#i had to fight with myself so much because shu can be both saying 'a part of my family' or 'a part of me' | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

diacripticcomplex · 5 months

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after yui gets taken by the mukamis and the sakamakis finally get her back, how would that be like in the sakamaki household? E.g they punish her and start to show yandere/ obsessive tendencies after? i feel like this would be such a good story!

Yui’s POV:

My head was pounding, my eyes felt heavy and I could barely open them. Everything was so blurry, I had no idea what was going on, I felt drained and beat...The last thing I remember was Ayato taking me from the Mukami Manor…I’m slowly remembering that night, bits and pieces. “Ah she’s awake~ hey little bitch” that voice, it was Laito’s. I couldn’t open my eyes fully but he was there along with the others, I just couldn’t clearly see them. “Ayato, you sure did mess her up real bad.” Laito commented, adding his chuckle at the end. “Shut up, I was reminding her who she belongs to,that’s all” Ayato remarked back, in his fiery tone. “I don’t think she’s been punished enough, don’t you agree, Teddy?” Kanatos voice questioned, after hearing this I began to panic but I couldn’t move, I was shackled down heavily. “If you’re going to be this loud you could at least amuse us with your screams and cries..” I believe this was Shu’s voice, my vision started to clear up, I was laying down shackled to a wooden torture table. “Are we going to do this or not?” Subaru questioned, I could sense the irritation in his voice. “Do what??” I asked, causing Reiji to speak. “Discipline you, you truly are an indecent woman” he said, but sadism dripped in his tone. “Draining you of your blood is fun of course little bitch but we all want to gang fuck you, you’re fine with that right~?” Laito stated and my heart started to pound, I felt scared, I didn’t want that. “She wants it, she's an immoral slut who gets off on this type of thing.." Shu's comment felt like a knife cutting me, they always say things like this to me, and I think I tell myself to enjoy whatever they do to me because I believe it can get worse. There's no fighting this..

I say nothing, I numb myself, I know they will brutalize me..they believe I deserve it..telling them I don't will not change this situation in the slightest. "What's this? falling into despair~?" Laito chippured. "Her face looks twisted with both fear and pleasure." Kanato commented. " Enough of you two, she's mine to torment first." Ayato stated, declaring dominance. He approached me, putting his hand on my throat and pressing on it. I couldn't help but call out his name for him to stop, it was natural for me to beg. "...I honestly didn't have any interest in this but after hearing that..I might partake.." Shu started and took out his knife, slicing all my clothes off, even my undergarments.

"woah Shu~ Who would've thought you were like this" Laito remarked, causing the eldest brother to chuckle. "You have a lot to learn.." Shu says with a faint smirk, Ayato wasted no more time and bit into my neck, I believe he reopened a bite mark. It felt like a wound reopening. I closed my eyes and I bit my lip to hold back my cries, this would only further entice them. I felt someone by my feet, I peak a bit and see Kanato his tongue grazed my toe and then he took a bite. Soon all of them brothers took a part of my body and did as they wished, Subaru took a deep bite into my wrist, Laito bit my nipple while stimulating the other one, Reiji bit my finger and Shu stabbed my thigh, causing me to wince in pain and then he licked the blood off his knife. They only drank for a few a few seconds, maybe 1-2 minutes but I felt the blood leaving my body, I could feel the heaviness in my eyes and I started to see black spots everyone, they all stopped around the same time, then it began…

Laito and Kanato were by my feet, I noticed them pressing themselves against it them sliding their hands up to my thighs then taking out their manhoods and stroking it up and down, all while touching me, Ayato had pried up my legs much to the annoyance of the other two and began to lick my part, saying his possessive statements in the process. Reiji and Subaru used my hands to relief themselves, and Shu inserted himself in my mouth, they all used my body to do as they wished…this made them feel so good but it made me feel so dirty…Laito and Shu kept saying their degrading commentary, calling me a slut and saying that I want this..that wasn’t the case, but I did want this to be over, and while I thought it was…they flipped me over, I was now on all fours, each brother took their turn to go inside me, Ayato of course went first, he always would go fast and slap my butt very hard, then Shu went, he had slow but hard thrusts, then Reiji went, and did not hold back he yanked my hair with all his might. Kanato, and Subaru argued about who would go next and this caused Laito to step inside of me, Laito made sure to cum deep inside of me, after all of this was done they all showered me in their seed then left me in the chains…naked and alone.

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thewingedwolf · 1 year

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i am rewatching shadow & bone bc, once again, i am a parody of myself, and i really am so fond of Mal in the show, i am deeply nervous about how he’ll be written in s2 lol. not as nervous about almost everyone else - i say ALMOST bc i was not impressed with the way Jesper & Nina weren’t shown to be bisexual, like, at all, & while i think it was just clumsy writing & not malice (the same as the clumsy way they wrote Alina’s race), that doesn’t mean it’ll get better lol. also pls understand i spend half my time shitting on the darklng, ben barnes does an excellent job reminding me why i hate that bitch okayyyy

Mal already knows that Alina’s tent with the other cartographers was moved, and knows where it moved. We first see him fighting but seems like he got there, immediately attempted to find Alina, figured out she had been moved and was wandering around, then said fuck it she’ll find me or i’ll find out she got thrown in lock up again, and decided to go beat someone up so he could show off his kruge in front of her lmao

Alina is interested in the grisha. she’s smiling and curious, clearly thinks Zoya looks cool af (she’s right, Zoya is cool af). Mal spends the entire time frowning at them lol. Could be bc a grisha just crashed his party, could be mal’s general dislike of grisha and the upper class. it’s very funny either way that he just Refuses to smile until Alina distracts him

Alina experiencing A Racism but still thinking quick enough so her team can eat makes me emo but also Mal immediately being like “time to commit some crimes” every single time someone is racist to Alina is so great, get u a real man like Mal

Racism is done very messily in the show and i’m hoping it improves bc like - Zoya is insulated from most racism due to her status, but we still get that comment about “YOU from Novokribirsk?” comment from another Grisha, which seemed like a pretty obvious slight at her being Suli. Alina experiences racism everywhere she goes from nearly everyone she meets - random cooks, cartographers, servants, Zoya, and the Darkling himself. Even Genya sort of brushes off the comment about her eyes as like, typical bullying and not something very different & much more insidious. Mal looks uncomfortable at the anti Shu Han propaganda & I think that’s it? Which feels weird bc he doesn’t have the class protection Zoya has, but maybe he doesn’t *look Suli* culturally the way Zoya and Inej clearly do. Or are Mal AND Alina both supposed to be Shu Han? We know from Inej and Nina (and maybe Zoya, idk, i never read king of scars bc i would have to acknowledge Matthias & David’s deaths and I refuse) that the Suli are still mistreated on a legal level in addition to social, but are maybe treated marginally better than the Shu that live in Ravka, bc Ravka is in an active war against Shu Han. Is that the difference in what Mal experienced vs what Alina does? lol or i’m overthinking something that clearly wasn’t thought out very well before they put it in the show. I just like. Do Not think Mal is meant to be a white Ravkan, firstly bc Archie isn’t a white brit, and secondly because - look at him aksjdjd that is not a man that can really pass for white. I hope they handle Alina’s background better, especially since she’ll be interacting with other Shu characters, in s2 but i also want an explanation for Mal’s background!!!

I do think it’s funny that the sickness grisha get if they don’t use their powers is very informed in the show. Mal makes a few comments about Alina being sick all the time but she doesn’t actually look or act sick at any point in the show aksksk

Mal is so strong, like the dude is fuckin ripped, a fucking volcra tries to rip Alina away and he’s just like “yeah i can take this bitch with one hand” aksjsj

I feel bad for that lil blond boy that clearly has a thing for Alina lmao he really tries to stick up for her and she does not even notice a little bit and then he dies bc West Ravka is like “anyways don’t get captured even tho we’re at war with half the world and you have no resources, crew, or family over here” ya, they’re way better than Old Ravka smh (Zlatan is just as big of a bitch as the king and darklng dammit)

Interesting that Zoya only gets shitty with Alina after both the Darklng & Mal clearly choose her over Zoya. Mal she probably doesn’t gaf about, but it definitely stung her pride that she can’t even pull an orphan from Keramzin but Alina can. Before that tho, even if she’s thrown by Alina, she clearly sees Alina as One Of Us. She even looks visibly annoyed when everyone starts laughing at Alina and her “i’m a mapmaker” response & seems to pick up on the implied racism of the “what are you” question. It’s an annoying response that after being rejected, Zoya uses that racism against Alina to put her in her place but like…I guess it’s not wildly ooc? bleh.

Ivan and Fedyor purposefully ignoring the Shu Of It All when talking about power and privilege is 100% why Alina takes so long to trust the grisha, and so easily turns against the Darklng imo. For all they understand the danger of being Grisha, for all Ivan wants to lecture Alina about her privilege at dinner, none of them even bother to understand what it’s like now, right now, for the poor of Ravka. You serve in the army & let the Darklng indoctrinate you with his nonsense, or you flee like the mother in the first episode does, taking your chances with the slavers & the volcra & the Fjerdans. There are no good choices for the grisha, no good choices for the non grisha peasantry, and Alina’s entire existence, from the never ending racism she experiences, to the death and starvation she’s surrounded by, is a constant reminder how few choices that exist no matter if you’re grisha or not.

So like, most of the bad guys have Weird Foreign Accents and I dislike it. All the Ravkans should have Russian accents but it’s only Fedyor & a few mean servants that do. The Fjerdans all have accents. Pekka has an accent. Everyone else is just a brit, including people in Kerch, even tho they don’t even speak the same language as the Ravkans do, they speak Kerch! Why does Kaz not have some country bumpkin accent dammit

“When our closest friend is in trouble, we do foolish things.” Smash cut to Kaz doing the Dumbest shit in an attempt to protect Inej from Heleen l m a o it’s not one whipped bitch in this show it’s two (it’s three actually, Matthias just hasn’t shown up yet lmao)

When Mal & Alina are both envisioning each other & reach out to hold the others’ hand, hundreds of miles away but desperate for comfort, THAT was the moment i fell for them. Archie & Jessie are just so Powerful okay aksjdjd

feels more obvious in retrospect that he’s not trying to train her to do anything but answer to him. he doesn’t even bother preparing her for the king bc he knows he can amplify her powers, so long as she’s not fighting him.

I do not buy Baghra’s insistence that Alina’s feelings for Mal hold her back. She’s able to summon her powers when she’s angry, and Baghra takes that short cut by continuously pissing Alina off. But Alina also uses her powers whenever she thinks of protecting Mal; she protects him on the skiff & when she remembers trying to run away with him for protection, she can summon a bit of her power. It’s Alina’s compassion that gives her abilities, but Baghra has spent so much time nurturing her own bitterness, watching her son nurture his anger, it just never occurs to her that Alina’s strength comes from her desire to protect the people she loves. Alina goes from wanting solely to protect Mal to channeling her power through her anger and rejection & Baghra treats it like a win but it’s just another shortcut that clearly makes her more susceptible to the Darklng whispering in her ear, not less, and if Baghra had any goddamn sense, she would have seen that she was making her son’s job easier. But like, the darklng didn’t just come out of nowhere lmao, and you can clearly see where he gets his defeatist, manipulative, and bleak ass outlook on life from.

As a certified Matthias stan still refusing to acknowledge the end of crooked kingdom, i think it is genuinely so funny that Mal gets chest wound after gut wound after chest wound in s1 and shrugs it off, but Matthias gets shot one (1) time and dies immediately & cannot be saved by the most powerful heartrender that ever lived. leigh PLS

“you are my true north and i can see my way to you now” IM JUST.

Genya has to hurt Alina’s feelings by lying about Mal, then immediately and smoothly changes the subject to something that will make Alina laugh. She knows she has to betray Alina and she tries her hardest to soften the blow, encourages Alina to return to the blue kefta instead of going too hard towards the Darkling so she has the protection of a color and a people, warns her as best as she can to be wary of the Darklng, even while she’s helping isolate Alina from anyone who could help her escape. i’m so depressed about Genya.

Enter David and Genya loses her damn mind ansjsjdjdjd Alina is doing miracle sun summoning and Genya just watches David the whole time, who probably cannot fucking believe his luck that his weird ass boss for ONCE is letting him hang out with the meanest, coolest, smartest person in the palace instead of Ivan & Fedyor, who spend all their time flirting with each other and bullying him

Fjerda is lichrally trying to commit genocide against the grisha & Shu Han does…some jacked up shit to their grisha lol, and i did a whole post about how the Darklng is just more of the same, but so is Baghra. All their talk of looking out for Grisha, but they both treat the peasantry of Ravka as disposable. Nikolai is theeeee only valid ruler specifically bc he does think of the cost to the peasantry & to the grisha before he makes decisions (something his father and his brother also don’t do lol). And both Baghra & Aleksander allow this “us vs them” bs to permeate through their own people - no grisha healers help the first army, and Ivan reads the dead but glosses over the Otkazat'sya deaths to focus on the grisha. but this is on purpose - if you make the grisha other the Otkazat'sya, you can easily turn them against one another. neither baghra nor aleksander ever work towards like, actual freedom for the grisha by building bridges and relationships between the grisha and the Otkazat'sya, they just turn the grisha into weird, insular child soldiers.

Alina realizing she can just swing on the racists now love that for her

Mal tends to deal with his feelings for Alina bubbling to the surface by purposefully breaking the tension; closing his eyes & going to sleep when they’re thrown in the brig, cracking a joke about going to Ketterdam when he steals her food. But their convo in the woods after they’re reunited is the first time he doesn’t try it - you can almost see he wants to, when she says she cheated on the grisha test bc she didn’t want to leave him, his whole brain short circuits at what it could mean, and it’s a moment where he might have purposefully broken the tension but instead he takes a minute to think before he tries to open up abiut his own feelings - only to get derailed & heartbroken by the realization that the stag drawing wasn’t Alina trying to communicate with him, but Aleksander manipulating & isolating her. But he still doesn’t break the tension - he lets Alina hold him, and he holds her in return, & stops running from his feelings for real this time.

I do find it so funny how Aleksander sees David raising his hand to speak, initially starts to tell him to knock it off, and then realizes David will not understand why Ivan and him find it annoying & just decides to choose his battles aksjjdjd.

Also, him going through the five stages of grief when he realizes Mal & Alina are together, and overdramtigcally monologuing about the orphans of Keramzin being reunited to this random dude who has no idea wtf he’s talking about. Perfect, no notes.

