Tumgik
#there is literally no way for me to phrase this that does not sound like a flex but
spacedlexi · 1 month
Note
Hi Lexi
What do you think of partially blinded Vi? You never seem to draw her that way, and I kind of just wanted to know what do you think of it as a certified Vi lover.
I personally think that while something like this can be "cool" (as in, being beneficial to the character design), it's handled quite poor for Vi and it just looks a bit... ungrateful. Simply doesn't look good, doesn't fit her personality or character (am I missing something?) and it doesn't seem to fit or suit her...unlike Kenny's iconic eyepatch. To me, it has become a pivotal thing in his design to a degree in which Kenny with both eyes seems a bit odd looking. I see it as a symbol which stands for Ken being a martyr and all he's lost and sacrificed. He is all about family and helping those he loved, his loved ones truly were the "apple of his eye". It all makes sense, doesn't it?
But for Vi, it's excatly the opposite. I'm just so sorry to see her like this. 😭😭😭 I don't think it makes sense in any way. Louis losing his tongue because he's so talkative and "won't shut up" does kind of make sense, but I cant help but see Violet losing sight as kind of lazy writing. "We need something bad happening to her!!! suffer the children!!!'- the writers exclaimed.
i think vi losing her eyesight is incredibly impactful on her character and i honestly dont understand why some people say its lazy writing. especially since it was foreshadowed multiple times. vi losing her eyesight i think is even more impactful on her character than louis losing his tongue because at least louis still has his music to express himself and uplift spirits through (and its not like he cant communicate At All. his note still makes clem laugh). the reason i dont draw blind vi very often is because of how sad it is to me. for multiple reasons
violets whole thing is wanting to be able to protect the people she cares about, and feels immense grief and guilt about the times she feels shes failed them (thinks if she had been there with the twins that day that she couldve done something to save them. feels she failed everyone taken by the raiders. is scared of failing clem too "if something happened to you because of me? i cant lose you too. i wont". its why she cant leave minnie after shooting her. and a kidnapped vi attacks clem because she doesnt want anyone else to get hurt. hell it even ties back to her grandma and feeling guilty about not doing anything for her)
so for her to lose her eyesight? she took pride in her ability to fight and now she cant do that anymore. cant protect the people she loves. and as someone who started the season as an isolated loner, it forces her to rely on those around her for help, stripping her of her independence (and her independence is what allowed her to stand up against the group for clem when it came to the marlon situation in ep2). a blinded vi is forced into accepting community, whereas a saved violet accepts it on her own. her and clem turn ericsons into the home violet could never see it as
the other reason blind vi makes me so sad is that it is Directly a result of clems actions. kidnapped vi had nothing and wanted nothing to do with the bomb, and yet shes the ONLY ONE who gets hurt by it. clem choosing to let vi be taken means clem both breaks her heart, and then burns out her eyes. louis and his tongue is between him and lilly and was a choice THEY each made outside of clems direct influence (even if it was clem who inspired him to speak up, it is ultimately his choice to keep talking, and lilly hurts him for it. its sad he gets punished for a character moment, but clem had no direct hand in him losing his tongue. its why hes not angry to see her in the cell. he doesnt blame clem for what happened), but the way vi is feeling in that cell is DIRECTLY due to clems actions. vi feels like clem abandoned her after she had put herself on the line for her multiple times. she always had clems back but clem didnt have hers. clem is the one who planted the bomb and vi gets caught in the blast. clem hurts her emotionally And physically. and vi apologizes for getting upset (she tries to apologize on the beach too before theyre forced out in the cart, so she felt wrong for those actions immediately even tho they were understandable. lilly and minnie used her moment of weakness to get in her head. she just wanted everyone to be safe)
kidnapped blinded vi is just so incredibly sad to me, especially when you compare her to a fully realized violet. a violet who has come into herself, has confidence, has opened up, has stopped pushing people away out of fear and lets herself love again. shes a leader. a fighter. a protector. and those are all things a blinded violet loses
neither vi losing her eyes or louis losing his tongue is supposed to add anything to their characters. its about what theyve lost. both of them have important parts of their identity stripped away from them after being taken by the delta. its supposed to be sad. heartbreaking. regrettable. unfortunate. they have not gained anything by their time at the delta, only lost important parts of themselves to it
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gregoftom · 11 months
Video
pretty sure i’ve seen romance movies with scenes like this
#tomgreg#where do i even start with t his horseshit okay here we fucking go.#so tom's first instinct is to go to greg when he's on shaky ground with shiv. the only way  he feels safe is to have GREG with him.#who tf would want greg as an attack dog??!?!? lets be fucking real. when he says that i think he means just a dog. just someone loyal.#who loves him and won't dick him around. i think he's pretty tired of it by now.#he wants an alliance with like. ok in this show who would you pick to ally with. i love greg but he's abso useless in terms of skills that#would keep you safe. if anything TOM would keep HIM safe. in fact tom  himself says who else has taken care of you. literally spells it out.#he even says greg is a joke; will fail; will fuck up; so what use does he have for tom other than companionship. other than love?#a dog might do tricks for you but your main reason for getting one is usually love. right? at least it should be. it would be in tom's case.#and don't even fucking get me STARTED on ''do you wanna come with me? ...sporus?" like girl.#you know what you told him about nero and sporus right. and now you're saying to him; yeah i was talking about you.#you and me. you're my favourite and i wasn't joking when i said i'd marry you.#the whole while tom is asking greg to be his attack dog his fuckin. eyes and expression we get it you're in love with  him. like it's ridic.#and all this coming with phrasing it sounds like they're fucking ELOPING. I HATE IT!!!!!! SHUT UP! stop saying that fucking shit god. god#they are so annoying. anyway#the way tom's voice breaks as he says he has things to do [what things. will i find out later.] and the deal and!!#what am i gonna do with a soul anyways... i have you what do i need it for. and as that paragraph said somewhere. he castrates his soul.#then they giggle and are fucking annoying and greg'S HANDS LOOK LIK EHE'S ABOUT TO IDK. HUG TOM? AROUND THE MIDDLE MAYBE#or do something else. and then they just hug instead and i fucking. ugh. i've had enough tbh good fucking bye
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ayekha · 1 year
Text
z.ionism in the tags, tbd
#at this point#you have to wonder just how sacred this land really is to you if you're willing to do this much crime directly against g-d on and over it#i am studying quite a lot right now & reading a LOT about the zionist perspective bc it's an integral part of the books we are given tbh#and so much of the phrasing is about this yearning for what sounds like a completely understandable thing but the thing about it is#it's ancient and it's an ideal and the world has changed *so much* since that yearning took root#when it says we are meant to yearn for a return to isr.ael it makes so much more sense to conceptualize that as The People(hood)#it is *understandable* after everything that the people have been put through over history to want a safe returning point! yeah!#How Ever!!!!!!!!#in what FUCKING WORLD does it make sense to create an environment like this out of that place? to exemplify hypocrisy?#in class we literally study and talk so much about all sorts of historical events that are so similar#and about how amazing it rly is that the torah never actually shies away from the wrong that the ancient ppl have done#because it takes accountability in ways no other holy book does and it says ''we cannot ever do this again. we must never do this again.''#how the fuck are so many people blind to the fact that this is the exact same thing as a Lot of the shit we already understand as wrong#i am just. beside myself constantly at the double standard it puts a sadness in my *bones* it makes me feel ill#the way the perspective is presented is absolutely like... you can see Why a lot of people attach to (and fall for) it.#it's presented in an appealing and touching and personal and *necessary* way. that is how it's phrased.#but it cannot possibly overshadow the reality of what's being done on that soil right now and what is happening to another People.#sorry but i cannot believe this is what my g-d wants.#a.txt#zionism tw#world#antizionism is not antisemitism! js!!!!
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bfbkg · 8 months
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yt/influencer yn who does the 24 hr language challenge w pro hero bf dynamight. I’m thinking either yn speaks in her native language for 24 hrs and vlogs the whole day bkg is trying to understand and guess but loves how diff and comforting u sound super sweet lots of giggles. ORRE bkg speaks in Japanese for 24 hrs and u have to navigate that, uk a bit of phrases and when he swears and says ily omg again so sweet. But either way it would be SOOO cute to see the other rly trying and just staring at the other for clues my heart
24HOUR LANGUAGE CHALLENGE
cw/ i love language fics and influencer youtube yn !!
bkg speaking japanese for 24 hours and you know literally bare minimum. basic phrases like hello, bye, how are you and thank you. you recognise swear words because you hear you boyfriend mumble them often. also a few compliments words because he calls you them. but an actual conversation? day to day conversation. you’re lost.
bakugou doesn’t mind taking part in this video. he loves speaking his language. it’s first nature, what he thinks in half the time and how he talks to his parents. also seeing your confused pinched face when he talks to you makes him literally swoon with a laugh.
you tell him the night before that tomorrow you should record the video and when you wake up the next day, you’re surprised with a gruff, “good mornin’” in your neck.
you know what that means so with sleep still in your eyes you mumble back, “good morning. we don’t have to start yet, i’m not recording.”
bakugou chuckles, eyes still shut with his arms wrapped around your body tightly. “if you want to do this challenge we should do it properly.”
only then do you open your eyes and since he feels your eyes on him, his peek open too.
you stare at him for a few seconds in silence like you’re trying to decipher code but coming back empty handed. then, “i have no clue what you just said.”
bakugou grins, pecking your forehead.
then throughout the whole day i am a strong believer in bakugou making it more complicated than necessary. saying long chunky sentences to see you frown or trying to guess with a finger in the air. you’re okay with conversations about food which really just means you can name common foods so you’re elated when you get to say “yes please!” when he offers to cook something.
lots of you just putting the camera down on the kitchen counter to record without interruption.
you coming back from the shower and he’s sweet while he potters around the kitchen. “hm, you look beautiful. where’s the necklace i got you?”
you always frown after he talks now, trying to pick up random words. “pretty? are you calling me pretty?” you know there’s a question somewhere from the way his tone shifted but you’ve got no clue.
“yeah,” he points at you, “you look beautiful.”
you smile like you always do after a compliment from your boyfriend, “thank you katsuki!” you even add on an honorific after his name and he rolls his eyes.
then he tugs his necklace and then points at you again, “where’s the necklace i got you? necklace?”
“necklace? necklace?” you repeat, assuming it means necklace then patting your collarbones, “oh where my necklace! i must have left it in the bathroom!”
then you’re off to go get it.
in editing you put subtitles over everything he says.
to make everything more complicated for you, he even takes you to his local asian supermarket so he’ll be able to speak japanese there.
you only end up knowing where you’re going when you recognise familiar streets.
“where are we going?”
“gonna get shit for our dinner tonight.”
“shit? that word can be used for anything!” you sigh exasperated, “dinner? we’re getting food?”
bakugou can’t keep the grin off his face, so enamoured that when he watches this video back, he doubts he’ll even be able to get a minute into it. but your accent is always off when you pronounce his words and they’re always said so sweetly compared to his rougher tone.
until a car cuts in front of him, “what the fuck? does nobody look where they’re fuckin’ goin’!?”
you nod along smiling, looking into the camera, “i recognise road rage anywhere.”
then when you’re in the shop, you’re getting served by this old lady who is chatting up a storm with your boyfriend. they’re both talking so fast and you’re a little embarrassed to hold your camera up so you’re holding it to your chest. hopefully the audio picks up.
“my husband loves you. his favourite hero at the moment! he’s going to be so excited when i tell him you’re in my store today!”
bakugou humbly nods and you always recognise how much calmer he gets in interactions like these. almost a little shy, nothing like the cocky hero you’d see on your news.
“thank you, i appreciate it. if you want me to sign anythin’ f’him i can?”
you think she knows who he is and complimented him. not much.
the old lady shakes her head, “no, he doesn’t care for that stuff.” then she looks at you, “who’s this? your girlfriend?”
you know that word because you hear bakugou say it on the phone and when he introduces you to random family members.
bakugou nods again, shrugging an arm around your waist, “yeah. she’s got no clue what we’re sayin’. she wanted to do a challenge today to see if she could understand anythin’.”
the lady chuckles while you look between them. “she’s beautiful. surprised you managed to… what’s the word young people use… date? surprised you managed to date her. in my day we’d move much faster.”
then when you leave the store, you almost forget your own challenge, “what was she saying? did she recognise you?”
bakugou raises an eyebrow. “how am i supposed to tell you?”
you understand the tone and expression, “oh yeah.”
but he tries. he points back to the shop, then at you. “she thought you were beautiful.” then points at himself then you, “thinks i’m too ugly to date you.” that’s basically what she said and he agrees. he tacks on a grin.
“ugly? this word order is messing me up.”
he does hand movements, “beautiful good. ugly bad.”
“oh ugly? she called you ugly?” you gasp and he nods with a faux sad expression.
“you’re not. you’re beautiful,” you respond, sliding back in the car.
bakugou’s satisfied with your limited vocabulary, “thank you baby.”
it only gets to nine pm and you’re begging him to talk in a language you understand. “it’s over now, i’m not recording any more. talk to me now.” you’re pleading but bakugou shakes his head.
“it hasn’t even been twenty hours.”
“i don’t know what you said but i don’t care. talk to me or i’m not gonna talk to you.”
bakugou crosses his arms across his chest pointing to the clock.
fine. if he’s gonna continue saying things you don’t understand, you won’t talk to him at all.
it doesn’t last long when he takes in how disappointed you look, almost the same as your face when he’s on facetime to you on a long trip. so close but also so far.
he kisses your head and yanks you into his arms, “you miss me baby?”
you both lay sideways on the sofa, twisting in his arms to look at you. “i did. i’ll practice some japanese for you, i promise.”
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chiliyue-archived · 8 months
Text
physical affection
Tumblr media
includes; dazai, chūya, ranpo, atsushi
tags; these get just slightly suggestive (but its nothing too much).headcanons + some drabbles & shorts. these r longer than it should be - I got so carried away
I just woke up so if u find mistakes pls let me know :) I'm posting this before I come up with an excuse to delete it altogether
-
—DAZAI
handsy - that's really the only descriptor you need.
honestly, everyone knows you're his partner with how he acts around you; hand on your thigh, waist, shoulder. having to kindly smack him on the back of his head when his hands trailed a little too far-
^ only for him to send you a pout and doe like eyes that fade when you indulge him a kiss. he has zero shame (often at the expense of receiving a sneer from kunikida who had the misfortune of witnessing sometimes. even then, he didn't stop kissing you)
favorite spot is the inside of your palms and knuckles - with a lingering yield on your pulse point. if you ever kiss those areas on him, he'll have cartoon hearts around him & everything
holding his face though? call him your pretty boy or literally anything sappy and he thinks he might just die on the spot.
on the flip side he's also… a bit of a bitch.
traces your bottom lip tauntingly with his thumb, the other is cupping your head to keep your gaze on him. he maintains keen eye contact and relishes in the way you crack while he remains steady.
his mouth is so close that when he speaks, you could feel it vibrate against your lips. but he never closes the distance, he makes you do that instead for teasing benefits :/(if you're shorter than him, it's so over)
revoke his kissing rights and he trails like a lost puppy behind you. " just one, bella?" he whines when you maneuver your head away. it's cute seeing him get all pouty - not so much when his patience runs thin and he takes matters into his own hands
-> caging you in his physique and kissing you hard. fingers calloused are rubbing against your jaw or brushing past your ear to interlock, teasing the surface of the skin as he does so. he enjoys the tremors and shivers it elicits, such reactions becoming burned in the back of his head.
you could barely make a sound with the vigor he expresses his cravings in with your bottom lip becoming captured between his canines
contrary to his theatrical displays, however, i also believe he exhibits a softened demeanor when cherishing you proper (soft dazai agenda)
the tempo of his kisses are slow yet not in accordance with his teasing. while the meandering of his hands grows greedy, when he speaks his voice is reduced to a low whisper, mumbling sweet phrases with each kiss.
dazai wants to blame the bottom of sake for his vermillion flushed cheeks. more alarmingly, he wanted to ignore the way his heart squeezed when you reciprocated the kiss.
