bambuwu-writes

[bambuwu-writes]

it is ramadan again, another year at mankai, and citron is worried that if his heart gets any more full, it’ll burst inside his chest, and he’ll slide off the couch, limp, and crush poor muku who’s sitting on the floor.

guy is with him. that alone feels as if it’s too much to ask for. and yet, there he is, warm hands, gentle face, and that soothing voice that makes citron feel like a little kid again, that makes him want to sit in the kitchen as he cooks and listen to guy talk for hours.

more frequently, they’re joined in the mornings by assorted troupemates, trying their hand at the early hours. a surprisingly common occurrence is chikage. he seems quieter in the mornings, something citron comes to appreciate, to the relief of guy.

and the hustle and bustle of eid preparations makes him want to cry, just as much as it makes him overjoyed. it feels like home again.

on the day itself, the whole company seems to be there, falling over each other to get things done, to celebrate, to sheepishly ask guy whether or not they had the banner upside-down. [they did. woopsies. itaru helps re-hang it]

citron, guy, yuki, and kazu create a henna squad, and almost every single company member is marked in some place, big or small. kazu delightedly gets both his hands done by citron. kumon has his on his inner wrist, so it doesnt fade too quickly from how much he uses his hands playing sports. citron mischievously snuck some onto hisoka’s cheek as he napped, though he didn’t end up minding too much, since he couldn’t feel it. sakyo sat almost dead-quiet for guy to give a small design on the back of his shoulder, not wanting it visible, but still wanting to show his support, that he considers them family. azuma delights in how his set traces down to his fingertips, showing off his graceful, slim hands. juza is surprisingly ticklish, and wont stop moving, to yuki’s eternal annoyance.

citron and guy both do one hand each for izumi, and they seem much quieter as they work than they were with the others.

citron has a laptop open to a video chat with his siblings, and it runs for hours upon hours. everyone stops by the screen and waves at least once, politely introducing themselves. occasionally, there are shouts from the computer, as a brother tries to pass along a question, or comment. when akigumi was introduced, they hear some excited murmurs, and then a kind sounding voice. citron translates the compliment to mean, ‘hey hey, please tell that young boy there that we like his sweater!! it looks classy, very nice!’. taichi wasnt there at the moment, nor was azami. through a couple of clarifying questions, citron breaks into a horrible giggle fit, and announces that they were talking about sakyo. [old man can only grumble that the camera must be less than great in its clarity. though he does give a polite nod as a thank-you]

it’s ramadan again, and citron feels so, so full.

Every now and then i remember that [for all the essays i could write ab how they deserve better from the writers and official artists] citron and guy are muslim coded and my little heart fills :)

citron teaching omi and izumi how to make roti on a well aged tawa [think crepe pan!], one of the few things citron brought with him when he fled home. Smiling quietly when he teaches them how to scoop up curry without getting toooo messy, and openly grinning and cheering when sakuya manages to do it perfectly, laughing and agreeing when misumi says the shape between his fingers looks a bit like a triangle!!!! So cool!!!!!

Heart swelling with something…just something. When he hears masumi and tenma grumble about the saffron staining their fingernails. Just like his brothers do. Well, did. I mean, probably still do…right?

Every now and again, he was viscerally reminded that he. Was not. Home.

No one recognized his spices and perfumes.

No one joined in his little songs, references from his favorite movies. They couldn’t.

He always, always had to check before he ate something for the ingredients list. Something he took for granted. A comfort, a sense of safety he took for granted.

No one recognized his mumbled recitations under his breath after watching horror movies. He was never the most intently devout, but the Arabic he did know soothed his soul.

The simplest things.

Tea tasted thin, bitter. Nothing like his rich, spiced chai.

That was it.

Little things.

Nothing special he could point to and say was ‘wrong’. It just, deeply, wholly, wasn’t his.

Citron felt that gut wrenching twist and claw of loneliness when holidays rolled around. He dreaded celebrating alone.

