..... and then they used their autonomy to get her pregnant lol okay, i guess on this timeline they're gonna have a baby before adopting anya.

I just remembered that, when I was younger, whenever my family & I went out too eat I was always the one who'd finish the leftovers of the others... 👀 like when my sister would be full of course I'd clean off her plate, even though I already had a full meal. or when my mom was done I'd eat the leftovers, because it'd be rude to leave them on the plate.

and uhm. I'm not saying anything, but it really shouldn't surprise anyone that I'm Like This now 🤤

competitiveness and rules brain and mortal fear of becoming a disposable outsider going hand in hand in hand < ---------- is thinking about the loneliness again

(vampire) nesting season—steddie microfic, steddie holiday drabble.

WC: 388. CW: none. Rating: M. Tags: vampire eddie, vampire au, established steddie, angst, fluff, non-explicit bloodsucking, dark undertones.

For @steddieholidaydrabbles spring pop-up event, and @steddiemicrofic March prompt, ‘pin.’ Also for @sidekick-hero and littleskit on Ao3, who kindly requested more vampire eddie/human steve fic… Sorry, I haven't had time to get a longer fic going this month. In the meantime, hope you enjoy this companion piece to A deep and dreamless love (also on Ao3)😉 This fic can also be read standalone without reading the companion fic.

....

The gigantine crash from the backyard awoke Eddie. It was dark, he’d overslept. Was Steve in danger?

Eddie rushed to the yard—his cold dead vampire heart thudding—and stopped by their storm-shelter’s opened trapdoor. Beneath, bricks and debris buried the ladder: “Steve?” 

“Who else, genius?” Steve sounded muffled.

“Thought you were spring-cleaning?”

“I am! Use your vampire super-strength to shift this fallen crap NOW.” Steve coughed, doubtless on the dust. As Eddie cleared the fallen-in roof from the ladder, a sumptuous scent hit. Blood! He prayed Steve wasn’t pinned down, hurting, bleeding badly…

After shifting the final rubble, Eddie sighed with relief. Steve looked okay, mildly dirty, his hair decorously wrecked. Black fabric swathed the walls, at which Steve now pointed:

“Stabbed myself pinning up silk.” He sucked his finger. “No major bleeding—don’t freak out.”

“You could've been killed.” Eddie tentatively looped his arms around Steve, grateful for the usual precautionary scarf covering Steve’s delicious throat. “Sure you’re okay?”

Steve glared: “Do I look hurt, idiot.”

“You look…” Edible. “Adorable.”

“Dumbass crumbly basement. Ruined my surprise present.”

“Uuuuuh, whose present? And why the slinky-yet-hazardous subterranean boudoir?”

“Christ, you’re slow tonight.” Steve threw himself onto a sea of black cushions, tugging Eddie with him. “Longer spring days equal less nighttime with you. I built you an underground vampire nest, so we can…”

He pulled Eddie into a messy kiss, knees hitching round Eddie’s hips, forcing Eddie closer yet. Eddie kissed back—groaning, rutting, basking in Steve’s pulsing heat. His soul yearned only for Steve. His body hankered to drain Steve’s veins dry.

Shiiiiit, I need breakfast.

Eddie tore himself free. Steve laughed, dabbing wet lips, luxuriating on the cushions. A squirming mouse ready to be pinned by a cat? Steve’s fingers lovingly threaded Eddie’s hair, thumb caressing Eddie’s cheek. “You like?”

“Love it, Babe, but…” 

Eddie grimaced. Temptation burned. Steve simply ripped away his scarf, revealing Eddie’s many previous bite-marks on his neck. These never healed, because: “You’re peckish, huh?”

“Holy shit, Stevie. If I can’t stop drinking, you’re totally trapped here.” The truth tolled like a death knell: This is no nest. You’ve built a goddamn tomb! “Unlike you, I’m noooo hero.”

Steve rolled his way-too-trusting eyes, and pressed Eddie’s face into the scrumptiously thrumming curve of his throat. “Jesus, bite me already.”

Eddie’s fangs erupted and pierced Steve deep.

Just a little Surprise tun for @cecils-dragons Birthday!

uuuuuh Surprise? and happy birthday!