" darling," he pulls away, studying your expression. your hair was tousled, a swell blooming on your bottom lip from his recurrent nibbling and ministrations. the moment wasn't perfect, but he could bask in it for a lifetime. " are you getting sleepy?"
the pretty brown eyes you met were half-lidded and blinking. his bangs traced along your forehead from where he hovered, and if you squint, perhaps you would have noticed how the pink of his cheeks deepened the tiniest bit when you laughed at the tickling sensation.
you murmur something intelligible, the words swallowed by his mouth; he shivers when the syllables reverbate against him and the hand at your hip falters slightly. when he reels back, he remains close enough for his forehead to brush yours.
" repeat that, love."
" i said," you mumble, kissing the corner of his mouth. " can we to stay like this forever?"
almost instantaneously his body shakes in anticipation, heart lurching at the sincerity; how can you be so honest to a known liar like him? he slowly nods, his body arching until your chests were touching and breath pricked at your cheek. ever greedily, he seeks out another exchange, this one careful with a lingering touch of desperation.
an "okay" became lost as he gingerly grabs your chin, angling it just the tiniest bit to deepen it. in between the withdrawals and recoil, dazai chooses to ignore the way his breath stills in the pinnacle of moment, made potent when he twines his hand with yours. he provides the appendage a firm squeeze in coordination with the stirring in his chest, your inhales and exhales becoming synchronized.
he can't lie, he's been thinking just as much.
dazai also likes your hands. chances are his are bigger than yours and he finds himself comparing hand sizes with you. his eyes crinkle when your fingers are dwarfed by his.
adjoined limbs are swayed back and forth when you walk together. same applies with intertwined legs, but when he's not busy doing that, he's playing footsie beneath the table.
he needs to be with you whenever he can!! the spot across your table remains permanently empty as he makes a home of sitting as close as possible next to you instead
he can't even be embarrassed with overly sappy displays, not when he's loving it twice as much. " good morning, osamu," you once said, palms cupping his face. he doesn't know if something has ever made his heartbeat spiked as hard as that did. " can I have a kiss?"
if he didn't turn to putty from the request alone, then it was the way you circled your thumbs on his cheekbones when he brushes his lips to yours. tentatively, he curls his hands behind your waist, holding you close before you get too far.
" can i have some more?" his eyes are shimmering in mischief as ever but his skin has progressively grown warmer since you've found him.
dazai is cuddly. getting to hold you close and listen to your heartbeat? yeah, he could die happy right now
unsurprisingly, napping with him is among his favorite passing time activities.
the closest you may get to see a vulnerable side to him is if you card your fingers through his hair. admittedly, he finds it troubling how his built-up walls crumble so easily with a couple of strokes. but the only thing he can focus on now is the sensation of fingers devoid of pain carefully tend through his hair and how warm his chest feels
kisses on the forehead when you're in need of comfort ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶
" i'm right here, love." when you glance up at him with red eyes and puffy cheeks he could feel his heart break right into two. even more so when your voice cracks and he tries to hide the way his face drops when it echoes in the somber ambience.
attentively, he cups your cheeks as his lips apply delicate pressure against your forehead. he sighs when he feels your trembling hands subdue and your breathing regulate; its panning against his skin rivaled any other comfort he could ever receive.
" better?" when you nod, he could feel his grin return, just a bit weaker. " today has been hard on you. get some rest."
" can you stay with me?" he already knew the answer in his head but it still makes chest swarm tremendously.
he gives your hand a gentle squeeze, lips brushing your forehead again. " of course."
he wasn't the one needing comfort and yet he still felt a deep-rooted tingle right in his chest when you hugged him closer than usual. he depised the circumstances behind it, but he couldn't deny the way it made his barren chest feel less akin to a husk when you felt so secured against him.
his hands start to comb shrough your hair, watching as the strands bend between his fingers and he ensures to provide your scalp proper attention now and again.
he wasn't sure if he'll be able to sleep, he was more concerned in making sure you did.
he blinks when you move to press your cheek against his chest, right where his heart should be. " thank you," your words were muffled against clothes, sending vibrations along his bones.
" you don't have to thank me." he places a last kiss to your forehead, the longest one of the night. his legs shift to intertwine with yours, listening keenly to the sound of your breath until it slows into an assuaging rhythm.
dazai can't recall the last time he had to take care of someone. it's made apparent as he grapples with uncertainty - almost becoming overwhelming with how powerless he felt in the situation.
though tonight, he was sure to hold you a little tighter.
likewise if you kiss his scars and the skin beneath the bandages, he could feel the breath in his throat still and his heart do cartwheels. it's been so void of human touch for so long and he appreciates the care you exhibit towards something he considers to be ugly.
" all better now!" you punctuated your words with a kiss to the newly coiled cotton on his arms. dazai could do nothing but swallow hard, his "thank you" mumbled under his breath; he didn't like the pain, but it wasn't so awful when you spoiled him like this ♡
neck kisses + scattering the expanse of your throat with baby bruises you can not hide. afterwards, he traces it out with his index finger while he takes in the markings with great interest.
when it starts to fade he gladly renews them
" that tickles," you murmur, voice reduced to a whisper; you couldn't trust yourself, not with dazai scattering kisses along the exposed patches of your neck. the rehearsal of which doesn't falter, even when you tug on his increasingly unruly curls.
" my apologies, 'bella," you wince as he captures a patch of your skin between his teeth. " i think i've found my favorite form of art." he has the gall to feign a tone of sympathy, lips arcuated at the growing disparity.
in addition to the nibbling, his fingers skimmed along your torso, moving in taunting lines he knew ran your sanity thin. dazai knew all the places that made you shiver, it was a piece of information that became abused with the movement of his hands in that moment.
against your rationality, you sunk into his touch, fingers twitching along his roots. it brought a simper you couldn't see but his satisfaction is made apparent when his actions grow sloppy, scattering along the expanse of your throat and meandering along your collarbone.
" you had every chance to leave," he smirks when you don't reply, content with the way your nails briefly printed on him. predictably, he gives another nibble on your skin, tugging back gently. " this might be my favorite spot."
right on the center of your unguarded throat.
" i can't hide those there."
he laughs, breath cascading skin. " that's what i want, darling." he thinks he might lose himself when you bring a particular tug in his hair, a sound akin to a grunt reverberating against your throat.
" you're being mean." dazai makes the mistake of pulling back, gracing him with your disheveled hair, reddened lips and growing streaks of red. already he finds it to be his favorite piece of jewelry.
" don't look so down," he pressed a kiss to one of the blooming blemishes, grinning as it became more pronounced. " you'll get your turn soon."
-
—CHŪYA
he takes his gloves off when he goes to touch your face. he doesn't want the sensation of skin on skin to be hamper by the piece of article.
kisses to your temples & neck are exchanges he shares on the frequent. though depending on the height difference, it may also be a gesture reserved for when you're sitting on his lap or cuddled up into him. head kisses in particular feel appropriate for anything really
as for himself, i'd say he likes to be kiss on the lips(mainly so he can distract from the growing crimson that tickles his forehead)
but it's hard with the handsome face chūya has. his growing pout tells you he's growing impatient when you favor his cheeks, but the hand gripping your sleeves are so counterproductive
" can you do it properly?" he gruffs, brows furrowing that weaken by your persistence. his skin was growing warm from the kisses you spoiled him with but it hardly compares to the proper thing on his lips, aching for the familar sensation almost painfully.
he shivers when you trail to his mouth, just shy of it and his grip tightens. " like this?"
his eyes flutter shut when you close the distance and before he could realize it, his hands began to sift through your hair. " yeah," his exhale was shaky, voice dropping to a low lilt. " don't stop that."
he sleeps with his head buried in your stomach - his nose is brushing against your abdomen with toned arms slithering around you like a form of cocoon
it reaches a peak when you brush your thumb over his scalp, and you can physically note the way the muscles in his body sink. you can't see his face, greeted instead by a cascade of reds; but his lips pull into a grin at the action
it grants you the opportunity to play with his hair. and sometimes, when he wakes up to find the claw clips and cute brooches that push his bangs aside and show off his pretty eyes, he won't be tempted to remove them right away.
he wanted to roll his eyes when he saw you pull out the collection of hair clips, taunting pastels and neons gawking back at him. but he has to admit, he stopped caring the moment you started to play with his strands of hair. the locks weaved through your fingers, silky and soft stirring a form of ease that compels him to remain still. when he did move, it was only in an effort to bring himself closer, almost like snuggling(though he profusely denies it as such and regards you a scoff that doesn't compliment the rest of his actions).
had he not been treading precariously the boundaries of sleep, he may have been able to pick up on the way his heart quickened; a solace riveting up his spine and leaving in the form of a breathy sigh.
he blinks his eyes at you, nose scrunched up when you start mapping out his handsome features with your thumb. " you're getting distracted."
you acknowledge his statement with a coy grin and chūya felt his heart swell even at its simplicity. "i know." you move to press your lips to his forehead; if the smile wasn't enough to dissipate the frown on his face, that was the drug.
a flash of color peeks in the corner of his eye as you draw another clip. " i was just wondering how you would look in pigtails," you joke and chūya could feel his face twist— eye twitching at your jest.
" you're pushing your luck."
" it won't be that bad, chū."
" i could leave right now." his voice was terribly unconvincing when brooches adorned his head.
" you would have left a long time ago." you grin when he doesn't refute you. " just relax."
chūya knows he's defeated when you thumb his scalp again, eyes screwing shut involuntarily. " you're enjoying this too much," he grumbles. he tilts his head to the side, granting you access to his hair, hands falling pilant against your thigh. it bewilders him how much relief washes over him as you start to pry the strands apart again.
you know he's fallen asleep when he stopped replying to your ramblings; his words going from full sentences, to sporadic words and then slurred vowels. when you peek down, he's resting comfortably on your lap, lips slightly parted and allowing light snores to fill the silence.
chūya is far too deep in his subconscious to contemplate anything, but if he could, he thinks he might just get addicted to this.
a clingy drunk. in addition, the alcohol is effective at loosening his tongue, resulting in declarations of his undying love that are muffled when he goes head first into your stomach (≧▽≦)
in lieu of that, he likes to spoon you, with himself being the big spoon. he has his head in the crook of your shoulder, and you feel his inhales and exhales against your skin.
he likes your body heat, it grounds him to earth and coaxes a soft demeanor that he fails at suppressing
thoughtful when it comes to kissing in the public eye. he isn't fond of drawing that form of attention to your relationship, but he isn't opposed to stealing a couple of kisses now and then.
it's fast, it's simple and enough to satiate you and himself. and it's enough to tell onlookers that he's your bf
it that didn't give the memo, its the gloved hand on your waist that spoke to people that you were taken.
though that doesn't stop him from tugging you closer in a spur of his protective tendencies. it's a subconscious act he does when you pass a group of people or when yokohama is notably crowded. it's not merely because he's short and is worried about losing you to the sea of wayfarers(at least thats what he tells you) - rather, it roots from a concern that's only repleted when he knows you're safe
behind close doors, however, his kisses lack patience if the way he's gripping your clothes is anything to go by. and while he demonstrates a growing restlessness, he remains pensive to his own strength and withdraws to give you proper time to catch your breath.
but he knows exactly what to do intensify each one and make your brain go hazy
cupping your cheeks, tilting your head, voice speaking in a meticulous timbre that shakes your skull. you're far too consumed in the kiss to recognize when his free hand has found its way to your back, gliding along the spine before slipping beneath the hem.
his gloves are cold against your skin, mumbling a faint 'sorry' that's nearly swallowed when he brushes his lips to yours for nth time.
the limbs explore along the dips and contours, pinching your sides and smirking into the kiss when you yelp in surprise (inwardly, his heart is beating so fast, he wonders if you could hear it when his chest is pressed against yours.)
without the gloves, his hands are a hint warmer. but even warmer are his cheeks when you press kisses to it. he knits his brows together in an attempt hide how much he likes; ultimately, he betrays himself when he pulls you closer
" what the fuck are you doing," he stammers as you press a kiss to his warm cheeks. despite himself, he makes no effort to move when you brush your lips on the other - even warmer than the neighboring pair.
"kissing you," you hum. "... want me to stop?"
" no." he hates how fast the words left him and he hates how you grin at that. it was just the thing to crumble his resolve - and more specifically, it's just the thing to make him go mellow, subservient to your ministrations with his heart beating erratically - even within the scrutiny of strangers and coworkers.
" give me a warning next time." he wants to frown but the expression dies when you crane your head to make contact wherever you can reach. in reponse, an arm finds purchase on your hip, shuffling you closer until you are nuzzled up to his build.
he wasn't sure what rumors would circulate if people saw him being soft - and frankly, he couldn't bring himself to quite care much about the prospect either; inwardly, he was already missing the rehearsal of your lips on his, a desire not easily quelled and he was far more occupied with fixing that.
you let out a confused hum when he suddenly taps at your cheek indignantly. " well?" a thumb hooks beneath your chin, bringing you just shy of his mouth. "are you going to finish what you started?"
when he's making kissy faces with his partner, it's nobody's business.
if you have dimples, he kisses those, each one before concluding it off with your lips
chūya just likes to be in contact with you in some way really. longing to hold your hand and scribe incoherent phrases on the palm. reflected in the way his feet nudge closer to yours and how he never fails to hold your hand beneath the table. when handing you items, he reveals a form of reluctance when he detaches away.
i really want to say he does that thing where he places his fedora over his chest when he kisses your knuckles. he tries really hard to maintain eye contact, but it falters when you send him a beam that makes his chest ache from beating so fast.
and lastly, he never leaves without getting a goodbye kiss first.
" you're forgetting something." chūya vexed— furrow brows bruising his otherwise neutral expression. he hasn't moved from where he stood, silhouette stilled by the partition with nothing but the perpetual tapping of his foot to remind you of his presence. it took all of your strength to push back your laughter at his childish display.
" i am?" you question with a tilt of your head. the inquiry rewarded you with a huff from the former, lip twisting into a frown. admittedly, he looked cute when grumpy, pretty dark eyes tracking you behind colored bangs.
" my kiss?" an index finger points to his neglected lips, promptly chooses to ignore the red hue that harbored along his cheeks, tickling his forehead tauntingly.
chūya tracks your movements as you stride forward, cupping his cheeks within your palms. he resists the urge to close the distance himself - as alluring as it was - he sought out satisfaction when you comply with a genlte kiss. against his own volition, a breathy and likewise dreamy sigh leaves him, just barely audible by the exchange.
his hands sneak down to rest on your waist, twitching when you press a final peck to his cheek. promptly, you decide not to comment on the way a grin was threatening to crack on his oh so serious face.
" better?"
"very."
-
—RANPO
yk in the movies where the guy picks up the girl and spins her around when they kiss? ranpo wants you to do that with him but he's the girl.
piggyback rides ! except he's the one on your back :/ " to the detective agency, y/n!" he jabs out a lithe finger, his dimple smile steady even when you meet him with a glare over your shoulder. it makes him more eager than anything, face squishing against your cheek as he loops his legs around your waist.
" don't give me that look" he exasperates, a brow quirk at your nonverbal response. " the world's greatest detective can't be in better hands."
" you can get there yourself," you sigh, averting your gaze back in front of you. it was hard to fight against him, his persistence shaping your decision the longer he clinged to you.
" thats the boring alternative. duh," he breathes, nuzzling his cheek against your hair. " you know me better than that. besides, i like it when you hold me."
likes kissing you. he will rope up any excuse to steal a kiss. he finished a piece of paperwork? he deserves a reward. finished eating a cookie? kiss the crumbs off. you have absolutely nothing else to do? well, his lips are right there, give him a smooch <3
his kisses taste sweet, the faint traces of chocolate and jams coating his lips. it won't be too far from him to make you guess the flavor of cake he had that morning, but really you think he's just trying to pull more kisses from you. cause he is
" tastes sweet." ranpo shudders when the words vibrate against his lips, cheeks deepening to a rosy hue but the playful glint in his eye ceases to falter. " banana or strawberry?" you blink, a pensive look comprising your features.
a hand cups the back of your head, bringing you close enough for your lips to hover his, still glossy in faint syrup. " nope~!" his proceeding laugh was cut short as he closed the distance again, the ache to kiss you too profound. and with you seated on his lap, he utilized the given opportunity greedily.
you resist the urge to gasp when his tongue swipes along your lower lip, with it the tinge of a fleeting flavor; you recall watching him eat something sweet and sugary in the morning.
he smiles against your mouth, savoring your reactions and attempting to draw out the kiss. " that's definitely strawberry," you contemplate.
ranpo whines when you withdraw, grip tightening against your hands in a stubborn display - it was perhaps the most desperate response you've gotten from him that evening. " are you lying?" you tease with a knowing look; you don't think you've ever seen him shake his head as vigorously as he did now.
