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yuurei20 · 4 months

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Hi there! Quick question, How does Idia feel about Leona?? to me, they have such weird dynamic. They don't like each other but they don't outright hate each other either, but sometimes it feels like they're totally fine with each other?? Is this just a respect thing??

Hello hello!! This gets into character analysis which is definitely not my strength, so I reached out to one of the most knowledgeable Idia-analyzers I’ve ever seen ( @frost__tw ) who was so kind as to collaborate with me on this response, and I am forever grateful ♡

Also: agreed! Their dynamic is particularly fascinating because they are both complete opposites and extremely similar, simultaneously:

Both are housewardens, near the same height, canonically attractive, unusually intelligent, very sarcastic, enjoy chess, are from important families, keep others at a distance, often complain about having to go out of their way to do things they are uninterested in, have brother issues and won’t put effort into things they have predetermined to be impossible, which ties directly into how they are trapped in situations they can’t do anything about due to the circumstances of their birth.

And we also have their recently introduced titles (on JP server): “Ambitious King” and “King of the Underworld.”

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly how Idia feels about Leona, possibly because he doesn’t know very much about him (which is possibly because Leona doesn’t want him to).

During Book 6 he assumes that Leona isn’t suited to a leadership role, for example, despite how people who actually spend time with Leona say otherwise.

The two overlap in Idia’s second birthday vignette, where Leona gifts him with an artisanal chess set and the two pause the interview to play together.

They seem to mutually agree not to mention who won the game, and it may have been a draw.

We see Idia categorize people and generalize them into character tropes (from anime/manga/games) throughout the game, and based upon Leona’s appearance/outward behavior, Idia may labeling him as the scary top boss of the Savanaclaw hooligans (re: their Halloween vignette together) in his mind.

But he is able to overcome his initial flight response in this birthday vignette once Leona procures the chess set (one of Idia’s personal interests).

(This is part of the reason why Idia’s stutter is such an important part of the character: he stutters when he panics, but then speaks smoothly when he becomes passionate, which the characters even comment on in the game (Ortho calls it his "go off switch" on EN, and his "heat up switch" on JP).)

(Recreation of this trait varies by scene on EN.)

Leona is difficult to read because he will insult the people he likes and respects just as readily as he does those he does not (something that we see Jamil come to understand in real time during Book 6), so trying to work out his true opinion about anything can get into conjecture.

They also do not overlap particularly often, which gives us less to work with, but his teasing of Idia in the birthday vignette is not dissimilar to his teasing of characters like Jamil and Vil. Whereas they understand Leona’s humor, however, Idia may not.

What we know for a fact is that Leona has canonically complimented Idia for being both intelligent and powerful during Spectral Soiree, and this may have been a parallel to Terror is Trending when, extremely impressed by Savanaclaw’s Halloween set, Idia asks, “Did Leona use his magic for it?”

Idia also comments on Leona’s power during his evaluations at STYX, saying, “I already knew Leona was tough and could handle whatever danger comes at him…”

I think you are correct, and it is a respect thing!

They are both aware of the other’s familial situations and strengths and, in any other circumstances, they might get along well. But their personalities are just too different, they frustrate each other in every conversation they have, and whatever positives the other person has might just not be enough to outweigh how obnoxious they find the other to be.

We learn from Vil that the rule at NRC is “the weak obey the strong,” and the Housewardens at NRC seem to take this literally, with Idia, Leona and Vil all being constantly torn between sincere annoyance and grudging respect. The three referring to others as “spudlings,” “normies” and “herbivores” is another interesting overlap that they share.

(Despite being even more different than Leona and Idia, Leona and Vil repeatedly find common ground in allying against Idia.)

(In a parallel to this, Leona and Idia find common ground on the subject of Malleus, with Leona saying, “It’s a pain when the majority forces their opinion on you,” which is an opinion Idia seems to share.)

Thank you so much for this question, it was wonderful to dive into!

Overall, Leona and Idia seem to share a mutual undertone of “I know you’re the best at what you do, but I can’t stand you. I acknowledge that you’re intelligent, capable and talented, but please go be that somewhere else,” which ties directly into a comment from Yana’s 2023 interview:

“Since the characters in the story are villains they do not admit defeat, but they will admit, ‘Hey, you did pretty good.’ Even if they don’t like each other, they will recognize each other’s abilities.”

(And thank you again to @frost__tw for all the amazing insight! ♡)

#twstask #Leona Kingscholar #Idia Shroud

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yuukei-yikes · 5 months

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Long as hell text post under the cut my guys

me when i wake up and talk every day about the same shit. heart <3 i could talk for days abt jin and the misogyny he writes with. it's everywhere of course lol but out of the female characters takane's like…. the most tragic, in my opinion, because she's the only female character to have absolutely 0 backstory. yes, there's Some stuff, such as her illness, but truly takane does not have that much angst surrounding her illness. everything about her is rather about haruka. takane's moment is yuukei yesterday, but yuukei yesterday is entirely about both haruka and takane and their relationship. yes it's takane's pov, but it's ultimately still about… haruka, and how she feels about him.

back then in the fandom, pre over the dimension specifically, there was a take going around i remember pretty well. "people write haruka and takane like there's nothing more to them than being in love with each other" like the only time we'd see haruka and takane specifically (in fan content), they'd just be there to be shippy. i TOTALLY agreed with this sentiment and i always have, especially because i've always been obsessed with them as characters and i was overanalyzing every little thing (when otd came out i was over the moon bc i got so much stuff right btw. if u even care)

HOWEVER. if u think about it. pre over the dimension, with the manga having covered yuukei yesterday already and the next time takane (and haruka) appear as themselves in the manga is A LOT later in volume 10 (by that time, otd was already out) (also i'll get to takane in 2nd manga route in a second), so what we had at the time, for haruka and takane's backstory, was manga&novel yuukei yesterday and what we got from the anime. if you consider this… truly, at first the only thing to go off really was. just their relationship. that was all there was to both of them, because haruka was described from takane's pov, and everything we got from takane was how she felt for haruka. that was IT. for everything else u had to read between the lines like i was doing bc 10 years later i'd still be here talking about it teehee

of course there are also the songs. takane's songs set in time before she's ene are yuukei yesterday and of course headphone actor, one of the Best kagepro songs dont even come AT ME anyways headphone actor as a song touches THE OTHER BIG THING we were offered about takane at the time. okay, she isn't JUST in love with haruka. the other thing about takane is… she wants to SURVIVE!!!

i've talked about this LOADS of times i know (about this entire thing actually but i just like talking about also it's my blog) takane gets opening eyes because she's so determined to live. ratio + this from novel 2 headphone actor

which brings me to. ugh. second manga route. takane….would not…. KILL HERSELF…. second manga route WHY. we finally get to see Takane again in the manga and she's just so spectacularly NOT HERSELF it's crazy. takane since her INTRODUCTION is presented as "selfish" and how her want for attention from haruka or in general gets the best of her. that's ene. THAT'S ene!!! that's also why ENE stays with shintaro!!! it is FUNDAMENTAL to her character. we were given miserably little about her and in the most simplified way to put it, those things are: takane 1. is an attention whore<3 2. doesn't want to die. so tell me. how do you manage to get these 2 very simple things so incredibly WRONG in second manga route.