YOUR HTTYD ROTTMNT AU?! (holy carp that’s a lot of acronyms)

I love it. thank very much

why thank you~ I literally made the first concept sketches for Raph and Mikey like uuuuuh..... a week ago like exactly a week ago but I'm glad you're enjoying the little gremlins I've made in fact, I've gotten so much positive feedback from it I wouldn't be surprised if I do more with it

It was rare to get a night alone with him. Normally, Hinatsuru, Makio and Suma trailed after him like puppies, you trailing a little behind them as they crowded their husband and your beloved. You were rather unconfident in yourself, your village having simply presented you in hopes that this vampiric family would not torment the town in exchange for you being his next bride. It worked for around a week before the four left the castle to hunt and feed again, leaving you all alone. You didn't even know why the others had presented you in the first place. You didn't really find yourself very intriguing; you were just simple crafts woman, typically making jewelry or some beautiful pieces of commissions calligraphy, nothing that stands out. You still remembered how the mayor shoving his way into your home, telling you that to dress your best. One could only imagine your surprise when you were suddenly shoved into the arms of a large man. "She'll be perfect!" His voice boomed, a bright smile on his face as he gathered you in his arms. The girls he had around him were all squealing, cheering and overall rejoicing over you being gifted to them. You almost felt like some sort of doll as you were carried away from your home. "You'll be the crown jewel of the family!" That was weeks ago, and now you found yourself alone, looking down at your vampiric fiancé peering up at you through his lashes. The other three had left to go feed, Tengen having decided to stay behind, citing that he wanted to cozy up to you. One thing led to another, and you were naked, the vampire laying between your legs on his stomach. "Tengen, stop staring..." You spoke softly, the silver haired man simply flashing you a wolfish smile. "Oh, but why should I, my gem? I have such a pretty view of you delectable pussy and soft thighs." He purred, making your face burn red. Tengen let out a laugh seeing your rosy cheeks, the man gripping your thighs and pressing kisses to the supple skin. "Yes, such a pretty little thing you are, my precious bride to be." "T-Tengen, don't say such th-Hah!" You couldn't finish your sentence, the man between your legs having moved to lick a fat strip up your bared pussy, making sure the tip of his tongue made a point to catch on your clit. "T-Tengen, o-oh gods-" "Shh, let me make you feel good, let me taste you again, my little gem." Tengen crooned, nipping at your thigh as he spoke, a soft groan rolling in his chest as he felt the heat under your skin, your blood calling to him like wine to a drunkard. Surely you wouldn't mind? "AH! TENGEN!" You cried out, a loud moan leaving your throat as the vampire bit into your thigh and drank your blood, which tinged his tastebuds, the flavor colliding and blending with your slick and creating a euphoric cocktail in his moan. A moan erupted from him as he dove back into your pussy, laving his tongue along your cunt, gathering the cream you produced on his tongue before returning to your bite and lapping up the blood there. Tengen's head was spinning, hips rutting into the mattress below as he feasted. You were a being handmade by the gods, he was sure of it, from your beautiful curves to your delectable taste, you were utterly perfect. Your first orgasm struck you like lightning, vision going white as you screamed out for him. He did not stop, he kept going, nipping and suckling on your clit, lapping at your bite wound, gathering all of you that he could, Tengen kept going to the point you lost track of when your orgasms started and ended, driving you wild. By night's end, you were drained, bandaged and curled against an undead man's chest as he cooed sweet nothings in your ear, a large hand affectionately stroking your hair. Perhaps your village made a good choice.

Holy fuck- ACTUALLY NOT HOLY BC THAT HURTS VAMPIRES UUUUUH- SINFUL FUCK-!

Hai! I really like your KND x Reader posts! Especially the one with Father, anywhoo-

Can I request for a Father x Reader imagine where the Reader finds out about the whole delightfulization of Sector Z during Operation: ZERO.

Advanced Thanks! ❤

Reader finding out about the delightfulization

My back hurts so so much... but YAAAAAAY I'm so happy to hear you enjoy the writing esp with how I'm portraying Father! It seems theres pretty polarizing views on how he treats the DCFDTL so uhuh.. middle ground in my writing WOOOO

Characters: Father, DCFDTL

Notes: Reader is GN!

