching for me lmao

Response bubbles immediately flash on your phone screen but you’re angling out of your car and shutting the door before he can reply.

Somehow, this house fits Kiri perfectly. It isn’t big. You had seen pictures of other top-ranking Pros’ houses. Enji Todoroki’s house, for example, was fucking ridiculous. But even without a massive floor plan, Kiri’s house is nicer than any you’d been in for some time. Clean, straight lines and lots of windows. In fact, you can see straight through the floor-to-ceiling windows out to his backyard when you reach the front door. Is that a pool ? Kiri had tons of fun showing pictures at the agency; it was a well-deserved investment for his already multiple years of service as a Pro. The pictures hadn’t done the place justice though.

Kiri comes to the door, throwing it wide open with a huge grin that shows off his sharp teeth. You ignore the way your mouth goes dry as he drags you in, babbling on like an excited little kid at you actually coming.

“I really thought you were gonna back out! I mean, that would have been fine, of course. I just can’t see the point of having the whole place to myself all the time.” He’s irresistibly cute, walking around showing you the living room and the kitchen and pointing out to the backyard where, yes, there is indeed a pool. “You can come over any time and use that too if you want!” You thank him, warmth pooling in your stomach at how incredibly nice he is.

“Uh, we should probably get in the gym. I have… stuff to do later,” you finish lamely. You don’t have anything to do later but very quickly you’re realizing how far out of your depth you are here. The familiar beginnings of the head over heels fall is washing over you in steady waves. But you’re coworkers and the thought of coming to work every day and having to see his adorable face and not doing anything about it is almost making you nauseous.

“Oh, yeah, it’s just down the hallway,” he rumbles, leading the way and you follow trying and failing miserably to calm the nerves flashing through your veins. You’re here alone with Kiri , the man you’ve been crushing on since you’d started working with him a year ago. And now your stupid brain isn’t just thinking about what it would feel like to run your tongue along his teeth or how his hands would feel between your legs. No, your stupid brain is thinking about what Kiri looks like when he first opens his eyes in the morning.

Your one-track mind is not getting any help, especially when Kiri walks through the doorway of the gym addition and immediately proceeds to pull his shirt up and over his shoulders and tosses it to the side. Shit. His back muscles ripple with the movement and when he turns to face you, it’s heart-wrenchingly obvious that he has no idea the effect he’s having on you. He has to know . Doesn’t he? From your end, it seems wildly obvious that someone as good-looking as him should know .

You glance around, eternally grateful for the fact that the gym is also attractive. Floor to ceiling windows span two of the walls here as well and there’s a large set of French doors leading out to the yard. You find yourself actually in awe when you get a better look at the landscaping. It’s so green . There’s a small patch of lawn but the rest is just artfully arranged native flora and fauna. Violets, tulips. Huge hosta plants. And cherry trees heavy with their signature sakura blossoms.

“Kiri, it’s beautiful!” He comes to stand beside you, looking out the French doors as well.

“You like it? I guess it is pretty nice, huh?” You glance up at him, your chest expanding on a lurch looking at his smile. You’d never noticed before but he has a light dusting of freckles across his nose.

“Yeah, really nice.” You look out again, letting the silence grow until it feels like the most comfortable thing in the world. After what seems like an eternity Kiri clears his throat, rocking back on the balls of his feet. “What are you thinking for today?” The question leaves your lips and you’re immediately regretting it; your stomach flips again when Kiri looks at you like you’re prey.

“Close combat, hand-to-hand combat. You did mention a while ago you wanted to strengthen that, right?” You throw your head back, rolling your eyes, and groan. The two of you make your way to the center of the mat.

“Yeah, I mean, I’d be scared to take me on too,” Kiri says, large hands on even larger hips. He isn’t as tall as some of the other heroes at six foot three inches but he’s wide , thick. You know for a fact you couldn’t wrap your arms around his waist and have your hands meet. He’s wearing the biggest shit-eating grin you’ve ever seen. The sharpened points of his canines are out and on prominent display. Famous last words you think as a snarl erupts on your face.

“I’m not scared , Kiri. I just don’t want to wear you out . You’re a Pro Hero. You’re on the job a lot more than I am. Plus, you’re getting kind of old. Is that a little gray I see coming in?” Kiri bares his teeth even more but it’s not lost on you that he quickly reaches up to rake his fingers through his hair. There isn’t any gray, obviously , but the thought has Red Riot distracted. Distracted enough that when you plant your feet and your fist connects with his face, your knuckles hit skin and not the reinforced rock of his quirk.

“ Shit.” Kiri takes a step back, reaching up to cradle his jaw. His tongue swipes out to lick at the blood on his bottom lip. His vermillion eyes find yours and if you didn’t work with him on a regular basis, you would have felt fear at this moment. You know he wouldn’t hurt you but even now, a thrill races through your veins like electricity. He looks as if he’s going to devour you. You take your own step back, readying your quirk, reaching out to it as your fists hold their position in front of your body. A dark chuckle spills from his chest as Kiri calls on his own quirk.

Now it was your turn to be distracted; you had always been fascinated by Kiri’s quirk, the way his body looked when it hardened up. The ripples of muscle still visible under the toughened skin. The divots and ridges and how they mapped their way across his shoulders and chest and abdomen. You knew how it felt to the touch in fake combat. The Fatgum heroes all took pride in maintaining a healthy routine; sparring was a common workout that was previously done at a local public gym. You wonder absently what it would feel like to touch him slow and at the moment. When you could give extra attention with extra time.

Kiri closes the space between the two of you at the moment your mind strays and you barely are able to teleport out of the way to avoid him crashing into you. You try to take a swipe at him as you materialize from in front of him to behind but this time he’s ready for you and he’s using his quirk. Instead of moving out of the way, he plants his feet and allows your punch to hit. Pain radiates up through your fingers and wrist. It always irritated you that you had to prepare yourself to strike Kiri when he was using his quirk. Otherwise, you’d be in for a whole lot of hurt every time you landed a punch.

Teleportation is a pretty handy quirk. It gives you a pretty good advantage the more you work on your close combat skills. The trick with Kiri was to keep going at him until he ran out of energy. You hadn’t gotten to that point yet; your quirk had its limits as well. You were only two years out of UA, Kiri was out by seven. His strength was already fairly unmatched; sparring with him was always good practice. You relish the thought of the day you can win a sparring session without tapping out. It surges through you like pure energy.

You teleport to stand in front of him again, shifting your weight into your hips and up through your right hook. This time your fist connects with Kiri’s side and he lets out a small grunt. Your fingers don’t hurt so bad this time and by the time Kiri is retaliating, you jump back a few feet. He hmms, a sound that reverberates from his chest.

“That’s all well and good but how do you expect to do anything if you jump that far away?” He lunges forward at a running start, leaping at the last second, sending his gloved fist into your stomach. You were fast, but still not always fast enough. You double over, the air rushing from your lungs and your pre-workout protein smoothie threatening to exit back the way it went in. Sweat is already beading on your brow and sliding under your tank top. You take a few breaths through your nose when an idea pops into your head; you stay bent over. “Hey, I didn’t hit you that hard. You good?”

Kiri comes to stand in front of you, leaving him vulnerable. He can’t see your smirk until it’s too late. You wail on him, using some of the basic combos he’s taught you before today. Satisfaction rolls through you when he actually takes a step back. But then he puts his arms up in front of him, clenching his abdomen and bending inward to protect his core. He drops just a fraction and before you realize what’s happening, he’s swiping his leg out to push through yours. You watch in slow motion as you see his laughing face then the ceiling of the gym as you flip and land on your back.

If you thought you were out of breath before… “Fuuu-.” It’s a wheeze that feels like it’s ripping your chest open. You’re seeing stars. Kiri stands over you, hands on his hips again. You stare at his face; the hero has his hair pulled back into a bun. You snort, rolling your eyes. Why does he still look so fucking good? The sweat has caused some of the pieces falling out of his hair tie to curl. His hair has curl to it? You’ve never noticed before, considering he always gels it into spikes. You like the curl. “Are you--are you gonna help me up, or what?” It was still painful to talk.

Kiri tilts his head to the side, just slightly, and crosses his arms. “I’m thinking not. Last time I let down my guard you got those good combos in.” You stare in stunned silence, sitting up so you’re supported by your elbows. Kiri shifts slightly and if you didn’t know better, you’d say he’s backing up to… get a better view.

“Is that any way to treat your student, Red Riot?” You know you get under his skin when he clicks his tongue against his teeth and holds out a hand with a begrudging eye roll. He pulls you up with ease, quickly enough that you almost lose your balance, swaying into his space. You look up, eyes moving back and forth between his.

He draws in a breath and drags his bottom lip between his teeth. “First of all,” he says as he places his hands on your upper arms, “I’m not your teacher. I’m not that much older than you. Secondly,” he mutters as he tucks a stray lock of hair behind your ear, “our relationship isn’t that formal is it?” He’s so fucking close. This is getting dangerous. Dangerous because Kiri is within kissing distance. Dangerous because this gentle side of him is making you lose more breath than falling on your ass. Dangerous because the thought of Kiri taking you on the floor right now is almost too much to bear.

So you fall back on what you’re here to do. Fight. You flash him a wicked smile before rallying your quirk and teleporting a few feet away. His hand is still raised in mid-air and when his head whips to look in your direction, his crimson eyes are narrowed and his nostrils are flared. He laughs and rolls his neck, dancing on his toes.

“Okay. I see. I’m not gonna go easy on you, you know?” You snort and put your fists up in front of you again.

“As if you were going easy on me before, Kiri. Bring it on.” He smiles, the sharp points of his teeth enough to make your thoughts swerve again before you bring them under control. “Bring it on,” you whisper more to yourself as you brace for the fight.