Episode 7 is just very well written. All the conversations are tense, all the action is painful, all the acting is amazing. From David half in tears as he helps enslave Alina, all the anger going out of Alina when she realizes the king was raping Genya, Genya’s guilt & shame over her own hand in betraying Alina stopping her from talking even though she’s usually so composed, Mal’s helpless snarl when he says Aleksander will wish he’d killed him, even Aleksander’s inability to look Alina in the eyes because he knows she’s right to hate him it’s just that he thinks she’s a justifiable sacrifice. Meanwhile the Crows are being the most chaotic idiots ALIVE akskdkdk just perfect, excellent writing.

What i think is interesting is that Alina makes the hypocrisy argument to Genya, and it works. Genya appeals to Alina’s compassion when she admits the king has been raping her, but Alina pieces together that Aleksander placed her in front of the king to begin with. Not a soldier, just a pawn. And Genya is so struck by this argument she has no counter; she just leaves in tears. Alina tries this with Aleksander as well, to get him to see the hypocrisy in his actions - of killing the king because the king is a monster, yet using the fold as a weapon. It has the complete opposite effect because whereas Genya is aware on some level that she’s being used, Aleksander is so far removed from his own experiences as a pawn, as a target, he can’t see her point.

“all countries will answer to us. for who would oppose us now?”

means Something to me that Immediately after that nasty comment from that heartrender, Zoya sees another Suli girl (who, if we remember, someone she is friends with just called Suli trash before getting got by said Suli girl) who is about to be killed, witnesses the destruction of her home and what she will find is the death of the only person who ever loved her as a child, and makes the decision to betray the only stability she’s ever known for the glimmer of hope that Alina can offer her.

It’s also exactly what I mean when I say I hope we get an explanation for Mal’s background. In Inej’s chapters we get the sense that the Suli are a people that draw close together, even outside Ravka. Her curse on Bajan clearly hits him hard; even clearly trying to assimilate into Kerch culture, the thought that his Suli ancestors may forsake him for harming a fellow Suli really gets under his skin. So in the show, what I love is we get a small exploration of this bond that exists between all Suli as outsiders in their home countries - Zoya and Inej instinctively working together, Recognizing that bond in each other, with Inej even attempting to stop Zoya from going back to the ruins of the city, of wanting Zoya to stay with them. And Zoya, despite her pained history with her own people, despite her comments about Alina being [redacted], clearly returns those feelings. She’s so much warmer with Inej, and vice verse, then say, Jesper is with Mal (he’s not cold to Mal, he’s just Typical Jesper). The thing is - maybe you could argue Zoya and Mal kind of take a small interest in each other because they recognize the other is Suli, but Inej and Mal don’t really have that connection in the time they know each other, and Zoya and Mal are much more cordial with each other than Zoya and Inej are. OBVIOUSLY there are other factors at play. But. Whereas we get a hint of Zoya’s own complicated past, and Inej is defined by her ties to her culture, Mal doesn’t really show any of this beyond one single uncomfortable look at a Shu Han propaganda poster, and that’s likely more to do with Alina than his own background. I JUST THINK ITS WEIRD AND CLUMSY OKAY.

idek what to say about Alina’s amazing speech besides HELL YEAH THATS MY WIFE. she’s so fucking cool.

Ivan’s lil bitch ass being like “know your place” RIGHT AFTER Alina gives her “you asked WHAT I am” speech and then Jesper being like “i think the fuck not” and tossing him overboard. absolutely perfect i love that man.

Zoya looks so uncomfortable during the whole conversation by the fire. For the first time, she’s the outsider - the lone splash of color against the browns and blacks of the crows and malina. But when Zoya says she has to go back, Inej shoots up to stop her, and even Kaz attempts to dissuade her from what he thinks is no better than a suicide run. Since her childhood, Zoya has seemed alone, but just as her aunt stepped in to save her then, and the crows attempt to console her now, Zoya is never as alone as she feels.

And neither is Alina! Knowing where their stories end up going, i think it is interesting that both Zoya and Alina are very adaptable and very adept at making very loyal friends. Despite all the odds against them, with them being Suli and Shu, with Zoya being a huge bitch (which I love) and Alina constantly struggling with her own self worth, other people see just how amazing the two of them are and are willing to fight for them, with them, to be near them. Sankta Alina and the Grisha Queen. Wonderful.

#shadow and bone #grishaverse #rani's liveblogging tag #anti darkling #ben barnes is a magnificent actor who imbues a lot of depth into a character that is a textbook abuser & i love him. aleksander can choke.#i’m in mobile so i can’t put it under a cut i’ll do that later probably #rani attempts meta #there’s a lil meta here so it’s going in that tag #if u want to comment u can. u can even disagree but if ur a bitch about it i will be a bitch back

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pluppsauthor · 6 months

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A Chat about Revenge

Lukas lay there on the floor, unable to move. His body was bloodied and beaten, with no energy to spare. Even if he wanted to try to fight, he simply couldn’t.

He looked up at the man standing above him. He couldn’t believe that someone who was related to Bene could be so cruel.

“You know, has Bene ever told you about me? Beyond the fact that I killed someone?”

Lukas had no answer, and let his head fall to the floor. The man, however, continued.

“I know that is the only thing he ever told you. The fact that his brother devolved to a life of crime ever since our father died. But let me tell you the other side of that story.”

The man crouched down and held Lukas’ head up by his hair.

“See, our father didn’t die, he was killed. But every single person denied that truth, spouting the same lie. But I knew better, so I spent years tracking down the man who did it, the man who took our father from us. All I had left of me was this deep-seated need for revenge and retribution. I desired nothing but to bring justice for our father’s death.”

He dropped Lukas' head to the ground and continued as he paced around him.

“But there’s a saying when it comes to revenge: ‘When you take to the path of revenge, you should dig two graves. One for the accused, and one for yourself. As when revenge is taken, you are left an empty shell of a person. In a way, dead yourself.’ Of course, this was not the case for me, I only had one grave. My own.”

Lukas lifted his head up in a vain attempt to say something and get the man to shut up. He was battered and exhausted, he didn’t need someone yapping in his ear about something he couldn’t care less about.

“Shut up.”

The man looked down at Lukas.

“What was that?”

“I said shu-”

Before Lukas could get another word out, the man kicked him in the ribs. Sending him sliding across the floor.

“DON’T YOU INTERRUPT ME! MAYBE IF YOU HAD HALF YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU, YOU’D LISTEN TO ME! I know who you are, I know what you’d do if your life was to continue on its path! Because I was like you once, so obsessed with the past that all I could do was drown myself in agony! I’m telling you that Bene is a fool for taking you in his wake. He didn’t think twice about festering your obedient, self-sacrificial nature. For that was all he could see in himself, in his quest for my own head. Don’t you get it? How you don’t understand a thing about the world? The fact that you alone tried to fight me when I am of no threat to you? WHY DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THE PATH YOU’RE ON!?”

The man picked up Lukas’ tachi that lay several metres from him, out of reach.

“Do you know why I haven’t killed you despite being so much stronger than you? It’s because all I have left is regret. I didn’t resort to crime for my own benefit, nor was it to cause harm or misery upon other people. I did it to catch Bene’s attention, so he would have to confront me. But little did I know he would bring along some kid that was a walking, talking reflection of both him and myself.”

He threw the tachi, and let it slide across the floor towards Lukas.

“But if you don't want to listen, go ahead and kill me. Stand up, pick up your sword, and cut me down where I stand. Until you can do that, you can just sit there and listen to me. Because I don’t have much time. Any minute now, Bene will come crashing through those doors and kill me. If I can’t escape my past, I’ll at least try to save you from yours.”

As the man took a breath, preparing to continue his ramble, the door suddenly turned to ice and shattered like glass. Bene had arrived.

Lukas smiled, before resting his head on the ground.

“Ah, right on cue! I was just talking to this kid about how you'd come in here like that.”

“REIDEEEEEEEEEEEEN!!!”

Bene shouted his brother's name with such anger and ferocity, it was as if the ground shook beneath him. Then, in an instant, he was right next to his brother. Then the world around them grew cold.

#my writing #writeblr #writing #Frequency: Wounded Reflection #original writing

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kurosawa-family · 2 years

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A sad day... To be a foolish king.

Note: This is placed on the Diabolik Lovers universe! I was inspired by this little video right here and I couldn't help myself—

Warning: This writing contents fancy insults, the death of someone who will not be missed (with the exception of his simps), and just a sad attempt of roasting a corpse. Just that... And cigarettes, and mentions of abuse' victims.

Also, I'm not good at writing the Diaboys in general, so apologies if they seem so ooc in this writing.

It's a sad day. KarlHeinz had died and his funeral seemed as boring as ever... Until his old friend shows up.

Yvonne Beauchene ft. The Diabolik Lovers cast.

It was strange, honestly.

It was rather annoying being there to begin with, but seeing how many people were crying next to his father's coffin was just something he didn't expect. Perhaps it was more of a political thing than something emotional, but still, there were people, both humans and demons (disguised as humans, obviously) that were crying and lamenting what not only was a very important politician, but also the ruler of the whole Demon Realm.

... What a pain will the paperwork be, huh? That's what Shuu thought, making a disgusted expression, but he soon felt Reiji giving him a look so he had to change his expression. Well, the good thing is, he still has his brothers and the human girl at his side, so it won't be so much of a pain to be king.

“Should any of us—” Shu turned his head towards Yui, who of course was dragged in here and, just like most of them, didn't exactly know how to feel or what to do about this. “—Say something? You know, to honor him?”

“...” The eldest Sakamaki glanced at the bunch of people surrounding the corpse. “No. Just... Let's wait until most people are gone. It'll be a pain, but it has to be done.”

“Ayato, for the last time, we're not playing any of your disgusting music while people are paying respect.” Reiji snatched Ayato's phone from his hand, much to the displeasure of his young brother.

“I mean, playing Lady Gaga in a funeral is not that weird~” Laito said, in a attempt to get into Reiji's nerves.

“Shut up! This is so fucking boring! The least you can do is letting me play something nice!” The red-haired boy pointed at the people dressed in black. “Look! Everyone is acting like it's the end of the world!”

“Ayato-Kun, this is a funeral.” Yui glanced at him. By her expression, anyone could guess that she was also running out of patience with him, too.

“How's that my problem?”

“Your father's funeral.”

“Doesn't answer my question.”

As hours passed away, more people came in and out. Most of them were just humans that will miss their "secret weapon" in their silly and pathetic political fights or whatever, but obviously, they said something nicer, even if it was painfully obvious it was fake. Obviously, the others were there,

“Uhg, this is taking forever, dammit.” Subaru mumbled under his breath, leaning back the wall. “How much longer are we going to wait? Most people are gone.”

“We still have...” Reiji took his hand watch out, looking at the hour. “One hour left to go. So we might as well just hang on a little bit more.”

“You—”

It was in that moment they heard wailing from a woman and a few people trying to calm her down. The three clans and Yui turned around and, to their surprise, it was a white-haired woman dressed in pure black, with veil, gloves, and everything. Both Shuu and Reiji exchanged looks, and the eldest just shrugged with a smile. Hah, so she showed up in the end...

“I'm going to be honest, I thought she was going to burn the coffin as soon as she got here, but—” Reiji leaned towards Shuu to whisper to him. The only time they weren't trying to get into each others throats was when that woman was present. Mostly because of the humiliating scolding they would face, but also because they found a way of "bonding" in a safe way: Betting what would the very one and only Yvonne Beauchene and their father would do to each other. Even to the very end, those bets were... Amusing, to say the least.

“Give her a few minutes and we see. I'm actually surprised she's crying like that...”

They both froze, and then looked at Yvonne again. Those were, at least seemingly, real tears. She was crying for real?! They never saw that woman cry like that without crocodile tears, yet here they were.

“M-Ma'am, please, do not cry. He's in a better place.” A man tried to console her as they were in the entrance. The woman saw another man handed her a handkerchief to dry her face and gently grabbed it. Her dark make-up was running down her face and she looked absolutely destroyed.

“I-I just need some time alone with him and the rest of his family... I'm begging all of you, please...”

As she got closer people who knew her started to get out. They all thought that Yvonne needed some time alone with Karl, just like she told them to. None of the seemingly young boys nor Yui said anything until everyone else got out, leaving them and the woman. She kept weeping, and weeping and weeping...

"How could this happen to him, of all people?!”

Until the doors closed, that is.

“Oh, Karl, my dear, dear...”

Her weeping slowly disappeared as she turned around to see if the coast was clear she then smiled like a wicked witch, and finished her sentence.

“My dear son of a bitch, you sure took your time to finally do everyone a favour and perish.”

Yvonne cleared her throat as she snapped her fingers, and a white, sparkling smoke surrounded her, dissolving just a few seconds later. She wasn't wearing her black attire anymore, but she was wearing a blue, long and elegant blue party dress with a white, light cape. Her face was no longer messed up, and it was as clean and smug as ever. Hell, she even had a cigarette with a holder and everything on her right hand. The only ones that noticed this at first were the eldest Sakamaki brothers since the others were heading back to the door.

“Well, well, would you look what the cat dragged in.”

Most of the boys snapped their necks towards the woman, not sure if they heard right or if it was just their imagination. But the eldest Sakamaki brothers, with the exception of Subaru, didn't seem that surprised at the sudden change of tone and attitude.

There was a pause from the matriarch for a few seconds, as if expecting him to answer that, but it was obvious that he couldn't.

“You know, out of respect for the whole people that worked this hard to make this happen and your sons and people that are genuinely devastated about your passing, I'm trying so damn hard to resist the urge of flipping the table and your cold, dead body.” She made a face that could only be described as "OK, nevermind what I said" as she leaned over the open coffin, supporting her weight with her arm. “Not like you were anything else when you were not dead, of course.”

“Excuse you—” Ruki was about to interfiere with what he thought was an insult to the person that saved his life and siblings, but the Sakamaki eldest soon covered his mouth with a little smile.

"Let her have this.”

“Thank you, Shuu.” Said the woman before turning her attention back to the dead old hag. “I'll be completely honest with you, Karl, I was a little bit worried that there were going to be a lot of the ghost of your victims here crying about this "oh so heartbreaking" day. But no, none of them are here weeping about you, everyone is actually having a good time celebrating your end and your sad life right on the graveyard a few blocks down the road, you clown.” She made a glass filled with sparkling alcohol appear on her other hand and took a sip from it. “Did you know Beatrix is actually smiling about it? Yeah, I didn't see that one coming either. Never saw her this happy since Shuu and Reiji were born.”