He explained Ramadan to his new family! Assured them that, yes, he was definitely eating! He just wouldn’t be eating with them in the day for a while! All with this…strange smile on his face.

The first week of the first Ramadan he spent at the dorms was sad. Just plain sad.

He wanted his brothers. He wanted them near him so bad it hurt. He wanted to hear those quiet little complaints and the jokingly angry yells whenever a commercial for food came on the tv. He wanted to wake up with them. Watch everyone slowly shuffle into the kitchen before dawn. When he was alone it felt wrong. Like he was taking food when he wasn’t supposed to. It just. It wasn’t right. Nothing about it felt right.

And then the second week started. And Izumi was in the kitchen before him.

Bleary eyed, blanket around her shoulders [that made his heart hurt, who knows why], and wearily peering at the stove as she stirred a pan of leftover curry, rice cooker with only 3 minutes left on the counter. And the young man was struck with how soft her ‘good morning’ was. How full of love and determination her smile was.

He was not ashamed when he cried into her shoulder for a minute or so. She seemed to understand.

#look me in my big bug eyes. yes i know im 10-ish mins late. shhhhhh. no im not. <3 #this STILL isnt guy-centric like i said it would be last time but uk what #hes a very patient man. im sure he'll wait for me #sighhhhh but ya anyways.....them <333333 #sending luv. as always! #a3! #a3! citron #a3! izumi #a3! guy #a3! hcs #a3! act! addict! actors! #sakyo furuichi #others r mentioned in passingggg

[bambuwu-writes]

He’s so pretty! Is he a new char-

THE BIRD????

#blink blink blink blink blink #hello can anyone hear me why does he look like this. #HIS HAIR IS SO PRETTY??? #THE OUTFIT???? LITERALLY PREF??? #i need to calm down this is literally a bird. #i want to hold the bird's hand i think. #a3! #kamekitchi

[bambuwu-writes]

not only did they gijinka the bird but they also gave him more rizz than a 30+ yo man who has a decades old crush 😭😭

#blinks at you with my big eyes. hey guys why is the bird. #ahem. um. why does he. #um. ahaha. why does the bird look like that. ? do we know? #WHY IS HE SO PRETTYYYY???????? #a3! #kamekitchi my detested little freak of a bird. love that guy

[bambuwu-writes]

happy march 32nd from the mankai company :)

#HAPPY MARCH 32ND EVERYONE <333 LETS TRY OUR BEST TO GIVE SAKYO ONLY A MINOR HEADACHE <3!! #a3! #sakyo furuichi #desperately love how matsukawa is like...hiding behind him.....cutie <3

[bambuwu-writes]

wauu....im so bad at dealing w endingsss....tho i do feel like it would be so sweet to have the ending be a classic little reunion moment. maybe some of the actors have left, maybe most of them have, but coming back to mankai they can't help but breathe a sigh of contentment, bc this is always where they'll feel home.!! maybe we get new sprites, just for these last few scenes, to show how everyone grows and changes [<-personally pained and haunted by the idea of ponytail sakuya...] maybe omi gets some piercings! maybe tsumu gets a mohawk!! who knows!!!

Mankai March question 31!

Welcome to the last day! It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s over! Maybe we’ll do it again next year! For our last question, I chose something kinda angsty: If A3! were to have an official end to its story, what would it be like? Would it provide a nice sense of closure, or end abruptly? Maybe the director leaves but the company stays together? Maybe Mankai disbands? Give me all you’ve got!

#cannot even think about izumi or i will get weepy in this theatre tonight......!!! #im so seriously the type of person that will save the last episode of a show for months and months to postpone it ending like.. #what do you MEAN a3 will end eventually.....YOU MEAN TIME MOVES EVER ONWARDS??? WHY.... #weepsy and sniffsy....oh a3 u mean so myuch to me...

