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hajihiko · 1 year

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I interpret Kaz's relationship with his dad a little differently from that one convo. He says something like 'he knew better than anyone that we didn't have the money' and I took that as his dad wanted him to go and have fun like a normal kid and not worry about the money. Of course, I don't justify physical discipline and it is abuse, even if the parent is well intentioned. I think that Kaz does love his dad and they're relationship might be more complicated. But you know that's just one of the many things he needs to work out in therapy.

(Again this is just my interpretation and I'm not saying yours is wrong. I do love the art.)

Just gonna use this as a little jumping point to talk about this bc why not, warnings for obviously sensitive topics

I dont think you're wrong, I actually probably agree, but one thing;

It's not uncommon for public perception to weigh more than actual actions or intent. In the example given, I see it like so; yeah, Souda sr. wanted his son to go on a field trip that they couldn't really afford. Yeah, Kaz wanted to help the household by not going on the trip and saving the money. Both have good intent here. It's not about that, though, because in Souda sr.'s eyes, refusing to go on the trip is like admitting that they're poor, which is like saying the father can't provide for his family, which is like public humiliation- in his eyes. In a fit of rage (and insecurity, if it's something that's already weighing on his mind, as these things often go) the assumption isnt that his son was trying to help, just that he did something that makes the father look bad. Which is a bigger trigger than most things, often, for patriarchal authority figures.

And it not an excuse for physical harm, no, nothing is. Probably, Souda sr. knows that, and didn't mean to snap- doesnt think he committed an act of child abuse- but he's been under a lot of stress, and his son was talking back, and, well.

I think they do usually get along alright, and Souda sr. does his best to provide for himself and his son and keep their relationship good, and Kazuichi is genuinely grateful for everything his dad's done for him? But in the end, it's another person Kazuichi trusted teaching him the lesson that people will let him down and hurt him, in some way at some point. If your parent whom you trust has made you genuinely afraid of them, it's hard to come back from it, and someone as anxious and emotionally sensitive as Kazuichi will hold onto that forever, probably, even as he might internalized some of it as his own fault.

It's a lot more complicated than just "bad father, sad son" (but again, not excusable, you don't hit your kids period). It's father and son who love each other and might be the only family they both have, but they clash horribly on occasion, make up (or don't talk about it at all), things die down, stay good for a while, then there's another clash- so it goes, even if the bad times are only occasional. The biggest Thing about these kind of relationships, to me, is that it's so easy to fall into a routine and let things stagnate, and before you know it, it's just How Things Are and it's easier to just deal than start rocking the boat.

#Not an art #Talky talky #Dysfunctional relationships and toxic family is always something I have Thoughts on #cw child abuse #This is also just me blabbing with little evidence so dont come for my throat ok I'm just pondering #I could talk about the kuzuryu family too I think there's a lot more context stuff there #But that's a diff post #I also hc that Kaz started thinking about the death machines before Junko #Not in a serious manner but as a malcontent kid who felt bitter and insecure and wanted to let it out somehow #Who hasnt fantasised about pushing someone down the stairs or sth right? That's where it started for him #Blah blah the 'anyone is capable of evil' theme #But also the 'that entire class was full of kids at risk and no one noticed or helped them and that sure didnt stop them from seeking-#-release and control and company from bad people who in turn affected them'

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goldentigerfestival · 1 month

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So. I love this. The way Yuri snickers at Flynn showing his real self. The way he, without hesitation, says "yeah" to the idea that he would die in Flynn's place.

But the most important part of this entire thing, which was changed in the dub, is how Yuri specifically jokes that Flynn is trying to abandon him, and Flynn returns and tells Don he had no intention of abandoning Yuri.

Yuri does not hear this. Flynn knows that. But Flynn uses the exact same term Yuri used earlier, as if it's his answer to Yuri and saying no, I would never abandon you.