The second son cleared his throat, trying to give her a sign that if that was a joke, it wasn't funny in the slightest, but she acknowledged it by sighing and nodding. Jeez, what a killjoy. Even Subaru was giggling at the comment.

“I mean, I even expected one of your most loyal servants to show up, since you always loved bragging about how kind you were to them and shit but not even your dentist showed up, my god.”

The Sakamaki brothers were actually having a hard time not laughing not only at Yvonne's petty and spiteful comments, but at the Mukami brothers' faces as well. They looked absolutely and utterly furious but knew they could do nothing about it, since there Shuu was literally now their king, a it was clear that the woman was on his good side.

“Yvonne, please, calm do—” Yui tried to get close to her, but Ayato stopped her from doing so by holding her forearm carefully. She glanced at him, and he just shook his head.

“There are people that cried when your brother died. Because it wasn't you.” He glanced at the triplets, making a gesture with her hands. “And Ritcher himself was a whore, let me tell you that! What. A. Whore. He was!”

“I mean— The old man had more game than Ritcher ever had—”

“He remains a whore, Laito. Both of them.”

A few of the boys got closer to the woman to hear and see the show she was putting better. Subaru stretched his hand at Yui and, with a heavy sigh and a smile full of resignation, she handed him a bag full of popcorn. To hell with it, it was the only fun thing that was happening today and he was going to enjoy every second left of it.

“Anyway, now, my final words to you; the man— No, the monstrosity that was not only my king and the rot of everything bad in the world, but also the mastermind behind what ended up being the destruction of millions of millions of people.”

Her smile slowly faded the more she looked into his face. The white-haired woman could feel her rage building up on her, boiling by the second, and everyone in the room could see that from a mile away. The aura now was heavy and not playful, just like before.

“KarlHeinz "Tougo" Sakamaki, you were a sanctimonious, vacuous, craven, disgusting, clown-looking cockroach the time you were alive and it will never not infuriate me that you outlived thousands of talented, kind, wonderful and generous people, both humans and supernatural beings, that were more fitting to be my king than you ever were...!”

It could be seen that what just came out of her lips was how she truly felt. It made the Mukami family furious, except for the youngest, who was now wondering if there was more secrets and traps into the man that saved their lives than they knew, and thinking how it was useless to even question that now, since the answers will be buried away. And, honestly, it did surprise Shuu a little what Yvonne said with such anger, since they both looked like they were, at least, "frenemies" or somethings dumb like that. But he knew he couldn't blame her, since no matter how intelligent his father was, he wasn't a good king, nor a good husband, nor a good father, nor anything such as a good person. And as much as he wanted to follow his steps for the sake of the people that were now on his hands, it was obvious that it was never going to happen, not if he wanted to get things better.

“Young people like your own children and the poor girls you sent into your house to their death that not only had to endure your awfully obstreperous personality but actual and genuine tortures!” Without looking back at the brothers, she pointed at them, and didn't noticed they all looked the other way. Yui, feeling rather nauseous and dizzy at the whole aura the room took, stepped outside to take a breather, with Ayato and Laito following her. It was a bit much for them.

“And abusing your power not only as the ruler of the whole Demon Realm but also of the greatest and most important politician in the Human Realm to treat your own children like toys and not actual people, and parading your pompous, egocentric, proud and wrinkly ass around this world like some sort of IKEA version if Merlin, if not acting like the cheap clown you were!”

Yvonne closed her eyes tightly and rested her body by her arms supporting her weight once more on the coffin when a hand gently took place on her shoulder. Tears were running down her face again, and this time, they were real, but not because he died... Or maybe, that was one of the reasons, but it was actually hard to tell today. She placed a hand on top of Shu's, and carefully squeezed two of his fingers, now setting herself straight while taking a deep breath, and calming herself down. Her smile came back just in time since the trio came back from taking a breath, and Shu slowly took his hand away from hers, now letting her continue.

“Alright, I'm getting heated, so here are my final thoughts of your bitch ass.” She glanced at him, with a smile that could only be translated as "I'm going to be dancing on your grave on this date every single year" when she sighed. “I wish you a nice trip, Karl. Hell's been colder than usual and I'm sure you'll be loving the freezing part of its many rings. It's fitting, considering that you sent one of your children to fight polar bears, let's see how good you're fighting them yourself.” And just like that, she turned around while waving and making her way to the door. The eldest Sakamaki saw that Ruki was about to say something to her, but he made a gesture to him to shut him up, and followed her outside.

Of course, seeing her sat down the stairs while taking a cigarette was the last thing he expected. She was usually so elegant and fancy and shit...

“... You know I dislike it when you talk in our behalf when it comes to our family.” He sat down next to her, groaning to show annoyance, but in reality, he wasn't even upset about it. Everything about this day just seems so... Unreal to him.

“I know, I know. I'm-I'm so sorry...” The woman sighed as she closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her stuttering was unusual, but she was just... Conflicted with her emotions. That's all.

“... Doesn't mean you're wrong at everything you just said, though.”

“Heh. Thank you, I suppose.” Her golden eyes glanced at the boy. Since when was he this tall? He was just a pouty little one not too long ago. “So— How does it feel?”

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

“You know... This day in general.”

“Ah, that.” His sapphire eyes went up, kind of admiring the night sky. “Well... I guess I don't mind. Or, perhaps... I do? It's hard to tell when he's barelybeen in the picture at all, you know? He's not—...” He paused, frowning and gulping a knot that formed inside his throat. “He's not like August.”

“Hm. Fair enough...” Her thin and pale hand ran through his hair, and just as she expected, he growled. “Oh, don't be such a killjoy now. It's not like you dislike it, now is it?”

“I'm not a kid anymore, woman. Know your place...” A cocky, smug smile crossed his face, and looked at her with what could be described as an "evil look", but she didn't flinch nor seemed taken aback because of it. “Because you're talking to your king in a disrespectful way, you know?”

“Oh, please, I didn't respect your father, what makes you think you'll be any different?” The Kurosawa matriarch finally stopped caressing his hair, shaking her head. “But I suppose I can actually show my respect towards a decent ruler, so, who knows?”

“... Thank you. For coming, I mean.”

“Yeah... Thank you, too, for helping me calm down back there.”

She got up, along with Shuu, and fixed her clothing. Turning their heads when they heard a car honking, it was clear they came to pick her up.

“Well, that's my ride. Will you guys be alright?”

“Hah? What do you mean?”

“Well, just like you said, you're the king now...” Yvonne's golden eyes locked with Shuu's. Her expression seemed neutral, but there was a little glimpse of worry. Was she worried about him? Hmp. Not only insulting, but also hilarious...

... But it was nice that there truly was someone that actually cared.

“... Yeah. We'll be just fine. After all...” There was a pause, and Yvonne noticed that, for once, Shuu was truly relaxed. “It's over.”

“... Alright. Then, we'll see each other again, but who knows when~?”

“Yeah, yeah, keep your old songs to yourself, woman.”

As Yvonne got into the car and soon drove off, Shuu just kept waving until it was out of sight. A sigh left his lips, and thought of the shit load of paperwork that there's going to be again. Not only that, but the great amount of people and other creatures that he's going to have against not only him, but the others as well. Will he be able to protect them all? Are things going to be ok? Shit. Now that he was alone, it was like every single one of his worries came into him in one go. The only thing that got him out of them was his phone ringing two short times. As he got it out, a message popped up.

“By the way! I didn't tell you this, but August was wondering if you needed some help with anything. He's been worried all day and wanted to come but I said no.”

“Well... Paperwork might be a pain.”

“Say no more. We'll be at your house tomorrow morning. At nine o'clock, sharp.”

Well, one problem solved. Maybe this day wasn't as dull as he expected.

#Yvonne Beauchene #the kurosawa family #kurosawa family #Kurosawa drabble #multifandom ocs #multifandom crossover #multifandom #multifandom fanfiction #multifandom fic #diabolik lovers #diabolik lovers oc #diabolikloversoc #diabolik lovers fanfiction

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lovebecomeshim · 3 years

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hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?

Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.

*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!

This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.

I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)

The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.

And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.

(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)

The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.

First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.

The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.

(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)

They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.

(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)

Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)

Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.

Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.

Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—

And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.

Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.

There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:

There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.

Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).

Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.

Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.

The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.

And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.

tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.

So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.

youtube

#zutara #atla #zutara rant #like really the way the canon relationships were written throughout s3 #it would’ve been more believable for zutara to happen #or at least be hinted at #all of the major issues presented in those relationship were dug up extensively and then... never resolved #and then they just slapped some kisses on a screen and said ‘there all better’#and we just kinda had to say ‘oh ok guess it’s all better then’#this got long I’m sorry #I wrote it all out and then tumblr ate 2/3 of it #which is why it took so long #and what I’ve written now doesn’t even match what I had before #because there’s too much to say about why I love zutara #and the stuff I left out the first time is what came out this time #rip to my original thoughts but this post is different #anyway that’s why this took so long #and I should’ve just made a PowerPoint...#I can do that too if you’d rather not read all of this lol #I won’t be offended #this is incoherent #Alia rambles uselessly #also hoping this doesn’t end up in any wrong tags because I don’t wanna step on toes lol #it’s not anti!! it’s just critical #in a compare/contrast way #I can pinpoint the moment when I started trying to rewrite my points from memory #because everything gets shorter and more succinct #like... I really said all that??? sounds fake and I don’t remember it anyway so here’s the condensed version #with no!! smooth!!! transitions!!!!#also why am I so lazy with proper grammar over text

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heretherebedork · 3 years

Text

I am here to hurt myself by watching WBL2. I know it ends in a reward but the beginning is nothing but agony and why I haven't watched it before. I am already in pain just from watching any tiny amount of pain of these boys.

lol I am literally refering to this as my day of atonement.

... I did make a very nice Rosh Hashanah post but that doesn't make me particularly religious, tbh. Cultural Judaism, yo.

Also, pain. Hi pain.

Ugh, I avoided this pain for so long. Now I'm here for it. One post. I'm only making this one post. @absolutebl I'm doing it! I know how much you love this, though.

Oh, fuck it, if I'm trying to limit all my rambling to one post I might as well read more it. I ramble so much.

Ep 1:

Oh look pain. Pain. And more pain. Yup. Yup. I hate this kind of plot even if I know it resolves well. At least it's not cheating but STILL hi dying. Shu Yi is a darling boy who deserved better than five years of nothing for any reason and Gao Shi De should have been better than that. Even knowing it ends well doesn't make this easier. dgkldf GODDAMN IT SELF. Just watch the show and stop being a baby about emotional pain.

Awww, the matching ties! I've seen that post a dozen times and love it every time and it's good to see.

The fucking way Gao Shi De just tries to walk back into his life without a second word or hesitation or thought makes me SO DAMN TWITCHY. Poor Shu Yi. Also, Gao Shi De deserves every punch and slap and uuughhh this show was designed to hurt me. I HATE relationships falling apart. Absolutely my least favorite trope/plot point of practically all time.I hate it I hate iiiit I hate it so muuuuuch.

I mean, damn, the acting here is amazing beyond words, obviously. But that just makes it hurt more. Especially Shu Yi's pain that he's put behind so much anger and work just to keep himself functional and it's damn gorgeous DAMNit.

Ep 2:

Darling Shu Yi deserved so much better. Even though Gao Shi De wasn't cheating on him, he deserved better than the silence and disappearance and he deserves the goddamn world. Ugh literally like a minute into the episode and already there is so much pain. I know they end up happy but I almost want to just tell Shu Yi to tell Gao Shi De to fuck off forever.

Nope, Gao Shi De, you deserve the pain. Shu Yi does't, you do, your upset doesn't get me upset. Shu Yi's pain is the only one I regret in this show. But, seriously, doing all this in front of the whole company is such a bastard move in his part honestly. Poor Shu Yi, seriously.

I do love my tiny obviously favorite character, though, and his tiny inability to sit and his tiny double hands for everything and I adore him beyond measure.

Ugh, Shu Yi choosing to fake the return of trust and friendship and love and I am proud of him for doing that and no, I don't care, Gao Shi De deserves it. I mean, it's not a good or healthy choice but, you know what, I'm okay with that.

But seriously. Poor Shu Yi. Has to deal with being ghosted and then Gao Shi De's return and then an extremely drunk ex crying on him when he's just trying to go to work... at midnight, okay, maybe not healthy either.

Ep 3:

Oh, Gao Shi De. You're an idiot. I mean that... only with a tiny bit of affection and mostly with me rolling my eyes. Making a promise to his dad wasn't bright of you. I mean, seriously, 5 years without contacting him, telling him what happened and on the condition that Shu Yi doesn't try to move on in five years of being completely ghosted. That's just dumb to an astonishingly level of dumb.

Ugh, poor Shu Yi. Your dad and your ex are both idiots and they deserve to get away from you just like you want. Seriously. You poor young man. You deserved so much better from the people you love.

But seriously fuck Gao Shi De and Shu Yi's dad. You're both idiots who don't deserve him. Especially his dad. But also especially Gao Shi De. Seriously. This is why we talk to people, damnit. Poor Shu Yi.

Why, yes, that's my main take away from this show. Shu Yi deserved so much better. Gao Shi De's need to constantly solve everything by himself is the biggest problem in the show, oy vey.

OF COURSE he wants to go back to that time. He was loved and loved and trusted you and happy and comfortable and who wouldn't want to go back to that?

Yu Zhen Xuan is my darling, obviously, and Pei Shou Yi's wanting to take care of him but also to stay away from him for his own sake. Oh, boys.

Ep 4:

I know they get better at some point. I really do. Shu Yi is still breaking my heart, though. I just want to see the poor darling smile and not in a flashback.

Oh, Shu Yi. You deserve the world, seriously. I mean, I'm glad you've managed to come back around to trying to believe in Gao Shi De. I really am. But man he doesn't deserve it. But also ugh, this embrace, utterly fantastic. Darling Shu Yi is finally smiling!

And poor Yu Zhen Xuan trying to ask about Pei Shou Yi so deseperately and being denied everything... ugh, I love him so much. But mostly just Yu Zhen Xuan wanting that connection so badly but always, again and again, denied and I just want to comfort him so badly. Yes, he's coming to you but, I mean, what is friendship but going to other people for comfort? Awww, the two ramens. The BABY.

But also darling Shu Yi is finally smiling and Gao Shi De does bring him comfort and love and they're genuinely good to and for each other, at least, once they're together. Now they just need to actually talk to each other about what happened.

The simultaneous "DAD" was gorgeous. Okay, that was really good.