" i think," he brushes the corners of your mouth, fingers settling against your chin. "you'll just have to kiss me until you get it right."
the possibility to ponder a response was stolen from you, swelling lips already chasing your own with renewed zeal. dumbfounded, you were naive to the abandoned slice of shortcake just a couple tables away. but by the time you discover it, your little game would be long forgotten.
his childish demeanor often seeps through into his portrayal of affection, fond of sweeping you off your feet at the displays(and at times quite literally too)
it varies in forms; one day he can slump against you like a koala, grip like a vice. and the next he decides to randomly squish your cheeks and bring a kiss to your puckered lips
" ranpo-?!" you sputter, disoriented from sudden and hasty movement. you recall looking over some documents, the next you were gazing into wide green orbs and a nose bumping yours. a self-satisfied look curls on his face, relishing in the way your face fumes beneath his touch.
" surprise~"
" what was that for?"
" just wanted a kiss." he evades the hand on your cheek in favor of curling your bangs around his finger. " i'll come back for more."
he's shameless, unafraid and bold. perhaps not to a similar depth as dazai, but ranpo yields an unpredictability that easily leaves you mellowing in his ministrations
blows raspberries on your cheeks and palms just to coax a laugh from you. it's a reaction he can't help but mimic too and implores you with a "my turn!" while tapping his cheek expectantly.
has probably nibbled on your cheeks at some point too…. :/
likes to hold your hand, slipping it into space randomly and nonchalantly. he sticky like that; appearing from thin air and finding your hand trapped with his.
even better if you sit on his lap or vice versa
when you sleep, he lays on top of you because he doesn't want you to leave him alone. plus! it provides him the perfect advantage to pepper his lips on your collarbone or other patches of expose skin
goodnight kisses (and nap kisses) are a must and he turns greatly fussy when denied such "necessities" as he puts it
" i'm only going to get a glass of water," you reassure him, sweeping his messy bangs aside to press a kiss to his forehead. the crease between his brows goes slack, but his grip remains fixed; it was late, and the last thing ranpo wanted was for you to leave your spot on the futon. " i promise."
his eyes surveyed your face for an inexplicable answer and the fidgeting of his fingers against your forearms tells you he's hesitant.
a silence shrouds the dorm before he speaks again, voice weakened and resigned - it almost made you want to stay in bed with him, enveloped by the unspoken words and his endless aura of affection. " okay." you trace your finger over his cheek, pallid and smooth beneath the pad - the gesture was persuasive enough for his grip to grow lax. he didn't let you get too far yet however, an outstretched pinky waiting before you. he bestows you a broaden grin when you accept it, pressing a kiss to the tip of the adjoin digits.
he doesn't leave your side even as you fix yourself a glass of water, your shared blanket haphazardly draping his shoulders and trailing behind him. he lingers by your arm even as the facet runs, interrupting his thoughts with tired green blinking in impatience. and he watches you through his bangs as you replenish your thirst, already looping your arm and guiding you back to your futon.
not a second after your head meets the pillow, ranpo wraps himself around you, dawning a smile now that you're back with him. he didn't care if his elbow was probed at an odd angle, he just wanted to be as close to you as possible.
" you can't fall asleep yet!" he whines, pulling on the sleeves of your shirt languidly. " it's only fair if you give me a kiss."
" i gave you one earlier."
his gaze shifted to a mixture of displeasure and yearning, small hands pulling eagerly on the fabrics of your clothes. his pleading green eyes made it hard to resist his demands, obscuring into a candid vulnerability you seemingly wielded over him.
" but," ranpo leans close enough for his nose to brush yours, messy fringe framing his sleepy face. his hands flex around your palms, nails scuff on the contours, voice going so low you almost didn't hear him. " i can't fall asleep without it."
pinches your cheeks when in vie for your attention. in any case, he isn't against stomping his foot and whining as a last resort :<
his pout dissipates when you grant him with a collection of kisses or allow him to sit on your lap, fiddling with the ends of your hair or scribbling random phrases on your thigh that he makes you guess
i wouldn't put it against him to randomly jump into your arms or back. the questioning glances he receives hardly impedes him, instead murmuring an "i miss you," into your shoulder. he quivers in your arms when you comb your fingers through his hair, eyes squeezed shut in an air of bliss.
when it comes to deep embraces, he nestles against you akin to a cat, hands pawing wherever he can reach with greedy intent. and that cloak of his can easily encompass the pair of you, performing as a makeshift den of sorts. it feels like your enclosed own little world with him pressing kisses along your face like a butterfly
ranpo is attentive, all too familiar with your habits including the ones you don't cognitively account for. he notes the way you fidget with your fingers, and increasingly it came to be with his fingers you grew fidgety with. if you have a habit of tugging your sleeve, it's not your sleeve you're tugging on anymore but his instead.
he comes to recognize these patterns and responds in kind either with a squeeze to your clasped hand or tapping against your skin in a form of code.
has love hearts in his eyes when you offer to feed him. if he's feeling kind, he'll reciprocate the gesture, though, often at the expense of getting something he wants.
napkins are overrated, kissing off the crumbs or using his thumb are so much more favorable alternatives to him
" say ah~"
you cocked a brow as sugar became smeared on your lip - hardly helped by the titter coming from him. ranpo's persistence was tenacious and the myriad of his treats proved to be bottomless. you weren't sure how many treats you've been fed at that point but it's evident the former found enjoyment from the coddling as evidence of his dimpled smile.
ranpo offers you another confection, a velvety cookie glazed in congealed frosting. when you indulgently take a bite, the filling melts in your mouth and the taste of vanilla floods your taste buds.
" it's good right?" he gives you a smile as he observes your face, brightening when you react positively. " i got them just for you. i knew they were your favorite."
he suddenly pauses, eyes fixating toward your direction. he pays little heed to the look you send him, not when his gaze centers south; that should have been your first sign to up and leave - you want to blame his bribery of treats for your reason to stay.
" you got crumbs all over your face," he said, eyes squinting. while his tone was gentle with a trace of mirth, the way his eyelashes batted innocently at you alluded otherwise. ranpo always held a resurgent glimmer in his eyes, one that he couldn't blink away easily.
he hastily stops you before you could grab a napkin to dapple it away, residing to instead run his thumb along the corners of your mouth. the deliberate proximity catches you off guard and given how his lips shift into a faint smirk; that was exactly the reaction he was hoping to coax.
" much better," he leans back but not without pressing a peck to your nose first.
he plucks out another cookie - and much to your surprise doesn't eat it down right away. more accurately, he crudely cracks it half, revealing an abundance of sugary filling hidden within the confines. without a hint of hesitation, he dips a finger into the cream frosting and messily swatches it against his mouth.
his dimpled smile doesn't leave him for a second even as he slots in front of you directly. his pink cheeks and light stutter chipped away at his facade but his green eyes and lips pulled into a firm beam remained confident.
you almost detested the way it was infectious otherwise you would have rolled your eyes.
ranpo reached out to cup your cheeks, waiting. " it's only fair you do it back, okay?"
-
—ATSUSHI
he holds a lot of hesitation when it comes to enacting anything physical and it shows.
modest, never performing any actions without your explicit consent. even so he exercises slow movement and allows you the opportunity to withdraw if you so desire.
he follows you around a lot though, seeking comfort from being your presence
it shows in the way he inches himself closer to you when you're in the general vicinity. in the way he glances at you for confirmation before lacing fingers. in the way he scoots his chair to close just so his thigh is just slightly nudging yours.
he questions how you're able to be so composed even with something as minimal as brushing clothed skin because inwardly he's going abrack and he can't focus on anything else
" atsushi are you listening to what i'm saying?" your voice broke him from his stupor, head perking up
in the following moment he could do nothing more than let out a nervous laugh, eyes fluttering in companion of scarlet cheeks. " ye- i… erm.. can you repeat that please?"
actually him -> (〃´𓎟`〃)
his favorite physical attributes about you are your hands, i think! they're so strong, and it fits into his perfectly <3 he can spend an hour just tracing the lines along your palm and appreciating the details
as such he's a hand holder as well. he shyly links his pinky with yours before gradually lacing the rest of the digits. when he looks at the joined limbs, it's like a shot of comfort runs right through him.
you often catch him peering at you in the corner of his eyes, mosaic of yellows and purples squinting in intrigue. presently, his hands go clammy, fidgeting against his pants at a random manner; it was a common gesture of his, one that didn't go by unnoticed by you.
" something wrong?" he eases up a bit at the sound of your sincere tone.
" no, not at all," he gives off a nervous laugh, hand scratching the back of his neck. too far into his nerves, he failed to to recognize how the area became chafed. " i was just wondering," he paused, lips shaped into a bashful smile. " can i… hold your hand?"
atsushi didn’t have a mirror on him but he doesn't doubt that his face can put tomatoes to shame.
fortunately, the stiffened muscles on his back go slack at the giggle you release, a nervous chuckle pouring from himself. the erratic beat of his heart meanwhile, resumed its ricochet against his sternum, blood pounding on the lobe of his ear.
"you don't have to be so hesitant about holding my hand, 'sushi." you accentuated the statement by dipping your palm to take his.
it's evident he takes your words to heart, as next time he wordlessly hooks his index finger with yours before properly weaving the rest of the appendage. it was like a perfect puzzle, he reckoned and he gave his head the faintest tilt to gaze at it.
without realizing it, he rolls his thumb over the knuckles, savoring the exchange and the sensation of your fingertips on his. you haven't even spoken a word and already, his heart fills immensely full.
and if you pay attention, you may even catch him grinning at the presumably courageous gesture he mustered himself to do. his clammy palms tell you he's nervous, but it's hard to resist him when he's genuinely trying so hard.
when he does garner the confidence however, he holds his hand out for everything; helping you out of the car(princess treatment w him tbh!), guiding you to bed when you're really sleepy, or when he just needs to be in some form of contact with you. he may even take it a step and pepper some kisses on the knuckles or rub the joints
moving his hand along your back when you're having a bad day of sorts. he may even resort to drawing shapes or random designs with the back of his nail as he listens to all your troubles
whenever your face scrunches up he kisses the pinched muscle until it goes loose again.
" there's that smile." he pushes aside his diffidence for your sake, cupping your cheeks before pressing kisses along your cheeks.
for himself, he finds a sort of reprieve by lying down on your lap. the moment his head makes contact with your thighs is like instant relaxation for him.
and all he can pay attention to afterwards is the sensation tickling his ribs and the way you mindfully took his roots within your fingers.
he seeks stability in such actions; his deep exhale occupying your dorm and meandering with the dust particles that float around him. he doesn't even realize how he's nuzzling closer into your body, eyes squeezing shut when you favor his scalp for a few seconds.
if he could purr, he would
kissing the tips of your fingers and hugging you from behind ♡
its the best form of affection he could ask for when he comes home groggy and sore from work
" i'm home." exhaustion claws at his voice, movements stiff and sluggish as he strips of his tie and other accessories. his eyes surveyed the area, searching until…
a pop of familiar hues sweep into his vision. it revitalizes just enough energy to sustain a pair of open eyes, belied to the fatigue housed prior.
" welcome home, 'sushi." you greet with a smile he couldn't help but mimic even as the muscles in his body disagreed with it.
your mouth moves to mumble something else, but the words become intelligible to his ears. he was more far more concerned in slumping into the crevice of your shoulder, head falling into familiar position.
" miss you," he murmurs, rubbing his cheek against you, affectionate as ever. his hands wander down to your waist, finding the hemline. perhaps his growing daze subdued his rationality, for his hands slipped beneath, pinky faintly hitting skin.
" let's go." you gently tugged on his arm, intending to guide him to your futon; you only managed a couple steps before his grip went firm. almost uncharacteristically. when you turn your head, your met with a pair of fluttering lashes gazing at you - droopy but in its reflection was an intangible touch of fondness.
" this is fine," he brushes his lips to your cheek. the gesture was sloppy but enough to rekindle a grin on your face. " just want you here."
his finger sprawled against your stomach, heart hastening when you leaned back into him. he took the opportunity to douse himself in your comfort, relishing when you brush your fingers past his ear and scratch along his head.
he feels himself sink more when your nail caught a certain spot, just lateral to his head.
if it weren't for your voice breaking the silence, he would have surely fallen asleep at that moment.
" i'm right here," you murmur. " go ahead and rest." he wasn't sure how those words could weigh heavily on him as it did and also provide him the lull to drift off to sleep. but it didn't matter. the real thing is so much better than he can ever imagine.
when you cuddle together, he prefers to settle with his hand or head where your heart should be. the thumping is so reassuring, especially when his insecurities pipe up. he needs to know you're still there :(
on the days he can't sleep, he finds himself playing with your fingers: gently flexing the joints and counting the knuckles
he's docile at anything routley intimate; fuming a pair of uncomfortably hot cheeks and legs reduced to jelly. his words often come in the form of stutters and slurred syllables, the slightest of touches jolting him.
his actual kisses though are gentle and considerate, favoring areas such as your hands and cheeks.
in contrast, the drawn-out gestures are hesitant at first. when it came to the first kiss, he had to swallow down his nervousness.
" did i do okay?" he inquires, eyeing your countenance. he feels a crash of relief when a grin curves on your lips and in turn he flashes you a dazzling amiable smile.
"good." he nods at that, removing the space again with the intentions of lengthening it and making it better than the last. good was fine, but he wants perfect when it came to you
when atsushi gets a taste of what physical affection can be like; pecks at his face, squeezing your hand and spooning you close - he's hooked. and he wants more, becoming akin to an insatiable pit. and it's profound.
he yearns for more kisses and lingering embraces that set his nerves aflame. he yearns to be closer to you until it was just impossible.
it also spurs a part of him(and in consequence of his ability as well) a yearning to leave some markings along your skin. he tries to be considerate in where he places it, but he himself is awful at hiding his own blemishes.
a shaky expression drops on his face, the faint pink on his cheeks deepening to a cherry blush. he wasn't familiar to having your lips press beneath his chin, outlining the thrum of his throat - you could feel it's cadence whenever he sharply exhales, in pair of his palpitating heart.
even within his daze, atsushi remained cautious to not sink his nails into your shoulders. in comparison, he fails to suppress his shudder when your lips brush against a particular spot, air knocked from his chest.
when you glance up at him, his face contorts into a form of raw desperation, tugging onto your clothes until you were just shy of his mouth. meekly, he tries to not linger his gaze on your lips as you spoke; " is this fine?"
it's like you're teasing him, puffy magenta lips gawking at him and he wants nothing more than to kiss you again.
" it is." from the corner of his eye he could make out the faint reds that probed from his clothes hemline, dotting along his collarbone like swatches of paint. he doesn't think he'll ever grow use to it, filling him with an exhilaration he reasons can't be replicated elsewhere.
" i like it actually." his eyes squeezed shut in an effort to steady the eruption of red on his cheeks but it did little to quell his racing heart when you cupped his face, pressing a kiss to his mouth.
" i'm glad, you look handsome like this."
his smile reaches his eyes. "you look pretty too." his nails dug into his palms in an effort of restraint as he returns the gesture in kind.
-
I was originally hoping to include fyodor but this was so long already. w/ him (& unfinished) it would be 8k words. I rlly want to do version for sigma and akutagawa too. ty boxing fyodor anon 4 enabling my behavior TwT
these have so much room for improvement but I've fiddled around with it sm (๑′°︿°๑). if this doesn't leave the drafts now, it never will. I'll fix mistakes laterrr
taglist; @eynnwwyjth @anqelically @seisitive @iheartpieck @seiiblue @averagebsdwatcher @solandiss @4nthonyyliving @guacamole-roll @sunnyx07
be added or removed here !