For reference:

Personally I just... love the weight of it. How Flynn will say something about Yuri that Yuri won't hear, but he still speaks it out into existence because it's how he really feels.

Just because Yuri won't hear it doesn't mean he won't say it, and in a way that's even more powerful. He's not looking for the credit of saying it. He's not looking to be recognized for saying it. He's not only expressing how he feels about Yuri somewhere that Yuri himself will hear him.

They're just his real, honest feelings, and he'll admit them even if Yuri's not within earshot.

#GTF Vesperia Clips #Fluri #classic Vesperia dub trying to hide all the more detailed intimacy between them tbh #y'all are gonna see it even more when I get around to post the huge posts I'm doing #going through the entire game with the changes they made #and how HEAVILY most of the drastic changes pertain to Flynn and their relationship #like. there's really no reason to change these matching scenes in the dub unless they're doing it on purpose #meanwhile they're the sweetest thing in the original and I'll never get over these scenes being matching scenes #also bc like. this is so important for their dynamic going forward into arc 2 #also partly why I truly believe they'd choose each other over the world in specific contexts #but that's a story for another time LOL. for now just know Flynn has gone on record #to say he would never abandon Yuri right to Don Whitehorse's face #anyway you ever get that feeling of like. when you find out from a friend that #someone said smth nice abt you? but you didn't know they said it?#like you KNOW they're saying nice/good things abt you to other ppl now? that's the vibe I get from this #that he's not just saying it to Yuri's face. he says the important things /to others/ as well #he's not trying to score extra brownie points by using sweet words where he knows Yuri will hear him #to me that's the most honest form of affection. saying your feelings out loud where they won't hear you #Flynn also proved himself before saying it as if the idea was to show not just tell #I think Yuri understands when not joking that Flynn wouldn't abandon him #but Flynn is making sure that not just Yuri knows through his actions but that others know it too #and ultimately Yuri doesn't need to hear it. he can believe it because he can see it #Yuri doesn't need to hear it bc he understands Flynn's feelings without needing to hear it

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cienie-isengardu · 4 months

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The Brothers Sun

Warning: rant not spoiler-free

Recently, I watched Netflix’s The Brother Sun and to be honest, I’m still not okay, because my mind is for days processing everything and analyzing over and over again.

I don’t watch much TV series and I decided to give the series a chance mainly for the titular brotherhood between Charles and Bruce and the series did not disappoint me in that regard. I’m absolutely drawn to Charles, not just because of his good look (and he does look very good), but his whole character and development through the story and also, how despite being such badass, he was also the one in need to be saved from the life (trap) set by his own father. But above everything else, how much he is similar to his mother, how both sacrificed so much for the family.

I swear, I don’t remember the last time when a female character captured me the way Eileen “Mama” Sun did. All female characters were pretty cool and each interesting in their own way, but Eileen definitely stole the show and ultimately, it is her and Charles' relationship that glued me to this series. And I still think about the parallels between those two characters, especially in regard to Eileen’s two lines, from episode 3 (how those who cook for you and clean after you are those you forget about) and from last one (how much she sacrificed for Bruce and no one ever asked what she wants). Because Charles is the one cooking for people he cares about and who was showed doing widely understanded cleaning (getting rid of the dead body, unpacking Alexis’ things and making her flat more home-like, tidying own room before sleep and we were told he always loved do that as a child) but also the one trapped, the one who never had a choice, the one sacrificing everything for the family’s sake - even when he was allowed to pursue his own dreams, the family came first. And I’m so, so much thinking about Eileen and Charles, as he was the one that would fully support her when she finally decided to take something for herself, to take control over triads as the Dragon’s Head. Bruce, understandable, didn’t want her to be involved with gangsters and murderers, especially after everything they've been through, but also, he didn’t want that for his own sake. She was his mom, there was a normal life to choose and I don’t think he truly gasped how much Eileen sacrificed to spare him the cruel life his older brother was forced into. But Charles would step away from the position of head of family - something he may never want but would carry on as a dutiful son - just to make her plan (desire) come true and later step away from the one thing (baking) he desired for himself to support and protect her. And I’m truly touched by their relationship and how it evolved from each doing things their own way into a well-working team, but also, if Charles will learn from his mother how to be so cunning, he is gonna be a much more dangerous figure in the future.