Ep 5:

Ah, my long awaited darling boy's backstory that I know and love. The tiny panic and fear and the way he jumps and fights back at the tiniest thing... I love this feral teenager SO MUCH and then he grows up into a CTO for a major company and it's even better.

Plus, Pei Shou Yi looking for him after telling him not to come back because the mug got returned? Ugh, heartbreaking but in like a sad, small kind of way.

And the darling CEOs teasing each other in front of their employees while also in suits and being uplifting and good at supporting them? A+ how does one go about getting bosses like that? Also, how Shu Yi looks at Gao Shi De when he's being a good boss? Also A+.

Okay, yes, they're adorable and tiny and the piggyback ride while also in suits and looking fine is simple the best of the best and Gao Shi De taking care of Shu Yi while also confronting his father is frankly amazing. Oh, darling boys.

Gao Shi De, he already admitted that he did this entirely to trick you and Shu Yi is perfectly willing to take a stand against his father. Stop trying to win him over. Let Shu Yi handle his family. His dad's an idiot and he's not gonna listen to you.

Ep 6:

More backstory for my darling feral teenager and the doctor who took care of him at his lowest. I love them both so much. I wish they'd gotten more of a story but I'm not entirely sure I want a third season about them either.

Portable boyfriend! Well! Portable boy... friend...

Also, Shu Yi and Gao Shi De, you have no right to talk about them not communicating, seriously boys, love you to death but seriously communication... actually, honestly, Shu Yi is great at communication. He can criticize them. Gao Shi De has no right.

Pei Shou Yi, seriously, you say these things about not having any emotion but you also admit that you knew he evoked a response from you. You definitely remembered and had feelings about him when you were separated. I mean, you even saved the ramen that was his favorite. You looked for him. I know it's scary but that's okay.

Shu Yi is just so adorable about meeting the in-laws and being all awkward and adorable and it's beyond cute and then the talk about his dad and family and they're just adorable and domestic and sweet and how dare they.

Literally, Shu Yi is the best person in the world and the two people who love him most can learn a lot from him.

Ugh, Yu Zhen Xuan is my baby and I love him so much and he's just doing his best to be his best and he wants to love and be loved but he's trying so hard and I love him so much. He's just such a darling and he also deserves the world and to be loved just as he loves.

And we had to have another pool kiss, of course, what darlings.

Pei Shou Yei: I don't experience emotions... except the ones involved in protect Yu Zhen Xuan because those aren't emotions, those are just natural urges and don't count.

Awww, proposals are always adorable and sweet.

I did it! I've finally watched the whole thing, between dramacool and dailymotion I've managed to watch this show. Yay for me!

#bl drama #bl series #i'm not really gonna tag this #i'm so late to the game #but also agony #so you know #lol i finally did it #now my list of shows i have considered watching but chosen not to is at least one shorter

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musicallisto · 3 years

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Hi, congrats on 800 followers! Can I please get a Six of Crows ship? I’m have short brown hair (I dyed red last week) and green eyes. I don't mind if im shipped with a girl or a boy. I like reading (no romantic novels), music and photography. I'm Aquarius. I’m very curious. I'm a little shy and even cold at first. I’m not good with feelings, I mostly keep them to myself if I can, but I care deeply for my loved ones and would do anything to help them, even if I'm not very good at giving advice. ☆

hi! here’s your vanilla milkshake, I hope you like it! I ship you with jesper fahey!

You don’t imagine the extent of my joy to be able to add a gif of an actual real person for Jesper... however shall I survive until Aprid 23rd?

For the longest time, you thought the world started and ended at your corner of Fjerda, in your frozen estate by the True Sea.

You were descented from minor Fjerdan nobility, and your father, jaded by Court Life and its political intrigues - and, unofficially, penniless after giving his all for the sempiternal wars on Ravka -, had decided to leave the capital and retire to his family’s estate by the sea a few years after you were born.

All you had ever known were the large, marbled corridors you’d spend entire afternoons wandering, daydreaming about adventures in the confines of the country - or living the lavish life of a true Fjerdan princess, in an outrageously enormous bed of satin sheets...

The house was spacious and beautiful, with a marvelous view over the sea, gently carrying its boats to and fro before you - and you’d stay there on the balcony in your flowy white dress, admiring the ocean until you couldn’t fight the chills of the night creeping up your spine anymore; but as tranquil and languid as your existence was, it was also terribly lonely.

All you longed for was a sibling, a friend, a partner in crime, someone you could explore the world and go on quests with...

... until a lighting bolt tore the silence, one night.

You couldn’t sleep, so you had gone on a walk by the shore as you often did - your father was never worried about it, since you knew the rocks and their cracks like the back of your hand, and would know the way back home even with your eyes closed.

But you were so absorbed by the distant twinkling of stars that you didn’t notice the shadows creeping up behind you until it was too late.

Screams in a language you can’t understand; an arm around your neck in a chokehold, another slipping under your knees; you thrash around, slice all you can, bite and claw at all you can grasp...

Your abductors know better than to let Fjerdan nobility get away from their grasp. They don’t know exactly who you are - but they’ve guessed from the distinguished aspect of your house that there’s a fine sum to gain from whoever will be willing to pay for you - your father for a ransom, or anyone else, in Kerch, who’ll make good use of your services.

Those brothels in Ketterdam pay good money for young girls, they hear - even more so for a Fjerdan pearl.

When they throw you on an overloaded carriage like a potato sack, you’re still yelling at the top of your lungs, pleading for your father, for one of your maids, for anyone to help you.

But no one hears.

You shed all the tears you have in the first night, tossed around in a dark chariot, off to somewhere unknown. Your father hasn’t prepared you for this - nothing, not even your books nor your fantastical imaginary adventures...

But you don’t intend on being sold off that easily. So you devise a plan to get away.

The first opportunity to break free presents itself when your kidnappers force you to board a ship; but they manage to catch you before you’ve run very far.

But second time’s the charm; with nothing better to do during the voyage than to bide your time and gnaw at your bonds, you’re able to slip from your captor’s watch, and blindly run through the harbor - just to get as far as possible from the stench of this floating carcass.

The first thing that strikes you is the odor. You’ve known the sea forever - it’s clear and bright as ice, and smells of fresh mornings and cold salt; never of this green rot that festers everywhere in these streets... and all those chimneys, all those people, who stare you down as you run down these grimy streets, barefoot in your off-white dress...

You understand that you’re farther from home than you’ve ever been, and it’s not a thrilling adventure, it’s terrifying and overwhelming, and you want nothing more than to burst into tears.

But you don’t, because a pair of strangers flag you down in a language you don’t understand.

A tall and lanky dark-skinned boy, wearing vibrant fabric and a self-assured grin; and possibly the most beautiful girl you’ve ever seen in your life, all bright eyes and genuine frown.

Paralyzed, you open your mouth, once, twice, incapable of making the slightest sound; until the girl notices your visible discomfort, and, eyeing your pale eyes, asks in the slightest of Ravkan accents;

“Are you Fjerdan?”

You nod with all your soul. You’re ready to cling onto them both for dear life.

“What happened to you?”

Your voice fails you - you can’t explain it - you haven’t even comprehended it all. You were curled up in front of the fireplace just the night before...

“Do you have anywhere to go?”

You shake your head with despair, trying to blink back the tears.

“Come with us. We know someone who’ll help you.”

You don’t mull it over very long. Maybe it’s your sheltered uprbinging that has made you naive; maybe it’s the curiously comforting warmth you see in the Ravkan girl’s eyes; but you simply have no better option, and you can’t understand a word of Kerch, or wherever it is that this barbarian folk speak.

Although your two saviors start arguing, probably about whether or not they can reasonably take you in, your tear-stained cheeks and desperate vulnerability are enough to convince them - so you follow them.

Into the lair of the Dregs, of whom you’ve never heard - and of Kaz Brekker, who you know very well.

After all, he’s the infamous gangster who invaded your homeland, broke into the Ice Court, and stole the Shu boy - or so you saw your father read in the papers. To know that you are under the same roof as that lowlife would be enough to give your father a heart attack...

You’re half convinced that he’ll throw you back to the streets, but Nina and, surprisingly, Jesper as well, plead in your favor with a greatly convincing fervor. You learn that it’s probably because Kaz has much greater worries on his mind - the criminal group is planning on retrieving one of their own from the clutches of a treacherous business partner, or so you’ve gathered.

Either way, you’re more than happy that the terrifying and redoubtable Kaz Brekker is leaving you alone, and that you can enjoy Jesper’s company.

You two become unexpectedly good friends overtime. He comes to visit you at the Crow Club, where you’re staying, almost every day. Yet communication is not your strong suit, especially in a language you don’t understand at all, and you don’t fancy yourself a particularly enthralling girl to be around.

Not when one has lived the life of a criminal, a sharpshooter, a wanderer, a playboy... well, all those things that Jesper prises himself on being, and all those words he’s taught you in Kerch.

(That and the curse words, of course, that you’re a bit intimidated to use at first, until they slip out of your mouth one evening when you drop your plate at dinner with the Dregs, and the entire canteen falls dead silent.)

“Did she just say ‘fuck’?”

“I think she just said fuck.”

“See, Matthias, she wasn’t immediately struck by lighting by Djel’s hand. You won’t die if you say it.”

Speaking of Matthias, he’s also a good friend of yours - it’s comforting and refreshing to have a familiar face around, one of Fjerdan roots and mores.

Although the rest of the group says you’re not that Fjerdan.

“You’re one of the feisty ones, at least.”

“I’m not ‘feisty’. Shut up, Jesper.”

“Ah, I see you’ve been working on the vocabulary I taught you!”

Matthias and you both have a lot of soul-searching and unlearning to do about the outside world - you were raised in particularly bigoted environments, you somewhat less than him. The hatred for the Grisha he’s been taught by the Drüskelle is fear in your case; you’ve been brought up on bedtime stories of bloodthirsty Grisha who devour unruly kids, and war and devastation caused by their unstability and blasphemous magic.

It’s even more of a shock to you when you learn Jesper is a Grisha.

Unbeknownst to you, you’ve started to fall a little for him - how could you not? He’s funny, charming, sarcastic and witty; always has the best stories to tell, and despite it all, sincerely cares for you amidst the chaos of their heist and revenge plans.

But to learn he was the kind of monster - no, the kind of creature - no, the kind of person, you force yourself to correct mentally - that you had been taught to fear for your entire life...

“I’m so sorry. You should never have been there.”

He’s pacing back and forth in your room after a shootout has gone awry and you were caught in the crossifre; it’s the first time he’s ever had to use his Durast powers to get you of the mess - and normally he wouldn’t have, because it’s a secret he wishes he could carry to the grave, but the fear of losing you was too strong...

“Thank god that I was there, though. What would you do without me?”

He’s fidgety and restless, nervously playing with his pistols, and his nervous laugh is all but genuine; and you’re huddled up on your bed, staring him down with wide eyes.

“Jesper, you...”

“Yeah, maybe not the best moment.”

“Jesper...”

“It’s like they have a knack for knowing exactly where we’re gonna be and when...”

“Jesper!”

He abruptly turns to look at you, and his eyes widen. He’s starting to understand, almost, but refuses to believe it. Your voice is a murmur, and you can hardly hold his gaze.

“Jesper, are you... going to hurt me?”

His words die in his throat. He remembers where you’re from... the garbage that they must have filled your ears and head with from the day you were born... how feverish Matthias was with Nina... he looks at his hands, and his Materialki magic rumbles like a dark curse.

“Y/N, you’re scared of me?”

The sheer hurt in his voice breaks your heart. Even though you’re trembling, you let him step closer to you, slowly. It’s Jesper in front of you, not some ungodly monster from legends... Jesper, your Jesper...

“I’m... I’m sorry...”

He cups your face in his hands, warm and just a bit moist, and stares into your eyes with a vulnerability you have never seen in him.

“I’d never do anything to hurt you, Y/N, I swear on my life. All I want is you to be safe...”

Safe from me, if that’s what you wish, he thinks for a split second, but you don’t give him time to doubt; you’ve captured his lips in a frenzied kiss, and hold on for dear life onto his lean shoulders.

Fjerda and its blind hatred is very far from you, now. You're locked in Jesper's embrace, and you won't have to hear their lies anymore.

You know you have nothing to fear from him; not now, and not ever.

800 follower sleepover CLOSED!

#sarcasticandfangirl #800sleepover #THIS GOT SO LONG OMG i need to write for six of crows already the inspiration is unquenchable #six of crows #soc #grishaverse #ship request #jesper fahey #jesper fahey x reader #jesper fahey headcanons #six of crows headcanons

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kyouxa · 4 years

Text

Diabolik lovers Chaos Lineage: Shu Sakamaki (Euphoria END)

Place: Secret room — Interior lights

Yui: ...Agh, Nn...

Where is this place… ?

(No, I remember… I kissed Shu-san in the church as the surroundings started to suspiciously become brighter—)

(What exactly happened then?)

Shu: This place here, isn’t it part of the Eden’s castle… ?

Yui: Does that mean, we successfully got out of the miniature garden?

(Everyone is laying on the ground, I think they fainted. There’s no way they’d be… !)

Karlheinz: You have finally been summoned back.

Shu: ….. ! Father… !

Yui: Karlheinz-sama, why… ?

Karlheinz: You seem to be quite surprised, Eve. This right here is my castle. It would not be strange to assume I was here as well, right?

Yui: T-That’s right, I guess. But then why is it that you’re not surprised we’re here… ?

Karlheinz: Ah, that is because I have been watching you during your time there.

Yui: Eh… !?

Shu: As expected, this was your doing all along.

Karlheinz: Not really. I have not arranged the plot of this plan.

My friend has been the one who created the place, alterated your memories and searched for someone worth as Adam.

You were the ones imprisoned in a probation we referred to as ’miniature garden’.

Yui: That was an acquaintance of yours, Karlheinz-sama… ?

Karlheinz: I, myself, have not expected the play my accompaniment had started to carry out to turn out this way.

I had been aware of my companion doubting if the chosen person was truly worthy to be in charge of Adam’s position.

He, therefore, errassed, your memories, and love... with everything successfully being overwritten, Eve was once again able to choose all in her new given situation.

Yui: So that was the reason for the fight of the supreme ruler...

Shu: As you’d expect of a person you call your friend. They must’ve gotten the same way of thinking as you too.

Karlheinz: Stunningly, Adam and Eve overcame their trial, and then demonstrated the true love that lies between them.

Shu, you are unmistakably Adam. This has been proven by you obtaining Eve’s love.

Regarding the birth of your new life, you will receive my power, my throne, and my outer garment.

Shu: ...Your power, huh?