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asterosian · 3 months
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I’m watching Jesse Gender’s video acknowledging the criticism against that one line in her video and how she needs to address her own blind spots when it comes to trans men, which I think it’s awesome that we’re being listened to when I would’ve fully expected us to be written off by most other people, but one thing she mentioned got me thinking (read: distracted) about how exactly trans men challenge the gender power hierarchy. It’s something I’ve tried touching on before but it didn’t really take off as much as I wanted it to and I think that’s because I didn’t phrase it as well as I could have. And I don’t even know if I’ll succeed right now cause if I’m being honest, I’m not sure how to phrase it. Damn if I won’t try tho.
But like how nonbinary people challenge it by not even fitting into it and trans women challenge it by “lowering themselves,” I think trans men challenge it by making people question what sense or value the hierarchy has in the first place in a way that invokes a fear that those who wish to uphold that hierarchy clearly have but won’t say so too directly.
Dial your clock back to the women’s suffrage movement for a second. Have you seen the anti-suffragette posters? They certainly seem to imply that if women can vote, they can do basically anything else a man can do. She can put on pants, get a job, find a woman to marry, and - oh the horror! - live basically identically to a man. You don’t want women to become men, do you? Oh but let’s move forward. Inch by inch. Women did more things that men could do and this was a massive big deal and scared the shit out of people, but eventually it was sorta-okay. As long as they’re still women. We need to make sure they understand they are still women even if they do all these things. But of course, there’s still backwards asshats trying to turn time back to before all of this.
I’ve heard the arguments that people who think a woman’s proper place is in the kitchen wearing a dress and an apron, barefoot and pregnant with three kids already at her ankles, have made about these things. I can anyway and it’s smart to do so but I don’t even have to turn to historical writings to see it; they’re on YouTube and Rumble or whatever it’s called. They’re on Xitter. They’re even on tumblr of all places. I’ve noticed something about them; as soon as trans men are brought up, they sound exactly like the anti-suffragette posters. The hand-wringing about women getting jobs and bank accounts. One example I’ve heard from someone I’m not going to give the honor of promoting was a man who got so angry about a nonbinary person, who he believed was a trans man, being on the cover of a men’s fashion magazine. In his anger, he went on a rant that went something like “you just think men have it so much better than you cause you believe in male privilege so you wanna pretend to be one of us, but when another man tries to fight you over your girl, you’re gonna get your ass beat. You couldn’t handle being a real man!” And like, people like this guy thought women couldn’t handle most jobs out there. They thought women couldn’t be financially responsible enough to be allowed control over their own money. They thought women voting would lead to the worst candidates taking office and, even worse, then a woman could end up in office and there’s no way she could handle it. But uh. Plenty of women prove this wrong on a daily basis. This guy had to create a very specific scenario in which he believes a hypothetical trans man couldn’t handle it but any cis man should be able to. And quite frankly, it doesn’t work cause the number of cis women who’ve successfully beaten the shit out of cis men in various circumstances is a pretty good indicator that ASAB has nothing to do with fighting ability.
In short, in the eyes of a misogynist, if women can do literally anything a man can do, even become a man, then what fucking sense does patriarchy make in the first place? If you can become a man, thrive as a man, and fulfill the role of a man without issue, all while having been AFAB, then what makes (cis) men so much better than women? What was the point of all this in the first place?
What even makes a man a man?
I think those questions scare them. They don’t want to even try to answer it. They’re comfortable with the notion of those they think of as men are men, those they think of as women are women are women, this is a state as static and inflexible as a thick lead pole sticking out of the ground, and there is a natural place and role for the two genders. And every trans person no matter how they’re trans takes this notion and uproots it at multiple points at once.
The worst part is? If they just sat down with an open mind and asked these questions, a massive percentage of the trans community would be able to answer all of them. We already had to ask what makes a man a man or a woman a woman. We just don’t have simple answers most of the time.
Okay now that I’m done thinking way too much about that one point, I’m gonna keep watching the video.
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tuktukpodfics · 1 year
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The Problem With "Dao Swords": My love-hate relationship with pleonasmic translations
An essay that no one asked for.
A lot of fanfics call Zuko’s broadswords “dao swords.” As a Chinese to English translator, this phrase makes me pause every time. Here is my humble opinion on “dao swords” and other pleonasmic translations:
What the heck is a pleonasmic translation?
I’m so glad you asked! “Pleonasm” is a fancy term for a redundant phrase, like “black darkness” or “burning fire.”
A pleonasmic translation is a phrase that puts the source language and the translation back-to-back. A common example is “chai tea” which literally means “tea tea.”
“Dao swords” is a pleonasmic translation. “Dao” 刀 is the Chinese blanket term for blade. The phrase basically means “sword swords.” Sounds pretty silly, right?
Pleonasmic translations are bad?
I think it depends on your audience, the text purpose, and how special the word is.
In advertising, pleonasmic translations can help increase a product’s searchability. Ex: “Longjing Dragonwell tea” would appear in a Google search for either “longjing” or “dragonwell.”
Tourist destinations often use pleonasmic translations to help foreigners navigate. Ex: “Nanzhan South Station” on a map helps foreigners know what the place is, but also gives them the Chinese pronunciation so that they can communicate with their taxi driver.
In literature, a pleonasmic translation is a succinct way to introduce a culturally significant term without a footnote or distracting tangent. A lot of translators will sneak in a pleonasmic translation the first time the word appears in a text, and then use the untranslated term alone every time after. Ex: "He slouched on the kang bed-stove. His grandmother sighed and took a seat on the kang too.”
Is "dao" a culturally significant word?
No.
Dao is a super mundane word used to describe any kind of single-edged blade, from butter knives to ice skates. It feels weird to keep such a normal word untranslated. Using the Chinese word emphasizes its foreignness. They’re not just swords, they’re special, Chinese swords. 
Yes, words take on different meanings as they pass from culture to culture. That’s how language works. But English is also a unique case. Because of imperialism. I think English speakers have an obligation to avoid exotifying every-day words.
Also, English is a global language. Chinese speakers are reading your translation, and…I dunno...“sword swords” feels off putting. Disruptive.
But I want to acknowledge the real-life culture behind the swords
Giving credit to the cultures that you're borrowing from is an A+ idea.
...I don't know how to do this in a fantasy setting.
Zuko’s swords and fighting style is based on oxtail sabers (牛尾刀)and Shaolin dual broadswords (少林双刀). @atlaculture has a very cool post on oxtail sabers. But calling his swords "oxtail sabers" doesn't work because cows don't exist in atla. Shaolin is a type of martial arts that originates from Shaolin temple in Henan, China (Shaolin itself literally means “young forest”). But you can’t call them “Shaolin broadswords," since Shaolin does not exist in the Fire Nation.
It’s quite a pickle.
Maybe just use a footnote?
So what should I call Zuko’s swords?
I don’t know.
I think you can just call them broadswords. That’s what the TV show calls them.
Dao by itself could work too if you need to differentiate Zuko's dao from Sokka's jian (double-edged blade). Readers can probably figure out what dao means from context.
If it’s not clear from context what dao means? *sigh* ..."Dao swords" it is, I guess.
To end on a happier note, here is a video of Chang Zhizhao busting some sweet moves.
youtube
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ladykailitha · 1 year
Text
Do You Know What Shovels Dig? Graves Part 1
Just dipping my toe into the shovel talks trend.
*
“Hey, Steve?”
Steve turned around and Jonathan frowned. Steve’s eyes were puffy and his nose was red. “Oh, hey, man. What’s up?”
Jonathan could tell he was trying not to wipe the obvious tears from his face. As if that wouldn’t draw attention to them.
“I wanted to talk to you about you and Eddie’s relationship--”
Steve crumpled. That was the only way to describe it. The man was barely holding it together as it was, but it seemed that that was straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Look, I get it,” Steve snapped. “Don’t break Eddie’s heart. It sooo soft and I’m suuuuch a bitch. I don’t need the shovel talk from you.” The last word was said with such venom, Jonathan was forced to take a step back.
“Who’s been giving you shovel talks?” he asked.
Steve threw his arms in the air. “It would be easier to list off who hasn’t. The Byers family and El, only I can’t say that because you’re here. So just Will, your mom, and El.”
Jonathan frowned. “Even Robin?” Because that didn’t sound right. He had seen the two of them together and they were like freakishly close.
“Oh, yeah,” Steve snarled bitterly. “That’s the latest one. The one that makes me just want to throw myself into the god damn pool.”
Well, shit.
“Apparently this is Eddie first real relationship and since being gay is so hard right now, breaking his heart would be a disservice to humankind,” Steve mocked. “I asked her about my heart and my first relationship with a guy. But apparently that is as important as Eddie’s experience.”
Now that? Jonathan didn’t believe. But Steve was clearly hurt and was being dramatic about it. Which he was going to allow because holy shit.
But apparently Steve was just getting started. “At least Eddie’s friends all showed up together to give one shovel talk so that was nice. Hop and Wayne each did it while cleaning their hunting rifles, like they weren’t terrifying enough. I mean Mike’s an ass, so his I could brush off, but Dustin and Erica? Why does Eddie get more loyalty from them when I literally saved their lives? But Lucas and Max also double teamed me, so that was all sorts of fun. Nancy casually brought up that she has three guns now. So yeah, just get it over with so I can go back to being the worst boyfriend in Hawkins!”
Jonathan forced him to sit down. “That was a lot to unpack, I’m not going to lie. But take a deep breath for me, can you do that?”
Steve nodded and took a deep breath.
“Now let it out slow,“ Jonathan continued. Steve followed his instruction. “Great now keep doing that until your heart no longer feels like it’s going to burst out of your chest.”
Steve started breathing more normally and Jonathan sat next to him. “I’m not actually here for a shovel talk. I was wondering if you or Eddie would be willing to talk to Will about liking boys.”
Steve blinked at him for a moment. “What?”
“Yeah, he’s going through a really hard time with it right now,” Jonathan explained. “And I’m not really getting through to him because I’m straight and it’s pretty much meaningless coming from me.”
“Oh.”
“But no, I get your reaction, dude,” he said. “I really do. Has anyone given Eddie the shovel talk?”
Steve shrugged. “It’s not like I can ask, is it? ‘Oh hey, Eddie, anyone threaten your life over our relationship lately. No, no, not homophobes, I mean our friends? No? Well that’s just peachy!’“
Jonathan barked out a laugh. “Yeah, no matter how you phrase that it’s going to come off as bitchy. Especially if no one has.”
Steve nodded.
“Look, if you talk to Will for me,” Jonathan said, “I’ll talk to Eddie. Deal?”
Steve looked at the hand for a moment before he shook it. “Deal.”
*
Jonathan knocked on the Munson’s door. Eddie opened it with a look of surprise.
“Look, man,” Eddie said with a sigh. “I don’t sell anymore. And besides your friend from Cali has better stuff.”
Jonathan held up his prized. “Oh, I’m aware, I’m offering to share.”
Eddie looked at him for a moment and then closed the door behind him. “Yeah, okay.”
Jonathan lit two blunts and passed one to Eddie.
Eddie took a drag and sighed. “Shit this stuff is good.”
Jonathan just smiled.
“Not that I don’t appreciate the share, man,” Eddie said after a few minutes, “but why are you here?”
“I went over to Steve’s to ask him if he would be willing to talk to Will for me,” he said after taking a drag.
“Because your brother is gayer then the May pole?” Eddie supplied.
“Yup,” he replied. “Only our Stevie wasn’t doing so good.”
Eddie leapt to his feet. “What?!”
Jonathan tugged on his pant leg. “Sit down, dude. Let me explain before you go off half cocked and make things worse.”
Eddie sat down with a grumble. “You better start talking and you better do it fast.”
“In my experience shovel talks are for people you don’t trust not for people you care about,” Jonathan said slowly. “Only it seems our friends didn’t get the memo.”
“People have been giving Steve the shovel talk?” Eddie asked, eyes wide, jutting his chin forward in shock. “But no one’s said shit to me!”
Jonathan winced. “That’s kinda what me and Steve were afraid of.”
Eddie felt his heart sink to his stomach. “Do you--did he say how long it’s been going on?”
Jonathan shook his head. “But the fact that only my house and El haven’t given him the shovel talk I would probably bet since you two announced your relationship.”
“Shit,” Eddie whispered. “I bet the first two were funny, endearing even. Steve likes that kind of stuff. And then as it kept happening...”
“Yeah,” Jonathan agreed. “Has he been distant lately?”
Eddie closed his eyes and nodded. “Now I know why.” He thought for a moment. “Is there a way to call everyone together without alerting Steve, too?”
Jonathan shrugged. “If his boyfriend were to ‘accidentally’ turn off the walkie for an hour for some hot makeup sex...”
Eddie laughed. “I can absolutely do that.”
“I’ll set it up,” Jonathan said. He flicked the remainder of his blunt to the ground and stood up to grind it out under his boot.
*
Dang it, this was getting longer than I planned, but I’ll put out a part two later.
Edit: and it’s later! And part three! Part four and Part FIVE! Part Six!!!
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I have the most random and oddball question... What would be some expletive type language in Welsh?
I'm playing a dragon in my D&D group who is from this fantasy world's equivalent of Wales and I want to add some flavor when he is fighting that he starts using bits of his mother-tongue instead of Common.
It's easy enough to find a random list of words, but without cultural context I have no clue what would be a proper equivalent of, for example "fuck off you asshole"... I probably am putting "too much" thought into it, but I'm a cultural anthropologist, so it bugs me to not think too much about it.
A funny quirk of Welsh is that we actually tend to swear in English when we need to - because one of the social arenas it survived in was through the chapels, the closest you'd get are things that in English you'd probably associate with your granny saying, or those sad little Christian youth camps in America. One of my favourites is Nêfi blŵ, which is literally just the Welsh transliteration of the words 'navy blue' said in a Welsh accent. Why is this a swear? Unknown. I presume someone somewhere hated the colour.
However, there are a couple:
Sweary
Sguthan/ysguthan: this is probably equivalent to 'bitch', it's certainly gendered the same way and has similar weight. Except much as 'bitch' literally just means a dog, sguthan means 'woodpigeon'. Why is this a swear? Unknown
Cach i fant: fuck off. 'Shit off', literally. Tbh though I don't actually know anyone who would actually use this. Mileage can and will vary wildly (keep an eye on the notes for other Welsh speakers chiming in), but this one always felt a bit like a sheep's eyeball to me, to use a Pratchett-ism. Like something Golwg would use to Appeal To The Youth. But, it is real, and does work.
Dos i ffwcio dy hunan: go fuck yourself. Now THIS one I use
Twll tin bob ____: Every ____ is an asshole. Naturally, the phrase in Wales is 'Twll tin bob Sais', but substitute Sais for the group of your choice.
Cêr y diawl: go to hell. Literally, 'go to the devil', with devil there being a reasonable stand-in for any devil you wish, not just, like, Satan.
And of course, Wenglish can provide:
Be'r ffyc 'dy hwnna: what the fuck is that
Pwy'r ffyc 'dy hwnna: who the fuck is that
etc
Non-Sweary
Bois bach a mawr: okay listen this is going to sound like I'm joshing you but I swear this is real. It's used by an older generation, admittedly, but even younger generations will say 'Bois bach' sometimes. It, uh. It literally means "Big and little boys". Or just "little boys". Just a sort of general mild exclamation. Or what you say when you sit down and your knees complain. Um.
Ych a fi: gross. Can also be Wenglished to 'Ych a ffycin fi' which is, you know, fucking gross.
Be' ti 'di 'neud?: what have you done?
Be' sy'n bod 'da ti?: What is wrong with you?
Cô ni off, bois!: Off we go, lads (gender neutral)!
There's probably a million I'm forgetting and will think of as I try to sleep tonight, but hopefully these will tide you over. Keep an eye on the notes, I expect others will chime in with further suggestions!
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itsclydebitches · 12 days
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Hazbin Hotel: Let's Talk About Cursing!
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Trigger warning for lots of cursing in this post (obviously) and discussion of canon abuse scenes
As I delve further into the Hazbin Hotel fandom, I’ve inevitably come across a variety of people who dislike the show for an equal variety of reasons. One criticism I’ve seen with some consistency is in regards to the cursing and yeah, I get it. That’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, the repeated claim that the cursing is only there as a—failed—attempt at bad, lazy humor got me thinking about why I personally liked the cursing, and why I think it serves a greater purpose in the show.