#the brothers sun #charles sun #eileen sun #i came for the brotherhood and i got what i wanted and more #as this series influences my ideas about bi han and kuai liang brotherhood from mortal kombat #but above everything else i got wonderful relationship between mother who could save only one of her kids & the son trapped in horrible lif #who both sacrificed so much for the family's sake but also find a support in each other #and now i'm gonna add the feelings the show thrown onto me to the bi han as mama's boy #thanks very much like i was not enough emotional about it to begin with #i'm pretty sure i'm missing a lot nuances and cultural context but damn #that show was a good choice to spend the ~8h of my free time

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nilesmoon · 3 months

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this shot of sawashiro is simply breathtaking to me!!!

like. seeing him crash and burn after hearing that his son has never trusted him, realizing that the chance he took by sending a tip geomijul didn't pay off, that the "miracle" he asked for is too late (just like he is). It truly is something to watch!!

to me, this really is the scene to show how incredibly miserable this asshole is and the cherry on top is how the way he sits is the exact same pose the corpse next to him has got.

#FELLAS. I HAVE SO MANY BRAINWORMS ABOUT THE FAMILY. I FEEL CRAZY #The way this scene was a part of chapter 1 like they opened the game up w the hardest hitter for my mental health #I'm pretty sure this man is going to have more scenes that make me want to dissolve into grass but we'll get there once we get there #It's truly incredible how he just keeps hitting new lows and be more pathetic!!! He might be my newest specimen if we're being honest #ALSOOOOOO when he said. 'I was wishing for a miracle so I wouldnt have to kill him' and in this context the miracle is ichi and what if I #just started ripping my hair out yknow!!!#Ok I'm sleepy so I'm typing a lot without thinking but just know that. this family means the world to me and #I will yap on about them forever given the chance #infinite wealth spoilers #iw spoilers #rgg #jo sawashiro #nile talks

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hissterical-nyaan · 11 months

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Saying this for the 100th time here but some of you are so out of touch from reality when you make your "it's okay to be straight!!! It's okay to be a man!!!" posts like I get it there can be some context or exceptions to this but most of the times it's just people thinking straight people or men are somehow being oppressed cause the people they have oppressed for an eternity are speaking their truth loudly online now

And no, you don't get to take the defense that people feel bad about themselves when they read these things because the real world still fucking favours y'all. You don't have to sob in your bathroom for hours and hide your whole life away from your family from a young age. Y'all still don't care about queer kids, especially queer girls who never find any comfort anywhere except that small family they created online. I'll take you feeling bad any day over another girl feeling trapped in this society cause no matter what she does, she will always feel inferior or another queer person having to take their secret to their deathbed

Get a grip, touch some grass. You are not oppressed because a 16yr old said they hate men or made a joke about how being straight is actually awful. Y'all have said worse shit to us for centuries now. "Learn to take a joke :)"

#and yes I know some of these posts are in context of trans men which is totally fucking fine #i get that #I'm not talking about those posts #I just think y'all should maybe interact with real life people more #i really hate when people say ''oh hate is a two way street'' PLEASE #like some jokes by queer people or women will ever match up to what straight people and men do everyday to us #reminds me of that bs someone said about how its awful that queer people joke about straight people and how its a hate crime 💀💀#yeah sure that joke totally compares to actual hate crimes against queer people

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somegrumpynerd · 5 months

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Narrator voice: they weren't.

