Hi! I just read your post about Mateo recently. If I may, can you give me any specific instances in the narrative of the show where Mateo isn’t called out as heavily as they should have? I’m just curious?
During the Shuriki returns arc in particular, Mateo makes some pretty glaring mistakes that I feel like he should've gotten much more flack for (and based on what we see elsewhere in canon, I feel pretty confident that if Gabe, Naomi, Isa, or Esteban at least --and possibly even Elena-- had made these mistakes, they wouldn't have been swept under the rug nearly as quickly as they were for Mateo).
While it's unfair to completely blame Mateo for Carla's manipulating him during the "Rita" arc, I feel like it's reasonable to hold him a *bit* accountable. He did after all blab highly confidential information (on more than one occasion) to try and impress a pretty girl with how clever and important he was. (Something tells me that if any of the others had done likewise, they would've been called out for it. But because it's "beloved" Mateo, we don't even get "wait, you told Rita how to get into your workshop? And you've known her for only a few weeks? What were you thinking, Mateo?") Moreover, he never even apologizes for this or promises to do better/be more careful with such important, sensitive information in the future.
Even more aggravating is his behavior in "The Scepter of Night." Mateo is so eager to play the hero and claim all the glory for himself that he twice (!) disobeys a direct order/abandons the plan and goes looking for the scepter piece on his own. This directly leads to Fiero and Victor finding the scepter piece and (temporarily) stealing it. And it's really only due to luck and very conveniently-timed infighting amongst Shuriki's allies that Elena and co. are able to get the scepter piece back. While Mateo does receive some (brief) criticism, it's nowhere near the level that it should be.
Also noteworthy Elena doesn't really get particularly "mad" at him (especially considering how angry we see her get at other characters even for more minor things) . She's not truly, actually angry at Mateo (and Gabe and Naomi are only a bit angrier); she's just a little frustrated and disappointed at him in the moment. And apart from a (very short) little "do better next time" speech, Mateo doesn't face any real consequences or lingering resentment unlike other characters who do.
When Isa obeys direct orders in "Sister of Invention," she has to face consequences (Elena grounding her). Similarly, Elena holds a grudge against Esteban for days (if not weeks) after he interfered with the Feast of Friendship (a much lower stakes mistake than Mateo's imo). Moreover, it's possible to interpret Esteban's staying behind in Avalor when the others go to see the Norberg Lights as a punishment (either self-inflicted or imposed by Elena) for his actions in the previous episode.
In contrast, Mateo just gets a brief "I expected better from you" speech from Elena and Gabe jokingly assigning him push-ups as punishment (which he immediately takes back when Mateo tries to do them). I'll give Mateo a little bit of credit for actually apologizing this time (which he doesn't always do). But it's still frustrating that everyone is so ready to forgive and forget Mateo's missteps immediately while this same courtesy is seldom shown to others.
I think it's worth directly comparing a few Mateo-centric episodes with a few more similar ones that focus on other characters so that we can see how there does seem to be a noted narrative bias in his favor compared to the others.
Let's start with two "feeling kind of insecure" episodes: "Spellbound" for Mateo vs. "Naomi Knows Best" for Naomi. In the former, Mateo expresses doubt that he's capable of rising to the occasion as royal wizard. No one (except Gabe and he gets over it by the end of the episode) blames him for not having reached his full level of confidence and potential right away and not being able to immediately solve the problem. And Elena in particular (and by extension the narrative) gives him so much validation and support. Whereas in "Naomi Knows Best" (and to a lesser extent "Finders Leapers" and the "Carla-as-Rita" arc as well) the narrative "punishes" Naomi for her feelings of self-doubt. We're told that *if only* Naomi had trusted her gut instincts and stood her ground right away, Elena and co would not fallen right into the trap and that Naomi needs to screw her head back on straight and embrace confidence ASAP to fix her mistake.
When Mateo feels insecure, the narrative gives him every reassurance about how capable and special he is, that he can learn at his own pace, and his insecurity isn't really such a problem after all. When Naomi feels insecure, the narrative encourages her to get over her doubts as quickly as possible because unlike with Mateo, there's "no time" for her to wallow in self-doubt and actually the fact that she even had said doubt in the first place is what "caused" the disaster.
On a slightly different note, Naomi is also called out for taking a little free, fun time for herself in "The Last Laugh" when the group needs her, and yet somehow I have a feeling that Mateo would've been allowed to take a day off if he wanted without any protest. He complains about long hours in "Movin' on Up" and Elena gives him the big royal wizard's chambers for him to relax and unwind in. Naomi asks for one (1) day off to spend with her childhood friend for her birthday , and suddenly it's big drama. (And at the time, Naomi asked for said day off, all Elena needed from her was help doing paperwork. The Team Ash stuff came up unexpectedly.)
