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charthanry · 2 years

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BBS: Deconstructing the Entire Series (Part 6 of 13)

Welcome to my deep dive into each episode where I break down character motives, P’Aof’s delivery, and general musings of all things BBS. Basically, a scene-by-scene recap with commentary from me, your friendly neighborhood commentator. If you missed the previous installments of this post series, you’re welcome to check them out:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Recapping the recap: We left EP5 with Pat realizing and speed running through his feelings for Pran. He handles his jealously poorly by forcing Pran to acknowledge him in front of Wai resulting in violence. This leads to Pat confessing that he missed Pran when he went away and asking what they are to each other. After Pat confirms that it’s not friendship that he wants, our boys finally give into their feelings and kiss. The episode ends on the immediate effects of their kiss with Pat relieved and ecstatic and Pran pained and tormented.

Episode Six: Games, Changes, and Fears. Where do we go from here? (or AKA “Whoever falls in love first loses. Deal.”)

I’m tagging this one as not-Wai friendly, but when are they ever? But really, Wai defenders should probably not enter. I can’t guarantee a good time.

EP6 opens with Pran lying on his bed, hours after he ran away from Pat on the roof. Observant sleuths will catch that the clock in Pran’s room reads a few minutes after six a.m. and he obviously hasn’t slept, still reeling from their kiss as his fingers ghost over his lips. I bet he can still feel the lingering reminder of Pat’s mouth against his own. The sweet shape of Pat’s lips and the warmth of his breath are still at the forefront of Pran’s senses. We’re shown a flashback of Pran pulling Pat in for that second, deeper kiss and with this memory, Pran’s face screams what have I done? We hope it’s not regret that you’re feeling, Pran. That your overthinking mind isn’t commandeering your heart? We urge you, in the words of the incomparable Roxette to listen to your heart when he’s calling to you.

Outside his door, Pran’s heart is literally calling to him. I can’t make any of this up, y’all. Pat is calling out to Pran, trying valiantly to get Pran to open up literally and figuratively so that they can talk, but Pran is not ready to face him. Pat stands on the other side, a solid door between them, unable to reach Pran. But for all that we know of Pat, he’s not one to give up once he sets his sights and mind on something. And more than that, his heart is at stake here. Because for Pat, when you realize who you want to spend your days (and nights) with and you learn that the other person feels the same way, you want that first day to start immediately.

Check out Pran’s version of ignoring Pat, by looking at him only when he thinks he won’t get caught. We’re onto you, bro.

We jump to a day later? Who knows how many days it’s been since their kiss; time is such a fluid concept on BBS. Both the engineers and architects are at the unveiling of the completed bus stop rebuild. Their professors are also present, shout out to both Pichai and not-Pichai. Ink is also there taking photos for the school paper. Pat is trying to catch Pran’s eyes, but Pran is still stubbornly avoiding him, making sure there’s always no less than two people standing between them. Sigh.

Not-Pichai gives Pran the floor to give a speech as the project’s leader. Pran thanks everyone for their part in making the rebuild a success and states that he hopes this project can end the conflict between the two faculties. Yes, but what about the conflict between you and Pat? What about that Pran?

After posing for photos complete with cringy heart-fingers, Pat manages to find Pran alone and off to the side. He breaks the ice by asking Pran if he’s going to the sponsor, LogTech, any time soon because he wants to stop by the music shop on the way. Aww, look at Pat trying so hard to extend an olive branch to you. He wants to spend time with you. This is the puppy version of bringing you a ball and hopefully wagging his tail. Aww Pat.

Pran ignores Pat’s question and moves to leave but Pat pulls on his arm and asks him what’s wrong? You can just talk to me. I have no idea what to do here. This is new territory for him, too. Pran finally says what’s there to talk about? And Pat, never one to skirt the issue, goes you know exactly what, about the other night. And Pran responds with I don’t have anything to say about that night. To which Pat responds, well, I do and grabs Pran’s arm to stop him from walking away from this conversation and from him.

Before Pat can get Pran to admit to the circumstances of that night, they’re interrupted by Pat’s dad and Professor Pichai. Pran respectfully greets Pat’s dad while Ming explains that Pichai invited him to see the bus stop and to check out the solar panels they used for it. Pran excuses himself and Pat watches him walk away with concern. The distance to reach Pran suddenly feels much larger than a single door.

To be clear, this isn’t about Pran trying to play hard to get, this is him ghosting Pat altogether. He’s acting like what happened between them didn’t happen. We get that avoidance and repression are Pran’s default coping mechanisms, but I can’t help but feel a little frustrated with him even though I understand what he’s going through. Just talk to the guy, Pran. This isn’t going away just because you’re ignoring him. Pat isn’t giving up on you or what you two have together. He’s here, he’s finally here looking right at you, and you won’t give him the time of day.

What gives me hope though is Pran glances back at Pat as he walks away. His heart truly is at war with his head, isn’t it? Again, Roxette holds all the wisdom, my friend, and you should really listen to what your heart is telling you.

Cut to later, Pran is at Wai’s dropping off his guitar for safekeeping. He tells Wai that if he keeps the guitar close, he’ll inevitably pick it up and play it. Aww. Pran is speaking metaphorically here of his feelings for Pat where the guitar is a stand-in for Pat, he’s telling us that he has to keep his feelings at bay and distance himself from Pat. We’re not sure if you’re aware Pran, but absence only makes the heart grow that much fonder. Haven’t those three years away from Pat taught you anything?

Wai asks if it’s that serious with his mom, if she catches him playing the guitar will she transfer him again? And Pran says that if she finds out (about Pat) she might. Pran has a lot on the line here. He’s at risk of losing it all, his friends, his current life, and most of all Pat if his mom finds out he’s talking to him again, let alone has feelings for him. And the run-in with Pat’s dad is a cruel reminder of all that he has to lose.

Rather than be separated from Pat completely, he’ll settle for seeing him from across campus because he CANNOT go back to a life without Pat even if all he gets now is Pat only in the peripheral. And here I want to grab him by the shoulders (where’s my ladder?) and shake him a little and tell him, look at all that you have to GAIN instead. But at the same time, Pran has been here before and knows the feeling of losing everything all too well and he just can’t go through that again. We get it, Pran.

“Desiring another person is perhaps the most risky endeavor of all. As soon as you want somebody—really want him—it is as though you have taken a surgical needle and sutured your happiness to the skin of that person, so that any separation will now cause a lacerating injury.”

And we’re now all sobbing at both the noble idiocy of this boy but also just how much more of himself is he willing to sacrifice for the sake of others? Did that 28-second taste of living for yourself scare you? Let Pat in, let him help you navigate all of this. You don’t have to go at this alone anymore. But Pran’s final words to Wai says everything: we already know how it’s going to end, isn’t it better to not start at all? He leaves but not before giving the guitar a yearning look goodbye, telling us this was not an easy decision for him – letting go of Pat.

This is one of my favorite moments of Pran’s because it’s both sad and incredibly noble of him to walk away. He’s resolute in his decision of finally letting go of these long-held feelings, not because he wants to but because he knows he has to, and I find this entirely too relatable. How often have we warred with ourselves to walk away when everything in our body is telling us to stay?

Remember that Pran is working off the knowledge that Pat likes Ink. He heard this from Pat himself. So, even though they’ve kissed, he’s worried that Pat acted in the heat of the moment, out of jealously for Wai. And Pran pulling him in for that second, deeper kiss revealed Pran’s long-held secret that he’s wanted this, wanted Pat. And now Pat knows and Pran is adamantly trying to cover it up by acting like it didn’t mean anything to him when we know it meant EVERYTHING. But what Pran doesn’t know is it meant everything to Pat, too. Only he can’t tell Pran any of this because Pran isn’t willing to listen.

Having lived for so long with the belief that Pat could never return his feelings, Pran can’t fathom that Pat would suddenly reciprocate these feelings now – not when Ink, a better option without any family entanglements, is right there. So, based on what he knows, we really can’t blame Pran for this reasoning, but also just please talk to Pat. This can all be cleared up in about five minutes.

Sometime later, Pat is at home in his bedroom. He looks out his window and catches a glimpse of Pran across the way, he calls out to him only for Pran to continue to ignore him. Pat says you’re really not going to talk to me? Just watch what I’ll do, you’ll see. Pat, you just pushed an entire fandom right to the edge of our seats. What are you planning on doing?

The next thing we know Pat is outside ringing Pran’s doorbell! OH SHIT! This kid has some cajones. We been knowing this fact, but this right here is proof that fear is not in Pat’s vocabulary. I mean, he wrestles tiny guns away from goons for kicks. You have to commend the guy though for walking right into the lion’s den, or in this case, the lioness’ domain. Pran’s mom comes out to see what Pat wants. Pat greets her and explains that he’s there to see Pran. Dissaya goes what for? Pran has nothing to say to you. And fearless Pat says but I do (have something to say to him). And Dissaya goes kid, do your parents not teach you about manners?

Then in steps Pat’s dad answering her, we do. We also teach him to be nice to guests when they visit our house. Ooh burn. It’s heating up in here. We are all engulfed and caught in the flames shooting out of Dissaya’s eyes right now. She flings right back at Ming, and do you teach him that when he isn’t welcome, to just stay away? We’re then shown Pran watching all this going down from his bedroom window.

Dissaya plows on or maybe he came here because he can’t stand you anymore. This whole scene is deliciously taut and uncomfortable, yet we can’t look away. Ming asks Pat what he’s doing there. Pat explains he has a bus stop document for Pran that their professor asked him to deliver. Dissaya responds with tell your professor Pran will go get it later. Ming is frustrated and says he already brought it here, why can’t you just take it? Ming takes it a step further by asking what kind of person are you? And it’s definitely the wrong thing to say as it triggers Dissaya to respond with oh, and you think you’re so great? Do you want me to say it out loud? Oooh, yes spill all the tea, madam. Our cups are ready.

P’Chai’s spidey senses kick in and he rushes in to de-escalate the situation with can I take the document to Pran instead? Ming agrees and Pat hands the documents over to P’Chai. But Dissaya needs to have the last word and asks is your business here done? Ming mumbles that they never had any business there in the first place, then drags Pat away. We see that Pran has left the safety of his bedroom and is standing behind a column listening to the entire thing.

This heated and tense scene confirms for Pran that his decision to stay away from Pat is the right choice. Their parents can’t even exchange innocuous documents without sniping at each other. We’re frankly intrigued by the whole ordeal as this is the first confrontation we’ve seen between the adults, revealing that the issue is not with the two dads but specifically with Pran’s mom and Pat’s dad. Interesting. I love that the show is giving us bits of the puzzle, one tiny piece at a time. It leaves a lot of room for fan theories and burrowing down deep rabbit holes.

Pat returns to his bedroom and sits at his drums banging out his frustration while looking over at Pran’s room. I’m with you Pat, I may need to buy me some drums too especially for what awaits me at the end of EP8. It needs to be said though that this is a lot healthier than avoiding the situation. It also foreshadows to later in the show when Pat vents his feelings on the xylophone. Perhaps music is as much an outlet for Pat as it is for Pran.

Pa hears the loud banging and comes into his room to investigate. She asks if he’s fighting with Pran again. Huh, apparently this is what Pat does when he and Pran are on the outs. It’s happened enough times that Pa recognizes his routine. Interesting. Pa then incorrectly deduces that the two of them are fighting over Ink. Ha! Pa, not everyone is in love with Ink like you are, girl. You’re projecting. An irritated Pat shakes his head and walks away telling Pa to think whatever she wants. Again, these feelings are SERIOUS if he can’t even confide in Pa.

We cut to campus and see a charter bus with a banner reading Architecture Volunteer Camp on its side. On the bus, Wai sits down next to Pran and rudely yanks out one of his earbuds commenting that Pran is in his own sad music video and asks if he’s heartbroken. That’s a little too on the nose, Waisel. Louis says no one from any of the other faculties joined in the volunteer camp this year. He seems bummed and states the purpose of camp is to travel and make friends from different faculties. Be careful what you wish for, boy-o. And right on cue, Pat pops onto the bus asking, may an engineering student join you?

Pat is out here showing off his huge cajones again. Pran looks on as if to say I can’t believe you’re doing this, but he’s got to be secretly loving that he is, right? I mean, c’mon, Pat is literally joining the enemy’s camp just for the chance to talk to Pran. That has to win him major points. And then we’re given a shot of Wai with his trademark nostril flaring. And I’m just like whyyy, Wai? This has nothing to do with you. Take your pasty, instigating weasel face elsewhere. Stating the obvious, but my commendation of Wai in the previous episode was short-lived. We’re in the Pride Lands now and to me Wai is the uptight Zazu who thinks he’s of greater importance than he is.

On the bus, Pat patiently waits and pounces when Zazu Wai gets up for some water and plops himself in Wai’s vacated seat next to Pran. Ha! Atta boy Pat! You already know that Pran has a difficult time ignoring your proximity, play it to your advantage smart boy.

After some prodding from Pat, Pran ignores him by using Pat’s own earbuds! Ha! I will bet all the money in my pocket that there isn’t any music playing through those earbuds right now. I will raise the ante that Pran is stretching all his ear muscles to hear what Pat is saying, he just doesn’t want to let on that he’s curious. Pat says fine don’t talk, but when I get you to talk that means you lose. The gauntlet has been thrown and sorry Pran, but my money is on Pat.

Wai comes back and demands what Pat is doing in his seat and Pat innocently responds oh you mean this seat? I didn’t know it was taken. Hahaha. Wai flexes some more and Pat gets up with a faux apologetic look on his cheeky face. OHO! Just look at the way Pran is watching Pat return to his original seat. This is not the face of someone who is disinterested. I can almost hear the oh, leaving so soon? not being said.

Pat is looking over at Pran saying this is a game that you’re not gonna win. I will out-stubborn you. I am tenacious P.

They arrive at the zero-waste village and meet P’Tong their de facto camp counselor. The student volunteers are then handed colored tags (red and green) and are randomly divided into two groups based on the color of their tags. We watch and learn much to our disappointment that Pat and Pran are separated into different groups. Pat is red and Pran is green. Note that both boys eye and catalog each other’s tags. Oh, they are both so aware of each other that I want to bust out my karaoke rendition of well, you’ve done, done me in and you can bet that I felt it. I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted. There’s no need to complicate. This is our fate, I’m yours to set the mood music.

Their first activity is learning how to build a biofertilizer by separating food waste into specific bins. Pat decides it’s time to annoy Pran and edges right into his personal space. He squeezes himself in between Pran and another student as if he’s fascinated by these bins and wants a closer look. Haha, look at this cheeky bastard’s face y’all. I can’t with him. And more than that, he and Pran both know exactly what he’s doing. Cue Wai’s nostril flare. Hey, we should turn this into a drinking game! Every time the bull-weasel flares his nose, take a drink. We’ll all be drunk before we even make it to part 4/4.

Their next activity involves charades of some sort. Pat and Pran are paired up with Pran having to guess Pat’s gestures. Pran of course refuses to open his mouth and speak so automatically forfeits. They’re then tasked with picking up trash along the beach and Pat flings debris over at Pran to get a reaction from him, and oh he does react, by ignoring him and walking away. Nice try, Pat. You may have to up your game, bro.

The next activity is one of my favorite scenes of the episode and one that I come back to often. In teams of two, the students have to stand on a progressively shrinking newspaper. You’re out if you can’t get both team members on the paper at the same time. P’Tong explains that the newspapers represent our natural resources and each time we use them, we can see how much they decrease. He then instructs everyone to flip over their color tags to find the name of a vegetable on the back and to search for your match. Of course, our boys are matched with each other, there’s no escaping it. Now it makes sense why Pat and Pran are in opposing groups.

I love how Pran shows some life here by childishly pushing Pat away every time Pat tries to sidle up next to him. Haha. He’s literally trying to keep Pat at arm’s length, but Pat isn’t cooperating. Good for you, Pat. Don’t make it easy for him.

Pat tells Pran you’re good, but just give in if you can’t do it anymore. Talk to me. And we can see Pran at war with himself. He obviously doesn’t want to lose to Pat, the competitiveness in this one is strong, but he also can’t take being this close to him either. Finally, his drive to win pushes Pran to look directly at Pat. And really, Pat is in a win-win situation here. Either Pran gives in and talks to him, or Pran gives in and makes eye contact. And who can resist Mr. Fierce Eyes?

Whoever said BBS is low heat? Please check that you have your bifocals on as I present to you evidence to the contrary.

We can see Pat narrowly closing the gap between them inch by inch. It’s completely intoxicating. I find myself watching this play out through the slits of my fingers because the intensity of them gazing at each other is making my heart do summersaults that my limbs definitely cannot replicate.

Pat only has one foot on their little square of paper and pushes his momentum forward to get the other foot on there as well, but in doing so he gets a little too close for Pran’s comfort. Pran then moves to back up, to put some space between them, and instead finds himself unintentionally falling backwards. Pat instinctively reaches out and cradles the back of Pran’s head to brace his fall – and this has to be the most chivalrous, romantic and most of all telling of how he feels about Pran – move in all of let me catch you if you should fall history. Pat’s priority and intent is to soften Pran’s landing, and I don’t know about you, but I’m over here fanning myself.

I have to ask you, Pran. Is this giving you flashbacks to your rooftop kiss when Pat cradled your head in both of his large hands? I’m gonna come out and just say it. Pran has a hand kink, and more specifically Pat’s very large and very capable hands do it for him. Oh yes, they do. See all the times Pat covers his mouth with his hand and now this. Oh, you’re telling me that it’s not Pran who has the hand kink but me? Oops, my bad. But just look at how Pat’s single hand covers nearly the entire back of Pran’s head and tell me you don’t think that’s hot.

They land in the sand with Pat on top of Pran and I’m visualizing Pran relishing the sturdy weight of Pat’s body above his. Not in a sexual way (for once, ahem, no need to be alarmed, it’s really me guys, I haven’t been mind-swapped) but in a solid, dependable feel me, I’m here, let me be your anchor kind of way. Let me be strong for you. You’re allowed to lean on someone. You just have to let me in. And note that neither boy is in any hurry to get back on his feet. Like I said, intoxicating.

Wai predictably rushes over and pushes at Pat demanding what the hell he’s doing and Pat responds playing a game, which is true on many fronts – in reference to the camp activity but also this push and pull between himself and Pran. Wai gets all worked up and Pran intervenes by saying it was his fault and that he fell on his own.

Wai, I get that you’re being protective of your friend but what exactly do you think Pat is going to do to Pran in front of all these witnesses? And do you not think Pran can handle himself? Stop with this gross display of ownership. If I was Pran, I’d be really ticked off by Wai’s supposed heroics here. Like dude, let me handle my business. I’m not some damsel in distress. I can think and act for myself. And notice that Wai doesn’t rush forward to check that Pran is physically okay, his first thought is to confront Pat. Stop using your friend as an excuse to act aggro, you weasel.

Wai angrily walks off as though he’s the one that’s been wronged, ugh typical victim complex- make this all about you, and Pran gives Pat a look before presumably chasing after Wai to smooth things over. It must be exhausting being Wai’s friend. I love Pat’s smirk here because HE KNOWS, and we know that he’s getting to Pran.

Cry some more, Waisel. Please continue to justify my Wai hatred by being exactly who you are. A sniveling weasel who thinks everything is about himself.

It’s lunchtime and the architects are eating at a table while Wai rants about Pat. Wai blathers on about being at the end of his rope (really?!! just by Pat existing? that’s a short rope you’ve got there) and what the hell does Pat want from them. Uh, absolutely nothing. He’s not here for you, pasty. Why would you automatically assume that he came here for you? Don’t make me laugh. Stop these theatrics and go get yourself some much needed vitamin D. Louis chimes in that the engineers never joined their camps before now and that Pat has crossed a line (how exactly has this imaginary line been crossed? Does your camp rules specifically say no engineering students allowed?)

Pran has heard enough and raises his voice to say Dammit can’t we just ignore him? Yes, Pran! Defend your man. It’s a case of no one else gets to slander Pat but him. And everyone looks at Pran in stunned silence. He then adds that someone like that will quit bothering them once he’s had enough and to just ignore him. Uh Pran, I think you underestimate Pat’s ability to annoy. Right as Pran says this, along comes Pat. Hahaha. He has his lunch plate and is pulling along a chair. He invites himself to join their table and plops himself in between Pran and Wai. OMG, I love the steel nerves on this kid. He takes it a step further by asking Wai if he’s gonna eat the meatball on his plate and helps himself to it. Pfft.

Wai gets up and knocks his chair over as if ready to throw down right then and there. Oh please, you’re just acting all pseudo-macho because your boys are here, and you’ve got backup whereas Pat is alone. Sit your ass on down, your daddy is eating a meatball. Pran finally speaks up and tells everyone, and Wai specifically, to cool down. This is their faculty project and he’ll talk to Pat. YESSS!! Victory is Pat’s!! But then Pran gives Pat THIS LOOK and if looks could kill, Pat would be incinerated on the spot. Pran must have inherited the eye glaring gene from his mom. Fortunately, Pat is too busy congratulating himself over this win to let it bother him.