#UTDR #Charlie Stuff #More out of context scribbles for truce au #Although you could probably guess the context for this #A certain dadmare writer has already correctly identified 2 things coming up so they'll know what this is about for sure #(Still can't believe you called that I'm genuinely super impressed)#I'm just quickly scribbling some outlines for future pages while the spirit is with me #Actually I've been doing written plans rough outlines AND proper lines/colouring I've been super productive this week #Good for me c:#Work is about to start ramping up but there should be one more part for this out before christmas!

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eddis-not-eeddis · 3 months

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Does anyone have any good tips and tricks for studying the bible at home by yourself?

I read the bible every day, but I don't really study it, and even though I know a lot of topics and verses off by heart, I still don't always know what context a specific verse may be in when it comes to mind or where it is in the bible, and I want to get better at that.

I am really not doing well in my attempts to really study the bible, and I want to know if anyone else has any insights or some wisdom to share.

#i'm starting to meet people who i want to share the gospel with #but i never know where to find specific verses or what the context is behind a verse i want to use #and it makes me basically ineffective #but i also REALLY am not good at figuring out how to study better because so far nothing i've tried is working #i'm familiar with my bible #but i need to be MORE familiar than i am and i'm not sure what an effective study plan looks like #and some of it is just buckling down and reading #but im not sure how to optimize my reading time #and how to make it stick #i need some kind of course or plan or something #but i'm so overwhelmed when i try to look up bible studies and reading plans that i kind of shut down #there's TOO MUCH #ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

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sga-owns-my-soul · 3 months

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crying at 7am bc your best friends are Science Brains and try to explain the Cool Concept of Dimensionality to you but you are Too Dumb To Understand

#DONT CALL ME SMART!!!!!!!#I AM NOT AND THATS OKAY #IM A DUMB BITCH AND THATS FINE #okay moving on #i'm so confused #literally how does the y axis change based on what you're doing #how is it measuring different things in different contexts #and how the fuck is TIME a dimension!!!!!!!!#HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE #'well bc you can be in the same location at two different times and it's technically a different location' i'm gonna cry what does that MEAN #HUH #mushroom i love you and i love that your interested in so many amazing things #but i'm SO CONFUSED #science side of tumblr do NOT explain #my poor brain #my partner tried explaining it to me too and that made me more confused #what a great way to start the day 😂😂#literally so lost #science brains yall scare me just a little bit #im only mostly sure that you aren't all just doing witchcraft #insanity #anyways #personal rambles #mushroom and stick against the world #not stargate

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thesmokinpossum · 3 months

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I can't believe y'all almost made me pay to go watch po*r th*ngs in theater without telling me that the whole thing revolves around a hardcore born sexy yesterday trope with a side dish of pseudo necrophilia where a woman with the brain of a litteral foetus who don't have periods or body hair (but do have boobs!) find joy and freedom by having a lot of sex with a bunch of men, shoving a apple up her vagina for some reason and joining a brothel (but it's a cool socialist brothel and all the girls looove being there, don't worry guys), all of that written and directed by two men, I'm never gonna trust you guys after this one lmao

#she also piss on the floor at some point and talks about fucking with the vocabulary of a toddler but i'm supposed to believe it's not sus #lmao ok sure #'there's more to the story than this!' idgaf! 'you're taking it out of context!' idgaf! 'it's actually a feminist story!' no it's not lmao #i cannot let go of the socialist brothel either like wooooow #men are so obsessed with the idea of natural born sex workers it's almost comical #also i cannot comment on the original book since i haven't read it #but apparently a big thing is that at the end it's revealed by the woman character that the male ones where bullshitting...#...about pretty much everything to look smarter and more important than they are #but in this 'feminist' movie they actually do frankenstein the woman and give her a second life fr fr #like aiiiight lmao #btw i truly don't care if you love the movie that's perfectly fine i love plenty of movies with very questionable content #plus i don't think anyone need my approbation to enjoy anything in this world #but boy does it personally gross me out #poor things spoilers #i hope this don't pop in the tag btw #if it does i'm sorry but people who wants to see it *will* complain about being spoil

