This one is in response to @fizzytastic asking
"I would LOVE to know what you mean regarding the light novels."
Dazai in the light novels has been down BAD since the day he met Chuuya.
I know the whole "must be because I love you" can be viewed as a joke but my man actually "whispered with a look of regret" at being shot down.
He also proceeded to cheat during the game by tampering with the machine to ensure Chuuya would lose the bet and become his dog. He was also stated as being in awe of Chuuya's fighting ability, repeatedly refering to him as "incredible". Dazai also flat out admits to wanting to try out living because "Chuuya convinced" him.
He is even described as having forgotten how to breathe watching Chuuya fight.
Moving on to the events of Stormbringer, Dazai spends too long exposing his obsession with Chuuya, telling the big bad that he spends all his "days and nights thinking about ways to annoy Chuuya".
He further proceeds to insist that Chuuya is human because of how strongly he hates Chuuya and due to a specific word it can be viewed as him saying Chuuya would hate him less if he wasnt human as was stated in the stage play of the same.
Furthermore at the end of Stormbringer he offers to come up with a new plan to give Chuuya an out if he needs one when he has to use corruption as a last resort. And he fully intends on coming up with a new plan within 2 minutes.
In general Dazai does a lot of staring at Chuuya throughout the light novels. On a lighter note Dazai jokes about wanting Chuuya as his personal maid at one point and demands that Chuuya let Dazai look inside his head and know everything there is to know about him.
But then we move onto the dragon head conflict as mentioned in Dead Apple where after making light of an executive's death and getting punched in the face by Chuuya, Dazai is so shaken up by Chuuya implying he's inhuman, he actually pulls strings to try and bring the conflict to an end. He also stops corruption by touching his cheek and pulls Chuuya's head into his lap while he is unconscious after his fight with Shibusawa. The following is from the manga.
Now everyone knows about the whole Snow White and Prince reference but in the light novel its clarified that Chuuya's ability was not affected by the fog and Dazai knew this but he still forces his head down. Even more telling is that Dazai cradles Chuuya's face for no real reason because Corruption had already been nullified when Chuuya made skin to skin contact when punching him in the face.
And of course that was how their expressions are drawn in the manga panel
Then we move to the present day and you have Dazai saying this to Sigma about Chuuya
But then his comment about Gide has him claim the exact same behaviour is romantic in his messed up troll brain
Basically Dazai has a history of staring at Chuuya in awe since 15, "jokingly" confessed at 15 and then got somewhat upset about the rejection, cheated to be able to keep Chuuya as his, repeatedly makes remarks that imply he is vaguely obsessed with him at 16, tends to let Chuuya rest his head in his lap post corruption, has nullified him twice that we have seen by touching his cheek (as per the movie and once as per the ln). Is actively affected by how Chuuya views him (which was shocking to me).
Aside from that he has also talked about Chuuya to the ADA off screen because Yosano knew about Chuuya and his ability (though this could just be a random update about the membera of the mafia to watch out for during meetings) and I heard he talked about Chuuya to Oda in The Day I Picked Up Dazai ln.
This is not counting any of the seriously insane amount of wan content because I dont view it as canon or atleast entirely canon but there Dazai admits to keeping 27 journals detailing things about Chuuya and its an exaggeration of the canon fact that Dazai prides himself in being a Chuuya Nakahara Encyclopedia. It also plays with how close they both actually are with several character refering to them as besties, Chuuya being forced to admit he doesnt actually hate Dazai.
(Oh and this is not even considering just how much Dazai touches Chuuya, like in the manga there is a part where Dazai keeps tugging at Chuuya's hair and refusing to let go while complaining about how much he doesnt want to touch him. Just let go dude...)
So yea, I would not be surprised if Dazai has his vows prepared by the time the last pre defection ln drops. Ofcourse this is mostly a lighthearted joke about Dazai being down bad but in all seriousness, Dazai genuinely cared about and still cares about Chuuya and its made extremely obvious throughout the novels. Its actually worth noting that it was actually Chuuya who seemed to be more vitriolic towards him until the end of Stormbringer where Dazai actually gives Chuuya a choice and shows open concern for Chuuya's needs. Hell Dazai was also the one insisting on Chuuya's autonomy, while he keeps insisting Chuuya is his dog, he hates the idea of people using him like a tool, its why he always gives Chuuya a choice. Chuuya always actively chooses to go rescue Dazai in Dazai's plans of getting kidnapped. Chuuya can always go, "nah, I dont wanna use corruption" but he doesnt because he knows since the events of stormbringer that Dazai will always give him a choice even if corruption seems like a last resort.