It’s nighttime and Pat is alone at the beach deep in thought. He’s looking more serious than when we last left him. Contemplative Pat is a sight to behold.

I love this shot of Pat from behind. Something about it sings to me. Is it the lean? The hands in his pockets? The background/foreground of the water? The reflecting lights in the distance? I can’t say exactly what it is that grabs me, maybe it’s all of it. He seems both as sturdy as a pillar here and yet so very, very alone.

This is another beautiful shot of Pat. Look at those eyes. These are eyes that have a story behind them. One that he desperately wants to tell but only to one very specific person.

Pran approaches and immediately drills into Pat you asshole! didn’t you get what I said? But instead of jawing back at Pran as Pran seems to have expected him to do, we see Pat softly say are we talking now? Aww. It catches Pran off guard and we can see him visibly deflate.

Pat urges Pran to talk to him, to tell him what’s running through his mind. He asks Pran what game he’s playing at and confesses that this tension between them is agony and makes him uncomfortable.

Pran tells Pat that he’s not the only one uncomfortable here and tells him to stop making things more complicated than they already are. Pat seems confused by Pran’s request, especially when Pran ends it with a Please, just leave me alone and walks away, once again leaving behind a reeling Pat.

The next morning, Pat runs into Junior and asks him if he’s seen Pran. Junior leads Pat to P’Tong who is standing by his truck and who should be in the back of the truck but Pran. Junior tells P’Tong that Pat needs a ride to the market and P’Tong readily agrees. Pran seems to be in a better mood today and even laughs at P’Tong’s adorable dad joke. I suspect it’s because he’s not surrounded by his architect friends and doesn’t have to put up as much of a front with Pat since their current audience (Junior) has no idea of their history. We feel you Pran, putting on a mask of indifference when puppy Pat is happily wagging his tail in your face is exhausting. It’s nice for our boys (and us!) to take a break from Wai and his tiresome dramatics.

Seemingly making small talk, Pat asks Junior what grade he’s in and if he has lots of friends. Junior replies that he does. Pat then asks if Junior has a friend that won’t talk to him. And that whatever you say to him you’re met with silence. He ignores your questions, and you don’t know what’s happened with this friend. Junior gives it some thought and responds that he doesn’t have this kind of friend and innocently comments that no guy acts like this, right? Hahaha.

Pran may major in architecture, but he minors in the perfect execution of the eyeroll. Bless him.

Pat smirks and looks over at Pran. He then tells Junior that there is such a guy! And what does Junior think Pat should do about this friend? After some consideration Junior suggests, end your friendship with him? Pat says isn’t that too harsh? Pat tells Junior he feels sorry for this guy because he doesn’t have many friends. Falling right into Pat’s trap, Junior looks over at Pran and asks him if he has lots of friends. Pran replies that he does. And here, I want to affectionately smack the smugness right off Pat’s face. Don’t count all your chickens yet, my guy. Junior then asks Pran what he would do if his friend refused to talk to him. Pran pretends to give it some thought then says he doesn’t know what he’d do because he only has talkative friends. Annoyingly talkative. Super annoyingly talkative. HAHAHA touché, Pran. Well played.

Pat is saved from further demise at Pran’s awesome wit when P’Tong returns with the truck keys. P’Tong asks Pat since he’s going to the market would he mind picking up some printer ink for him. Pat agrees and off they go. Pat asks Junior if they’re really headed to the market and here interestingly, Pran says what, you’ve never been to a market before? UNPROMPTED. P’Tong begins driving and Pat loses his balance causing Pran to smirk and laugh and it’s the cutest thing.

This is the exact moment when Pat loses balance and Pran smirks in response like he can’t help himself. Adorable. This is probably the first time he’s allowed himself to openly react to Pat in DAYS.

At the market we get a song montage of our boys shopping and really, it’s Pran shopping and Pat annoying him by making a simple trip to the market an entire adventure, which is such a Pat thing to do. He’s like a puppy out for a walk with his favorite human. Pat teases him at a vegetable stall and the shop owner comments that they’re cute together. Aww. The shop owner is US! They both BEAM and say thank you.

Look at the boys’ faces as they respond to the shop owner’s compliment. I love that we get two different reactions befitting of their personalities, Pat is basking and Pran is smiling shyly.

On the way back to camp, their truck gets stuck in mud so Pat and Pran get out to push it. Their first attempt is a fail and Junior teasingly asks if that’s all they’ve got. Cuuute. Pat and Pran pretend to take offense and are determined to push the truck out on their next attempt. And they do, but following the momentum of the moving truck, Pran slips and falls into the mud himself. Pat laughs because really, who wouldn’t? Pran gets up and makes a point to wipe his muddy hand all over Pat’s neck as he walks away. Well, I guess that’s one way to feel him up. There’s a funny bit where Pat gestures in response as if to say what did I do? I’m just standing here. Then gestures at the mud as if to say this is who you should be mad at, not me. Hahaha. These two are killing me.

Blink and you’ll miss it, but Pat’s soft smile as Pran walks away after wiping his muddy hand on him is everything. Pat should be annoyed but he’s instead ecstatic that Pran is showing signs of life. He’s so in love, your honor, even dirt is making him smile.

We’re gifted with another montage of Pran at the beach washing the mud off his clothes and Pat ‘helping’ him by splashing him with water. They end up goofing around, splashing each other and all the weight and stress of the last few days recedes with the tide. They’re now simply enjoying each other’s company.

Drying up on the shore, Pat voices the question that’s been on his mind. Will you tell me now what’s been going on with you since that night? Pran responds with Can we not talk about that? Pat says fine and they both fall silent. After a couple of beats, Pran looks over at Pat and asks the question that has apparently been weighing on HIS mind. Do you hate me? Aww, Pran. Has this been bothering you all this time? How long have you sat with the misconception that Pat hated you? Do you go to bed each night believing the one you love hates you in return? Oh Pran, this makes me so sad.

Pat seems surprised at his question but then says I used to ask myself if you ever did anything to make me hate you. When he doesn’t continue, Pran prods him with did I? Pat smiles at him and says ever since he’s known Pran, his life has been a lot harder, that he’s forced to compare himself to Pran in everything he does. And Pran looks out at the water and quietly says you must hate me a lot for that, don’t you? Pat says I should, but then I tried to think it through. You were put in the same situation as me. That’s why I couldn’t force myself to hate you. Pat is saying I had every reason to hate you, I even tried to, but found that I couldn’t.

He turns it around on Pran and asks what about you? And there’s a long beat where they’re both just looking at each other, no pretenses, no masks, and no audience to dictate their response. Pran says when you were the reason I got transferred, I was so angry at you and my mom. Pat takes a long moment to consider Pran’s words and says I’m sorry. Pran tells him it’s fine, it was just anger, not hatred. The two smile softly at each other, the air between them finally cleared.

Fingertips puttin’ on a show, you’ve got me now and I can’t say no ♫ ♬

Pat says without other people around, I can sit beside you just fine but when there are other people, just talking to you feels like a matter of life and death. Pran says what can we do? We were born into this. Pat looks at Pran and asks want to try it for a while? Just sit here and be carefree. Our boys lean back and bask in the warm sun and companionable silence. Pat shifts his weight, and his fingers end up touching Pran’s in the sand. Their eyes connect meaningfully. He asks him why are you so quiet now? And Pran confesses speaking nicely to you, I don’t know how. And this is probably the most honest Pran has ever been with him. Pat laughs and says it’s the same for him. And the unspoken look in Pat’s eyes says let’s navigate this together, how to be nice to each other.

If anyone has read my crack analysis of Pran’s nightstand photo, this here is a replication of that come-hither look. It’s the chin propped on the shoulder that does me in.

After another beat, he says thanks and Pran looks at him as if to ask for what? And Pat goes for saving Pa. And again, what is left between the lines is Pat’s unspoken I know it’s taken me a long time to say this but thank you for what you did to help me and my sister all those years ago. Pa might not be here if it weren’t for you, and I never thanked you for that so I’m saying it now. I hope it’s not too late. And from the look Pran gives Pat in response, it’s right on time.

Pat then asks Pran have you ever pictured what it’d be like if our parents didn’t fight? What would it be like if this rivalry between our families didn’t exist? And Pran starts saying if our families weren’t enemies… but then trails off and just looks at Pat and the two smile at each other, a tacit understanding between them.

Our boys, showered and clean from the beach, look for P’Tong when Junior finds them first. Pat decides to refill P’Tong’s printer with the ink he picked up from the market. He tests out the printer by printing a picture from his phone; it’s of a sleeping Pran. AWW you guys! I can’t handle the cuteness here. You’re telling me that Pat’s camera roll features candid shots of Pran that not even Pran knows about?!

This has to be a photo from Ohm’s camera roll. The bus seats were black not tan. Ohm probably said I have the perfect picture for this scene! I love how BBS has OhmNanon’s footprints all over it.

Later that evening, the student volunteers are drawing lots for where they’ll be sleeping that night. And like the newspaper game, the two people with the same vegetable will be paired together. Pat raises his hand when his vegetable is called and looks expectantly at Pran, but it’s not Pran’s arm that goes up but dun dun dun… Wai’s who gives us a, you guessed it, nostril flare. Drink up!

Everyone queues up for dinner and Pat asks if he can skip the line and moves ahead of Louis who happens to be standing behind Pran. Out of nowhere, Wai comes into the frame and menacingly stares Pat down. And I’m just like, bro, why you be staring at your daddy unblinking like that? Pat stares back not knowing why he suddenly got challenged to the world’s most awkward staring contest. He then helps himself to a piece of squash on Wai’s plate. Oh no you didn’t!! Get a load of this guy. Pat is out here with zero shits to give. I read on twitter that the name of this squash vegetable is a Thai homonym for fuck you and I’m just like Pat, you are enjoying this a little too much, but also hell yeah Pat, don’t let pasty push you around with his foflex.

Anyone catch that Pat looks over Waisel’s shoulder at Pran before walking away? He must have caught something in Pran’s expression that told him to just walk away. I love how they communicate without words and how subtle Ohm plays this small glance.

Chewing on the piece of squash, Pat walks away. Wai tells Louis that he’s had enough (again, I ask enough of what exactly? Of Pat existing?) Louis asks Wai what he’s going to do, and Wai comes back with tonight, Pat’s going to have the sweetest dream ever (read: he’s gonna be knocked out unconscious). Pran hears all this and has a worried look on his face.

Pat is at the next table and notices that Wai and the others keep glancing in his direction. They’re biding their time for Pat to finish eating and to walk off alone so they can follow and jump him. Pat’s not dumb and can read the atmosphere. And so can Pran. Wai and his minions get up on the pretense that they’re off to bed, but Pran questions where Louis is off to since he and Pran are paired together. He then turns and asks the others why they’re all going to Wai’s room (also Pat’s room) if it’s just to sleep. And then he outright asks if they’re going to beat up Pat.

Here's my take on all this: if Wai was going to confront Pat alone, that would be one thing and I’d be like turn up the volume and pass me the popcorn. But instead, Wai is bringing along back up and that’s just not cool. And Louis aside, what did Pat do to the other two other than breathe the same beach air?

If we’re comparing this to EP1 where Pat’s gang chased after a lone Wai, recall that once he had him cornered, Pat gave Wai the opportunity to call his friends for back up. Yet Wai can’t extend the same decency here? The whole bullying incident at Wai’s bar/workplace was immature and beyond idiotic. I still side-eye Pat for that to this day. Pat may not have actively participated but he sure as hell did not put a stop to it either. Wai is right to be pissed about that, only maybe not so much at Pat but more at Korn and the others – the actual perpetrators of Wai’s humiliation that night. I get that he’s grouping the entire engineering gang as one and sees Pat as their leader, but this is very shortsighted of him.

Pat just so happens to be here for reasons unrelated to Wai and is taking the brunt of Wai’s fixation of the engineers. And seeing how the numbers are to Wai’s advantage, this feels like a calculated move. One where Wai is using Pat’s presence at their camp to incite the others to join in his payback. Because nothing Pat has done these past two days justifies a beating unless you consider eating a meatball and a piece of squash as warranted, as those are the only two incidences where Pat did anything to Wai directly. Also, have the architects conveniently forgotten that the bus stop rebuild would not have been completed without Pat and his friends? Pat basically saved their asses on that project. How short are their memories?

GAH! I hate that I’ve spent so much of this recap talking about Waisel. I blame P’Aof for giving him so much damn screen time.

Back to Pran asking Wai and co. if they’re off to beat up Pat. Wai tries to reason with Pran by saying look at what Pat’s done (he dared to eat my meatball and squash, I won’t let this stand! CRY MORE) and they should teach him a lesson. Pran tries to reason that they’re at a volunteer camp and Wai responds that they’ll do it quietly and no one needs to know (you fucking coward). Pran tries to buy more time by telling Wai to wait until they get back to campus and deal with Pat then. Louis chimes in by asking Pran what faculty he belongs to and why is he protecting Pat. Pran denies it and Louis pushes on saying everyone feels that Pran is taking Pat’s side.

The screen cuts to Pat in his room staring intensely at the door waiting for an ambush. He then pushes back his non-existent sleeves in preparation. Oh GOD, GUYS IT’S HERE. The inexplicable pushing of the sleeves.

The music, intensity, and seriousness of Pat’s face in this scene only to be transcended by the pushing up of the non-existence sleeves, is the most bad buddy thing this show could ever do to us. What did we do to deserve this, guys?

Back to Pran and the architects, Wai asks Pran point blank if there is anything going on between him and Pat that they don’t know. For those keeping count, this is the third time Wai has given Pran a chance to come clean about his relationship with Pat. Pran doesn’t answer and Wai seems to take this as a green light to go ahead with the beating. As the guys clear away their plates and leave, Pran blurts out that he has a confession to make. Whaaa??

Later, the architects are surrounded by cans of beer and drunk Wai slurs Really, Pran? Your first love is now in a new relationship? So that’s why you didn’t seem to enjoy this trip. Louis ever the chimer-inner, says You need to move on. Pran responds with we’re on a trip. I didn’t want to bring everyone down and spoil the fun, but now that I have poured my guts out to you, you all must stay with me ALL NIGHT and points at each of them. Pfft, we see what you’re doing Pran.

The others are all well on their way to being four sheets in the wind. And we watch as Pran acts drunk and dumps his beer over his shoulder when the others aren’t looking. I LOVE THIS. Manipulator Pran is the best Pran. Louis continues to console Pran by telling him not to worry, that someone as perfect as Pran won’t stay available for long. He asks him what’s his type since he knows lots of people and can set him up. Unless you know a hot, chaotic goofball, who likes wearing muscle tees and insists on helping without being asked, who safeguards Pran’s beloved guitar as if it were his own, I highly doubt you can find Pran’s exact type. Pran quietly says more to himself than to his drunk friends that he should take a break, that it still hurts. And we can see that he isn’t lying.

Later, Pran is alone walking on the beach. He has his ever-present-Pat’s-earbuds with him and sighs to himself. We watch Pat approach. Pran looks over at him only to find that Pat is already looking right at him. When is he ever not looking at you, Pran? Pran pockets the earbuds and proceeds to walk away and Pat walks forward as if to meet Pran halfway. Pran intends to walk right past Pat and ignore him when Pat stops him with a hand to his wrist. It’s Pat’s way of saying don’t go, please. And the two engage in their own staring contest, one that’s layered with so much want and meaning.

They find shelter against the side of a boat and Pat picks up a stick and writes something in the sand. He says you won’t allow me to talk about it, so here I am not talking. He finishes his sand word with a question mark, and we see that he’s spelled out KISS? He’s asking Pran about their rooftop kiss and what it meant to him.

Pran evades and says it’s nothing. But Pat pushes on and asks what does he mean? Pran says he’s not trying to mean anything, and Pat says if Pran doesn’t say it, how will Pat figure it out? How can he possibly understand him? Pran says Pat doesn’t need to understand him and that Pran doesn’t want Pat to understand him. Pran goes back to his old reliable and tells Pat to just mind his own business. Except now Pran is Pat’s business.

Pat studies Pran for a beat then brings up Ink and tells Pran that he talked to her. He says he doesn’t think that he likes her in that way. This news catches Pran off guard and we see the sparks of renewed hope curling in his chest. Trying not to sound too eager, Pran asks how do you like her then? Aww, he needs to hear Pat say the words. But Pat throws Pran’s earlier words back at him instead and says you don’t need to understand because I don’t want you to understand me either. Touché. Pat is saying you want to tango? Let’s tango.

This is Pran’s face right as Pat tells him that he doesn’t like Ink. We see that he’s trying (unsuccessfully) to school his face, but the spark of reignited hope is working its way through his veins. Hope springs eternal, indeed.

Pran smirks at Pat and tries a different approach. He says he knew it, that Pat is terrible at flirting that’s why no one likes him back. And Pat rebuts with like you’re so good at it. I’ve never seen you succeed at using your charms either. Uh Pat, you’re on precarious ground here, don’t make Pran show you his arsenal of moves, believe us when we say you couldn’t handle it. Pran goes maybe so, but there’s this one guy who followed me here all the way from Bangkok, wanting to make up with me. AWW he’s acknowledging the lengths Pat has gone to for him. I told you it would gain Pat major points! Pat responds with well there’s this guy who refused to talk to me all day. What do you think that means? Oh! I’ve got him confused about his feelings for me. They both smirk at each other not caring that this talking in circles is getting them nowhere.

Pran finally turns towards him and asks why can’t you just admit it? Pat faces Pran and says admit that you like me already, just say it. Pran denies it and Pat says oh, but you do. And Pran shoots back that you’re the one that likes me. It’s so obvious. Pat laughs and says fine, let’s compete then. I’ll show you how I flirt. I’ll go after you so hard and sweep you off your feet. Pran replies with game on, I’ll make you get down on your knees declaring your love for me. OHO! Pat laughs and says someone like you will fall for me in no time. Pran tells him he’s all talk. Make it happen first then you can brag about it later. They both look at each other grinning and then both say: Whoever falls in love first, loses. Deal! And they seal it with a fist bump, which is the best callback to their fist bump, ever.

We’re treated to an end credit scene where it’s the next day and Pat is standing alone munching on crispy seaweed. Pran approaches him and points out that people are preparing to get on the bus. Pat says there are too many people over there, but don’t worry when the bus comes my boyfriend will come and get me. Pran smirks and says who’s your boyfriend? Pat looks at Pran meaningfully and guys I am squeeing so hard at these two. Pran says there’s the bus now, we leave in 15 minutes. Pat smirks and says well, that gives me 15 minutes to put some moves on you right here.

He then offers to feed Pran some of his seaweed snack, Pran declines and says he’s not hungry. Pat proceeds to nom delightfully and makes it look so good that eventually Pran gestures for him to share. Pat holds out a piece and moves as if he’s going to feed it to Pran, who opens his mouth to take a bite, only for Pat to finally get the chance to pull the ol’ Charlie Brown football away at the last second and say I know you want it. Be my boyfriend first. Pran gives him a look and says so that’s your move? But it’s more of a is that all you’ve got?

Pat polishes off the piece of seaweed he offered to Pran and puts his hand in the bag for another only to be halted by Pran’s own hand. He pulls out Pat’s fingers which are now covered with the snack seasoning, stares Pat dead ass in the eyes and proceeds to LICK HIS FINGER. PRAN!!! In public?? Think of the children. He then uses his tongue to taste the seasoning residue on his lip and says you’re right, it does taste good. And the look on Pat’s face can be summed by two words: HUBBA HUBBA. Pran, the almighty and powerful, has rendered him speechless. Pran picks up his bag and says see you later, FRIEND and flashes his dimple like the boss that he is. And Pat can only watch him leave, shellshocked. And we can see all the possibilities swirling in Pat’s head. Pran has just upped their flirting game to a level that has Pat gleefully smiling at what’s to come.

An entire series of screenshots that have no need for captions except to say that Pat, it was nice knowing you, my dude. You brought this on yourself when you challenged Pran to tango, er, tangle.

Look at this face. This is the face of a guy who just got annihilated and is still smiling like the lovesick fool that he is. I will never look at cripsy seaweed the same way again. Y’all ruined me.

This concludes our sixth hour with our boys and oh what a fun hour it was! All the Wai shenanigans aside, for me this was the most enjoyable episode of the show so far. I am a sucker for the chase trope, but here instead of a cat and mouse game it’s an eager puppy and his sourpuss kitty, where at the end the kitty has turned the tables and is biting licking back. I’ve always been weak for the push and pull between characters where they’re both moving towards the same eventuality but one of them doesn’t realize it yet.