Now yes, some of the cursing does function as an arguably simplistic joke. The most common setup I’ve noticed is one that leans into a contrast in tone/personalities. We see this a lot with the polite, comparatively timid Charlie as she navigates her distinctly vulgar domain.
Charlie: “Hi, mister!” Demon: “Go fuck yourself!”
The entirety of “Happy Day in Hell” plays with this contrast, setting up Charlie’s slightly skewed, but significantly optimistic perspective of Hell. We are shown again and again how her lyrics are contradicted or twisted into something less innocent through the visuals: a “revealing” street where it’s “hard not to stare” has BDSM going on in a nearby window, Charlie will “open the door” for her people and then literally does so... for a guy who’s already dead. (Or, you know, temporarily out of commission until he heals, or whatever demons do when they’re ‘killed’ by things other than angelic steel.) The entire point here is to contrast the happy, skipping girl claiming that there’s a “warm, fuzzy feeling” in the air with the actual environment of unchecked fires and decaying limbs. And yes, that can be amusing. Not necessarily for everyone as humor is highly subjective and dependent on context, but distilling this contrast down to the shock of a polite greeting getting a “Go fuck yourself!” in response is a kind of entertainment. Especially when Charlie’s reaction adds another layer: for me that’s a very funny—and currently relatable—expression.
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We can potentially make the case that this humor format overstays its welcome, but I personally think the show does a good job of keeping Charlie’s cursing both simple and comparatively rare, so that when she is put into these contrast situations the humor lands better. The best example I can think of in the latter half of the show is Susan. There we get the whiplash of polite, trying-to-get-these-people-to-like-her Charlie reaching a breaking point to become “FUCK YOU, YOU OLD BITCH” Charlie. It’s a moment that builds off of the earlier surprise of the courteous Alastor calling someone an “Ornery old bitch”—while Rosie is trying (and failing) to find a nicer way to phrase this.
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However, as stated above I think the cursing serves more of a purpose than to just be funny for (some) viewers. Beyond those who simply find cursing distasteful, I’ve seen a fair bit of, “This is so stupid. No one even talks like that!” going around.
Except... I do? I talk like that.
See, I like cursing. I was born to former hippie parents and grew up playing MMOs, so cursing was something I became pretty acclimated to. Personally, I’m glad I was because I’m fascinated by language and cursing—for better or worse—is an integral way that many people communicate. I was taught to see cursing not as the Bad Forbidden Thing You Must Never Ever Do, but rather as just another form of expression, something to be used in moderation and under specific circumstances. Once I became an adult I already understood how I wanted to curse and when it was appropriate to do so. People at work are often shocked when I tell them I curse a lot because no, of course I’m not doing that at my job. That isn't considered professional in this space. Among my friends though?
We can sound a lot like the Hazbin crew.
Undoubtedly the most common curse in the show is “fuck” and its variations, which very much tracks with my personal experience among other people who curse. In fact, it’s so ubiquitous that it barely counts as a curse at all in some groups. It’s more of an easy, accepted way to add emphasis. Vaggie’s “What the fuck was that?” about Alastor’s commercial is a perfect example. She’s pissed and simply saying “What was that?” doesn’t carry the same weight, no matter how angry she may sound when she says it. Vox’s long “Fuuuuuuuck” at the end of “Stayed Gone” conveys an emotion you just can’t capture any other way. No dialogue at all would create a fundamentally different experience of Vox’s feelings and another non-cursing response is just gonna hit different. Not necessarily bad, just different.
“I don’t want to go to the party!” “I don’t want to go to the freaking party!” “I don’t want to go to the fucking party!”
The above represents three distinct characters to me and I think Hazbin Hotel gets that. Cursing isn’t thrown around randomly because something something cursing supposedly sells; it’s all linguistically logical. Characters curse when something surprising or bad happens, or when something unexpectedly good happens, when they’re angry, trying to be sexy, or they want to add that emphasis. That’s a lot of different situations where cursing can be useful and when you use “fuck” in your daily life a lot you become pretty desensitized to it. As said, for many it’s barely a curse at all. Which means that when you really want to curse you’ve got to up the ante. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that the two uses of “cunt” I can recall—a word that is generally considered far worse than “fuck” and makes a lot of people understandably uncomfortable—is used by two of the worst characters in moments that are meant to horrify the viewer:
Adam: “Can’t wait a whole year to slaughter those little cunts / I know it’s just been a week, but we’ll be back in six months!” Valentino: “When I say you’d better get that fucking cunt out of my studio, you say...?”
This horror is especially emphasized in Valentino’s scene. The creators know this word is coming up and deliberately build towards it. Angel is currently being abused and has been reminded that Valentino “owns” him. The above question is a part of a trio that Valentino asks (a standard structure in writing), wherein the third option is the outlier/most shocking of the three. The animation leans into that shock, with the music building and Valentino grabbing Angel to pull him close right on the word “cunt.” Perez even puts emphasis there because he knows that this is a significant word that will change our understanding of Valentino.
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Despite having hit Angel multiple times and taunting him with the contract, this is the moment Valentino stops playing the ‘nice’ employer. This is the real him. No more fake compliments and endearments aimed at Charlie, no more fake comfort/intimacy aimed at Angel. That “cunt” conveys a hell of a lot about how Valentino really sees them and when you have a cast of characters who are already cursing on the regular, it takes a word on that level to do that kind of work. If Valentino had said, “get that fucking bitch out of my studio” it wouldn’t have had nearly the same impact because he’s the kind of guy who uses "bitch" even when playing ‘nice.’
Adam’s line from “Hell is Forever” does very similar work. The scene needs a word to align with the horrific reveal that another extermination is just six months away, that conveys Adam’s deep disgust for Charlie’s people, and that still catches the viewer’s attention even though he’s the character (I believe) who curses the most. Here the music drops and Adam is a little closer to speaking than singing; there's this shift because, like with Valentino, our perception of him is shifting. This isn’t just some egotistical idiot who wants to be called “Dick Master,” he’s the leader of an army coming to gleefully kill them. Framing a whole world of people—people Charlie loves—as “cunts” while treating their murder as a holiday that can’t come soon enough creates an, 'Oh shit. This guy is actually a threat' understanding that you can’t quite get with anything else.
On a smaller scale, cursing does other character work throughout the whole show. I watched a number of cursing compilation vids for this meta (that was a trip lol) and again, cursing is not thrown in randomly. Each character has a unique way of cursing that aligns with their personality and motivations:
As said, Adam curses the most in the show which helps sell his truly over-the-top, irreverent personality. Linguistically, the amount he curses also allows for some fun grammatical play. Lines like, “Fucking love putting my name on shit, shit’s the best!” help convey the versatility of cursing.
Also as said, Charlie curses a fair bit but she’s comparatively polite and her cursing tends to be a result of genuinely big emotions—like saying “Crap” when she’s shocked and falls, or “Shit!” when Adam locks her out of the room—rather than sprinkled into her conversations as a modifier. That leaves space to create those moments of amused surprise when Charlie really let’s loose.
Sr Pentious curses even less than Charlie which fits his secretly gooey center. He talks a big game at the start of the show, but he’s actually quite bad at being, well, bad (especially the Amazon version compared to pilot!Pentious). His idea of getting one over on Alastor is ripping a bit of his coat. He loves his Egg Bois and “doesn’t want to live” without them. He has no desire to go into battle without minions/a big machine to hide behind and, of course, he’s the first to be redeemed. He's too much of a secret sweetheart to curse a lot.
Interestingly, Niffty doesn’t seem to curse at all. At least, not enough for me to think of examples off the top of my head. Right now I’m inclined to read that as an extension of her lived experiences/design—the cute 1950’s housewife archetype who is obsessed with keeping things clean doesn’t [gasp!] curse—as well as a way to maintain her legitimate creep factor. As said, cursing is common among the hotel residents and is a way for them to linguistically fit in. Niffty, however, is positioned more as an outsider (despite how much they all obviously love her): she’s actually scary in a way most demons aren’t and despite how weird this whole world is, she stands out as someone no one else can make sense of (even Alastor). If cursing is normal, Niffty is a character who is decidedly positioned as not normal.
Angel curses a fair bit, though his irreverence is conveyed more through innuendos. Angel is great at verbally twisting others’ words (especially Husk’s) to give himself a conversational advantage:
Husk: “Go fuck yourself” Angel: “Only if you watch me~”
Husk: “You’ve come—” Angel: [very loud orgasm noise] Husk: “...to the right place.”
Meanwhile, Husk uses “fuck” plenty, but he’s also one of the few characters who use “bullshit" too. I wouldn’t say there’s anything particularly revealing about that choice, but just giving him a go-to curse that’s otherwise used infrequently helps make his character distinct in a cast of other cursing characters.
Vaggie occasionally curses in Spanish, showing us her heritage if she used to be human, or a distinct knowledge/verbal preference if she’s always been an angel.
Heaven, as the ‘good’ side, doesn’t curse as a general rule, which leaves room for cursing to do more of that silent character work. We’re reminded of the stuffy, overly critical beings she’s dealing with when Charlie receives the combined judgement of the court for saying, “Fuck yeah!” In contrast, we understand just how shocked St. Peter is to see a Morningstar when he lets out an unintentional “Fuck!” The angry vindication of Charlie’s “That’s what the fuck I’ve been saying!” lands harder after multiple scenes of very little cursing, and Lute’s “Some crack-whore who fucked up already? / He blew his shot like the cocks in his mouth—” helps set her apart as an exorcist + Adam's second in command: her shocking violence comes through in her word choice too; words that supposedly don't belong in Heaven.
In what’s arguably the funniest line in the whole show, Lucifer undermines his dramatic standoff with Adam by going, “You mess with my daughter and now I’m going to fuck you.” Beyond just cutting the tension, that fits his bumbling, oblivious personality perfectly. Lucifer is crazy powerful and can absolutely wreck Adam. He also has none of the classy intimidation that, say, Alastor displays when he tries to convey that. This is a depressed himbo who makes ducks in his free time and settles on, “Hey, bitch!” when greeting his estranged daughter. Of course he’s going to accidentally turn a threat into a promise of sex.
Which finally brings me to Alastor, someone whose cursing is already understood well by the fandom. He’s characterized as manipulatively courteous, using manners to both hide his true nature and draw attention to his power—’You’re so beneath me I’ll just calmly sip my coffee and politely ask who you are, despite the fact that we've fought multiple times.’ This is a guy who calls people “My dear” and unironically insults them with the phrase “wacky nonsense.” So when he curses you can BET it’s gonna have an impact. It sure did for me. I had to pause the episode after Alastor’s first “Fuck you” because it was so shocking to hear that language from him. And that’s the point! The scene wants that reaction from the audience. The "Fuck you"s visceral anger contrasting the fake laughs he and Lucifer have been giving, the quick-fire exchange that’s suddenly cut short by Alastor’s choice of a direct insult, the fact that he’s officially dropping the polite veneer they’ve both been indulging in and raising the stakes before Charlie intervenes, the loss of the radio filter that otherwise demonstrates his control over a situation... all of it screams, ‘THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER MOMENT.’
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"Fuck you” reveals that, for the first time in the show, Alastor is legitimately threatened by someone. Which makes sense given that, you know, Lucifer is the King of Hell. Cursing for Alastor isn’t normal, so when he does curse it’s going to reveal something about a guy who otherwise is obsessed with being unknowable. Having the King of Hell dismiss him is actually infuriating in a way Sir Pentious’ threats could never be and the exchange kicks off a rivalry that rattles Alastor in ways Vox’s never has. (Side note: is it any wonder people ship them? Character A making control freak Character B feel vulnerable is classic!) It’s no surprise to me than that the one other true curse we get from Alastor is, “I’m about to end your fucking life,” delivered to Adam who, like Lucifer, poses a legitimate threat and does end up beating him. I say “true” curse because calling Susan a “bitch” does similar work for him, but the takeaway is humorous rather than dramatic. It’s funny that the only people who can piss Alastor off enough to curse are the First Man/a powerful exorcist angel threatening his life, the literal King of Hell... and Susan.
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So there’s a lot going on here, more than what many viewers might assume if they approach the show as just “stupid,” needlessly vulgar entertainment. As shown above, I don’t think the cursing is needless, especially given that, well... they’re in Hell. They’re sinners, supposedly the worst that humanity has to offer, so of course they're going to curse a lot. Does cursing mean you’re a bad person? No. Can you craft a hellish world that doesn't rely on cursing to convey a group's immoral nature? Sure.
Does it make sense that a writer would equate a sinful, irreverent cast with linguistic rebellion and would want to convey a certain vibe that, frankly, you just can’t get without dropping an F bomb?
Yeah, I think so. No one has to like that kind of creative decision, but it’s worth acknowledging it as a deliberate choice.
That’s all! Thanks for reading this fucking long post ✌️
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blue-jisungs · 10 months
Note
okay imagine like with svt (either ot13 or minghao jihoon and seungkwan pls) you’re studying for some test in eng / a language other than korean and you go to them with like the tiniest handwriting, tons of notes, all on one page all proud and theyre just like “…now wtf does this say bro” love u axie (if i can call u that) take a rest and i love u sooo so much! u can dm me if my req is a little confusing <33
speaking your native language in their presence ♡
a/n. the way i RAN to write this!! it took a moment ngl but phew, i’m done!! thank you for requesting, hopefully you like it roxie!!! and ofc you can call me axie, it makes my heart melt ngl <3
also i had a race with time to finish it before you go on a hiatus i was STRESSING LMAO but i made it 😌
warnings. cursing >:T
oh and for anyone interested i also have enha && skz && bts versions of this!!
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┆彡 SEUNGCHEOL [ 승철 ]
mans so used to talking w you in korean that he kind of??? forgot??
so once you were talking with your mom over the phone and his mouth went ajar
like that man was ready to call the exorcist
and then it clicked and he was like oh ☺️
after the shock went away he swore he fell in love over n over again
loves hearing you talk in your native tongue :(
he’s so entertained by it too, like i swear he’s like a kid (affectionate)
you were laying in seungcheol’s arms, head nuzzled into his neck. his big arms held you tightly and he softly drew shapes onto your skin.
“and… seventeen?” his question made you smile. you translated how the number sounds in your native language.
and cheol started giggling.
“sev…enteen… it’s so.. rustly” he chuckled, attempting to say it “oh! what about our songs?”
“well… hot would be hot” you barely finished and seungcheol was giggling like a teenager. it was so contagious that you couldn’t help but start laughing too. but then he attempted to say it and failed horribly, causing a full on hysteric laughter from both of you.
maybe it was the late hour or his failed attempts. whatever it was, it felt so heartwarming.
he will learn with your help a couple of basic phrases!!
due to his busy schedule he can’t study on his own but once he has some free time he’s doing those duolingo lessons LIKE A FREAK
oh and also
if he’s pouting bc he’s in a bad mood, all it takes is a kiss and a nickname thrown at him in your native language ^_^
┆彡 JEONGHAN [ 정한 ]
he’s like a cat – curious but won’t let it show
shushes everyone in the room if you’re talking to your friends or parents in your native language through the phone :”)
obviously so they hear you better duh (not because he wants to listen, duh)
will learn some phrases on his own so you two can communicate (and cheat) while you’re playing games w his friends hehe
he absolutely fell in love with the kitchen of your home country like 😭😭😭
and and he absolutely adores the names of the dishes, esp when you pronounce them so effortlessly
it unlocked something in him….. sure he had a soft spot for you but now oh boy
“hannie…” you whined, tugging his sleeve.
you had a small fight, well… more of a disagreement: he wanted some ramyeon and you were craving (dish name). obviously he folded in half and knew he’s done for the second the dish name rolled off your tongue so satisfyingly.
“please? we didn’t have it in a while! we can order (dish name no2) too? pleasepleasepleaseee” you pouted. jeonghan sighed dramatically, raising his eyebrows.
“okay. but say it one more time” he grunted, a smile creeping on his face.