...No matter how much I hate you, you’d still be willing to give me your powers, right?

Yui: (Shu-san…)

Karlheinz: Of course. There is no way I would accept a refusal.

Shu: Hmm… if so—

I’ll never want them.

Yui: ….. !

Shu: I still have siblings I’d consider better matches to be sitting on the throne.

Yui: (Ah… he means Kino-kun…)

Shu: Even if we settled this matter with a sword fight, we still were in an unforeseen situation. And I think this is not fair towards him.

I don’t want to receive those powers, at least not until things are still unsettled between you and him.

Karlheinz: I see. You have chosen to take this path on your own will.

Shu: Yes. Even if you were to force them on me against my will, I’d still push them away and firmly continue refusing them.

Karlheinz: ...So you did choose your own destiny.

Yui: Eh?

Karlheinz: All right. I will patiently wait for the day, you will accept being my successor, to arrive.

Everything is up to you, Adam and Eve. Both of your choices matter—

*Karlheinz disappears*

Yui: Ah! Karlheinz-sama!

(He completely vanished…)

(But with this… we’re really out of the miniature garden)

We’re all finally back to reality now, right?

Shu: Yes, this prank of him has finally come to an end. The incomplete settlement between our father and Kino will probably be the next problem.

...I’m glad though. You stayed safe until the very end of this all.

Yui: That’s only because Shu-san kept on protecting me.

No, you didn’t only protect me, you literally saved everyone...

Monologue

As we smiled at each other, we got closer to everyone who had lost their consciousness.

Luckily, nobody was damaged from coming back to the normal world.

And most importantly — Shu-san ended up facing his father, Karlheinz-sama, on his complete own determination.

Many different incidents, over and over again, happened in the miniature garden we were trapped in. But those experiences might’ve really been able to change each of our destinies, even if it’s just a little bit.

We’re now definitely ready for a new path—

Place: Sakamaki mansion — Shu’s bedroom

Yui: Shu-san. Say, how long do you still intend to lay in bed?

If you don’t actually get up anytime soon, Reiji-san might come up to scold you again.

Shu: Hmm… shut up...

Yui: C’mon, stop being so stubborn already… today’s the spring cleaning of the mansion, so everyone has to cooperate in that, even you.

Shu: I’m passing...

Yui: You can’t just casually pass that. Look, please do it for me and get out of bed.

*window suddenly shakes*

Yui: ….. !

What the… it really seems as if the wind is shaking the window pretty roughly.

Shu: ...What did you just say to me?

Yui: Oh, the shaking window made me simply wonder if Kino-kun would be willing to come by and pay us a visit one day.

Monologue

To be honest, I haven’t seen Kino-kun ever since the day we left the space.

But now that everyone is back together in this world, I’m more than sure he’s safe too.

Considering Kino-kun’s character, it wouldn’t take long until he might make another appearance either.

If that becomes reality, I’d wish for him to come and live together with us here then.

After all, they’re still brothers.

Place: Sakamaki mansion — Shu’s bedroom

Yui: (He might appear all of the sudden again someday. Everyone would surely be surprised if that happened though)

*Shu gets up*

Shu: Why is it that Kino concerns you that much anyway?

Yui: Eh? Ah! When did you get up so fast?

Shu: That’s not worth worrying about.

*Shu gets closer*

Yui: Kyaaaa!? Shu-san, keep your distance...

Shu: Shut up. And? What kind of nonsense did you think about exactly?

Yui: Err, umm… I just thought about how Kino-kun could live in the mansion with us together if he’d ever come over...

Shu: …Is that really the case? Are you seriously terrible enough to think about another man while being in front of me?

Yui: N-No, you’re wrong. I’m simply being worried—

*Shu undresses her*

Yui: Eh… Eek!

*Shu pushes her closer*

Yui: ….. ! Shu-san!

Shu: It’s pretty bold of you to get ahead of yourself like that.

Yui: That’s… you were the one dragging me into all of this so suddenly though!?

Shu: Leaving that aside, the punishment you’ll receive now is for being so extra. Guess I’ll have to mature you by sucking your blood again.

Like this, I’ll once more let your body understand who you legitimately belong to.

Yui: Y-You can’t do that now. Everyone‘s waiting for us in the living room—

Shu: Nn… Nn...

Yui: Ahh… Shu-san…

Shu: You just said you’d dislike doing this, and now your face seems as if it’s in desperate need of my fangs...

Yui: That’s because Shu-san was still acting all sleepy until some time ago...

Shu: Heh, repeat that. This almost sounded as if you wanted to incite me.

Do you really want me to spoil you with pain that much today?

Yui: I-I don’t want you to do that. Everyone’s still waiting downstairs, so we seriously have to go there soon too.

Besides...

Shu: Besides?

Yui: When you’re sucking my blood, I want it to be during a time the both of us could be at ease...

Shu: …..

Yui: ...Shu-san?

♡Roses♡

The kiss: Fufu, you must really like those sorts of sweet kisses the most. I can tell since it's written all over your cute face.

Shu’s hand: Come even closer to me. I need to make sure you stay as long as I need you to.

Shu: You’re really… do you even understand what you say sometimes? ...Nn...

Yui: Nn… ! Hmm!?

(Nn, I can’t breathe anymore…)

Shu: ...I only wanted to tease you in order to get you a little salty. But I changed my mind.

Now you have to take responsibility for that. Nn… Haa… Nn...

Yui: Nn… Ah… I wasn’t doing this on purpose though.

(Shu-san’s fangs are so deep in my skin by now… but I still feel how gentle he is…)

(This once again made me realize what a nice person Shu-san is, and how much I love him from the bottom of my heart…)

(Yes, that’s right. I’m really deeply in love with Shu-san)

Shu-san… if everyone is already going to get angry, let’s have them get angry at the both of us, okay… ?

Shu: We better run away before they get to do that then. After we returned from the miniature garden, they’ve seriously got way too troublesome for me anyway.

Yui: But that’s only because they’re now relying on you as their eldest brother.

Shu: It’s not as if I wanted them to need me that much anyway. The only one I need is you, after all.

You’re the only one who, no matter the situation, I wouldn’t want to get separated from.

Yui: ...Yes, same. I’d never let go of you either.

I love you...

Shu: Yes. I love you too.

#Diabolik Lovers #diabolik lovers translation #Diabolik brothers #chaos lineage #chaos lineage diabolik lovers #diabolik lovers chaos lineage shu sakamaki translation #diabolik lovers chaos lineage shu sakamaki #diabolik lovers chaos lineage shuu sakamaki #diabolik lovers chaos lineage shuu sakamaki translation #shu sakamaki translation #Shuu Sakamaki #sakamaki shu #diabolik lovers shu #Shu Sakamaki

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evaxsombra · 3 years

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Kadeu: Indvidual Task

; ON FAMILY & SELF-DISCOVERY an interview with Four of Spade, Evangeline Santiago

Tell us about how Eva feels about the resistance!

Eva is sprawled out on the floor, arms reaching out for the armadillo wandering around the barracks. Chupa makes a beeline for the Shifter’s welcoming arms and proceeds to make itself at home on Eva’s stomach. A furrow is forming between her brows, but she answers easily.

“I’m not against them, but I’m not for them either. I’m…curious about them. I’ve heard about them from all sorts of people and I get why the resistance is so appealing. Honestly, I almost considered joining them back when I was still a Club. Mostly ‘cause I heard they helped any lowranker who had nowhere to go. It was right after that gang I was part of left me for dead.” She rubs at the scar that peeks out from under the collar of her Spade uniform. “I figured I’d fight for any cause if it meant I didn’t have to live like that anymore, but that was then. Now, I have goals and dreams that don’t line up with the resistance. At least, not the way they go about it. I like the way I’m doing things…and between you and me, I worry ‘bout the idea of the resistance becoming something to me like that gang was. I can’t go through that again. I just can’t…Anyway! Next question! Lay it on me!”

Did finding out her parents were involved with that group change her opinion of them?

Eva startles at the question. Her eyebrows raise in surprise, a flash of hurt showing before disappearing behind a small smile.

“Wow, asking the hard questions, huh? Umm, I’m not sure. I think it’s made me want to know more about the resistance. Not join them, but figure out what exactly they’re fighting for. If I learn more about them will I learn more about my parents? Will I get to know what they were like, what they believed in if I know more about the resistance? I don’t know if I can say my opinions changed because I still don’t know enough…but mom and dad must have believed in them for a reason, right?”

What about Anton and Mallick’s involvement?

Eva sits up slowly with Chupa cradled in her arms as she moves to the bed. Her long hair masks her face. Armor that resembles the armadillo’s own starts to form on the Shifter’s skin, but she doesn’t seem to notice. It’s quiet for a moment. Eva speaks quietly, so unlike her usual, vibrant self.

“TonTon…TonTon had his reasons. I’m sure of it. He was a good person; he always looked out for me, and we always got up to trouble that we could laugh about later. I trusted him and if he—if he were still alive that wouldn’t change. No matter what the resistance stands for, TonTon deserved better than what happened to him. Instead, everyone trash talked him. And I had to listen to all of that. And not once…not ONCE did I hear the resistance speak up for him.

…

“Maybe I do have an opinion about the resistance.

“And Mallick? What is there to say?” A angry glint crosses Eva’s expression when she finally lifts her head, eyes unseeing but still managing to appear as if she’s seeing something far off.

“How can I have an opinion on someone who abandoned me? Mom and Dad trusted him and he left me with someone who he may have trusted, but turned out to be a jerk. If Mallick was a leader for the resistance…if he was part of the group that claims to help lowrankers down on their luck, why…why didn’t he help ME? But…I’ve heard all the good he’s done. He’s helped others so he isn’t a total jerk, right? I just…haven’t figured out how I feel about Mallick yet.

“…It doesn’t matter now. I have family and friends now who I know will always have my back. I love them and they love me and I’m never going to be alone again.”

Does she blame the resistance for taking her parents away from her, or will she seek them out for answers?

“Yes,” Eva answers without hesitation. Her hands are curled in her lap. Chupa cuddles closer to her in an attempt to pacify the agitated Shifter. “I blame them. I blame the resistance, but I’m not a kid anymore. I know better now. I know my parents made their decisions, that they chose to join them, to leave me. I blame the resistance, but more than anything I blame my parents. And between you and me…I’m still angry at them. I act like I’m over it because I don’t want anyone worry over me, but I’m so angry at them.

“But just because I think the resistance has some fault for my parents leaving me doesn’t mean I won’t go looking for answers from them. They owe me that much, I think. I deserve to know what caused mom and dad to walk away from the life we had together. I deserve to know what part the resistance played in making the hole I feel when I think about my parents. Don’t I?”

How has this changed her perception of her parents?

The anger is still visible, but there’s an unmistakable air of sorrow and fondness mixed into her voice.

“I love them. I always will. But now some of those very few memories I have of them are tainted. Certain things I heard around them, from them—they make more sense. It makes me wonder what exactly Mom and Dad were doing that they were able to keep their very hungry Shifter child alive for five years, if just barely. That blood I always associated with my dad’s scent…it’s hard to wrap my head around what that scent actually was when that scent is mixed with the memories of his soft singing and deep laughter.

“And Mom? I’m pretty sure she worked at the Forge…at least I think she did. She always smelled of fire and metal. Her armor was rusted…a metallic stench would sometimes cling to her. She didn’t like me hugging her when she smelled like that. She’d get so upset and even if I cried she wouldn’t come near me until she cleaned herself off and the smell wasn’t so strong.

“…I’m afraid that the memories I have of them, that all of them are being ruined by what I’ve learned so far. And I’m so scared that the more I find out, the more likely I’ll end up hating my parents.”

Of herself and her place in Kadeu?

This question seems a bit easier for Eva to answer. She smiles and it’s warmer than it’s been for most of this interview.

“I don’t think my parents’ life has to define me. I do think, though, that learning what I have about them haas changed how proactive I am in my own life. All my life, I’ve depended on others to help me, even if I wasn’t consciously doing it. Sparrow, Rook, Hilo, Anton, Shu-Ling, Ara, Prospero—they’ve all helped me to be who I am today. But after seeing what happened in Clubs three years ago and discovering my parents involvement in the resistance, I realized how helpless I was. I wanted to be able to stand on my own two feet like Mom and Dad and all those Clubs. To make decisions for myself even if they weren’t the right ones.

“I have to thank them for that. If I hadn’t gotten that push I never would have trained as hard as I did. The Spade highrankers would have never noticed. They’d never have offered me a position at the Triage as a non-magical healer. I love that job even more than I did the administrative work because I can see—well, not see, but you know what I mean—all my hard work, my parents’ influence paying off. I’m doing more and I’ve never felt prouder of myself.”

How have these revelations affected her relationship with Prospero?

The smile that had bloomed on the Shifter’s face dimmed at the question. She ducked her head to press it against Chupa’s armored body. The armor of Eva’s skin which had nearly disappeared during the previous question returned once more. She whispers:

“Prospero…hasn’t been very happy with me. We got into a fight when I first started looking into my parents and the resistance. He called me, and I quote, ‘a foolish brat who finds trouble in the sewers if she can’t find it in the sky’. Lilith got upset with him, but I couldn’t say anything. He wasn’t wrong. I always cause problems for him, but…but I couldn’t just give up on the only lead I had about my parents. All my life I’ve had questions I thought I’d never get answered, and now they’re right there in front of me, so close I can almost grasp it.

“…But I think I’m making Prospero feel like he isn’t good enough as a father. He is, I swear! I love him just like I love my dad. Well, not in the same way. Dad is dad and Prospero is Prospero so I love them both in the way they’re them if that makes sense. But I know I’m not being a good daughter. I keep hurting him. He doesn’t talk much these days. Spends most of his time in front of the fire with his drink in hand. When I try to talk to him, there isn’t any banter anymore, just grunts and grumbles. Sometimes he talks to me first and that’s when I know he still cares because he’ll tell me not to forget my coat or to have Lilith pack me a meal. Lilith says Prospero always asks after me to see how I’m doing, but that grumpy old Strongarm is too stubborn to ask me himself.

“I just want Prospero to stop being angry at me. He has to be angry. I want my grumpy, but sassy dad back…”

The interviewer thanks Eva for her time. Eva waves off the gratitude with a forced smile, stuffs the interviewer’s hands with pouches of dried fruits. She waves them off from her barrack door until they’re footsteps no longer even echo. She quietly shuts the door and huddles in bed for the rest of her day off. Eva can allow herself one day to cry, right? Then she’ll be happy again in the morning.