Two hours later, you feel the strain in your muscles. Your quirk is running low on reserves and you know you won’t be able to use it much more. Kiri looks like he hasn’t wasted a breath but you can see he’s getting tired in the way his feet don’t move as sharply. And if the length of time he’s using his quirk is any indication to his state of mind, you know the two of you will be calling it a day soon. But you’re also both stubborn. And you’re dying to get one more good move in on him.

The cockiness the two of you had at the beginning of the sparring session hasn’t gone away but has burned hot into determination. No more smiles, only clear-headed concentration. The two of you are an arm's length from each other, throwing various punches and switching quickly between using your quirks and not. You’re breathing hard, sweat gathering at your brow as you throw another right hook that Kiri easily blocks.

“Get out of your head. You can be too predictable sometimes.” He doesn’t mean for it to come across as rude but the words strike a match to a guttering fire. You bare your own teeth at Kiri even though they aren’t sharp and probably don’t look nearly as threatening but it helps you feel powerful nonetheless. You drop without a second thought, lowering to your palms and sweeping your leg out in front of you in a wide arc. A grin spreads across your face when your calf meets Kiri’s ankle. He’s too physically dense for this move to work if he had seen it coming. But he doesn’t. And his solid 220 pounds of muscle falls hard.

You allow yourself the satisfaction of the moment for only a split second; Kiri’s recovery time is much shorter than yours so it isn’t long before he’s scrambling forward. He goes straight for your wrists to subdue you but with a smirk, you realize in his haste he’s put himself in the perfect position for you to possibly gain the upper hand. You scoot up away from him just enough to drag his arm forward and swing your legs around his neck. Then you elevate your hips and lock your core.

It’s over from there as you squeeze with every last ounce of strength left in your body. It doesn’t take long for him to tap out. You release as soon as you feel his loose hand tap your arm; he collapses over you and you’re too tired to move away or push him off. Now his breathing is rough and you feel a surge of pride. You reach up and place your hand on his head where his bun has come undone; he’s so heavy but it doesn’t feel bad. In fact, the feel of Kirishima resting his head and upper chest on your stomach is feeling nothing short of good . He’s still between your legs and suddenly the air is crackling with a new kind of energy when you gently comb your fingers through his hair.

He rises up, his hands on either side of you. His hips rest between your legs; the mingled heat radiating from both of you is almost more than you can take but there is no way you’re going to move anywhere. He leans forward, so close you can see the flecks of burnt orange in his eyes. If you moved forward just a little, you could close that space between you. He leans down more, his mouth right next to the shell of your ear.

“Maybe not always predictable. You did good today. Probably some of the best fighting I’ve seen from you so far. Keep it up.” He grunts, a shift of his hips allowing the curve of his cock to brush against your clothed sex through his gym shorts. He stiffens in what you think might be embarrassment. “Shit, sorry, let me just, uh--” The stuttering mess he becomes right before your eyes makes something lurch in your chest; you reach for his face without thinking.

“Kiri,” you whisper, rolling your own hips against his. His cheeks are burning a shade of red almost as vibrant as his hair. You bring up your other hand, holding his face between them and bringing him down to settle over you once more. Your lips meet his; he seems to war with himself for just a moment. A suspended second in time. But then he gives in, slipping his tongue against yours in a delicious sliding vision of what’s coming.

He reaches between you to slip his hand under your tank top; his hand is big and nearly encompasses your side. But it’s warm and gentle. Gentle. Who would have guessed that Red Riot could be so fucking gentle? But he is and when his hand moves lower to slide below the hem of your shorts, you give yourself to him with no reservations. His middle finger passes through the mess of your sex; a hissed breath rattles through his chest as your back arches on a ragged groan.

“ Shit. You’re so wet .” He slides his finger back and forth, gathering your slick on the thick digit. He takes his hand away and you mewl. “Can I?” He asks breathlessly as he hooks his hands on the hem of your shorts. You nod, eyes half-lidded. He pulls them down along with your underwear and the way he looks at you, at what’s between your legs, you don’t even have the wherewithal to feel self-conscious. Adoration. It’s the only word you can think of and it makes you wonder if you’d made a mistake waiting so long.

He’s on his knees when he takes your legs and drapes them on either side of his hips; this time he doesn’t hesitate in slipping his finger into your cunt. You nearly see stars just from that and if one finger is any indication, you’re in for it. Slowly, he adds another, his hand pumping into you in a steady rhythm. You’re grabbing for the ground, grabbing for him as a strangled noise pushes from your throat. He reaches out with his other hand to splay it across your sternum and it’s the only thing anchoring you as he adds the third finger before scooting down to put his mouth on your clit.

“ Kiri,” you keen, shoving your hips into his touch, frantically scrabbling for his wrist that’s on your chest just to have something to hold on to. He’s done this before, he’s had to. He’s too good. Too fucking good. Already there’s coiling in your gut as incomprehensible words tumble from your mouth. “Shit. Shit. Kiri I’m--I’m gonna--” He rumbles approvingly against your clit; the vibrations send you closer and closer to the edge and when it crests, your back arches near pain as you cry out, your voice echoing in the gym. It’s deep, roaring through all of your limbs but Kiri keeps going, fingers still pumping, tongue still swirling around your sensitive nub.

Another orgasm breaks over you sharp and quick and the overstimulation has your legs quaking as your arousal gushes over Kiri’s hand and tongue. But then he’s moving again, and you’re blearily aware that he’s shoving his own shorts and boxers past his hips to free his cock. You stare as it bounces back to sit near the planes of his stomach; it’s already leaking steadily with precum. Kiri looks back at you and when your eyes meet, you dart your tongue out between your lips to wet them. Another time, maybe.

Kiri leans forward to lift you up and the closer you get you can barely see any red in his eyes; his pupils are blown, his nostrils flared as he lifts you like you weigh nothing . He could snap you like a twig. But he won’t. You know without a doubt this is the safest you’ve ever felt, even as he lowers you slowly over his cock and it does feel like you’re being split .

“ Fuuuck…” You wrap your legs around him, your mouth dropped open, your hands gripping his shoulders. You try not to dig your nails in but it’s almost impossible with how you’re being filled. You knew Kiri was big but this was almost too much. His forehead drops to yours as he pants. But he’s not moving, won’t move until you tell him to. It makes your heart ache and your cunt floods, drunk on the affection thrumming through your veins. You roll your hips experimentally and the friction is bliss. “Oh fuck, ohfuck.” You move again, pushing yourself up and back down, listening to the hitch in his breathing. “ Kiri, please, ” you whisper. Those words… they’re enough.

Kirishima grips you by the hips, his fingers splayed and digging into the flesh; it’ll leave bruises and the knowledge cracks through you like electricity. Let him leave marks. Let him leave them everywhere. He’s moving you up and down his cock, grunting, mumbling. “Tell me, Kiri, tell me.” His eyes meet yours again and his own mouth drops open.

“Fuck, you’re so good. S’ tight. Jesus, I-- ” Kiri moves his hands from your hips to support you as he lays you down on the floor of the gym. The idea should be questionable but it’s not, it’s fucking not and you can’t concentrate on any other thoughts when Kiri grabs your wrists and pins them gently above your head with one hand while the other comes back to your hip. He thrusts into you at a brutal pace but… it feels like home and you think in that moment as your cunt begins to seize around his cock that you would give up forever to continue touching him.

“Yes, Kiri, yes. Right there, right--shit yesyes yes. ” He pistons up, the veins of his cock rubbing just right and when he releases the grip on your hands, they’re moving to wrap around him on instinct. He’s planting kisses along your jaw, mouthing up to your lips and back down to graze his teeth over your pulse point. “Do it, fuckin’ do it, let them know ‘m yours, ” you slur and when he bites down you crash over the edge on a groan that’s really more of a scream. Everything goes black but you're cradling him to you as his movements become more erratic. The snapping of his hips is getting sloppier by the second and a steady growl punches from his lungs with each breath. “Cum, Kirishima, cum inside me.”

He’s never heard those words before and it lights a fire in his veins. His head is buzzing and then he can’t hear anything as his cock releases and he’s spurting searing hot ropes of cum into your cunt. He goes until you’ve milked every last drop from him and he’d be lying if he said his world didn't suddenly feel whole. Finally, his body settles and his chest drops to yours. Everything slowly bleeds back into focus and somehow, everything seems more colorful than it did moments before. You’re still clinging to him.

“Kiri. Kiri, babe, I can’t breathe,” you say and he slowly rises, taking in your blissed-out expression. Your eyes can barely stay open, your cheeks are flushed. He backs up to see his handiwork on display, hyper-focused on the trail of the mingling cum dripping from the mess of your sex. But you’re smiling. Lazy and tired, completely at ease. “Wanna take a shower?” When you nod he doesn’t hesitate in standing to kick his underwear and shorts the rest of the way off his legs and then he’s grabbing you, scooping you into his arms and against his chest. He pads out of the gym and across the hall to his bathroom where he deposits you on your feet, only after he’s sure you can stand and only long enough to turn the shower head-on.

He puts his hand under the water, waiting for it to get warm. Steam billows from behind the glass door when he’s turning back to you to remove your tank top and your sports bra. Thank god you chose the front-closure one today; you didn’t think either one of you wanted to struggle to get one up over your head right now. When your breasts spill out of the high-impact fabric, you notice with tender amusement that his cock is half-hard again. His eyes go dark again and he leans in for a kiss. But it's slow and sweet.

"You're so fuckin' beautiful," he whispers. He ignores his arousal, ushering you into the stream of water. Your care is the only thing that matters to him right now. The heat slides across your body, and when Kirishima steps up behind you and begins soaping up your shoulders, it feels like heaven .

You take turns washing each other until you’re both blissed out in a different kind of way and the only thing either one of you can think about is sleep. But the afterglow is fading and doubt is creeping in. When you step out of the water, you stand awkwardly as Kiri hands you a towel. “You okay?” He’s actually concerned and you can’t put your finger on why you’re so fucking grateful for it.