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brittlebutch · 7 months

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tbh Zelda's "I think I just need to freak out for a little bit" line in Belles of the Baronies might be one of my favorite lines from her; peak "I'm not fine but it's fine" phrasing

#N posts stuff #I especially love it in its context which is that she's at a fancy party and getting wigged out by all the people and SPECIFICALLY #that she says 'this music is kind of stressing me out' about whatever run of the mill music they'd play at a party like that and so she goe #to put her headphones in to go mosh out to her usual metal -- so many people will rag on you for liking that kind of music when you #also have sensory issues 'oh if you can handle That noise i'm sure you can handle this [noisy situation] fine' WRONG #but i love that Zelda is allowed to put it as plainly as this and no one calls her out like it's some kind of contradiction #ESPECIALLY love that this line is Direct response to Sam asking if she wants to go out somewhere even quieter like the stables #and offers to have like Sending queued up so that they'll be able to get her right away if they need her -> not only not making a big deal #about her having to leave Immediately after they arrived but also being more than willing to Accommodate her in that wholly #they're so sweet and i love them. samzelda gang forever. anyway i think i want to make a shirt with some art of zelda on the front #and then that line on the back in some unintelligible metal band font i think it would be So dope if only i could get the energy to do it #dimension 20 #d20: seven maidens #d20lb

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chloecherrysip · 1 year

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Every time Mario is visibly concerned/worried about Luigi in the trailers/TV spots/sneak peeks/etc shown so far.

#mario movie #mario movie spoilers #super mario bros movie #super mario bros #super mario bros movie spoilers #cherrysip edits #LOOK...this is not a very good gifset #i am working with tiktok videos and recordings of television screens here haha #BUT!!! i couldn't get the idea out of my head of compiling all of this and i spent so much time on these gifs that now i HAVE to post them #also i know the text could look better but i am not very good at that yet please be gentle with me!!!#a couple more caveats: i may have forgotten something and also the context of these clips could very well be misleading #these are basically scenes where the trailers/tv spots make it APPEAR as though mario is reacting about luigi but i could be wrong #with all of that out of the way: LOOK AT THIS MAN. THIS SAD WORRIED VERY SMALL MAN. GIVE HIM HIS BROTHER BACK #like many people i was also worried when it became clear that mario and luigi were going to spend a lot of this movie apart #and i'm sure there will be stretches of time where mario is caught up in the adventure #but just the fact that luigi seems VERY front of mind for mario throughout hurts my feeble little heart #he isn't going to stop he's going to do whatever it takes until his little brother is safe and back beside him #(also: i hadn't seen that 'this guy's brother is going to DIE' clip in a long time and the FACE JOURNEY that mario goes on there continues #to be SO incredible and funny. he genuinely looks very pissed off at toad after the initial shock wears off. AND I WONDER WHY)#(especially now that we know this is the second time toad makes a comment about his brother dying and/or being lost forever!!!)#(MARIO WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU DIDN'T!!!!!)

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commsroom · 1 year

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when it comes down to it, however much i think about eiffel's memory, whatever my reasoning might be, i think there's a much simpler core explanation for why i feel the way i do. i've said before that, if eiffel did regain his memory, i would want it to happen through 'an eiffel version of change of mind' i.e. a personal inner journey where the narrative he tells himself amounts to some greater reminder, self-confrontation, and self-realization. and that's just it:

eiffel regaining his memory wouldn't be a cop out to me for the same reason that lovelace not actually dying isn't a cop out: it's not just a story beat, it's a catalyst for character development & a better understanding of lovelace as a person. eiffel has spent his whole life trying not to be the person he is, and i just don't feel wolf 359 is the type of story to let him off the hook for that, when the ending is as much about accountability (to ourselves and to others and all the ways those responsibilities overlap) as it is about hope. i think there are ways you could argue that eiffel can still be eiffel without regaining his memory, but i think i've convinced myself that the symbolic resurrection / self-confrontation and acceptance of all the people he's been in the past, in order to move forward, is the more compelling option, especially for what it parallels, and the "eiffel is still eiffel" part is non-negotiable. it doesn't even feel like a question to me.