CWs: Even with my softer approach to the dynamic, it's still.. not a good.. thing.. surprise adoption, basically

I'm personally subscribed to the idea that over time Father becomes more accustomed to having the children around; in the beginning he just outright doesnt want them but grows a sort of fondness to them- would that make it found family in a way?

^I do think the bulk of that relationshift happens after the animal episode since he is WAAAAAY too quick to just let them stay sheep but

I dont know, the idea that resentment turning into tolerance into something nice is infinitely more interesting than both takes of father's whole deal but that's just me

Now onto the actual post! I kind of just wanted to ramble about my hc + wasnt sure if it would be needed to provide context

In short I think it could very easily lead to the end of the relationship, or at least start the beginning of the end

It completely shifts the way you look at him, even if the delightfulization was an accident- he still had the chamber in the first place

Even worse, if you yourself arent evil or perhaps even oblivious to everything going on like some of the other adults

It comes out of left field

Hes not the most emotionally stable person, so regardless of if he tries to get you to stay or if he just tosses you to the side.. its going to get intense

I WAS going to say that if you two were married your access to the children would.. be hard to say as I'm not well versed in the legalities when it comes to a step parent- but then I realized that realistically Benedict would be in SO much legal trouble

Uuuuuh... cartoon logic! Keep it whimsical! Or something!

Imagine being there when the delightful children were briefly reverted back to their original forms- you get to finally meet the real versions of them and its just so ... bittersweet..

You go from being so used to them delightfultized that it's like meeting a whole new group of children, if anything it would only fuel your feelings towards father, whatever they may be

Disgust, anger, disappointment, and so on

Theres also the new fear of him attempting to delightfultize you, if adults can even go through the process- the thought probably crosses his mind but he never entertains it

In the beginning of your separation he sends you gifts to try to win you back, though he never comes to see you in person

get to know me game!

I was tagged by @pepsi-maxwell & @emobatsy thanks!

do you make your bed? If I am expecting someone to see it.

what's your favourite number? uuuuuh... 23?

what is your job? data engineering

if you could go back to school would you? Would love to be one of those retired old people who just listen to lectures on art history for the fun of it, yeah. Otherwise, fuck no.

can you parallel park? not anymore

a job you had that would surprise people? Food delivery on bike? Is that surprising? It was pretty cool actually if you enjoy being physically utterly exhausted and also listening to audio books.

do you think aliens are real? I think there are probably living things on other planets but I'm not sure about all the flying saucers and anal probing. The Fermi paradox is SO interesting.

can you drive a manual car? not anymore

what's your guilty pleasure? bad dudebro porn on ao3

tattoos? no.

favourite colour? still teal

favourite type of music? electronic, synth pop, post-industrial, experimental, classical

do you like puzzles? hell yeah

any phobias? I don't think so... maybe industrial machinery. That's not a phobia though if the danger is real. Fuck that shit.

favourite childhood sport? Climbing trees.

do you talk to yourself? In my head? All the time. Out loud? No.

what movie(s) do you adore? Like adore specifically? That's such a specific word... Days of Heaven, The Gospel According to St. Matthew, The Ascent, The Seventh Seal, Andrei Rublev & Mirror

coffee or tea? Coffee.

first thing you wanted to be growing up? Nature documentary cameraman.

Hey, I just did an ask game and tagged people so if you've either one of them and ready for another round or just read this far and you want to do it, you are now tagged.

| MC who can cook but acts a complete wreak in the kitchen

Character(s): Diasomnia

TW: Food

Notes: Gender neutral MC || I mentioned that I was gonna write this ages ago and here it finally is! It's honestly basically just a summary of me in the kitchen lmao || It's the middle of August and I'm going to click a random date and time and queue this to pretend that I have some vague semblance of motivation or something or other so have fun whenever you read this <3

They are all absolutely elated when you come over to the dorm with the exception of Sebek who has a couple words to say to you but even he starts to enjoy having you around when you offer to cook as a thank you for them having you over

Almost anything beat Lilia's cooking and your offer gave them an easy ticket to get out of having to eat his disasters

Their trust in you goes up by a bit when you decline anyone who asks if you'd like their help. Hopefully that means to them that you know your way well enough around the kitchen that you don't want anyone else messing up your area

Aaaaand all of that trust flies right out of the window the moment that the resident fae hear you mumbling in the kitchen about having no idea what anything is

"Hell is this?" followed by the sound of you smelling it and then announcing, without a single care for the state of the food "Screw it, in it goes. Uuuuuh... How much should I put? Lemme taste... Ah yes... tastes like powder. Yeah, no idea."