where in the world would takane get mad haruka got another friend. it makes NO sense!?!? bro haruka and shintaro ARE ALSO BEST FRIENDS IN THE MAIN ROUTE, where takane ACTUALLY HAS REASONS TO ACTIVELY REALLY DISLIKE SHINTARO, and she doesn't give a fuck that they're friends, why would she randomly care so much now when she has no reason to even dislike shintaro? so basically because she doesn't have ayano she gets jealous and wants haruka all to herself?? erm ok?? let's say that's true (it's not), even if she was jealous of shintaro her desire to be by haruka's side WILL be stronger, she would NEVER just turn around and leave. absolutely NOT. one of the stupidest things takane does is want haruka to look her way so bad she doesn't realize HE'S DYING ON HER. this bitch is so insanely self centered she would never in her life walk out on haruka just for having another friend. REAL takane walks in there with that stupid basket and be like Everyone look at me NOW<3

ok. first trait: attention whore: second manga route FAILS. second trait: doesn't want to die. wonder what second manga route will do. (looks into the camera) takane kills herself in second manga route.

dude you're crazy. you literally get EVERYTHING WRONG. it pisses me off. and not only does she kill herself but she does it because haruka DIED!?!?!?!?!? OH MY GOD. i hate it it's so fucking fake it's not HER THAT'S NOT TAKANE ENOMOTO THAT'S A SHIT CHARACTER JIN AND MAHIRO SATO DECIDED TO SUDDENLY WRITE INTO THE STORY i already put it in this post but let me attach it again

dear lord. anyways i've talked about that loads of times but i needed to include it in this talk cuz. yeah. i dont even HATE the rest of second manga route i just hate how takane is written specifically but since she's everything 2 me erm. you get my thumbs down!!! anyways having acknowledged second manga route we can move on.

back to main route discussion. so takane's backstory. not super deep, especially compared to other characters. yes her backstory is basically that she's sad because her boyfriend dies. but as ene there's so much more to unpack, right?! a character who will 100% accept a HALF DEATH because she's so determined not to die, but she's also mentioned to be tirelessly looking for her body because despite everything she's got HOPE? that's SUPER interesting, i love her!! what will she- *is obsessed with shintaro* ene's obsession with shintaro again ties in with everything else, desperate for attention, finds kinship with shintaro because she (or rather, ayano) decided he's compatible with her, but most importantly, he's doing badly and she wants to help him. takane isn't a person anymore, she's alive only as a technicality, so… she spends time with shintaro! but we ignore, it's TWO YEARS. and only in one of those she is with shintaro. we tend to overlook she spends the WHOLE TIME looking for her body in that other year. of course ene talks a lot about how much she loves her power, how much she loves being ene and not having to take care of her sick body but it's a REALITY that she wants to get it back. if she really didn't want it, why would she look for it and later get back into it when she does find it? but that's in between the lines. ene's obsession with shintaro is super interesting and you KNOW i love everything we know about takane be it her obsession with shintaro or her crush on haruka. i just wish there was....more.... like everyone else gets more! like HARUKA, a damn side character, gets more!!

haruka gets so SO much, he even bonds with SETO!! he gets a really well developed friendship with shintaro, he gets a very long detailed introduction scene with ayano with funny younger mekatrio shenanigans, he gets yuukei quartet hangout moments, he gets a GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH KENJIROU (fundamental imo as he's very important both in general and haruka and takane's social circle back then) and not just all that, but super thoughtfully written feelings about his illness, views on life, wishes... and all takane's story gets is…. she's sick, but it's ok it's not deadly, HARUKA HOWEVER…. oh, HE'S the real delicate one….especially since she's in love with him ofcourse!! dont forget!! btw she's grumpy cuz of her illness. she wishes she just didn't need sleep. aaanywaaays did we mention it's not as important as haruka's illness and btw she's in love with him?

unlike haruka, takane gets no relationship with ayano, and all their interactions are talking about how in LOVE they are with haruka and shintaro. no relationship with kenjirou beyond comic relief of ugh useless ass teacher, even revealed later on she stays in the dark about kenjirou forcing them to participate in the festival ON PURPOSE and playing her like that so she would be determined and make haruka join. her dynamic to shintaro pre being ene is just pitiful, and if it wasn't for his behavior towards her shintaro would be…. erm normal?? yea he's cold to ayano but that vs the way he randomly treats takane without even knowing her. god. imagine kagepro where shintaro DIDN'T do that. he'd still be flawed and stuff like what was the need😭 like HUUHH. takane gets nothing!!!!! and if we're still on the shintaro subject, why she's the asshole for being a menace as ene? whatever. i support women's wrongs. bully him harder.

alright. later she's ene, bonds with the dan. wait!! look!! it's KANO!!! she has so much in common with him, to the point he chooses her to open up to and helps her get her body back!!! this is a GREAT character choice to pair her with and to develop a dynamic with!! uh. oh wait….. kano's just totally awful to her and then later leaves her to get her body back offscreen and on her own? (looks into the camera again)

to continue comparing haruka and takane. takane mentions grandma makes her lunch, grandpa is dead, and they're both SUPER worried about her illness. there's…. nothing about their personalities or their relationship to her. meanwhile, haruka mentions everything! he's all like my illness… when it killed my mother it was exactly when the doctors said it would. my dad is cold and a little strange and doesnt spend time at home. we have a live in helper who does chores. like that's already so much deeper!

u find out through another mention later on that takane's parents work overseas but you dont know ANYTHING else despite it being so specific. while haruka goes on about his relationship with his dad or rather lack of relationship, and there's even some stranger at home doing chores for him. and again HE GETS TO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH KENJIROU, heavily written as a father/son dynamic. man.

anyways…. this is kinda all over the place and it's something i talk about very often but teehee. wanted to do it again. i was thinking about it again because i realized i don't tend to draw haruka in a context outside being takane's boytoy. which i don't particularly care about because i know that's not all i see him as and i do see him as a deep character of his own and i like analyzing him just as much… it's just in art specifically he's just always there to be in love with her and nothing else. and i was like damn does that suck of me?? but you know what. i dont care<3 thanks for coming to my ted talk.

#kagepro #kagerou project #takane enomoto #kagenalysis #my art

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yumeka-sxf · 7 months

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I realized it's been about 1-year since I joined the SxF fandom! I first watched the anime in early October 2022 when cour 2 of season 1 started airing. I loved it so much that I immediately binged the manga...and things just kept going from there 😁 So thought I'd celebrate by taking updated photos of the merch I've amassed during that time!

Here are the three shelves of my display case where I keep most of my figures.

Their brown outfits and winter outfits in the front row are probably my favorites ❤ Though I do love Bond with the vest on the upper shelf too!

I like how the reading Forgers acrylic figures look in the shelf. The additional drawer and book stack pieces really make it look like they're all sitting reading together! (also like that Loid has a globe and Yor has a typewriter)

These large acrylic figures came with a cardboard background that just manages to fit in the shelf! So far I've had enough space in the other shelves so I don't have to squeeze additional figures in this shelf...but that probably won't last long 😅

Below is a full view of the display case.

And here's my pin and keychain collection that's currently attached to the panel of my Ita backpack. I tend to buy these in box sets since I hate blind bags, so I'm guaranteed to get one of each. I have a few more hanging elsewhere, like on my actual keys, lol.

Here's my collection of card game accessories! I play a few TCGs (like Weiss Schwarz and Osica) so I can always find use for card sleeves and deck boxes. Will put a lot of this to use when I get a case of SxF Weiss Schwarz cards early next year! The card mat (by CatCrossing) is one of my favorite pieces of SxF fan art 😊

I'm not gonna post photos of my SxF Weiss and Osica cards since there's way too many, but I did post photos of some of them previously here and here.

