to me, the funniest thing about “that’s rough buddy” isn’t the fact that sokka says something patently insane with zero context seemingly out of nowhere, or the fact that zuko clearly doesn’t know how to respond. it’s the completely incorrect use of the word “buddy.” zuko would obviously like to be friends with sokka, but sokka is not, in fact, his friend. this is the most time they’ve ever spent together, and it’s because zuko invited himself to tag along on sokka’s suicide mission. at this point in the episode, sokka still hates this guy, perhaps less than he did a week ago, but he still hates him enough that he didn’t bother forcing zuko to stay home, which means he still didn’t really care whether or not zuko lives or dies. which, considering that he had tried to kill zuko multiple times in the past, is not all that surprising. this entire episode is essentially just zuko forcing his friendship onto sokka while sokka is legitimately too depressed to care. so when zuko calls sokka “buddy,” there’s a spirit of dogged optimism characterizing that epithet, because in no possible realm would sokka consider zuko his buddy at this point in the episode. and that’s something we miss when noting the iconicness of this exchange, simply because, by the end of this episode, they are buddies, so in our minds looking back on these lines, the implication of friendship doesn’t feel out of place at all. and really, it isn’t out of place, but only because zuko’s tenacity and determination (in this instance, his determination to befriend sokka) has always hugely outweighed his ability to read the room.
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i stand by that a better, more sensible, and more intriguing plot for TSATS would have been, instead of retconning literally everything:
Bob is dead (because he was very explicitly absorbed/killed by Tartarus Himself in House of Hades, alongside Damasen), and nobody is going into Tartarus to save him. He made his sacrifice and is gone. However. Remember how the Titans, including Bob, were just kind of kicking around for several years? Particularly. On a cruise ship full of mortals. And Bob happened to be kicking around in general for an extra year versus all the other Titans. And he mythologically sometimes has a mortal demigod son who partook in the Calydonian Boar Hunt (Dryas of Calydon). Yeah.
So turns out, Bob/Iapetus leaves behind a demigod (demititan?) child. And because Nico was pretty much his only friend, he named Nico his child's godfather. And while he's not being left in charge of the child, as a son of Hades and godfather to this kid, Nico is duty-bound to fulfill Bob's last will and go find this like 2 year old to make sure they're safe. So Nico has to undertake this very unusual quest (that raises many questions, such as "demititans are a thing?" and "DOES THIS MEAN THERE'S POTENTIALLY MORE-?!" and "SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS?") and is kind of freaking out because. He's the son of Hades! He's notoriously bad with living things, and animals, and definitely small children! Even if he does find this kid and assure they're safe, he is the last person who should be undergoing any kind of quest involving even potentially having to babysit. Fortunately, his boyfriend is the human embodiment of sunshine and calmness and good vibes, and also once helped a nymph give birth, so he feels Marginally More Confident in theoretical demititan babysitting and offers to come along on this Epic Journey of Figuring Out What In Hades' Name Is Up With This Demititan Baby Business.
Proceed with wholesome epic shenanigans quest of Nico and Will scurrying around trying to locate this random OP baby while Nico has an existential crisis about the nature of his powers because he doesn't want to let Bob down! Both for Hades Kid Honor Reasons and because Bob was his friend! But what if he's destined to fail this quest just because of who he is? Because he's simply not built for hanging out with the living/mortals? And Will reassuring him that He Will Probably Not Traumatize The Weird OP Titan Baby And It'll Be Fine, and simultaneously getting a peek into the weird other life Nico leads hanging out with immortals much more than the average demigod, which Nico considers his norm. Bonus shenanigans of both of them getting caught off-guard and culture shocked from where each other's respective worlds (Nico's mostly-immortal versus Will's mostly-mortal) cross over and learning to navigate those for each other - Nico finally starting to make some mortal connections and get glimpses at modern mortal American life, and Will trying not to get his brain literally incinerated while Nico's happily casually catching up with some of his old friends who happen to be literal gods.
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Mechamaru is a sad character, even though his anger at Shiki, to me, is honestly misplaced and more like self-loathing, envy, and commiseration.
It’s honestly sad what happens to Mechamaru because he did get the short end of the stick when it comes to Heavenly Restriction, didn’t he? He only wanted to have a healthy body, and in canon, he got it.
But what did it cost, really?
Because in the end, Mechamaru did in some way betray the jujutsu sorcerers. He can tell himself that he was desperate and he had the right to try and better his life when no one else cared to or was able to help him. He was in a shitty situation and tried fixing it first chance that presented it, but it doesn’t erase the fact that he betrayed his comrades. He indirectly (?)aided in the tragedy that happened by facitilating information to the curses, which HELPED Kenjaku’s plans, and he died for it. Here, he’s alive to suffer the consequences of ill-fated choices.