(and it makes the most sense to me in the context of eiffel's survivor's guilt - "of course i was fine. the driver's always fine." - and tendency towards a type of self-sacrifice and self-punishment that the show ultimately denies him / that doesn't address his real problem. he thinks sacrificing himself for the people he cares about will make up for something, but it won't. having him make that sacrifice and then keep living and keep being doug eiffel, with everything that means, feels like the natural extension of constructive criticism.)

in another story, or in a more theoretical context, there are all kinds of questions you could ask about whether eiffel's memory loss means he's a different person now, but in this case... i think it's better understood in narrative terms and what it represents for him as a character than any broader philosophical conclusion about the nature of the self and human consciousness. (and it is in no way as absolute as people sometimes behave like it is, considering he still has a concept of, like... everything. but that's a whole other topic of discussion.) most importantly, i just don't believe wolf 359 is a story about ideas as much as it is a story about people, these people, and in order to (hypothetically) continue to tell a story about doug eiffel, well. he has to still be doug eiffel. one way or another.

#wolf 359 #w359 #doug eiffel #this was supposed to be a short post just to get some thoughts out #i don't know if it'll even make sense to other people like it makes sense to me.#obviously i have plenty of other thoughts about this. which belong in more structured posts #but i will say i still believe the question 'am i still doug eiffel?' is answered by its context -#that he's already asked 'am i still that same person?' - a different question. the answer to which would be 'no' even before #and that 'am i still doug eiffel?' is the set up for 'wanna find out together?'#that's the actual question being asked. it's the answer to the previous question and what the show leaves you with #when asked about the show the writers talk a lot about their fondness for 'earned happy endings' in those words #so i can only see the finale and any post-canon hypothetical through that lens #it's not a tragedy so any option that would make it feel like one just doesn't resonate #and i will say it feels important to me that he regains his memory but equally important that it doesn't happen right away #like i'm sure of this from a narrative perspective but from an in-universe one it has to be something he grapples with #the fact that eiffel almost certainly doesn't want to still be eiffel is the exact reason why he has to be.#it's the same 'earned happy endings' principle in my mind

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obwjam · 7 months

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34 with Zoro would actually be 🤌

"Sorry you had to see that."

you guys are so talented at picking the exact perfect prompts for these characters i'm crying

(i've only ever watched OPLA so the characterizations/details are solely based off that pls no hate 🫣)

from this post

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There wasn’t a whole lot to do below the deck of the Going Merry.

It was fun when everyone was here – there was lots of laughter, plenty of jokes and sometimes even sea shanties. But whenever the Straw Hat Pirates visited a village, Nami insisted that you stay behind because it was way too dangerous. Not many people had seen tinies or respected them much, she would always remind you.

But Luffy was as persuasive as he was persistent. You were a part of the crew, after all, and he wanted you to see the world! He hated the idea of you being cooped up on the ship while the rest of them got to have all the fun.

So, finally, he convinced Nami to let you tag along for this one. They only needed to restock the pantry, and Sanji insisted that they stop in this very specific village to get the best ingredients.

“Alright, Kona, choose your ride!” Luffy said, beaming down at you. He always silently hoped that you would pick him. He loved having you perched on his shoulder.

“Hmm…” you tapped your finger on your chin. It used to be overwhelming to have five giants stare down at you, but now, it made you feel safe. “I choose… Zoro.”

Everyone exchanged glances, ranging from confused to amused, and Usopp, who had been crossing his fingers in hopes of being picked, let out a loud groan. Zoro briefly shut his eyes and prayed that nobody noticed his cheeks turn pink.

“Zoro? Why him?” Usopp whined, not trying very hard to mask the hurt in his voice.