“Yea, just tired. I should, uh, probably get going.” Kiri freezes and you think you’ve said something wrong, already crossed a line. Your brain is like a broken record as the stomach-curdling image of having to see him at the agency flashes across your eyes in vivid detail. But then he’s stepping into your space and pulling you in for a hug. A hug.

“Don’t go,” he whispers into the crown of your head and it has you smiling like an idiot against his chest. His skin smells clean and warm with a hint of spice. You bury your face further in as you nod against him. Then he’s leading you to his room, to the king-sized bed. He peels back the comforter and the white sheets and pulls you in beside him. Your back is against him and he hooks his foot around your ankles, bringing you even closer.

He doesn’t say anything more, just lets out a huge sigh as he wraps his arm around you. The last thing you notice before your eyes flutter shut is how your heartbeats are thumping at the same steady rhythm.

Late afternoon sunlight slants in Kirishima’s bedroom window, creating interesting patterns across his blanket. It’s pushed towards the end of the bed, your legs intertwined and tangled in the sheets. He’s still dozing, his breathing not quite that of someone sleeping but not of a person fully awake. You reach out to cup his cheek, stroke above his eyebrows, caress his lips with your thumb. A contented sigh leaves his chest as he grabs your hand and kisses your wrist. His eyes are open now and he watches you. You smile at him, snuggling closer, not wanting the moment to end.

“Hey,” he says quietly, suddenly serious. “I just want you to know, I don’t do this all the time. I mean, I’ve been with other people before but I don’t… I don’t really hook up .” Things start clicking into place as you realize what he’s trying to get across. He just fucked you stupid in his personal gym and somehow he looks bashful. And because you love it, you’re not going to help him along. You just watch, biting your lip to keep from giggling. “I just. I guess what I’m trying to say is I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time. And normally I would have wined and dined you first but... Well. Here we are. Would you like to stay for dinner?”

That’s the last straw; your laughter comes bubbling out of you and Kiri is leaning back to look at you with a quizzical expression on his face. “Is something funny?” That just makes you laugh a little harder but the confused look he’s wearing has you leaning in to press your lips against his.

“I’ve liked you from the first day I met you, Kiri. I’ll one-up your offer and tell you that I might like to stay forever.” A grin rips across his face and your heart blooms with warmth and affection. The world seems full of possibilities but none of them matter except for the possibility laying right in front of you.

#kirishima x reader #kirishima eijiro x reader #kirishima eijirou x reader #kirishima eijiro #kirishima eijirou #pro hero kirishima #red riot #kirishima smut #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #kaitsuki writes #oh my god i had such brain block #writing this one #because i get too in my head writing smut #BUT i hope everyone still enjoys #we stan kiri in this house

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inawickedlittletown · 3 years

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Queerbaiting and Buddie

(word count: 1,900)

I keep saying that I don’t want to spend any more time on 9-1-1 meta or fic, but the events of this weekend made me open up a document where I had some unfinished meta and in light of the S4 finale airing tonight, I thought I might at least write this:

“Queerbaiting is a marketing technique for fiction and entertainment in which creators hint at, but then do not actually depict, same-sex romance or other LGBTQ representation. They do so to attract a queer or straight ally audience with the suggestion of relationships or characters that appeal to them, while at the same time attempting to avoid alienating other consumers.”

That is how Wikipedia defines queerbaiting. And I really feel like everyone needs to read that and then read it again and realize that what is happening on 9-1-1 with Buddie is NOT queerbaiting.

I don’t want to go into the long history of queerbaiting because we would be here all day and anyone that wants to do some research should go and do so. There are a lot of resources out there. Use them.

But the short of it is this: queerbaiting has a lot more to do with the way a show is promoted, with the way that anyone involved in the show talks about a queer ship, and with the show deliberately scripting scenes that hint at a relationship without any intention of following through. Expectations and wanting a queer ship to go canon and those expectations not being met do not alone equate to it being queerbaiting.

For any of us that have been around a long time there are a lot of perfect examples and if you compare Buddie to any of them, they are very different. I’ll name a few:

Merlin/Arthur

John Watson/Sherlock

Emma Swan/Regina

Derek/Stiles

Castiel/Dean Winchester (though they did go canon...barely)

Lena/Kara

Buck and Eddie do not fit into that list. Which isn’t to say that someday they could belong there, but I just do not believe that they will even if Buddie never becomes canon. And this all lies in how Buddie as a ship has been treated both on screen and off. I’ll break it down by season.

S2:

Eddie is very clearly introduced as a new character, a straight Army veteran with a disabled kid and family drama. He and Buck have immediate chemistry. We can’t deny that, or deny that from that first episode there are immediate sparks. Unintended sparks, but sparks nevertheless. And it is easy to tell that no one on the production team expected that and the story reflects that.

Yes a foundation for their friendship is formed and yet the season long story focuses on Eddie’s relationship with his estranged wife and Buck is dealing with his own growth after being left by Abby. Their friendship shines and their scenes are great but none of them suggest romance and there are actually a lot of episodes where Buck and Eddie barely interact in S2 aside from in the background or for small work related moments (this mostly happens after Shannon returns).

S2 does give us the first acknowledgement from the powers that be aka Tim Minear that they know what the fans have seen. This is why the elf scene exists, but it exists in a space where it’s a nod to the fans and not meant to do much more than that. The other moment is during the call with the livestreamer. But S2, places them completely and without question on a strong friendship.

S3:

We see a lot more conflict for Buck and Eddie in this season and we see how close and important they are to each other. Those are the two main things. That can be read as friendship easily and it’s a season where both Buck and Eddie deal with their pasts and in one way or another start to get closure while their friendship remains intact.

Yes there are some scenes that make us squint and go huh, wtf? (I’m looking at you kitchen scene), but narratively we also know that neither of these boys is ready for a real relationship with anyone, let alone each other. But we can bask in how close they are as well as how Christopher fits in into all of it.

But in S3 we are also introduced to Ana and we see the return of Abby. We also get to see that Buck and Eddie have become closer than ever and that the lawsuit only serves to highlight the importance that they both feel about having the other available to them. I’ll also quickly mention that Eddie Begins worked hard to highlight Buck’s devotion to Eddie.

S4:

Without considering the events of the finale (I am avoiding spoilers and know nothing about it or the speculation), we’ve seen Buck and Eddie both grow and get further closure on their past. This season has paralleled them well and their friendship has not faltered, they’re as close as ever.

The beginning of the season was heavily focused on Buck and we saw him grow as a person and begin to work on himself in a healthy way and we’ve seen Eddie be supportive of that.

We also have Ana to consider and her relationship with Eddie as well as the return of Taylor and yet the appearance of these women has not changed the Buck and Eddie dynamic. And I find it fascinating that Eddie beginning to date Ana, is the thing that prompted Buck to start dating. The parallels are all over the place but it is the strength of the friendship and the way they care so deeply about each other that remains whether that becomes romantic is still to be seen, but it could still go either way.

Off-screen by the end of S2, Tim Minear had already addressed Buddie by throwing in that elf scene in a wink/nudge fashion that said “I see you” and in the scene with the girl with the livestream with the comments. During S3 he tweeted about being frustrated by the fans demanding and being hostile and thinking that that would make him more likely to do what they want (I’m paraphrasing what I remember seeing). Tim has never once said that Buddie will happen or shut the door on the ship entirely, but he did say he did not want to engage in conversation about it because he doesn’t want to get into arguments with fans.

Oliver has always been enthusiastic about Buddie and has even said that he would be perfectly fine with it happening both a while ago and more recently in promo for S4. Conscious of queerbaiting and not wanting to give fans false hope, he has specifically said that he does not know if it will or won’t happen and that he wouldn’t speak on that as he’s not the one making that decision. His support for it happening does not mean he has any sway one way or the other. He’s said this a few times and even wrote a letter to the effect to make it clear to fans that the last thing he wants is to disappoint someone due to something he’s said.

All in all, it just isn’t a constructive environment for anyone working on the show to interact with fans on this topic because any time that they do, they get attacked by overly enthusiastic buddie shippers that in many ways are making everything worse.

In all of the interviews from Tim that I’ve seen, he has always been very quick to hint at what was coming up on the show in a way that at times has been misleading on purpose. The number one thing that comes to mind is early in S4 where Buck was said to get a new woman in his life. Tim absolutely made it out to seem like it was a girlfriend while knowing fully well that it was a therapist. This is an excellent example of what promoting and hinting is actually like. No one from this show has done that in regards to Buddie.

No one has gone out of their way to hint that it may happen in a way that excites the fans. And this is one of my main reasons for knowing that Buddie is not a queerbait. At no point in the life of the show so far has anyone used Buddie in a promotional way to bring in viewers. Because THAT was the whole point of queerbaiting in the past.

It was a way that some showrunners found to bring in a lot of viewers when they needed to up their numbers in order to show networks they were worth keeping around. Someone figured out that LGBTQ people wanted to see themselves represented so much so that they would tune in to anything that promised an LGBTQ character in some fashion. It was a tactic that worked well in the landscape of tv where there was so little LGBTQ content on mainstream media that anyone wanting it would latch onto anything. And then they just wouldn’t deliver on those relationships or characters. In 2021, that is not the world we live in any longer.

In today’s tv landscape there is so much to watch and so much to pick from and diversity has grown, it is celebrated. Queer characters are well represented as are queer relationships and queer stories. The times are different. A while back I was listening to a podcast (Bait: a queerbaiting podcast) and something I found interesting was how the hosts both agreed that in today’s tv landscape there is no more real queerbait and that we won’t easily find anything like the ships I mentioned above. I think I agree more with this than I expected to, because I do think that it exists in some spaces, but it definitely isn’t what it used to be. This is a good thing.

Specific to 9-1-1, this is a show that has that diversity and that isn’t afraid of tackling that diversity and giving us interesting and nuanced perspectives and stories embracing that. We have characters of color, women in positions of power, a F/F relationship, two multi-racial relationships, a disabled character, other queer characters including a M/M relationship. There is so much in this show that embraces diversity and that embraces the reality of what the world looks like. To call it queerbait is to disrespect everything else that this show is and has done and the hard storylines that have been tackled that we would not have seen on tv ten years ago.