Similarly whenever Gabe and Mateo get their little rivalry on ("Spellbound," "Party of a Lifetime," "Captain Mateo" and a few other examples) , the narrative either presents them as equally at fault or Mateo as the only one in the right.
When Gabe brings in Bronzino to train the Royal Guards in magic, it's specifically because Mateo failed to explain how and why he was training the guards in the way he was. If he'd just explained how they were going apply the seemingly basic exercise they were doing to real magic, Gabe likely would've allowed Mateo to continue the training at his own pace.
(Also like. it's super hypocritical imo for Mateo to get annoyed at Gabe feeling impatient/impulsive about their apparent-lack-of progress when Mateo himself is easily the second most impulsive character in the show after Elena.) Mateo feels entitled to keep important information to himself (or blab it to a cute girl he barely knows) even when its no one else's best interest. He's only okay with being "cautious and patient" when he specifically is the one setting the pace. And yet, Gabe is the only one who is called out for his behavior in this episode--even though he might not have acted as he did if only Mateo had trusted him and the guards with an explanation in the first place.
And then there's just a few other "dude not cool" little moments that never really get acknowledged/Mateo never apologizes for. For instance, there a two low-key terrifying Mateo moments in "Captain Mateo" that are not only not acknowledged but are also framed in context as Mateo being just "so funny and quirky". Near the end of "Should be in Charge," Mateo magically gags Gabe so he can't protest anymore about Mateo taking over as leader of the mission. And this is after having already enchanted one of the stationary suits of armor to come to life and fight Gabe. (Gabe admittedly does lightly shove Mateo out of the way during his parts of the song, but that's still a far cry from literally drawing a sword on Mateo as Mateo does via magic to Gabe.)
It's played for laughs (The Grand Council is just smiling happily in the background throughout the scene which is so yikes), so it's easy to overlook what's actually happening. Frankly, it's pretty horrifying that Mateo's natural instinct upon his experience/authority being questioned is to literally attack and then silence. (And attack and silence someone who is supposed to be one of his best friends and closest allies at that!)
Rather than the narrative acknowledging that maybe it's a bad idea to immediately grant power to someone to someone who is so retaliatory against fairly minor criticism, the Grand Council just gives Mateo exactly what he wants and doesn't even offer a "maybe next time, let's not gag or attack our friends, okay?" alongside it. I mean sure Mateo does step down as captain at the end of the episode, but it's very specifically presented as his and Gabe's voluntary choice and not an order from Elena/the Council.
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I'm sure they eventually make their way (makin their way) to Fjord's orphanage but in my mind the first beauyasha kid comes from camp. You're telling me there are kids who are able to come out on sponsorship when they have talent but not a lot of opportunity and some of those kids aren't here to learn how to better survive? You're telling me camp counselor Yasha Nydoorin doesn't spot one of those orphan kids from a mile away, find out they're intending to take these skills somewhere to stay alive/join a mercenary crew, and go home to Beau like "so I need you to take a day off and come with me to this camp." Like. No that absolutely happens - at least once.
And besides the fact that beauyasha plus baby has never sat right to me, there is something way easier about imagining specifically Beau with, at least at first, some shithead loner teen who's testing the limits of their welcome and finding out that not only are they fucked insofar as beauyasha and the Nein pack bonding to new family, but also that their new moms are also terrifyingly good at making their boundaries known. Very reasonable boundaries, but effortlessly enforced without any threat of harm and also weirdly validating, if morally questionable. Imagine fucking up and getting caught stealing after you snuck out (you were bored and understimulated) and at least two of the other seven weirdos you've met materialize next to your moms (because they heard you leave and have been following you as a nice break from the day) and, instead of talking the situation down, discuss among themselves at least three ways to ensure the victim never brings it up and you are fairly certain all of them are crimes (is memory magic legal? Unclear). You're still in trouble, but it'll be a cold day in hell before anyone but your family decides your punishment. And mostly your moms seem more chagrined that they didn't teach you better discernment as for who to steal from.
Anyway Yasha wifed Beau because and not in spite of her rough edges, so I can only imagine that watching Beau both meet her match and realize hey, this kid is a handful but they aren't hard to love and neither was I, is probably doubly rewarding.
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Bully! Sukuna
Bully! Sukuna who unhealthily obsesses over you. He loves your cute little face, loves it when you stammer and stutter over, loves how adorable you look when you study, glasses resting on bridge of your nose as you focus on taking down your notes.
Bully! Sukuna who sits next to you in class, hands shamelessly resting upon your seat, thighs occasionally nudging against yours, watching you with a smirk as a blush spreads across your cheek.
Bully! Sukuna who has no business with the library, but he comes anyways because he know you'll be there. Trapping you between a shelf and him, watching you look like you're about to pass out. Saying, "What d'you want, shorty?" when you can't reach a top shelf, only to tease you about it.