I love how smart and patient Pat’s approach is at getting Pran to talk to him. It shows how well Pat understands Pran’s needs and psyche. He recognizes that Pran is at his most comfortable when they’re competing against each other so plays that up for him. He tells Pran to give in if he can’t take it anymore but assures him that even if he’s not yet ready to throw in the towel, Pat isn’t going anywhere. He’s here to stay and showing Pran through his actions that no matter how hard Pran pushes him away or ignores his efforts, Pat isn’t giving up on him. And for someone who is unsure of Pat’s feelings, Pran needs this affirmation that Pat can’t easily be driven way. That on Pran’s worst days, Pat won’t abandon him. He’s in this as much as Pran.

Pat is telling Pran – and again, it’s important that he does so through his actions and not just words – that hey I get it, these feelings are overwhelming and scary, and I know you don’t do well with change, so let’s not change anything. This is just you and me as we’ve always been. But for the record, I like spending time with you, I like sharing your space and breathing the same air as you, so if it’s okay with you, I’d like to continue doing that. To be near you in whatever capacity you want, no expectations, no assumptions. And when you’re ready for more, I’m game for that too. This is entirely your call. But I’m here right where I want to be and nothing you do or say could make me run away. I’m not leaving you. I’m all in.

The confrontation between Ming and Dissaya was both revealing yet at the same time didn’t give away too much. P’Aof and his team are so adept at dangling that carrot stick, giving us just enough that we’re intrigued but not so much that we’ve figured out their endgame. At this point in the show, Pran’s mom is depicted as the villain while Ming, though an ass in his own right, is shown as being more reasonable. We’re pointing our fingers at Dissaya and saying the hostility stems from her, and Pat’s dad is just reacting to the negative energy she’s putting out there – not knowing that the entire script is going to be flipped on us later. And I really must commend P’Aof and his scriptwriters for pulling the wool over us. It makes the story that much more compelling when you’re set in your beliefs of it going one way but are shown that things aren’t always what you see on the surface. Ahem, EP11.

And it goes without saying, but I feel should still be highlighted, that the veteran actors brought their A-game to the series. We spend much of the show singing Ohm and Nanon’s praises (as we should), but the actors tasked with bringing the intensity of Ming and Dissaya on screen are equally phenomenal especially considering that their screen time is so limited. With the precious minutes allotted them, the parents delivered their portrayal so deftly that we feel how high the stakes are for our boys. They aren’t evil caricatures representing insurmountable obstacles but are written as three-dimensional people with their own reasons and justifications for their choices and behavior. So, kudos once again to the BBS casting director and to P’Aof for challenging his actors to translate all this on screen.

Speaking of direction, this episode was a masterclass in gorgeous cinematography. I’ve always favored taking the characters outside of their usual environments and plopping them in unfamiliar territory. This allows not only for a change of scenery but also a possible change in mindset as well. But having said that, there’s a fine line between taking the characters out of their norm just because you can or because it serves the story. And as we’ve learned with P’Aof, everything in BBS is driven by this very specific love story that he wants to tell.

A good question to raise is would Pran have acquiesced to Pat’s efforts and risen to the challenge of their bet if all this took place back on campus? How much easier then would it have been for Pran to ignore him and how many more walls would Pat have had to scale to reach Pran? So, in addition to being a nice change of pace, taking the show on the road made sense narratively in that it forced Pran to confront his fears and face Pat.

I’ve already touched on my personal affinity for Pat standing by the water in the moonlight but wanted to add that the entire truck scene was a feast for the eyes. The coloring was soft and warm in contrast to the starkness of Pat and Pran when surrounded by the architects. And I think this was intentional. Their time with P’Tong and Junior and after on the beach, felt ethereal and almost dreamlike in the sense that by letting go they’ve finally arrived at their personal paradise, however fragile and fleeting it may be. It’s only when they’ve set aside their obstacles, if only temporary, does life seem to take on a far rosier outlook, and Pran especially, needed to see that this was and has always been a possibility if only he lowered his walls for Pat to climb and reached his hand out to him.

Their talk on the beach was long overdue and necessary to move their relationship forward. They needed to both be on the same page, just like in the newspaper game. I thought it interesting that Pran has been worried this entire time that Pat might hate him. It tells us that while Pat may be insecure when it comes to Pran, Pran is just as insecure, needing to know that what Pat feels for him now isn’t some poor substitute for the possible hatred that he may have felt for him then.

Pran needs to know that Pat’s feelings come from a place not born from hate. And I get that. Because when you replace a strong emotion, such as hate with love, you doubt the sincerity and longevity of these feelings and worry that old feelings of hate may one day take over. So, it’s comforting for Pran to hear that no matter how reasonable it would have been for Pat to hate Pran, he was never able to and the same can be said for Pran. And I love that Pat doesn’t sugarcoat his response, he admits that it would make sense for him to hate Pran but couldn’t find it in himself to do so. And Pran needed to hear this.

I’m happy that Pran admitted he was angry with Pat for being the reason he transferred, and that Pat apologized for his part in it. They’re both acknowledging their past to pave the way for their future. Pran, by letting go of his hurt and anger and Pat, by releasing the weight of his guilt. I love this so much for our boys.

Pran protecting Pat from being beaten up by his friends showed us that no matter how upset or annoyed he is with Pat; he could never see him potentially get hurt and not step in to prevent it from happening. It makes me wonder how many times Pran has intercepted on Pat’s behalf during their long history together, because while Pat’s eager puppy personality is sunshine to most, there may be instances where he’s rubbed people the wrong way with his penchant for teasing. In this sense, has Pran been Pat’s protector this entire time? And Pat never knowing? There’s something so endearing about this possibility that squeezes at my heart and refuses to let go.

We’re gifted with a new closing song this episode with Our Secret and it’s the show’s way of telling us that we’re entering the next phase of Pat and Pran’s relationship. Only this time they’re both in on it and the feelings are no longer one-sided. They’ve made amends for their past and look towards the bright future ahead. EP6 was great in that it served as a bridge from the first five episodes (foreplay) to the final stretch of the show (climax).

Pat asking Pran what if, in a perfect world, our parents weren’t an obstacle standing in our way. What then? And Pran answers with it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine how different our lives would be. I love that Pat was brave enough to ask this question and Pran equally as brave to answer it. They’re both acknowledging their feelings for each other here, only words aren’t necessary because they can feel it. We see this in the knowing look and secret smile they share. Being here with you, with the ocean waves lapping at our toes, where the shared silence is equally as welcome as the conversation, there’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be and no one else I’d want next to me. So, when you ask me how I’d picture our lives if we weren’t born as rivals? I’d picture this. You, me, and an entire ocean of possibilities.

):):):):):):):):):)

And that wraps up my deconstruction of EP6, thank you for reading and reliving the episode with me. I can’t believe we’ve reached the midway point of the show. All said, I’ve written nearly 45k for this DTES post series and it’s mind blowing to me that 1) I have that much to say about two boys falling in love and 2) you all want me to say more. Thank you so much for coming along with me on this journey and encouraging me to keep going. Up next, there’s more fun and hijinks to be had as Pat and Pran try to out-flirt each other. See you then!

#bad buddy #bad buddy series #patpran #bbs #pat x pran #deconstructing the series ep6 #episode recap #ep6 #my stuff #DTES Part 6 #this one squeaked by just under 11k PHEW #at 10970 words #I really thought this would fall under 10k at one point but I sadly underestimated my ability to ramble #A+ to anyone who catches the Macy Gray I TRY lyrics in the title heading #the lyrics were so fitting that I had to use it!

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friesian · 1 year

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have 8, 12, 13, and 25 for tsujio, mayhaps? :) @kerra-and-company

TSUJIO!!!!! YOU GOT IT BOSS!! 8. What do you think had the biggest impact on you growing up? "Well, this would depend if you meant from an external force or some sort of... preexisting condition? The obvious answer would be the two big eyes lodged in my skull. Oh, kids were not happy to have a 'red eyed freak' running around with them. You would think that a bunch of little kids would be like 'Oh, sick! You have red eyes? You're just like Red Eyes White Dragon from my favorite manga! Let's go play'! But NOOOOPE. I was treated like GARBAGE-- believe it or not! So, it did make a big impact on me being able to learn a lot of the stuff that I know now... ya'know, jumping roofs, falling from long distances and not getting hurt, stealing puuurrss-- uhhhh -- uh. Stealing. Peoples. Hearts... you.. know. That stuff." "E-either way! Big change! I think! Most kids studied inside. I got to learn acrobatics." 12. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? (on vacation or permanently!) "Oh, well. I suppose I'd love to see the Shiverpeaks. I've heard ice skating is fun. I've never tried. It doesn't ever seem to get cold enough in Kaineng for the canals to freeze over (as much as I wished for it as a kid)! We've also never seen a complete abundance of snow, so, I'm sure with the expanse covered in it, I could have my lifetime's share! And then probably hate it for life! Since all the old people-- not naming names... he IS listening-- seem to hate it after awhile." 13. You’re given an unlimited budget to build anything you want! What do you build and where do you build it? "My own STUDIO! I want to make dramas like the best! Personally, I'd love to have a place in Seitung. Beautiful place. You could get SO many dramatic shots with those blossoms falling in the wind. You ever see that scene from Samurai Knight 7: Rose Tinted Summers? The one where the Dark Blade finally comes over from the other dimension and attempts to finally dispatch the Samurai Knight in a flurry of his favorite flowers-- completely wrapping around the irony of his love for the world? YEAH! That's the shit I want to do! Of course, I'd only like to hire local talent, but when push came to shove I would also love to maybe some reality TV, or some animes even... I mean, it's unlimited money! I can make sure to make some animation and extra filming divisions! Oh, life could be a dream." 25. Freebie! Come up with your own question for the character to answer! || How are your friends doing? "Ah.. my friends. Well. Uh, I don't really! Have any of those right now. I have co-workers! Yeah, I certainly.. have a bunch. They remind me of the kids from school, though. Hell, some of them actually MAY be the kids from school. I don't really remember after I took a nasty bonk on the head when I was 13. Otherwise my only friend just sorta -- pheeeew -- took off. I don't even know why anymore. She was my best friend. Well, I thought she was. I.. I don't really know anymore. And that... kinda hurts."

#tsujio #OHOHOHOHOH I LOVE THIS LITTLE GUY #THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!!

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glitterdustcyclops · 3 months

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Oh!! The House of Orchids! o: I'd love to hear more or see a snippet. That one always has me curious when I see it in your tags. o:

hehe thank you for the question bestie! here's a bit of the first chapter from harper's perspective, where he meets some of the main cast and is an awkward disaster about it the whole time

The carriage abruptly pulled to a shuddering stop in the carefully cobbled streets of Hightown, Middle Tier, at a respectful distance away from its intended destination. One of its occupants, the stiff-backed and impenetrably stern Madam Ryn—Head Housekeeper of the Noble House of Stone—tilted her pointed little chin towards the other occupant, her eyes narrowing in a mix of suspicion and resentment as she gestured for him to get out first.

To which Harper balked, uselessly frozen there in the adequately-plush interior of his father’s third-best carriage, his stomach rioting with his nerves. Sure, none of the staff in the employ of the elder Lord Stone could have been said to have a particularly solicitous nature, their most intimidating Madam Ryn least of all. And yet, Harper found himself wishing she would say something. Offer him some words of comfort or understanding, however scant they might be; or, at the very least, some sign that the woman felt any human emotion towards him at all, as she glared him down and out of the carriage.

But of course, the Madam did nothing of the sort. Instead she ignored Harper’s proffered hand of assistance and glided her way out of the carriage unaided, her skirts swaying gracefully as she settled into step beside him without uttering a single sound. The grip of her gloved hand on his arm was like a vise as she practically dragged him down the paved sidewalk and towards their final destination.

Harper realized that the situation at present must have been even more dire than he thought, if he was attempting to seek out reassurance from the woman his father paid solely to scold his children when he wasn’t around. Though, understanding such facts did not lessen the sting to his pride, at being reduced to a man desperate enough to need comfort from the woman currently dragging him around Hightown as though he were still an errant child in need of correcting.

Really, it was just the latest in the long series of indignities that Harper had been subjected to as of late, ever since—

Well. Since even before The Incident He Wasn’t Thinking About, if Harper were honest with himself. Which, unfortunately, he had never had much a knack for.

And look where that’s got you, the horrible spirit that lurked in his mind and sounded just a bit too like his father said in its iciest, sharpest tones.

Harper’s stomach went wobbly again as they passed the elaborate wooden gate and over the equally elaborate wooden bridge and up to the elaborate wooden structure that loomed before them. The place was admittedly pretty, in a deliberately understated sort of way, and Harper found himself almost resenting that fact as he stopped on the threshold of the grand front entrance. He thought it would have been easier if the outside of this blighted building matched how he was feeling on the inside. If it had been a den of horrors, of rampant Sin as his father always preached to anyone who would listen, then that would justify the terror that gripped him now.

But instead it was an elegantly appointed three-story estate, delicately perched on stilts over the large and gleaming pond below them. The gardens surrounding it were lush with greenery even here, right above Hightown’s busiest industrial areas, and there was a distinct lack of any hellfire raining down on the roof or nude sacrifices chained to posts and being beaten. The whole scene was rather disappointingly ordinary, in fact.

The House of Orchids, as a helpful metal plaque set into the front gate of the grounds had informed them. A Tea House, which was something Harper had been forced to learn recently. The pretty word for a brothel. Just one of many fascinating facts he had been subjected to over the past fortnight. Far more than the son of the Renowned Lord Mason Victor Farrell Stone might have ever expected to learn about such institutions, if not for the fact that very same father, supposed Pillar of Virtue throughout the Great Empire of Vieroa, had gone and sold him to it.

Harper felt his knees nearly give out on him as a fresh wave of panic came upon him then, and Ryn just curled her claw around his arm even tighter, the threat in her cool gray eyes as sharp as if she’d brandished a sword at him instead. The woman was, in all outward appearances, a perfect exemplar of Vieroan highborn femininity, with her modest form clad in a soft dove gray linen, the high neck and long hem of her gown obscuring the shape of the body underneath and her pale hands gloved in cool, unblemished white. Her face was clean and free of any of the vulgar paint that younger and more fashionable ladies indulged in as of late, and her gray-streaked hair was pulled neatly up under the starched white cap that was common amongst all domestic staff.

And yet, at that moment, Harper looked at Madam Ryn as though she were a brutal knight from bloodthirsty tales of old. The simple animal urge to flee came upon him, but since Harper knew himself first and foremost to be an utter coward, it was easy enough to ignore the feeling. He gulped and resigned himself to being half-dragged up the steps, and finally, into the House proper.

The front archway burst with lush green vines heavy with fragrant white flowers as they passed through it and into a small antechamber, where the heady perfumed smoke of incense was strong enough to make Harper’s eyes water. The windows were not paned but surrounded by more intricate wooden fretwork and hung with swathes of jewel-bright silks embroidered in shining gold that turned the afternoon sun as it streamed through them hazy and dim. There was an undeniably sultry quality to the lusciously decorated little room they found themselves in. And yet, for all that splendor it was eerily quiet, absent of human occupation apart from an incredibly bored-looking young woman who was slumped halfway across some sort of low bench set to the left of the entrance, next to an elaborately-carved wooden podium.

The woman’s fingers tapped out a stuttering, impatient rhythm across the pages of the large bound tome that perched atop the podium, but as soon as she caught sight of two guests she seemed to come alive somehow, a warmly beckoning smile sliding onto the fine features of her face as she shook out her elaborately-braided black hair, the transparent gold material of her veil slipping around her shoulders like a cascade of cool water. She rose from her perch in a single fluid motion, to lean instead against the podium, draping herself across it provocatively, obviously.

“Welcome, my humble Lord and Lady, to the House of Orchids,” the woman began, with a carefully placed lilt to her words. She sounded exactly how a lowborn trying to compensate for their rough accent might, elongating her vowels to the point of ridiculousness, and despite everything else, Harper found it faintly amusing.

He watched her for a moment, observing the performance that she gave, the costume she wore to do it in. Her dress was only a few steps away from what would have been appropriate for an unmarried young woman in Vieroa, and yet, it was still far more modest than anything he would have expected from a courtesan. She was clad head-to-toe in shades of pale crème, a fine linen with a subtle golden glint, while the cut of her robes managed to cling to her body as much as they could though still keeping her covered. There was only a brief flash of the warm brown shade of her bare skin, in the split-open inset of the long billowing sleeves, laced with silk ribbons in a matching shade of pale gold, and the subtle curve of the neckline of her under-gown, dipping, scandalously, almost to her clavicle. She wore no jewelry or gaudy cosmetics that Harper could discern, but the fabric of her dress was delicately embroidered with a subtle motif of vines curling around the hem and cuffs.

All of that tailoring on display whispered of a certain understated luxury, and when compared to the opulence and splendor of the room surrounding them, the woman herself managed to stand out as something no doubt expensive, but sweetly so. Innocent, almost, despite her preening. He supposed, that was probably the desired effect.

“We have an appointment with Madame Braden,” Ryn replied coolly, barely sparing their hostess so much as a glance. The two of them together in the same room provided a rather stark study in contrasts: the iron-hard shell of Madam Ryn, encased in the dour conservative dress expected of a noble family’s domestic staff, with all that impeccable, rigid bearing she had been trained to, and then this preening creature practically presenting herself, trying to show off all the curves she could in her robes, fluttering her eyelashes and all but begging with the curve of her lips to be bought.

That thought turned Harper’s stomach once more, and he tried to take a few calming breaths.

Meanwhile, their hostess could not quite mask the displeasure that flashed in her deep brown eyes at Madam Ryn’s attitude, before it was replaced with another seductive smile, and then the woman curtsied, ridiculously.

“‘Course. If you’ll excuse me a moment.”

Ryn gave one precise nod of her head, and then turned to take up a post on the other side of the room, as though she were a sentinel standing guard. With little else to do and no interest in making himself more uncomfortable than he already was, Harper chose one of the low padded benches that had been arranged on the opposite side of the vestibule and did his best not to fidget or panic as the two of them waited in wretched silence. Part of him still couldn’t believe this was really, actually happening. As if any minute his father would suddenly appear from the wings and announce that it had all been a terrible mistake, and that of course he loved his son, and oh wouldn’t Harper please, oh please come back home?

He nearly scoffed at himself. An absurd little fantasy. But he could hardly be blamed for indulging in flights of fancy, he thought, for there had been this hazy sense of unreality laminated over all his experiences the past fortnight; ever since Lord Stone, his very own father, of all people, had caught him with—oh gods, and then everything in Harper’s precious little life had abruptly and thoroughly gone to shit.

And as Harper played The Incident in his head over once more, for possibly the billionth time in as many days, that now painfully familiar cocktail of guilt and dread and shame twisted fresh and acid-hot in his gut, nearly sending him reeling again. For as much as Harper might have wished it were not true, this was his life now. Such as it was.

He was no longer Lord Harper Orin Gabriel Stone, firstborn son and heir to one of the oldest Noble Houses in the Empire. No, now he was merely Harper, disgraced and disowned, property of the House of Orchids to do with as they pleased. A small, panicked whimper managed to escape him then, before Harper could stop himself. Ryn looked over at him sharply, her mouth still set in the same cold line it always was, but something in the quicksilver of her eyes had gone ever-so-slightly soft, somehow; and that, the merest hint of concern from her, was Harper’s undoing.

“Sorry! Sorry I’m fine, I’m fine,” he babbled, flapping his hand towards her absurdly, as though he were trying to wave her sympathy away.

Ryn almost looked as if she really would say something, then, though Harper couldn’t even begin to fathom what, but before he could find out the wooden panel door their hostess had exited through slid back open to reveal a new player in this absurd little drama.

Madame Ravina Braden herself, Harper assumed. His new owner.

#my stuff #oc talk #the house of orchids

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disaster-j · 2 years

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Okay so! White's rooftop monologue has to be one of the best scenes in the show so far. And definitely the most significant to the plot this episode. So we should talk about it!

We start off the scene watching White struggle to keep up with the gang. He's not physically equipped for parkour, poor guy. Still, he manages to follow along without collapsing (which, I would be dead by now lbr) so props to him for making it until the very end before truly wavering. And when he does we get to see Gang Dad Kumpha quickly clues in to his new son's struggle and comes in with his wisdom.

(I was gonna put his more serious speech in but this was funnier and we all know what he said anyway.)

This interaction between them, to me, further solidifies the idea that Kumpha knows this isn't Black and that he's actively choosing to take White under his wing to help him however he can instead of trying to figure out why he's here. Because there is no way Black would have hesitated and no way Kumpha would need to give that feral boy a pep talk about jumping off a roof. He probably does that kind of shit for fun.