Chuuya has good reason for trusting Dazai. Its cause Dazai has in fact proven to him that he can trust him. Its why he went in to fight a dragon despite being told Dazai was possibly already dead.
(And yea I know the current arc would have people go "lol he tried to drown Chuuya, he clearly doesnt care" and you know what? That's so dumb. Dazai tried to drown Chuuya, yes. But we dont actually know what is happening with this arc rn and what he is doing or if Chuuya is in any way involved in whatever he is doing. Dazai said all those things and there was no need for him to say that but the fact that he even remembered several moments they shared, yea no, he was clearly affected by it. Maybe I am wrong and Asagiri decided to yeet out all of Dazai's characterization we saw with his behaviour towards Chuuya in 2 entire novels of his past but IDK I think I'm gonna wait till this arc ends and everything unfolds before making a conclusion about how Dazai is such an asshole he tried to drown his partner.)
Seriously, vows are like the least they could do at this point.
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Alright, the jack in the box is wound, and the coherence is coming to me. Halsin and the dryad, I was talking about his response if the PC indicates that he is most comfortable after a supper large enough to induce hibernation:
"Mindless gorging...? No, that is not right. I did not realize you thought that of me."
And why this keeps catching in my mind is not necessarily what he says, but how he says it (so I am commending Dave Jones' voice acting here). The rest of Halsin's responses to incorrect answers are generally even toned and corrective; firm, usually, but not inherently overly emotional. Much like a teacher correcting a student. But this one...he sounds genuinely surprised and taken aback that the PC would even suggest that. The "no, that is not right" is even firmer on its heels. And the last part...the last part, his voice is smaller. Less forward. I would not go so far as to suggest hurt, but it is approaching that territory. It comes so fast after his firm no, that it almost sounds like something that slipped by accident. Like something that was meant to be muttered under the breath, but it slipped from him because the surprise was so organic.
Alone, it doesn't mean too much. It's a slight offense to an obviously nonfactual statement. And that's likely all it is. I'm about to read too deep into this, I am aware.
But combined with the other things spread throughout Halsin's dialogue, particularly the implication that he is otherwise used to people making commentary on his physical appearance or the physicality of his being, it suggests an extra layer of hurt. An extra layer of: "I did not expect this from you, of all people." Not quite a betrayal, but approaching one.
What makes it particularly catching, is that one of the things you are able to wrench (and I say wrench because getting Halsin to share mundane personal details about himself is a production - and it makes *sense* it's a production if a. We keep in mind that Halsin himself doesn't seem all too sure who he is beyond his preoccupation - which elves are prone to but Halsin also just has...a lot on his plate that have evidently stunted his identity formation - to the point where he even claims he was forgetting who he was, and b. If he is used to questions concerning himself and his experience leading into questions regarding his sex life or his physical activities, see: the companion banter with Wyll and Karlach, he likely...doesn't really keep ready details about himself personally on tap anymore. He's so unused to people being interested in Halsin, that he's taken aback when they are. It becomes the "In the moment, I forget everything and anything I like to do for fun" mentality - no one really cares about what I like to do anyway - if you will. He even goes so far as to joking that the PC may be a doppelganger because *why else would they want to know these things*) out of Halsin when you ask him about himself is that he has a sweet tooth. That he likes honey, and people find that amusing. He chuckles, but his face falls, evidently prepping for the PC to make a similar comment (and he attempts to beat you to the joke about that, though a PC can still call that "on the nose" to which he responds that there is little point in denying oneself if it doesn't hurt anybody - indulging isn't a bad thing). If the PC instead chooses that he should pay little attention to what others think, he gives that infamous: "sometimes I think people look at me and imagine my feelings can't be hurt" line. Which implies - regardless of whether he verbalizes it or not - things in this thread hurt his feelings. Comments or assumptions about his body and his person hurt his feelings. He won't say it, but they do. The PC is likely aware of this by this point in the relationship.
Halsin does not otherwise bring up eating or food to any level of significance or directness - the sweet tooth comment was the only time (you could assume outside of canon interactions that they've had other conversations between them and that perhaps this was brought up, but we are going to base this solely in what Halsin reveals in canon). He brings up hibernation, but specifically the sleeping part of it. Nothing else.