“you’re so weird” you mumbled amusingly in your native language and he frowned
“hey, i understood that!” jeonghan scoffed, causing you to chuckle.
he looks at you with literal hearts in his eyes whenever you speak your native language, just saying <\\3
when he’s feeling extremely soft, usually when you’re about to go to sleep cuddled n all, he’ll ask you to just whisper some random stories
it lulls him to sleep so fast
please also caress his hair he’ll melt on spot 🥹
┆彡 JOSHUA [ 조슈아 ]
he knows the struggles of feeling away from home so the second you start feeling homesick he’s there to make you feel better:”)
shua loves hearing you mutter some random words, for example when you’re counting or something
will also ask for music recommendations and he will learn some of the songs so he can sing them while playing the guitar
also he’s INVESTED
like,, shua will watch you scribble down in your mother tongue mesmerised
it’s not that fun, however, when you’re in a rush and you left him a note with a grocery list scribbled down
… and a couple of things in your native language…. messily written that even the translator doesn’t understand it…
“uhhh… y/n, darling?” joshua’s voice rung in your ears as you picked up the incoming face time call. you smiled upon seeing his cute but puzzled face.
“yes, baby? also good morning to you too” you hummed, fixing your earphones. his face lit up upon seeing you
“oh woah, you look good today. but i’m in a bit of a pickle…” he hesitated, the camera turning around. you noticed the note you left behind and your eyes widened upon realising that you wrote some of the items in (language name).
“oh” you giggled.
“oh indeed” he shook his head with a loving smile “and even the translator doesn’t–“
“it’s butter, flour and cucumbers” you explained and joshua let out a dramatic, relieved sigh
he notes down the words after such incidents so he doesn’t have to call you eveytime
and it’s safe to say that he’s build a quite big vocabulary so far
and he’s always so proud like
“hey y/n i bought the (cucumbers in your language) you wanted!” with the widest grin ever
┆彡 JUNHUI [ 文俊辉 ]
my mans woke up one day and decided to learn your language
bought books, textbooks, audiobooks, duolingo plus (or premium, however it’s called) and casually managed to learn A LOT
he just loves the way it sounds and aspires to talk so fluently like you
ofc he knows he still has a lot to learn but don’t underestimate him
and the main reason when he’s gonna use it it’s just… bothering you ^_^
“–and then he gave me flowers! yeah! he’s the sweetest!” you were gossiping with your bestie over the phone, peeking at jun calmly reading a book “ugh, i know! i know, i know, i know, shut up!”
jun just smirked, getting ready to say something.
“trust me, i’d drop on my knee right here right now if i weren’t such a chicken” you giggled and blush creeped on your cheeks when you met your boyfriend’s curious gaze
“i’d prefer to do it, to be honest, but you’re such a cutie” jun said calmly in (language name) and casually returned to his book. your mouth fell ajar as your bestie started squealing over the fact that he spoke (language name)… apparently.
jun just winked and you cleared your throat, hanging up quickly.
“what was that?!” you laughed and he just shook his head with a mischievous smile.
he’s such a gremlin >:(
so yeah, expect him to start spilling tea in your native language as an excuse to 1) spend more time w you 2) practice his skills
but as i said he’s??? like?? almost fluent??? his accent is so so adorable too <|\3
he’s so smug abt it as well
like if you ask him, he’ll pretend like he doesn’t know a thing in (language name)
but if he’s abt to bully you (affectionately) he’ll come up with the most creative nicknames known to a humankind
also, if you have siblings… he WILL gossip w them in your mother tongue too 😐
┆彡 SOONYOUNG [ 순영 ]
oh boy.
he’s so so curious to hear you say even one (1) thing in your language
but totally misses it when you actually say some words throughout the day
obviously knows one word: tiger (wow shocking?!!!)
and uses it sm 😭 he has your contact name written as my tiger but my is in korean and tiger in your native language 🥹
he calls you like that often, it’s like a new nickname for you
he may be not so invested into actually learning it but your culture tho!!! esp dancing n music… sigh <\\3
you stepped into your apartment, the weight of this tiring day on your shoulders. as you lazily took off your shoes and put the bag with groceries into the ground you realised something.
the song playing in the background was strangely similar. suddenly it clicked. it was a popular song by an artist from your country! just when you realised, the sound of shoes squeaking against the wooden floor stopped.
“are you dancing to… (song title)?” you breathed out as your boyfriend popped out from behind the corner.
“yeah! i love the vibe of the song!” he grinned and gave you a welcome kiss. after pulling away you could see the gears were turning in his head “could you translate the lyrics?”
as you made your way to the practice room, you hummed the song underneath your breath. and in this moment soonyoung’s heart skipped a beat.
since that moment it’s like a routine that you sing/hum him to sleep some songs in your native language
or just whisper some stories
he’s out like a baby fr
ALSO
a big enjoyer of the soap operas
he’ll binge them with you or alone and be actually invested in the drama
that’s how he also learned curse words ☺️☺️
┆彡 WONWOO [ 원우 ]
oh my precious nonu :((
he adores it sm when you speak your native language
when you’re shy abt it he just has to use all of his willpower to prevent himself from squealing like a teenage girl
will ask you to teach him and it’s just so so soft *screams*
you’ll be laying in bed, in his arms as you read through the textbook and explain the grammar of the sentence given
and he’ll repeat it in tiny 🥹
it’s so so wholesome
but.
you let out a sigh, the grasp on your mouse tightening. wonwoo noticed and let out a chuckle.
“what’s up?” he asked, peeking at your screen.
“the fucking skeleton won’t leave me alone” you grunted in your mother tongue, earning a gasp from him. suddenly the arrow that the minecraft skeleton shot hit you and you fell down from the tree at top of which were you hiding “fuck!”
“baby!” he laughed hysterically, his head thrown back. your eyes widened, realising the curse words
“sorry! why is this stupid block game making me emotional?! ignore me” you scoffed and he just shook his head, smiling proudly at the new knowledge he obtained.
he finds it so endearing when you swear in your native language 😭😭😭
and it’s such a bad habit, especially when you play games together, that he started doing it too???
wonwoo laughs that you’re a bad influence but secretly he loves the way the curses roll of tongue 😭😭
┆彡 JIHOON [ 지훈 ]
you could sneeze and you’re literally inspiring him to write 82837492 songs
so when he heard you talk in (language name) he was just like in another dimension
he’s smiling like an idiot fr his friends thought something was wrong but it was just you <3
uh however he kind of… never saw your handwriting in (language name)
and once you were studying for an important exam and mans had a heart attack
“hey y/nnie have you seen my…?” his voice died out in his throat upon seeing you and your notes. they were all scribbled in a tiny handwriting in some… letters he didn’t fully recognise. you had like five A4 pages of such notes.
jihoon blinked repeatedly, trying to think if he wasn’t in the sun for too long today – his eyes must be playing a trick on him.
“look! im so happy with the outcome, it looks so cute!” you grinned and turned around to see him almost hyperventilating “hoonie?”
“what–“ he frowned, pointing with his finger at one of the pages. what is going on?
“it’s in (language name), dumbass” you scoffed, everything suddenly making sense to him “it helps me understand stuff better”
“oh” he grunted, shifting his gaze to the page with little drawings “what does it say?”
“oh it’s the–“ you started explaining, throwing in some words in your mother tongue subconsciously. he just smiled and listened attentively.
lmao
regarding that, he enjoys just listening to you as you study and whisper some of the words/sentences in your mother tongue!
it really calms him down and usually puts to sleep to <\\\3
oh oh! and when you caress his hair while doing so… ah, he’s so whipped
he has tons of songs that are unreleased… and yes, you guessed correctly, with your consent he used some of your voice memos n all in the background
the songs are so cute :( he’s really proud of them too!! and it’s so sweet that it’s just… for the both of you <3
please leave in his studio some “i love you!” or “have a good day” sticky notes, preferably in (language name) or with translations?! he’ll melt :[
also another one that reaaaally likes the curse words >:T
┆彡 SEOKMIN [ 석민 ]
from the moment he met you he was always curious about your culture n native language but never pushed you to speak it n all
and gradually while dating him you started using it more and he started paying more attention
like he didn’t notice before that the funny sound you do while dropping something is actually cursing! 😀
what’s surprising, he understands a lot – maybe it’s the context or just some magical powers
but sometimes you can communicate like you say something in (language name) and he answers in korean bc he understood
and he’s so so in love with your accent and the way your face lights up when you speak it your mother of tongue
but for the love of god please – somehow – stop speaking it in your sleep, he’s gonna have a heart attack one day 🥰🥰
dokyeom stirred in his sleep, slowly waking up. he wasn’t sure why but suddenly he heard something.
it was definitely something. he sat straightly, narrowing his brows confused. what is that sound? is that a burglar? or…?
he looked over at you. no, you were sleeping peacefully. seokmin looked around the dark room, his heart speeding up. was this a nightmare? or was he just going insane?
then again. no, it must be someone saying something. something that he can’t understand.
then it clicked and he looked at you. your mouth was moving slightly, incoherent (language name) words being spoken.
he scoffed and went back to sleep, pulling you closer.
it took him so much time to get used to that but anyways 🏃‍♀️💨
and he’ll definitely make fun of you for that too (as if he didn’t have a whole ass jumpscare)
he absolutely adores ballads in (language name), it’s like his new obsession
and he tries to sing them, with the cutest accent ever :(
will occasionally twist some words but it’s okay, he’s enjoying himself 🫶
┆彡 MINGYU [ 민규 ]
this dork
he always acknowledged your native language n all but unlike dk he asks u to speak it 24/7
like, you don’t get it: he’s obsessed.
you could insult him in his face in (language name) and he’ll look at you with hearts in his eyes
he wants to learn it, he really does, but it’s just so frustrating when he fails :(
mingyu was sitting at the dinner table, his food long forgotten while he was biting at the end of the pencil. glasses sitting at the bridge of his nose, brows furrowed.
“gyu? you’re still here?” your voice snapped him back to reality, eyes widening. you rubbed your eyes.
“yeah i just don’t get it…” he whined, shoulders slumping “i understand the words but they don’t make a logical sentence in my head”
“baby…” you chuckled softly and stood behind him, wrapping your arms around his torso and resting your chin on his shoulder.
he grabbed his food, cold now, and slowly chewed on it as you explained everything.
“because look. this word, what does it mean?” you asked, noticing that he’s eating so you just scoffed and continued “girl, right? but this ending here added means girl’s. and this? old. but those letters here? they make it an adjective, so…?”
“older?” he asked, puppy eyes glaring at you with adoration. you nodded with encouragement and he tried again “so… the girl’s older brother had a dog?”
“yeah! good job baby! now let’s go to sleep, hm? i’m tired” you giggled and pecked his cheek. he nodded proudly.
kisses really motivate him btw >:)
he watches those yt videos of people teaching and giving tips but he loves when you give him private tutoring lessons 🫶
will often cook you some regional dishes in return
generally, he enjoys exploring your national cuisine ^_^
also would love to go to (country name) w you and take some pics…
… or propose there
so just go there w him already! 🙄
┆彡 MINGHAO [ 徐明浩 ]
shut up i want him
you’re each other’s private tour guides 😭
museum dates are such a must, and you’re just talking abt something that impacted a certain artwork (like cultural event in history or something) and he just listens genuinely interested!! and vice versa
loves when you read out loud poetry in your native language :(
started taking lessons?? like one day you woke up and he was just on a zoom call saying something like “my name is minghao” with the cutest smile ever
and you’re like?????
he’s such a fast learner 🥹 hao believes it’s because he truly wants to learn in order to communicate with you 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
but that didn’t prepare you for what was about to come next…
don’t let him near your parents. he WILL gossip with them abt you.
“does she swear a lot?” your mom’s voice reached your ears as you walked into the your apartment, grocery bags in your hands. your parents were visiting you and minghao but…
“like a sailor! no, i’m joking. of course she doesn’t. she does snore a lot, though” your boyfriend giggled and you let out a dramatic gasp.
“hao!” you whined and they both looked at you, not really caring that you’re here now.
“i guess she has that after her father” your mom chuckled and minghao noticed her tea is almost finished, so he poured some more in “oh, you’re such a gentleman”
“it would be a crime if i wasn’t in a presence of such an beautiful lady” he hummed and sent you a playful look. you just rolled your eyes and started unpacking the groceries.
“gentleman my ass” you grunted quietly.
“y/n!” your mom frowned and suddenly you heard someone standing up. in no time minghao hugged you from behind, nuzzling his face into your neck
“i just told your mom you don’t swear, honey” he murmured in korean
“well, ass is not a swear word” you pouted. minghao chuckled and helped you unpack the bag.
“you’re right, it’s a part of human body but i am surely more than that” your boyfriend teased and you just nudged his arm, rolling your eyes once again.
i feel like it might take a while but he’ll actually manage to be fluent?
so when you sadly forget a bit of (language name) due to mostly using korean and make a mistake, it’s almost like that mingyu-joshua moment
and hao is the one correcting you 😭
and your just like?? excuse me?? it was just a mispronunciation🙄☝️
but he doesn’t let it go and teases you >:(
┆彡 SEUNGKWAN [ 승관 ]
he straight up asked you one day to teach him some (language name) bc he thought it sounded cute <|3
and you’re like 🥹 yeah 🥹
but uh, he’s not a very patient student and gives up quickly 😭😭
but it’s okay!! he tried n also has a busy schedule so it’s understandable
nevertheless, he still adores when you speak your mother tongue
esp when you call him nicknames sigh
however our lovely boo kind of forgot how the written letters vary from spoken words
“what are you doing?” seugkwan hummed intrigued upon seeing you scribble something on paper. you looked up and met his soft gaze.
“oh, this? this is a crossword! korean ones are still too difficult for me so my friend sent me a couple of those in (language name)” you explained and tapped the paper with the tip of your pencil. he frowned, looking at the letters in brackets
“what the fuck” kwan grunted confused. not only he didn’t recognise some of the letters but it was also the fact that they were going vertically. you scoffed and let out a sudden gasp, filling in a new word. seungkwan watched you amused, how swiftly you wrote down the letters on paper “what is it?”
“it’s umm, a historical reference. a surname of one guy, you know” you hummed. seungkwan sat down next to you and watched you fill the crossword, occasionally translating the questions and words you put in while you explained what they meant and why were they the answer.
in no time this turned into a couple activity: sometimes like this, sometimes he did a korean one and you watched, sometimes you solved them at the same time - him in korean, you in your mother tongue
he learned a lot of words thanks to this
and he has the cutest accent ever like i swear 🥹
seungkwan loves watching soap operas too like he lives for the drama
often repeats (shouts) what the characters are shouting too LMAO
so you’re chilling and suddenly you hear “get out of my house! now!” with his accent
also watches movies n animations in (language name) to learn some new words
he knows all the disney songs in (language) and majority of them he knows by a heart <\3
so you just sometimes blast let it go or under the sea in (language name) and sing along >_<
┆彡 VERNON [ 버논 ]
this menace
he’s so chill about it
secretly loves when you accidentally sneak some words in your language it’s just so adorable
or when you forget a word and try to describe it… n then you give up and say it in (language name) just to see him smile <\\\\3
he decided that he’ll learn some random words??? like for example he just likes how umbrella sounds in (language name) so he just?? learned how to spell and say it
and uses it in random moments too like he’s so goofy <\3
you were casually chatting with his members, a raging discussion about whether mint chocolate ice cream is such a controversial topic in your country as well.
“i wouldn’t say so? people don’t… really care? a lot of people i know like it, actually! a bigger dispute would rather be some casual stuff like, do you sleep in socks or not… or which goes first: cereal or milk” you explained, looking at vernon. you could almost hear gears turning in his head, knowing what’s about to come
“toothpick” he said in (language name) suddenly, causing everyone to look at him confused. you started laughing at how serious he was when he said it; he started laughing too, it was simply contagious.
his friends looked at you completely flabbergasted, not sure what happened.
“i think they officially lost it” minghao mumbled, a smile creeping on his lips as you and vernon laughed like maniacs.
he always finds the most unfunny memes funny, like it could be even a meme from 2015 and he’d laugh
sends them to you too
and surprisingly?? he’s on track with the newest memes in your country like??
will know the most basic phrases too but sometimes mixes them
do you hand him a piece of orange bc he asked you to and then he goes “goodbye”
and you’re like?? 😭
but he tried okay?!