At least Lilia makes an effort to sound like he knows what he's doing because he really does think that he's okay at least in the kitchen. You, however, sound like you are actively attempting to kill them. Unintentionally but it's all the same when they hear you do this a couple more times

You're mumbling to yourself all the while and eventually they send Malleus in to check on you rather than Sebek who seems about ready to drag you out of the kitchen by your feet to check on you

It looks a complete wreck when he walks in with everything strewn everywhere though there's a surprising lack of spillages of any ingredients and you're in the process of cleaning up

He's mildly terrified when you say that you're cleaning up while the food cooks over the fire since you have about half an hour

They're all getting mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to have to stomach something equally as bad as Lilia's cooking at the time that you give and the fact that the fire is on its highest heat while you're sitting with them after cleaning without a care in the world until you remember the food is on the fire and sprint to the kitchen with an "oh shit-"

They're too polite to leave and too polite to cook something in place of what you've just spent so much time cooking so they're fully prepared to sit and endure it even if Sebek is ready to burst your ear drums the moment that he finds anything wrong with what he assumes is your wreck of a meal

They - minus Lilia - don't think they've ever felt so relieved to see normal looking food. They're genuinely so surprised that you haven't just brought out a lump of ash on a tray not to mention the smell

The relief might just make them ascend along side the realisation that it tastes amazing as well

Whether or not they let you cook again, however, fully depends on how capable they are of sitting though a couple more almost heart attacks while hearing you cook before they get used to it and realise that that's just how you cook

Do not repost or claim. Only reblog 💕

10 What is the hottest thing someone has ever done with you in bed?

20 What’s the most surprising discovery you’ve made about your own body?

10 : oh god this is a tough question when you have a faulty memory and a lot of sex. uuuuuh I gotta say when someone who is usually more dom asks me to take control and becomes subby it makes my brain melt. like yes. mine. all mine.

20 : squirting us fun but also two layers of towels is never enough.

DuPont School for Monstrous Youths- Student-Enforced Dorm Rules, Part 1

Sometimes things happen that probably shouldn’t. Here are some rules that the kids have come up with! As always, thanks to @artzychic27 and @imsparky2002! More to come in the future! (Maybe Artzy and Sparky will join the fun! 😜)

Nino is not allowed to have his speakers during the night. The last time he did, he started blasting a Macarena/Gangnam Style Mix at 2 AM.

Ondine and Simon, just because you are half-Scottish/Irish respectively, does not give you license to incite a BAR FIGHT IN THE CAFETERIA because it makes you ‘feel at home’. (Seriously, where did those bagpipes come from?!)

Ivan, Denise: ENOUGH WITH THE ROCK-THROWING. Seriously, we’ve lost count of all the concussions.

Kim, dude, we ALL know you shed like there's no tomorrow. PLEASE, for the love of all that's holy, clean out the shower after you use it! A fur lined bathroom is NOT chic!

Nathaniel, we understand that we are not supposed to be out of our rooms after curfew. But please, for the love of all that’s good and pure, do NOT SCREECH like that in the pitch dark.

Juleka and Luka would like to request that people stop responding to them with exaggerated Transylvanian accents. And they don’t say ‘Bleh, bleh, bleh!’

If you find one of Nino or Rose’s limbs, please be a nice person and return it to them. DON’T put it anywhere indecent!

Please stop telling Adrien ridiculous things about your species’ cultures. He doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he’s likely to believe you and make a fool of himself!

The same applies for Aurore. Stop trying to convince her that if someone offers to shake your hand, they’re challenging you to a duel!