#kadeu: task #evaxsombra #Headcanon #have some hurt/comfort/mild angst from eva #i liked diving into this side of eva #these questions were fun and interesting #but look what you've made me do to eva

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politicalmamaduck · 3 years

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old gods still walk in these thickets

Written for midwinterspring! Their prompts were: "an intricate ritual", "old gods still walk in these thickets" (based on this Dappermouth art piece) and/or "incunabula" (the beginning of something).

Read it on AO3 here.

Alina walked, and walked. How far she walked, she could not say. Nothing around her changed; the sky was grey, and mist and fog trailed her steps. She saw and heard no one or nothing besides herself.

Still, she continued to walk, her long black cloak brushing against the ground. She would not allow herself to become nervous.

She had come so far, farther than she ever would have dared not so long ago. Or perhaps it was so long ago. Time seemed to move differently for her, now.

She rubbed her palm as she walked, as if the scar he now bore were her own. The wounds they bore each other were now nothing more than that--scars they both shared, between body, mind, and soul.

Old gods still walk in these thickets, he told her. Alina possessed no conception of those who were worshipped before the Saints. They too were before Aleksander’s time, but there were still echoes of them resonating from the Making at the Heart of the World.

Their world was still broken and needed to be healed. It would be an intricate ritual, ancient and incomprehensible, but it was a price Alina was willing to pay.

No more innocents would die for their Grisha blood.

She felt Morozova’s stag glowing within her, as if encouraging her onward, guiding her true north, even though she walked south, deep into the Sikurzoi.

Finally, the scenery changed, and the mountains loomed ahead. She continued to climb higher still, despite the temperature falling. She was grateful for her heavy cloak and its fur collar. Despite walking for what must have been hours past Dva Stolba, past Keramzin, Alina felt neither tired nor hungry. She was sustained by something else, a primeval power living inside her.

She would not allow herself to wish that Aleksander walked beside her. She could not betray her own heart by thinking the sentiment. This, she would do alone. She would not sacrifice him or his love, though she knew he would see it as a betrayal when she left him alone in Os Alta.

Better to betray him once again than to betray her own heart.

She would not think about the way his body entwined with hers the night prior, the way the sheets tangled around their legs in the night, the warmth of him curled around her.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his head this morning, then pulled the blankets up, memorizing the way his chest rose and fell with his breathing. He looked so peaceful asleep, at ease. She would not break the spell of the moment by saying goodbye.

The Darkling kept the best horses in Ravka, but even they would not have been enough to catch her by the time he learned what she had done.

Alina approached the firebird, that most ancient and majestic of beings. The firebird reared before her, spreading her wings for flight, and nearly knocked Alina off her feet. Despite the grey mist in the mountains, her wings reflected gold in their red feathers, a striking contrast to the dull earth tones surrounding them.

Unlike the first time they met, this time the firebird knew Alina was not there to claim her as an amplifier, and soon quieted. Alina knelt before her majesty, bowed her head, displaying the reverence she should have as a younger woman.

“I need your help,” she said, knowing somehow that the firebird would understand her.

…

The thickets burned so easily. The blaze of the sacred flames was hotter than anything Alina had ever experienced, but she did not dare remove her cloak. It protected her skin, still so vulnerable despite her power.

Ancient magic, she thought. Not merzost. Not the Small Science.

She circled the fire and recited words in a language no longer spoken, uncertain if she were pronouncing them correctly, but feeling them sit right on her tongue.

She would not allow herself to be distracted by thinking of her tongue in Aleksander’s mouth, his tongue inside her the night before.

The firebird flapped her wings and blew the flames even hotter. Alina knelt and waited.

Eventually, the firebird approached her and brushed a wing over her back. Alina removed a feather from her hair, the firebird’s gift for the ritual. Removing a piece of thorn wood from her pocket, she pressed into her palm, smeared her blood on the thorn and the feather. She cast them into the flames, wondering if it would become her own funeral pyre.

She waited.

Eventually, a shape emerged from the mist in the mountains and stepped through the flames. Alina knew better than to meet its eyes without permission.

“You have come a long way, Alina Starkov,” the old god said. The voice was ancient, powerful, terrible, somehow sounding like all people and none at all. She supposed such human concerns as gender did not matter to a being behind the Making at the Heart of the World.

“I come to bargain,” she said. “If you will listen.” She kept her eyes trained on the ground. Next to her, the firebird shrieked.

“What could you possibly have to offer me, Alina Starkov?”

Alina knew the being would ask the question. She spoke with practiced words.

“I have much to offer,” she replied. “I have to offer myself, a living Saint, a holy sacrifice at your altar.” She gestured to the fire. “You may claim my life or use my body for your own, should you wish to walk among mortals once again. I have to offer worship, a remembrance of who and what you once were, altars throughout Ravka, eternal flames dedicated to your memory. I have to offer treasure, riches, the fruit of the earth and the product of human ingenuity. I have to offer my immortal soul,” she added, the most precious thing she had to offer according to the church. Though the words hurt her, she continued. “You may claim my Grisha power or the immortality it grants me, should you find those useful.” She swallowed. Before she could continue, the being--god--spoke once more.

“Do you think you are the first to offer me such things?”

“No,” she replied. “If I was, there would not have been a way to find you, a way for me to conduct this ritual.”

She still did not look fully up, but she could see that the being leaned the shape of its head back and laughed.

“Why do you care to bargain, Alina Starkov? Why not live your immortal life with all that power flowing through your veins? Why disturb the Making at the Heart of the World?”

“Because I can’t save them all,” she replied, her voice breaking, her eyes filling with tears. “I cannot live for eternity knowing I could have done more to protect my people.”

Too many Grisha, dead at the Fjerdan border. Too many Ravkan children, dead in their beds.

Aleksander tried for centuries, and still failed. The Fold was healed, Ravka became whole once more, but still, their people suffered. If the Fold were born of his anger and pain, using merzost, and her love allowed it to be healed, perhaps whatever Alina did here would be born of love and sacrifice, instead.

She had to try.

The old god laughed once more.

“Incunabula,” they said. “Let this be the beginning of something, Alina Starkov. Do you believe that you were born into this world to suffer and die, as the Apparat teaches?”

“No,” she replied. “If I did, would I be here?”

“Indeed,” the being said. “As I thought. Pain will still be a part of life, and the world may be cruel, but the Making at the Heart of the World was never intended to be so.”

Alina nodded, still not looking up.

“I will take a shape more comfortable for you,” the god said.

Before her eyes, the shadowy outline of a human body against the flames became a great boar, like Morozova’s stag. It pawed the ground, and she looked up into its depthless eyes, white and unblinking against the blackest of night fur.

Next to her, the firebird cawed and flapped her wings once more.

“I cannot control the free will of humans. None of us can. Your pain, devastation, endless war result from these.”

“I know,” Alina replied. “But is there nothing you can do to help? Can you not sway the heart of the Fjerdan king or the Shu queen?”

“You are stubborn, Alina Starkov,” the old god said. “Did you consider that perhaps I would be unable to help, rather than unwilling to bargain?”

She had not allowed herself to consider that possibility. She swallowed and tried a different tactic.

“If you cannot help me save my people from needless death and destruction, what can you do? What did you do when you were worshipped?”

The old god paused: considering, remembering. The flames crackled behind it. Its boar form pawed the ground once more.

“Perhaps there is something I can do for you, Alina Starkov. I will do this. I will grant you a boon.”

“You will?” she dared ask. Still wary, before the old god could answer or change its mind, she continued “And what form shall your boon take?”

Still in its boar form, it snorted, which Alina took for a laugh. “Wise and wary beyond your years as well as stubborn, I see. Very well, Alina Starkov. While I cannot change humanity’s hearts, or protect them unto a natural death, I can do this. I can grant you the strength and bravery of my boar form, that you may face your eternity knowing that you can and will survive it and all its losses. You will have this strength for all the days ahead, the courage to continue fighting, the bravery to look death in its face and know that you are not alone, that you will mark your losses on your heart but survive them.”

Alina nodded, and stood. She steeled her spine, ready to face whatever laid ahead for her. The boar��s strength would bear her alongside her own inner strength. “I thank you,” she replied. “I am grateful for your boon. I release you back into the Making at the Heart of the World, Boar God.” She was uncertain what else to call it.

“Use my strength well, Alina Starkov,” it said. “May we meet again, at the Making at the Heart of the World.” The boar shape dissipated into shadows and stars and spun back into the fire, trailing smoke and shadow.

The firebird flew into the flames, soaking them up as if an ordinary bird in a bath outside a wealthy merchant’s home.

“Thank you,” she said to the firebird, who squawked her agreement.

Alina turned and began her descent down the mountain.

…

Alina was unsurprised to find that she did not, in fact, have to obtain horses in Dva Stolba to ride all the way back to Os Alta. She was uncertain if days or hours had passed while she bargained with the old god, but regardless, her husband had followed her.

She found him in the market, her body stiff from the heat, kneeling, walking.

“Alina,” he said, the desperation and relief evident in his voice and the way he swept her into his arms despite the fact that there were others around to witness.

“I thought--” he started, and she shook her head.

“It didn’t work,” she said. “We have to try something else.”

He nodded, put his arm around her back, and led her to the finest room the inns in the valley had to offer.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” he said, after kissing her as if his life depended upon it.

“I had to try,” she answered, his fingers tracing her lips.

“We will find a way,” he replied, his eyes darkening. “Together.” Even if Alina wanted to discuss it further, she could not, for he claimed her mouth with his own and her thoughts were claimed by the feeling of his body against hers, the sensations he was creating as he kissed her, caressed her, undressed her.

She was cold without her clothing, still adjusting from facing a sacred blaze for so long, but her husband made her warm once more. She became the blaze, her wet center radiating heat outwards. He worked his way down from her lips, kissing every inch of her, letting his fingers trail his lips, causing breathy sighs and moans to escape her lips.

She found herself guided backwards to the bed, their clothes scattered all over the floor, her fingers in his hair.

Once she was settled amongst the pillows, he murmured, “I love you, Alina,” before his hands gripped her hips and his tongue delved inside her, leaving her unable to properly respond save a heady moan.

She supposed he took it as response enough as he drank his fill of her, leaving her breathless and tingling all over until he added a finger and she cried out, desperate for more, desperate for release, desperate for him.

He continued to caress her with his tongue until she was trembling with pleasure and his beard was soaked. Only then did he scoop her into his arms, holding her to him as if he would never let her go, and then entered her.

She was filled with him, simultaneously sated with pleasure and dying for more.

“I love you, Aleksander,” she managed to breathe, moving her hips in sync with his. She traced a finger down his cheek and smiled, meeting his dark eyes and falling in love with him all over again as he smiled too.

They kissed and caressed and held each other all night. In the darkness, before the haze of early morning light, Alina listened to her husband’s breathing, his heartbeat, and thought that perhaps the old god’s blessing had been for them both.

#darklinafics #darklina #alina x darkling #alina starkov #the darkling #shadow and bone #grishaverse #fan fiction #my writing #midwinterspring #fandom friends

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crybabysunflower · 3 years

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The song which reminds me of Princess Jellyfish's theme

I have recently watched Kuragehime (also known as Princess Jellyfish) and it had struck a chord in my heart, especially due to the fact that I see myself in both the protagonists Tsukimi Kurashita and Kuranosuke Koibuchi due to various reasons

Few days after I had watched this beautiful anime, I was listening to Stand Out Fit In by the Japanese rock band One Ok Rock from their 2019 album Eye Of The Storm

Lyrics

I know they don't like me that much

Guess that I dont dress how they want

I just want to be myself

I, can't be someone else

Tried to color inside their lines

Tried to live life by designs

I just want to be myself

I, can't be someone else

Someone else

The first lines of this verse reminds me of Kuranosuke's family members' attitude towards his crossdressing and his love for passion, his father and his half brother Shu despises his choice for dressing extravagantly and in a feminine way instead of donning suit and tie like them, but for Kuranosuke, cross dressing is a way to express his intense love towards fashion which he had inherited from his mother. It is also a way to express his rebellion, his desire to not get into politics much to his family's dismay.

Despite appearing different from each others He and the Amars members are similar in the fact that they are far from the conventional social standards, unlike Kuranosuke, the Amars members somewhat feel insecure about it which is one of the main reasons why they have developed an intense fear of people they deem as fashionable or hipster and rather look down on himself, this is proven from time to time by Tsukimi's distorted self image and Mayaya's reason to hide her eyes under her bangs.

They yell, they preach

Heard it all before

Be this, be that

I've heard it before

Heard it before

While referring to the lines of the pre-chorus above I relate them to how at times Kuranosuke's family tries to force him to "act normal" in several situations, they also often try to act him more conventionally masculine as they have a strong dislike for his cross-dressing. This also reminds me of times when Kuranosuke acts a bit like a hypocrite despite actually being well intentioned by overstepping the personal boundaries of the Amars members.

Big boys dont cry

Shoot low, aim high

Eat up, stay thin

Stand out fit in

Good girls dont fight

Be you, dress right

White face ,tan skin

Stand out fit in

In my opinion, the chorus tends to often reflect the central theme of a song. The central theme of this song is the conflict between desire to be one own self and conforming to the social norms (and feeling guilty about not doing so) and the chorus also reflects the gender norms of the society, how a particular gender should be.

This also happens to be one of the central themes of Kuragehime, both the main protagonists dont really live up to the conventional standards of their respective genders they belong to.

The chorus above particularly reflects Tsukimi's dilemma and guilt for not turning out to be the 'beautiful' princess, her late mother said she would grow out to be and instead became an otaku. Otakus in Japanese culture are usually looked down upon and are deemed to be 'unworthy' and 'undesirable'. However at the same time, she does not want to be the "beautiful princess" and remain as she is which she expresses in a monologue where she questions her mother why do girls have to be pretty, why they have to fall in love with someone and then says that she does not want to be "pretty".

Lately its been too much, all day

Words shot like cannon, at me

I just want to be myself

I, cant be someone else

Someone else

While the above verse does remind me of Kuranosuke's not-so-good relationship with his family members due to his own personal choices, this also reminds me of what the Amars members felt when Kuranosuke (despite being well intentioned) was overstepping their personal boundaries, at first he dragged Tsukimi to his mansion to dress her up into a "pretty" woman despite her protests, he later dragged the rest of the Amars members and made them dress well, to prepare them to face the landsharks because of whom they were gonna lose their home. No matter how well intentioned he was, he undoubtedly made the Amars women uncomfortable, which over the time became too much for them, especially when Kuranosuke was ready to sell Chieko's ichimatsu dolls without understanding the latter's personal attachment to them as she describes that her dolls are like a family to her.