And I get that Buddie would be another breakthrough. It would be a novel way to tell a queer story, and it would be amazing if it were to happen. The set up is there, but it isn’t fully realized, and Buck and Eddie can still be read as just friends if we take off the shipping goggles. But it also isn’t queerbait or likely to become queerbait and people have to stop calling it that.

What Buddie resembles is one of the many unintended slow burn ships that have frustrated viewers in many forms across fandoms and we just have to go along for the ride and maybe it will happen. Or maybe it won’t. But if we know anything about relationships on tv, it is that a lot of the fun comes from the journey, even if the destination is good too.

#911 fox #buddie #911 meta #911 on fox #buddie meta #buddie is not queerbaiting #long post #this is almost 2k long

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ddarker-dreams · 3 years

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Unwanted Intrusions. Yan Childe x Reader

Warnings: Unbalanced power dynamics and suggestive themes. Word count: 1.3k. Note: Reposted due to tumblr’s awful not showing posts in tag problem : ))))

It’s no exaggeration to say this order could keep your parent’s business afloat.

For once, you feel as if the Geo Archon has heard your prayers and answered them. Maintaining your composure has never felt so challenging. Standing just to the side of this godsend customer, a genuine smile adorns your face, hands clasped behind your back. She examines the petals of every blossom with scrutiny. You’re more than confident that the assortment will be to her liking, pearly white qingxin’s that took arduous days to obtain.

All she needs to do is confirm what she spoke about earlier. Lian, as she had introduced herself, is a wedding coordinator for a wealthy merchant in Liyue. As funding isn’t an issue, she had considered purchasing your entire stock for the event. It’s a rather last-minute affair and you can’t imagine any other florists could pull it off. How overjoyed your parents will be when they hear this news, they’ll finally be able to rest easily at night. The financial burden that you’ve sought to relieve them of is just within reach.

Lian straightens her posture and looks to you, clearly pleased and reaching for her Mora purse. “It’s as you said, these qingxin’s have undeniable quality. Now then, let’s--”

“Ah, there you are, [First]! Working hard as ever, I take it. Though, if memory serves, isn’t this your day off?”

No. This can not be happening to you. The timing is far too cruel -- an insult, if anything -- blood draining from your face at the grating sound of Childe’s voice. Lian looks at the Fatui standing by the entrance with palpable disdain, and words escape you entirely. It’s no secret that the Fatui have put a hurting on local business, including the very merchant this wedding is meant to be for. Clearing your throat, you struggle to find your verbal foothold, hoping to salvage the rapidly devolving situation.

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m incredibly busy at the moment.” Your tone is aloof as you can manage. Childe leans against the entranceway, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head. You recognize that damned expression. It’s the look that comes right before Childe throws you to the wolves for his entertainment.

“I don’t mind waiting. We have a lot to go over since our discussion was cut short last time, remember?”

Lian pivots on her heel, already making for the door. “It seems you’re otherwise preoccupied at the moment. Best of luck with your… future endeavors.”

Your jaw is agape as Lian exists with haste. It feels like the Mora you were so close to obtaining slipped through your fingers, hot indignation flaring at Childe’s purposeful interruption. It’d be naïve to think this a mere coincidence. As soon as she’s gone, Childe makes straight for you, sizing up your displeased body language.

“What a shame,” Childe sighs, running a hand through his tousled copper hair. “Do you think it was something I said?”

“Why are you here?” You snap, arms crossing over your chest. The paper-thin patience you have when speaking to Childe is nonexistent this time around. It’s inevitable that every time you’re free of him for a while, that he makes up for it by intruding in the worst ways possible. The past three or so weeks without Childe lingering like a bad omen have been divine. A much-needed reprieve cut short far too soon.

Childe hums, canting his head down to get a closer look at you. “I think that’s rather obvious, [First]. I missed our little chats.”

He sounds pleased with himself. Frowning, you put your hands on his chest and push, hoping to create some space. Childe doesn’t so much as budge at your feeble attempts. His strength might not be noticeable at first glance, as his body is rather lean and slim. Unfortunately for you, it’s on display now, your force not even making him blink. Arms falling limp to your side in defeat, you recognize he’s not going to be giving personal space anytime soon.

“That’s great, but you’re scaring away my customers.” You grumble, standing on your tiptoes to glance over his shoulder. The situation outside makes your stomach churn in displeasure. Just outside the window, you catch the distinctive outfit of two Fatui guards, standing watch on the premises. Any passerby, Liyue natives or not, will undoubtedly be repelled by the sight.

“I would never,” he lets out a dramatized gasp, laughing at the deadpan stare you give in return. “Wow, what an intimidating glare! Endearing as that is, I much prefer how you look when your lips are on my--”

“Be quiet!” You hiss quietly, cheeks set ablaze, the room suddenly feeling too hot. “My parents are upstairs, you idiot.”

There’s a gleam in his eyes at the mention of this that fills you with despair. “That’s actually what I’m here for. I’ve never had the opportunity to introduce myself to them as your partner, isn’t that a custom in Liyue? Family is important, after all, it’s best to respect these things.”

Is that what he considers himself to be? Your partner?

You have no positive emotional connection to Childe, considering the Harbinger to be a persistent blight on your life. Every deplorable favor you exchanged -- at his behest -- was for the sake of alleviating the financial burden on your family. Carnal pleasure for the Fatui to cease harassing over their unpaid debt. What was done in the dark should remain there, as the humiliation attached to it is too great.

“You’re no such thing to me,” comes your detached response, cutting through the air like a knife. Childe’s lips curl into an uncharacteristic frown at your unhesitant rebuke. “For the last time, please leave so I can do my job.”

Silence. There’s no playful quip or arrogant laughter. Only an icy, piercing stare that sends shivers down your spine. You’ve never been on the receiving end of this look from Childe, who always seems to hold nothing but boundless adoration and favor on you. Swallowing thickly, you hold your ground, somehow managing to maintain eye contact.

“No such thing, huh?” He murmurs, your words bitter on his tongue. You shift uncomfortably, fists clenching by your side. Outside, you can hear the sounds of children playing, merchants bartering, and carts going by filled with various goods. The world is at a standstill in your humble store. Neither you nor Childe makes a move, tension steadily increasing as each second passes slower than the last.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Your heart drops. What does he mean by that? Sensing your newfound distress, he pats you on the head, in an act you can only describe as demeaning.

Childe reaches into his pocket, pulling out a personal belonging that sends your head reeling. A dainty necklace, unmistakable in its origin, glistening in front of you temptingly. That’s your mother’s necklace. A family heirloom for centuries, that she painstakingly pawned off to keep the flower shop afloat amidst financial turmoil. Wide-eyed, you reach out for it, only for Childe to lift it above your reach.

He shakes his head, smiling maliciously. “I guess I won’t be needing this any longer. I was hoping to win your parent’s favor with this little gift, but if that’s how you feel, why should I bother?”

“Childe, I’m--”

“Hm, not so cold now, are we?” He laughs, a sound devoid of humanity, placing the necklace away as fast as he took it out. Is this guilt that weighs on your soul? Agony? Hatred? You’re uncertain. Everything is happening too fast to mentally keep up with, Childe once again making a fool of you. You grit your teeth, taking in deep breaths to steady yourself. He stares at you with feigned disinterest.

“If you happen to change your mind,” he starts, turning to leave, “You know where to find me. I’ll be waiting.”

At that moment, you realize, it wasn’t you who had a semblance of control over Childe.

It was him that had you wrapped securely around his finger.

#everyday tumblr makes me more tilted than the last #lets see if it uncucks me #childe x reader #yandere childe x reader #childe #tartaglia #tartaglia x reader #yandere tartaglia x reader #yandere #yandere x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #yandere genshin impact #genshin impact imagine #my stuff

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gryffinwall · 3 years

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So, how do Riley & Farkle get together?

I was asked quite some time ago to talk about how I thought Riley and Farkle would come together. I’ve thought about this a lot since then, and while I’m not 100% happy with my answer, I felt it was high time to give it to you.

First things first, Lucas and Riley need to realize they are not a good romantic match. The show caught a lot of flack for its alleged “bad writing,” and some of that criticism came from the lack of interaction between Riley and Lucas as a couple. If you’ve read anything else on this blog before, you would know I don’t buy into that theory for a second. Them not acting like they’re together and their anti-chemistry was completely, totally done on purpose. Yes, they liked each other, but as I’ve talked about before, neither saw their relationship for what it really was, and it checks out that they’d eventually realize they’re better off as friends.

After that, Smackle and Farkle need to break up as well. And if I’m being honest with you, this is the part that’s tripped me up for a long time. I wanted to break them up in a way that felt in line with the show while also hitting a natural ending for their relationship arc. And while this post is mainly about the Riarkle ship, it makes sense that Smarkle could end with both realizing they feel something for somebody else*.

For Smackle and Farkle, a big component of their relationship was helping each other grow. He helped her understand emotions and social cues, and in return, she helped him elevate his academic game. But after a while, there was bound to be a natural conclusion for these two. Considering Farkle himself doesn’t have the best understanding of feelings, there’s only so much he could do to help her grow. And as much as he’s always appreciated Smackle for inspiring him to be his best, that dynamic could still exist without a romantic aspect attached to it.

In other words, it checks out that they would both outgrow their relationship at some point. In fact, it would be surprising if they didn’t outgrow their eighth-grade relationship at some point (we can’t all be Cory & Topanga!).

So, Riley and Lucas break up because they realize they work better as friends. Smackle and Farkle break up because they realize they’ve outgrown their relationship — and have both felt sparks with other people. How do Riley and Farkle come together?

