#and he'll be himself again. a different himself than he started as but himself nonetheless

[ancientbygone]

and everything that's here is rising in tone and saturation it's an aching, it's a violence, it's a longing to erase the separation

a companion piece to Cicadas, of sorts. closeups under the cut:

#sleep token #sleep token art #sleep token fanart #sleep token vessel #sleep token him #bygone art #bygone beloved #eyestrain #eyestrain tw #ask to tag #this one took more time than i'd like to admit. i'm usually pretty quick with my art because i tend to get consumed by the process #but this time i was consumed by other things as well. i suppose it's good that i decided to take it slow #crywolf's new song (tenebrescence) inspired me to finish this. lyrics from it are also in the caption #also to stress it further this piece is connected to Cicadas in a way #same colors (in places) & composition inspired by page 1 & the theme is similar #Cicadas is about how every vessel is expendable and how there's always someone before and after and there always will be #this is about the change of a specific one. he was someone before and he will be someone after #and he'll be himself again. a different himself than he started as but himself nonetheless #it will be okay but it will be different but it will be okay #the intense feelings (good and bad) coming from your being someone else will go away but you will be okay and you will be you #ah fuck my eyes hurt

[bonezone44]

IMAGINE:

Ezra joins the Triple Frontier boys for a mission. He finds Frankie alone one night, sitting by himself. He snuggles up real close, shows him a special toy he brought to keep him company on the long trip. It's a fleshlight. Ezra describes the features of it, using his finger to caress the rubbery folds before plunging it into the tight hole--an action that causes Frankie to tense up with a quiet gasp.

"I have pleasured myself with this many times over," Ezra smirks, his face inches from Frankie's. "Perhaps you'd like to experience the delight of this bauble for yourself?"

Frankie's fingers dig trenches into his knees. He swallows a thick wad of spit. "I-I-I don't know--"

Ezra's free hand tugs gently on the waistband of Frankie's pants. "I can provide a personal demonstration if you'd like?"

Frankie's face has gone red, his eyes searching Ezra's in a panic. He briefly glances at the door of the room.

"Don't worry about them," Ezra says with his eyes locked on Frankie's. "They're more than occupied for the time being."

Frankie's mouth has been hanging open the entire time they've been talking and when he tries to speak again, it's very raspy. "O-okay."

Ezra's smirk grows wider as he undoes Frankie's pants and pulls his hardening cock out. He glances down. "Nice cock you have there, soldier boy. Let's see if we can fit inside this tight little hole, hmm?" He slowly brings the fleshlight down on Frankie's hardness.

There was already lube inside of it, Frankie realizes as he's engulfed in tight moisture. Ezra had prepared it--either for himself or for Frankie, he's not sure. But he finds sweet relief in the sensation nonetheless. He closes his eyes but he can still feel the heat of Ezra’s breath on his cheek.

"Feels good, don't she?" Ezra asks, not expecting much of a reply as he guides the toy up and down, jerking off Frankie with smooth movements. Ezra chuckles at Frankie's fervent nod. "Almost as good as a real wet cunt, huh?"

"Yeah," Frankie gasps out and wipes the sweat beading on his forehead. "'S good," he stutters.

"Always glad to assist a brother in need." Ezra grins.

Frankie bites his lip, his brows furrow deep.

Ezra wraps his free arm around Frankie's shoulder and begins to pepper him with kisses along his neck, cheek, and into his hair. "Soldier boy like you works himself to the bone, don't he?" His slides the toy along Frankie's cock a little faster. "Gives every bit of himself until there's nothing left? Until he's all empty?" Ezra tuts. "Poor thing. Must be hard giving to everybody but yourself." He hums. "You're a good boy, 'Fish. And don't let anybody tell you any different."

Frankie starts panting. His face is somehow even redder than before. He grips Ezra's arm, not to stop him, but to simply ground himself in Ezra's body and presence.

Ezra maintains his pace. The squelching inside the toy is quiet, but audible. He wishes it were his own skin wrapped around Frankie's cock, but he figured the toy was a useful buffer--in case Frankie rebuffed his advances. But now that he's seen Frankie's reactions, he knows he'll be swallowing Frankie's loads before the mission ends and they all part ways.

"I'm gonna--" Frankie stutters.

"Good, soldier boy. I want you to. Want you to leave your spend inside to grease my own endeavor towards satisfaction. Come on, soldier boy. You deserve it. You do. You work so hard. You deserve to feel so good--"

Frankie comes quietly, releasing himself inside the toy. His whole body relaxes. His eyes are bleary.

Ezra pulls the toy off of Frankie's softening cock, causing Frankie to whimper.

"My turn," Ezra smirks.

#ezra x frankie morales

[missingexaltation]

How Eddie wins over Mr Harrington (by barely trying)

(in ten simple-ish steps)

Basically, how I imagine Steve's dad to be. I kind of think they have more in common than they don't, and maybe his son being queer is the *kick* that he needs to be a better human being (just like Nancy was for Steve).

Richard Harrington unexpectedly comes home from a business trip to find his son in flagrante delicto on his couch with an immediately antagonistic young man, (Edward, he later discovers), he waits in the kitchen, seething with disappointment and rage. Steven takes his things and leaves without a word, leaving the Munson boy to very purposefully throw Steven's house key at Richard's feet, keeping eye contact as he does so. The disrespect is blinding, and that night Richard drowns his anger in whiskey.

Days later his son comes home to collect his remaining belongings, supported by the Munson boy and his uncle. Wayne Munson is a enigma; on the one hand, clearly a soft liberal, but also a no-nonsense, sensible veteran with family values. Edward doesn't acknowledge Richard at all, too focused on guarding Steven from him. He watches his son cry like a child in the backseat, half listens as Wayne encourages him to keep in contact, and inwardly flinches when he sees Edward glare at him through the car window. He's not sure why his chest aches. Steven chose this path, he tells himself. Steven chose this.

Richard returns again to Hawkins, some weeks later, detouring past the store his son works in. He finds himself parked opposite, watching as Steven dances childishly with a female colleague through the shop windows. He's smiling and laughing and Richard's chest aches again. The passenger door opens and that boy gets in without permission. 'Stevie doesn't need you', he says, bold as brass in leather and covered in tattoos and chains, 'but he'll forgive you if you ask'. It hurts, and the only way Richard can breathe again is to invite them both to dinner later in the week. The subtle relief on Edward's face is immediate, and Richard hates himself a little less, though he's not sure why. He spends the drive home wondering at what point his son's life became unknowable.

Dinner starts awkwardly. Steven barely speaks, but Edward refuses to be quiet. He's a vocal young man, argumentative and strangely principled. They have polar opposite opinions on politics, and while Edward's not shy about his opinions, Richard is more than his equal on the topic. It's the sort of conversation Richard enjoys, trading viewpoints and internalising their differences. The evening ends on a warmer note as both Steven and Edward shake his hand as they leave. Formal. It's only a few steps to the car, but he notes that the boys hold hands nonetheless, as his wife tightly holds his. Middle ground, he thinks. They're not condoning the relationship of course, but accepting it for now. There's time for Steven to come to his senses.

Richard next meets Edward when he has to visit Thatcher's. His driver side tyre has a slow puncture, and although Edward's working on another customer's car he swaps with a colleague so he can see what the issue is. A simple 'he's Stevie's dad' gets him a family discount, and Edward changes the tyre himself when it's deemed too damaged to repair. As he works, Richard learns through his unending monologue that this job is temporary, as Edward's internship at the tattoo parlour doesn't pay, and won't for at least another year, that he needs the money now, as he and Steven are saving for their own place. Richard's immediate instinct is to give them the money himself, but knows it wouldn't be accepted. He takes comfort that Steven's in good hands at least. The Munsons seem to be a practical, friendly people.

Weeks later, when he's back in Hawkins again, he bumps into Edwards uncle, who's insistent on getting coffee and clearing the air. Richard guiltily confesses he's not comfortable with the idea of his son being one of them, that he's not sure he ever will be. Wayne simply points out that at least he's trying, and to keep trying. Apparently Edward's father didn't even do that much. Richard later relays the encounter to his wife, of how overtly proud Wayne is of Edward (my Eddie, he'd said). Richard's not felt proud of Steven for a few years now, only infuriated that he's intent on throwing his life away, but Wayne had plenty of happy stories of him too. As parents, they feel equally guilty and spend the evening drinking and reminiscing on Steven's childhood. It feels like they're reminding themselves of their son more with every day that passes.

He's still in town on the following Tuesday evening, and decides to take Wayne up on his offer and visit the bar that he recommended. He discovers that Edward's a talented musician. Even if it's far too aggressive and loud for Richard's own tastes, there's dedication, commitment and passion in each of the boys on the stage. He remembers his own music idols, how passionately they preached against the war in Vietnam, and he wonders when exactly it was that he stopped noticing the injustices of the world, when it was that his business suits became a comfort instead. He's quickly cornered by Wayne, Jim Hopper and David Jones ('my son's on the drums', he says, proudly). But they're all proud of their boys, he adds, and equally appalled by their music tastes. He goes on to say that the parents take it in turns to keep an eye on the boys each week, after what happened earlier in the year. Richard's in utter shock after hearing that there was a murderer on the loose not long ago, and plans to stay in town more after hearing that both boys were involved. He's clearly out of place and out of touch, but they're kind enough to not mention it. He buys the drinks for the remainder of the night, as penance. He has nothing else to offer, but hopes that's enough to start. His son could have died.