All my SxF books - every JP manga volume, the three anime art books, the exhibition pamphlet, and the JP and EN versions of the manga fanbook.

And lastly, a few extra figures on my work desk (I work from home, though I would still decorate my desk even if I was in an office 😆)

I do have a few more things like plushies, posters, clear files, etc, but I didn't want to take too many photos...just thought I'd focus on the main bulk of my collection! Between season 2, the movie, and who knows what else, I'm afraid to see what my collection will look like next year!

#spy x family #spy family #sxf #spyxfamily #loid forger #yor forger #anya forger #bond forger #sxf merch

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class1akids · 1 year

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Another all might vs AFO rematch is so unnecessary and really shows that hori is doing whatever he thinks is "cool" for this final arc and throwing logic and writing out the window. This honestly brings down all mights character for me.

Anonymous asked: I guess quirkless deku could've been a hero, all he needed was an iron man suit apparently lmao. If all might holds AFO back for even a minute, it's going to make AFO look super weak and all the people who had quirks trying to stop him look even weaker. I mean hori built the whole story up as you need a quirk to do hero work and then he just gives all might a iron man suit out of nowhere just to have him fight again? Yeah that's bad writing.

I'll take these two asks together. Admittedly, I didn't read the EN fandom reactions to this chapter, bc I loved it and I didn't want to see the inevitable negativity, but I really don't get why people think this ruins anything.

The manga has spent almost 400 chapter at this point of deconstructing hero society, the Symbol of Peace and I think some things should be abundantly clear by now:

A strong quirk doesn't make a true hero (Bakugou's, Endeavor's arcs)

Saving someone is about reaching their hearts in time, not about beating them down

Quirks and personalities are connected, but the quirk is not the same as the individual (Shouto's arc)

You don't need a quirk to be someone's hero (every person who left little Tenko to wander the streets alone)

Skill, training, tech can all elevate a person beyond the strength of their quirks (Best Jeanist, Hawks' fight after he lost his wings, Hatsume matching the hero kids in the SF with tech, Detrenat, Knuckleduster in Vigilante, etc)

It was inevitable that we'd come back to this question:

When All Might said in Chapter 1 that you need a quirk to be a hero, he was saying that bc at the time he truly believed that everything he was, was due to OFA.

He spent the entire time after losing OFA being "lost and wandering" (just like Shoto, btw) trying to figure out his own place. By trying to teach Deku, by becoming a better teacher to all the students he tried to find a sense of purpose, but basically he lost the ability to see himself as a hero. That's why he pulled back, offered no leadership even after the war, as things were completely falling apart.

It took watching Deku spiral as he tried to shoulder everything by himself and seeing Class A offering support to him that All Might started to doubt the path he was on. Because, seriously - Ojirou, a martial artist with a tail - Shoji - a guy with some extra arms - Mineta - with his sticky balls - all believe that they CAN support Deku, can be part of his fight.

While All Might, with his 4 decades of fighting experience, a huge amount of wealth, access to the world's best tech through personal connections can offer nothing?

It took talking with Stain to realize that there is an entire spectrum of doing nothing and doing everything by himself. And the ideal point is to do what he can.

All Might stepping up has been on the cards since then. We knew he was planning something.

Of course, All Might has earned his retirement. He could be just a living relic of a glorious era. Obviously, even with tech, he's not going to have the godlike powers he did before.

But right now, the end is in sight. Everything is falling apart. He just sent two 16 year olds to run into the core of a ticking nuke on the blind faith they'll be able to do something about it, because it is the ONLY chance. One of his students had his heart explode. There are no heroes left.

All Might KNOWS, he knows better than anyone how dangerous prime!AFO is. But he also knows his personality, his buttons to push. He doesn't have to win, he just needs to delay, and he has a good hunch that AFO won't be able to ignore him. Whatever minutes, seconds he can buy can mean the difference between life or death, victory or defeat. So of course, he will try. Because that's who he is.

Remember - Deku in chapter 1 running into danger with a backpack got OFA because he reminded Toshinori of himself. Quirkless Deku stepping up, acting heroic despite his lack of power made All Might RECOGNIZE himself. Losing OFA never meant he lost his hero heart or instincts - he just lost faith in himself, because he bought into the hero society rhetoric. The scale of what he could do changed, but his heroism didn't.

So that leads us to the last question - is there a place and need for heroes who are less than superman. If there is a Symbol who has the power to solve any crisis by himself, do you even need the lesser ones?

And I think the story has affirmed again and again that yes, people with little power can make a huge difference and heroism comes in many shapes and forms. Also, that no matter how powerful, nobody can get there alone. Everyone needs support. A strong net is more stable than a lone pillar. A person's value or ability to change things is not tied to their quirks.

All Might stepping up is the culmination of everything he learnt and is totally in character for him. Moreover, it's the natural narrative endpoint of everything that the series has been talking about.

He can't win, he'll probably needs someone to save his ass (maybe Stain, maybe Bakugou, possibly both), but he'll also tick away precious seconds from AFO's rewind time and make a difference.

And this is why I also expect Deku saving Shigaraki not be just beating him up with more OFA, but Deku being Izuku should be the decisive factor in it. And also, I personally think Deku losing OFA but learning that he can be a hero without it would be a good writing choice and a good endgame.

HK already drew Deku's quirks as support items - so I think it's not a stretch that he could be a tech-based hero.

As someone who is a huge fan of tech-based heroes operating in the world of super-powers, it is my favourite endgame for Deku.

#c1a asks #bnha meta #all might #toshinori yagi #i would have hated him being rewound to his prime #ofa #midoriya izuku

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sitp-recs · 4 months

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BL Reclist - Part 3

Thanks to @pullatta’s encouragement I come bearing more BL gifts! This is the third part of my manga/manhwa recs. This list compiles some of my current reads (the other 3 were mentioned in previous lists: Shutline, Steel Like Silk and Semantic Error). Curiously, some of these have an art style that isn’t what I usually go for, but the plot is so good and characters so compelling I couldn’t resist. There’s a bit of everything here: pls mind the heavy themes for #8; go with #3, #6 or #7 for feel-good slice-of-slice, with #10 for a fun rivals to fuck buddies to lovers. #9 has the prettiest art and top notch angsty historical romance. #2 brings sexy & tender vampire love, #4 and #5 are the way to go if you you’re looking for adult, nuanced and introspective stories. If you wanna choose only one go with Momentum, a masterclass in intimacy. I’d love to hear your thoughts! I think this will be my last manga list for a while, wondering if I should go for anime recs next? Hmmm 🤔

1. Codename Anastasia by Boy season & eunbi (E)

Agent Kwon Taekjoo is dispatched to Russia with two tasks. First, he must find “Anastasia,” a new weapon that could change the world forever. Second, he is to avoid Russia’s psychotic killer, Psikh Bognadov, at all costs. To assist him on his undercover mission, Taekjoo is sent a partner who only reveals himself to be a man named Zhenya. But Zhenya quickly proves himself to be just as dangerous and unhinged as the infamous Psikh himself.

2. FANGS by Billybalibally (E)

As the sole survivor of a vampire attack, En wakes up to find that his hair has gone white as snow... and, worse, that he's developed a craving of his own for blood. Fortunately, the vampire health and welfare organization FANGS is there to help with the transition, and the handsome Ichii steps up as his guardian and mentor. Swept up into a confusing and lonely new world where everyone seems to be hankering for a taste of his "virgin" blood, En must navigate the FANGS pairing system, an arrangement that sets up compatible vampires as mutual feeding partners... and partners in all other ways as well.