If it were me in charge, I would have them start spending more and more time together. There’s a bit of a parallel between Rucas and Smarkle — to an extent, they both realized their relationships sounded better on paper than it ended up being in reality. (It’s a bit more nuanced than that, but there are definitely some similarities. In my head, Farkle has a bit of a brain meltdown when he hears about Lucas and Riley ending their relationship. He’d have a bit of trouble comprehending something that makes logical sense not working out because of feelings, but he’d also have a bit of a lightbulb moment when thinking about his own relationship).

After some Lucaya-circa-S2-esque moments (i.e., flirting), Riley would be the first one to voice her feelings, even if it’s only to Maya. And because it’s her show, I really want Riley to have her moment. As much as she deserves the Big Romantic Gesture, I want Riley to be the one who tells Farkle how she feels first, and I want her to instigate the first kiss.

Annnnnd because I’m a cheesy sap, I've always imagined their first date being basically a direct parallel of GM First Date. Lucas and Maya would be each other’s “dates,” and our Riarkle dorks would do the goofy slo-mo run — to each other for real. I also have this very clear vision of Riley stumbling on the subway (because of course!), but Farkle catches her before she actually falls. He’s got her. :)

*I should probably mention here that the person Smackle starts feeling this for is Zay. But you probably knew that.

#girl meets world #riley matthews #farkle minkus #riarkle #lucas friar #rucas #rilucas #isadora smackle #smarkle #lucaya #maya hart #girl meets first date #zay babineaux #smackle x zay #gmw

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itsclydebitches · 3 years

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So I decided to do a quick, totally subjective, not very serious RWBY Thing™. Basically, we’ve had a lot of conversations the last few volumes about RWBY’s women-focused premise vs. its (arguably) man-driven plot. I keep seeing throwaway comments — which I am absolutely guilty of — about how RWBY is/is not a show that is about and/or for women... so it got me wondering how the actual cast stacks up against these assumptions. What’s the gender divide in this show and, more importantly, how significant a role does each character play?

Hence, some quick and dirty data. With the understanding that I use the term “data” here very, very loosely lol.

I went through RWBY’s character list via the wiki and snagged everyone based on two criteria: 1. Do they appear in the main webseries? I’m eliminating characters that only appear in Myers’ novels, the mobile game, etc. (Theodore is a bit of an outlier. I included him because Ruby addressed him in her message and I assume he’ll be a significant character in Volume 9/10). 2. If I mentioned them to an average RWBY fan would they most likely know who I’m talking about, maybe with a one sentence refresher? So many of the fighters in the Vytal tournament didn’t make the cut, but characters like Neon and Flynt, who had conversations with Team RWBY, trained with them, and participated in the Battle of Atlas get to stay. Then I roughly divided everyone into three categories: Main Characters (in red), Secondary Characters (purple), and Background Characters (blue). MCs are connected to the majority of the plot, SCs are important for a significant portion of the story (even if they later disappeared), and BCs cover everything from “They were important for, like, three episodes but that was all the way back in Volume 1″ (Cardin) to “They literally only exist to look cute” (Adrian). Again, very subjective and I have no doubt people will disagree with my rankings, but the purpose here is to just get a general sense of things.

Sidenote: Light blue indicates “I don’t think Gods and dogs have genders in any way we’d conceive of them, so they’re excluded from this.”

The results were surprisingly even. (With the obvious disclaimer that I didn’t divide them with the intent to achieve that.) The girls have nearly twice as many main characters as the guys, but with a few notable caveats. Namely, that two of them are dead now (Penny and Pyrrha), one only just became a MC by my wishy-washy criteria (Emerald at the very end of Volume 8), and Maria is, once again, MIA from the story. The guys have more characters that I would consider somewhat significant without being a MC or a one-off plot device (that’s why Vernal didn’t make SC status), while both have a pretty even number of background characters. Both are pretty even in terms of numbers overall too: 43 guys and 41 girls.

Why did I bother with this? Frankly, I don’t have a good answer. Boring Thursday night? What I definitely don’t intend is to make any nit-picky claims like, “Omg there are two more guys based on these totally subjective standards, RWBY has failed!” That’s neither true nor useful and, at the end of the day, I don’t think any story has to meet some arbitrary, statistical standard to be seen as progressive. Storytelling is far more complex than that. Example: we could look at the fandom’s desire to see more characters that don’t fit the very binary I’ve laid out, beyond the inclusion of May. Rather, I suppose if I have any point to make here, it’s that RWBY — for me, anyway — feels less like a webseries with a specific message to convey through its gender dynamics and more like a standard, ensemble cast. I believe RWBY started with that message and, depending on how forgiving we are, succeeded in conveying, “Here’s a story focused on the adventures of these four girls,” but we lost that in Volume 4 when the teams officially merged. Not only did we greatly increase the number of MCs, but we also skewed the gender dynamic by pulling Jaune, Ren, Ozpin, and Oscar into the core group. Regardless of whether anyone agrees with the arguments surrounding Jaune getting too much screen time, or Oscar being more important to the plot than Ruby, just from a numbers perspective this is no longer a show just about Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. It’s also not a show just about women fighters who happen to not be our original MC(s) — think Sailor Moon expanding its still primarily women cast past Usagi. And that’s not inherently a bad thing, but it does change how we approach the show and the generalized assumptions we make about it.

Anyway, happy boring Thursday, everyone. Peace ✌️

#rwde #rwby #mymetas

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the-golden-ghost · 3 years

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Pre-relationship questions for Jigen and Goemon?

1. How did they first meet?

I know this is answered in Part 1 and I'm pretty sure the answer is "Fujiko hired Goemon to kill Lupin and Jigen was just kinda there taking it in" but having not seen Part 1 (still. I know, I need to see it) I can't say for 100% sure.

I'll just say: refer to Part 1 for this

2. What was their first impression of each other?

Jigen's was probably "if this guy kills my boss we're gonna have problems" but I think maybe he thought he was cool, even then. Goemon just gives off the Cool Vibes Always.

I don't know that Goemon would have paid any attention to Jigen until he saw him fight and then he was undoubtedly like "!!! A Rival! I Will Meet Him In Honest Combat!!" and probably developed the tiniest crush there and then. Although he was in denial about it.

3. Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

YES God. Lupin SO wanted them to get together. I think he knew early on that the two of them were like lowkey Mutual Pining for each other but neither one would make the first move. He had to keep putting them together on heists and stakeouts hoping ONE of them would get bold and just go for it.

Fujiko? She wanted Goemon to be happy, mostly, and her take was "this guy's an asshole and he doesn't deserve you in the slightest and you can do better... but if you really want him, then you should get him."

4. Who felt romantic feelings first?

I think Goemon did. Jigen would have just been seeing Goemon as That Samurai Guy Who Lives With Us And Is Cool and Fun To Hang Around With but would probably not have initially seen him as dating material due to his relative youth and perceived innocence.

Goemon on the other hand would be thinking Jigen's extraordinarily hot and simultaneously trying to get his attention and get him to leave him alone so he can work out his Conflicting Feelings. Basically Goemon is that guy who’s like “I didn’t know how to handle my crush so I just sent them a note saying ‘get out of my school.’”

5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Both. Goemon didn't want to end up in too complicated a situation (especially since he's supposed to be focusing on samurai training NOT collecting lovers the way some people collect stamps) and Jigen pretty much thought he was too old and screwed up and would only hurt Goemon if he tried to make a move on him.

6. If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

Goemon would have Not been happy I don’t think. I really doubt he was ever at any point like “gee I hope I end up with a shabby old alcoholic ex-mobster with more issues than National Geographic” but that’s what happened. Once he actually meets and gets to know Jigen it’s a very different story but I think if you described the love of his life to him prior to their meeting he would have been like... no thank you

Jigen on the other hand would have been confused but... not unhappy. The idea of ending up with a strong and beautiful warrior would no doubt be thrilling. I guess he might be kind of weirded out though like... “WHY is a guy like that going to end up with me?” and also possibly feeling like he’s not going to be able to compare.

7. What would their lives be like if they had never met?

Okay that’s an interesting one.

If they’d never ended up in the team at all I think their lives would have been demonstrably Really Bad with Goemon either going off the rails and becoming a much worse person than he is OR struggling all his life to remain Upright and Moral but suppressing his Cause Problems On Purpose side and ending up repressed and miserable. Jigen would have probably just flat-out died.

But if the team still existed but the other person simply wasn’t there, well...

I doubt Goemon would have joined Lupin. He’d be Fujiko’s teammate, occasionally joining up with Lupin to form a trio, but Lupin would also be their primary rival as a solo act (and their on again/off again boyfriend). Maybe every once in a blue moon Goemon even joins with Lupin WITHOUT Fujiko but I think it would be mostly him and Fujiko doing stuff and Lupin in their orbit and part of their team but also Not.

Jigen... okay that wouldn’t be SO different since he joined Lupin and Goemon showed up a lot later. So I don’t think the Entire Dynamic of the Team would be altered or anything, but I do think the tensions would be worse. Like Lupin leaving with Fujiko now leaves Jigen without a partner to fall back on. He’d just end up getting screwed and having no one to turn to when it happens, which would probably make his relationship with both Lupin and Fujiko a lot worse and preventing the team from having the type of familial camaraderie it normally has.

I mean that and the fact that Goemon is the Guy Who Shows Up And Saves Their Asses so without him who KNOWS lmao

#Lupin III #Jigoe

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killianmesmalls · 3 years

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On your comments about Jack: ye-es, in the sense that Jack is a character who definitely deserved better than he was treated by the characters. The way Dean especially treats him reflects very badly on Dean, no question. But, speaking as a viewer, I think the perspective needs to shift a little bit.

To me, Jack is Dawn from Buffy, or Scrappy Doo. He’s an (in my opinion) irritating kid who is introduced out of nowhere to be both super vulnerable and super OP, and the jeopardy is centered around him in a way that has nothing to do with his actual character or relationships. He’s mostly around to be cute and to solve or create problems — he never has any firm character arcs or goals of his own, nor any deeper purpose in the meta narrative. In this way, he’s a miss for SPN, which focuses heavily on conflicts as metaphors for real life.