I am, who I am no matter what

Never changing

No matter what

Just like the chorus, the bridge above highlights another central meaning of the series which is, Self Love. Unlike most other "Unattractive Nerdy Girl to Pretty Chic" trope shows, Kuragehime does not try to downplay being a nerd and not being up to the standards, it instead celebrates that and teaches its viewers that, its valid to be nerdy, not being able to live up to idealized womanhood does not make anyone less lovable, womanhood is a social construct which anyone can adopt and no one inherits it.

Conclusion

Phew!... I finally wrote the blog of this month despite my initial (but usual) nervousness

I want to thank Youtubers Tyranno and The Pedantic Romantic, because their video essays on Kuragehime helped me to realise how much this song fits the anime series

Tyranno's Video

The Pedantic Romantic's Video

I would later upload a drawing if I get time

#Spotify #princess jellyfish #kuragehime #tsukimi kurashita #kuranosuke koibuchi #mayaya #chieko #jiji #banba #one ok rock #stand out fit in #josei #anime #2010 anime

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jayjaysocks · 4 years

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Listing my favorite animes (because I’m jumping on the bandwagon)

❗️⚠️ *spoilers!! (Duh)* ❗️⚠️

5. Deadman Wonderland

I was really really sad when I found out this anime got cancelled. The music was fantastic, the animation was really good, and the voice acting was incredible. Even the fucking dubbed version (I loved the voice they chose for Senji. God he was hilarious). I binged this show so fucking fast it wasn’t even funny. I loved watching the characters go through their own struggles and grow as people in the very small amount of episodes provided. There was a lot of development within the snippet that we actually saw, and I was thoroughly impressed with how well it was done. I wanted to scream or something when I found out there wouldn’t be a second season.

Sigh. Oh well. At least we got some of the manga’s masterpiece translated into a show, even if we were missing some fucking awesome characters.

4. Guilty Crown

Ugh, don’t even get me started. This anime was beautiful and I got so invested so freaking quickly. I literally go back every few years to rewatch it because I get ship starved.

Shu and Inori’s story was so beautifully done; between Shu uncovering his courage and Inori’s journey of self-discovery, I was continuously awe-struck and filled with feelings—I mean, I had never felt such raw emotion while watching something and I was completely blown away by the affect it had on me. Anger, hatred, sadness, it was all there (even for the main character lmao) and it was one of the first times I had ever felt a ship so heavily that I literally cried at the end. It was one of the very first Animes I’d ever seen and was one of the reasons I got such a taste for them. Thanks for throwing me down that rabbit hole, GC.

3. Soul Eater

This was literally the first Anime I’d ever seen, and my god I couldn’t have asked for a better starter. What I like about this one is that it’s style is so unique and different. It’s very punk and grunge, something I admired and appreciated in a genre that is normally the opposite (like Guilty Crown, for example). Also the fight scenes were badass, like holy shit just look at that gif ??? Freaking amazing.

I loved the way the show transitioned from light hearted to intense and adrenaline pumping so effortlessly. That can be said about a lot of shows, but this one went from *haha cute show* to *holy shit, like they’re actually gonna die ohmygod howaretheygoingtosurvivethis* so smoothly I was genuinely surprised. They made one of the main villains actually cool and each character had their own beautifully done arc. I loved and adored how the show solidified and expanded on the different friendships/relationships that were involved—specifically Soul and Maka’s (also, holy shit, Stein’s arc? Fucking prime, dude). There was a lot of growth in each and every friendship (CRONA!!!), and that really pushed the viewer to invest in the individual characters.

I am fucking delighted that this was my first anime, and (though the ending was a little anticlimactic) it remains one of my top favorites to this day. It set the bar pretty fucking high, and for that I am extremely greatful.

No one asked for Soul Eater: Not! It is the unspoken sin of the Soul Eater world (then again, it is called Soul Eater: Not!)

2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

If you have been following me for a while, then you are no stranger to my love of FMAB. Some of my most popular posts are about this anime, and for good reason.

Unfortunately, I was late to the party. I actually didn’t watch this until last year, but got invested really damn quick. I have a tendency to be extremely picky about the animes that I watch/like (which is why NONE of these shows are that recent), to the point that I will literally research them before I start watching (a bad habit, do not copy me). I have an incomparably hard time finishing a show when I start, because I get bored really quickly, but this was an exception. I started watching and I just... didn’t stop. I spent a straight week watching FMAB, gobbling it up during any small amount free time I could manage, and finished it before I even knew what happened. I wasn’t picky about it, I didn’t research it, I just dove right in and gosh, I was not disappointed.

The subtle romance that was alluded throughout the entire show was super cute, the devotion the brothers had for each other was to die for, and the struggles that each person went through was more than moving. I never once found myself bored while watching, and that’s saying a lot for my adhd ass. I was invested in each and every second of that damn anime and I was never, ever left underwhelmed. That probably had to do with the fact that every. Single. Character. Had a purpose. I’m not even kidding. Every single person contributed to the big fight at the end and that alone is fucking fantastic.

Not to mention ALL the women, every female character, was a badass bitch. None of them were reduced to sex appeal or romantic subplot, they all had real feelings, real arcs and real, unadulterated badassery that I thoroughly admired and appreciated. I could watch this anime over and over again every single month and I wouldn’t get bored. Between the emotional struggle, self discovery, and personal development of each character, I promise you will not see a lack of plot or meaning here. The more you watch, the more you discover and that is not a lie. There are so many layers to its story, which only makes me wish I had watched this sooner.

There is nothing I have to offer in the ways of criticism, and for that I couldn’t be happier. Thank you, Hiromu Arakawa, for such an incredible piece of art. You deserve every bit of love that this manga/anime gets. You go girl.

1. Cowboy Bepop

Holy shit holy shit holy shit this anime is so fucking good and it has been my favorite for so damn long. I have been watching anime for years, and while some of the shows in my list have moved around, this one has yet to be bumped down from the top (and I doubt it ever will). There’s a reason it became such a cult classic.

For starters, the animation. I mean, just look at Spike and the way they animate his fighting (yes I am aware that this gif is from the movie, but that still doesn’t change my point). The sequences in the show/film have been reused in many other shows and for good reason. It’s good, incredible, actually and they make him look so badass with just a few hand movements. I was consistently impressed with the way the fight scenes were portrayed and wasn’t ever left underwhelmed or disappointed (or, for that matter, feeling like they completely over exaggerated/overcompensated the scene with huge close-ups and tons of debris and lights). I loved watching this and my heart was always pounding with every intense interaction. I didn’t feel bored during any of the episodes and always found myself laughing when they cracked a joke—pretty much all of their funny lines hit and that’s saying something, dude.

The show, while having a lighthearted surface, has a heavy meaning that you don’t see at first glance. It’s about dealing with grief and loss, and how the characters themselves accomplished that in different ways. The most prominent quote is the biggest indication of its moral “you’re gonna carry that weight”. Basically: ‘You’ve gotta pick up your baggage, because the world moves on, with or without you’. Or ‘You’re going to carry that weight whether you like it or not, because life keeps going’. When I figured out the show’s actual message, while staring at my ceiling in the long hours of the night, I almost cried. This realization brought something entirely different to the table, a new understanding of the show’s characters and overall essence.

The main characters, all of them, had depth. They had real, palpable depth, and even if you didn’t want to care you found yourself seriously interested in their lives. Each of them had relatively shitty pasts. Faye with her lost memories, Spike with Julia and the people who fucked him over, Jet with his old flame and the ISSP, Ed and her/his father... throughout the entire show we got to see how all of them dealt with these things, whether they wanted to continue on with life or not. The way they portrayed it was engaging, because the characters individual, contrasting journeys weren’t repetitive or one note. The beauty that the show holds so achinging close to its core, the layers of grief that the characters are wrapped in so delicately is almost suffocatingly real—because they’re all different. It’s something you discover when you think on the subject in a deeper light, which is another reason why I enjoy it so much. It has both a surface story and a deeper one. You can either take the show at face value or choose to understand the underlying moral.

This show inspired my very first, thoroughly fleshed out OC, and continues to inspire me to this day. It has contributed to my own personal growth, and has helped push me to continue my art and writing. It is beautifully written, beautifully executed and even though some of the episodes seem like filler, it has never disappointed me. I rewatch it all the time because there’s something so infinitely refreshing about the beauty of this anime, whether it be the way we watch the characters develop or the overall moral it portrays. This show has given us a message that is essentially timeless, it can be ‘carried’ through generation after generation, and still have the same impact—something I absolutely fucking adore.

I owe so much to this anime, including my very own artistic development. I discovered it during a really shitty time in my life and I couldn’t have asked for better timing. I will never tire of the bittersweet message or the thoroughly fucking fantastic animation. Everyone who contributed to this masterpiece deserves love, because it’s seriously fucking gold.

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a-monsters-love · 4 years

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The Air Between Us: Conversations with an Avatar

[Prologue] [Part 1] [Blurb 1] [Part 2] [Blurb 2] [Epilogue]

Genre: sad, angst

Word count: 1,586

Warnings: This is just filler; IF YOU HAVENT READ THE AIR BETWEEN US THIS WILL NOT MAKE MUCH SENSE

A/N: This is a side note, or something that happened to (Y/N) that wasn’t posted in the original story I wrote, mostly because I figured you guys would like the whole idea VS me summarizing it to fit into the story.

A/N 2: No one is allowed to be mad at me for not posting this earlier but I’ll be 100% honest when I say I forgot. I fell in a rut and started writing BNHA fics and then started working 12hr shifts at work so- yeah. I’m very sorry

——

Zuko hasn’t woken up yet. You helped the sages get him into a bed and watched Katara start healing him. You feel yourself crumbling, falling back into the dark place you tried so hard to hide and crawl out of. You’re tired, you feel your eyes getting heavy. You blink and see something blue, something bright and looking right at you. If you weren’t so tired you might jump up and fight, but your body wouldn’t move. You doze off for a short period before you feel a jolt, like you just fell back into your body. You eyes fly open and you look up, at the figure in front of you. “Suki?” You rub your eyes, trying to reorient yourself and stretch.

“I didn’t know I looked like Suki.” You hear a small laugh, it’s Aang. If he’s here then you must’ve won. You quickly stand up and pull the young boy in for a hug.

Aang hugs you back firmly, tears start falling down your face. “You’re not allowed to disappear like that again.” You cry as you pull him into you, he’s like a little brother to you, and he was the only other air bender you knew. You were terrified, you knew how much he felt like family to you.

“It wasn’t on purpose, I swear.” He chuckles and lets you cry. “Come on, lets get you some food.” He pulled you by your hand and you hesitate to leave Zuko’s side. “He’ll be fine, but you won’t be if you don’t eat.” You let the younger boy pull you into the dining hall. You ate with everyone, the mood was tense but everyone was just exhausted.

“Longest day - ever.” Sokka whines, Suki pinched him causing him to yelp. She knows it’s been harder for some. Pointing a hand at you and Aang.

You barely touched your food but you tried. You try to smile at everyone and walk out. Katara goes to call out for you but Aang just puts a hand out and shakes his head before following you out. He follows you down every hall and turn, you walked slowly until your found your way outside. This takes longer than you would’ve liked but you were a bit disoriented from the events of the day. You found your way to a pond. You sit down pulling your knees into your chest, your tears feel like they’ve dried out. Aang watches you for some time before coming and sitting next to you. Neither of you say anything for some time.

You knew Aang was following you, you knew you could stop him. It’s not that you wanted to be alone but you just felt awful. You just wanted someone to tell you that you weren’t a mistake, that hurting people wasn’t the point of your life. You rub your face an sigh, looking up at the sky. “My mom used to tell me and Shu stories about the stars.” You start, Aang looks over and watches you. “She said that the stars were just our ancestors watching over us. That the moon collected them to protect them in the spirit realm, she would tell us that destiny never worked out the way we wanted it to but the way it was meant to.” You continue, you’ve never really talked about your parents. Not even with Shu, “She would always sing and dance about, teaching us songs. She taught us how to play piano and guitar, she loved to teach us new things. Our dad was a stern person but he would always showed his love in little ways. A pat on the head, a thumbs up, he’d teach us a new trick about some.. nonsense.” You trailed on before stopping. You had both a lot and very few memories of your parents.

“What happened to them?” Aang asks quietly, you tilt your head a little and look at him from the corner of your eyes. You bit your lip, scolding yourself for bringing it up.

You sigh and look down, you drop your head and cross your legs. Holding your ankles, Aang thought you resembled Shu in this position. “When uhm, when we found out I was an Air Bender I had very little control over it. Shu and I were maybe 3-4?” You lift your head up and take a deep breath, “When we were about 5 we were in the Earth Kingdom visiting someone when a small burst of air came from me. Spirits, my poor moms face looked terrified. Apparently she wasn’t the only one to notice, our parents were taken away for questioning and we never saw them again.” You look over at Aang who’s face held so much pain, reflecting how you felt. “I always blamed myself. I stayed a stage hand at the circus because I blamed myself, something I want selfishly always hurts the people I care about most.” You indicated you the palace, referencing Zuko. “I’ve always been so ashamed and angry and felt guilty of my existence.” You pull your legs up and put your face in your knees for some time.

You feel a large and heavy hand on your shoulder, “Go away, Shu.” You say without lifting your head.

“My name isn’t ‘Shu’,” You hear a soft but husky voice say, you lifted your head and looked over. You see Avatar Kyoshi. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for some time but Aang wasn’t fully connected with the Avatar state yet.”

You stare at her, partly frightened and partly confused, “W-why would you want to talk to me?” You ask quietly. You didn’t understand, honestly you just couldn’t comprehend the point.

Kyoshi stares down at you, she wasn’t as terrifying as you first thought to your surprise. She reminds you a lot of your twin, which helps you calm down. “I spent a large part of my life angry at my parents. Angry at their decisions, and ashamed of their choices.” You could see sorrow and empathy in her face.

Tears stream down your face as she speaks, you had no idea. You hadn’t even considered how she felt at the choices your ancestors made, she was effected differently for the same reasons. “I just-“ You stutter through your tears, “I just don’t know what to do, or how to feel. I’m just so angry!” The air starts moving aggressively around the two of you, Kyoshi watches your surroundings and then back at you when it calms. “I’m just so angry with myself, Auntie.” You cry, you can’t stop it anymore.

Auntie, the word brings a small smile to her face. “You inherited my heart, while your brother inherited my height.” She chuckles lightly, “However you both inherited my strength.” She puts a hand on your back as you sob. “You twins are Yin and Yang. You balance each other perfectly but that will be found irrelevant if you can find balance within yourself.”