3. Fools Remastered by Yeongha / Parkdam (T)

Eungi has been in college without being engaged with others. One day by encounter, he finds the secret of underclassman Jeongwoo. Why are you so nervous to forget? A love story that’s both easy and difficult. See original story HERE.

4. Lovesick Dog by Songhyel (E)

If one word could encapsulate Noh Ye-gyum, it would be “lovesick.” Despite him loving people with all his heart, Ye-gyum finds himself trapped in an endless cycle of being used, betrayed, and ultimately abandoned. This time proves no different for him, as the family of his current ""master"" Jooyung drives him away to pave the path for Jooyung's advantageous marriage and future spouse. Suddenly, a mysterious man named Jooin appears, sweeping Ye-gyum away to his home. There, he is fed, clothed, and showered with an overwhelming amount of affection. As Ye-gyum senses the telltale signs of his lovesickness resurfacing, an uncertainty lingers: will this man also leave him, or could he finally hold the cure to this lifelong affliction?

5. Momentum by Park ji-yeon (E)

“Momentum” is a series of beautifully drawn vignettes that glimpse into the life-altering moments of several couples as they fall in and out of love. This BL features a series of characters learning how to love, understand, and forgive one another – and in some cases, the world – at different moments in their lives.

6. Our Sunny Days by Jeong seokchan (M)

Sung Ho’s not the kind you’d typically expect to settle down in the countryside. He’s in his late 20s, ex-military, and…a single father with a year-old baby his ex-girlfriend pawned off on him. Jobless and without any prospects but a house, Sung Ho hopes the peaceful Nuldongmae village will make a good new home for him and his daughter. Rumor has it that the head of the village, despite his young age, is a real jerk… But he won’t have to deal with that, will he?

7. Run Wild by Wuzhe / Zuoercongdong (M)

As soon as Jiang Cheng finds out he’s adopted, he’s abandoned by his adoptive family and sent to live with his deadbeat father, who has a gambling addiction. Everything about his new life, from his pathetic father to the unfamiliar environment, makes Jiang Cheng depressed. But then he meets Gu Fei, who’s like a shining bright light in this run-down city, and the two become each other’s salvation and hope.

8. Stigma by Marloong (E)

In the dark alleys of this city, there's no hope for trash like Sehyun. Having sex with strangers in the cramped stall behind a bar is just a typical Thursday night. But after a chance encounter with the brash and violent Boris, Sehyun begins to dream of living a normal life and an end to his restless nights. Boris is unlike any other man he's encountered. After a life spent bound by thorns, can time truly heal all scars?

9. Under the Plum Blossom Tree by Bori/Baekha (M)

As the son of a prestigious political figure in Joseon, Hajin has only ever been interested in studying to become like his father. That is, until he meets Namwoo, a young man who takes on various odd jobs as he struggles to pass his school exams. As they overcome hardships together and learn more about each other's history, they soon realize that their lives are intertwined in more ways than they thought.

10. You Get Me Going by Moscareto (E)

Despite being thirty-three, Young-won sure is gullible. He falls in love way too easily, comes on way too hard, and still believes that he’ll meet “Mr. Right” sooner or later. Not that he knows who “Mr. Right” is, but he sure does know about “Mr. Wrong,” a.k.a. Kang Hyun-woo. Young-won swears that he’ll never, ever get together with this polar opposite of his, but the universe sure seems to think different. One drunken night, they end up in the same bed and Hyun-woo proposes an intriguing deal…

#bl recs #part 3 #Sitp faves

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philosophicalparadox · 7 months

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Hi! Non-native speaker, so I hope my English is not that bad. I really like your blog and especially your analyses on Mephisto. Fantastic!(read in his voice)

So my question.Have you read blue exorcist novel Bloody Fairy Tail? In the novel there is a part where little girl describes Mephisto as big void and the black wing towering over him. Do you think this could be a hint to his real form? Or perhaps his role as Angel of Death? Also there is part in the first chapters of the manga, when Mephisto meets with Amaimon and tells him that he took Rin under his wing. It might be just a translation though. Sorry for a long ask

After accidentally deleting this twice I’m going to try again! (New phone, still getting used to it)

I have not actually read the entire thing because finding any of the light novels in the US is really, really hard. Like, really hard. But I have actually read the part you’re talking about through fan pages here on Tumblr talking about that very thing! (And thanks to @facets-and-rainbows I’ve now been able to read more! Thank you.)

Here’s the thing: the only image that exists that depicts Mephistopheles in his pre-Goethe form is this one by Eugene Delacroix from the early 1800’s:

This version of Mephistopheles is from Marlowe’s 1616 version, The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. In it, (the B version) Mephistopheles is said to conjure wings in order to frighten the knights attacking him and Faustus, before turning said knights into demons (or animals in some translations) and giving them horns.

Mephistopheles is also a fallen angel, and uses that to both dissuade Faustus from forming a contract at the beginning, and later to help trick and torment the Pope in this version.

The inscription on it reads: De temps en temps j’aime a’voir le vieux Pére, Et me garde bien lui rompre en Visiére

Which roughly translates to (keeping in mind I��m still learning how to read older dialects of French) : “From time to time I like to see my old/winterly/ancient Father, and take care not to break off/sever with him in Person.” The caption probably is talking about the Pope scene, or maybe Faustsus’ separation from God, but to me it also speaks to the retribution of both.

Aaaaaanyway point is, it’s very popular to depict Mephistopheles as having black, feathery wings, partly because no matter what version he’s in he’s still a fallen angel lamenting his separation from God, (which isn’t especially relevant but it IS interesting) and also because the wings are mentioned directly in the earliest published version of the play.

What’s more, the original Mephistopheles from the late 1500’s (earliest record of the name was 1587) in the original Faustbuch was never a demon at all, but rather either an angel or a man that had been damned to serve Lucifer for all eternity by selling him his own soul, the reasons for which are never revealed. He does, however, from the very beginning, warn Faust about what he’s doing, and what that will lead to, presumably because he’s done the same thing and now regrets it. Fun stuff :)

As to whether I think it has anything to do with his true form, I would say yes, to a point. Samael is a shape-shifter after all, so not too many forms are out of bounds.

However, if he has wings (probable or at least possible) there’s some kind of reason why he doesn’t use them.

These are the closest we ever see to a demon form for him, and he’s… pretty formless, broadly speaking.

He is kind of void-like, true, and warps the space around him. But, no visible wings.

In fact the only wings we see him with are not his own - they’re that of his familiar, which is likely Kin of Azazel.

He can fly without any wings at all, (space timey levitation and all) so one would question why he’d need a familiar’s, never mind his own. Conservation of energy perhaps?

In any case I do think he CAN have wings, when he wants them, if that makes sense. Shape shifting is however tiresome, and flight requires a great deal of energy expenditure even if he’s not working against gravity in the traditional sense. So I imagine that he could use his own wings, or turn into a bird, but he doesn’t do so unless practical because it eats up his stamina, which he’s got little of comparatively.

Though honestly I’m more of the mind that he does shape shift all the time to observe things, (and what better form than a bird? He’s called The Raven too to boot) it’s just that turning into anything like that is going to terrify people, and unless that’s his aim, it’s not terribly reasonable. Similarly I am completely sure he has horns and a tail, but those things are very secretive to him, so he doesn’t show them hardly ever.