As is habit now, when he's in town, Richard drives past the video store to glimpse his son through the window. Further down the street he catches Edward balancing takeaway coffees whilst trying to open the door to the tattoo parlour. It takes moments to pull over and offer his assistance, and it hurts when Edward is surprised by the gesture. Richard's invited into the shop, and although Edward's busy, 'of course he has time for his father in law'. The phrase knocks him emotionally off balance, but Edward doesn't notice, simply updating him on their house hunt, and inviting them to the house warming, pending Stevie's approval. He shakes Edward's hand when he leaves, and when he turns back to his car, notices Steven quietly watching him from the window of his store. He waves, and after a moment his son waves back. He's alive, and there's hope, at least.

He and Kathleen invite the boys and Wayne over for dinner. He sees Steven smiling in the car as they arrive, and although it's faded by the time Richard opens the door, it returns tenfold when he shakes Edward's hand and greets him with 'hello son'. Richard's still very much uncomfortable (especially with how 'hands on' Edward seems to be) and if he finds himself in the kitchen knocking back a few more drinks than usual then it's his own business. It's worth it at the end of the night, when Steven invites them to their housewarming, and actually seems to want them there. He feels Wayne's approval through their goodbye handshake, and it makes him feel as though he's on the right path.

Jim Hopper lets them in through the front door. It's a small house, clean and characterless, and full of people Richard doesn't know. In the yard, Steven's at the grill with some other boys his age, and Edward is in the middle of the lawn, spinning a curly-haired teenager around like he weighs nothing. They look happy. Settled. Edward spots them first, waves them over and starts introducing them to the other adults. Steven brings them drinks, is beaming behind his sunglasses. (He can't remember the last time Steven smiled at him.) Hours later, when they leave, Edward shakes his hand and thanks them for coming (for trying, but that's unspoken), and Steven hugs him for the first time in so, so long, burying his head in Richard's shoulder like he used to as a child. Kathleen cries on the drive home, and he's not much better, but they're happy tears. He's a slow learner, Kathy too, but they're learning.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #i dunno...i just like the idea that both Steve and his dad are passively bigoted until their beliefs are challenged...then they change #season 1!Steve was an ass...if he hadn't had his lightbulb moment he could have ended up just like his parents IMO #Eddie is the catalyst...the opposite of what Mr Harrington stands for & challenges every one of Mr Harrington's principles just by existing #might actually write this one out long style as i have so many thoughts #wayne munson #Wayne Munson carefully 'gentle parenting' the Harringtons is also kinda hilarious ngl #tw: mild homophobia #i also don't know why Richard fits...maybe because it's usually shortened to 'Dick' and he really does seem like one in canon

[shirefantasies]

This is kind of dumb but I gotta ask could you write about the hobbits with a reader is quite a bit shorter than them? Like a bit below their shoulder kinda short? I know it’s and off request but I gotta ask. Thank you and I really love all your writing by the way. I start smiling and kicking my feet every time you post something lmao ❤️❤️❤️

Nah, it’s not dumb! I mean statistically it seems like female hobbits are shorter than guys just like in the other races so that makes sense! Reader is a beautiful hobbit lass :) posting again so soon because I woke up with some distressing stuff happening surgery wise & I need some fluff ok 😔

Little Things- The Hobbits x Shorter!F!Hobbit!Reader

Frodo

✧ When he invited you on one of Bilbo’s little out-of-town adventures, the first place he wanted to take you was the bookshop, and that was before he realized how adorable you looked standing on your tiptoes trying to reach the higher shelves, some of which Frodo could help you pluck from and others he needed a ladder for too.

✧ Never lets you lift a finger when your family hosts dinners, rising and insisting that you’ve done plenty in preparation, let him at least get down the dishes and serve you up. Besides, he remembers all your favorites and dishes you extra!

✧ The way his hands run through your hair upon every embrace.

✧ As winter draws near, he enlists members of his family to craft a pair of gloves perfectly in your size, presenting them to you before the first snow and gently aiding you in pulling the soft warmth on, eyes shining at your gratitude.

✧ Comfortingly rests his hand upon your shoulder, which he can't help but thinking is the perfect reach away, whenever he sees concern bloom across your beautiful features.

✧ Feels heat rush to your cheeks when your smaller hand rests upon his, not quite covering it but blanketing it in the greatest warmth nonetheless.

Sam

✧ Sam hasn’t a strong preference for height, so you won’t see so much of a difference in the way he’s attracted to you…

✧ …you will see it in how much he loves the way you make him feel needed! He gets the softest smile on his face when you ask him to help you reach things.

✧ One day he sees you carrying a sunflower that’s even taller than you and his heart bursts with the realization that you’re his sunshine, you’re all he wants.

✧ Jumps between you and danger any chance he can get- even things as small as an apple tumbling off a cart toward your head have him rushing forth to catch them, check if you are ok.

✧ Insists on helping you put your trellis up, a great arch marking the entrance to your beautiful little home, doing all the hardest parts for you and letting you focus on your flowers.

✧ Loves the way your hands reach up for his shoulders to take him up into hugs!

Merry

✧ Teases you just a bit, occasionally resting an arm gently stop your head just to enjoy your reaction.

✧ Always lends you a hand to help you climb up the farmers’ fences, making sure you’ve gone over before he does anything else.

✧ Pulls you a little extra close to his chest when he hugs you, a hand going around your waist and his head resting atop yours.

✧ One of his favorite memories is of the day you two passed a field a few days after a new lamb was born, her young shepherd letting you hold her in your arms. Your gentle smile and how big even such a small creature looks in your grasp just has him softer than anything. Merry can't help himself imagining the sight of an even smaller animal or maybe even a baby.

✧ Lifts you up with both hands around your middle after daring you to try and reach the highest-hanging delicacies of your favorite apple tree.

✧ Feeling bold, he'll take the opportunity to reach up beneath your chin, tilting your head up to meet his gaze.

Pippin

✧ “That’s quite a nice ring. Can I see if it fits me?” “I doubt it, but you can sure try.” Pippin finds it’s a bit too small for his ring finger. “Guess so. My hands aren’t so much bigger, are they? Let me see.” Holds up his hand palm-out just to feel the press of your slightly smaller one against him, smiling with the contact.

✧ Stops by randomly with treats in hand for you, especially things like tartlets from his cousins' house or little cupcakes because even if you don't realize it, those small sweet treats never fail to remind him of you!

✧ It flusters him that much more if he trips in your presence, bringing you, the smaller of your duo, to be the one catching him. At the feeling of your arms around him, though, he will never complain.

✧ He always stays by your side, even to the point of you two falling asleep next to each other. Your head droops to his shoulder, and his rests atop yours.

✧ Forgets himself in his typical habits, slinging an arm around your shoulders when he gets too focused on the topic at hand; when he comes to, he cannot help noticing what a perfect height you are for the pose!

✧ Lets his head fall down the little distance to connect your foreheads when you share an especially fond goodbye or comforting embrace.

Bilbo

✧ Becomes quite the guard dog around you! Will never tolerate a single slight to your character, which has shown to be the very highest thank him very much.

✧ Shyly walks by your hobbit hole when he knows you’ll be picking from your orange tree, hoping you’ll invite him to join you. Fetches the higher-up ones and only keeps them at your insistence. Marvels at the size difference of your hands as you hand him a jar of the marmalade you recently made.

✧ Loves playing up the heights of things in all his wild tales that much more, whether they are trolls or towering cliffs, because surely they are many times your size, right? He thinks with a grin as he spins his yarns.

✧ Gets pushed into a dance with you at some party or another; glancing down to meet your eyes, he cannot help darting a brief gaze to your lips, flushing at their proximity and the feeling of your hands in his.

✧ The first time you grab him into a hug, his hands freeze for a moment before he finally lets them settle at the small of your back, daring to rub a soothing circle there.

✧ "Here," he gets your attention quietly, reaching down, "let me get this for you." Gently his fingers brush your hair, removing the leaf that had gotten tangled in a curl.

Taglist: @lokilover476 @fuckyoumakeart @mossthebogwitch @kilibaggins @ibabblealot @joonies-word @stormchaser819 | Reply/Ask/Message to join!

#lord of the rings #lotr #the hobbit #lotr imagines #the hobbit imagines #lotr x reader #the hobbit x reader #frodo #sam #merry #pippin #bilbo #female reader #hobbit reader #ask #anon #requested #hope you enjoy!

[billyjoecobra]

JOSEPH JOESTAR CHARACTER ANALYSIS (1)

I never see anyone talk or analyze Joseph very often in the fandom, which is tragic because i believe he's very complex!! So here's some thoughts to chew on, rattle around in your head a bit. It's all under the cut, and it is LONG AS HELL because i have a LOT to say on him!!! Warning though, it's not super properly punctuated as these are discord rambles of mine, but -- enjoy nonetheless!!

i think it's super interesting to note how every time someone puts joseph down, or does something shitty to him, he just doesn't care. not a single bit. he even says it's fine, maybe even deserved sometimes. he assumes people always thinks the worst of him, and yet doesn't really care aside from the one time he dressed in drag and got insulted about it. even then he was just kind of, "man. i looked hot though.." however every time someone even remotely upsets his friends or hurts those who don't deserve it or his family he goes. ABSOLUTELY APESHIT. he will get SO fighty.

he will immediately throw hands and hurt you physically without thinking about it he likes to put assholes in their place sometimes (i.e. the taxi driver, the nazis who insulted him. and any nazi really ) but that is different than really caring about what they say to him. i think he has a very strong moral code, though people tend to see him as quite dubious because of his loud and obnoxious behavior every consequence to his actions, he only worries what others close to him will think and he can easily be driven to a blind rage revenge if you dare to hurt his family in any way. because you DONT fuck with his family. family is the no. 1 thing he cares about

beating up racist cops? he only feels bad because he doesn't want to stress out erina with the thought of bailing him out. told speedwagon is dead? he's upset, but he keeps his cool and throws a punch at the guy for upsetting erina, and worries more about her comfort than his own. guys hijacking a plane and holding him hostage? he couldnt care less if he was the hostage, he only cared enough to stop it because it might risk getting speedwagon hurt. and it goes on

and for the sake of his family he keeps purposefully trying to risk himself to death repeatedly. when fighting kars lets not forget when he shot kars into space and his thoughts were about how he was ok with dying if it meant his family was safe i think . and i said this before this is just me getting my thoughts out way more eloquently with points i've already touched on before. but.

in a non emo way, it's really hit me how he isn't like. beat up about it. about assuming ppl always think the worst of him. he cares way more about others than himself type of guy thats like similar to "they're friendly but after awhile of their support and talking to them you realize to your horror you dont actually know anything about them at all" other than he's like. bold and brash and likes to start fights sometimes oh and lest we forget he also tends to take the death of loved ones so hard to the point that no matter the circumstances true causes he always blames himself.

he always blames himself and gets a bit. ummmmm i wouldn't say suicidal but like way too risky with his life and stops really caring if he'll die. he's just so used to nobody ever understanding him and his "off kilter" tbh neurodivergent way of thinking and living that he. like. he doesn't exactly have great self image beyond thinking he has sexy lips which sounds so silly but it's true and again it's not something he dwells on it's just kind of, A Fact to him. and this isn't even touching on the slew of issues i'm sure speedwagon's constant comparing of him to his dead grandfather must have caused.