Mary fits so much better in that framework, and introducing her as a developed, flawed person works really well with the narrative. It is easy for us to care about Mary, both as the dead perfect mother on the pedestal and as the flawed, human woman who could not live up to her sons’ expectations. That connection is built into the core of SPN, and was developed over years, even before she was a character. When she was added, she was given depth and nuance organically, and treated as a flawed, complex character rather than as a plot device or a contrivance. She was given a voice and independence, and became a powerful metaphor for developing new understandings of our parents in adulthood, as well as an interesting and well-rounded character. You care that she’s dead, not just because Sam and Dean are sad, but for the loss of her development and the potential she offered. So, in that sense, I think a lot of people were frustrated that she died essentially fridged for a second time, and especially in service of the arc of a weaker character.

And like, you’re right, no one can figure out if Jack is a toddler or a teenager. He’s both and he’s neither, because he’s never anything consistently and his character arc is always “whatever the plot needs it to be.” Every episode is different. Is he Dean’s sunny opportunity to be a parent and make up for his dad’s shitty parenting? Yes! Is he also Dean’s worst failure and a reminder that he has done many horrible things, including to “innocent” children? Yes! Is he Cas’s child? Yes! Is he Dean’s child? Yes! But also, no! Is he Sam’s child? Yes! Is he a lonely teenager who does terrible things? Yes! Is he a totally innocent little lamb who doesn’t get why what he is doing is wrong? Yes! Is he the most powerful being in the universe? Yes! Does he need everyone to take care of him? Yes! Is he just along for the ride? Yes! Is he responsible for his actions? Kinda??? Sometimes??? What is he???

Mary as a character is narratively cohesive and fleshed-out. Jack is a mishmash of confusing whatever’s that all add up to a frustrating plot device with no consistent traits to latch on to. Everything that fans like about him (cute outfits, gender play, well-developed parental bonds with the characters) is fanon. So, yes, the narrative prioritizes Mary. Many fans prioritize Mary, at least enough that Dean’s most heinous acts barely register. To the narrative (not to Cas, which is a totally different situation), Jack is only barely more of a character than Emma Winchester, who Sam killed without uproar seasons earlier. He’s been around longer, but he’s equally not really real.

I debated on responding to this because, to tell the truth, I think we fundamentally disagree on a number of subjects and, as they say, true insanity is arguing with anyone on the internet. However, you spent a lot of time on the above and I feel it's only fair to say my thoughts, even if I don't believe it will sway you any more than what you said changed my opinions.

I'm assuming this was in response to this post regarding how Jack's accidental killing of Mary was treated so severely by the brothers, particularly Dean, because it was Mary and, had it been a random character like the security guard in 13x06, it would have been treated far differently. However, then the argument becomes less about the reaction of the Winchester brothers to this incident and more the value of Jack or Mary to the audience.

I believe we need to first admit that both characters are inherently archetypes—Mary as the Madonna character initially then, later, as a metaphor for how imperfect and truly human our parents are compared to the idol we have as children, and Jack as the overpowered child who is a Jesus allegory by the end. Both have a function within the story to serve the Winchester brothers, through whose lens and with whose biases we are meant to view the show's events. We also need to admit that the writers didn't think more than a season ahead for either character, especially since it wasn't initially supposed to be Mary that came back at the end of season 11 but John, and they only wrote enough for Jack in season 13 to gauge whether or not the audience would want him to continue on or if he needed to be killed off by the end of the season. Now, I know we curate our own experiences online which leads to us being in our own fandom echo chambers, however it is important to note that the character was immediately successful enough with the general audience that, after his first episode or two, he was basically guaranteed a longer future on the show.

I have to admit, I’m not entirely sure why the perspective of how his character is processed by some audience members versus others has any bearing on the argument that he deserved to be treated better overall by the other characters especially when taking their own previous actions in mind. I’m not going to tell you that your opinion is wrong regarding your feelings for Jack. It’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it, it harms no one to have it and express it. My feelings on Jack are clearly very different from your own, but this is really just two different people who processed a fictional person in different ways. I personally believe he has a purpose in the Winchesters’ story, including Castiel’s, as he reflects certain aspects of all of them, gives them a way to explore their own histories through a different perspective, and changes the overall dynamic of Team Free Will from “soldiers in arms” to a family (Misha’s words). In the beginning he allows Sam to work through his past as the “freak” and powerful, dangerous boy wonder destined to bring hell on earth. With Dean, his presence lets Dean work through his issues with John and asks whether he will let history repeat itself or if he’ll work to break the cycle. Regarding Cas, in my opinion he helps the angel reach his “final form” of a father, member of a family, lover and protector of humanity, rebellious son, and the true show of free will.

From strictly the story, he has several arcs that work within themes explored in Supernatural, such as the argument of nature versus nurture, the question of what we’re willing to give up in order to protect something or someone else and how ends justify the means, and the struggle between feeling helpless and powerless versus the corruptive nature of having too much power and the dangerous lack of a moral compass. His goals are mentioned and on display throughout his stint on the show, ones that are truly relatable to some viewers: the strong desire to belong—the need for family and what you’ll do to find and keep it.

With Mary, we first need to establish whether the two versions of her were a writing flaw due to the constant change in who was dictating her story and her relationship to the boys, which goes against the idea that her characterization was cohesive and fleshed-out but, rather, put together when needed for convenience, or if they both exist because, as stated above, we are seeing the show primarily through the biased lens of the Winchester brothers and come to face facts about the true Mary as they do. Like I said in my previous post, I don’t dislike Mary and I don’t blame her for her death (either one). However, I do have a hard time seeing her as a more nuanced, fleshed-out character than Jack. True, a lot of her problems are more adult in nature considering she has to struggle with losing her sons’ formative years and meeting them as whole adults she knows almost nothing about, all because of a choice she made before they were born.

However, her personal struggles being more “mature” in nature (as they center primarily on parental battles) doesn’t necessarily mean her story has layers and Jack’s does not. They are entirely different but sometimes interconnected in a way that adds to both of their arcs, like Mary taking Jack on as an adoptive son which gives her the moments of parenting she lost with Sam and Dean, and Jack having Mary as a parental figure who understands and supports him gives him that sense of belonging he had just been struggling with to the point of running away while he is also given the chance to show “even monsters can do good”.

I’d also argue that Jack being many ages at once isn’t poor writing so much as a metaphor for how, even if you’re forced to grow up fast, that doesn’t mean you’re a fully equipped adult. I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I believe Jack simultaneously taking a lot of responsibility and constantly trying to prove to others he’s useful while having childish moments is relatable to some who were forced to play an adult role at a young age. He proves a number of times that he doesn’t need everyone to take care of him, but he also has limited life experience and, as such, will make some mistakes while he’s also being a valuable member of the group. Jack constantly exists on a fine line in multiple respects. Some may see that as a writing flaw but it is who the character was conceived to be: the balance between nature or nurture, between good and evil, between savior and devil.

Now, I was also frustrated Mary was “fridged” for a second time. It really provided no other purpose than to give the brothers more man pain to further the plot along. However, this can exist while also acknowledging that the way it happened and the subsequent fallout for Jack was also unnecessary and a sign of blatant hypocrisy from Dean, primarily, and Sam.

And, yes, Jack can be different things at once because, I mean, can’t we all? If Mary can be both the perfect mother and the flawed, independent, distant parent, can’t Jack be the sweet kid who helps his father-figures process their own feelings on fatherhood while also being a lost young-adult forcing them to face their failures? Both characters contain multitudes because, I mean, we all do.

I can provide articles or posts on Jack’s characterization and popularity along with Mary’s if needed, but for now I think this is a long enough ramble on my thoughts and feelings. I’m happy to discuss more, my messenger is always open for (polite) discussion. Until then, I’m going to leave it at we maybe agree to disagree.

#long post #long ask #so long answer #guys it's 1 am #i hope this made sense #watch me read this after sleep and register things i wish i said #oh well #jack kline #mary winchester #spn #supernatural #spn critical #supernatural critical #kinda?#eh just in case #spn meta #supernatural meta #jack meta

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snowimatsu · 3 years

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Hi, I wanted to ask you, can you tell us more about your thoughts on relationship analysis?

I’m assuming you mean this post (x)!

I thought the relationship analysis was really well-thought out, and it gave a lot of interesting perspectives. Like the Ichimatsu and Todomatsu analysis. I love the "domestic vs public party peep" idea.

Ichimatsu does thrive having fun with his brothers, but he is mentally unprepared to have a "public party" persona after doing it for so long at 18 years old. Oppositely, Todomatsu is often bullied in the "domestic" setting by his brothers (poor baby). Some examples are the s1 mixer auditions, the s3 cooking contest, etc. Todomatsu is really good at having a cute “party persona” though when his brothers are missing.

Tho I am kinda nitpicky about some duos XD

Jyushimatsu vs Osomatsu

The magazine didn't really define their relationship imo. It just restated what happened in previous episodes. This meta about Bakamatsu does give some exposition though! Jyushi is the type who tries to cheer people up, and Oso is happy just being stupid with Jyushi, so its a win-win situation! Hence why are they are so stupid together. Neither of them have to worry about the other party and they can just goof around together. Like in the Wannabe Detectives skit!

Together, they can be stupid without consequence!

I know I'm glossing the relationship, but I want more people to read the Baka meta by Clownmoontoon!! It’s a favorite of mine. (link, again)

Karamatsu vs Choromatsu

While I totally agree with the magazine's analysis, I also think Karamatsu likes to tease/bully his immediate younger brother. There are a lot of instances of Karamatsu saying he'll "come back for Choromatsu" while running away and then not doing that.

Also in s2e10 Choromatsu helped Karamatsu confront their brothers about the chores, yet Karamatsu abandons Choromatsu at the end to escape. In the pre-movie skits, Karamatsu called Choromatsu cute, then explains that Choromatsu is cute because he isn't popular like Karamatsu. It's like Karamatsu likes to playfully bully his immediate younger sibling. There’s no ill-intent intended (still, it’s at Choro’s expense).