Kumpha seems quite protective of White too. It's like he understands that White is someone who isn't as strong as the others and needs extra help to get there. He gets that White is suspicious of the gang and their motives and is doing his best to be supportive of White while clarifying at every turn why he trains them the way he does, to do the things they do. Why it is important and how it may some day save their lives.

And White listens. Because he is more open to learning their perspective now than he was before his fight with his father. He spends the whole episode arguing with Gram because he wants him to justify the gang's ideology in a way that is not only palatable to the general public but would also incite support for their actions.

I don't think he quite realises this but White is actively acting and thinking like a diplomat there. He's saying, "I know what you think and feel. I need you to say it in a way that makes everyone understand your anger without fearing it." Gram doesn't get that because he's too frustrated by Black not taking his side for once. But that's a topic for another post. The point is! White is trying to understand and accept the gang's ideology. Which, in my opinion, is a sign he's starting to view himself as a part of the gang instead of an intruder. Which is technically what he is- a spy.

He's starting to realise that he needs the gang. That perhaps this is the place for him. I think that's why he's so desperate to understand. To get Gram to help him understand. So he can align himself to this cause fully. So he can stop fearing them and find the true enemy. His goal is changing and he's finally starting to acknowledge it here. Being Black is no longer about finding out if the gang hurt his brother. Now it is more about finding where White himself fits into this. If he even could.

And perhaps he's realising that there could be a place for him by Sean's side. That he and Sean could help each other accomplish their goals. Or, at the very least, he hopes for it.

It was evident from the scene in pt1 with Namo that White is becoming attached to Sean. The way he was so mad and upset at Sean for bringing Namo into the space that is meant to be White's to share with Sean is a sign that his feelings are bubbling up. All this time he has been trying to suppress his growing attraction to Sean out of the fear that Sean may have hurt Black. Now that he's basically on the verge of ruling Sean and the rest of the gang out as suspects, he no longer has a legitimate reason to suppress his feelings.

As he starts to let himself feel whatever emotions Sean arouses inside him, he grows fond of this man whom he knows he should hate.

The thing about SeanWhite is that they balance each other out. There are a lot of opposites in this show. Black and White are foils, Black and Gram are opposites and so are Sean and White. They compliment each other in a way that is instantly evident from the second they meet. Sean's rough edges are softened by White's gentler nature. His erratic anger calmed by White's caring nature. Sean's fearless front brings out the courage in White. Sean's righteous rage incites the rebellion inside White that drives him away from his own upbringing.

Sean has gone from being his brother's aggressive frenemy whom White suspects of attempted murder, to a man with noble intentions whom White can't help but trust. And now that he has made this leap- literally and figuratively-and decided to put his trust in Sean, he craves for Sean's trust right back. He wants Sean to see him as someone he can lean on, someone who's on his side. He may not be ready to show it yet but he's beginning to acknowledge it in his mind. He wants him and Sean to be on even footing, wants the animosity gone. Now all he needs to do is figure out the why of it all.

#not me the series #not me #not me ep5 #not me analysis #seanwhite #offgun #off jumpol #gun atthaphan #papang phromphiriya #i really loved seeing how white is changing this episode #and how he's beginning to grow fond of the gang #and closer to sean #in a way #but off he can't get from sean what he wants until sean can be sure he isn't black #sean could never love black #he would need to know #i need them to reveal it soon ugh

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books-and-catears · 3 years

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Right everyone hold on to your feels, you will shortly be boarding Angst Express 101. Just look at this brilliant and angsty ask I'm speechless. Even the pairings you asked for are so unique and well thought this is a perfect angst concept. And I really hope I could do this justice. Thank you so much for this ask @saltypaperdestiny

So very sorry for the delay, this was the longest ask I've ever written and boy was I delighted. Though I have to admit I had to cry through some of them myself. This is PART 1. Rest of the brothers and the newly Dateables coming soon in part 2.

Who loved you first? Pt1

Lucifer : Simeon

It was time, he decided. After months of being in your presence, his prideful heart had melted enough to recognise his feelings for you. You were the only he'd truly humble down for, because the affection and care you displayed was unparalled.

"MC please get dressed in something nice. I'm taking you to Ristorante Six as a thank you for helping me with Cerebus and the council paperwork" He says to you, barely containing the excitement. He couldn't wait to see the look on your face when he confessed and how you'd blush when you kissed your knuckles and your cheek and wait - What is Simeon doing in your room at this hour?

He didn't want to interrupt, surely it might be nothing to bother about. He patiently waited outside until he heard what Simeon said.

Simeon: MC... You look beautiful, what's the occasion?

MC: Aw thank you Simeon. You're always so kind. It's nothing much, Lucifer is taking me out as a thank you.

Simeon: Oh do you have to leave right away...?

MC: Oh no no. It's okay I have some more time.

Simeon: Well I originally came here to invite you to try Luke's latest attempt at some new recipes but now there's something else I feel like I must tell you. *Blushes* Something I've been holding back for too long.

MC: *joking* Oh what have you been hiding from me, angel? Speak I beseech you!

Simeon: *laughing and then going solemn* MC... *Takes your hands in his* I love you. I love you with all my heart.

MC: ....me? You love..me? But I'm not nearly-

Simeon: You're the most beautiful soul I've ever met. You radiate kindness and forgiveness and everything pure, overcoming the seven biggest evils you reside with. How can I not love you? Tell me, MC, will you accept me as yours?

Lucifer had a half a mind to storm in and laugh in Simeon's face. What a failure this attempt was going to be. His pride grew inside him as he stifled a laugh. MC was his and only his and now he would take pleasure in watching Simeon learn that. Surely MC was going to turn him down nicely but still. He creeped closer to the door, looking through the open crack.

MC: *in tears* Oh Simeon, I love you too! I never thought an angel could ever love me back!

Simeon: *kisses her knuckles* So... It's a yes?!

MC: Yes yes yes! Oh of course it's a yes! *Hugs him tight* My guardian angel who protects me in the dark, oh how I love you.

Simeon: *laughing as he picks you up and spins you around* Oh how happy you've made me MC! I'm the happiest being alive!

MC: *kissing his cheek* So am I, Simeon. I love you with all my heart.

It took Lucifer all his strength to not collapse or go into a violent frenzy. He balled up his fists so tight, the gloves started tearing at the seams. He watched you smiling so gleefully in his arms, looking so radiant. When Simeon dipped his head down to kiss you, the moonlight poured in through the window as if blessing your union.

It was supposed to be him. If only he made it to your room sooner, it could have been him. Embracing all your beauty, being the cause of the shining smile. IT COULD HAVE BEEN HIM.

At his best

"Are you really that happy with him?" he asks you later that night. The blush on your cheeks and that cheeky smile says it all.

"Congratulations MC." You look so joyous even at the thought of Simeon, how could he ruin that?

His temper is worse, more unforgiving towards all his brothers. He has to bear with your absence in the house all day. The fact that he knows you're at Purgatory hall, sipping tea and arm in arm with him pains him to think.

You bring Simeon along to the council to help him too. He outright denies and asks both of you to leave.

He only ever feels calm to see you alone, but that is even rarer with his brothers around to hog his remaining time.

Eventually makes his peace with it, maybe you're better off with someone as pure as yourself than a demon like him.

At his worst

His wrath is back. It's almost bad enough to birth another Satan. His sense of entitlement is through the roof.

He snaps three weeks later when Simeon and you tell everyone about it and decide that you'll be moving to Purgatory hall soon. Everyone claps and rejoices while Lucifer, drunk off Demonus, crashes the fun.

"Simeon, you dirty cheat, pretending to be all pure with your white wings and devious smile. How dare you?!" He says in calm and deadly rage.

"Lucifer... what's wrong-" You approach him to ask. He looks at you and you see the little tears in the corners.

"MC WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE THAT NIGHT. MINE. NOT YOURS. THE ONLY BEING THAT CAME CLOSE ENOUGH TO STEAL MY HEART AND YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME."

Lucifer was louder now, hysterically angry, throwing his glass on the floor. "AND I KNOW THEY WOULD HAVE PICKED ME IF I GOT TO THEM FIRST! I LOVED THEM TOO DAMNIT." Simeon stood in front of you to protect you from Lucifer's rage. You hid your face in your hands, breaking down in sobs. What is happening? Where did you go wrong?

"Look at them, Lucifer. Look. At. What. You've. Done. And don't tell you've forgotten how many times you've threatened their lives before." Simeon said, holding you tight as you cried into his chest. "How dare you still feel like you deserve them?"

Lucifer sees you broken down, clutching onto Simeon for dear life, crying. You were smiling just a minute ago what has he done? Simeon blocked off his view with his pearly white wings. A reminder of what Lucifer used to be and cannot be again.

Mammon: Asmodeus

You were his human. And he was your first demon. No one was more territorial about you than him. So he finally made up his mind to seal the deal. No more lying about his feelings. He was going to claim you, once and for all. He imagined you smiling and running your hands through his hair and kissing him returning his feelings.

"MC! I brought the movie of the day!" He barged into your room excited, but you were nowhere to be found. Where could you have gone? It was your movie night with him. You were supposed to be waiting for him inside. He asked his brothers and they said you were with Asmo. He stomped his way up to Asmo's room and called out your name. No response. Not till he peeked inside the dark washroom. You were holding Asmo who looked very unstable and weak, sitting at the side of the bath.

MC: Asmo why don't you listen to me when I tell you not to drink so much!?

Asmo: I'm sorry MC *hic* I needed it today...

MC: Why? What's so scary that you don't have the confidence to do sober?

Asmo: MC do you think I look beautiful?

MC: Of course Asmo, you always do.

Asmo: Even with my runny make up, red nose and swollen eyes and this horrible complexion?

MC: *grabs his face* You're always beautiful to me MC.

Asmo: I...I stopped sleeping around MC. I couldn't do it anymore. *tearing up* Because to them, I'm only beautiful with a perfect covered up face.

MC: Asmo...they're blind and shallow demons who don't know anything! I know you, and I know how much more beautiful you are inside out. Don't listen to them.

Asmo feeling insecure about his appearance? What a big fat lie. Is this his new ploy to get to you? How irritating. It's not going to work, Mammon knows you're smarter than that. The Avatar of Lust can manipulate in many ways. Surely his human was smart enough to see through that!

Asmo: MC, I knew you were the one only who truly loved me. And today, I found the one I love too. Much more than I love myself. So I needed a drink to tell you this.

MC: Asmo...

Asmo: *holding your face gently* MC you saw past this pretty face. You saw the things I do more than what I am. Or what I pretend to be. I know it's hard to believe coming from the Avatar of Lust... But MC, I truly really love you. *looks down and sobs* But you probably can't believe me right?

MC: Asmo. Look at me. *You run your fingers through his hair and he looks up with teary eyes* I believe you. And I've loved you too. You're the only one who never hurt me. The one who willingly made a pact with me. You've been so sweet to me since I came. How could I love anyone else?

Asmo: MC I want you all to myself. Will you be mine? Only mine? I swear I'll keep you happy always!

MC: Of course Asmo. I'll all yours. I'm your little human. *giggling and kissing his head*

Asmo: *grabs and kisses you* MC, if you want, I can be your actual first tonight.

Mammon fell to his knees. He wanted to barge in and scream. He wanted to wrestle Asmo to the ground. He wanted to break his face for saying the words that were special to him and you. But your response had him paralysed. You...accepted him. You agreed to be his.

Silent tears streamed down his face as he watched you embracing Asmo, peppering kisses all over his face, running your hands through his hair, laughing and frolicking in the water with him. The colored moonlight through the stained glass danced on their skin like a scene from his favourite movie.

At his best

He cries to himself for days. Spends as much time outside as he can.

Maybe he is an idiot for thinking he had a chance with him. How could he compete with Asmo's charms.

Maybe it hurt more because Asmo didn't even have to use his charms.

Only ever tries to talk to you if he's sure your alone. One time he barged into your room and caught you and Asmo tangled up together and it broke him all over again.

He watched as you twirled around in a new outfit Asmo bought. He scoffs. He could have bought it for you too.

You both look so cheerful and in love, he decides to accept it. For the sake of his little brother and the human he loves.

At his worst

Breaks down and lets his emotions out in the worst way possible. Too desperate to win you back somehow.

Asmo and you were just telling Solomon and Simeon about your relationship when Mammon barged in through the doors of Purgatory halls.

"MC look! Look what I got you!" He came in all ragged. He knelt down and pulled out a ring. "Take me instead! I was your first wasn't I MC? Don't let him take my place please!"

"Mammon no... No please don't be this way...I'm sorry..." You kneel down next to him as he screams and sobs like a child. You feel guilty. You caused this. You lead him on. You fight your own tears as you keep apologising.

Asmo yanks you up and wraps his arms around you, staring down angrily at Mammon. "Mammon, leave."

Mammon lunged at Asmo. "I was going to tell them. That night was our movie night. You stole that night from me. YOU STOLE MY CHANCE AND MY MC!"

Asmo mocked at him with a sardonic laugh. "You still assume MC is yours without even telling them. You kept lying about your feelings and hurting them in the process. And yet, when they finally look happy, you come and make them cry. You are a scumbag Mammon."

Mammon looked at your tear stained face, nestled inside Asmo's arms and wings. He really felt like nothing but a scumbag.

Leviathan : Belphegor

Levi fell in love with you since your first act of kindness. As a shut-in whose only conversations were with his own eccentric and dismissive brothers, you were an angel who had brought him the gift of true companionship. Honestly he was okay being your best friend, until the day he started craving more. So he decided it was time to tell you.

'MC come to my room! I have a new game to show you!' It was a virtual dating game where he was going to confess digitally. You always loved his creative ways of doing simple stuff after all. He decided to play your favourite game while waiting for you. He even left the door ajar. Now he wished he didn't.

Belphie: MC do you have a minute?

MC: Yeah I was just heading to Levi's room what's up?

Belphie: I think I fallen in love with you, MC.

MC: .... Huh?

Levi almost burst out laughing hearing Belphie's confession. What kind of a bland confession is that? How can someone say that so easily? No that was definitely a joke on MC or something. Surely MC wouldn't take this seriously.

Belphie: I had a dream just now. About you.

MC: Uh huh?

Belphie: In that dream, we were up in the sky, among the stars. And you looked so pretty glittering along with them all. So I kissed you impulsively. And you kissed me back.

MC: ...that's a sweet dream. *blushes*

Belphie: *takes your hand* I woke up and my first thougt was I wish that was real. And then I realised it can be.

MC: ...

Belphie: I want to be able to kiss you always. I want to be able to take you far away. I want all your time. I love you MC. Be mine.

MC: Belphie I-

Belphie: I know, how can you possibly love your own murderer...? *Sighs* I cannot undo what I did. I'm sorry MC. I can only swear that I won't ever let that happen again.

MC: *smiles and cups his face* You were locked away for 3 millenia I can imagine your endless anger and grief for your sister. I forgave you long ago.

Belphie: So does that mean you'll accept me?

MC: You're already mine, silly. And now I'm yours. You're the only one I can relax with in the whole realm.

Belphie: MC... Come here. *holds you close and kisses you*

Levi's game screen displayed the message "GAME OVER: You lose". Levi couldn't see it clearly. His vision was blurred by the tears brimming on his eyes. You and Belphie looked to distant shadows on the moon.

He blamed himself for even thinking he had a chance with you. But maybe just...maybe if he had gotten there before? He stared at the screen and then at his spare console that he had declared yours. He picked up it, and locked it inside. Probably won't be needing it anytime soon.

At his best

He barely comes out of his room anymore. He tries to return your smile at breakfast but then returns hurriedly, leaving Beel to finish most of his food.

"Are you sure you want to play games? Wouldn't you rather go up to the attic" He mutters under his breath sometimes and then says it's nothing when you ask him.

Pains him when he sees you curled with Belphie in random places, dozing off. Might cover you with a blanket. Just you though.

Spites Belphie. A lot of people have said they look and act alike. But somehow you like sleeping more than anime and gaming?

Just accepts it as his fate. Atleast he's still your best friend, right?

At his worst

He's called the Avatar of Envy for a reason. He can barely hold it in seeing the both of you together constantly.

Belphie you and Beel were having a jolly time watching a movie and eating snacks while Belphie slept curled up in your lap. Levi happened to walk in while you were rubbing Belphie's head soothingly.

For some reason, Levi couldn't hold it in anymore. "UGH YOU FUCKING NORMIES!" he screamed out of frustration.

Belphie woke up drowsily when you stopped at stared at Levi holding back tears in the doorway. "Levi..what's wrong.." you call out to him.

He barges in and pushes Belphie off you and grabs your hands, tears falling and him screaming. "Why do you care, MC?! I'm a just disgusting shut in otaku right?! But guess what even as that I do more than just sleep and drool all fucking day! AND MORE IMPORTANTLY ATLEAST IM NOT THE ONE WHO KILLED YOU! So why him? WHY NOT ME MC?!"

"Levi...no..." You plead with him to calm down, tearing up yourself. You should have known. You should have known this would happen.

Belphie violently pushed Levi off you and grabbed him by the collar. "You were the first one to attack MC in this house. And I'm sure you would have killed them if not for Lucifer. So stop pretending you're better than me, you ridiculous creep. A shut in like you is worthless. The only thing you're good at is making MC distressed."

Levi looked at you trying to pull Belphie back, tears streaming down your face and hung his head low. It was simply an Otome game and MC didn't choose him.

Satan: Solomon

Satan took his time to fall. With late night studying session, every cat cafe date, every trip to the museum - he fell more and more each time. To the point where he wanted to spend every waking moment with you. And he was ready to tell you.

For a whole week, he kept writing and scrapping the perfect love letter for you. Then he realised you were someone who preferred simple honesty. "MC please wait for me in the library I'll be there shortly." He'd said before he dashed out to bring a boquet of your favourite flowers and a book which reminded him of you. He'd almost made it to the library, he saw you waiting inside for him eagerly. That was until someone flew in through the window.

Solomon? What's he doing at this hour? Satan peeked in through the half open library door. He wanted to be alone with you so he'd wait till Solomon was gone. He shouldn't have waited.

MC: Solomon! You scared me silly!

Solomon: *laughing* Your face just now MC...so adorable! Like a scared kitten!

MC: You wooshed in through the window!

Solomon: Okay okay my bad. Now what are you doing in the library so late at night. I went to your room and couldn't find you.

MC: Oh Satan called me out here. Told me to wait for him. Maybe there's a new book he wants to read.

Solomon: Do you guys do that often? Reading books this late?

MC: Haha yeah usually we just read in my room or his at night, in case we fall asleep.

Solomon: *sigh* So unfair.

MC: What's unfair?

Solomon: You and I are the only humans here. Why did they put us in different houses? Shouldn't we... be together more often?

MC: Well logically yes we should. Just classes and magic lessons aren't enough! You should live here too!

Solomon: I doubt Lucifer would be okay with that. But well.. here's the real reason I'm here now. *brings out a little basket*

MC: That's...that's a kitten! Hi baby! What's her name!?

Solomon: MC.

MC: Yeah what?

Solomon: No I named the kitten MC. This way I get to call your name as much as I want haha. The silly things us humans do for love, huh?

Satan had a sick feeling in his stomach. Watching you and him sitting in the moonlight, surrounded by books, cuddling a kitten and confessing...that should be him. Him not Solomon. He didn't like where this was heading. But just like you can't help but stare at disaster - he couldn't look away. What was MC going to say...?

MC: Solomon... *blushes*

Solomon: Does my affection scare you? *reaches for your hand*

MC: Of course not...I.. *gets closer and intertwining your fingers together*

Solomon: Is this your way of showing-

MC: *blushes* Yes. I love you too.

Solomon: I believe I've lived for a 1000 years just to hear those words. *kisses you against the bookshelves*

MC: I believe you've gotten 1000 years worth of romantic lines stored away in that head of yours. *Laughs and kisses him back*

Solomon: Let's take this to the moon shall we?

Satan watched as he took you and kitten in his arms and flew out the window. Satan rushed in not wanting to lose sight of you, dropping the flowers and books. Balling his fists, he choked on his angry tears as he watched you both laughing and kissing against the bright light of the moon. He felt like his own happy ending was stolen from him.

When you disappeared from view, he let out a blood curdling scream, pulling at his own hair and knocking over the bookshelf against which Solomon kissed you. The wrath inside him made him thrashing around in pain, burning him inside out. The flowers he dropped, lay there next to his sobbing body, wilting in his pain.

At his best

He manages to put on his best fake smile and go about his day. Tries hard to hide his annoyance if you bring him up.

But you seem so happy and you often invite him to new cat cafes and shelters. So despite Solomon's presence, he feels calm because of you and the cats.

Is secretly happy you get to spend more time with him than Solomon. Takes advantage of that and hogs you all to himself while in the house

While he can't hold or kiss you the way the Solomon does, you're here next to him, reading his recommended books. That's enough to soothe his yearning heart.