It's very evident to me that he has ALWAYS felt like a burden to some degree i think. even when erina and speed havent really treated him as such. This is why I think his dynamic with speedwagon would be pretty strained / already seems as such -- bc. As I said before, he's ALWAYS comparing him to jonathan, even when he was just a kid.

NOW BY ALL MEANS!! I DO NOT THINK speedwagon means any ill will. it's just something that he just keeps.. doing because. well he respected jonathan so much, and it kind of clouds how he sees joseph because -- well, joseph is the SPITTING IMAGE of him. But not intending harm does not mean he hasn't caused any by doing that -- comparison can WRECK you pretty bad. joseph has made it clear that he knows he's nothing like jonathan in any regards except looks and i think it kind of contributes to his overall. tanked self image. and also the fact that he's a reminder of the tragedy of losing his parents ( or so they thought for a while. yk )

he deeply cares for him still, this much is true. he always will. but, it doesn't negate the serious comparison issue, constantly being told "WOW you have an attitude not at ALL like your grandpa, he would have never done x!! how do you look like him while being such an angry kid!!"

..... said without real malice or really bad intention, more out of exasperation. but. those kinds of things stick with kids. yknow? Joseph's always bottled up his emotions and tried to be on his best behavior for erina's sake. hes always a little more open with speedwagon. but .............. BWGHGURUGURGGH!!!!!!! i could go on for hours about it ok. but i shall move on to my next point now.

what sucks about it though is that the fandom tends to gloss over these bit of characterization at every turn. there is a lot of sadness and concerning things surrounding joseph that he just simply SHRUGS OFF about that it's kinda concerning! not that he'd ever really see a problem with it.

the fact that he was prepared to die / did the bet if only to distract them long enough to let caesar and speedwagon get away... you COULD maybe read it as a little bit of self preservation but given how he handles literally all other instances of him possibly dying., and the circumstances of him leading whammuu away being to SAVE those two. I think it yet again falls in line with "who gaf if i die i care if THEY die". then he gets stressed about the time he has left. which i imagine would stress ANYONE honestly. but . part of me thinks that it's also because this means that he has a short time to make sure he can be strong enough to protect everyone he loves and cares for..

that isn't ALL there is, of course. but i feel like with his behavior that is probably a big reason of it. You can summarize it all with one sentence; essentially,

joseph isn't afraid of death, nor dying himself; he's afraid of his loved ones dying.

This fact is extremely present in everything he does and says, but especially so when Caesar's death hits. THAT, however, i will make it's own post on. I have a lot to say on that and how it fucked him up for life. For now, though, I will move on and touch on another topic.

for all the loud opinions joseph seems to also speak none of it is ever really looked into much deeper as anything more than " he's just being joseph again" and he never really elaborates on it either, hence why a lot of people don't know much about him. While he is schrodinger's himbo -- too stupid to be smart, too smart to be stupid -- it's clearly all an act to get people to lower their expectations of him. He doesn't like being taken as a joke though. that he is a hater of for sure so. Joseph hides his true self behind a mask of idiocy and lackadaisical attitude to the point where it's blended into his actual truest self and he can hardly tell what's real and what's the mask. But at the same time, Joseph gets very angry when nobody takes him seriously because of his facade and trying to make everyone lower their expectations of him so he can pull the rug out from under them.

He's so mad when people don't take him serious but then continues to act pretty unserious and it's like. Well if you want them to take you more seriously bro you should stop doing that. Stop lowering others expectations so you can kick their asses or have a general upper hand just in case ( but he won't 💖)

he is a bit of a polarizing character but i hate when fandom reduces him to just "funny goofster" or ""cheater"", or writes him off as annoying with no depth to him. To judge Joseph through a lense of solely good or solely bad is a terrible idea; that man is gray moraled as HELL, he has a strong sense of self justice while also being incredibly underhanded and sneaky. If you dislike him, that's fine -- but don't discount his complexity just cause of that!!! He's not puddle deep, there's a lot of facets to how truly fucked up he is.

yeah. he is goofy, and he's a cheater at many things. but there's a lot to him. HE'S COMPLEX!!!!

#joseph joestar #🐍 txt #i have. a lot of feelings about him ok? #also part of this is old ass posts from my discord but i think tumblr should see it too

[gaoau]

nobody expects you to remember your heroes

theory of the two demons warnings — none word count — 1.5k

prev. — next.

[Name] flinches when Dazai suddenly halts in the middle of the hallway. they stop a safe distance away from him so they don't accidentally bump into his back. in a millisecond, a billion scenarios cross through their mind. Dazai is unreadable; they don't know if he'll turn around and attack them for fun or if he'll say something ominous before dismissing them or if he'll pull out a mangled puppy from beneath his coat to taunt them. they can't guess, but they ready themself for anything he might throw their way. he hasn't gotten physical with them in a while, though.

today is not the day either, it seems. he raises his arm above his head and waves enthusiastically. "hey! Odasaku! over here!" he calls out towards the other end of the hallway. [Name] peeks from behind his shoulder and spots the former assassin walking their way.

"Dazai, hello," Odasaku greets with a nod as he reaches mentor and mentee. it's not until [Name] forces eye contact on him that he notices them standing behind Dazai. he almost didn't see them at all, just Dazai's shadow. with practiced formality—truth stands, they're higher than him on the food chain—he offers them a nod as well.

Dazai lets a natural smile curl his lips. he steps to the side, presenting [Name] with his hand as if they were a trained dog. "i'd like you to meet my mentee, [Surname] [Name]." for a brief second, his gesture becomes cynical while he looks [Name] in the eye. they stare back at him. he exaggerates an exhausted sigh and a playful grimace. "[Name], this is Odasaku."

[Name]'s attention flickers towards Odasaku—that's not quite right, no. their gaze flickers towards him, but Odasaku notices their attention stays glued to Dazai with alert. a kind of alert not quite foreign to him, but nonetheless different. [Name]'s ability doesn't let them see into the future at all. it's the pain engraved in their mended bones and their normal mind that gives them a vague idea of what could come from Dazai moving an inch to the left. Odasaku wonders why. 

he looks between [Name]'s tense shoulders and Dazai's carefree grin. then he tells him, "we've met before."

the switches in Dazai's attitude could almost be comical in the presence of the right people. his eyes grow wide and his smile vanishes, mouth agape. "eh?!" he exclaims—whether with genuine or feigned surprise, neither Odasaku nor [Name] can tell. "you have?! no fair, why are you going behind my back?!"

"we just bumped into each other."

"he approached me."

their answers come at the same time. it's hilarious how the same sentence in Dazai's voice rings with a different tune for a friend and for a mentee. Odasaku finds it strange. his first meeting with [Name] wasn't remarkable at all. it was a coincidence. it might as well have not happened. he could tell, with one glance into their eyes, that despite the clear caution in their stance, there was an odd calm about them. serene and deep, indestructible, undisturbable. now that he's meeting them again, he struggles to understand why they overflow with such paralyzing fear.

"well, see?" Dazai wears contempt on his face. he vaguely gestures to [Name], sighing, "this is them. i told you they're annoying. i can barely read them."

that is not true. silence settles for a millisecond and changes the tempo in the conversation. it's off-beat. [Name] stares at the back of his head with a frown. Odasaku raises a curious brow. he knows how cruel this young boy can be; he knows how destructive—both to himself and to others—this young boy can behave. he doesn't know what it's like to be under his wing. he's starting to learn. the three of them know Dazai is babbling empty lies for the sake of fleeting amusement. (amusement for who?)

when it comes to reading people, Dazai is undeniably a master. (trying to anticipate Odasaku's thoughts might be an exception, but it only goes so far.) on the other end of the same spectrum, or perhaps on a parallel spectrum altogether, Odasaku knows his way around children. he's been personally taking care of five of them after the aftermath of the Dragon Head Conflict. he understands the variabilities in their behavior depending on their personality when reacting to various situations. [Name] and Dazai, to him, are no different than the orphans he's picked up.

Odasaku thinks he might be starting to piece things together. not quite the way he would like, but he tries anyway.

he sees [Name], a child so calm and collected. a child who should be afraid of death or rules. a child who has come to terms with the insignificance of their existence. a child who has no fears, suddenly so disturbed because of the presence of one man—one child. it's easy to forget sometimes that Dazai is five years younger than him. he forgets the young boy before him, the burnt black cat with the open wounds for eyes and the leveled voice on the verge of tears, is also just a child.