Out of courtesy to Mireille, all drains in the dorm halls are to have their installed covers on. We don’t want another incident.

DON’T TOUCH KAGAMI’S GOLD STASH.

Stop shining flashlights outside of windows so Marc will fly into them! It was only funny the first few times!

Sabrina has specified that the next person to hack her translator necklace WILL die. (Was changing all her ‘yes’es to ‘YEEEEE-UUUUUH.” really necessary?)

If you don’t want to be cursed, be mindful of when Chloé and Zoé are sleeping.

Stop trying to play matador with Cosette. They’re charging at YOU, not the cape. Your shattered ribcage is your own fault!

No trying to surprise Jean so he’ll do the Phantom Shriek™️. The custodians are getting tired of replacing the windows.

There you have it folks! Leave thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

Tea Party

UUUUUH Gen!fic, my nemesis...Have a slice of family drama, hot beverages, and sad memories...

Characters: Elrond & Galadriel

Words: 1 362

Warnings: absolutely nothing (Kidnap fam maybe? Finrod is mentioned?)

Elrond took a sip of the mysterious brew his friend was pouring, paused, and then took another, deeper, gulp.

His eyes closed for a moment, and his mind was transported back.

“Is it to your liking?” Galadriel asked with a soft smile. “I have tried to emulate the recipe as closely as possible with the ingredients at my disposition in these woefully ravaged lands.”

“It tastes—” Elrond waved a vague hand through the fragrant air in search of the right words—even though he was old now, he felt as if all the years of his life were slowly melting in the aromatic steam rising from his dainty cup.

He was almost surprised—upon dropping his gaze—that the hands holding the demitasse were indeed his own as he now knew them rather than the clumsy, cold fingers of a half-even child, huddled against the stiff warmth of his captor’s body.

“They stole it anyway,” Galadriel laughed. “Did you know that? My mother brought home the first version of this tea from one of her seafaring voyages—or did my grandfather give it to her? Either way, it was always ours, but—as you well know—some people have no consideration for the property, intellectual or otherwise, of others.”

Tutting out of habit rather than conviction, Elrond gave her an exasperated look; his own feelings towards the dangerous murderers and kinslayers who had kidnapped, sheltered, raised, and loved him were much too complicated and contradictory to defend them before the Lady of Lórien.

How would he even dare? She—who had grown up with Maedhros and Maglor and whose kin had perished at the end of their ruthless blades—had welcomed him in her heart and her family despite his questionable allegiances, and he did not seek to dismay her.

It was too late to change the narrative that had fossilised into history, and all the longing, regret, and resentment they might stir up between them would only be dancing ashes of a fire long dead.

“You never speak of them,” Galadriel remarked softly, “and it worries me. Do you spare my feelings because they are my kin?”

“No,” Elrond contradicted slowly. “Nevertheless, I would ask of you to extend me the very courtesy I have so cruelly denied you.”

She cocked her head in curiosity and pity.

“I hate them not, you know? Long have I poisoned my heart with bitterness, but no more—would you tell me about the tea, just that, nought more? It seems obvious to me that you recognise the flavour—when did you first taste it?”

Looking up at one so glorious and timeless, Elrond once more felt like a mere child before her.

“It was winter, and so very cold. Even though it is exceedingly rare, it is possible for Peredhil to be taken ill.” He stopped to rub his brow, lost in the memory of the torturous, delirious fever that had assailed him.

He had been sure then that he was doomed to die, in an unfamiliar camp, utterly alone except for his shivering brother, to be thrown aside by the murderers of his kin and friends.

Galadriel made a soft, cooing noise—it was the instinctive sound of maternal soothing that seemed to be the same across all peoples and lands. The very thought warmed Elrond, and he smiled wistfully.

“They kept their packs close and only opened them very rarely, but—on that night when the sickness was burning through my blood and bone—I saw them upend the worn knapsacks almost frantically.”

Frowning to pierce the haze of centuries, Elrond looked into his cup as if the mere sight of the sloshing liquid would bring back memories he had long repressed.