[bambuwu-writes]

ahahah hm oh what? do i have a what? a huh? a what on any of the who?

i literally think about living in the mankai dorms so often. almost every day. please...i'd take a supply closet at this rate...i wonder if they have a coffee machine....

Mankai March question 30!

Happy birthday, Masumi! Do you have a crush on any of the characters? If so, who? If not, who would you choose to live with?

#a3! #im pretty sure im solidly in the crush category for almost the grand majority of mankai #the kids r my siblings and i will throw pillows at the backs of their heads accordingly. <3 #do they have a garden shed? im also willing to take the garden shed. i can sleep on top of the bags of potting soil that sounds soft #in terms of actual roomies i think i'd do well with tsuzu saku or muku #they're all v good eggs

[bambuwu-writes]

pointing directly at this video https://youtu.be/t2MNOMHhX9g?si=GYFQAs68V2_TU-QF ya i officially co-sign on every one of those superimposed crying faces.....

tho i will say i specifically remember the first time i heard tamakura i was legitimately so blown away at how azuma and hiso's voices blended together that i had to keep replaying the parts where they sang with each other over and over LOL

Mankai March question 29!

Last music question! What’s your favorite Mankai Stage song? Is it a play song? A troupe live one you like? Something that makes you cry every time?

#no tags....just clawing the walls over mankai stage...

[bambuwu-writes]

OK THE PLAY SONGS ARE TOO GOOD, RIGHT? WE ALL AGREE ON THIS??

shoutai, unmask [giggled SO bad when i heard the actual poto overture in the song], buzama, and exciting charmer are all total hits, with exciting charmer actually being a newer fav lol

Mankai March question 28!

Second to last music day! What’s your favorite play song? Feel free to ramble about it, whether it be how it’s relevant to the plot or about how it just goes hard!

#sighhh a3 music why r u so good....

[bambuwu-writes]

HARU DESU NE YOU SCOUNDREL!!! YOU LITTLE SCAMP!!! WHY DO YOU MAKE ME SO EMOTIONAL!!!!

Mankai March question 27!

Continuing with music! What’s your favorite troupe song? Mankai Stage songs count here, too!!

#also precious to us makes me crazy with the voices passing back and forth like that what an ICONIC decision!!!!!! #the high notes in 'to bloom' fuyugumi....serving too hard...

[bambuwu-writes]

summer time love....kazu how and why r u flirting w us via character song. cool it. jump in the ocean or something. [i am soooo kidding i love summertime love sm its actually way way cutiepie]

mirailight JUZA. JUZA YOU ARE SO. OH I COULD PUNCH A BRICK WALL. JUZA!

special places go to sakuya and kumon bc their voices make me emotional in and of themselves

Mankai March question 26!

Let’s hear about some Mankai jams! What’s your favorite character song? Is it because it’s a banger, or because it emotionally destroys you? Mankai Stage solos count!!

#theres also one tsuzuru song and i cant member if its his 1st or 2nd solo!!!! but it had this super sweet line ab being up way too late #but being satisfied [or something?] bc he knew he finally had a goal and a place in life ang hhngmgn......mr minagi..... #a3! #for a long time i also LOVEDDD ame no monolouge lolll

[bambuwu-writes]

shoujo manga squad u make me so giddy bc like. what do you mean. what do you mean sakyo's been following along with monthly updates of My Total Cutiepie Coworker is Actually Full of Charms and Has a Magical Pocket Dimension Briefcase?!?. i love that old man so much. have fun hanging out w muku, old man <3

'raising a future prince' OOOOIUGHEEEEEEEE...OUGHEEEEQ.., WAAAOOOAAAAAAAEEAAAAAAAAAAAA.....assorted wailing noises ect ect

misumi being a part of the shogi club is actually one of the best decisions a3 has ever made.

Mankai March question 25!

Let’s talk link skills! What’s your favorite link skill? Is it your favorite troupe, or an odd combo? From the Adult Onigiri Enjoyers to the Lone Wolves, let’s show some love!

#a3!

[bambuwu-writes]

Mankai March question 24!