Why the girl sees wings may just be a reflection of her own fears; humans see what they want to, and fear-projecting wings into a creepy demonic aura would not be beyond a child.

As to why they might be secret, they’re probably very identifiable. In his current incarnation he thrives on secrecy and keeping his name, and infamy, on the down-low. He’s not trying to give Lucifer any more shit to throw back in his face, and he’s not trying to be a god and rule over people (not directly) he’s just trying to be a chairman and an arc knight keeping the world from literally gong up in flames, but doing so as close to anonymously as possible for himself. He doesn’t want people to fear him in the same way they used to (except when he wants them to of course) he just wants to do his own thing, and pretty much be left alone.

Not to get too speculative here, but I think perhaps he’s tired. Tired of being a god. Tired of being a demon. Tired of being Lucifer’s favorite scapegoat. (The irony of that) Tired of having to be a puppeteer and tired of having to serve the needs of others in order to just keep himself alive and sane. Tired of playing politics with Lucifer and tired of him never changing or being able to.

And who could blame him? Over and over and over and over. The monotony and pain are unimaginable. Perhaps that’s why Lucifer can’t understand him; surely if anyone could appreciate the suffering that comes from eternity and the pain of losing out over and over, it would be him, surely? Yet, Samael perseveres. He finds the smallest, most difficult things to cling to, like a desperate man panning for gold in a sea of sand, looking for specs of dust. He lives solely for those little moments, the butterfly wing that shapes a hurricane on the other side of the world. It’s monotonous, it’s tedious and it sucks, but rarely, ever rarely, it’s worth it. The world will never see perfection and he likes it that way - he doesn’t want perfection, only change.

And change is probably what drives his secrecy. He changes his face to suit the time, and in a time when demons supposedly don’t exist it makes sense to be discreet. There’s also advantages to the relative anonymity; if he does have to ever throw his weight around, he has to do far less to make a deep impression.

Thanks for the ask. I enjoyed answering even if I went a little off topic lol.

#blue exorcist #ao no exorcist #mephisto pheles #blue exorcist theories #asks

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kef-meister · 7 months

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Hatchling

I'm almost as old as the Metroid series itself, but as dark as the series can get it rarely touches on Samus' past with the Chozo.

(If you've read Nintendo Power Issue 57 to 61, the manga and/or have played the Japanese version of Metroid Fusion, then some things are at least a little less vague.) The first time the main series (EN) gives us a glimpse of Samus' past is during the events of Zero Mission, such as Samus' doodle on a relief within a Chozo Ruin:

With the manga (dubious canon) and Metroid Dread having revealed that Samus has been genetically tampered with in order to adapt to the harsh environments of planet Zebes (making her part Chozo), I'd like to remind the fans of the series (and horrify newcomers with the knowledge) that the genetic tampering of Samus Aran could've happened as early as the age of four. (not long after Gray Voice and Old Bird took her from the razed mining operation on K2-L back to the planet Zebes)

Nintendo. There's a whole-ass bounty-hunter with complex physical and psychological issues out there waiting to be explored, Nintendo. I dare say she's the most complex character you have. (unless you're going to count Ten-Apple Twink and his noodle girlfriend from the last Zelda game)

I love Samus and human kids are difficult to raise, Nintendo. So where's the story about (at least) two geriatric birds dealing with a (genetically altered) kid? Who taught her how humans work? Who taught her human customs, if any? Who knows about human psychology within the Chozo? Who taught her how death works?

Am I overthinking this? Unless the manga gets an official translation or release outside of Japan, I'm going to have to either eat existing fan fiction or sit down and spend my time making it.

Because Nintendo fails to give their darlings trauma, unlike AO3 authors. /lh /j

#metroid #metroidposting #kef high on metroid #samus #samus aran

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hyperfixationsporfavor · 1 year

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The Escape

The Escape (Gojo x Reader- Part 5 of The Marriage)

Author’s note: Hey guys. Another chapter of The Marriage for anyone that’s reading. I rewrote the ending to this chapter and while I feel a little more confident with it I’m still a little unsure about this one. Any feedback you guys could provide would be really helpful. I didn’t really want to dedicate an entire chapter to the final showdown (this fic has always been from the pov of the sidelines). So the next chapter will be post battle trying to navigate a new reality. I’d like to do a timeskip for reader and Gojo but I’m not sure if there will be one or two more chapters after this. I’ll see how it flows. Enjoy!)

Warnings: blood, sexism, childbirth, manga spoilers, canon divergence (because daddy’s home), minors dni

Another piercing scream ripped through you. It was agony, dragging you down and holding you in its talons. The pain was excruciating, worse than you could have imagined. No amount of books or classes could have prepared you to give birth, at least not alone. You and Satoru had concrete plans set in place. A duffle bag packed away, the quickest route to the hospital marked. He should have been by your side through this. Holding your hand, kissing your forehead, and encouraging you to keep going.

Now you were here, in some cramped bedroom, two strangers looming over you.

How long had you been in labor? You’d lost track of the time.

Uraume, checked between your legs for the umpteenth time.

“Still not dilated enough. You know prolonging this won’t work in your favor. Lord Sukuna grows hungrier each day. Any longer and he’ll rip that brat out of you himself.

“Fuck you,” you hissed.

They just smirked. “Does it hurt? I hope it does.”

Yes it did hurt. You had no pain medication to ease your suffering, so you were forced to bear it.

Kenjaku opened the bedroom door.

“How are we doing?”

You threw your head back against the pillow in agony.

“She refuses to cooperate,” Uraume griped.

“Now, now Uraume. We mustn't be impatient. We will wait for (Name).”

Satoru clawed against the sharp mountain of bones in a manic fit. He didn’t even flinch when they cut into his skin and spilled his blood. He only raised his wounded palms up and slammed them against his head as he clenched his teeth. The skeletons tore at his clothes and dug their boney fingers further into his flesh. His blindfold had been lost, leaving him overexposed to this illusion.

“Satoru,” one of the skeletons whispered.

He halted and looked up to find it mutated into the beast he had seen before, Sukuna. In his arms, he held you.

Your unconscious body was pummeled and bloodied.

“(Name),” he choked out.

Sukuna looked down at you, limp in his arms, and smirked.

“This offering is one of many,” Sukuna murmured. “And what a beautiful offering it is.”

Satoru lunged towards the display only to be forcefully shoved to the hard ground, dislocating his jaw in the process.

“Let go of her!” he ordered in vain.

Sukuna just chuckled.

“Fear not Satoru Gojo, this is only a preview of what’s to come, either her demise or yours.”

Satoru just screamed, all he could do was scream.

“Kenjaku, she’s losing a significant amount of blood,” Uraume informed.

They had stepped into the hallway momentarily to discuss your current state.

“Bleeding is completely normal.”

Uraume just shook their head. “No, it’s far too much. She’ll die before the baby is even delivered.”

Kenjaku just sighed. “If she dies, she dies. If our buyers say anything I can just pull out another curse to keep them in line.”

Uraume halted and stared at him in disbelief. “But what about Sukuna? I wanted to bring her to him alive.”

He waved his hand. “Sukuna will have his fill with the culling games players. Maybe that lawyer or the failed manga artist would be a nice appetizer.”

Uraume clenched their teeth at his laid back attitude.