He wasn’t wrong to want it. He’s wrong because ultimately, his actions were an act of betrayal.
He feels remorse for his betrayal. He feels guilty. He feels angry at Shiki, because his gamble failed and here she stood as a shining bastion of a “perfect” life.
Though as seen in here, Shiki probably doesn’t give a single fuck about Mechamaru’s feelings. Only that his betrayal put the jujutsu society - and in turn, her family and friends - in jeopardy and that it went against the rules that Shiki was following ONLY because her family and friends wanted her too. Her moral and logic is pretty skewed, after all. Her first reaction to him being turned into a monster is to render him immobile VIA limbs breaking which honestly is NOT the first thing people do, but it’s admittedly in a twisted way the most optimal way to subdue transfigurated!Mechamaru.
TBH wrong is wrong. Betrayal is betrayal. Mechamaru isn’t an innocent victim who tried saving himself. How many more people would die and did die in the jujutsu world because he aided the curses? How many people died in Liyue because here the curses tried getting rid of Shiki?
Which brings me to another point: Whether it was voluntary or not, because of his betrayal which fed the curses informations and had Shiki hunting after them, Mechamaru ended up as a tool in the ambush against Shiki. Mahito tried using him as a shield, but unfortunately for him and the curses, Shiki’s reasoning is far too settled in pragmatic reasoning and logic to a certain point, after which she settled into brute force or death. She wouldn’t sacrifice herself for just Mechamaru, after all, nor be squirmish about breaking some limbs or killing some people.
Kinda shameless to be angry at the girl who you involuntarily aided in ambushing, no?
It’s just. The first time I read the short about Mechamaru (which was STILL amazing btw) I felt sorry for him.
The next few times I reread it though, I was like wait a minute, this doesn’t sound right, this guy is making Shiki to be the bad guy in interrogating him when he “just tried helping himself and he didn’t truly mean to betray the jujutsu society qwq!!!” because she has a perfect life but BITCH so many people just died LMFAOO Shiki here just doing her job and being hated, my poor girl (though she doesn’t care).
Mechamaru lost his gamble in using Mahito and turned into an even worse monster.
Likewise, the curses lost their gamble in trying to delete Shiki and were all basically wiped out in minutes lmao. They probably didn’t expect the Gojo Satoru Expy to actually be a Gojo Satoru 2.0 lol.
Shiki just doing her job, stuck in another world. :( And she had promised her cousin to make a detour to buy sweets, too rip. :(
(which brings me to another point i’m not gonna expand: Satoru and Shiki’s relationship? I LOVELOVELOVE IT!! The opposing powers they present! Satoru is not truly the sole “honored one”! Satoru has someone who somewhat understands the way he looks at the world! Who will stand by his decision and trust! Who’s willing to murder a bitch or a few for him! They’re two peas in a pod, sometimes HE has to be the moral compass for Shiki even! HIM! THE Gojo Satoru! A moral compass!!! 😂😂😂)
!! I am bouncing a bit in excitement from this haha.
Mechamaru! Is a very very unfortunate character. His attempt to outsmart Kenjaku and the Special Grade curses was not something that ended well for anyone. The information that he provided them allowed Kenjaku's faction to set up the test run at the Goodwill Event and break into the warehouse, stealing the Death Paintings and Sukuna's fingers. If we think about what happened in Shibuya, where Sukuna was able to cause as much devastation as he did because of ingesting the additional fingers... arguably Mechamaru played a definite role in allowing this situation to occur in the first place.
Mechamaru wants to be healed. He wants to have a normal body, and be a normal student of Kyoto High with his friends.
In exchange, he betrays the school -but he's not really betraying them, Mechamaru tells himself. Look, he's even been careful enough to extract a binding vow for his friends to be unharmed. And it's not as if he really intends to throw in his lot with Geto. As soon as he gets what he wants, he'll turn on them. Mechamaru doesn't need to kill them in order to win; all he needs to do is escape and find sanctuary with Gojo Satoru. And with the intel that he'll have in his hands, Gojo will definitely protect him. Then, they'll be able to counter their enemies properly from there-
We all know how that turns out in the end, though. The many casualties that result from Kenjaku's plans... Mechamaru might not be responsible, but he's certainly not blameless in allowing Kenjaku to set things into motion.