┆彡 CHAN [ 찬 ]
chan is super hyped about hearing you talk in (language name), it just amazes him how easily you switch between languages
but he never asked u to speak to him bc he didn’t want to feel you pressured or something
but whenever at home you just forget a word he loves when you say it in (language name) even if he doesn’t understand shit
or when you’re just so excited and into a convo and you don’t notice that you sneaked a few foreign words :”)
he always repeats them after you quietly ^_^
one day though, he’s just feeling soft and tired and his brain shut off
“y/n… can you say something in (language name)?” chan whispered suddenly, forcing his eyes to open and peek at you. you hummed, pushing some stray strands of hair that fell onto his forehead. laying on your sides but facing each other, chan noticed how your cheeks flushed pink.
“well… you’re not going to understand me anyways but… i love you. so, so much. i’m so grateful to have you in my life, you make me feel at ease. i can’t imagine my life without you…” you hummed and he noticed how your voice broke when you started the next sentence “and it hurts me to see when you put too much pressure on yourself, baby. you think you’re not good enough but to me, your members and your fans… and literally everyone else, you are. you so are, channie…”
he panicked once you teared up, fully awake. chan pulled you closer, calming you down
“i’m sorry” he mumbled, heart breaking at the sound of your sobs. you just scoffed, shaking your head
“don’t apologise, i just love you so much” you mumbled into his shirt and he swore he was about to melt.
i feel like deep down he knew what you meant <\3
anyways,,
if he hears about one (1) event even slightly connected with (country name) he’ll drag you there so you can feel at home for a moment (as if he’s not your home) and also translate some stuff for him
absolutely loves when you call him nicknames in your mother tongue, like
you could call him the goofiest and cheesiest nickname and he’s squealing like a teenage girl
but then he calls you the same or finds some new nicknames on the internet
sometimes to make you laugh or confuse he’ll put a sentence or a question to google translate and it’ll just… translate it so bad
“what do you mean ‘where’s the broccoli dog??’” you frown and he just laughs his ass off bc 1) it mistranslated OR 2) he purposely put some silly stuff to make you puzzled
[ masterlist <3 ]
taglist.  @geniejunn ,, @luvhyun3 ,, @starlostseungmin ,, @elviransworld ,, @jnks6r ,, @sieunsgf ,, @ethereallino ,, @laylasbunbunny ,, @duolingofanaccount ,, @slytherinshua ,, @stxrseungs ,, @ka-ni-ma ,, @iliveforlixie ,, @ameliesaysshoo ,, @dazzlingligth ,, @mark-geolli ,, @l3visbby ,, @w3bqrl ,, @ddeonudepressions ,, @yourfavoritefreakyhan ,, @cinnamoroxie ,, @kazmura ,, @primoppang
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amongemeraldclouds · 20 days
Text
better than revenge | chapter five: smash!
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Lorenzo Berkshire x Reader (ft. Ex!Mattheo Riddle)
Series trope: Fake dating 
Chapter five summary: You and Enzo get to know each other and end up showing him how studying together can be fun. 1.8k words.
Warning: Cursing, angst, fluff, no use of y/n, slight suggestiveness.
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“The best way to deal with your anger, aside from good ol’ revenge,” Enzo starts, “is to break shit.”
“When you said we were going to The Breaking Point, I didn’t think you meant it literally,” I say, looking at graffiti scrawled all over the building tucked neatly in an alley.
“Come on, it’s going to be fun,” he says holding my hand and leading me inside.
Once we’ve got our safety gear on, Enzo reaches for the dishes and consecutively throws three plates against the wall. The smashing of plates sounds almost melodic, like wind howling through chimes.
“Stressful week, huh?” I ask him.
“I’m getting my ass handed to me in Potions,” Enzo replies, throwing another plate for good measure.
He hands me a pile, “but never mind that. Your turn. Think of something that angers you, imagine they’re the plate and then throw it.”
I think of Mattheo’s annoying smile and take aim. Crash!
The sound of his laugh. Smash!
Seeing him kiss her. Crash! 
I still love him. Smash!
I’m such an idiot. Crash!
I’m out of breath when the final pieces crash on the floor.
⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎ 
“I haven’t felt this good in weeks!” I exclaim, twirling on the sidewalk as we make our way to dinner. I ignore the curious glances I attract and walk ahead, beaming.
Enzo laughs, “told you, I’ve got ways to help you release stress—”
“Without being a perv,” I finish his sentence.
“Not what I was going to say, but okay,” he muses.
“You winked at me! It’s your fault I assumed, Lorenzo Berkshire” I glare at him.
He raises his hands to concede. “Fine fine, but never call my by my full name again. You’re scary,” he shudders.
“Tell me more about Potions,” I say, tamping down my smile.
“I’ve been having a hard time memorizing the right ingredients. I keep mixing up horse hair and horseradish, or moondew and moonseed. Why do they have to sound so similar?” he explains, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.
“That sucks, I can see why it can be confusing,” I say, fixing his hair absentmindedly.
“I can help you study!” I offer. 
He smirks, “you know, Mattheo and I compete with grades. He may be naturally smarter and doesn’t have to apply himself as much, I’ll give him that. But I work hard and even skipped a grade because of it. It’s how we’re in the same grade even though I’m younger and I’ve been lording it over him ever since. But Potions…”
I see where he’s going. “Potions is a nightmare. So by studying together, you’ll get better grades and outrank Mattheo again. Even more incentive to help, fake boyfriend. Let’s make that phase two of The Book.”
I grab his arm and see him smiling down at me. “Let’s study at your dorm next week, it’s gonna be fun!”
“Why not at the library so people can see us?” He asks, quirking an eyebrow.
“Because my ways are not allowed at the library, it’s loud but fun,” I say.
“Oh?” He asks with a devilish smile.
“I did not wink at you, Berkshire! I didn’t mean it that way,” I smack his arm.
He laughs, “I’ve never heard the term ‘fun’ and ‘studying’ in the same sentence, but if anyone can do it, it’s probably you.”
⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎
“Have you ever heard of mnemonics?” I ask Enzo.
“Stop making up words.”
“I’m not! Mnemonics is a way we can memorize things through key phrases and words. Okay, so look at this,” I open a Potions textbook to one of the instructions.
“Felix felicis, liquid luck. To create this, you need ashwinder egg, horseradish and heat. No horse hair here. To make it easy to remember, use the phrase “ashes take root in the heat.”
“How does that make it easier?”
“The key word you need to remember is ashes. What do they do? They take root in the heat.  Ash is short for ashwinder egg and next time you’re confused between horse hair or horseradish, remember which one is the root vegetable?”
“Horseradish!” He exclaims. “Ashes take root in the heat. You make this so much easier! Why can’t you be our Potions professor instead?” “Snape would have your head if he hears you,” I say. “But wait, we haven’t got to the fun part yet. Once you have your phrase, you then have to turn it into a song.”
Enzo laughs indulgently, “like one of those children shows?”
“You laugh at my methods, Berkshire. But it won’t be so silly once you’re exceeding expectations in class. You gotta trust the process.”
“Does the process know we’re trusting it?” He quips.
“Isn’t it so much easier memorizing song lyrics than class notes?” I retort. He nods, considering me.
“Come on, Enzo. We can even sing it to the tune of your favorite song.” He gives me a pained look but gives in and hours go by, we have our key phrases and songs that go with potion ingredients and techniques.
Laughing, Enzo takes my hand and lifts me off the chair, spinning me around. “We’ve done the singing, now let’s dance.”
“But there’s no music,” I comment as my cheeks flush when I feel his hands on waist, inviting me to sway with him.
“Move with me,” he says, “we can use this as practice for when we attend a ball.”
I close my eyes and imagine music as I follow his steps, trying to avoid stepping on his foot. His hands feel strong and reassuring, guiding me as he hums a soft tune. We move in comfortable silence and I relax into the moment.
“You did well today,” I tell him as he spins me again and he bows, marking the end of the dance.
“Only because I had a fantastic teacher,” he remarks. “I’ll definitely outrank Mattheo with you by my side.”
“What’s the deal with you and Mattheo, anyway? Why are you rivals?” I ask.
“It’s therapy time, huh?” He says, settling in his bed and I sit beside him. He takes a moment, turning the question over in his mind. “It started when we were kids, our mother would have us play these games to see who bested each other. Did you know, we even competed to see who’d eat the most vegetables during dinner?”
“Well…” I say, bewildered. “That’s one way to get you to eat healthy, I guess?”
“We didn’t grow up in the same household, of course,” he continues. “So I only knew him through the occasional awkward family dinner. But our mother, if you scored better grades or won some contest, that’s when she would come visit and spend time with whoever won. We’ve been that way ever since,” he shrugs.
“You realize that’s not normal, right?” I ask.
“Is any family even normal?” He counters.
“No, family dynamics are weird. Mine isn’t any better,” I agree. “I just mean that you don’t have to compete for love. Someone can love you exactly as you are, you don’t have to earn it. That’s what my mother used to say” I explain.
He looks at my eyes, speechless and searching.
“You know that, right?” I try. Of course he doesn’t. “You don’t have to try hard to be loved.”
We sit in electric silence as he shifts his gaze down my mouth before meeting my eyes again. I want to hold this boy with sad eyes, so warm and full of life, but alone here in the privacy of his room it will be real. 
“It’s getting late and Theo will be back soon from the party.” I clear my throat and brush off these feelings, whatever they are. I rise from his bed and take my things. “This was productive, let’s do it again tomorrow.”
He blinks, shaking off the moment. “Of course, yeah. Thank you.”
Enzo walks me to the door and bids me good night.
“Good night,” I reply, rising on my toes to kiss his cheek.
I walk back to my dorm and glance at my watch. It’s much later than I thought. I briefly pause when a voice interrupts my thoughts.
“If cuddling is the best part, he didn't do it right.” I look up and see Mattheo watching me come from the direction of Enzo’s dorm.
My annoyance flares, “Why hello to you too, Mattheo. Don’t you have some girl to disappoint?”
“Oh I never disappoint in bed,” he says with a smirk and I look at his dark eyes, remembering heated nights and all the ways I’ve come undone for him and with him. Memories of warm skin tangled in sheets, moaning messes, and the euphoric maze we lost and found ourselves in.
I shake my head and sigh, “do what you want, Riddle. It’s what you’re good at anyway.”
That shuts him up and I walk past him.
⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎
The next few weeks go by and Enzo and I get into a comfortable rhythm studying together. We spend meal times together at the Great Hall and visit Hogsmeade on weekends in the name of fake dating.
I approach Enzo as students file out the room from Potions class.
“Look here,” he beams, showing me his grade.
“Exceeds expectations! You did it, Enzo!” I engulf him in a hug and laugh in surprise as he twirls me around before setting me down. 
He looks at Mattheo making his way to the exit and calls out, “not that I need a number to prove I’m better than you, brother, but it seems the numbers have spoken again.”
Mattheo pauses and looks back, “is it really a win, brother, if you needed someone’s help to get there?” He looks at me and raises an eyebrow.
Enzo puts his arm around me. “You mean, I get to outrank you, after skipping a grade by the way. And I have an incredible girlfriend by my side? I don’t see what the problem is.”
I step in, “Well Enzo, not everyone knows what they have when they have it.” I shift my gaze to Mattheo, “Matheo wouldn’t understand, now would you?” I shake my head condescendingly.
“Come on, we have to celebrate!” I wink at Enzo and he grins at our inside joke as we walk out.
When we reach the hallway, he leans in to whisper, “you winked! Are we really going to celebrate?”
I smack his arm and whisper back, “that was just for The Book. Behave.”
“Okay, just checking. Because you know I wouldn’t mind at all if—” I glare at him and he holds his hands up in retreat.
I soften, “You can, however, get a congratulatory kiss.” I pull my arms around his shoulders and kiss him. He smiles against my lips.
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Author's note: I recently went to a similar place where I got to break stuff and I knew these characters had to do it too. I nearly named this chapter "break plates, not hearts" hahahaha.
Oh and Mattheo’s first line comes directly from an episode of Veronica Mars iykyk.
Taglist: @hoeforvinniehackerrr @i-think-you-are-gr8 @thecraziestcrayon @adreamingpendulum @themarauderswife7 @midsoulz @ultramarinetovelvet @val-writes @lafrone @daisiesformylove @mildly-delulu @allebasi05 @enha-stan @skb4000 @nat1221 @s0urw00lf
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riality-check · 9 months
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for the mini fic thing! 17 with Steve & Eddie? i love your drabbles!!
This is exceptionally late, and I'm slightly adjusting the prompt, but here you go!
17. "Things I wish you hadn't said"
"You know you gave me the nickname, right?" Eddie says.
He does that a lot, Steve has learned. Starts conversations in ways that sound like the middle of them. It's one thing among many he's noticed about Eddie, since March '86.
"What?" he says, half to make sure he heard him right, half because he's a little slow from the joint they've been passing back and forth.
"The Freak," Eddie explains. He says it like he's talking about the weather and takes another drag of the joint before he passes it back to Steve. "You regretted it right after you said it. Well, right after Carol shouted it loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear. Could see it right on your face."
Steve remembers that day. His sophomore year, so Eddie's junior. Daniel McCain had gone up to Eddie, angry as anything about something Steve just had to know about.
He's glad he's not that guy anymore.
"Do you know why he came up to me? Danny?"
"No," Steve says. He interrupted that would-be conversation before he could hear any of it. He had to make himself the star of the show, all the time.
A sophomore, and already king.
He was such a prick.
He passes the joint back to Eddie without taking another drag.
"Do you remember my nose being broken?"
Steve has a flash of a memory, of a younger Eddie with hair curling just under his chin, bandages on his bruised face.
He nods.
"I kissed him the day before," Eddie says. He extinguishes the joint in favor of picking at his fingernails instead. "He didn't take too kindly to it."
Oh, shit.
"And you asked him what he had to talk to The Freak about."
For probably the hundredth time in his life, Steve hates the person he used to be. Because not only did he give Eddie the nickname that stuck with him all through the rest of his high school career, not only did he add insult to literal injury, but Steve couldn't even remember this particular cruelty in a sea of cruelties.
He wants to go back in time and shake that kid by the shoulders until his head's back on straight.
"I'm sorry. I wish I hadn't said that," he says, and it doesn't sound like nearly enough.
Eddie waves him off. "Can't go back. Besides, if you didn't say it, someone else would have. Probably me, to be honest."
Steve leans back, propping himself up on his elbows on Eddie's bed. He looks up at Eddie, sitting near his nightstand, cross-legged and still in a way that he never is when he's sober. The way he's backlit makes his hair seem like a gold halo, makes every stark detail of his silhouette stand out in a way that keeps Steve from looking away.
Not that he wants to.
He doesn't think that logic holds up. It's not worth thinking about "what-ifs," but he can't help it. He can't help the thought that if he had watched his mouth for once in his life, Eddie wouldn't have been tormented with that particular phrase.
Eddie doesn't seem to resent him for it, though. Robin always says that no one is as hard on Steve as he is, and this seems to line up with that.
Still.
"If you're not mad about it, then why-"
"I couldn't think of a better way to tell you I like boys," Eddie blurts.
Oh.
Steve has had plenty of people interested in him. He knows how to flirt back, even when they're as awkward as Eddie is, eyes burning a hole through his mattress.
It's not often that he's interested back. Really interested back.
Huh.
Guess I like men, he thinks to himself, and while thinking can wait for the morning, when he's sober, he knows that what he feels isn't going to fade along with the high.
And he knows exactly which moves to pull.
He sits up and moves a little closer to Eddie.
"Why do I need to know that?" he teases.
Eddie's head snaps up. He studies Steve's face with slightly reddened eyes, and when he finds, or doesn't find, what he's looking for, he relaxes. "Because I like you."
"You gonna do anything about it?"
"Yeah," Eddie says, leaning closer. "I'm gonna kiss you, and I hope you won't bre-"
Steve runs out of patience. He grabs Eddie's face with both hands and pulls him in.
It's a good kiss. Definitely not one worth punching over.