“There was a box—tiny, evidently invaluable, and beautifully decorated—that they emptied into the cauldron they had stolen from a young mother in Sirion. This was the first and last time I’ve ever drunk this tea, but it strengthened and heartened me, and I was soon on the mend.”

Elrond took another careful sip, and Galadriel leaned forward to replenish his cup generously which earned her another wavering, grateful smile.

“They’ve never spoken of the brew again, and I believe that Elros took away the little container as a memento. It must lie on the bottom of the sea now—what a shame!”

Holding up her hand in the universal gesture of asking for patience, his mother-in-law swept out of the room and returned promptly, her fist closed loosely and carefully around a small, rectangular object.

“Was it like this one?” she asked and revealed a box quite similar in make and decoration to the one Elrond remembered so clearly.

It was confusing and alarming to him how the mere sight of an inanimate object could flood his mind and soul with whisps of recollection—beautiful as much as terrible—and how eagerly he now leaned into that maelstrom of stale emotions even though he knew that his aching heart would pay a terrible price for letting those ghosts back in.

When he nodded slowly, she uttered a long, shivering, undeniably pained sigh.

“I take back my cruel words then,” she whispered. “They did not steal the tea. These have been crafted by my brother—Findaráto, Finrod Felagund, King of Nargothrond, Prince of Hearts—and he must have given it to them as a token of goodwill.”

Her eyes closed as she sank into the swirling, treacherous pool of her own memories. “It must have been old and exceedingly valuable to them. These leaves had been brought over from the Blessed Realm, and even though I trust that my dear brother has managed to grow something similar, both Valinor and Nargothrond are lost to us now.”

“Not forever,” Elrond opined gently but resolutely. “Surely, our efforts will be rewarded.”

Her answering chuckle was as bright and cold as the stars overhead, and a sudden weariness slipped over her beautiful features. “Yes,” she finally hummed, “yes, I must have hope. Drink your tea, Elrond, and think lovingly of those who are no longer with us.”

“Shall you join me?” he asked quietly, afraid of reopening wounds that had festered for ages and might only have closed reluctantly under the strain of her imperious, unbreakably headstrong will.

“I have not—I did not believe anything good could come from dwelling on the past,” she admitted. “All our nightmares were reality—plain and beloved—to me once and going back means recognising the glaring errors in judgement that I—amongst others, of course—am guilty of.”

“Not so,” he protested again and lifted his cup gingerly. “This tea shall be proof that all that has been perverted and twisted into evil cannot stay lost forevermore—maybe, one day, all these things and people will be cherished dreams and comfortable reality again.”

“You would see them again and call them father?” Galadriel asked, astonished and humbled by the understated fortitude of character and soul of the mysterious creature who had become a beloved son-in-law, a valued friend, and a trusted ally.

Shrugging lopsidedly, Elrond drained his cup and smiled at her indulgently.

“Pray be so good as to show me how you’ve recreated this restorative brew. I have amassed lore about many plants over the years, and I’d be honoured to add this ancient, hallowed family secret to the Great Library of Imladris—for generations to come.”

“Take this,” she whispered and placed the little box in his warm palm. “I shall give you a seedling later. If you manage to make it flourish—as I have no doubt you will—I’d ask you to plant and tend to it in honour of my valiant, desperately loved, and sorely missed brother.”

Nodding gravely, Elrond thought of the jealously guarded remnants of those they had lost—gemstones, vials, and unextinguishable lamps—and smiled wistfully.

The sands of time might have buried their names and faces, extinguished the fire of their crimes, and sublimated the stories of their bitter calvary, but—or so he hoped—the essence of their valour, loyalty, and care were still alive and would be passed on for all eternity.

Thank you so much for reading <3

-> Masterlist for November

i cannot stop thinking about the fic "ill put the lnife in your hand" so...

*drops these and runs*

Hate that the ask format makes these so small but I am WHEEZING what a wonderful thing to wake up to

The fic in question if anyone seeing this wants a link

You know it is a bit funny that Jase is probably going to give Donnie a round two lecture when he finds out that, at some point before Donnie invited him over, Donnie just completely quit monitoring him in any way because he 100% believed by that point Jase wouldn't turn on him. That's why he was still kind of surprised when Jase showed him the drive.