Kyoshi pulls you upright and straightens out your attire as you sniffle yourself calm, you chuckle at her actions. “What are you doing..?” You ask in a raspy voice.

“I never had children, I don’t know how to comfort kids when they’re sad.” She finishes organizing your attire and making you sit and face her, “All our actions always have an effect. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative and sometimes not for many life times. You are the effect, you (Y/N) are not to blame for what happened to your parents, you are not to blame for what happened to the Fire Prince. You are allowed to be selfish. There’s nothing wrong with you, and I’m glad that you made it to this period in time.”

You feel tears bubble up again, you smile and hug her. “Thank you, Auntie.”

She hugs you back firmly and let’s go, putting her hands on your shoulders. “Be happy.” She says as she faded away, leaving Aang in her place. He looks at you quizzically as information starts to come to him, Aang smiles at you.

You almost tackle the young Avatar, giving him a hug and chuckling softly. You lean back and wipe your face into your shirt. “Avatar Kyoshi is not as menacing as history portrays her to be.” You both laugh and get up, “Thank you, Aang.”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything this time.” He pulls up his hands and smiles, glad that you’re feeling better.

You find the rest of the gaang quickly as you walk back towards the palace. Apparently they watched the whole scene, “YOU CALLED HER AUNTIE.” Suki squeals at you.

————————

A/N: I’m just over here cutting onions, it’s fine. But on an honest note, I have really bad depression and when I was writing this series I lightly touched on (Y/N)’s mental health and felt she deserved to have someone tell her she’s allowed to be happy. I know like friends and S/O’s say stuff like that but when you’re in deep and depressy sometimes it doesn’t matter.

Tag List:

@coalsmind @bucky-blogs @fanficflaneuse @cutiepoo16 @eridanuswave @grapesauze @theblueslytherin @coolpenguingoddess @royahllty @whalerus @shemakesfanvids @lammello @ditu-m9 @kryptidkova @gxrleexis-arctic-monks @azriels-forgotten-shadow @zukosvice @woohoney @zuko-is-my-love @etherealhobii

#atla #atla x reader #atla fanfic #atla fan fiction #atla zuko #a:tla #a:tla x reader #a:tla fanfiction #avatar the last airbender #avatar #avatar fan fiction #avatar fanfic #prince zuko #zuko #zuko x reader #prince zuko x reader #fire lord zuko #avatar kyoshi

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zoya-nazyalantsov · 4 years

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fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves

i have a thing for angry love confessions so heres some zoyalai. sorry if the formatting is weird this is the first fan fiction ive ever posted lmao. enjoy some angst luvs <3. i’ll post the ao3 link when i get an account :)

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349064

________________________________________________________________

Zoya avoided Nikolai’s gaze from across the war room table. It wasn’t like her to be non confrontational but the Shu ring that glittered on his left hand said otherwise. It’d been a month since the wedding. She still remembered the way he looked at her from the aisle. His usually bright eyes looked sad and lost. She simply stared back, forcing ice into her gaze. She meant for it to be comforting, to encourage him to carry on. If he didn’t feel strong, she would be strong for him. He must have misread her expression because she barely saw him the rest of the night, save for one pitiful dance.

“We’re facing pressure on the Fjerdan border.” said Genya. “The First Army’s troops are having trouble holding the soldiers back.” Zoya was pulled out of her thoughts. She gathered the reports in front of her.

“We must fight them off. Nina says the Fjerdans are likely to use the weaponized Grisha soon.” she said, unable to keep the hatred out of her voice. It was disgusting how the Fjerdans were manipulating the small science. But she felt a sense of pride towards Nina, who’d risked her life for the safety of her country.

“We’ll reinforce our troops with some from Keramzin and the Shu Han border,” said Nikolai. “I don’t plan on pulling all soldiers from there but with our new alliance, we can refocus efforts to where they’re needed most.” His warm hazel eyes flashed to Zoya’s. Was he looking for a reaction? She turned her head. She would not give him one.

“We should think about putting some Grisha soldiers to help the First Army.” said David. Zoya saw the uncertain looks from around the room. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “It was just a thought.” Nikolai nodded.

“It's a possibility,” he said. “If worst comes to worst, I’m sure the First Army will welcome the Grisha with open arms. Let’s wait for further information from Nina before we decide what to do.” With that declaration, the meeting was over. Nikolai caught Zoya’s eye as he stood, indicating he wanted to talk. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk about strategy or anything relating to her job. She turned her head away, as she’d done every other time. Now that he was married, they had to at least maintain some semblance of professionalism. As officers and officials cleared out, he cleared his throat.

“General Nazyalensky, I’d like to speak with you for a moment.” It was a request as much as it was a command. There was a certain edge in his voice, she heard. It was void of the usual Nikolai cheerieness and much more cold. Zoya stood from her chair, face a blank slate as it screeched against the floor. She saw Genya and David exchange a worried glance as she made her way over to the king.

“I’ll speak with you later, Genya.” she said. The couple made their way out the door, leaving Zoya and Nikolai alone. He motioned for her to walk with him. They exited the room, taking several turns along different twisting halls before they arrived in the gardens. He was uncharacteristically silent, which caused worry to seep in, though she tried not to show it.

“Zoya,” he said. Annoyance. Hurt.

“Yes Your Majesty?” she asked. Frustration contorted his handsome face as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” She knew what he was referring to of course. She had no intention of stopping, however. It was for their own good.

“You won’t speak to me, you won’t listen to me, you go out of your way to even avoid looking at me. You’ve put up a wall between us-” He didn’t understand.

“Don’t you get it, Nikolai?” she snapped. “There is no us.” Pain. “At least, not like we were before.”

“That’s what this is about?” he exclaimed. “I’ve been sitting here for a month, begging you to spare a glance at me. Nothing had to change.” he said.

“It did.” she said firmly. “I couldn’t let myself pretend that we could remain the same after…” she trailed off. She had to choose her words carefully. “That’s the difference between me and you. You wanted to pretend that everything was going to be okay, that it would work out in the end.” The resentment in her voice was as clear as the night sky above them. She hated it. “It wouldn’t have been. Not for me.”

“Do you think this is any better?” he asked, gesturing between them. “Saints Zoya, I’m your friend, at the very least. You can’t just cut me out of your life.” She knew he was right but it wouldn’t stop her from trying.

“I don’t want to. I’m just doing what I know you won’t because it's best for the both of us.” she said.

“How do you know if avoiding me is best when we’re both getting hurt in the process? Neither of us want this.” he said.

“Can’t you just accept when something is over?” Secretly, she felt as if she was being torn to shreds inside. It started as a small feeling, insignificant yet searing. Then it burned like a flame, spreading pricks to the corners of her eyes.

“No.” The defiance in his voice sparked a dangerous ember of hope that she’d tried so hard to smother.

“We have bigger problems, Nikolai. The Darkling. Fjerda. We’re too old for this ‘will they-won’t they’ game.” she said, shoving past him to leave. He blocked the exit, catching up with her.

“You can’t just outgrow feelings. And it’s not a game. This is our life, yours and mine.” he argued back. She’d never resented his persistence as much as in that moment. “Is that how you feel, Nazyalensky?” They lingered by a rose bush, dew drops illuminating their petals in the pale moonlight. “Like everything between us is just a game? I can assure you, it’s not, but if your stubbornness refuses to allow you to believe that, I can’t force you.” He was upset with her, obviously. His words cut deep, like a jagged knife thrust into her flesh. Good, she thought. Maybe it would push him away. He suddenly took a step closer, catching her off guard, though she stood her ground.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” she gritted out. He glowered down at her, golden hair tousled from running his hands through it.

“Well, you said it,” Zoya sighed, frustrated at the situation.

“Nikolai Lantsov, you mean more to me than you could possibly know. Not only as my king, but also as my friend. Believe me when I tell you that what I am doing is best for both of us.” she said, hoping it would satisfy him. Judging by the look on his face, however, it didn’t.

“Stop pushing me away.”

“Have you been listening to a word I said?” she exclaimed.

“I’m not giving up on this. You can’t make me.” he said.

“Is that a challenge?” she asked. Arguing with him really drained her sometimes.

“Yes it is.” he said, exasperated. “Saints!” he yelled. “Haven’t you figured out I’m in love with you?” He stormed out of the garden, leaving Zoya alone. His words rung in her ears. He was in love with her. And deep down, no matter how hard she tried, she knew she was in love with him too.

“Saints,” she murmured. “What did I do?”

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hawopro · 4 years

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Thoughts of a rare soul who enjoyed DMBJ’s Time Raiders 2016 adaptation (1/2)

[SPOILERS]

So I got into DMBJ bc of Reboot Zhu Yilong’s Wu Xie, I’ve been comparing all the Wu Xie, and came to check out Luhan’s. I just didn’t expect to fall in love with Jing Boran’s ZQL/MYP and catch feels for Pingxie?? Once again falling into niche fandom life??

Apparently within the niche DMBJ fandom, there’s a tinier, almost nonexistent niche for Time Raiders, so I have to rant about it.

Incredibly long post, so here’s a summary:

Action, A-Ning’s insole blade

My favorite Wu Xie adaptation

MYP whump and his damned smiles

A-Ning & PangZi + Badass tomb-raiding crews

Questionables things, prop & plot

Pingxie + 2/2

Foremost, this is an action movie. The action sequences are very nice, even with the occasional flying/floating people/objects in cdrama. As an action movie nerd, I approved and gave it 6.5/10 (and my standard is The Old Guard okay.) There’s everything--swords, guns, grenades, A-Ning’s insole blade. I particularly enjoyed ZQL vs Da Kui & Pan Zi, and ZQL vs A-Ning cut.

Characters are pretty fleshed out for a movie, motives and development are clearly established.

I really like this Wu Xie, personally I think he came closest to what I imagined to be novel’s WX. He is inexperienced, incredibly curious, and daring, but knowledgeable, he thinks outside the box and pulls his own weight, even aiding the crew. He’s BABY, naive, kind, and cheeky af. Refer to How to make friends--a guide by Wu Xie.

But by the end, you know that he matured, he’d seen deaths, hell, he broke his promise to take care of MYP, he grew up. STILL, he made me so protective over him, I finally understand how the entire Reboot casts feel about ZYL’s WX now.

Zhang Qiling/Men You Ping is still mysterious, indifferent; he’s very lost in life, has a goal but almost no will to live. Still OP af, but the WHUMP--so much ZQL whumps with bloody mouth, self-sacrificing tendency and everything. But he appreciates his experience more after knowing WX, like even without shipper eyes, you can tell he cares for WX--the first person who insisted to be his friend, who told him ‘I’d take care of you.’

I like drama MYP but, I completely fell in love with this angsty boy who needs some good sleep. Also probably bc of HIS DAMNED SMILES!! I’m a sucker for poker-face characters who can smile/laugh naturally. Bonus that he only did so with WX! Refer to ZQL smiling at Wu Xie.

I also dedicated an entire gifset on him because uhh I accidentally got attached?? LOOK AT HIM HE’S BEAUTIFUL

ANYWAY

Here is our favorite forced-to-cooperate gang again. Sadly, the Iron Triangle dynamic isn’t developed in here at all.

A-Ning has a bigger role than Pangzi, she’s still freaking competent, badass af, almost equal to ZQL. She is not so heartless at the end, obviously cares for her men, somewhat for WX. Seems to have a mild connection with ZQL over their fighting prowess LOL, and somehow bonds with PZ.

Pangzi is still comedic relief, unfortunately, has little motives and developments. His interactions with WX are hilarious though. They’re dorks together. Although, I found an easter egg: PZ wearing pot on his head again.

I appreciate the side characters in this movie a lot (especially Pan Zi with his kickass martial art). I think they made very badass tomb-raiding crews, both San Shu’s and A-Ning’s; it's clear that (some of) these men know what they were doing, and they aren’t afraid to die.

Also the props in here, holy cow, elaborated af. CGI is better than drama, but can always be improved...

BUT the time period is confusing as hell? This looks like old-school vibes, but they had incredibly high tech, drones and holograms? Uhh okay. Xie Yu Hua’s people used drones in The Lost Tomb 2, but this is a whole new level of sci-fi blue-screen computer stuff. And it’s probably very historically inaccurate, bc what queen back in the day had steampunk technology installed in her tomb?? The coiled machinery-ness bothers me. Ignore it if you can.

English is only better than The Lost Tomb 2’s English hahaha, but not so unbearable that I had to give up the movie. What hit me out of the left field is WX’s flute ability?? LMAO he pulled a Wei Wuxian bc what the heck? How does that even work? But I let it slide.

The plot is very basic: heroes go on quest, heroes face typical mastermind villain and powerful endgame monster. Featuring not-immoral-enough-to-destroy-humanity Hendrix, also known as, can’t-say-no-to-WX-baby-face Hendrix. And final boss: worms-queen with armors and tentacles and everything.

There are plot holes, but it’s an action movie, come on, nobody watches action movies for the plot.

But if you're a shipper, you should watch this movie for the SOFT AND WHOLESOME Pingxie content!

I didn’t expect it. I honestly didn’t watch the movie for Pingxie because I didn’t even ship Pingxie prior to this. I knew it existed, I liked the idea of it and I would read fic of it, but I didn’t feel a lot for it until now.

And then BAM, pokerface MYP with a very visible soft spot for WX? Hell yes. Worried and protective MYP who will catch WX when he falls? Also there.

MYP telling WX about his existential crisis of forgetting who he is? “If I totally lost myself one day, there’s still someone who would remember me.” WX insisting on being MYP's friends, and walking around recording memories for him with his little camera?“You won’t be lost.” YEP.

MYP and WX saving each other? “I said I’d take care of you.” Oh, for sure. Not to forget my standard for (b)romance: prolonged eye contact, smiles, so much smiles, and HANDS! They're all there!

Now, there are even more subtle things that told Pingxie’s story on a deeper level, which I talked about in continuation post 2/2 here.

Anyway, I know Time Raiders isn’t related to the main story aside from the characters and certain tropes. BUT as someone who just dipped their toes in DMBJ, out of everything I’ve seen--Lost Tomb 1, 2, Reboot, I’m in the middle of reading Book 3-- this installment is my favorite, barely beat out Lost Tomb 2 and only below the novel.

#dmbj #time raiders 2016 #the lost tomb reboot #the lost tomb 2 #pingxie #movie review #text post #long post #ranting bc i need to talk about this new obsession #mine #tr16 stuff #dmbj stuff

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