"You asshole!" Eddie laughs when they break apart. "You didn't let me finish my line!"
"Are you mad about it?"
"A little!"
"Too mad to kiss me again?"
Eddie pauses, grabs Steve's face, and kisses him fiercely.
Something tells Steve the answer to that last question is a resounding, "Not at all."
Prompts here.
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yuzurins · 8 months
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“you’re being childish.”
“i’m not!”
“you are.”
sae chuckles, carefully putting the dishes back to where they belonged as he finishes up washing them, and you hate how much of a malewife he looks like.
“it’s not that big of a deal,” he starts walking over to where you rest on the couch. “you know i didn’t mean it.”
you turn your head away from him, scoffing when he tries to ruffle your hair. “you’re lying,” you turn back to face him. “you’re literally smiling right now!”
the laugh that sae was trying to suppress comes out at your accusation, and he cocks his head to the side. “okay, you caught me.”
but just as you’re about to open your mouth in retaliation, he cuts you off, “but what’s wrong with telling the truth?”
“you—“ the words are struggling to get out of your mouth, “you can’t just tell someone their cooking tastes like dogshit!” you poke him in the chest, a bit too aggressively, and sae swears he sees a flash of concern on your face, despite it doing nothing to him (but he thinks you’re cute for trying). “especially your girlfriend, mr. prodigy!”
“come on, i didn’t say it was dogshit.” he reasons, not that it does much. “it was just… not very appetizing.”
“that doesn’t make it any better, sae.” you roll your eyes and avert your gaze back to the tv, mumbling to yourself, “you should’ve seen the look of horror in your eyes…”
your boyfriend laughs as he makes his way around to sit next to you (you subtly move over to leave a gap between you two though). you glare at him as he hums, knowing he’s up to nothing good.
“well, it’s okay. i’ll pay for your cooking classes.”
“hey!” you hit him in the arm, and the fact that he doesn’t bulge only puts a smirk on his face. “now that was uncalled for.”
he grabs your hand, holding it with his larger one as he just stares at you. “if i’m going to eat your cooking for the rest of my life, then i’d rather it be digestible, you big baby.”
it’s unfair how sae can make such a backhanded phrase sound so charming, how he can placate you with sweet-talk and silly teases.
“fine,” you give in and intertwine your hand with his, “i’ll let you off this time.”
he merely hums in agreement, trailing his arm around your shoulders as you scoot closer to him.
“was the food that bad though?” you hesitantly ask out of curiosity.
“oh, it was the absolute worst.”
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a/n: i want to get off work already take this whole lot of nothing <3 @kouyun meow
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notfreetoday · 7 months
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My Personal Weatherman Ep 1 Subtitle Corrections
So I've been analysing the way MPW uses language to showcase the dynamic between Segasaki and Yoh - something that I suspect is not quite coming through with the English subs - and decided to watch Ep 1-3 again, with Eng subs this time. I am now going to complain about some of the subtitle and translation choices and edit them way too literally because I'm nerdy like that.
Disclaimer: Everyone translates differently for different audiences. This is not meant to disrespect the official translation team in any way because they are subbing for a more general audience and have different pressures, so don't come at me or them for our different priorities. I'm talking to the particular group of viewers who like this show and/or like Japanese and want to go a step further in interacting with the characters. That said, I'm happy to discuss MY translation choices so please feel free to drop in about any line.
Under cut because this GOT REALLY LONG.
I'm translating directly from the Jp, so sometimes my subs differ only slightly - I will lean towards a more literal translation here because that will allow me to explain my language analysis better in a follow up post so some phrasing may be awkward. Big changes/missing info have been italicised and bolded. Explanations of nuances/connotations have been added where I feel they add to the understanding of the character/scene, and the relevant phrase is marked with * in my translation and the Jp.
Ep 1
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[S: だから、漫画つずけりゃいいじゃんって 衣食住の金は保証してやるから おれんとこに来い。んで、その代わり *俺の言うこと全部聞け]
Original: I said, just keep drawing manga. I’ll take care of your food and lodging *expenses, so come to my place. And in return, you’ll do everything I say.
Mine: I said, *it's fine (for you) to continue (being a) manga (artist). I'll take care of the expenses for your *food, clothing and lodging so, come (live) at my place. And, in exchange for that, (you must) *listen to everything I say.
*This whole paragraph is extremely blunt and direct. Every sentence is worded as an order, and this last line especially - the word "listen" is used here to mean "obey" - so this line really translates to, "in exchange for that, (I want you) to obey my every word". The reason it's not been translated this way is that it sounds so strong it borders on corny in English. In Jp though, the connotation of "obey" comes across not in the words but in the extremely strong/direct delivery of the line (contrasted with the extremely nonchalent tone), so it sounds more shocking/overbearing than it does corny. The original translation here works very well actually.
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Technically Segasaki introduces himself here as 気象解説員 (weather forecaster) as opposed to 気象予報士 (meteorologist), but in the show's character bios, and when Man-san talks about him later, he's called a meteorologist anyway, so this difference is of absolutely no importance (I'm just anal like that). FYI, in Japan, all qualified meteorologists (who must pass a national exam) can be forecasters, but not all forecasters have this qualification.
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[Y: 明日も雨…か*] Original: More rain tomorrow Mine: There'll be rain again tomorrow, huh? *Said with a falling tone, the "huh" here hints that Yoh is likely a little down/disappointed about the rain continuing, and lays the ground for his reaction later about the rainy season.
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[M: 人を沼に召喚しといて 何なの?その態度 S: いや むしろ 万さんがかなり能動的に突っ込んできた印象しかないんだけど M: ごちゃごちゃうるさい ややこしいオタクめ S: ごめん ややこしくて]
Original: M: Why summon someone into your otaku pit and act like that? Y: No, it’s more like you actively intrude into my life M: You’re being noisy and complicated, you complicated otaku Y: Sorry for being complicated…
Mine: M: (You’re the one who) dragged me into this fandom, (so) what’s with that attitude? Y: No, on the contrary, I have the distinct impression that it was you, Man-san, who pretty much jumped right in of your own volition M: (You’re) babbling nonsense (you) troublesome otaku Y: Sorry for being troublesome
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[S: めし なに? Y: あ、しょーしょうがやき]
Original: S: What do you want for dinner? Y: Stir-fried ginger
Mine: S: What's for dinner? Y: Sho-shogayaki
Shogayaki is a style of cooking meat, usually pork, where you stir fry the meat with ginger. Unless the type of meat is specified, it refers to Pork Stir Fried with Ginger, or Ginger Pork Stir Fry. Very common home cooked dish.
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[S: あ、そ] (A, so?) S: Oh, is that so?
"I see" is a totally ok translation too. "A, so" can mean "Oh I see" or "Oh is that right" or "Oh is that so" etcetc but it has the air of a really bored "Oh, really?/Sure/If you say so" This is why Yoh's reaction after this is "if you aren't interested then don't ask!". This is the first of many times that Segasaki will use this phrase, as we will see in the following episodes, so I'm highlighting it here for now.
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No translation issues here - but I just want to point out that it's reeaaally difficult to make tasteless shogayaki hahaha If you've had ginger stir fried in anything you'll know - it's not a meek herb at all. Canonically, Yoh is apparently a really bad cook. This will be pointed out again later, when he makes curry, because again, it's gotta be some kind of talent to make bland japanese curry; it's r*eeeeaally *easy. Anyway, the sauce that Segasaki asks for here is Soy Sauce, which is different from the sauce that he asks for later! Seems like a few people think they're the same thing (also pay attention to the sauce rack position here - Yoh'll will move it closer to himself by their next dinner hahaha)
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[Y: ちかいんだよ、いちいち*] Y: He (leans in) so close, every (damn) time*!
*Not sure if this comes across, but the word for "every time" here is usually associated with slight annoyance, but the way "close" is said here implies Yoh's a little bashful about it.
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[Y: 雨、多いな*] (ame, ooi *na...) Y: Rain...so much of it*
*This has the same feel as the "there'll be rain again tomorrow...huh" that we first saw earlier this episode. The ending particle "~na" bakes in a sigh and a sense of disappointment here (if you didn't notice the utter depression on Yoh's face lol)
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[S: めし、まだ?] S: Food's not ready yet?
See, you don't notice it with the Eng translations because even the most basic Eng grammar will form a complete sentence. In Jp though, Segasaki is once again taking "man of a few words" to the extreme. He has taken out every single part of the sentence he possibly can whilst still keeping it grammatically complete. So this line is literally just "Food, not yet?". He's done this throughout the episode btw - it's why he comes across as so cold/distant.
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[Y: やっぱ わかんねえよな] Mine: As I thought, he doesn't understand...
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[Y: 結局 従ってしまう自分の従順さが憎い*] Original: I hate my obedience, always giving in Mine: In the end, the obedient part of me that always ends up following his orders - I hate* it
*the word used for "hate" here is "nikui" which is different from the word Yoh uses when he says he "hates (dai kirai)" Segasaki. "dai kirai" is simply the opposite of "dai suki" - to really like, so is more accurately "really dislike" than it is "hate" (even though it is frequently translated as such). "Nikui", which is much stronger word, bringing to mind the idea of a "strong rejection of/detest/disgust for" something.
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If you didn't already know, the word "embrace" aka "抱く" here is a euphemism for "to sleep with (somebody).
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Shoyu = Soy Sauce. Sauce = worcestershire sauce, unless you're in a tonkatsu shop. Then sauce = tonkatsu sauce (which is a slightly different variation). Don't look at me, I don't make the rules.
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(This is very long but I'm going to write the whole monologue here)
[Y: 晴れ予報の度に抱かれて 晴れ なんて単語は 暗いなかで湿っぽく行われる それとは ちぐはぐなイメージなのに。。。 まるでやらしい言葉みたいに 頭に刷り込まれていって わかってんのか? あんたの口から 予報をきいて どんな気持ちになるか わかんないんだろうな 一生考えもしないだろうな だってあんたは 恋人でもない俺に 平気でこんなことができる]
Original: Every time there’s a sunny forecast, he does it with me The word sunny feels out of place for such activity in a dark and damp room It’s as if it’s such a lewd word being forced into my mind Do you understand, how I feel when I hear that word from your mouth? You probably won’t understand or even think about it for your entire life You have no problem sleeping with someone you’re not even going out with
Mine: (He) embraces (me) every time the forecast is sunny A word like “sunny” … (brings up) a completely different image from that damp, humid activity taking place in the dark And yet (to me) it seems like a lewd, obscene word, searing (the image of) itself into my brain Do you understand? How exactly I feel when I hear the forecast from your mouth? You probably don't understand, do you? Probably won't ever think about it your entire life, right? Because you're able to do this with me, (someone)who isn't even your lover, without any issues at all
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This line was ad-libbed btw, if you didn't already know (link leads to Kouhei's 16th Aug IG livestream, and his explanation starts around 07:20 mark) They've talked about this a few times on both their IG lives, and Kouhei seems to get prouder about it each time hahaha. In the linked IG, Kouhei said:
(reading a fan comment) "More" was an ad-lib?? I'm gonna die
Kouhei: Yea it was…ah that was…um, Mashiko-kun… Acchan (his nickname for Atsuki) gave me a really good expression so…somehow, (by the time) I realised (what I had done), yes, (by the time) I realised it,I had said it. Well probably saying "by the time I realised it" is weird but… yes. By the time I realised it... "even more"…(I'd wanted him) to open his mouth more so. Yes. That's all.
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[S: そこそこ高給取りになる予定*だから] Original: I'm planning to *become a high earner Mine: It's likely* that I'm gonna be drawing a pretty decent salary so...
*The exact wording here is actually "(it has been) planned that (I will) become (someone) drawing a pretty decent salary so" - the way this is phrased indicates that this conversation probably happened in Segasaki's last year of university, probably right before he graduated when he already had a job lined up for himself. In Japan, your final year of university is spent interning at companies and if they like you, you'll stay on as a salaried worker, so most graduates will have something lined up before they officially leave university.
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[Y: 流されるな] Y: Don't get swept away (by this) This phrase is usually used to warn people not to let themselves be swept away/caught up by the latest trends/public perception/societal expectations/their own emotions/panic etc Here, together with his insistence that he's just Segasaki's slave and so obeying him is a natural consequence, and so is sleeping with him (as opposed to Yoh doing it because he likes/wants to) - Yoh is basically telling himself "don't get swept away" by the situation/his feelings because their relationship doesn't mean anything.
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[Y: じゃあ、しばらく…ないのか。*slaps face* しばらくしなくていいんだ!]
Original: So, it won't be happening, for a while huh? *slaps face* I'm fine without it for a while, right?
Mine: So then... there won't be... for a while, huh... *slaps face* (It should be) "I don't have to do it for a while!"
Again, you can see, Yoh's literally spent this entire episode trying to convince himself that he's not actually in love with Segasaki, and everything he does for Segasaki, be it listening to him, or sleeping with him etc, he does simply because he is fulfilling his end of the bargain as "a slave".
OMFG I FINISHED THAT WAS TOO DAMN LONG.
I will finish Ep 2 & 3 before I do the language analysis post. But first... I need a break....
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bethanydelleman · 5 months
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There’s a new book out called The Darcy Myth that says in the summary that P&P is actually a “horror novel” about how scary love is for women… I know the Bennet sisters’ situation is precarious but to call it a “horror novel” ? :P
Okay... so... ug.... did this woman even read Pride & Prejudice? Because from the news coverage I would say no. Let me highlight some passages from the article:
Darcy should be considered the main antagonist of the famous love story
Not Wickham? Not the man who runs off with literal teenage girls?
Darcy pays Wickham to marry Lydia, saving her reputation, and later tells Elizabeth, “I thought only of you” when acting. For Feder, this phrase is proof of the hero’s self-interest. Darcy condemns Lydia to a life with an amoral man, all so the Bennets don’t become so disreputable that he won’t be able to marry the woman he loves.
Um, sorry, but no. Darcy tried to get Lydia away FIRST, she refused, he respected Lydia's autonomy as a human being. Becoming brother-in-law to Wickham was probably worse for Darcy personally than Lydia being "ruined"
I found Feder’s exploration of “Pride and Prejudice”as a Gothic novel — rather than a comedy of manners — far more compelling than her critique of Darcy.
Wut? No. Not even a little bit, what? That is a different genre.
“Darcy helped codify the dominant expectation that potential romantic partners — especially heterosexual men — are not only still eligible but in fact more appealing when they play a little hard to get, even if playing hard to get involves cruelty, insults, expressions of disinterest, ruining your beloved sister’s chances of happiness, and other red flags,” she writes. Women spend their time, energy and emotions on men who, quite simply, are not worth their effort.
Okay, except ELIZABETH NEVER TRIES ANYTHING WITH DARCY. She just sits there and he falls in love with her. If she did put effort into any relationship it was with Wickham, who again, is presented as a massive red flag in the end. This line of argument is wild.
Yet, seeing the sheer number of times women pursue cruel men in pop culture laid out one after another — in Disney movies, Taylor Swift songs and much more — is affecting. Feder concludes convincingly that this cultural conviction harms women in the same way the patriarchal boundaries of the regency did. She writes: “If we zoom out, we see that the Darcy myth also helps to prop up and fortify a very Gothic, patriarchal universe that is, and always has been, scary for anyone who is not a very particular type of man. After all, if we are trained from childhood to invest ourselves in men who treat us poorly, aren’t we more likely to end up in abusive situations and under threat of assault?”
Okay, so this is a valid point, but it also is based on a misreading of Pride & Prejudice or is heavily influenced by adaptations. Darcy isn't cruel, he's snobby and somewhat rude but definitely NOT cruel. Wickham is exactly the type of man you want to avoid: charming until he isn't.
ALSO WHAT DISNEY PRINCE IS AN ASSHOLE??? @princesssarisa? Can you be offended at that one in my stead?
So... this book sounds like rage-bait insanity and I won't be reading it until proved otherwise. Putting it on the avoid shelf along with Secret Radical.
Last note: There is a valid point to be made that jerks or dark broody men have been romanticized, but Austen DOES NOT DO THAT. That is not an Austen thing. Use an actual problematic Gothic or Byronic hero.
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