So, the PC then potentially goes ahead and makes an assumption of him during the dryad. How'd they arrive at this conclusion, as it obviously surprises Halsin that they did? It reads, very much, that the PC is making this assumption based on the comment about his sweet tooth, his comment on indulgence, and his physicality (note: the ha ha bear and hibernation thing almost seems like an afterthought - Halsin latches *very* quickly onto the "mindless gorging" part). All things that he has shown very evident discomfort (which is ironic because the question is when he feels most comfortable) or hesitance towards (he claims there is nothing wrong with indulgence, but never seems to indulge himself beyond sex, if that. Gee, what does that remind you of?)
Halsin entrusted this individual with this information, as frivolous as it was, potentially revealed that it hurts his feelings when people make assumptions of him, and this individual then went used that information and made the assuming connection: "So, this is a big man. He said he liked sugar, so he must like to eat and indulge. It must be his favourite thing to do because look at him." I am going to essentially ignore everything else I could have possibly heard, and make a bear hibernation joke that has nothing to do with sleeping being a comfort, but emphasize the eating part.
So, yeah, he's a little taken aback - incredulous, you might say. A little hurt. Resigned, almost. Because at that point, you can make a very logical assumption that Halsin came to a very quick snap realization that perhaps this person was not so different from the others as he thought. That it always eventually comes back to that. What else was he expecting? When has it ever been any different for him?
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– did you love me when he was just my friend?
papa i don't need a preacher / i ain't some kind of creature / from some old double feature / i just wanna make you proud / of the kind of love i've found / but you say it ain't allowed / say it's a sin / but it's how i've always been / did you love me when he was just my friend? / daddy, do you think i've turned out right?
george luz, son of a small town preacher, grew up hearing that all love is heaven sent, that it's holy and true in all its forms. it was told to him every night before he closed his eyes and by the time he reaches adulthood, it's a core part of his nature. love is good. welcomed and encouraged. he sees it in the way his father glances at his mother, sat next to him in the second pew, before he begins every sermon, and he sees it in the quiet support she always gives back. he feels it every day when his dog licks at the palm of his hand whilst he sits restlessly on the front porch, wondering if there's something more out there than this one small town.
love is good. welcomed. encouraged. he meets the new hire at foxtail creek, a small ranch about a mile outside the town border, in the summer. the newcomer mostly keeps to himself, a rancher looking for temporary work. george can't help but be intrigued by the first outsider he's met in months and takes it upon himself to befriend the man. he'd always been good at making friends, most just pass through, or eventually move away, but george had always been content with the fact that his self-proclaimed wit and charm managed to win them over for however long they gave him. slowly, as he and the rancher become more and more intwined, george begins to realise that, in his neck of the woods, not all love is sent from above, at least not in the eyes of his friends and family.
– playlist for fic: heaven sent
– cowboy collab: #easy company cowboys
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Standing in the Wake of Devastation
Suna and Kaya, in the aftermath of the storm. Taken from episode 51. One-shot.
Author (lengthy) note:
Okay, listen, LISTEN. Episode 51 was quite intense as far as KaySun goes, and I have to say I disagree with many of the takes I saw in the fandom following it. One of the major takes I disagree with was "Suna knew Kaya would never hurt her, she was frightened for him, not of him". No, friends, she did not know that, and judging by the way Beril Pozam played the scene, I am quite sure she was frightened of him during his outburst of rage. Suna is a victim of severe physical and psychological abuse, and has been for most of her life. That has to leave some scars. Plus, she has only known Kaya for a short while, and even if he has treated her quite well up until now (especially compared to the other men in her life), it doesn't mean she trusts him blindly.
BUT ALSO. While I wasn't a fan of him telling him the following morning that she was going to be even more sorry if something similar were to happen again, and while it did sound very close to a threat for me, it obviously wasn't the case for her, considering that she is linking arms with him on her own volition in their next scene, even if he's obviously still upset with her. So I tried my best to illustrate her inner voice.
Does she love him? Probably not yet, but she is loyal to him (as seen in the scene with Abidin), and she is attracted to him, and I do think there is potential for more there. They need to TAAAAAAAAAAAAALK. But alas, they are too damaged at the moment for that.
And yes, I do believe that the writer made the correct choice by not making them talk after Kaya's outburst. I know you all wanted otherwise, but to me it makes sense. They need to build more trust, I think, and that comes with time. People like them will not open up so easily. Hell, it's actually a miracle they were so honest with each other up until this point.