“Kenjaku,” they warned. “This wasn’t what I agreed to when I enlisted my services to your cause.”

He just sighed, enraging them even further. “Uraume, let me spell this out for you. If you don’t get back in there and deliver that baby, I’ll release Satoru Gojo and after he kills me, he can tear your precious master limb from limb. Now, do you want to keep wasting time?”

Uraume said nothing and dutifully returned into the bedroom where you groaned.

Everything started to slow down, the movements of your hosts, their bickering voices. Your excruciating pain washed over you in a state of euphoria as the final moments of labor loomed over you, their predatory gaze pressing you down.

In the mix of screams and grunts the cries were soft, sounding a world away, slowly approaching until you were pulled back to reality. Your baby. You and Satoru’s baby. With a final exhaustive push they had entered the world.

“It’s a girl,” Kenjaku cheerily announced as Uraume held the screaming newborn up. For a moment they almost disappeared from your view, leaving you alone with your daughter. She was beautiful. You choked back a sob, completely overwhelmed. She had a little tuft of white hair accompanied by identical lashes, the resemblance to your husband was uncanny. Your joyous relief was abruptly interrupted by Kenjaku’s unwelcomed voice.

“What a beautiful girl she is,” he insincerely cooed.

Uraume swiftly cut the umbilical cord and went into the bathroom to clean the newborn in the sink.

Kenjaku waltzed in front of you and inspected between your propped up legs. “My my (Name), Uraume was right. You're still bleeding.”

You said nothing.

“C’mon, where’s that feisty woman I met two months ago? Doesn’t she have anything to say?”

Again you said nothing.

He just sighed. “Childbirth never does you women any good. The one thing you should excel in, and yet you’re left as nothing but a shadow of your former self.

Kenjaku briskly retrieved a small shopping bag from the corner of the room and pulled the contents out for you to see.

It almost was enough to pull you out of your stupor. It was Satoru’s Hugo Boss coat.

“While you were passed out, I thought it was imperative to make a small trip back to your home.”

He walked up to your bedside and held it over you.

“You see (Name), contrary to what you and the others think of me I’m not entirely cruel.”

Uraume exited the bathroom with your daughter in their arms. Her cries had subsided to tiny whimpers.

Kenjaku continued his self congratulatory dribble.

“I brought this coat to wrap your daughter in, that way she’ll have a keepsake of her father.”

“Who she’ll never know,” you spat.

He sighed and handed the coat to Uraume, who used it to swaddle the baby.

“Say what you will. But time doesn’t pass in the prison realm. So in a way I’m the most humane don’t you think?”

You scoffed with what strength you had left.

“Humane? How is robbing my daughter of her life anything but cruel?”

He smirked. “You jujutsu sorceres are so hypocritical. Tell me, how are my actions any different than those that you take with your students? Remember your precious friend Yu Haibara? Wasn’t he robbed of his life?”

You clenched your jaw.

“How dare you say his name you bastard.”

He ignored your insult and continued.

“If his parents will never see their son grow, then why should you have the privilege with your daughter?”

Before Kenjaku could finish you off he abruptly staggered backwards, the look of glee he sported was quickly replaced with a mortified one.

“No, no, don’t,” he cried.

Then he shook his head and clenched his jaw in irritation. “I’ve already told you to stop interfering. Even in death you refuse to lay dormant.”

His complaints proved meaningless as his right hand shot straight into his chest, failing to severely impair him.

He let out a bitter laugh as he pulled the bloody fist out. “You are by far the most disagreeable host I’ve ever had, Suguru Geto.”

Uraume roughly grabbed Kenjaku’s arm. “Stop this. These games of yours are only stalling our goals.”

He sighed in defeat. “I suppose you're right. I got a little carried away.”

Kenjaku turned to face you.

“I suppose this is the last time we’ll see each other. If you die before Uraume can bring you to Sukuna, I’d love to have you as one of my cursed spirits,” he admitted.

“I’d rather be eaten by that devil,” you weakly grunted.

He gave you a small wave and headed out the door. “You might just get your wish. Goodbye.”

You shifted your gaze to Uraume.

“Let me hold my baby,” you demanded.

They just wrinkled their nose. You’ll only contaminate the potential of her cursed energy. I’ll be preparing her for our departure. When I come back, I hope you’ll be dead. I can always find Lord Sukuna something more refined to eat.”

“Stay here for a while, Uraume,” Kenjaku ordered. “I want to record her time of death.”

They sighed at the request, wanting to return to their masters side instead of play nurse.

“Alright.”

“Satoru,” you scolded. “This is serious.”

You swatted him away as he tried to go in for another kiss.

The two of you sat in bed together, trying to pick a name from ‘100,000+ Baby Names.’

“I am being serious,” he argued as he kissed your shoulder. “I already have the name I want.”

You rolled your eyes at him.

“I already told you we’re not naming our baby Bert. He’s not a sixty year old man.”

Satoru looked at the page you had stopped on.

“Mari’s a pretty name,” he mused as he pointed to it.

You hummed in acknowledgement.

“And if it’s a boy we’ll name him Bert,” he concluded.

“Well for the baby’s sake I hope it’s a girl, because I like Mari too.”

You smiled despite yourself and kissed his lips.

“It doesn’t matter what their name is. We’ll love them no matter what,” you confirmed.

Mari, your daughter.

‘Satoru, I’m not sure if I can fulfill my promise and survive, but I’ll die trying.’

Your body was throbbing. It took everything in you to sit up. You just needed to get your daughter and take her to Jujutsu High. You were informed by Kenjaku some time ago that Ieiri had remained at the school under orders from the higher ups. If you could get Mari there, she’d be safe.

You trusted Ieiri to find a safe home for your daughter, in the event that you died. Just until Satoru could get to her. And he would get to her, you knew he would. You stood up, already feeling the blood oozing out of you. You ignored that, combined with the searing pain and made your way out of the room.

Uraume in the very dining room.

Their back was turned away from you as you crept up behind them, holding your breath. You only had one chance to disarm them. You were significantly weakened by Kenjaku’s blow, so your cursed technique was less likely to kill Uraume, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t temporarily disarm them. You just prayed you could muster enough strength. Mari laid on the table in front of them, still wrapped in Satoru’s coat.

‘I’m coming sweetheart.’

“Do you think Mommy’s dead yet?” they sadistically cooed.

“Why don’t you ask her,” you hissed.

They turned around to find your hands gripping their throat. Before they could lift their hand to unleash their own technique you released everything you had.

They twitched in your grip and pushed you back, causing you to stagger. Uraume attempted to grab you, but could only stumble and fall to the floor.

“You bitch,” they spat. “What did you do to me?”

You didn’t even bother to reply. You scooped up your daughter and sprinted. Pure adrenaline helped you to push past the pain that coursed through your body, your daughter’s crying, Uraume’s threats. You just kept going. Down the hallways, out the front door, through the courtyard.

“It’s alright sweetheart, Mommy’s here. I’m here,” you whispered.

You miraculously passed the gates, after two months, you had managed to break out. But now was not the time to celebrate, you’d do that once you were at Jujutsu High.

Gojo buried his head in his lap, mulling over the destruction he’s created around him. Multiple skulls lay shattered beneath his feet. Shards so sharp he contemplated picking up a piece and stabbing into his heart, his eyes, anything to stop this torment. He felt as if he’d been imprisoned for over a hundred years. What if he was released to meet some wasteland with only the ashes of his loved ones remaining?