You shrugged. The real reason was that you thought Zoro was the coolest person in the world, and you wished you could spend more time with him. You were always hanging around Usopp or sitting on the brim of Luffy’s hat, and you rarely got to be around the crew's swordsman. But you could never admit that; it was far too embarrassing.

So all you said was, “I dunno, because I feel like it!”

Usopp crossed his arms in a huff. “Fine. But I call dibs for next time!”

“You can��t call dibs. It’s Kona’s decision,” Sanji objected, sparking a small argument that the two of them carried back up to the deck. Nami and Luffy smiled at each other as they followed, leaving you alone with Zoro, who literally hadn’t moved.

“I’m, uh, I’m sorry if that was… embarrassing,” you blushed, taking a few steps forward. You were almost at the edge of the table.

“It’s fine,” Zoro said after a moment, finally kneeling down so he was at eye level with you. “It wasn’t embarrassing.”

You raised an eyebrow. “I definitely saw you blush.”

And just like that, he was blushing again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re doing it right now.”

Zoro didn’t say anything, instead opting to place his shoulder against the edge of the table so you could climb on. For reasons that eluded you, he was very averse to having you in his hand.

You hopped the small gap between the table and his shoulder, grabbing onto Zoro’s shirt collar to stabilize your landing. This wasn’t the first time you were on his person, but it would be the first time it happened off the ship.

“Ready?” he asked, keeping his hand cupped in front of you until you took a seat. You gave him a hearty thumbs up, and he bounded up the stairs.

It was always eye-opening to see the world from this perspective. It was one thing to experience it on the Going Merry, just the six of you, but getting to see strangers from the viewpoint of a giant was a whole different beast. Most people didn’t notice you were there, but a few would do double-takes, nearly stopping in their tracks to stare at you as Zoro walked by. Your stomach churned with each set of human eyes that followed you.

“They’re staring,” you frowned, speaking softly so only Zoro could hear.

“Of course they are,” Zoro muttered back. “They’ve probably never seen a tiny before.”

“Hmph.” You slumped over, wanting to say something, but unable to find the words.

“Don’t worry about it,” Zoro said, sensing your discomfort. “It doesn’t matter what these people think.”

Easy for you to say, you wanted to remark, but stopped yourself.

Like magic, Luffy practically materialized next to Zoro, making both of you jump. “Kona? Are you okay?”

“‘M fine, Luffy,” you lied. You knew he could see right through it. He had this talent of knowing more about people than they knew about themselves. Being at eye level with him while he was at his full height didn’t help you mask your feelings, either.

He stared at you intently, momentarily making you nervous, until he simply said, “Well, alright!” and bounded back to the front of the group.

After a few minutes of walking, you could start to sense that something was off. The bustling village center had melted away, replaced with run-down buildings and a sudden shroud of darkness.

“Sanji… are you sure this is the right place?” Usopp asked, clutching his slingshot in both hands.

“Positive,” he replied, though nobody was really encouraged by that. “I think.”

“Great,” Nami grumbled, rolling her eyes. Her hand twitched behind her back, ready to grab her staff.

“It’s okay,” Luffy reassured. “If Sanji thinks this is the place, then we’re going to check it out.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. If anything happens, the great Caption Usopp is here to protect y’all.”

Suddenly, a loud snapping sound echoed from a dark corner. Everyone’s heads whipped around, and your hands flung to the collar of Zoro’s patterned shirt to keep you from tumbling off. In catching your breath, you looked down and noticed that one of Zoro’s hands, usually quick to protect you, was now gripping the hilt of his sword.

“Well, well… if it isn’t the Straw Hat Pirates.”

“Zoro…” you said, voice shaking slightly. “What’s–”

You were cut off with a curt shh from your chaperone. And just a few seconds later, a horde of scraggly-looking people jumped out from all corners, surrounding your group in a matter of moments. A quick count revealed that you were outnumbered nearly 3-to-1.