Back to fan creation shoutouts, last day! Any miscellaneous fan content you’ve made? Memes? Edits? Handmade merch? Show it off here!

#the genre of a3 posting that are tweets with the boys vaguely juxtaposed on top of them? #ya thats the duct tape keeping my life raft afloat. chefs kiss.! #so embarassing that ive never actually gotten to this #but i have sized and cut-out pieces of cardboard and canvas in my room when i was planning on painting out the motif flowers.. #if it ever happens i pinky prom to let tumblr know

[bambuwu-writes]

Mankai March question 23!

Mod’s birthday!!! :3c We’ll switch back to fan creations tomorrow, but for now let’s ask a question! Do you do anything special for your fave’s birthday? Or do you just stick to doing the free five-pull and hanging out?

#WAIT WOAOEAW I MISSED MOD BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #to answer the question #i generally fix my eyeballs upon fanart of tha fav in question for as long as possible. #sticking them above the sink as i do the dishes like a worship icon. this is THEIR day.!!

[bambuwu-writes]

Mankai March question 22!

Still on fan creation, let’s switch over to cosplay! Have you cosplayed any A3! characters? Let’s see them!(if you’re comfortable sharing ofc!) If not, have you done any casual cosplays? Or shout out a favorite cosplayer here!

#A3! COSPLAYERS IN THE REBLOGS?? #I FEEL AS IF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES HAS BEEN SIGHTED.! #closet cosplay is so super fun actually. catch me channeling true minagi energy [eyebags. the fit is centered around the eyebags.]

[bambuwu-writes]

gazes forlornly at my half finished fic ideas i never returned to....eventually they will see the light of day...poor creatures....

Mankai March question 21!

Today, let’s talk fanfic! Have you written any A3! fanfiction? Show us your best work! If not, feel free to shout out your favorite authors and fics! Let’s share some recommendations!

#blinks up at u with my bug eyes flav fics r so good. hey a3 fan #did u know that. that flav's fics r very good.? bc they are. very good. #turning my bug eyes upon u again. theres this super secret esoteric undergroung a3 writerer actually. one romijuli. #im sure u;ve never heard of them[<- i think im the funniest jester in this court] their tsuzu makes me want to chew glass[<-good thing]

[bambuwu-writes]

for artists here, definitely @marshmellobunny64 's a3 art......its always so warm and full of heart!!! their omi in particular.....i feel like an icecube in a hot skillet..he so soft...?!?! theres this once sketchpage they posted once where there was an omi holding a bag of flour over his shoulder, and one with him in the silliest stance to get pics of a bug for the guys and that image floats in my mind for forever i think...

Mankai March question 20!

Let’s talk fan creations! Have you made any A3! fanart? Show your favorite piece off here!! If you haven’t, do you have a favorite fanartist or two? Feel free to shout them out!

#oh mr fushimi u mean so much to me.....!!!! #ALSO THEIR TSUZURUS.......SAKODAAAAAAA.....JUZA!!!!!!! #TAICHI AND SAKUYAAAAAAAA.. #ok ahem aheem aherm im fine now so sorry! o7 #fun fact actually! #one of my closest friends drew sakuya for me on my senior year journal [functionally the same as a yearbook message #it was these little paperbacks we were given to write nice messages lol] they googled him to do the doodle like 'this is ur guy right?

[bambuwu-writes]

face in my hands rn i would NOT be able to handle being a spy LOLLLLLLL....idk let me in the mess hall or something i'll pack everyone's lunches for their long days of espionage and i'll make some soup for dinner. i make them get me a new 'don't kill the cook!' apron every time it gets caught on fire or used as a makeshift hiso blanket and now i can't get it back

Mankai March question 19!

Back to silly personal questions tehepero ;9. If you were a part of Gekka, what role would you play? A spy? Intel? An undercover agent? Maybe you even have a Gekka OC! Let’s hear those secret spy fantasies!

#a3!