At his worst

The war for love is on. He doesn't care if Solomon already won. He will still declare his love no matter what.

It started out as subtle, he did what he knew Solomon couldn't. Cooking MC's favourite dishes whenever it was his turn to cook.

Tries to subtly reinforce his intelligence over Solomon when you're around. What's 1000 years of knowledge worth, Satan has been there since the first millenia ever

But the day Solomon and you announced you'll be moving to Purgatory Hall, he charged at him, his demon form angry and glowing. "How dare you think you can take them away from us? You think you can win against us... against me? You may have taken my chance with them but I won't let you take them away! They belong here with me!"

You inched closer to Satan's form. You'd never seem him this angry. "Satan please calm down-" Satan wasn't listening. He let out a feral growl and attacked Solomon.

Solomon held MC by his side and made a protection shield Satan couldn't get through. You started crying, watching his wrath take over, he must be in so much pain.

Solomon felt you curl up against him in fear and guilt. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Satan by the scruff of his neck, like you'd do with a misbehaving cat.

"You say you want to protect them and yet look what you did instead." Solomon said. Satan looked helplessly at you, crying with your face buried in your hands. Glancing at his horns in the mirror, he called out to you sadly, "MC..."

Solomon creeped closer and said in a deadly low voice. "You love fairy tales right Satan? Well in the story of Beauty and the Beast, they could only be together because the beast was actually a human." And Satan was far from being a human.

Asmo : Mammon

It happened the day Asmo looked into the mirror and felt something missing. Suddenly his own reflection wasn't enough anymore. He pondered what it was when you happened to walk into his room and hug him from behind. And then he found the missing piece. You. He simply had to make sure you would become a part of him now.

Now contrary to popular belief, he did get nervous while thinking of proposing. This man is all about lust and a little kid when it comes to love. It's a whole new emotion and he's unsure how to deal with it. With some advice from Satan's romance books he lights your room up with candles, groomed himself perfectly, waiting for you to return to your room. Only you don't come. "What's taking MC so long?!"

He headed out and found you in Mammon's room instead. Asmo saw in the reflection off the mirror, Mammon's shirt off and him lying on his front as you poured ointment over his scars.

Mammon: Oi MC please don't be so upset...

MC: You didn't deserve this. You didn't. I did.

Mammon: MC, not again.

MC: You took my punishment. You took the blame for the broken vase for my sake.

Mammon: I didn't want ya getting hurt ya stupid human!

MC: Don't be calling me stupid and then go off doing stupid stuff yourself! *cries*

Mammon: MC...no don't cry. Please I'm sorry.

MC: Don't apologize for this! Mammon you're too kind... You keep taking blame for others, and the others just UGH.

Mammon: I've gotten used to Lucifer's punishments, MC! I'm more used to it than my brothers so I can take it!

MC: .... You're such a sweet big brother. You can't stop protecting the people you love, can you?

Mammon: *turns around to lie on his back* Now you get why I need to protect ya, don't ya?

Asmo's eyes flew open as did yours. Mammon just confessed to you. Albeit indirectly, but really did. But he felt pity for his older brother. Sure he was caring and sweet sometimes, but mostly he was a thief and a scumbag who constantly gets into trouble. He didn't stand a chance against Asmo's charms.

MC: Mammon... You silly demon. I love you too. *Lays their head on his chest*

Mammon: *blushes and coughs* Of course ya love the Great Mammon, human!

MC: *smiles against his skin* Swear to me, you won't ever do that again else I will fight Lucifer myself!

Mammon: *smiles* He's attacked ya thrice and yer face still loses its colour whenver he's around and yet yer thinking of fighting him for my sake, MC?

MC: OF COURSE!

Mammon: But I don't want that. Ya did too much for all of us when ya sacrificed your life to bring Belphie back. I should know, I held ya in my arms. *Tears up* Ya know ye were smiling still?? So calm and undisturbed as if ya didn't care what happens to ya now that all the brothers are together?

MC: You caught me...

Mammon: And I never want to catch ya like that again, get that human!? I will be a good protector as I was meant to be.

MC: Mammon... you're far too kind to be a demon. *Kisses him and gets on top of him*

Mammon: *grips their arms and holds them close* Stay with me tonight.

Asmo watched as you nodded and took off your top and lay down over him again, your skins in gentle and intimate contact and you both wrap your arms around and you presses kisses onto each other. The moonlight danced on your entangled bodies.

He stared and stared, his insides burning with an alien feeling. He hadn't known envy till you came along. His signature move would be to call both of you out and suggest a threesome, but what you both seemed to have was impenetrable. And in the mirror where he saw your reflections, he couldn't see himself.

At his best

This demon had never known love. He might have if Mammon hadn't decides to confess that very night.

But who cares? What's done is done. It's time to root for the both of you. He still has his followers to turn to.

"Mammon finally confessed huh?" He asked jokingly. Until he saw you blush and nod.

"You both must have fun together huh?" He says with a dry laugh.

Your hugs and headpats still keep him going. He takes you buy new dresses knowing it's to impress Mammon instead.

Tries so hard to conceal his tears and tantrums around you. He doesn't want to lose the small part of you that he had left.

At his worst

He cannot stay home. The sight of you both together makes him irritated and stressed both very bad for his skin.

He drinks and parties uncontrollably, bringing home demons and succubi that always seem to resemble you.

One night, Lucifer had enough and caught him by the collar, forbidding him to go to his room. Asmo giggled until Mammon and you showed up.

He swiftly escaped Lucifer's grasp and lunged at you, holding your face between his trembling hands. You look at him closely, his make up was messier than usual, the cresent underneath his eyes was darker than usual.

"MC...look at me. Look at only me. Just for a little while." Asmo said and his eyes glowed. He'd turned on his charm on full force as he leaned into you for a kiss.

Mammon pushed him back and stood before you protectively. Asmo fell back, laughing like a maniac. "Stupid Mammon they are with you out of pity! How long do you think you can make them stay with that stupid brain and sub par beauty?"

You teared up and screamed, "Asmo stop saying things like that! You dont even know anything about him!" Mammon hugged you tight, trying to calm you down.

And then in a lowly growl he said, "Asmo don't let me see ya laying a finger on MC again. Ya would see how people really see ya if you learnt to look away from your own reflection!"

But Asmo did. He did look away from his reflection. He looked at you. Only you didn't look back at him.

Keep reading Pt. 2

#obey me angst #obey me heavy angst #obey me headcanon #obey me headcannons #obey me angst headcanon #obey me Lucifer #obey me Mammon #obey me Levi #obey me Leviathan #obey me Satan #obey me Asmo #obey me Asmodeus #obey me Simeon #obey me Solomon #obey me belphie #obey me belphegor #obey me MC

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rocorambles · 3 years

Text

Proving A Point

Pairing: Toji x reader

Genre/Warnings: NSFW, Yandere, Dub-Con/Non-Con, Degradation, Murder, Violence, Gore, Borderline Necro??? But not really??? Listen...there is a dead body and things are done in very very close proximity to that dead body so take that as you will.

Summary: You make the mistake of accusing Toji of being jealous of sorcerers and he proves that he has nothing to be envious of.

Steady...Steady…

You wince as your stomach grumbles in complaint, hunger eating away at your patience and concentration. But you steel your nerves, stubbornly shaking your head and willing away the pangs in your abdomen as you focus on your surroundings, eyeing the cameras and employees, waiting for the right moment…

Skittish eyes. Rustling. Quick movements.

You tamper the pep in your step, hiding the glee in your face as you casually stroll outside of the sliding doors, leaving the grocery store and its shoppers in your wake, baggy sweatshirt much less roomy as you walk away. Your fingers itch to immediately grab the banana tucked inside your bra, but you know better.

Patience is a virtue. Out of sight, out of mind. And you wait, fighting every urge to run far away and dig into your stolen loot, sighing in giddy relief when you finally turn the corner, blocks away from the scene of the crime.

It’s almost animalistic how you practically rip off your hoodie, letting your precious cargo of fruits, bread, and chips fall to the ground. You plop on the ground, hand wrapping around the banana still tucked in the fabric around your chest, but you freeze at the sound of amused chuckling.

Your fight and flight instincts war inside of you, teeth baring, body back on its feet as you gauge your intruder. But your heart drops in your stomach when you take in the large muscular figure, the feral scarred grin leering at you from down the alley.

Years alone and left to fend for yourself have made your survival instincts strong and you know just from a brief glance that you don’t stand a chance against the man slowly meandering towards you. You’re no stranger to using your body for protection, money, just another night under a warm roof and you can only surmise that’s what he wants, that he’s just another predator in search of hapless prey. So you brace yourself, willing your body to relax as it trembles, letting it go limp as he draws near.

But you open your eyes in shock, looking warily on as he plucks the banana still nestled in your bra and peels it open, holding the opened end to your lips.

“Don’t let me interrupt your meal.”

You gape, eyes flickering between the yellow fruit and the amused face of the man in front of you. Back and forth, back and forth.

“If you’re not going to eat it, maybe I’ll have it. I’m getting kind of hungry anyway-”

“What is this? Some kind of weird foreplay?!”

Hunger makes your tongue sharper than you intend as you angrily chomp on the soft fruit before he can pull it away from you, your hands ripping the rest of the banana from his grasp as you quickly shove the rest in your mouth, uncaring of how ridiculous you look. So what if you look like an oversized furious chipmunk, cheeks bulging as you rapidly chew, scowl set in place? You’d be damned if you let someone else take your hard-earned food, even if he does look capable of choking you with his bare hands, and your eyes linger a little too long on the ways his shoulders and biceps bulge in his tight black shirt.

But his next words have you snapping back to attention, nervousness curling inside of you.

“I saw your little stunt back there. Not bad. How long have you been stealing to provide for yourself?”

You immediately deny his words, feigning ignorance, beads of cold sweat trailing down the side of your face the longer he just impassively stares at you as you continue stuttering.

Had you misjudged him? Was he some kind of undercover cop?

“What if I told you I could keep you off the streets, find jobs that would pay enough money to put a roof over your head, keep your stomach full?”

Your head snaps up, hope fluttering inside of you, your voice coming out more desperate and shaky than you wish.

“You won’t turn me in?”

The man snorts, bending down to pick up the rest of your meager belongings and food, not even looking back to see if you’re following as he begins to walk away, arms laden with your possessions, silently commanding you to follow him. And like a duckling imprinting on its parent, you instinctively trail after him without a single question about where you’re going, what jobs he’s talking about, or who he is. But as you exit the narrow alleyway and get ready to merge with the bustling street, he pauses, turning around to gaze at you as he answers one of those questions.

“I’m Toji. No last name. Just Toji.”

Neither of you dwell too much on what exactly brought the two of you together, what had Toji curiously watching as you skillfully and efficiently stole your next few meals and deciding to tuck you under his wing, what had you eagerly following after the man like a lost puppy. The harsh conditions and day-to-day survival of your lives don’t give either of you the luxury of wallowing in loneliness or the warmth that builds in your chests the more time you spend together.

But on nights after a successful job, bellies full of food and alcohol, bodies lazing on a cushy hotel bed where you splurge and rest for the night, neither of you fight the way your limbs naturally entangle, the way your lips meet in the dark, the way it feels so damn right to be together.

You learn about sorcerers and curses, shuddering when you become aware of an entire world that surrounds you. Toji laughs when he gifts you a pair of glasses that helps you see the evil around you and you scream, jumping in his readily outstretched arms, clinging onto him in fright.

Toji learns that aggressive shows of confrontation and brute force aren’t always the best answer (even if they are the most fun option) and he follows your lead, letting you quietly sneak around, swift hands dexterously picking locks, easily plucking and pocketing stolen goods. It’s your turn to laugh when he pouts at not being able to use his blade, strong arms crossed in front of his chest as he impatiently waits for you to finish your task.

But despite the months you spend together, you never get used to the crimson stains he returns with, eyes always averted and looking anywhere else when he deals a final blow. He knows if you had a choice, you’d always opt out of joining him on these specific types of requests. He knows it’s selfish to force you along, to make excuses as to why he needs you by his side as his sword guts yet another sorcerer. He knows he should feel some shame for the way you dry heave and vomit the contents of your guts at the sight of the countless corpses he forces you to look upon.

Yet all he feels is annoyance laced with guilt and fury at the pity in your eyes, the softness in your gaze as you watch him slay another individual who just happened to be born with cursed energy, the gentleness with which you handle the fallen bodies. Maybe that’s why he keeps on dragging you with him assassination after assassination, gloating about his new moniker “Socerer Killer” in front of you despite your clear discomfort towards the title.

But maybe the unspoken punishment is too soft for you, too subtle. And Toji scowls when you begin to question him and his motives, angrily growling right back at you when you raise your voice as you argue with him about his drive to kill every sorcerer he crosses paths with.

You plead and beg for him to reconsider. Sorcerers are humans after all, just with special abilities.

Toji wonders if you’d still think that if you met anyone else from the Zenin clan and both of you back down, your arms wrapping around him in an attempt to soothe and comfort as you see his mind and eyes glaze over in painful reminiscing.

It’s during one of these sessions that you utter the lines that end up being your downfall.

“Toji, do you think that maybe all your hate towards sorcerers is just jealousy? Are you jealous that you weren’t born with cursed energy like they were? Because if that’s what it is, there’s nothing to be jealous about-”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

Harsh language and cursing are all things you’ve come to expect from Toji. But what has you paralyzed with fear and a desperate need to make things right is the pure animosity and seething rage in his voice.

You whimper as a large hand reaches to grip your face, squishing your cheeks painfully, forcing you to lock eyes with fierce emerald orbs.

“I’m not jealous.”

He abruptly lets go of you with that sentence, turning his back on you, slamming the door in his wake. And you know you should be grateful that this is the extent of his lashing out. Yet somehow your heart aches more in his absence and you almost long for more of his heated words, even a spiteful strike as the days drag on without his presence.

It’s embarrassing how much you miss him, how accustomed you’ve grown to him being around. But you can’t help the way you scramble and flail in your rush to greet him as he finally enters your bedroom almost an entire week later. And he snorts when he easily catches you as you stumble and topple into his arms, tightly flinging your arms around him and holding him in silence, nuzzling and inhaling his scent as you bury your head in his chest.

You don’t miss the way a large hand gently rests on your head, the way he lets himself bask in your embrace. But all is not forgiven or forgotten and you warily listen as he barks at you to get ready, telling you he has another job for the both of you, grimacing when a razor sharp grin cuts across his face when he tells you it’ll be a messy one.

If there’s one positive attribute about Toji, it’s that he’s a man of his word. Your stomach churns, nausea swirling inside of you as he uses his bare fists to seemingly break every bone in the target’s body, unnecessarily cruel as he drags out the sorcerer’s death. The victim’s agonized screams fill the air and you clamp your hands over your ears, wishing you were anywhere but here, hesitantly stepping towards the exit, but stopping at Toji’s curt command for you to stay put.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh finally stops and you let out a shaky breath, tentatively lowering your arms as you turn back to face Toji, waiting for his exit plan. But your eyes widen when you see the sorcerer’s chest still rising and falling, still hanging to life by a fraying thread. And realization weighs down on your shoulders like a ton of bricks when Toji beckons you over, pulling your reluctant body until your back is pressed against his chest.

He places the hilt of his sword in your hands before gripping your hips, holding you still as his thumbs languidly rub lazy circles through the fabric of your pants. Hooking his chin over your shoulder, he watches the tremble of your arms as you vigorously shake your head side to side, eyes dizzyingly flitting between the half-dead sorcerer laying at your feet and the sharp point of the weapon your holding.

“Toji, I don’t- I can’t-”

“Kill him or be punished. Pick your poison.”

You know there’ll be hell to pay if you don’t follow through and every ounce of self-preservation screams at you to put your own well-being above the pitiful stranger on the ground. But when you lock eyes and see the fear and pain, see him as just another human like yourself, you know you’ll never be able to forgive yourself if you deal the final blow, know that his death will haunt you, curse you, for the rest of your life.

You’re terrified as you begin to loosen your grip, getting ready to let the object clatter to the ground, knowing full well Toji will be livid. But before you can fully release the sword, strong hands wraps around yours, forcing you to hold the blade once more, and you scream as Toji guides your hands, forcing you to cut through flesh, muscle, skin, and bone, the body parting like butter beneath the overwhelming force. Hot crimson splatters decorate the both of you and all you smell and taste is metallic copper.

All you’re cognizant of is the dimming light in the sorcerer’s eyes, the way your hands are still holding onto the weapon buried in your victim’s guts.

Murderer. Murderer. Murderer.

You don’t know anything except the need to flee, to separate yourself as far from the crime scene as possible. And your legs jerk back to life, only to give out on you as you’re forced to the ground, body unable to do much against Toji’s brute strength as he forces you on all fours on top of the still warm corpse, your limbs encasing the figure, eyes unable to look anywhere but straight down on those vacant eyes.

“Take a close look, sweetheart. Still think I’m jealous of a pathetic meat sack like that? Still think I care about having cursed energy? His special little powers didn’t help him much, did they?”

Toji’s laughter rings in your ears as your shaky arms struggle to hold your bodyweight up, trying to create as much distance between your torso and the hardening corpse beneath you, your eyes clenching shut, trying to block out the gruesome scene. You’re so focused on your predicament that you barely register calloused hands pulling down your pants and underwear, leaving your most intimate parts on display.

But Toji’s never been a fan of being ignored, especially by you, and you wail as he suddenly shoves his cock inside of your dry and unprepared hole, the pain and force of his thrust throwing you off balance and fat tears stream down your face as your body falls on the lifeless form beneath you.

Fear, pain, and disgust coil and slither inside of you as you futilely flail and try to lift yourself off the body beneath you, loud sobs escaping past your lips as your face is squished against a much colder visage, your tears and saliva mixing with the congealed blood on the sorcerer’s face. But every time you try to push yourself up, Toji rams into you from behind, and you instinctively tip forward, trying to escape, trying to pull away from him, only to further trap yourself against the corpse.

“God, you’re such a fucking crybaby. He’s dead, get over it. Look. There’s nothing to be so upset about.”

A new wave of salty tears trail down your face as Toji uses one hand to pin you down, forcing your lips to connect with colder, stiffer ones in a mockery of a kiss. He pauses his relentless thrusts to boisterously laugh as you fight against his hold in renewed vigor, fueled by your disbelief and terror.

“Alright, I guess that’s enough punishment for you. Don’t want you to die from shock. Let me make it all better.”

If you thought the ocean of negativity you had been drowning in before was bad, this is worse. So much worse. And a disgust so thick, so potent, so irreversible washes over you, seeping into every part of you, as pleasure begins to flicker and grow deep inside of you. Toji knows every inch of your body inside and out, and it’s pathetic how quickly your pleas for him to stop become lewd moans and wanton sounds as his fingers rub and play with hardening nipples and clit, as he angles his cock at just the perfect degree that has you seeing stars, as his teeth possessively bite down in the junction of your neck.

You don’t want to feel good, not like this, not here, not sprawled on top of a man you had just killed in cold blood. But it’s hard to think of anything else other than the arousal and lust fogging over your morality, over your humanity as Toji turns you into a well-trained mindless slut desperate for him, for pleasure. And he smiles victoriously as you stop resisting, letting your body mold against the corpse beneath you, uncaring of how absolutely sinful and depraved you look as you moan and drool like a bitch in heat, writhing shamelessly against the body underneath you.

He knows the image is going to be seared into his mind for life, fap material for years to come, and his hips stutter, his tempo fluctuating as his balls tighten, his thrusts becoming even more feral and desperate as he chases his end. And when you cum first, convulsing and milking him of all his seed, pushed over the edge by the brutality of his pace, he spills thick white spurts deep inside of you, grunting in satisfaction as he slams balls deep into you one last time.

It’s amusing how you’ve seemingly had a complete change of heart, looking almost at home and at peace as you continue laying on the motionless sorcerer, body twitching and eyes rolled back in your head as you laze in post-coital bliss. His softening and spent cock twitches in interest again as a sticky trail begins to trickle out your used cunt, mixing with the blood of the broken body beneath you. And it takes all his willpower to refrain from having you, tasting you all over again.

You’re still on the clock after all and there’s payment to be collected.

But as he coldly barks at you to get up and tidy yourself up as best as you can, smug satisfaction swells inside of him as he watches you exhaustedly pull your panties and pants back up above your ass, a dazed pleasured look on your face as you quickly make your way to him, tucking yourself closely to his side and leaning into his body heat.

You always were a clingy and needy thing after an orgasm. But he can’t bring himself to mind, sneering as he tosses one last backwards glance at the dead sorcerer you’re leaving behind before finally settling into a self-satisfied smile as he pulls you in closer.

Cursed energy and all...no sorcerer could ever make you feel as good as him.