"don't stress them out too much, Dazai," he says to fill in the threatening silence, "they're just a kid." but that might be exactly the issue here. they're both just kids.

(Dazai likes to self-destruct out of boredom.)

"i figured you'd say that, but they're not like your kids. i don't think they can be called just a kid."

Dazai tilts his head to the side, only slightly. he locks eyes with [Name]. they stare at one another, waiting, expecting violence in the shape of fists or venom. they stare at one another, seeing nothing but trash on the other side of the mirror. [Name] scowls at their mentor, wary, hearing phantom echoes of Q's wails bouncing in their head. being just a kid seems like a luxury.

the ringing of a phone cuts through the growing tension. Odasaku excuses himself as he picks up the call. he worries about having to leave these two children unsupervised right now.

Dazai smiles carefreely at him as if the looming cloud of disdain was decoration. "we won't hold you, but i'd like to meet the kids sometime. i'll tag along next time." then he throws a glance over his shoulder. "you should too, [Name]. you're good with kids, aren't you?"

(Dazai, right now, is bored.)

[Name] contemplates their words carefully. "…do you like kids, Dazai-san?"

he hums innocently. then he cheers, "of course! why do you ask?"

when they don't answer, Odasaku cuts in with a bow. Dazai waves enthusiastically as he walks down the hallway and leaves two children unsupervised. there's no more vacant smiles or playful theatrics when mentor turns to mentee; when the image in the mirror glares back with self-loathing.

"does he know about Mucchan?" [Name] bites. however frightened they might be, it seems their anger will forever scream louder.

"of course not. are you planning to tell him?"

they bite and don't let go, no matter how much he tries to shake them off. "it's none of my business." so he doesn't try. he lets them taste his flesh and blood, nibble on his bones. "but it's disrespectful to betray someone's principles behind their back and then play innocent in front of 'em."

they taste the same. they'll eat themself whole if they have to. Dazai stares blankly at prophetic words that will come to haunt him.

"Q is different and so are you, kid."

(Oda Sakunosuke will regret being just a regular man. his ability only allows a few seconds into the future, so he won't know until it's too late he's made choices he won't be able to change. he will regret not stepping into Dazai's loneliness earlier, he will regret leaving two children unsupervised, he will regret not reading [Name]'s anger properly.

it's when he's watching Dazai taunt death that it slowly starts dawning on him. "awake me from this oxidizing world of a dream," he says so wistfully, like he means it, like his voice reaches anyone that isn't himself. Odasaku sees in his face a lonely child, the only of his kind, wanting to burst into tears. he thinks children should be allowed to bawl into the sky if they want to.

Mimic's sniper shoots and barely misses Dazai right in front of him.

he laughs, because his predictions are always right. then he looks Odasaku in the eye. he knows Odasaku respects the food chain, but otherwise, he would knock out one or two of his teeth. scornful memories swim in his head. "sorry for compromising your principles," Dazai apologizes before explaining his thought process.)

(Oda Sakunosuke regrets telling Dazai to help people only when it's too late to see it bear fruit.)

#theory of the two demons #bungou stray dogs #bsd #dazai osamu #dazai osamu x reader #dazai x reader #bsd x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #oda sakunosuke #odasaku

[baeklination]

🎃The View; Best in Town

Date: 231031

Warnings: see note below, also SMUT 🔞, but I won't spoil. (No red siren).

Pairing: Baekhyun x F. Reader

NOTE: This is the least halloweeny piece I've ever done. In fact, there is Nothing. I was going to - DID - but whichever way I turned it I couldn't get it to match with the smut, and I really like that part in this. So I decided to skip, instead of dragging the smut stock down.

WC: 1,2k

Masterlist

¤¤

○

Looking up at the ceiling (the diffuse part of it you can make out), you think how funny things sometimes turn out. That side is still warm so he hasn't been gone for ages, but nevertheless the whole time you've been awake. What was it he said?

"I can't wait."

"Can't wait..? For this to be ov-"

"For you."

He was something indeed, just like the colleagues who knew him or of him had said - although you got the strong impression they didn't mean it as a  compliment and there was more than a grain of envy in their voices while saying it.

Either way, they way he had said that, "for you" didn't sound sleazy. Maybe because he didn't finish the sentence? Either way, you found - find - him to be quite sensual. 

"But where the hell is he…", you whisper, pushing the sheets to the side and walk out into the living room. It's almost as dark here, but the big window lets in more light from the street below so you make your way around quite easily. Walking a few steps towards the bathroom you definitely hear his voice from in there, so you gather he just stepped away to take a call so he wouldn't wake you up. Nothing to do but wait.

Gazing out the window is not an excuse, just something to do while you wait. But seeing as you are looking out the window you might as well lean a little, arch a bit, twist your knees a pinch.

When he finally comes out he doesn't immediately spot you; you can tell by the pause in his steps that he's seen you just now and is walking back behind the sofa. 

The flutter of waiting for him to come close is divine, not knowing which millisecond he'll reach out. His hands start at your waist, moving upwards to your breasts then down again.

"What are you doing up…", he asks seductively, kissing you on the shoulder, already looking for your entrance. 

"Enjoying the-mhh....the view."

As soon as he starts, he starts. And when you're built like him, why pace and wait? You couldn't believe how he stayed up last time, but somehow he did, and he's already making your bodies clap, digging his fingers in a little deeper. 

You've been with feral men before - you've been feral. But whatever this is, it's different. A vicious need reverberating inside your body; taking Baekhyun's energy, him taking yours. He cannot smack hard enough, can't go deep enough, grip and claw savagely enough, yet everything he does is teetering on being too hard, deep and savage. 

The window pane bangs and shutters when you put your hand up, but the marble sill stays quiet when it meets your foot. No questions asked he grabs the underside of your thigh, moaning to welcome the open access and rams straight up to electrify your core with the pressing of his tight balls as the icing on the cake.

God, why do you hope everyone down there can see you? Hope all those apartments with turned down lights hide people, looking from the shadows?

Growling, he puts his knee on the sill as well, letting it rest just under your thigh, snapping himself into you, crushing your ribcage, burying his face in your neck.

"U-hh……….u-hh……….u-hh………uh, you're draining me…." Biting your neck, he groans and slaps your clit. "Turn around……a-hh………chh…turn around…"

"I can't."

It's his wish, but he nonetheless pulls out with great reluctance, gripping your thigh hard, running his hand to rest, stroke, between your legs, snapping one, two, final times.

Hoisting you up on the ledge, putting one of his arms in the crook of your knee he leans forward, maybe for you to feel the pressure. Of course it's not comfortable, but that is part of the allure, especially with Baekhyun. The pure, wanton, vulgar.

"Can you take me like this?"

"I'll take you anyway you want me to."

Groaning with delight, he envelops his mouth over your lips, sliding his tongue over yours, moaning while steering himself right. After aligning, he slowly presses in, making you shiver with thrill. The cold window gives you a jolt - and well-needed cool down. Then he steadies himself with his other arm under your knee and starts. Rolling without a glitch, he goes from fast to faster, the faint lights from below illuminating his damp body and wet forehead. And, even though shadowed, his length is mouthwatering as it - covered in slick shine and veins - slides in-and-out, pressing to the shaft. The position is taxing, balancing takes a toll and he knows, so the crushing grip you have on the hair on the back of his head to keep steady doesn't seem to faze him. If anything it serves as pleasure, a raw reaction that further ignites him, makes him go from rolling to a straight, no-holds-barred, beat.

His palm hits the window with a louder pang than yours did - with a wail he pounds all his weight into you - he'll break my back - coming, dousing your insides with semen.

Grabbing your waist with both hands he thrusts.

"Aghh!" And again. Leaning into a hug - again. 

Coming down his kisses trail your collarbone, neck, lips with his touch over back, waist, face.

In his soft hand, under his caressing thumb, your nipple tingles. Sounding like he's using the last bit of power he breathes in your ear.

"Mh, you're so fucking sexy…"

Baekhyun being someone you just met doesn't matter; you know he means it. And that makes you feel sexy. 

"Don't fall, I'm lifting you", he says, putting his arm around your lower back.

"You'll drop me. I'll walk."

Shaking his head he goes for it, backing up 'til he feels the armchair against his calf then sits down. Still hard, he makes sure you go back on, even though it makes him knit his brows. You don't know if you could get tired of this feeling, but he…

"You're a bonafide freak…", you whisper above his lips.

Smiling, you think he's reaching to cover your mouth but slipping the middle finger in he lets you wet it and goes round; parts, strokes, then pushes.

"Tsh-ahh…"

You can't help arching, circling, when he rounds his finger upwards-

"Don't move", he asks, not so much because of overstimulation, more dominant. Placing his hand on the side of your neck he gently fixes it towards himself. "Just look at me."

Even if it weren't for the night his eyes would've been jet-black, but somehow deep. Intimidating, yet comforting to meet.

The leather feels nice and cool against your shins, being in a seated, normal, position feels nice, feeling Baekhyun's finger darting in-and-out of your ass feels nice.

So when he pulls out and lifts you by the waist you're disappointed, but steering his cock back he puts it against your ring.

"Can you..?"

Raising himself up to show he's serious is enough - with the slip of his own cum you press down and let him in. Inhaling deeply, he cups your face and covers your mouth with his juicy lips and a whisper:

"Ah, I think it's your turn to fuck me…"

●

#baekhyun #baekhyun smut #BBH-NET

[heroes-among-us-all]

tamaki and izuku with a upbeat, happy-go-lucky, energetic s/o who's always smiling and very extroverted?

Izuku:

He loves how cheerful and upbeat you are. If he's ever feeling down in the dumps or stressed out over his duties as All Might's successor, you're always right there to lift his spirits.