Mechamaru strikes me as a character who has a strong confidence and ego, which is balanced at the same time by a helpless sense of inferiority and anger. He knows that he's a powerful sorcerer, and he's the only sorcerer whose range covers an entire country -not even Gojo Satoru can do that! And Mechamaru is observant, and intelligent. He hates the limitations imposed upon him by his body, and he wants ever so badly to see for himself the world that he can only interact with through his puppets-
Shiki gets the brunt of that, in this particular AU.
Mechamaru lives. He lives, but he's angry and guilty and oh how he regrets, without truly regretting. Sorcerers are selfish creatures, and Mechamaru is no different.
Here Gojo Shiki stands in front of him, beautiful and powerful and perfect, looking down on him like Mechamaru means absolutely nothing. Given the turmoil that Mechamaru is currently experiencing... it's only natural that he lashes out at her.
(It's no excuse. But it is a reason.)
In contrast to Mechamaru's complicated feelings towards her, Shiki is fairly indifferent about him in return, despite his role as a lure in the 'ambush' for her. She simply protects him because she was assigned to retrieve Mechamaru for an interrogation. Shiki can't retrieve him if he's dead.
... So that just means she'll need to do her best to keep him alive, until she manages to find a way home.
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But what if Chrollo's darling is just happy someone is paying attention to them?
Like, yea, u did just kidnap them, but they dont care. They just wanna cuddle and watch Bluey bc its a show bragging about the perfect childhood they never got.
"I know you just kidnapped me, but....Your interest in me is...confusing, but I still appreciate it. Unless that makes me less interesting, then I'm sorry for disappointing you like everyone else :( "
Chrollo is a greedy man. Even if he has your surrender, he wants more. There is no satisfying him
From what he had inferred from your personality and relationships, Chrollo had concluded that you would give him a hard time. He was fully prepared to have to deal with you screaming or constantly trying to get under his skin simply in the hope that he grows tired of you and lets you go, but you were the completely opposite. Imagine his surprise when you only keep your distance, watching him like some sort of animal documentary, silently and attentively
Some time passes and like all humans, you adapt to your new life. Chrollo gets bolder with his advances as well. He attempts to show his fondness through physical contact. Because of that, you were often on the receiving end of a hand leisurely resting on your shoulder, fingers brushing against your own, and a warm palm often times rubbing up and down your back or arms. You never flinched or denied them. Again, you only watched them with some sort of curiosity
That is one of the main reasons why he had never needed to use any psychological tactics on you. Whatever he gave, you took. However he treated you, you didn't complain
In fact, it only perplexed him further when you acknowledged his interest in you, when you explicitly stated that the way he watches you and tests your limits is confusing yet never complained. It may be counter intuitive to him, but that isn't what matters. What matters is how much he wants to take from you and how much you will give with no retaliation
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henry reacting to your whimpers while you fuck, he'd be so cocky fr
-8
wow, what a thought. and what an excruciatingly accurate one, too. i can picture it perfectly.
because i believe him to secretly thrive on validation, your quite profound verbal responses to his efforts would thrill him greatly. it would go straight to his head, despite the stoicism and whatnot. after all, we all want our certain portions of affirmation at times. your various sounds, laced with pleasure and yearning, would breathe life into him. but also hubris. on specific occasions, he would even mock you for them.
at first, it'd be a mere grin. his face, tense and furrowed due to the exertion, would be brightened by melting into a smug, knowing semi-smirk. you wouldn't even register it at first. with time, as he'd go harder, you'd mewl even louder and more desperately — given that he's had a little bit to drink, i guess that he'd be dangerously likely to deride you verbally, as well.
in less memorable cases, it'd be mere ridiculing hisses like mmhm? that good? or yeah?. on other, notably monumental occasions, however...
"how very responsive," he'd utter, voice breathy and low. at first, you'd mistake his claim for praise, only for him to continue, "quite pathetic, though, if you ask me." all that would come filtering through his tight lips, still strung up in a smirk that would be too uncharacteristically vain. in spite of obviously intended to be derisive, it'd intrigue and excite you fully. who knows — maybe you'll theratrically increase your volume, just to see where that might lead.
in addition, imagine how that would pan out if he was angry... and i'm talking when he's completely letting it all out on you... perhaps in an environment not entirely private, like the nightfallen kitchen of francis' country house or a not exactly thick-walled hotel room... in such instances, combined with his previously established irritation, soft whimpers would already be enough to land you on his bad side, and thereby in the realm of degradation. good god, just shut it... you filthy-mouthed, disobedient thing...
but, y'know, just a notion. all hypothetical. nothing too serious.
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