#yandere jujutsu kaisen #yandere toji #toji x reader #toji smut #jujutsu kaisen smut #tw: yandere #tw: dubcon #tw: noncon

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blzzrdstryr · 3 years

Text

Galatea

Yandere(?) Albedo x gn!reader

Wordcount: 2410

CW: Panic attacks, hallucinations, slight dehumanization.

...and his creation was so beautiful: silent and non judgemental, pure and demure, it would endure any of his whims of love and passion.

Albedo looks calm as usual as he scoops the honey from the beehive, even though he doesn’t wear any protection; Bees are angrily buzzing nearby, but otherwise not attacking him. It would look strange to you if you didn’t know the answer: insects are not real. The alchemist created them, turning pure slabs of carbon, water and organic matter into tiny fuzzy bodies, as you watched the scene with wide eyes, one moment and a non-living becomes living. He commented on the whole process and while you tried your best to listen to him there were so many scientific terms and jargons in his speech that after some time you zoned out, preferring to observe the birth of insects instead.

There are bones and flesh and organs growing and fusing together. They writhe and convulse as blood starts to fill them. Whose body is it?

“Is this for examination too?”, you remember that Albedo was collecting honey several days ago, albeit in much lesser quantities, and when you asked what the alchemist was doing, he said it was for comparative analysis.

“Well, you could say that” alchemist looks at the full jar and closes the lid, “Previous analysis showed that this honey has the same compounds as the natural one in the same proportions and isn’t dangerous for consumption”. You nod, urging him to continue - even though Albedo isn’t the chattiest person, you noticed how talkative he becomes when you ask him for explanations.

“Smell and taste are usually dependent on the composition, but there is always a place for exceptions, so I decided to conduct another experiment, one that needs your help”

You raise eyebrows - alchemist, despite actually enjoying your company, usually didn’t disclose much of his work :“Is that so? How can I help?”

Small smile appears on his lips, subtle and controlled, “I want you to taste it”. He looks happy.

You have seen that smile long before. You can’t remember where.

You hate sweets, but there's something stopping you from declining. It's bone-deep and chilling, woven into every fiber of your flesh. You can’t get out the needed words, even if you wanted, with your lips somehow shutting tight at the mere thought. There's something stopping you from saying "no" to Albedo and you assume it's gratitude.

***

The honey turns out to be as sickly sweet as the one from the real bees. You frown, as you take another sip of tea, trying to wash down the saccharine taste from the tongue. Albedo sits in front of you and scribes something in his notebook, throwing occasional glances at you from time to time.

“It seems that we’ll need to keep this secret from Klee” you muse, no longer tasting the nectar on your tongue.

“Why so?” he asks, still writing - his handwriting is too small for you to see from this distance. You could stretch your neck to have a better glimpse, but it would be rude to do, so you refrain, curiosity still nipping at you.

“Well, you know what a big sweet tooth she is, and if she learns that your bees don’t sting...”

“But they do sting, just not me”.

“Why?”

“Bees were created with my will, so they just can’t. It’s against the nature of alchemical creation to oppose its creator”

You hum, processing the new information and guessing how far he would teach you that in your own alchemy lessons. You are far behind Sucrose or Timaeus in your studies, still stuck on basics, but Kreideprinz doesn't look displeased or bored with you. In contrast, mentoring you is something he really likes, judging by the rare smiles he allows himself to show. He proposed to teach you one day and you couldn't find it in yourself to turn him down.

You thought it was strange at first how the recluse seemed to favour you, but then as you familiarized yourself with a man you realized that he liked all things unseen and unheard before and your selective amnesia must be the one.

There are large gaps in your memory, but you can remember some small moments - peeking into a cave and plunging deeper into a forest out of curiosity, spending hours in the library, completely captivated by the book before you, feeling satisfied from finally solving an advanced math problem.

None of the memories include people.

It's an identity forming memories, Albedo theorized when you shared your concerns, experiences shape who we are, [First], and maybe that's why you retained them, they define you.

Were you as reclusive as him then?

A bit later you see what Albedo was drawing: a familiar bird and decapitated head. You are disturbed - how does he know my dreams?

***

Mondstadtians are weird, it’s the first time you leave Albedo’s lab and side, deciding to take a quick stroll around the city and look around. Some look at you with wide eyes, as if you just grew a second head before their eyes, some shamelessly whisper things to each other.

The knight that was assigned to look after you for the duration of the walk is no better than them. He also treats you like some sort of oddity, with all that persistent glances and hesitancy to interact with you.

What kind of person old you were to prompt such a reaction?

Walking along the streets of the city you can't remember any of it. Books that mentioned amnesia and other memory related issues stated that visiting once familiar places can help with overall recollection. Walking along the streets of the city you can't recollect any of it, memories slipping past your fingers like water.

You can’t remember the blue cloudless sky above, or the deep clear lake of the same shade or the gentlest breezes playing with your hair. You can’t recall the bright red roof tiles, or the giant windmills that dwarf other buildings, or the statue of the anemo archont overseeing the city. You can't think of once being among the other idle citizens, of praying and worshipping Barbatos, of participating in the windtrace or Ludi Harpastum. There’s emptiness where a familiarity should be, a dull ache rotting and festering at the back of your mind - I don’t belong here, I never did.

You don’t feel like a part of Mondstadt, not even a single part of you does. There’s an invisible yet unbreakable wall separating you from other people. You can smile and chat and be all polite and nice, yet there’s always a certain coldness and caution others treat you with. You want to be both accepted and left alone, feel loved yet be distant enough to avoid any emotional hurt.

Of course, there are people who managed to get close to you - Albedo and Klee, with the former one being your official caretaker and mentor and the latter being as bright as the Sun, you doubt there’s anyone that couldn’t fall under little girl’s charms, except acting Grandmaster Jean.

That must be why you act so warm towards them, why you decide to bare your soul and feelings towards them, no matter how scary it can be. That’s why you play with Klee, engaging her in less destructive entertainment than the fish blasting and that is why you never refuse Albedo in any of his requests, be it a quick walk on a sunny day or assistance in his experiments.

***

A familiar dream.

You see a giant owl, it's yellow eyes piercing right through you. It's a majestic creature, with snow white fluffy feathers and razor sharp talons. Bird looks at you with all knowing eyes, and then spreads its wings, soundlessly flying in your direction. You dodge it, still marvelling at its grace, as the bird continues its way to the giant head laying behind you.

You turn back still tracing the bird's flight, eyes then turning to the bodiless head. It has the face of an aged man with wise eyes, it's lips move silently chanting. There's something hypnotizing in the chant - listen to me and you will now, listen to me and I will tell you, listen to me and you will learn things that he doesn’t want you to know.

You take a step, hand outstretched to touch it. It burns your skin, and the world around you darkens, all sounds stop and soon enough darkness consumes the bodiless head too, leaving you all alone.

A memory comes.

You're absolutely naked and shivering with Albedo hovering above you. He says something but you can’t understand the words, liquid(?) in your eyes and ears. You hear Sucrose and Timaeus in the background too and how excited they sound.

You turn your head, catching the sight of slabs of pure carbon, bottles of water, pieces of lime and ammonia solution and the rest of organic and inorganic matter lying around you.

There are no thoughts and feelings - you are nothing but an empty vessel that needs to be filled.

"Timaeus, bring the blanket" It's Albedo's voice, “Sucrose, check.. [First]’s temperature. I will observe them”

“[First]?”

“It’s a fitting name”

The memory ends. You wake up.

***

You wake up to Albedo sitting near your bed. It's not a rare occurrence with him frequently checking up on your health, but the memories of previous dreams make you almost jump when you see his silhouette again.

"Uhm, hello?" you still sound husky from sleep.

"Apologies for coming here, I heard your whimpers and decided to check if everything was alright". His face looks as impassive as ever, but there's a concerned tone in his voice. He must be extremely worried then.

"I..” you start but then trail off, unsure what to say. Is the revelation that you dreamt even true? Aside from the strange coincidence and sense of isolation that loomed over you, becoming a bit unbearable with each day, you had nothing to prove your nonsensical conclusion: you are not real.

“I saw a dream, of me lying among the lime and carbon and water” Albedo gives you an intense stare, eyes and expression completely unreadable: “it wasn’t just a dream, was it?”

A moment passes and then another and you feel even more stupid with each second to just come to that conclusion, not to mention saying it outloud. And then the most unexpected thing happens: Albedo nods.

“Yes, yes it happened to you” he suddenly sounds tired, as if he admitted a dark, dark secret, that it arguably is. A shock goes through you, as you start to gasp for air - it’s one thing to speculate and guess, it’s completely different to hear a confirmation.

You can’t exactly remember what happens next - you think you broke down right there and then, as alchemist awkwardly tried to comfort you. He was explaining how and why he created you - he thought that your creation would give him answers he was looking for, solve his internal conflict, and then he started to wonder how different artificial life is from the natural one and that’s why he decided to give you memories.

It was hard at first, he says, to push back the existing ones back and replace them with new. Make you believe that you were born too. Memories were his favourite thing to do, he had a theory you see, that people are majorly products of their environment, and he wanted to prove that with you. That’s why he decided to mold you into a person with traits he usually finds valuable.

In the end you found yourself nursing a hot tea mug with a few drops of calming concoction dissolved in it. Albedo is lingering around in his own disquieted fashion, as you rethink your whole life - can it even be called a life anymore?

You glance at the alchemist fretting around you, frowning, and unsure what to do, the warmth and happiness you felt upon seeing him replaced by disappointment and confusion. Albedo isn't the one who you thought him to be, Archons, you're not the one who you thought yourself to be!

Suddenly the way all others interacted you became crystal clear - they treated you like oddity because you were one. You remember Klee and how she always seemed to love calling you her "bestest special friend". No way they don't know of your origin. No way they will ever treat you like a person.

There's an ache when you think about Klee also turning away from you; She is a sunshine personified right now, spreading her kindness and enthusiasm without even trying, but who knows what will happen once she grows up, will she have a problem with her peers because of you, or she'll adopt the general public's opinion of you? The thought is almost enough to send you into a crying fit again. You want to run far away.

"I want to travel" you finally say, there's no way you can integrate into society when everyone knows what you are and will always see it before who you are. You want to run away and start anew somewhere far, so the rumors will never reach that place and no one will look at you with that wide eyed stare again. You say what you think about this whole situation.

"Please, don't" he says and you of course stop, legs no longer listening to you, "I understand you are distressed right now, but running away isn't the solution"

"But I will never be able to truly connect with anyone, they know it, of my birth, right? The whole city knows about it, right?"

"I know that you want to feel loved, I… We are the same - before your creation I felt the same loneliness, I couldn't bond with anyone save for Klee, but interacting with you was far more pleasant than expected. Relationships are needlessly tiring and I never understood why people focused on them so much, yet now, looking at you I can understand them. I love you, [First], you are perfect".

You still again, now stunted by his words and sudden love confession. It's all so sudden and strange and confusing and you are too tired and too shocked to deal with this, so you decide to distance yourself. "I can't love you in return"

"But you will"

"Why do you think that?"

"It's against your nature to oppose me in anything"

Note: Galatea is an ivory statue created by Pygmalion, who later fell in love with it. The head in reader's dream is decapitated Mimir, a figure in Norse mythology who is known for his knowledge and wisdom. His decapitated head was reciting secret knowledge and giving counsel to Odin.

#yandere genshin impact #yandere genshin #yandere albedo x reader #Yandere Albedo #Yandere genshin impact x reader #yandere genshin x reader #Yandere #Albedo #Yandere x reader #Honestly it's not very yandere #My sleeping pills don't work again #my writing

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bi-bard · 3 years

Text

Chick Flick Moments - Sam Winchester Imagine (Supernatural)

Title: Chick Flick Moments

Pairing: Sam Winchester X Reader

Requested: by an anonymous reader

Word Count: 2,363 words

Warning(s): violence, cussing, Sam embarrassing himself, spoilers for any movie/show listed in the author's note

Summary: (Season 11) Gabriel takes a break from hiding to teach (Y/n) and Sam to forgive each other.

Author's Note: I had so much fun putting this request together! Also, if I remember correctly, this reader wanted to remain anonymous.

Here are links to all the scenes that inspired parts of this imagine:

1 (Princess Bride), 2 (8x12 Criminal Minds; can't find just the scene to link), 3 (Moulin Rouge), 4 (The Notebook), 5 (The 10 Things I Hate About You), 6 (Gilmore Girls), 7 (La La Land)

Hey! I did a rewrite of the ending of Supernatural. It took a really long time to complete, so it would mean a lot to me if you check it out. Here’s a link! (it’s on my personal account)

-----------------------------------

I rolled my eyes as I walked through the bunker.

Sam was still ranting about the most recent hunt. I was just tired of listening to it. Dean had long since given up trying to control his brother, who had shown no sign of listening to anyone.

"You can't just throw yourself into every single enemy," Sam yelled. "Fun fact, you're not Superman!"

"Oh my god," I finally, turning around. I had been halfway through the library at this point. Dean continued through the bunker, ignoring us. "I ran up to one extra vamp because you were about to get your throat ripped out! Yes, I put myself in danger but it was to save you!"

"Why are you so desperate to be a hero," he asked.

"Why are you so pissy that I saved you," I shouted back.

I let out a yell before turning and leaving.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed," I shouted from down the hall. "Maybe you'll be nicer in the morning! You're welcome for saving your ass!"

I stormed into my room and slammed the door shut. I changed quickly, throwing my old clothes into the corner before curling up on my bed. My emotions got the better of me. I started crying into my pillow.

Imagine saving the man you secretly loved... and then he got mad at you about it.

I fell asleep crying that night.

--time skip--

I shot awake, cringing at how bright it was.

I looked around, letting my eyes adjust to the light.

I was on a hill. I was on a hill, lying in the grass with the sun shining on my face. This is not good.

I stood up and did a circle to look around the long stretches of grass. Nothing looked even slightly familiar.

"For fuck's sake," I muttered.

I decided that the best option would be to try to climb down and find a person... somewhere.

I was just about to start making my way down the hill when I felt a hand grab me.

Out of pure fear, I grabbed the person and pulled them from behind me. The person went flying down the hill.

"(Y/n)," I heard Sam's voice yell as he rolled down the hill.

I put my hand over my mouth. He soon stopped rolling and then he stood up, scrambling to pull the black mask off of his face. I sighed, dropping my hand when I saw he was alright.

"Sam," I called.

"Your instinct is to throw some down a hill," Sam asked.

"When a masked man tries to grab me, definitely," I replied. "Fun fact, Sam, I can actually defend myself."

He gave me a sarcastic smile. I shot it right back to him.

Sam looked down at his outfit before sighing and shrugging at me. He had just started to move back up the hill when my visions went dark.

I opened my eyes a few moments later.

What had been an open field was now a dark warehouse or factory. I saw Sam across from me, but also a group of people behind him. I recognized them. They were characters from Criminal Minds, a guilty pleasure I watched when we weren't hunting.

I tried to figure out what was happening.

Then, I became all too aware of the barrel of a gun pressing into my neck.

"No," Sam yelled.

It clicked.

Sam was supposed to be Spencer. I was Maeve. This was Zugzwang.

My heart dropped.

"Wait, please, don't," Sam yelled as the gun pressed harder on my neck.

"Sam, shut up," I snapped.

"Me for (Y/n)," he shouted.

"You would do that," Diane- the unsub of that episode- asked.

"Yes," Sam replied.

"No," I yelled. "Sam, shut up."

"You shut up," Diane growled at me.

"One difference between me and her...," I growled back.

I grabbed the gun, pushing it forward, away from my neck. The bullet she tried to fire hit the brick wall. I turned, bringing an elbow down on her arm. Her hand dropped the gun into my grasp. I pointed it toward her.

"...I'm not scared of a simple gun."

The others walked over and arrested her. I looked at Sam.

"If you continued, she would've killed herself, which would've killed me," I explained. He furrowed his eyebrows. "I watch this show when we aren't hunting."

He walks over, going to hug me before the scene changes again.

"Holy...," I trailed off as I looked around.

Around us, we could see the tops of roofs and a beautiful night sky. It was almost a dreamy setting.

"Where are we now," Sam asked.

"Only the great Moulin Rouge," Sam and I both twirled around to face... Gabriel. "I know, I know... I'm not dead, anyway!"

I rolled my eyes.

"You two need to learn a lesson," he pointed at us.

"It's like back in 2010," I mumbled. "Play our roles to get out. Probably why we were pulled out of the last two."

"You'll fall into them naturally, I promise," Gabriel smirked. "And yes. Stop ignoring the plotline."

"Alright... sure, I was gonna get shot for your crappy game," I snapped sarcastically.

Then, he was gone. I rolled my eyes.

"So, what are the roles," Sam asked as I walked around the top of the elephant.

"Well, Christian and Satine," I pointed between us. "Maeve and Spencer. The Princess Bride and Westley. It's all romance."

"Why," Sam scrunched his face up.

"Because Gabe wants to get his rocks off," I said sarcastically, "I don't know, Sam!"

I walked down the stairs of the elephant. It was gorgeous here. It was just as vibrant as the movie made it look.

"Wow," I look back at Sam. "This is awesome."

I chuckled and nodded.

"What seen is it?"

"The Elephant Love Medley," I said. "Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman sing this mash-up of famous love songs as his character tries to convince her that there is nothing more important than love."

"I'm not gonna sing," Sam shook his head.

"I was not gonna ask you too," I chuckled. "I've heard you sing."

"Rude."

I just shrugged.

I looked around at the room, trying to figure out how to play these roles without the singing.

"Wait," I said. "Come on."

I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the stairs.

"What is it," Sam asked as we made it to the top.

"At the end of the medley, Christian and Satine are dancing and they walk out onto this field of clouds and are held up in the sky."

"What-"

"This whole movie feels like a fever dream the first time you watch it."

"Come on," Sam held a hand out to me.

"Can you dance?"

"Not well," he chuckled. "The role didn't say I needed to be good."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him.

I tried to lead his steps and laughed as he stumbled into a pattern.

"Come on," I moved back so I could grab only one hand.

I led him a few steps forward and onto- what seemed to be- steps in the clouds. I let out an excited laugh when it worked. Sam looked at me and grinned at my excitement.

As soon as got to the top of the steps... it was gone.

We were in the middle of the street now.

"Aw, that was just mean," I mumbled. I glared at Sam when I heard him laughed.

He held his hands up jokingly before extending one toward me. I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"I know what movie this is," he shrugged. I motioned for him to continue explaining. He walked over, hand still held out to me, "The Notebook. Noah and Allie dance in the street. So... will you dance with me? Even without the sequence where we dance in the clouds."

I bit my lip as I smiled.

I took his hand and let him pull me into the street. I laughed as I stumbled into his chest.

We fell into the scene naturally.

Sam held one of my hands in his and held my waist with the other. I placed my free hand on his shoulder. I looked up at him. It felt strange that we so casually fell into the scene but I was happy.

Sam jokingly twirled me around before pulling me back to his chest. I closed my eyes and chuckled.

"What," he asked.

"Nothing," I shook my head. "I just never saw you as such a romantic."

"Well, don't tell anyone, you'll ruin my reputation," he said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes.

Sam spun the two of us in a circle before going to dip me. I didn't think I'd ever get to experience something like this. It always just felt like something I should forget about as a hunter. I was starting to forget why I was so angry with Sam in the first place.

I barely noticed that Sam was leaning in before the scene around me changed.

I was on a football field.

I looked around.

There was no sign of Sam.

"Crap," I mumbled, trying to figure out where to look first.

Then, there was a voice going over the field's speakers.

"You're just too good to be true... can't take my eyes off of you..."

I looked around toward the stands to see Sam walking with a mic. Can't sing, my ass.

"You'd be like heaven to touch... I wanna hold you so much"

"Oh my god," I muttered.

"At long last love has arrived... And I thank God I'm alive... You're just too good to be true... Can't take my eyes off of you."

I tried to bite back my laugh. He shrugged at me with an embarrassed smile and stepped into the actual stands.

We both jumped when the marching band started playing. I looked to see Gabriel smirking and leading their march.

Sam and I shrugged at each other. He continued on with the act.

Now, Sam Winchester pretending to be Patrick in "10 Things I Hate About You" was a treat... and was exactly what you imagined it would be.

He was almost stumbling down the steps as he continued on with the act. I was laughing hysterically by the time I saw the security guards starting to run in.

"Sam," I yelled, pointing behind him.

"Crap," I heard through the mic (which made me almost double-over in laughter) as he tried to take off running.

As soon as he was grabbed, the scene changed.

We both took a deep breath when we realized we were sitting together in a car.

"Thank god," Sam mumbled.

"That was a great performance, by the way," I said, still chuckling.

"Shut up," he muttered, laughing along with me. We fell silent after a minute. "So... what scene is this?"