He picked up a broken jaw bone with a jagged end, brushing his calloused thumb against it.

“This is pathetic,” a familiar voice scolded.

Satoru slowly looked up, his eyes widened when he came face to face with his former friend. His only friend.

“Suguru,” he mumbled in disbelief.

He looked like he did years ago, when the two of them fought alongside one another at Jujutsu High. The same uniform, the same hairstyle, the same knowing smirk.

“Okay, now I know I’ve lost it,” Satoru mumbled, dropping the jaw bone and letting it fall to the ground.

Suguru just stared down at him. “What do you think you're doing? Look at yourself.”

Satoru leaned over the edge of the small island of bones. His face was cut up and bloodied, with deranged eyes and a tattered coat.

“This is how the strongest looks in confinement? This is pitiful.”

Satoru stood up with a scoff.

“Big talk from the asshole who lost to a guy who couldn’t even use Jujutsu.”

Suguru should have been offended, but he just laughed.

“And you took in his son, way to honor my memory.”

Satoru wanted to stay mad, but he couldn’t muster anything up. He felt himself quickly settling into their banter with ease.

“What are you doing here? Are you real?”

“Not physically. But that’s not important right now. There’s not much time.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s (Name).”

Satoru went rigid. Images of Sukuna tearing into you came rushing back to him.

“She’s delivered the baby and is on the run in Kyoto. But Sukuna is about to reclaim his true form. And he’s using the Fushiguro kid as a current host.”

Satoru’s thoughts raced a million miles a minute.

You were alive but in danger, he was a father, and Megumi was being exploited by that damn coward.

“How do you know all this? Do you see what he sees?”

Suguru nodded. “And I can fight to take control. But only for short periods of time.”

Satoru briefly remembered him grabbing at his neck. Or Kenjaku’s neck.

“I need to get out of here,” he mumbled. “But I’m stuck.”

“Ieiri and the others are about to unseal you.”

He let out a boisterous laugh.

“I knew they could do it.”

“You can’t leave here looking like that,” Suguru scolded.

“Okay Mom.” he snorted.

But Suguru didn’t return his jovial tone. “How would it look if the strongest emerged from captivity broken down? Clean your face. Stand tall.”

So Satoru did just that, he leaned down over the small body of water and washed the blood from his body, the injuries miraculously vanished.

He nearly jumped when he felt someone press some fabric against his cheek.

It was the ghost of Riko Amanai who dried his skin, using her headband to do so. Unlike Suguru she was silent, but her actions were defiant. She disappeared as quickly as she arrived.

Once he was clean he stood up.

At the top of the void a small section of light began to poke through. Miniscule at first, then gradually expanding out to bathe the darkness with light. The skeletons screeched in agony as they evaporated into nothingness.

All that remained was Satoru and Suguru.

“Are you strongest because you're Satoru Gojo or are you Satoru Gojo because you're the strongest?”

He grinned and punched his shoulder. “I’m the only Satoru Gojo.”

The light consumed them, then there was nothing.

Kenjaku stood in the dilapidated structure with a bewildered grin on his face. After two months Satoru Gojo stood alive and well.

“It’s been a long time since you were able to relax. How was it?”

“Hey,” Satoru greeted, his coat slipping from his broad shoulders. “You should choose your words more carefully. After all, they will be your last.”

Before he could obliterate Kenjaku, Uraume emerged from the shadows.

“It’s done. Sukuna lives,” they cried in joy.

Kenjaku smirked. “Looks like you're too late Satoru Gojo.”

The white haired sorcerer punched the ground where Kenjaku stood. He quickly dodged it before meeting his end.

“Where are they?” he snarled.

Kenjaku smirked. “If you're referring to your adopted children. Their bodies were discarded somewhere and taken by the former vessel. Still alive, but barely. But as for your wife and daughter, I believe their deaths are looming over them, and the cause is a hungry curse.

In the blink of an eye Satoru was in front of Uraume. They barely had time to react, when he slammed his fist against their stomach. Blood spilled out of their mouth as they went flying back into a wall. Satoru pulled Uraume up from the rubble before they could catch their breath.

“I hope you enjoyed seeing him again because I’m going to ensure his stay is short.”

With that, he warped and vanished.

You didn’t stop running until you hit an abandoned residential area. Equipped with condos and recreational areas.

‘They must have been evacuated.’

You had hoped you’d at least be able to catch a train or cab to take you back to Tokyo, but it seemed your luck had run out. You didn’t give a damn though, you’d walk if you had to.

You blinked back the black dots that flooded your vision, fighting tooth and nail to keep moving.

You’d just have to keep going until you found an unaffected area. From there you’d find some method of transportation. You couldn’t stay here, in your current state you were like catnip to any lingering curses.

Your breath hitched when you saw a figure in the distance. A familiar pair of blue eyes, unruly white hair.

“Satoru,” you whispered.

He quickly closed the distance and engulfed you in his arms.

“(Name),” he murmured. “(Name), I’m here.”

You sobbed in relief. “You’re alive. I knew you’d find us.”

He pulled away from you and took in the face of his baby, wriggling in her mother’s grip, protected in his coat.

“Meet your daughter, Mari,” you croaked.

“She’s beautiful,” he whispered, quickly noting the blood pooling beneath your feet. “You’re hurt,” he muttered.

“Satoru we need to get Mari away-”

A loud crash through a nearby building caused the ground to shake. From the smoke a figure emerged.

One with four arms and two faces. They wore a wicked sneer.

“Well isn’t this a beautiful sight?” Sukuna cackled.

Mari started to cry.

Satoru held you a little tighter.

Sukuna descended to the ground and stood before you, massive and intimidating, like standing before an escaped hell spawn.

He rubbed his spear, eager to pierce it through the lot of you.

“I was only promised your precious whore as my first meal, but I could care less about Kenjaku’s plans. All three of your heads will mount the walls of my throne room when I’m done with you.

You could hardly breathe. The cursed energy radiating off of him was so overpowering it weighed you down. It was as if lead had been placed on your shoulders.

“No,” Satoru firmly responded. “We’ll fight on my terms.”

You gasped when you felt yourself briefly float, stumbling to your feet again at the steps of Jujutsu High.

Satoru scooped you up and rushed towards the main entrance.

“Is anyone here?” he called out.

Ieiri came rushing down the hall, staring in disbelief at the three of you.

“You’re here,” she marveled.

“Only because of you and the others. But listen, I can’t talk right now. (Name) is bleeding out.”

Ieiri’s gaze flickered to your current state and she nodded. “Follow me.”

Your husband gingerly set you down on the examination table in the lab.

An unfamiliar face stood in the corner of the room. It was a man with a black streak across the bridge of his nose. When he noticed him, Satoru raised his fist to attack, only to be stopped by Ieiri.

“It’s a long story but he’s with us now okay?”

He just glared at him. “I’m not leaving my family with him.”

“Satoru,” she scolded. “His and my technique are the only effective method to save (Name).”

“Satoru,” you croaked. “I trust him if Ieiri trusts him.”

He finally relented and turned his attention back to Ieiri.

“Where is everyone?” he urgently asked.

“Downtown, evacuating civilians. Yuji came back to drop off Megumi and Tsumiki.”

She answered his question before he could ask it. “They’re both fine. Megumi managed to expel Sukuna from his body before he could hurt his sister.”

He sighed in relief.

“Then I need to get downtown.”

Sukuna would probably be drawn there.

He bent down and pressed his lips against yours.

“Be safe,” you whispered.