Your smile is undoubtedly the cutest thing he's ever seen. He loves the way you light up a room and have no issues getting along with everyone. Izuku is rather shy himself, but watching you have full confidence in yourself definitely encourages him to try and do the same.

Izuku feels proud to call you his partner. You're always so kind and lively, not to mention the fact that with you, there's never a dull moment. People's moods are contagious, and it's safe to say that being with someone like you makes him really, really happy.

You've created many opportunities for him that he wouldn't have come across on his own. He's determined to become the Number One hero, and part of that involves knowing how to interact with people and reassure them that everything's going to be alright. Izuku doesn't hesitate to remind you time and time again that apart from All Might, you are his biggest inspiration.

Your extroversion means that you don't generally shy away from PDA, and although it embarrassed him a bit at the start, he's actually overjoyed that you're so eager to shower him with affection. Plus, this way he gets to show you off, and you can be sure that he'll wrap you in his arms and give you a peck in front of others just to prove how much he loves you. While blushing the whole time, of course.

Tamaki:

It's honestly crucial that Tamaki has an uplifting presence in his life. Given how much he struggles with confidence and self-deprecating thoughts, the more people that lift him up - like you and Mirio - the better.

Although Tamaki struggles to match your outward displays of enthusiasm, he's as happy as could be. Your unfiltered smile has a way of prompting him to smile too. It's a lot wobblier and more awkward, but still a smile nonetheless.

Your energy heals him. He tends to have phases where his mood will plummet due to a lack of self-esteem, but you do everything in your power to ensure that they don't last long. You'll pepper his cheeks with kisses and remind him of just how incredible he actually is, even if he doesn't always feel like it.

There are certainly days where it's harder to cheer Tamaki up, but he's more than content to relax in your embrace and slowly unwind. You never let him deal with these moments on his own. Even when the two of you are apart, if he ever calls you and says he's having a panic attack, you'll drop everything to be with him as fast as you possibly can.

Tamaki is still a long way from being self-assured, but everyone is different. He realizes he can't be as naturally cheerful and optimistic as you are, but that's exactly why your relationship works as well as it does. You help to supplement him in the areas that he lacks, and he does the exact same for you.

PDA really embarrasses him, but he loves you, so he'll still make an effort. It will be slow going in the early stages of your relationship, but Tamaki feels the most confident when you're right by his side, squeezing his hand in reassurance.

#bnha #bnha imagines #midoriya izuku #amajiki tamaki #my hero academia #mha #mha imagines #boku no hero academia #my hero academia imagines #fluff #relationship #izuku x reader #tamaki x reader #deku x reader #boku no hero imagines #bnha x reader #mha x reader #midoriya x reader #bnha headcanons

[ddarker-dreams]

Hi Lock <3 I don't know if this has been asked before but I had this thought yesterday at 5 am... What happens to Scara's darling after he wipes his existence from Teyvat? Would he try to pursue them again? If so, would there be anything he'd do differently than before? He knows what works and doesn't now after all...

hello ada !!!!

WHEW BOY... do i have some thoughts on this... let's see if i can get enough neurons firing to capture what i have in mind. some of this response involves conjecture on my part about genshin's overall lore, but i promise i'm going somewhere with it. pinky swear. stick with me.

one of the key takeaways from scara's archon interlude is the flow of teyvat's fate. at first, i found it very odd that scaramouche erasing his existence had so little consequence. i've always been of the belief that even the smallest, seemingly insignificant acts can have unforeseen consequences on the future (butterfly effect type beat). at first i thought mihoyo was being lazy by keeping everything in this teyvat 3.0 essentially the same with teyvat 2.0 (and tbh who knows maybe this is the case and i'm reading way too into it bc i overanalyze anything scara related), but then i wondered if this is a hint at the type of universe teyvat is.

then i considered the possibility teyvat is ruled by a type of predeterminism. while we don't know exactly what the heavenly principle are, apparently the original chinese characters for what's translated as heavenly principles can be read as destiny (and or fate). this make me wonder if teyvat has a set of 'rules' that, for whatever reason, must be adhered to. if something disturbs this delicate balance, the universe reorganizes itself in such a way that it closely mimics the universe before it.

ALRIGHT . all that to say.

wouldn't this spell the ultimate tragedy for scaramouche's darling? a delicious tragedy, but a tragedy nonetheless.

for some inexplicable reason, the story woven by fate for his darling is one of subjugation. the universe rewriting itself does not change the genre of their play. no matter what point they start at, the ending to their story has already been determined. in this teyvat 3.0, the kabukimono is still drawn to them, still obsessing to an unhealthy degree. perhaps it's not as bad as living under scaramouche's thrall, but bad is a relative term here, this is still no way to live. kabukimono is granted a set of advantages which scaramouche never had, namely his naïve personality lending itself perfectly toward manipulation. he embeds himself into your side and makes it so it hurts you to try and pull him out. he'll get tearful, apologize profusely for crossing another line, quietly pleading to not be left behind when you're all he has.

then comes the events of the archon interlude.

when the blank slate version of kabukimono takes on all of scaramouche's memories, coalescing into one, your close ties surprise the freshly awoken scaramouche. in teyvat 2.0, he hesitated while wading through irminsul; it had been you who pushed him to make the decision to erase 'scaramouche', the sole source of your woes. after gazing through your memories from your lens, he saw the extent of your despair, felt it reverberate in his hollow chest cavity. it occurred to scaramouche that you really would have been better off without him, painful as it was to admit it.

so he resolved himself to do right by you just this once. his first and supposedly last act of sacrificial love toward you.

except... that wasn't the case. 'wanderer' as he goes by now condemns himself for his foolish, wishful thinking. what a revelation this is! the messy threads that pull you together are ties that can never be severed. this is definitive proof. in this universe where you were meant to be free, you still found him, or to be more specific, he still found you. he's elated, he's thrilled. the energy that fills him at this realization is more invigorating than when he temporarily became a god. yours is a story whose script shall never be altered.

after departing from the sanctuary of surasthana, it doesn't take long for the wanderer to happen upon you again. it's as if your presence quietly calls out for him.... whispering, beckoning.

the first words he says to a somewhat confused you are as such:

"how good it is to see you again."

#yes i will write a full story of this one day. who knows when tho #yandere scaramouche x reader #scaramouche brainrot #answered #scaranya

[goddessonstage]

i noticed your requests are open, so im passing by to leave a little note ♪

what do you think about the kamado siblings seeing an older sibling figure in reader? theres not enough platonic and familial works !!

(you can put this request at the back of yor priorities, feel free to discard it if you dont like it)

family again !

∘ incl. tanjiro kamado, nezuko kamado

∘ reader: gender-neutral, no pronouns specified

∘ content: platonic, fluff, slight angst, headcanons, reader knew the kamado family prior to the start of the story, reader is a bit older than them

∘ note: i love platonic/familial works sm omg 😭 there fr needs to be more of them

btw, i'm very sorry that this work came out later than anticipated! school had me drained but spring break starts so i'll be much more active :)

∘ you knew tanjiro and nezuko back when they lived in the mountains with their family. you were a bit older than them, but you liked spending time with them nonetheless. you lived in the village with most of the others, but you often climbed up the snowy mountains to see them and the rest of their family. you would usually help kie, their mother, with her work and help with taking care of her children. and when tanjuro died, you spent most of your time with the rest of the kamados.

∘ during the time when most of the kamado family passed, you were on a trip to visit your family, who lived a couple towns away. upon visiting the kamado family again, you didn't see them. you only saw 5 graves. the house you once used to visit frequently was completely tidy, but you noticed a splatter of dried up blood. you had no clue what had happened, and you could only leave with mixed thoughts in your head.

∘ you eventually moved out from the village and moved to a different one, nearby the bustling streets of asakusa. as the years passed, you eventually moved on from whatever had happened with the kamado family, but you couldn't help thinking about them every now and then.

∘ you walked down the streets of asakusa. it was night, but the streets were still extremely busy and crowded. you noticed commotion going on, and as you walked to the source of it, interest piqued, you recognized the cause of the commotion being tanjiro himself.

∘ after the streets settled down and people resumed with their night, you slowly approached tanjiro with a concerned look on your face. he would almost immediately recognize you, but he would urge you to follow him so he can go check up on nezuko.

∘ as you two walked back to the udon stand he left nezuko at, you two managed to catch up on most of what happened. hearing that the rest of his family passed was devastating, but you didn't want to press on the matter in case it was still a sensitive topic for him. you weren't well informed on the topics of "demons", as most of your family didn't believe in them. it was a bit difficult to believe that nezuko was a demon at first, anyway. she seemed less hostile and more calm around you, leaning her head on your shoulder as tanjiro continues to fill in on what you had missed while he and nezuko were slaying demons.

∘ TANJIRO is extremely respectful towards you, trying to help you with your duties. if you are asked to do something for another person, he'd insist on completing it for you, no matter how easy or difficult the task is. he isn't the most opposed to bringing nezuko on missions, but if he's given a mission nearby your place, he might consider dropping her off at your place, knowing that she'll be safe under your care.

∘ if he has to stay at the butterfly mansion, he'll most likely invite you there so you can help take care of nezuko. as time passes by and he recovers, he'll treat you to a nice meal or anything else you might want in return for taking care of his younger sister. he'll constantly thank you for your good deeds, no matter how much you tell him that you don't need to thank him. he's very grateful for your help.

∘ although he's taken the role as sort of the "mother" of his friend group, he realizes that it's nice to depend on someone every once in a while. you helped him realize that, with your "motherly/fatherly" personality and your instinct to help and protect the people you care about. because you aren't well knowledgeable on demons, he likes to tell you about them so you are more cautious about them and stay safe.

∘ NEZUKO would most likely see you as kie or tanjuro -- probably kie since she was more present in her life. she adores your company, and likes to play with your hair when tanjiro drops her off at your place. she can't really communicate with the bamboo in her mouth, but she tries to communicate with you with hand gestures, body language, or things like that.