"I have no idea," I replied.

"It's Gilmore Girls, dumbasses," we heard Gabriel's voice but saw no sign of him. "Season 1, Episode 16... absolute idiots."

"Didn't peg him for a Gilmore Girls fan," I said. Sam laughed.

"Me neither."

We fell silent again.

"I'm sorry," Sam said, looking over at me. "You were right. You can defend yourself and you were just trying to help me. I'm sorry for being such a dick about it."

I grinned, "Thanks... I forgive you. I know you were just worried about me."

Sam smiled back.

"I... umm...," Sam looked down for a moment, clearing his throat and collecting his thoughts. "I just... I love you."

My heart leaped up into my throat. I blinked at him a few times and forced a chuckle out. Which was the wrong response but I panicked. Hunters... we could face the devil but emotions were a no-no.

"(Y/n)," Sam's smile dropped slowly when he realized I wasn't responding.

I was just about to respond when the scene changed again.

Sam was gone again and I was on a city street.

"Dammit," I muttered.

I ran down the street, turning the corner. I looked at the wall of the building I was by. Was this a jazz club?

I walked through the door and was guided to a table so I could sit down and watch the performance.

"La La Land," I said.

Sam and I watched this together. Dean had gone to bed. We weren't tired and just turned this movie on because it looked like it was mostly happy.

Big dance numbers, beautiful effects... and the epilogue that made me hide tears from Sam.

I looked at the stage. Sam was sitting there, wearing a suit, looking at the audience nervously. He hesitantly reached toward the piano. It was like it was a prerecorded track. It sounded just like the movie.

I smiled.

I just wanted to talk to him.

Soon the performance ended.

I stood up and started walking over, seeing Sam starting to walk out.

I grinned at him, "Sam-"

He cut me off by cupping the sides of my face and kissing me softly. I touched his sides lightly, smiling against his lips. It was... magic. Absolute magic.

Then, I shot awake, back in my bed in the bunker.

The game was over. Thank God.

"(Y/n)," I heard yell through the bunker hall.

I ran into the hall and ran toward his room.

We stopped as soon as we saw each other.

"Please tell me that wasn't a dream," I said. He shook his head, smiling widely at me.

I ran over, pulling him down to kiss him again. It was softer than our last kiss and I loved it. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me closer. I buried my hands through his hair.

"Woah, what did I miss," we pulled away when we heard Dean.

I could basically feel Sam chuckle against my lips before he moved to look at his brother. I turned around in Sam's arm.

"A chick flick moment," Sam answered.

"Alright," Dean gave us a weird look before leaving without another word.

I looked back at Sam with a smile, "I love you."

"I love you too," he grinned and leaned in to kiss me softly again.

-----------------------------------

Masterlist

What I Write For

Request Guidelines

Musical Prompts

Small Moments With…

When Worlds Collide (Doctor Who Crossover Series) Masterlist

Some Original Characters

folklore/evermore Writing Challenge (and Masterlist)

#sam winchester x reader #sam winchester imagine #sam winchester fanfiction #supernatural x reader #supernatural imagine #supernatural fanfiction #imagine #fanfiction #x reader

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charlie-rulerofhell · 3 years

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An interview with Måneskin: “It's not about out bodies, it's about our music”

Heyo, I'm back with another translation. This time the article is from the German Rolling Stone website who met with Måneskin after their TikTok performance at the Schwuz, Berlin, and posted the interview yesterday. Again there were some interesting questions asked (and the pictures they added to the article are quite nice, though severely lacking some Ethan content, but check it out!).

Again, I hope that no one has already gone through the effort and translated it or is currently working on a translation. Also this is an official invitation, if you stumble across any articles or video interviews in German that you would like to have translated just message me and I'll get to it! (or if you just wanna chat about Måneskin, my inbox is always open :))

Have a great day everyone!

Full article under the cut.

-----------------------------

An interview with Måneskin: “It's not about out bodies, it's about our music”

Jose-Luis Amsler

July 6, 2021

Måneskin are just what this generation has been missing. Passionate, corny, and full-on honest. In an interview with Rolling Stones, the ESC winners explain to us why they would never work in a normal job and why the hype for their appearance is sometimes going too far.

Damiano, Victoria, Thomas and Ethan are entering the nearly deserted dance hall, before they wait on stage in a red-blue spotlight. They are wearing glittering fish net tops, black tape across their nipples, leather pants, heels and make up. The camera men who are filming in portrait format (9:16) suitable for TikTok are whirling up the haze of the fog machine.

Måneskin are [in] Berlin to give a TikTok concert. A TikTok livestream of this scale has not been done often – tension is in the air. The four Italians don't know at this point that due to the stream the few people present are not allowed to clap or cheer. In complete silence and with slight uncertainty the four are crossing Neukölln's club Schwuz. A few puzzled glances are exchanged. Finally, Måneskin are striking the first chord.

Then the rich sound of Ethan's bass drum is tearing through the silence. It's almost as if someone has flicked a switch somewhere. There it is, the rock star presence that is hovering over everything they do, with an ounce of arrogance (in the best sense of the word). Singer Damiano is dancing lasciviously on his heels, and during an especially ecstatic solo guitarist Thomas is throwing himself down on the floor in a way it can only be done by a passionate 20-year-old musician who had never had to worry about the looming doom of an artificial knee joint [for 'passionate' the interview is using the term 'besessen' which means 'possessed', and although I think it's rather supposed to describe the way Thomas is 'possessed / obsessed' with the music, thus passionate for the music, you never know if they didn't mean to say that the way he dances looks 'possessed' … I mean, they might be on to something here ;)]. Around half an hour and about 120 decibel later, Damiano says their goodbyes with an almost shy-sounding “Okay, bye.” After the performance, we do our interview in the Schwuz.

Rolling Stone: It was a little bit weird, right, when you went on stage today?

Damiano: Yeah, that was really strange (laughs). They only told us after the performance that the audience was instructed to stay silent for the stream.

Vic: But at least they weren't silent because we were shit (all laughing). We are slowly getting used to playing without a live audience. I mean we are doing this now for more than a year.

RS: What do you think about these new kinds of concerts such as the TikTok livestream today?

Damiano: Well, at the moment it is the only option to perform anyway, so it's alright. But of course you cannot compare this to a proper concert.

Thomas: But it's pretty cool that so many people can experience our concert live.

Vic: Also we're gonna start touring again soon. Right now we are arranging some festival and gigs. In December we will be touring Italy and afterwards we are planning to go on tour through Europe. But we don't have anything fixed yet, there is just a lot going on at the moment.

“A lot going on”. Quite an understatement considering the recent journey Måneskin has made through the past weeks after their ESC win. Their singles “Beggin'” and “I Wanna Be Your Slave” went through the roof (also thanks to Social Media) and are currently dominating the international charts – lately they were also number one in Germany. There is barely a radio station that isn't playing the band on heavy rotation [would love to know what stations they listen to, have never heard Måneskin played in German radio tbh :( ], and everyone opening Instagram or TikTok these days is flooded by Måneskin content. Every second a new fanpage with the name of 'maneskin_obsession' or 'damianos_slut' is springing up like a (virtual) mushroom. It sounds like a cliche, but Damiano, Vic, Thomas and Ethan became international stars over night.

“Of course it's nice to get compliments. But sometimes they definitely cross a line.” – Damiano David

RS: How has your life as a band changed since your win at the ESC in Rotterdam?

Vic: I think we don't even notice a lot of what's happening. Right after the ESC we went to a studio in the countryside where we made music the whole day long. So at first we didn't realise that so many things were happening all around us – and that we had so many new fans. We're just now beginning to learn what's going on. We were at Sony yesterday, there were so many fans waiting for us. That was crazy.

RS: A large part of the attention you are getting now is about your outer appearance, your style, your attractiveness. Is that getting a little too much sometimes?

Damiano: Of course it's nice to get compliments (laughs). But sometimes they definitely cross a line. Especially when we just talk about our music or about a social or political topic that we care about. In those moments it's just completely inappropriate to reduce us to our appearance. Sure – when I'm posting a half-naked picture of myself on Instagram I know that I will get these kind of comments. And then it's totally fine, I mean in the end I'm posting the picture to show myself. But sometimes it's not the right place for it.

RS: And also you should be allowed to wear what you want without being sexualised, right?

Vic: Yes, absolutely. We are wearing these outfits because we feel good in them, not to put the focus on our bodies. And in general it shouldn't always only be about how you dress. We are musicians – so first and foremost it should be about our music. But I think it will still be a long way until we will reach that point.

“That the boys are wearing make up does not tell you what gender they are attracted to. Those things should never be equated with each other.” – Victoria De Angelis

RS: But still you are sending a message with your style against stereotypical gender roles. I guess it's also not only coincidence that we are in the Schwuz today, which is normally a party location and safe space for the LGBTQ community.

Vic: Yes, that is all part of the positive message that we try to send. We want to give our audience the feeling that they are free. Free to wear whatever they want to wear, be how they want to be and love whom they want to love. It's unbelievable that there is still so much intolerance in our times. That has always been really important to us so we try to talk about these topics. We also believe that the narrow-mindedness of society is an educational problem. When you grow up with people all around you telling you how you should be, you will never feel completely free. The more people are talking about it, the sooner things will change.

RS: Some artists who are advocating for these topics are accused of 'queerbaiting', that they are only pretending to be a certain way to gain more support from the queer community. Have you also been faced with those allegations?

Vic: Yes, a few times. But of course we never pretended to be anything. Some people accuse of us queerbaiting because we look and act the way we do. But that's flawed thinking. We don't believe that clothes are connected to a person's sexuality. That the boys are wearing make up does not tell you what gender they are attracted to. Those two things should never be equated with each other.

RS: This courage for free self expression that you are conveying is mainly lived by our (young) generation through Instagram and the like. What is your relationship to social media?

Damiano: For me it was almost scary at first. The more we grew, the more people were trying to twist all of my words. But over time you start to understand that with more fame you also get more criticism. The happier you look the more hate you will get. It's not only like that for celebrities. If you are brave enough to show the things that make you happy there will always be people that support you, but they are also those that envy you. Of course, this should never lead anyone to not express themselves openly but that's easier said than done.

Vic: We are also trying not to spend too much time on social media. In the end we just try to be honest with our fans and to avoid negativity.

[caption under the picture of Damiano: 'Is already being compared to icons such as David Bowie']

It's actually surprising how little power a win at the ESC holds in most cases. Almost 200 million people are watching this shining spectacle every year – and still, a few months afterwards it is hard to remember who those people were that got covered in confetti during the award ceremony. It's the well-known curse of a casting show that rests on the winning bands. When just next year a new sensation will come to marvel at, how much impact does a win have then? There are exceptions of course, like Lena who is until this day, 10 years after her win in Oslo, a part of the more famous music scene of German pop music. With their charisma, their unusual sound at least for our modern standards, and their contemporary message Måneskin could become such an exception, too.

It's likely also helpful that the band already had a standing in the Italian music scene prior to their ESC participation. Their first album 'Il ballo della vita' already achieved platinum in 2018, three years prior to Sanremo and the ESC. And then there is also the long way that led the four schoolmates to this point that helped them gain the necessary persistence. Because contrary to what some people might want to believe Måneskin are not a phenomenon that has just been deliberately bred to be this way by the entertainment industry for Eurovision.

“I have worked [in a 'normal' job] for a whole month in my entire life – it didn't really end well.” – Damiano David

RS: You were all raised in Rome, the capital of the catholic church. What was it like to start as a young progressive band in such a conservative environment?

Damiano: In the beginning, when we started as buskers, no one gave a damn about us anyways (all laughing). But of course … Once we got a bit bigger there were a few people who had a problem with us. For example when we went to Sanremo, there were quite many people who thought that the way we looked and acted we shouldn't be allowed to represent Italy. They didn't even want to listen to our music first.

Vic: Especially when it comes to appearance and sexuality, Italy is a little more backward than other countries. The church probably also has an influence there. They are often quite conservative of course, so many people grew up with such a [conservative] mindset.

RS: You once said that the song 'In Nome Del Padre' is an answer to exactly those people. What does the song mean to you?

Damiano: Back in the beginning [of our career] we had to deal with a lot of problems. They didn't want to let us play in clubs because we would take too much space as a band or because they didn't like our (fashion) style or because they didn't want to pay us. Italy isn't a good place for bands. Our musical style was also criticised a lot. Many people were telling us: Don't do that [rock music], you won't get popular with that in Italy, you will never achieve anything with it. Of course those comments were hurtful but they were also a good reason for us to continue with what we did. And we turned our sadness into anger. With that song we wanted to tell those people from back then: Fuck off and look at us, we did it!

RS: Did you ever consider working in a nine-to-five job and live a 'normal' life?

Damiano: Nah, not really. For one month in my life I worked [in a 'normal' job] – it didn't end well (all laughing).

Vic: We all made music since we were kids. It's a huge part of us, that we couldn't just ignore. And the most important thing is that you do something that makes you happy. At least that's what we believe. So we started from a young age to put all our time and energy into music.

Thomas: Yeah, exactly. Ever since we were in school together we always made music. That has always been our main focus and it is until today. We play and play and play because it is the only thing that …

Ethan: … we live for.

Damiano: Music has also something very therapeutic for us. Even when we are in a bad mood or fight with each other – yeah, that happens, too – then all of that is gone the moment we enter the stage. Maybe that's the beautiful thing about music – that it allows you to forget everything else. You're just standing on stage, having fun with your friends.

From most bands you wouldn't buy such a corny love letter to music. Mostly it just sounds like an empty phrase, a well-practiced quotable line. But when there is something that defines Måneskin and that becomes more and more evident during our conversation it's their uncompromising honesty. The four of them are definitely not lacking a sense of humour but they take their music very seriously. Which should not be taken for granted in a generation that has mainly produced sarcastic cloud rappers and has made cynical twitter comedy a national sport. And maybe Måneskin are exactly what this generation was lacking all along.

Still, the four musicians, all in the age of 20 to 22, are also prone to the constant need for self-expression, that has become an intrinsic part of today's life. This does not only reflect in the outfits of the band (always 'on fleek') and their Instagram profiles, but also in their lyrics. Their latest record 'Teatra D'Ira – Vol. 1' shows a clear theme: The album is an ode to individuality, accentuated by fast and hard sounds.

Sometimes this message fitting for a Disney movie [really? guess I have been watching the wrong Disney movies my whole life …] is wrapped in a contrasting loud and forceful packaging, but never so much that it becomes inauthentic or self-caricaturing [note: I'm honestly not entirely sure what they wanted to say with this sentence since it uses a lot of rhetorical devices that could be interpreted in different ways, but I'd say this sounds the most plausible]. And in the end, the thing that makes Måneskin so interesting is their unification of the spirit of this time – between TikTok hedonism and an omnipresent political statement – with the music of past generations.

“When you are twenty, you start to think about what the future will hold.” – Damiano David

RS: Your musical style is often described as classical 70s rock, but in fact there are many different influences in your music. Sometimes you groove almost into funk, sometimes it's more rapping than singing. How did this mixture come to be?

Thomas: It's just that we all have our own individual influences and then we meet somewhere in the middle. And we always try to stay open for experiments.

Ethan: Yes, we are very experimental in our song writing process.

Vic: We also don't want to limit ourselves to what is regarded as typical rock music. If rap fits better at some point then we just add that in. It just happens naturally without us thinking too much about it.

RS: So why was it still rock music in the end?

Vic: Because it's the style that we feel most represented by. But actually we just play the music that we enjoy playing. That's really important to us so that we can show something real on stage. We don't want to pretend to be something that we aren't or mock those people that really enjoy our music. You should always be proud of what you're doing and never fake anything just to sell more records.

RS: Is there something like an Italian rock music scene?

Vic: There are quite a lot of bands – but the most of them are much older than us or they are more going in the direction Indie rock. There isn't really a young rock scene, which we think is a pity. But ever since we got more famous people are telling us that they started listening to rock music because of us or that they bought their first guitar and such. That's incredibly nice!

RS: So you're saying that you also want to show this style of music to a younger generation. And you capture this contrast quite well in the song 'Vent'anni', which is a typical rock ballad but lyrically portrays the thoughts of today's youth. Where did the motivation come from to write that song?

Damiano: With the song I wanted to show that I'm just a normal guy, a really typical 20-year-old. I experience the same things that other people in my age are experiencing, I'm just doing another job than them. Also I wanted to describe this age as a whole because I think it's a really special age. At 20 you start to think about what the future will hold. I think it's one of the most important stages of your life. Since we (the four of us) are all in the same age, I then started to mix our experiences together. In the end the song shows what it means to us to be 20. There is a lot of good things – you are quite carefree and are looking at life enthusiastically. But on the other hand you're too young to do certain things and too old to do others. Some people are treating you like a full-grown adult, but …

Vic: … not entirely.

Damiano: Exactly. It can get pretty frustrating at times. We wanted to show our audience: Hey, we're also just 20 years old, and we're going through the same things as you. We understand you.

RS: Except that you are the ones who are becoming a world-wide phenomenon right now. How do you want to maintain this honesty?

Damiano: I think that we could just reach this point because we have always been authentic – for better or for worse. Also we are just trying to have fun with what we're doing together. That's something special that we don't want to lose. In the end we're just four friends who started to live their dream. It's actually pretty simple. Of course – we go on stage, we get a lot of attention, we give interviews – but when we come back home we're just four friends.

#måneskin #maneskin #måneskin interview #my stuff #esc #again if you ever want anything to be translated just hit me up i'm free most of the time #ig my blog is slowly turning into a måneskin fanpage for translations and shitposting #but tbh i'm not complaining #have a great day everyone and happy waiting for sooooon

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astrella-writes · 3 years

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prompt | anonymous asked: Could I get some general relationship headcanons (with some fluff please!) for Chishiya, Arisu, and Kuina 🥺👉👈 let me know if you need a more specific ask! :)

warnings | written with the intention of female pronouns but can be read as gender neutral, very minor suggestive implications, mentions of alcohol, nicotine and eating habits, might be considered kinda cheesy oops, the use of the pet name ‘bunny’.

word count | 1.4K

author’s note | ‘m loving this request. this is written with the intention of it being pre-borderlands.

Shuntarō Chishiya

- Frequenting local cafes for routinely study dates. He helps you with topics that you may struggle on and you buy him the bizarre flavored ‘treat of the week’ as a thank you. He jokes around that you’re probably using him as a test subject, because who would order sweet potato brownies with the premise that they would taste good. Much to his surprise, they actually do.

- Visiting a cat cafe once, but not getting around to completing any work. The image of Chishiya cradling a fluffy kitten close to his chest and holding softened eye contact with it is now your permanent lock screen. He has a matching lock screen of you holding a kitten from under the armpits and touching noses with it.

- Learning new skills together. Chishiya is pretty much down for anything that he considers interesting enough. That’s how you ended up frustratingly trying to follow along to a complex origami cat tutorial at 2 in the morning as Chishiya worked quietly with his earbuds in, listening to a different tutorial. Only once he presented you with a perfect paper flower did you smile for the first time in the past hour, the frustration dissipating. That very flower has claimed its indefinite place on your bedside table, something that didn’t go unnoticed by him.

- Doing escape rooms together every so often. It baffles you to some degree how he figures things out so easily, but then again, you’ve known how smart your boyfriend was since the day you met so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise. You just can’t help but admire him, and voice these admirations out loud. Your compliments being the only ones which truly affect him.

- Despite how genius your boyfriend is, you remain concerned about the mental toll college might have on him. If he is stressed, he barely gives it away, but you’ve grown to read through his indifference and pick up when something is wrong - even if he’s attempting to hide it for your disburden. You allow him to de-stress in your arms, playing with the tips of his hair and speaking through what has got him so troubled.

- Late night dates that consist of trips to the corner store where you buy your favourite snacks and walk down to the beach together. It’s a relaxing way to wind down after a stressful week filled with work and college. If it’s not too cold that night, you substitute sitting on your usual bench for a stroll along the sand. If he finds a pretty seashell, Chishiya will give it to you wordlessly.

- He buys you a lot of small things that reminds him of you. A cute keychain he found by chance while buying groceries, splurging his money on a random claw machine because he spotted a plushie character from that show you really like, buying your favourite snacks to calm you down before a big exam that you’ve been studying really hard for. It’s the little things that show how much he really loves you.

Ryōhei Arisu

- Offering him a place to stay for a few days if he needs a break from his family, Arisu will pack up his gaming laptop along with him and you two will game with each other side by side. He anticipates the moment you rest your head on his shoulder and once you do, he rests his own head upon yours with a small: “you tired, bunny?”

- Being extremely supporting and non-judgemental on the topic of him getting a job. You search listings almost daily and send any promising ones through to him, leaving an encouraging message afterwards in hopes he gets the right intention. You care for him deeply and don’t want to see his father eventually kicking him out the house for being unemployed and making the situation ten times more difficult for him.