Title inspired by Linkin Park's "Iridescent".
AO3 link here.
It has to be the adrenaline from earlier in the night that keeps Suna from wavering on her feet when Kaya's rage explodes.
That, and the certain something in her that shifted ever since she understood he intended to keep his promise to support her. She doesn't even have to think too much before jumping in his way and trying to stop him from hurting himself, as he's hitting his head on the wardrobe in anger, his previous words, the pain of betrayal echoing in every sound.
didn't we promise to be open and honest with each other didn't we say we were going to walk together on this way
I trusted you
I trusted you
Then his hands are all of a sudden on her wrists, her back to the wardrobe, and she cannot move, and in the blink of an eye, it's like time freezes, and the old fear seeps into her bones, because she knows the story so well from here on out, and it's her heart that cries, because he didn't promise her a fairy tale, but he did promise he will support her always, and why didn't she come to him, he's not his mother, he would have understood, he would have helped, and now it's like he's someone else, and why does every single action of hers, every single decision, turn out to be so wrong, and she was mistaken and she did something bad and now he's angry, and with blood frozen in her veins and heart in her throat, part of her expects a hit that never comes, because he just pushes her away.
She doesn't even have time to process what happened, before he starts hitting his head again. And it goes against everything she learned, against every single act of self-preservation she has internalised, but she hurries in his direction once more.
"Kaya, stop!"
She drags him away, and before she knows it, she's on her knees, Kaya crying with his face buried in her shoulder, holding her as if she's the only thing stopping him from drowning.
For a few moments, she doesn't know what to do with her hands. She's tentatively holding him, traces of her temporary fear still lingering, but in spite of it all, she whispers to him that it's okay, although things are so far from being okay. He cries even harder, and she feels one of his hands holding her head, caressing her hair.
This is also a story she knows well.
She knows how to console a child who is crying, has always knew. How many times did she hold Seyran just like this?
There's nothing scary about a hurt child crying in one's arms, after all.
So she goes through the motions. She embraces him fully, she returns his caresses, she's murmuring gibberish, until his eyes grow heavy, until he allows her to guide him back to bed, until he's lying there with his head on her chest, occasional sobs still rattling his chest.
They don't speak. Seyran and her never spoke either, back then. What's there to say in such moments?
*
In the morning, Kaya is calm and composed, but rigid, and more distant than Suna ever saw him. She does apologise; she didn't intend to offend him or hide things from him, not really, but the situation is complicated as it is, and she doesn't really see how she could have included Kaya in Seyran's escape plan, with Ferit and Abidin also around.
Part of her hates that Abidin can still affect her so much. She has chosen her way, what good is it to linger on the past? They were never in sync, and with the way things are going, it looks like they will never be.
"I don't want you to see me like this ever again, Suna," Kaya says.
"I don't want to see you like this either," she replies. It's far from being a lie; the memory of his voice, of his entire demeanour, still gives her slight chills, but there are also some parts that make her heart flutter weirdly in her chest.
He trusted her.
He really, really wanted to support her.
She's overwhelmed with a sudden urge to touch him, like she did during the night, but she refrains herself. Not yet. Not yet. Because he speaks again:
"If something like this happens again, you will be even more sorry."
It sounds like a threat, and she should perceive it as such, but strangely, she does not. He leaves, and all she feels is a flicker of disappointment.
I trusted you
I'm an idiot
I trusted you
*
It's shortly before the formal event they are supposed to attend, and she knows he must have heard the click of her high heels on the floor, but he doesn't turn towards her.
He's fully dressed in black, just like she is. Always in sync, her and Kaya - except when they are not.
She comes by his side, but his gaze remains ahead, unmoved, his hands in his pockets, his posture rigid. Like she isn't even there.
She understands he's not going to move, so she takes a deep breath, links her arm with his. He still does not look at her, still does not touch her in return, but she thinks she can feel his body relaxing, ever so slightly.
He doesn't touch her on their way there either.
It's only later, when Seyran comes after the Korhans, after their father, on television, metaphorical guns out, later, when she stands at the reception petrified (of admiration? of apprehension? maybe both?), that she feels Kaya's hand covering hers, squeezing gently, and although it's a difficult moment, and she doesn't know what the future has in store for her, for them both, she feels a weight in her chest she wasn't even aware of dissipating.
He still trusts her.
He still supports her, after all.
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