Bully! Sukuna who playfully tugs onto your hair, makes fun of you for being such a nerd, for not having a boyfriend, for being no fun. He sometimes snatches your glasses away and watches you desperately jump as you try to get it from him. To see your tits bounce...it makes him so fucking hard.
Bully! Sukuna who, every day, after returning to his dorm, has to "relieve himself" and it's all thanks to you. Imagining your lips glossed up, wrapped around his cock, slurping, licking— it makes him cum like no one before, not even the previous girls he has slept with.
Bully! Sukuna who glares holes into the guy who was hitting on you in the corridors. Only he can make you blush. He stalks over, arm wrapping around your waist possessively.
"Fuck off." he growls, and the guy respectfully backs off.
Bully! Sukuna who, for the very first time, looks upset when he sees you cry out of frustration.
"What is your problem?" you sob, wiping the tears with the back of your palm. He pushes you against the wall, hand next to your face, trapping you, the other reaching to wipe the tears falling out of your pretty eyes as he leans down to whisper into your ears, lips brushing against your lobe, "You."
Bully! Sukuna who avoids you ever since that day. Too emotionally constipated. Not sitting next to you, not teasing you, barely even looking at you. You feel strange—strangely empty without having him annoy the crap out of you. The thought of him pressing you against the wall, so close to you- making you heat up as you think of it again and again.
Bully! Sukuna who absolutely did not expect that you would approach him as he smokes, back resting against the wall. Who is glad to see you, but doesn't show it. Instead, conceals it with a cocky smirk and says, "Missed me, eh?"
Bully! Sukuna who loves the sight of your cheeks flush at his words, the angry pout upon your lips, your inability to speak from how flustered you feel. But can't help but freeze when you reply with a small, "Y-Yeah."
Bully! Sukuna who discards the cigarette butt instantly, grabbing you by the hands to pull you flush against him, pulling your chin up to see you closely. Fuck you for being so beautiful. "Why don't you tell me how much you missed me?"
Bully! Sukuna who is taken by surprise when you tiptoe to press a kiss on his lips. He growls lowly, the feeling of your soft, plump lips making him go wild with thoughts— all the ones he pent up in his mind. He bites your lower lip, tongue embracing yours.
Bully! Sukuna who's so glad he found his sweet little girl. Surprised that you even liked him, but decides that you're his now. His sweet girl he'll protect at all costs. Of course he's a bit mean, but it's only him who can tease you. The rest will face instant death if they even try.
+drabble
"So fuckin' wet..." he growls into your ear, fingers rubbing your swollen nub through your pink panties, the cloth dampening with every touch he gave you. God knows how many times he has dreamt of this moment, only to have to jerk himself off the next morning. But to finally have you like this, it felt so fucking good.
He nibbles onto your neck, finding a sensitive spot that makes you gasp. Pulling your panties aside, he rubs the entrance of your cunt before he inserts a finger, walls shamelessly clenching around it. "Such a tight pussy..." he growls as he easily, through experience, finds your g-spot and nudges against it. A single finger is enough to make you wither. Pathetic.
"S-Sukuna..." you moan out, the sound of it making him add another one of his long fingers inside you. You gasp as they curl against a particular spot, more of your slick covering his fingers as he continues abusing the particular spot. "How cute," he chuckles darkly, loving how desperately your virgin pussy is squeezing around his fingers. He pulls it out, a dark expression on his face when he says, "You've got no idea how much I've dreamt of having this."
He chuckles upon seeing your cheeks flush deep red, arms on your hips, pushing you up to sit on the wooden bench. He parts your legs, kneeling to get a better view. "You gonna let me have a taste?" Before you can say a word, his tongue grazes your slit, making you yelp "Suku—ah..!"
His tongue works wonders, lapping against your puffy folds, teasing you, driving you crazy each time it so agonisingly grazes your sensitive clit. He slurps around shamelessly, making you moan quietly, afraid that someone will hear you.
"Nggh...k-kuna..." you moan messily, slick dripping down his chin, creating a mess. He loves every second of it. It's just like he imagined. Lapping up your sweet juices skillfully with his tongue, hands holding your legs apart, nails digging crescents into the soft, plush skin of your thighs. His actions drive you to the edge, your hands desperately clamping down your mouth to remain quiet, "Mmh...C-Cumming!"
He parts from your lower half, the sight of your hazed, flushed face, looking at him so adoringly— making his cock strain painfully against his pants. He captures your lips in a kiss, leaving them swollen as he parts. You look at him, collecting all the boldness you can possible muster when your hands reach to tug at his belt.
"Sukuna...let me return the favour."
divider: @/cafekitsune
thefallofruins2023 © plagirising/translation/repost of my work is not permitted.
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