- Helping him get out more and introducing him to places he quickly grows to love. A quaint coffee shop with a grassy roof hidden deep within the cracks that he never would have found if it weren’t for you. It’s become your usual spot for dates, and Arisu enjoys the tranquility of it all.

- Going on trips to the game store together, even though Arisu usually just buys all his games online, and he’s pretty sure you do too. Regardless, it’s an excuse to meet up and hang out for a few hours after, something he’s found has become more enthralling than gaming.

- Staying up on video call into the late hours of the night as you both battle it out on some mmorpg. You’re confused when you see his idle avatar and look over at your phone screen to find him staring at you in a trance. It catches you off guard at first, but seeing him snap back to reality upon getting caught and getting all flustered left you replaying the scene over in your head for days later.

- Dates to the arcade, because of course. You two definitely hog a specific game with a line of pouting children waiting impatiently to get their chance. Arisu only agrees to move on when you mention a new game you spotted earlier. There is no new game, you just feel bad for the kids. Once he’s caught on, you merely give his lips a quick peck and you’re instantly forgiven.

- Playing in one of those immersive game machines with the curtains on both sides, only for Arisu to stare at you dumbly, leaving you a flustered and confused mess. This usually leads to a one-sided lean in and a small make out, only for an innocent kid to pull back the curtain and run away mortified. Their screams are the highlight of your boyfriend’s day, and you swear he’s holding some mental record of how many kids he traumatize through doing this.

Hikari Kuina

- Working at the same clothing store and having Kuina intervene whenever you’re faced with a rude customer. She might not be all too friendly if they insulted you, and if getting fired is the cost of standing up for you, then so be it. You’d quit alongside her and find some place new to work.

- Helping tend to her sickly mother in hospital, whom you had made speechless upon your first visit. She was delightfully thrilled upon finally being introduced to her daughter’s significant other, Kuina sharing to you afterwards that she hadn’t seen her mother smiling so brightly in a long time. You always present her mother with gifts upon each visit, whether it be flowers or a small cake. She’s become like your own mother, and so you help pay towards hospital bills as well.

- Comforting Kuina if she ever gets upset about her past (especially her relationship with her father) or her mother’s current poor health. You make her feel so valid; it leaves her a sobbing mess in your arms as you comfort her with soothing strokes and affectionate mumbles. Once her wailing has calmed, you offer to make her favourite - hot chocolate topped with cream.

- Constant sleepovers, which include wearing face masks, ordering takeout, watching some sappy romance before switching it over to an action movie and sipping on some cheap beer. The buzz of the alcohol always makes you more daring as you suggest showering together, and you’re never turned down by your equally audacious girlfriend.

- Helping her overcome her nicotine addiction and being the initial person to suggest chewing on a dummy cigarette whenever she felt the urge to smoke. Her mother couldn’t thank you enough for getting her into this, expressing her hidden fear of having to watch Kuina smoke herself into ill health or worse, a premature grave.

- In return, she looks out for your own well-being: reaching out to hold your hand before you both cross the street, showing up with lunch the next day at work if she thinks you haven’t been eating as much lately, keeping headache pills in her bag ever since you complained about a migraine that one time, keeping an extra umbrella in the break room just in case it rains later that day and you’ll need one.

- It’s never a dull moment dating Kuina, always planning fun and exciting dates like getting drunk in a private karaoke room only for it to lead to sloppy make outs. The one time she was so insistent on riding the kiddies train at the amusement park, only for the both of you to fall off once you reached the sharp bend in the tracks. It left you both a giggling mess, but the pain afterwards definitely made the whole situation regrettable.

#chishiya x reader #arisu x reader #kuina x reader #alice in borderland #alice in borderland x reader #aib fanfic #aib scenarios #chishiya shuntaro #ryohei arisu #hikari kuina #chishiya shuntaro x reader #alice in borderland imagines #chishiya

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puterboy1 · 1 month

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I have a couple of complaints and changes that I could have done for my own personal benefit or for the benefit of others:

1. ⁠Three Alternate Openings

Instead of Percy narrating the story in the cold open, I have three alternate openings that I think could have enhanced (or degraded) the story if they had taken place before he utters the iconic opening line: One romantic, one dramatic and the other a framing set up.

The romantic version shows how Sally and Poseidon first met instead of it being a flashback for the Montauk scene. It is a slow montage with no dialogue or sound effects, just music. The cinematography and mis-en-scene are high reminiscent to the opening of The Notebook, in which Sally and Poseidon are dark figures silhouetted against the red light of dawn, almost completely obscured. We see Sally walking up to the beach and Poseidon stepping out of the water, going on a boat ride and everything else we saw in the show. As the montage draws to a close, we finally get a good look at Sally seeing the Poseidon is gone and she is pregnant. We cut to her giving birth to Percy and her first line is her christening him. The music ends as the scene dissolves to 12 years later with Sally staring out the window of her apartment when Gabe calls her for his seven-bean dip. She responds, leaves the window and we pan all the way out towards Manhattan in the direction of the museum and then we hear Percy's opening monologue.

The dramatic version is a bit similar to the opening of the 20th Century Fox adaptation in which we get to see the Winter Solstice meeting with the gods. Everything is copasetic until Hermes tells everyone that the master bolt has been stolen. Zeus and Poseidon get into an argument and then Zeus tells everyone that there will be a war.

The framing set up would be Percy, as an adult telling the story of his life to his kids or even the younger campers of Camp Half Blood. First, he starts with "I didn't want to be a half-blood", there is a flash of lightning and we cut to Percy's 12-year-old self like in the real show.

2. Seeing more of Percy's life before Camp Half Blood

Percy did mention other incidents that happened before Yancy and it would have been both a hilarious and a very sad way of seeing how he got expelled from several different schools. But of course, they do have a budget and it's not very big.

3. Principal Riordan

When I saw that principal and how desperate and worried he looked in his efforts to find Percy and get him off the roof, I knew in a moment that Rick pretty much wasted a good opportunity to play the guy because Percy is his baby and seeing him act more like concerned father than a typical school principal would definitely be in his DNA. But if there is one good side, it is seeing a pegasi and one of those animatronic bulls. I also like the flashback where Percy and his mom go to the museum, but I kinda miss Mr. Brunner's lecture, it would felt more like you were in school again listening to an awesome speech on mythology. But then again, to most kids of the 2000s, school was boring.

4. Nancy calling Percy a dumb blonde

If Nancy was that cruel, she'd probably have another reason to call Percy dumb...because he's blonde. Even if such a stereotype has faded into obscurity, it would probably still make you want to give you another reason for hating her. It also could have given Percy some development as he learns for himself, and proves Nancy wrong, that not all blondes are dumb.

5. Percy calls Nancy out

Even if the scene we got was close to the book, one change I would make, that I would find to be cathartic, would be Percy telling Nancy what kind of a person she is before he pushes her into the fountain, and it would go something like this:

• ⁠Percy: (grabs Nancy by the arm) Don't you have anything better to do in your spare time? One that doesn't involve being a *technical term for a female dog*?

• ⁠Nancy: Well maybe I like being a *technical term for a female dog*, it makes me feel like a goddess.

• ⁠Percy: Well guess what, Nancy, you're not a goddess, you're just as human as you and I and if you had any decency like a real human should, you would treat me and my friend with some respect! *slaps Nancy and force pushes her into the fountain*

6. Percy vs. Mrs. Dodds: Dawn of the Unnecessary Relocation

One of the things the Fox adaptation of The Lighting Thief ironically got right was Percy's fight with Alecto/Mrs. Dodds taking place in an empty part of the museum and Mr. Brunner giving Percy the Riptide pen in the middle of the fight. Here the fight takes place outside and Mr. Brunner gives Percy Riptide before the fight. I find this change to be very odd and the fight itself to be very underwhelming. Rick has a lot of explaining to do.

One minor note: I think Percy should have said the now (in)famous line "But this is a pen!"

7. My Riptide Sense is Tingling

I'm not sure what led Rick to make Riptide be Percy's personal alarm, and while I kinda like it, I feel mixed because what if it gets too loud and the enemy hears it?

8. Intertitles for Each Chapter

One creative way of telling the audience when a chapter begins is a title card, maybe one slightly animated and drawn on a piece of school textbook paper, think Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I know it's cheesy, but then again, drama is better.

9. Et Tu, Grover?

One change that does seem to sit well with me is Grover telling the heads of Yancy that he encouraged Percy to push Nancy into the fountain. It makes Percy's defection from Grover pretty dramatic, but at the same time, Grover not being able to tell his secret can also be concerning.

10. Has It Now Become a Sin to Feature Gaslighting in Kid's Show?

Aside from one mention, Mr. Brunner and Grover are never seen gaslighting Percy over the denial of Mrs. Dodd's existence. Instead, we get a "you are special" speech from Mr. Brunner. And I ask why? Featuring the gaslighting would have made the show feel more like a suspense thriller a la Hitchcock and adds to the mystery.

#Percy Jackson #Percy Jackson and the Olympians

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silverynight · 3 years

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Dead end

Tanjirou has come to the conclusion that running away towards the big city was a mistake. He's never seen so many people before; it's overwhelming. Nezuko is grabbing his hand hard, almost painfully, although Tanjirou has learned to endure pain in the two years that he stayed with Urokodaki.

Nezuko pulls, managing to draw his attention away from the bakery and back to her. Almost desperately, she makes a few gestures with her hands, pointing in the direction of the mountain.

He sighs, feeling sad inside; he'd like to hear her voice again, but she has refused to speak a word since their family was killed. He's never pressed her though.

"You know we can't go back," Tanjirou mumbles, feeling bad for causing her sorrow. "I miss him too, but you know they're looking for us so he'll probably be safer alone."

Sighing, Nezuko nods, hugs his brother and keeps walking next to him, trying not to collide with the people around and holding his hand.

She's not the only one wishing they could go back, he's constantly thinking about it. Once he thought they could be happy there, in that small village with Urokodaki, but for some reason the people that killed their family also wanted to kill them both.

Tanjirou doesn't understand; Urokodaki said the man behind it was the leader of a crime syndicate and that his name was Muzan. There were two crime groups in Japan; the one led by Kibutsuji and the other by nine people who were called the hashira.

"The Pillars are skilled swordsmen; you'll never find people more capable than them in combat," Urokodaki explained one night. "But they're also dangerous in their own ways."

Urokodaki taught him how to fight with a katana during those two years; he insisted it was necessary in case Kibutsuji came back for him (and he was right).

However, since the katana was Urokodaki's Tanjirou left it behind, instead he brought an axe and hoped for the best.

Nezuko stops; she's blinking, trying to stay awake. They're both tired and hungry and even though Tanjirou would love to get something to eat, he needs to find a place where they both can spend the night first.

Tomorrow he needs to get a job.

His money is not enough to pay for a night in the first place they find. Tanjirou offers himself for any kind of job, but the owner claims he doesn't need more employees at the moment.

"I know a place where you can get money though," he grins, looking over his shoulder. "If you're willing to let your girl work."

Confused, he looks up at the man, who steps into the light to look closely at him.

"I also know a place for pretty boys like you," he adds, taking Tanjirou's chin. "Someone like you can get more than a few coins for spending a night with–"

Moving away from the man, as Tanjirou starts to blush, he runs away from there as quickly as possible.

"I think this was a mistake," he tells Nezuko.

He definitely doesn't like the city.

The second place they arrive to is even worse, not because of how it looks, but due to what they find out when they get there.

"I'm not sure," the woman mumbles, eyeing at them both. "I haven't seen you around here before. The hashira have strict rules when it comes to people from outside the city."

"The hashira?" Tanjirou shivers, feeling suddenly exposed; he looks around, nervous.

"This city belongs to them."

They need to go back immediately. Grabbing Nezuko's hand, he begins to run in the opposite direction, however in his desperation he ends up in a dark alley with a dead end.

"Alright. We just need to turn around," he mumbles, feeling nervous.

"The boy with the hanafuda earrings!" A voice says, amusement ringing in it. "Finally! My Lord Kibutsuji will be happy when I bring your head to him!"

There's a boy with her as well. He's carrying a couple of daggers while she's bouncing two temari in her hands.

"They're coming after me," he mumbles, almost in relief. "Listen, Nezuko, I want you to hide and wait for the perfect opportunity to run away. I'll try to distract them."

Nezuko narrows her eyes, she's fuming, angry at the thought of leaving him behind. She gestures something about never leaving him.

Even though he appreciates it, Tanjirou would've preferred her to choose running away.

However, there's no time to argue. He turns around with the axe in his hand, but a temari passes right over his shoulder. At first Tanjirou believes the girl missed, but when he hears Nezuko's scream and sees her fall to the ground he almost runs towards her.

He can't, there's no time. He charges at the girl quickly, dodging a temari as he runs, only to realize that the boy plans to stab Nezuko even though she's unconscious on the ground.

Without thinking twice, he throws the axe and cuts the boy's arm off; Tanjirou doesn't really like hurting others, but if Nezuko's life is in danger, he knows he'll do anything to keep her safe.

Even though the boy is bleeding because of the wound, he still tries to attack Tanjirou again.

The girl cackles in such a way before running towards his fallen sister at the same time the other tries to reach him, Tanjirou knows he will only have the time to block her attack.

But then, from the roof of the house next to the alley a shadow jumps in front of the Kamado siblings. The young man doesn't say a word as he moves his katana with such ability that it makes impossible for Tanjirou to follow the attack. In the blink of an eye he cuts their heads without even uttering a word.

They both fall to the ground, making Tanjirou gasp and think how glad he is that Nezuko is unconscious at the moment. Quickly, he gets closer and doesn't think too much before taking her in his arms. He wonders if he could run past the swordsman and back into the noisy streets.

However, the young man turns around and looks back at him. Tanjirou curls over Nezuko, trying to protect her with his own body.

"I'm not gonna hurt you or your sister, Tanjirou," he says, surprising him. The young man has black, long hair and blue eyes that don't let any emotion to be reflected in them. Well, perhaps... irritation. They're shadowed with it at the moment. "You should've stayed with Urokodaki."

"How do you know that? How do you know my name?" Tanjirou asks, flinching away when he sees the man with the mismatched haori moving his katana quickly to clean it up. When it's back into its saya, he allows himself to relax... just a little.

"I'm Tomioka Giyuu," he introduces himself, moving even closer. "I'm the one who saved you that day."

No... That's not possible. Well, Tanjirou only remembers falling on the snow from exhaustion, looking for a place where someone could patch her sister up and then... nothing.

He woke up in Urokodaki's house the next day. He just assumed...

"Come with me."

Before he can say anything, two people arrive to the scene; Tanjirou imagines them screaming and calling the police, but instead of even glancing in the corpses' direction, they bow in front of Tomioka respectfully.

"Clean the area," he mumbles and both man and woman nod, before using bandages to cover the corpses completely.

Tomioka is... He must be...

"I'm afraid you and your girl got in trouble in the wrong city, sweet boy," a young woman with a haori that reminds him of butterfly wings chuckles. Tanjirou notices that she's also carrying a sword, although it looks like a small one. "You're in hashira territory now. And you brought Kibutsuji's assassins here. Now you must face all the Pillars."

"Please... I just need to get my sister to a doctor. I promise we'll go after that and you'll never see us again."

"It's too late now," she grins gently at him at the same time Tomioka walks in the middle of them. "Oh? You've broken a few rules already, Giyuu. Do you want to break more?"

"Shinobu, he's... I'm sure they won't cause us any more trouble if we let them–"

"He needs to be judged by all the hashira, Tomioka," another young swordsman appears out of nowhere, he has a white snake around his neck; his mouth is covered.

Tomioka nods, knowing they don't have a choice now, but he gets closer to Tanjirou as if trying to shield him from the other two.

"Come," he says, as kindly as possible.

"But Nezuko is bleeding..."

"Don't worry," Shinobu smiles, clapping her hands together. "I'll take care of that."

Two people arrive and pry Nezuko away from Tanjirou. He tries to fight them, but Tomioka puts a strong hand over his shoulder to stop him.

"She'll be fine," he assures him.

However, Tanjirou knows that he's completely trapped now; if they have Nezuko he won't have other choice but to do as they say.

***

The house they walk in is huge. Tanjirou ends up sitting on the floor in a room with dim light and a table in the middle. Tomioka and Shinobu get in the room right next to it.

They don't even tell him to stay; they must know he would never leave without his sister.

He's worried, however, he doesn't get scared until he catches a few sentences of the conversation.

"See? Giyuu is putting his life at risk for them."

"That doesn't mean anything, Tengen! They mean trouble if Kibutsuji is after them."

"We're not afraid of him, Sanemi."

"No, we're not, but we also don't interfere in other people's problems."

"Besides, why do we do with Tomioka? He hid them from us all this time."

"Obanai has a point!"

"I saw the girl! She's so pretty! Is her the one you're doing this for, Giyuu? That's so romantic!"

"It's the boy, Mitsuri," Shinobu is the only voice Tanjirou recognizes because Tomioka hasn't said anything yet. Still, nothing they've been saying makes any sense to him. The only thing he's sure about is that he's in trouble. "He's doing this for Tanjirou."

"Now I'm curious, Kocho."

"Let's see him then!"

The door slides open and Tanjirou doesn't have time to react when nine people walk inside. All of them are carrying katanas.

He looks down, but a huge hand grabs him by the chin to make him look up at them.

"Hey! Be careful!"

"Calm down, Giyuu. You know me, I'd never hurt such a pretty thing like this one," the one speaking has white hair tied up in a ponytail and what it looks like a headband with a couple of gemstones all over it. His eyes are deep pink. He's one of the tallest among them.

"Come on, stand up, my boy. Let us see you!" Another says, putting both arms over his shoulders, lifting him like he weighed nothing to help him stand. His voice is loud, although the thing that surprises him the most about him is his hair and eyes. They're like fire: yellow and red. It's really difficult for Tanjirou to look away from him. "I'm Rengoku Kyojuro!"

"Kamado Tanjirou," he mumbles, after a couple of them introduce themselves.

"I want to keep him," Tokito says after a while. Uzui looks back at him with amusement.

"He's my responsibility now."

"I'm sorry, Giyuu, but you know the rules here. You too, Muichiro," Rengoku grins, cupping Tanjirou's face in his hands. Even though he knows he's in front of one of the leaders of a crime syndicate, he feels safe for a couple of seconds. "If we keep him, he's going to be under everyone's protection."

"What about Nezuko? Is she going to be alright? Will you protect her as well?"

Rengoku nods, stroking Tanjirou's hair. Right next to him, Tomioka's shoulders tense.

"Of course, but you owe us now, Tanjirou."

That's all it takes to remind himself that he's in front of dangerous people.

"I understand, I'll do my best to–"

"I can pay off his debt," Tomioka offers, surprising Tanjirou again.

"You know we don't want money, Giyuu," Shinobu says, waving her hand dismissively.

"And we want nothing from you," Tokito adds, almost bored.

"What do you want?" Tanjirou asks, nervous, even though he notices that a few of them are looking down at him with a fond expression.

Without giving him any warning, Uzui takes him in his arms, prompting Tanjirou to wrap his arms and legs around him out of instinct.

"We want to welcome you to our family," the hashira grins, confusing him.

It's hard to see them as dangerous criminals when they act like that.

"I'll introduce you to my wives..."

"Wait! I want to see Nezuko."

"Of course, my boy!" Rengoku nods, taking him away from Uzui who pouts immediately. Tomioka looks irritated, but he follows them close anyway.

She's not awake yet, but she looks much better now. She has a bandage all around her forehead and new clothes. Two girls are right there taking care of her, as soon as they see the hashira though, they start bowing nervously.

Rengoku puts Tanjirou on the bed and the boy leans to take one if Nezuko's hand in his. Tomioka kneels next to him.

"You'll be safe here, Tanjirou. I'll protect you."

He nods, feeling better despite of knowing his mother would never have approved of something like that. But what other choice does he have? If being with the hashira means Nezuko can be safe, then he'll accept it.

"You selfish, stubborn bastard! Didn't you hear, Giyuu?" Shinazugawa huffs. "We will protect the siblings from now own. Tanjirou owes us now. He's ours."

"I thought you were against this arrangement, Sanemi," Uzui chuckles, prompting the other to growl at him.

"I'm a Pillar. If the majority has decided that he's worth the risk, then he is worth it."

Even though he doesn't like when they don't mention Nezuko, part of him is glad that they consider the debt is only Tanjirou's to pay.

That way she can be free as soon as Kibutsuji stops hunting them or dies.

"No one will hurt you again," Rengoku promises, leaning enough for their foreheads to touch. His eyes are intense. "They're too afraid of us to even try."

Tanjirou is not sure, but something tells him that Muzan is not going to give up that easy.

***

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