I love suiriku a lot but I don't see this side of Karamatsu talked about often unless its directed at Oso. I don't think Karamatsu purposely bullies any of his younger brothers besides Choromatsu. And yes Karamatsu is very honest with Choromatsu! I am not denying that. Karamatsu just likes to tease Choromatsu too.

Choromatsu vs Jyushimatsu

I didn’t agree with this analysis initially, but after re-reading it I kinda do now. I know the magazine only goes up to s2 (2018), so the movie and s3 didn’t exist yet.

“Madness pulled from absurdity” does explain Choro & Jyushi’s relationship pretty well. Jyushimatsu brings out the mad side of Choro sometimes. And by the time of the movie, and s3, maybe it finally got to the point that Jyushimatsu had to develop a tsukkomi role for Choromatsu’s ideals.

It was a gradual role reversal, maybe? Idk, this is a duo I love but also they’re positions have changed over the seasons and I’m not too knowledgeable about their dynamic.

Osomatsu vs Five Matsus

I agree with the overall message! Osomatsu is built to revolve around his brothers, and without them he is lost as hell. He also has mixed feelings about them, both wanting to care about them but also wanting his own identity lol.

I just don’t like hearing e24 being summarized as “Osomatsu is upset because Choromatsu got a job”. I mean Osomatsu wasn't bothered when Todomatsu got a job as a barista, he was just sad Totty didn't tell them!

Its about how his brothers got independence. Osomatsu has this whole philosophy about "staying true to yourself" and "being yourself". It likewise implies Osomatsu is very uncomfortable about drastic changes.

After Nyaa quit her idol career for marriage, Choromatsu gave up his fanboy identity to grow up. And not only is he getting a job, he’s also moving out. It was,,, a very big change and it also involved Choro giving up a part of his identity. And Osomatsu didn’t like it at all.

And yeah, the situation only escalated from there onwards. I agree with the magazine’s analysis,, but every time I see the episode being generalized into this one sentence I just get weirdly annoyed asdhsdgs

It’s all about changes in character/identity! “Being yourself” and “forcing yourself to change to be an adult” are real fears Osomatsu has lol. And e24 basically captured that,,, At least in my opinion! His brothers took independence as a means of a dramatic character change.

Osomatsu probably hopes he can keep being “himself” while he can also be an adult at the same time. But e24 proves that he HAS to change. Seeing all his bros changing themselves to be proper adults, and leaving him alone, probably rekt him. His life does revolve around them. And Osomatsu has zero healthy coping mechanisms so yeah he was bound to explode in a toxic way.

Which is why s2e24 is so great! They got jobs and didn’t lose much of their personal identities. Osomatsu trusts and loves his brothers, but he’s also got issues lol. Sorry this last part went a bit off topic;; I don’t really have anything else to add so I’ll just stop here!

#matsutoy #ask #long post #very long post #meta #??? kindaaa XD #i added some images because fml i can't comprehend post without pics #feel free to ignore the last section i sorta went off topic

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murasaki-murasame · 3 years

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Thoughts on Higurashi Sotsu Ep14

Do you ever wanna just watch two little girls who are actually 100+ year old witches beat the absolute SHIT out of each other for 20 minutes straight? :)

Anyway, thoughts under the cut. Plus Umineko spoilers.

Part of this might just be because I’ve been high on painkillers for a few weeks now [long story short, I’ve got a lot of dental work that needs done], but this is perhaps the most entertaining episode of anime I’ve seen all year, lol. Not even in a jokey ironic ‘so bad it’s good’ way.

I feel like this is going to be the most polarizing episode of this whole show, because for better or worse it really crosses the line between Higurashi and Umineko, so whether or not you’re a fan of that whole trajectory the story’s been taking will really change how you feel about this.

Though to be honest I think on one level people are ignoring how Higurashi has always had a lot of these things in it. For one thing, the concept of the fragment space and ‘game boards’ has been a thing since Minagoroshi, and we’ve always had stuff like Hanyuu being a literal god who can manifest in the real world, and the existence of the mythical sword was hinted at in Matsuribayashi and then expanded upon in Kotohogushi. This episode also directly referenced the over the top rooftop fight scene from Tsumihoroboshi, which was just the start of Higurashi having lots of fun and silly fight scenes, like the fights between the club members and the military in Matsuribayashi, or the whole fighting game spin-off arc thing. Even in the VN there was an intentional shift from horror and mystery to high-octane fight scenes fueled by the power of friendship and miracles.

Obviously on the other hand there’s definite Umineko stuff going on here, but in general this feels like a pretty natural progression for this series to take.

Anyway, this was absolutely worth the wait, and it goes a long way toward making up for how bad the pacing in Sotsu has been thus far, lol. I still think they could have cut this down by at least two or three episodes, but still. As a climax to this whole conflict between Rika and Satoko, it was really cool.

Sort of like how Nekodamashi had it’s rollercoaster death montage, I really loved how this whole episode transitioned between fragments in increasingly seamless and surreal ways. The use of transition cuts between scenes was honestly really cool, and made it way more dynamic and engaging than it otherwise would have been to basically have an entire episode spent on one fight scene.

I think a lot of people are hung up on the exact logistics of how the fragment-hopping worked in this episode, but I don’t really think you should read into it too much. It basically operated on dream logic and heightened emotions. In the first few fragments Satoko might have waited a bit before attacking Rika, but it very quickly became one continuous sequence of events for all intents and purposes, with how their back and forth dialogue and their exact movements transitioned from one fragment to the next.

Basically it ended up becoming a fight between voyager witches who have become totally divorced from reality and just hop from one fragment to the next whenever they please.

I was wondering how they’d follow up on the gun scene, since it created this stalemate where they both know what’s going on and thus have no reason to surrender, but I really like how they decided to take this. I know a lot of people have been wanting more of a drawn out battle of wits between them, but the whole concept of them just getting into an endless fight with each other now that everything’s out in the open is extremely entertaining to watch.

It does make me even more convinced that it was a bad idea to have Nekodamashi happen in Gou, though. The immediate resolution to the cliffhanger was more anti-climactic than most people would have wanted after so much time spent leading back up to it, and the whole tone and pacing of Nekodamashi would have flowed very seamlessly into this. It also would have fixed the issue of the last two episodes being almost entirely recaps if this was instead the first time that we saw the Nekodamashi loops.

Anyway, there’s been a lot of debate about whether or not we might get a third season or some other kind of continuation to this, and I think this episode makes me way more convinced that it’s actually just going to end here, whether people like it or not. I think I’ve already said that there’s literally nothing the story needs to do anymore except have Rika and Satoko hash things out with each other, and that’s exactly what they’re focusing on now. Maybe they could spend time recapping Satokowashi, but that’d be extremely pointless. And at this point it’s pretty clear that one way or another the other club members just aren’t going to be very important to this story. There’s a bit of a loose end with their teenage selves showing up in the OP with new outfits, but that might be as simple as an epilogue scene set back in the Matsuribayashi fragment or something, and them looking ominous might be a red herring.

Also, in a more meta sense, there’s certain stuff the staff are doing and saying that make this seem like the finale of the whole series, like how in a couple months they’re going to release a congratulatory book compiling all the official artwork and interviews for Gou/Sotsu, or how they recently released a compilation CD of all of Ayane’s Higurashi-related songs, or how [I think] the artist for the Gou manga said on Twitter that the new chapter that just came out will be the last one to come out while the anime’s airing. We’re also getting two new Higurashi manga arcs starting soon, along with the reveal that the Gou manga will diverge from the anime and go into a new answer arc called Higurashi Jun.

So in general it just comes across like everything’s being wrapped up with Sotsu. I can see why people would be disappointed if we don’t get more, but with how the story’s been going, there’s just not really much material left to work with. Also, we know from TV listings that there at least won’t be a direct continuation in the next season, so if we get anything more it wouldn’t happen until January at earliest, and at this point I’d rather things just wrap up here instead of having to wait even longer to get the actual ending, lol.

I guess we won’t know how things will end until next week, but we really seem to be barrelling headfirst into this being Bern and Lambda’s origin story. Which has been pretty obvious for ages now, but this episode in particular really cements it. This whole fight is really similar to the one they have in Episode 8, and you can see throughout the episode how they’re embracing their looper/witch personas and becoming divorced from reality. You can even see the foundation for how Bern and Lambda have a twisted love for each other based on the fact that they’re basically the only people who can actually understand each other, and they’re so detached from reality that the violence between them is more like a sign of affection.

I feel like this is also going to end up tying into the miracle that Hanyuu is waiting for. At the moment we’re in a situation where it seems like they’re stuck in an infinite stalemate because they’re in a fight where neither of them wants to lose, but neither of them wants to win if it means permanently killing the other. So it seems like there might not really be any way out of this, but if they’re able to truly forgive each other and embrace their identities as witches, then they can basically step away from this entire conflict and just enjoy being with each other. It seems impossible for this to end with either of them ‘winning’ and things going back to how they used to be, so it could certainly be called a miracle if they both decide that they’re OK with that, and they take a third option where they can both be happy in a way that neither of them would have predicted at first.

This could also lead to a situation where Rika is able to ascend to a higher level by letting go of her human side once and for all, which could give her the ability to appear in the part of the fragment space where Eua and Hanyuu are, so she can save Hanyuu from getting killed by Eua’s spear.

And on that note, the whole bit with Hanyuu at the end actually reminds me a lot of the idea of logic errors in Umineko. I think people kinda over-use that term when it comes to stuff in this series where it doesn’t really fit, but that scene was actually extremely similar to the whole set-up where Battler got stuck in a locked room that he couldn’t come up with an answer to get out of, and he had to wait for the ‘miracle’ of Beatrice awakening so that Kanon could arrive and save him. Hanyuu is in a position where she’s already committed to flying straight at Eua, but the spear is right in front of her face and about to kill her once time starts again, and she has to wait for a ‘miracle’ to happen to change her fate. Which is also a lot like how in Matsuribayashi she almost got shot by Takano, but a miracle happened and Rika was able to divert the bullet. So it’d make a lot of sense in general if in the next episode we see Rika show up there and save Hanyuu.