∘ if you have longer hair, she likes to play with your hair and style it into different hairstyles. if you keep a specific hairstyle, or if you had a specific hairstyle back when she was human, she may want you to style her hair into that hairstyle. "for old times", tanjiro says.

∘ she doesn't really eat much, nor does she complain, so she's quite easy to take care of -- just watch her for a bit and keep her company so she doesn't feel lonely.

∘ she likes to hug you or just be by your side in general, clinging onto you like a baby koala occasionally. if you're doing something as simple as making a snack, she'll want to watch your every move with sparkling eyes.

∘ she might pick up on some of your traits, as well!

#demon slayer #demon slayer x reader #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #kny #kny x reader #tanjiro kamado #tanjiro #nezuko #nezuko kamado #💌 aurora's works

[broodwolf221]

very stressed again so I'm just gonna talk about solas bc he's my comfort blorbo atm

one quick clarification: I tend to use elven to describe modern elves and elvhen to describe ancient elves. it's just smth I started doing a while back and now it's habit.

I've already talked abt his personality/behavior and my theories on his distant past. so now I wanna talk about his actions.

joined the inquisition

even with lowest approval won't leave the inquisition

kept the inquisitor alive

helped seal the rifts/breach

painted the inquisitor's actions

helped kill corypheus

"killed" mythal

exposed the qunari plot

spoke to the inquisitor at the end of trespasser

now to dig into these.

joined the inquisition

this one is pretty wild. according to his conversation in trespasser, he woke a year before the conclave. one year. afaik it's unclear when he drew the veil vs. when he slept, but what is clear is that he woke up and had only a year to begin acclimating to a wildly different world, one he held significant guilt over causing to form. in this short time, he manages to acclimate enough to gain agents and find out about corypheus, someone he feels he can use. and solas wouldn't mourn corypheus' death, nor would the world, so it must have seemed such a perfect solution

then it obviously goes all to shit. and solas is too weak to take charge of the situation and remedy it on his own - besides which, his anchor is now attached to someone else. so what does he do? well aware that this world hates and fears both "apostates" (that must have been a strange revelation for him, considering how elvhen culture lauded mages) and elves, he nonetheless turns himself in and surrenders his staff

he decides to help. and no, it's not selfless - he needs the anchor. but there's so much more to it than that. he wants to help ease the harm he's inadvertently caused, the damage corypheus wrought. he's not trying to "save" the world, exactly, but he is trying to give it peace while he works to restore the world to what he feels (maybe rightly!) it should be. it's selfish. it's selfless. it's kind. it's deceitful. essentially: like him, it is nuanced.

but still, pretty wild that an elvhen apostate joins the human chantry's arm (and eventual army) of change

won't leave the inquisition

the reasoning here is fairly self-evident. he needs the anchor, and he wants to help. the inquisition is his sole means to achieve both goals. but it's still worth noting that even if he absolutely hates the inquisitor, he'll stay on as a core part of the inquisition right up to the bitter end.

and it's interesting bc he doesn't actually have to. he could have made sure the inquisitor wouldn't die and taught them how to seal rifts, then left. or he could have left after the breach was sealed. the inquisitor - and by extension, the anchor - would NOT be hard for him to find, because everyone and their dog knows where the inquisitor is at all times. also, at this point I'm not sure if he knows he'll need the anchor.

further, he could "leave" but continue to spy, including through the fade. but instead he stays right there. he leads the inquisition to skyhold. he involves himself at a fundamental level. it's interesting. he didn't have to.

does he get dragged in despite himself? does he grow attached to the rest of the inquisition, or its goals, even as he tries to hang onto the comforting lie that these people are so much less-then the people he knew? does he feel obligated to help right the harm he caused, their drawn out suffering harder to bear than their sudden cessation?

kept the inquisitor alive

I have to assume there's a reason for this, a reason he couldn't just take the anchor from them while they slept. likely it was because he was still too weak to remove it, although that seems a little strange - what was he planning to do once corypheus died opening his orb? but given the potential nature of the inquisitor, including many non-mage options and including dwarven options who are cut off from the fade itself, it stands to reason that getting the anchor placed by touching the opened orb may be much easier than removing the anchor, even prior to it being used.

perhaps he could have removed it, but was worried the inquisition would kill him. early on, how was he to know that cassandra's bark was so often worse than her bite? and it's entirely possible that she might have killed him if the inquisitor had died under his watch, particularly if the anchor was "mysteriously" removed at the same time.

I also imagine that he genuinely didn't know if the anchor would function if he just... cut their arm off and ran with it. but at the same time, I assume he was constantly monitored so that probably wasn't much of an option

helped seal the rifts/breach

couple of core reasons for this, I think: first, he genuinely wants to help. the people of thedas are terrified and at risk; so too are the spirits from the fade who are being drawn into the waking world against their will, which may well be a stronger impetus for him to work on sealing them. second, I have a theory that he won't be able to, or fears he won't be able to, tear down the veil in one with all these rifts.

rifts are tears in the boundary, right? so if he tried to pull the veil down around them, what's to stop the veil from catching against the rifts and keeping these boundaries in existence? like... trying to remove a sticker when parts have been nailed in. not only will the parts under the nail remain, but whole strips might be left behind. what would that create?

and the thing is, everything he's attempting and considering is so highly theoretical. maybe it wouldn't work like that at all. maybe it'd be fine. maybe it'd be worse. he doesn't know! but it feels safe to assume that, given his character, he'd want to proceed in the safest way possible with the best likelihood of a good outcome. he's methodical that way.

painted the inquisitor's actions

this one gets me just like it gets everyone. there's so much to it... he's using an ancient elvhen technique to memorialize the decisions of today's holy order and its leader. he's creating frescoes which are meant to last, and he doesn't know if they will. he's creating meaning in the moment, for the inquisition itself, and possibly for the future, even a future where everyone he knows is gone, killed through his actions.

it's a way to honor them. it's a headstone. it's a history. it's a gift. it's art. it's effort he doesn't need to expend. it's the closest he can come to an apology.

helped kill corypheus

of course, he's always wanted corypheus to die, so in that sense this really isn't that surprising. and in game corypheus can sometimes feel ridiculously easy to kill. but the fact is, corypheus is perceived as one of if not the single greatest threat they have to face.

and solas helps face him.

what if he died? what if he was killed? it's wild that someone who's so determined to change the world constantly puts himself at such risk, but it's part of both his nature and the means of meeting his goals. it's necessary. but is it necessary for him to face corypheus?

the time has come, the inquisitor and inquisition are prepared.

why doesn't he leave? come back after the battle and reclaim his orb? yes, the inquisitor broke it, but I don't think solas even recognizes that as a possibility. to him, the orb would have been there. and, bonus, maybe the inquisition is so damaged in the battle that they'll struggle to pursue him. if he has the orb, or thinks he would have it, he wouldn't necessarily need to protect the inquisitor any longer, because why have the anchor when he has the orb? unless of course its power was transferred to the anchor, which is a distinct possibility, but in that case... why mourn the orb so?

I think that he at least believed the orb could create another anchor. so losing it meant he needed to possess the anchor currently in existence. but again: he went into this battle thinking orb and anchor alike would exist at the end. why risk it? why not just dart in and recover what he needs?

he cares about them. even if he hates the inquisitor, he cares about the people of this world. he won't turn his back on the inquisition in their hour of need, even if he risks death

"killed" mythal

I've given this so much thought. I understand why he did it, to a point, but at the same time... it's always put me at a loss. he sealed the evanuris away because they killed mythal. he killed her to take her power, presumably a necessity after the loss of his orb in order to reclaim the anchor. and I do agree that she may very well still be alive, either entirely or in a way. I'm not sure if he's aware of that, though.

but it's all very complicated. he knows he should be the one punished - these are his sins he's trying to right, for the people (elvhen? spirits? everyone? including but probably not primarily dwarves? I've seen so many takes on this and it's always fascinating)

so. he takes something of mythal, very possibly believing he's killing her, and possibly actually killing her, in order to restore the world to what it used to be. he doesn't want to do this. it's utterly tragic and horrifying at once when you see it the first time (and, well, every time after if you're me). it's painful. but he does it.

he's willing to shoulder so much pain. loneliness, too, because mythal is presumably the only one left from his time. he destroys his sole connection to his past in order to right his mistakes. putting aside the issue of whether he's right or not, that is a monumental burden to bear.

he endures. he always endures. how horrible to always endure.

exposed the qunari plot

because I've discussed this previously I won't dig too deep into it, but the fact is 1) he didn't have to do this, 2) doing this actively makes it easier for the inquisition to pursue him, 3) doing this might actually make it easier in a way for the qunari to focus on strengthening the veil, and 4) apparently, he did it. not an agent. he dragged the qunari into the winter palace.

why? why risk himself like that? to get a glance at those he left behind? did he rush through the motions and disappear, or did he linger? did he look at them and consider what more he would have to endure?

spoke to the inquisitor at the end of trespasser

he needed the anchor, yes. but did he need to answer the inquisitor's questions, soothe their inevitable curiosity? absolutely not. he could have kept lying. it would have been smarter to keep lying. why, why tell them who he is, why let the entire inquisition know?

he already gave them a clear path to chasing him down and possibly stopping him. now he's telling them his basic plan? sure, he spares the details, but what does that really preserve?

and the thing is, even if he absolutely hates the inquisitor, he still tells them the basics. the way he does it is... genuinely so funny and it cheers me up inordinately he is so sassy about it but that's not important. what is important is that he even tells someone he loathes who and what he is and what his basic plan is.

why not just leave? "the anchor is killing you and it's mine, i'll take it back. goodbye." why not just that?

it's hard for me to believe it's anything other than: he wants to be stopped. a part of him wants so, so badly to be stopped. the same part that wanted to tell a romanced inquisitor the truth in the crestwood scene. the same part that keeps giving all these hints and answering questions sincerely even when it makes people wonder about him. the same part that only lies by ommission.

the part that is lonely and wanting and cares.

not only is he fundamentally a kind, caring man who wants to minimize the harm he does, not only does he value and want to reward curiosity, but he wants to be stopped. and the inquisitor/inquisition is about the only force in the world that can stop him, directly or indirectly.

they know him. he knows them. and while it's implied that the inquisition/inquisitor can't stop him directly because of this familiarity, they are the ones who find new forces to array against him. if he'd just lied and left, that wouldn't be a possibility.

he made himself an enemy. he could've had a clear playing field and all the tools he needed: instead, a force at his back.