He gently cupped your face. “I’ll always come back to you.”

You knew he would.

You savored the last moment of his fingertips against your skin as he pulled away.

He’d always come back to you.

You shut your eyes as darkness overtook you.

Satoru stopped to find Megumi at the end of the hall.

“Take me with you,” Megumi demanded.

“I’ve been gone for months and that’s your response?” Satoru jested. “No welcome home or how have you been?”

Megumi just glared at him. “Stop screwing around.”

“You’re in no condition to fight,” Satoru argued. “You need to stay here with your family.”

“I’m not going to stay here and do nothing. Right now I need to be with the others. Let me help you.”

“I killed your father,” Satoru blurted out. “I’m not a person you should help out.”

Megumi was silent, rage coursing through him. “Are you telling me this to try to stop me from going? My father? Am I supposed to resent you and fall apart.”

“I just want you to know. I just want you to know the type of person I am before you decide to help me.”

“Toji Fushiguro is nothing but a memory for me, and I have no intentions of living in the past. If you won’t take me I’ll walk.”

Megumi passed him and halted when he felt a hand grip his shoulder.

“Okay, let’s go,” Satoru mumbled.

You woke up in a soft bed in one of the spare rooms. Mari slept in a small cot beside you. You sat up and pulled off the covers. The bleeding had stopped and the pain had vanished.

The mysterious man from earlier looked up from his spot in the corner. “Oh, you’re awake. Dr. Shoko should be back in a minute.”

You hummed in acknowledgement, leaning down and scooping up your daughter.

“Thank you…”

“Choso,” he informed you. “Technically speaking, Choso Kamo.”

Your mind flashed back to your dream of the woman in the shed.

“I see, I’m (Name) Gojo. And this is my daughter Mari.”

Your daughter cooed in your arms.

“So, you’re half curse?” you asked.

“Yes, but I was told to live as a human. I’m still trying to decipher what that means to me.”

Choso’s eyes wandered to Mari, and he tilted his head in curiosity.

“Would you like to hold her?” you asked.

He hesitated, but nodded. You got out of the bed and sat beside him on the ground. You handed him the baby. He fumbled a bit, but managed to get into a comfortable position. A small smile formed on his lips.

“I think you’ll be a fine human,” you assured him after a moment of silence.

He was grateful for your words and you were fortunate enough to grant them.

A pair of footsteps rushed to the door and pushed it open. You gasped in relief when you saw her.

“Tsumiki!” you cried.

There she was, Tsumiki Fushiguro, alive and well.

The young girl’s eyes filled with tears. She wasted no time rushing towards you and smothering you with a hug.

“(Name)!” she sobbed. “It was horrible.”

You cradled her in your arms. “I know. I know sweetheart.”

Ieiri came into the room with an unreadable expression, clutching her phone.

They won.”

Your breath hitched and you tightened your grip around Tsumiki.

“The curses have vanished.”

The End.

Taglist: @mc-reborn

#gojou satoru x reader #gojo x reader #angst warning #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen #ao3 fanfic #hyperfixationsporfavor

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saffronapplemanga · 1 year

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Recent Read Manga Recommendation Round Up - Part 2

More manga I’ve been enjoying recently! Part 1 recommendation list here. Twitter link to this post here.

~Links to my other manga posts~ My personal favs/ones I super enjoyed will have a ✨ on them :)

Got more new titles and shorter reads this time around!

Some of these don't have official (or unofficial) EN translations since I read a lot of JP-only manga and I’d like to make people aware of those titles too! My hope is that bringing awareness to them will help get them licensed :) I guess if any sound interesting, ask publishers to license them! I’ll link any dedicated posts I have for each title.

PLEASE LOOK UP ANY TRIGGER WARNINGS!

HISTORICAL, DRAMA

✨Tenmaku no Jadoogar: A Witch’s Life in Mongol by Tomato Soup

(2 volumes, ongoing)

JP only. The first 5 chapters are up for free in JP here. English summary in this post

A learned Irani slave girl is taken captive by the Mongols in the 13th century and has to use her knowledge to survive. Well-researched historical fiction about Fatima, who was a real person in history. I wrote a long detailed post about it, so check it out!

DRAMA, MYSTERY, ART

✨Untitled Blue by Natsume Yukiko

(2 volumes, ongoing)

JP only - English summary in this post

I fell for Untitled Blue SO HARD, and I need the next volume immediately. A suicidal boy who just wants to make art uses the name of a burnt-out prodigy girl to sell his works in anonymity. The found family vibes and feels are strong in this one... And there are some absolutely SICK pages in this.

DRAMA, PSYCHOLOGICAL, ROMANCE

Haru’s Curse by Konishi Asuka

(2 volumes, complete)

Available in English

A woman falls for her dead sister's man and we follow a story about guilt and grief. This is a well-written short manga that tackles touchy topics in a thoughtful manner.

PSYCHOLOGICAL, DRAMA, SCI-FI

Takopi’s Original Sin by Taizan5

(2 volumes, complete)

English available to read on mangaplus

A short manga that was quite popular in Japan by the same author of the currently publishing Jump series The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins, this title is a good intro into Taizan 5's work. The art is expressive, the page turn is used well, and it takes a look at human psychology through three children with complicated relationships and living situations.

LGBT, SLICE OF LIFE

Kawa yori mo Nagaku Yuruyaka ni by Yoshida Akimi

(2 volumes, complete)

JP only

From Yoshida-sensei of Banana Fish fame, this short manga predates her more well-known work and you can see her explore some of the themes and ideas that you'll often see in Yoshida's works. I didn't relate to the characters (Which is actually nice sometimes! Different perspectives are good!) and it's kind of a weird manga, but it got a few laughs out of me and it was cool seeing Yoshida experiment.

This is how he introduced himself to an American working at the base - WILD

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Let's Go Karaoke! by Wayama Yama

(oneshot)

Available in English

I've been eyeing this title for YEARS and almost bought it so many times. Finally read it and idk why it took me so long. A charming, quirky, silly, wholesome story about a yakuza getting singing lessons from a choir kid. There's a sequel that's currently being published, ファミレス行こ/Famiresu Iko/"Let's Go To a Diner," but it seems to have a slow release schedule and hasn't been released in volume form yet. I don't see it available to read digitally either so I guess we'll just wait for a tankobon release.

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Captivated, by You by Wayama Yama

(oneshot)

Available in English

A wholesome quick read that left me with a smile on my face. The characters in this manga are just sweet kids and it's delightfully mundane. I mean that in the best way. It was just so nice to read.

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Onna no Sono no Hoshi by Wayama Yama

(3 volumes, ongoing)

JP only

More of Wayama Yama's infectious brand of humor and fuzzy feelings that I'm completely in love with at this point. Read what I said for the last two titles - same good stuff.

DRAMA, SCI-FI, MYSTERY

✨Gene Bride by Takano Hitomi

(2 volumes, ongoing)

JP only - English summary in this post

Sci-fi title that slowly unfolds its mystery and features two incredibly charming characters with a hilarious dynamic and tons of personality.

DRAMA, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Ikoku Nikki by Yamashita Tomoko

(10 volumes, ongoing)

JP only

My current read!

15-year old Asa's parents passed away in a car accident and her aunt, Makio, who works as an author has taken her in. This series is so human and makes me feel too seen and it's too relatable... Gives me the warm and fuzzies but also makes me want to cry. I need Makio in my life tbh.

Just gonna leave this here...

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