But in the end he was still right, so Donnie won't concede that it was a stupid decision.

But it's also funny that, ultimately, deciding to trust Jase is what prevented him from even getting betrayed anyway. (The way I write Jase, he's very unused to people trusting him that much, and he doesn't want to take it for granted)

Uuuuuh anyway rambling

Best Sex Bobomb variant?

Video game

Movie

Anime

Uuuuuh... what?

A bobomb? Like, the Mario mook? The walking bomb? I mean I wouldn't be surprised that people came up with a sexy version, I mean, Rule 34 would apply to it too. But I dunno what you mean with the video game, movie, and anime categories.

beyblade burst manga review (arc 2)

so I finished the second valt arc of the manga last night (the part of the manga that would be adapted into the second season) and it was uuuuuh, ok i guess? LOL

look, morita's illustrations are really fun and oftentimes really good and his layouts and paneling are perfectly passable, but his scripting and writing are really really mediocre. I legitimately think it's a testament to the anime staff that we got the first two anime seasons as good as they were considering the source material.

for one thing, the manga's story is paced horribly. it jumps from battle to battle with basically no downtime in between and you get almost no time to just sit with what's happening. this creates a massive issue when morita wants to create tension or wants to write something that's emotionally impactful. (tbf, some of this may be because of the format of corocoro's monthly releases and/or the demands of takara tomy but it's really hard to say.)

additionally, character arcs are either flat or non-existent. for example, free in the manga literally never leaves bc sol. he's there for the entire arc doing nothing but being slightly mysterious and condescending and to be a thematic foil to valt (which he's really bad at up until the last like 1/4 of the story). we don't get any sense that he genuinely loves his team and will do anything if he thinks it's what's best for them. no sense that he's emotionally closed off due to his unwillingness to communicate with the people around him. no tension from the implications of his absence. he's just sitting there. being super strong and intimidating and condescending to everyone around him. they do give him a somewhat interesting trait, that being some form of like rage mode or emotional instability (the gross thing where he gets all veiny) that's glossed over quite a bit in the anime. yeah it's similar to the anime but it really isn't the same imo, and I think he could've been an even stronger character if they'd leaned into it more in the anime in addition to what was already written. that being said, morita doesn't do enough with it in the manga for it to be much more than what amounts to a gimmick.

silas has this issue too where he joins bc sol, wins some battles, and helps valt train like once. that's his character arc. they don't show him bonding with the team and learning to open up to them and care for them, it's a simple one and done "yeah ig I'll help you train lol." and it wasn't even during the world league, it was literally right before valt's final battle with shu.

shu's arc is mostly intact, but it isn't nearly as strong because we just don't get time to sit with him as a character and to really understand his struggle.

and this issue of flat or non-existent character arcs is only compounded by the first problem.

I can't even say I'm all that surprised or frustrated though. the first arc of the manga had similar issues, I just didn't talk about them at length because the first season of the anime, while a lot stronger than its manga counterpart, still wasn't even close to as strong as the second season.

at least that's what I would say, if it weren't for a few particular moments in the manga.

I've mentioned the poor pacing, flat writing, and mediocre scripting of the manga, and that's all true for the most part.

but there's this moment. the night before valt's battle with shu, free approaches valt who's still up late training. valt tells him he's afraid and they talk about how shu and spriggan requiem are terrifyingly strong opponents, and you get a sense that valt is really going up against impossible odds. but after saying spriggan requiem is the ultimate bey, free looks at valt and his expression softens. and he tells valt he can beat him.

this scene does not exist in the anime. it's well-scripted, well-written, and well-executed. it's a tender moment in a sea of constant, non-stop action.

there's some more examples of similar moments. they're brief flashbacks of shu and valt. here:

and these are the reason I'm so frustrated with the manga. morita shows his best not during moments of heightened emotions or action, but when he's really focusing in on character dynamics and relationships. so if we can get moments like this once or twice in the manga, why in the world can we not get them consistently thorughout it.

but yeah, the arc was alright. if you're an anime only, I can't really say you're missing out on much, at least not so far.

I'll continue reading through the manga and telling you all my thoughts!