#solas #solas dragon age #meta #as always: feel free to rb/comment/interact #broodmeta

[ivoncu]

OK! ♡ may i req shopping clothes for each other with tori & aira (separate)? thank uuu and have fun <33

— 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆

characters ... tori himemiya & aira shiratori (seperate)

content ... headcannons, mentions of body dysmorphia in tori's part, can be read as romantically or platonically(?), matching clothes in both scenarios :3

(n.) — i accidentally let this rot in my drafts for 2 months please forgive me. i hadny proodread anything either sowwy if it sucks...

TORI HIMEMIYA.

He's a bit brutally honest too with judging the clothes too. If he keeps seeing you picking out clothes that totally doesn't suit you, he'll start pouting before picking out some clothes for you to try and it looks better than the ones you've picked?

If for some reason the clothes he had picked out makes you feel dysmorphic, he'll make sure lecture you and tell you that you are beautiful and you look absolutely great in everything you wear and that's not a lie!

He might even consider you as a threat against his throne as the cutest person in the world.

And he'll even let you pick out clothes for him too! He's still a bit brutally honest and will tell you that the ones you've picked out sucks if he deems so, but nevertheless will still try it on just to make you feel better.

Ah, don't forget matching clothes too! It's his idea because he thought it would cute and it absolutely was! It can also be a keepsake for you two to remember by.

You'll also have to be ready to see the picture you two took together to be posted on his public account account while shamelessly tagging you in it too. Free clout for someone dearest to him(?)

It's save to say that his fans are already well aware of you in a way or another since this isn't the first he has posted a picture of you two together. They think you two are absolutely cute!

Shopping for clothes with him can be overwhelming sometimes, but it's still fun nonetheless! Tori makes sure to pay for all of the clothes you took a liking to as long as you promise to spoil him lots and lots after this ♪

AIRA SHIRATORI.

He wouldn't call himself the most fashionable... But, he can try picking out clothes for you if you want to!

He would silently freak out when he sees you wearing the clothes he had previously picked out for you. You just look so lovely he can't help but fanboy over you!

After a while, he will begin to grow comfortable and even try out some of the clothes he likes himself. You two would be laughing, giggling like a middle schooler while trying on different clothes and even taking pictures in some of them together.

He was shy about suggesting wearing matching outfits together and was more shocked to hear you saying you agreeing to his silly idea.

But eventually, he quickly tried to find some and he did!

And alas, you two went out with a bag of the matching outfits together since none of you could afford to buy all of the clothes you liked.

He will not stop blabbering about how much fun he had with you. It makes him blush just knowing that he has someone like you to go shopping with him!

Well, of course he can just go out shopping with the other Pretty Five members if he just asks, but... You're special!

This won't be the last time you two go out shopping for each other, right? He'll be able to do this with you again?

He hopes to be able to go out with you together again soon! ♪

#iv of love #aira shiratori x reader #tori himemiya x reader #ensemble stars x reader #enstars x reader #ensemble stars #enstars #tori himemiya #aira shiratori #esworks

[allpaul]

Morceau Oleander and Cal's (Horrible) "Parents", please

OH BOY ! (<so normal)

Honestly I can't go talking about Oleander without bringing up his part of the Li-Po Backstory Document, but can you really blame me? As much as that doc is so old and should be taken with a grain of salt considering the amount of contradicting information to PN2 it has, it's pretty much all we have in terms of more development for poor Morceau, so I'll take it. It provides loads of much-needed insight into Morry's character. Li-Po Doc truthers where you at!!! Rise up!!!

(^screenshot relevant)

I think it's so so fucked up that the meatgrinder incident happened before Morry could prove himself to his parents. I think hearing that information while being a camp counselor at Whispering Rock, I think that was the straw that broke the camel's back, what caused him to become more cold and to start brewing his master plan. If he can't show his family, he'll show them all.

Which brings him to Cal... Caligosto & Morceau's relationship is so so interesting to me, at least from what little we've seen of it in memory vaults. The doctor *hated* psychics, that much was true, but Morry was (assumedly) a paying client. I believe for that reason Cal is able to set that difference aside, especially after hearing the plans for their project. On the other side, I think Morceau saw Cal as one of the only people who saw him as capable, someone who thought he could do great things. And maybe they could do great things together. [looks at the camera knowing the events of the game] That went well didn't it

After the cruel stunt that he pulls, I think Morry has to regain a lot of trust that the Psychonauts had in him(something he didn't know the organization had to begin with), and that includes Milla & Sasha. Morceau always thought that those two talked down so condescendingly toward him.. but I think only after the fact is when he realizes that they were both always genuine, always believed in him. That truth probably eats him alive night after night. He already had it hard before he stole those kids' brains, now he's just dug himself into a deeper trench, lost more than he had.

I don't think the Psychonauts will let him be a camp counselor again for a while. At least not until Sasha & Milla perform a few mental checkups on him, make sure he's alright. Despite everything, those two still care about him, the time they've spent together still matters to them, and I'm sure it matters to Morceau as well.

(-also as a side-hc I think All Paul was his gay awakening. I think we all know that right?)

Cali's parents are a very interesting case, to say the least. There's so little we know about them it's hard to make assumptions. Nonetheless;

Having such a negative response to their son being psychic, there's some part of me that thinks this isn't the first time this has happened in their family's bloodline. A family with "Loboto" as their last names, after all, might not be just a coincidence. And especially considering the father IS a doctor himself, I wonder what could've set him down that career path. It's food for thought, you know?

We can't really know much about what the mother's profession was, but what I think is that she was an artist of some kind. The tiny replica of the house & the flowers painted on it, the little stitched dolls representing the family? If we're to believe that Cal's entire memory vault in RoR is based on her work that he remembers, he must've had a strong relationship with her before she deemed him an unnatural monster. This could also explain why Cal decides to wear a floral pattern shower cap too. It'd be a little sad to know he might still hold love for his parents who treated him like a monster & lobotomized him because of powers he didn't ask for.

(honestly if anyone could add onto this part that'd be great, I have so much trouble coming up with anything for these guys + I HATE them very much, fuck these "parents")

#I would've mentioned Rock & Eagle here too but honestly I think other people have talked about them better than I could #also I hope you guys know I had to type out both this post & the Raz post TWICE #<-because tumblr loooves deleting my progress when I press a wrong button [grips the table] #psychonauts #coach oleander #morceau oleander #dr. loboto #caligosto loboto

[peachymilkandcream]

Fluff hcs please.

(Kinda) Fluff Levi Headcanons

(A/N: I think everyone knows by now I crave headcanons for these two and I'm freaking here for it. This is fluffy but it's still Levi so please read the warnings. Thank you for the request anon!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, violence, mind breaking, misogyny, etc.

==============================================

It's rare for Levi to be any form of fluffy, he's always been a firm believer in discipline, cruelty, and coldness. However despite everything he is in love with his wife, he just wants her to be perfect and love him back.

If Evelyn changed and started to return Levi's feelings a lot would change, he would be a vague shadow of a loving husband but a loving husband nonetheless.

He would still punish her for small infractions, but these punishments would be lighter and less violent. Such as a light spanking or giving her the cold shoulder. But at this point she would repent quickly to get his affection back, to have her warm and soft Levi.

Sex remains rough as always, because that's how he likes it and how he's fooled her into liking it also, however if she asks him to he'll be gentle and romantic, wanting her to enjoy him.

They would essentially go back to the way they were before they got married, joking and laughing. Her teasing would be accepted again as simply that and not a threat to his masculinity. Cuddles wouldn't always lead to her being bent over and used, unless she wanted to.

Consent is still unnecessary, and always has been, but if she gives him a valid enough excuse then he'll leave her alone for that night. But if it continues into the second night then excuses are not allowed anymore. However with the way he's broken her him wanting to touch her is a privilege she can't live without.

Flowers, gifts, and affection run freely. She's his everything and once he feels she grateful for it he'll show her how much he appreciates her. Affection is both of their love languages so it is mostly that, which is why when she's denied it she'll do anything to get it back. However flowers are a close second since she feels guilty if he buys her jewelry.

He enjoys coming home from work and laying his head on her lap so she can run his fingers through his hair. It's calming and relaxes him. Whether they talk during this time doesn't matter, she can sometimes get him to work out his problems with words instead of violence and lust. Although she's always available if that's how he wants to get his aggression out.

When Levi wants he can be a total romantic, elaborate date nights to flaunt his wealth, his wife, and his generosity. He's read all of her romance novels so he knows what women melt over. However he has recently needed to come up with his own material since he's banned her reading romances ages ago to stop filling her head with different ideas of love than what they have.

He wants to care for her in every sense so he'll be the husband brushing and doing her hair, picking her outfits so she doesn't have to, and praising her when she looks good. His image of being the ultimate man and husband is the most important thing, so he'll do whatever it takes to make her have a high opinion of him.