And considering how Featherine acts in Umineko, I could honestly see Eua sticking to her word and rewarding Hanyuu if a miracle like that actually happens and saves her. So even if it’s anti-climactic, this might end with Eua accepting her loss and backing off, and maybe not even doing anything to punish Satoko for losing in her fight against Rika. Which is part of why I think the whole lingering threat of the ‘world without Rika’ might not even lead to anything and might just be a vague threat towards Satoko that never materializes.

Other than that, I think the last episode will probably also involve us going back to Matsuribayashi and seeing what sort of ending Rika and Satoko’s ‘human selves’ get once their ‘witch selves’ leave them behind once and for all. Which will probably just be along the lines of Rika going to the Saiguden to check up on Satoko, and them heading over to the cafe where the other club members [and probably Satoshi as well] are waiting for them, and it’ll just end on the note of them presumably working things out between each other peacefully.

Along those same lines, I think that the whole story of Gou/Sotsu will also get somewhat recontextualized as being a sort of deranged power fantasy that Satoko came up with in her head while visiting the Saiguden. I don��t think that’d be intended to devalue anything that happened here, but it’d be like how Umineko presents enough narrative framework for a non-magical interpretation of everything, while at the same time still acknowledging the value of the magical interpretation.

While I remember, I’m curious to see how the manga version turns out, since it’s clearly diverging a fair bit from the anime. It might just be an alternate take on the story concept, but at this point I think it might be presented as an ‘earlier loop’ of Gou/Sotsu, with how it’s been implied that Eua and Satoko have met before without Satoko remembering it. So maybe this whole series of events has repeated over and over again, presumably with Satoko ‘losing’ each time so things get reset, and Gou/Sotsu is the final iteration of that loop where they’re finally able to achieve a miracle.

I feel like the manga version is probably gonna end up being closer to what people wanted out of Sotsu, since it seems to be going in the direction of Rika knowing everything without Satoko knowing that, so they can have more of a drawn out conflict between each other as Rika tries to figure out how to win. Which is one way to take the story, but I still like how the anime ended up doing it, even if it could have been paced a lot better. I also think that the manga isn’t exactly a straight improvement over the anime anyway. There’s stuff it does well, but there’s stuff it doesn’t do well, like how the whole Nekodamashi arc feels extremely weird in the context of Rika not remembering her deaths [or at least not being given a clear reason for why she can suddenly remember them], her not deciding to go for five more loops before killing herself, and Satoko apparently not having any idea about Rika remembering her deaths, which seems to defeat the point of Nekodamashi’s rapid-fire death loops.

Either way I’m curious to see how Jun goes. I assume that we’ll still get some version of Satokowashi out of it, but I think that unlike with Sotsu they’ll spend much less time on answering the damashi arcs, and I also think at this point that the answers to them won’t be exactly the same as they were in the anime either.

Also, we recently found out that two entirely new Higurashi manga arcs will start in November, called Oniokoshi and Hoshiwatashi, which seem to be collectively referred to as Higurashi Rei, using the kanji from ‘the Reiwa era’, since it seems like the idea of these new arcs is that they take place in the Reiwa era. Oniokoshi seems to be about Keiichi’s son and a new mysterious character, while Hoshiwatashi seems to be about two entirely new characters, so I’m really curious to see how their stories pan out. I’m particularly excited about Oniokoshi since it’s being drawn by Natsumi Kei, who’s basically the primary artist for the Umineko manga, so that kinda makes me biased towards it, lol. And even though there’s basically nothing to go off of except for one preview image, it looks like it might go in a bit of a gay direction, which would be really neat. But we’ll see how it goes.

So yeah, I guess at this point with where things are going I’m gonna be really disappointed if we don’t get something like an Umineko remake after this, lol. It wouldn’t be very satisfying if it just ends on the note of ‘go and read the Umineko VN’ or something.

#murasaki rambles #higurashi #higurashi sotsu

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allthemarrowoflife · 3 years

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my headcanons for harry and neville, a rarepair i just found out about but already think is the softest

this got Long but bear with me here, they're two of my golden era favourites and I'm a sucker for some peaceful and cute fluffy love

they become really close friends once both go back to hogwarts for eighth year. in the nights harry wakes up sweating from nightmares and neville just can't sleep, they sit in the common room together

sometimes they talk about the deep stuff neither ever had a chance to, knowing the other can relate to at least some of it. (it also helps that hermione has put everyone she knows in contact with some wizarding mental health clinics cause we all know she would). sometimes neville will ramble about random facts or interesting books about herbology and harry just sits there and watches the way his eyes shine when he's allowed to be passionate. sometimes harry will ramble about quidditch or DADA and neville will sit there and listen to the excitement in his voice. and sometimes they just sit in silence and enjoy the company

harry gives up on the ideia of becoming an auror (that boy has had enough action and danger in his life, let him have some peace and quiet), so minnie mcg and the current DADA professor write him a recommendation letter for the DADA course in the Advanced Studies Academy (I don't really care if that really exists in the wizarding world, to me it does and it's kinda like uni) and he's accepted. neville is recommended by professor sprout and minnie for the herbology course in the same Academy

instead of looking for flats separately in the same city, they talk and decide it would be simpler if they just shared. the summer after graduation is spent looking for flats. except they don't find any that actually feels like them and the city is so big and there's so much noise and crowds

so one afternoon, harry shows up at madam longbottom's doorstep and takes neville to see a place, all the way saying "look, it's not exactly a flat and it's not in the neighbourhood we were aiming for BUT trust me, you'll understand when you see it"

and that's how two 19-year-old boys end up moving to an old but charming cottage on the outskirts of a forest near a small lake. the main reasons they discarted all other options upon seeing it include but are not limited to: a big bright kitchen for harry to have fun in, a small greenhouse that needs some loving, lots of space for teddy to play in when he grows a bit and the half an hour distance to the city, which does wonders to both their introverted and anxious natures

they stock the house with plants, books and old vinils. the walls are filled with photos of their friends, families and professors. by the front door, there's the moving photo minnie gave them, the graduation photo of the class of 1978, with both their sets of parents, surrounded by friends, smiling. hanging in the living room there's a gryffindor-themed banner that dean painted as a housewarming gift. jumpers and flannel shirts are tossed over chairs to be picked up later. there's a warm blanket permanently kept on the couch for movie nights on the muggle telly. neville starts growing vegetables and spices so harry can cook without driving all the way to town every week. there's a weird pendant hanging over the back door that they don't even what is the purpose of but leave there anyway cause it's colorful and was a gift from luna

neither of them had good childhoods and neither were offered much affection and support growing up, so they manage to find that in each other. be it through physical affection, bringing home little things they think the other will like or simply saying nice stuff

they genuinely make each other better. they talk about the bad stuff and laugh about the good. neville is the soft voice and the hand on harry's arm that calm his temper, while harry is the hug and warm presence that ease neville's constant worry

their first kiss happens on the exact 0:00 minute between their birthdays while they're stargazing on the grass behind the cottage. teddy, who is staying with them for a few days, is peacefully sleeping in his brightly-painted room. the summer air is fresh around them. fireflies are loose. the kiss is soft and sweet. there's nothing of the fear of ruining their friendship, it just feels like a natural turn that doesn't really change much of their dynamic except for the fact that they can now openly stare at each others eyes and say sappy things

neville is panromantic and asexual and harry just knows he's bi but doesn't really care about all the sex stuff, so their relationship (which is official now) never really gets past kisses and caressing touches, but that's exactly how they want it

now let's please take a moment for the domestic scene: 185cm tall harry potter, saviour of the wizarding world and defense against the dark arts academic, drying cloth hanging from his shoulder, dancing around in their kitchen with 170cm tall neville longbottom, hero of the wizarding world and herbology academic, who has a spot of dirt on the tip of his nose and freckles from the spring sun lighting up the front garden. you're welcome.

a random afternoon right after they graduate (with honours) from the Advanced Studies Academy, minnie shows up for tea and casually drops the information that the DADA and herbology positions at hogwarts are now vacant

welcome to the hogwarts staff, professor potter and professor longbottom, it's not as if the other professors had been planning on this all along, of course, nothing of the sort

they still go back to the cottage for the weekends, summer and winter holidays, and take time to travel around the world, sometimes for research on their areas of expertise, sometimes just for fun. during the school year, they drop by the three broomsticks to catch up with hannah or do pub nights with their friends

one summer night, they're watching a muggle movie cuddled on the couch and neville blurts out "haz, do you ever think about getting married?". that's how they got engaged. the ceremony and party are small and both held on their own backyard. teddy carries the rings and luna is the flower girl. they don't choose best-men and instead just divide their friends in two groups and call all of them the "grooms-maids"

they never get any pets, since they're basically only home like three months of the year. harry splits teddy's custody with andromeda cause she's old and definitely can use some help. ginny marries luna, dean marries seamus, lavender (who is alive and proud of her scar and eventual wolfish inclination) marries parvati, ron marries hermione. they're all happy, healthy and constantly meeting up

they have teddy every weekend and holidays

they go for family lunch at the burrow every sunday

they manage to be vastly different and absurdly alike at the same time, as seamus once put out

they're soft and happy and comfortable and ridiculously in love

the fan base for this pair is so small and I don't even know their shipp name (I've read "pottbottom" somewhere but I don'tthink there's one single name for them ) however I am totally converted, give me all the harry x neville soft content

also, I obviously made a playlist cause nothing in my head functions without a soundtrack so here

#harry potter #neville longbottom #neville x harry #harry x neville #harry/neville #neville/harry #pottbottom #golden era #post hogwarts

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