Sometimes he'll pretend he doesn't know how to pick out what to wear for himself or how to tie a tie so she'll do it. The nearness of her is something he craves, and he likes that she makes an effort to make him look good so she can be proud of holding his arm.

Having her wash him when he's bathing is another thing he cant get enough of, it's so intimate and shows she cares enough to serve him and pick up the slack.

Levi can be pretty fluffy if his buttons are pushed correctly and she follows along exactly how he wants her to.

#attack on titan #break me slowly #levi ackerman #levi aot #levi x oc #levi x reader #shingeki no kyojin #yandere levi #yandere levi ackerman #yandere levi x reader #headcanon requests

[ravencromwell]

Character headcanons for Ros Vortalis?

--Cats. In the Shal, Ros Vortalis was terribly fond of stray cats. Dimitri Moroz (best second, he ever had even if the boy was barely old enough to shave; he was _hungry for the work, for the position and that made all the difference) used to despair they'd all get murdered via the cat flaps. Not that he was fool enough to start collecting them, but Makt was cold and he'd seen enough cats aboard ship they were good luck and damn it no harm in leaving a cat flap in the kitchen with a bowl of milk. He sealed the flaps before making a serious play at Gorst's guards. Enough bloodshed on his hands without adding strays and Gorst is absolutely the sort that would. Kept it up just fine as king too, until Dimitri unceremoniously dumped two of the filthiest specimens on his floor. Thin and fierce, already with their scars with blazingly curious yellow eyes. And by the time he's signed 'damn it, Demi, take them back' the new leader of the Shal has flashed a positively wicked grin and turned on his heel and Vor knows by the time he coaxes them from underneath the bed and dresser he'll be well out of the damn castle. It's fine, Holland's on patrol in the Shal tomorrow he can take them back. Only...there's something oddly comforting upon waking to find one feline on his feet and the other in a ball on the second pillow, yellow eyes blazing into the dark. A guard-cat's not going to stop a damn thing; that's why he has an Antari knight, for Crow's sake but it's comforting nonetheless and so he calls for one of the servants to bring some raw fish. And one of the kitchen maids flashes white teeth against the hints of brown the city hasn't entirely leached from her skin yet. It's the widest smile he's seen from the servants since his coronation and says it's good luck to have cats again after the old king didn't want them taking scraps off the table. And so, he tells her to take them if she's inclined; he's no time to look after cats as king. Which makes them not! his cats, even if there is a flap in the door of the royal bedchamber--they'll keep the castle awake with their yowling if I keep them out Holland. Holland, who's not running away from every romantic impulse he ever harbored, will just go on being casually fond of the cats. [By the time Holland comes out of the worst of those first few days with the Danes, he hears no rumors of cats in the castle. The one time one of the servants broaches getting a cat for the vermin problem, Athos yawns and says: "So long as it doesn't see us. Cats, unlike some I could name," with a terribly sweet smile in Holland's direction "run when they see us coming. Cleverer than hounds, I suppose." It is a foolish whimsy, but after that, Holland finds himself stopping on the rare occasions a cat moves in his direction. Scriching their ears is nice, as so few things are these days and once or twice, one has lingered longer, purring and he can't help but wonder... the kitties are fine, is what I'm saying. :]

--One of the first bits of family history Vor learns about Holland is his mother. "Can you not?" Holland says the third time they've fucked, when irritation has overcome his better judgment as Vortalis reaches for a cigar. "In the bed, at least." Ros Vortalis, who has pointed people to the door without a moment's hesitation for kvetching over his cigars--he's earned his scars, surviving this city and he'll damn well enjoy his vices for his trouble--thinks he might be in deeper than he would like when he finds himself asking: "Care to give me a reason?"

(This had been easy once with Talya, like lancing a wound or sharing burdens, but a decade of silence leaves him wishing Vortalis had just told him to go jump into the Sijlt or his common sense had stilled his tongue. But he supposes he owes an answer since he's the one asking) "We slept in one bed, my mother and brother and I. We never got smoke from the Sho dens out of the sheets when it was in her clothes and hair."

He could protest plenty of things: his cigars smell nothing like that sickly-sweet shit. But...there's a difference in smoking it across a table and wafting it in Holland's face. And it does cling to fabric. "Not giving up my cigars for you or anyone," he grumbles, even as he snuffs it out. And then carefully, "Since it was six months for your mother, if I'm on the throne a year, will you tell me about this brother of yours?"

"Maybe. If you're not a tyrant by then." He can't tell if what's caught in Holland's voice is a laugh or tears and suspects Holland can't either.

(When the Danes come, Holland finds it ironic to be the one wafting cigar smoke into a pillow for old time's sake. But when all the other smells have faded, when he can't remember just how faded a brown his king's hair was, he remembers the damn cigars. Oh, he remembers the blood, too, but those cigars were such a constant smell, outside the bedroom, that he's inherited a milder form of his mother's vice. Didn't she flee into the dens to remember his father, after all?)

[this entire headcanon courtesy of the phenomenal @pinkcupboardwitch who gave the second half of this in a one A.M. angst fit so it can live forever rent-free in my head though any dreadful dialogue is entirely mine :)

--in a universe where Vortalis can have Arnesian food, he's a spiced tea addict. Anything strong enough it makes AGOS Lila sneeze, he's in absolute paradise the heat of it is almost as good as a cigar. And Arnesian curry Kajt, he could eat it by the bucketful.

--"The stores are thinning" absolutely refers to a public granary. One of the first things he did as king was to impose reasonable grain prices, particularly on the Kosik--think of the Roman grain dolewith the crown subsidizing the farmers in various magical artifacts rather than funds. It wasn't an easy program to get off the ground because there weren't good ways to pay the artisans and you can live in the castle wasn't exactly a glowing proposition when the castle could be overrun. But there were a few odd folk, some who genuinely wanted to do good, some who were of a historical bent and wanted to be close to an Antari--you will never convince me there aren't Maktahn Tieren's at least in personality if not vocation and some who just thought being under an Antari's protection were better than their odds on the streets. Of course, such reductions are only effective so long as you have grain to offer.

--Had Kell asked the right people, they might have also told him about how the king let his Antari heal their grandmother, their baby, and didn't ask for tribute. Not many; you'd have to be desperate indeed to go to an Antari, but there were stories that resurfaced when Holland became the new king.

--He knows full well how much his instincts lean to death-dealing, even if his brains demanded a change for the city. And whatever Holland might think, Ros Vortalis has heard his share of tales. A knight, before the doors sealed, was a sword and shield. But they kept a king honest too,, forced him to hold to honor and justice.

#sorry these are so late #to all you other brilliant humans will do the rest of the asks tomorrow/at the weekend! #Holland Vosijk/Ros Vortalis #headcanons #Ros Vortalis #Holland Vosijk #Shades of Magic

[mtdthoughts]

Cherry Pie Pt. 4 (Migi & Dali Analysis)

This is the fourth and final part in a discussion on the usage of cherry pie as a symbol in Migi & Dali.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

As always, spoilers from the entire story are discussed.

After the twins successfully rescued Eiji and escaped the burning Ichijo house, they planned on hiding with the Sonoyamas to evade the police. As Migi stated, the Sonoyamas' cherry pie is "exceptionally sweet", meaning that Eiji could live happily with his brothers and the Sonoyamas.

As much as I would've liked to see this, it just didn't feel right, as harboring a fugitive is not something that the Sonoyamas should burden themselves with. Eiji probably felt this too, and because he felt that he needed to atone for killing Reiko, he decided to surrender himself to the police, saying that their pie was "too sweet" for him, and the happy life promised to him was something he probably felt he didn't deserve. This development likely weighed heavily on Dali and in my opinion caused him to force himself into Migi's shadow, emulating Eiji.

Thankfully, Migi was able to convince Dali to accept himself and his new life with the Sonoyamas, and the two were able to finally experience the cherry-pie-filled days that they've always wanted.

Then, after the timeskip, the twins are once again shown braiding the lattice crust of a cherry pie.

Unlike in Episode 8, Dali is not alone, and their skillful braiding just highlights the balancing of the twins' dual qualities and the stronger unity and interconnectedness they've attained at the end of their journey in the main story. Together, these twins form a complete whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Furthermore, their positioning is somewhat different from Episode 1; while Dali is still on the outside and has his arms around Migi, he's shown more to the left of Migi rather than behind and is not wrapping around Migi as tightly as before. This likely represents the fact that the twins have overcome their codependency; although they are still very close, Dali is no longer controlling towards Migi as the two now operate harmoniously as (approximate) equals.

Later, Eiji arrives after being released from prison and is now finally able to enjoy cherry pie with everyone.

Indeed, this type of life is something that Eiji wanted all along, as evidenced by his sweet tooth comment, and it's heartwarming to see that he has moved on from his past and now seeks to atone through living as best as he can and cherishing those around him.

Finally, the last mention of cherry pie is when Dali is about to leave for school, leaving behind his family, his friends, his home, and most importantly, Migi, with Youko even offering to come bake for him.

Indeed, Dali would no longer be getting cherry pie as he is about to embark on a new journey alone; nonetheless, he is confident that he can bear through it because unlike before, he knows that he'll always be loved (especially by Migi).

Through the use of cherry pie in Migi & Dali, Sano illustrates the importance of family and friends, and the joy and comfort they can provide, especially in difficult times. Indeed, the twins (particularly Dali) started off obsessed with avenging their mother and closed themselves off from others. Yet, through this difficult journey, the twins were able to experience joy for the first time in their lives and as well as emotional healing from the Sonoyamas, which is why Migi was able to move on from revenge, and why even the jaded and cynical Dali was able to overcome himself and his sins. Thanks to this special cherry pie, the twins were able to know love, whether it was giving or receiving it, and they were able to help each other grow as they overcame their challenges together.

#migi and dali #migi to dali #analysis