“Nice place, waiter,” Zoro grumbled to his left, where Sanji stood. He just grunted.

There was laughter from the men. “These are the pirates worth over 10 million Berry? Each?”

“Musta been a misprint.”

The Straw Hats stayed silent as the group of mercenaries kept hurling half-baked insults. Zoro now had both his hands on his swords, and when he started to unsheathe them, that’s when one of them noticed you, letting out an ugly cackle.

“Check it out! This one's got a pet. You think that’ll fetch us extra bounty?”

You wanted to stand up and scream at them with all your might, but you knew better. You just sat there, face hot, staring straight ahead and ignoring the heat of everyone’s gazes on you.

“They’re not a pet,” Luffy hissed. “They’re a pirate, and they’re part of my crew.”

Another round of laughter. “Keep it alive,” one man, clearly the leader, spoke to his henchman. “It may make a fine gesture of goodwill.”

The men inched closer, clearly ready for a fight. Your knuckles were turning white as you looked up at Zoro, waiting to see what he’d do.

“See, I told you bringing them would be a bad idea!” Nami said angrily, briefly giving you a sympathetic look.

“It’s alright,” Luffy told her. He sternly nodded at you, as if to say we got this, you’ll be fine. “We’ll protect them.”

At this point, you were panicking. You were now standing, unsure of what exactly you should be doing, but ready to run if you had to. It’s fine if I fall from this height, you thought, I can just hide over there. They’ll find me when they’re done. Nobody will see me over there, I’m sure of it. But what if they do? What if someone grabs me? Will I be someone’s pet for the rest of my life? What if–

You screamed when you felt a sudden pressure behind you and you were flipped upside down, your world turning blurry and dark. Your stomach told you you knew this sensation – being scooped up by a hand – but your brain told you to panic. You kicked and punched and even bit at the hands that now surrounded you, but in a matter of moments, the movement stopped.

You were awkwardly laying down, feet up in the air as if you were falling in suspended animation. The light around you was translucent, almost angelic. Your tentative hand reached out to feel the material of the wall in front of you. Cotton. You shimmied into an upright position as everything began to dawn on you.

Zoro had grabbed you off his shoulder and deposited you into his front pocket.

The swordsman felt bad when he grabbed you with no warning, but he didn’t even have time for that. His heart panged when he felt your small kicks, and he made a mental note to apologize to you later.

You were just getting your bearings when a loud, scraping metal sound penetrated your ears – Zoro’s swords. You only had a few moments to flip to your knees for stability before he lurched forward into battle.

There was a lot of yelling and a lot of slashing. You were honestly surprised with how little you were being jolted around. Outside of training, you had only seen Zoro fight one other time, and that was the day the Straw Hats found you.

You were still shaking from being grabbed unceremoniously, and tears began to prick the corners of your eyes at the sheer scale of the situation. More than anything, it just reminded you of how scared you were when the pirates first saw you, and how you weren’t convinced that they actually wanted to be your friend.

Your thoughts were interrupted by a loud squelching sound, followed by a harrowing scream, followed by silence. Zoro was killing people. Of course he had to, or else he’d die himself. But here you were, uniquely positioned to feel his heartbeat and breaths, and through it all, he remained surprisingly calm. Like he wasn’t afraid at all.

That’s it. I have to see this.

You shook away your jitters as much as you could and stretched your arms up, briefly wishing you had Luffy’s rubber powers right about now. The top of Zoro’s pocket folded down when you grabbed onto it, and your arms were so shaky that as soon as Zoro lunged, you fell backwards.

Your second try was more successful. You sucked in a deep breath and pulled yourself up, draping your arms over the top of the pocket to secure yourself.

What you saw was nothing short of incredible. The small group of mercenaries was apparently much larger, because more and more of them just kept coming from the shadows, only to be swiftly met with Zoro’s swords. Blood spattered everywhere, yet somehow, Zoro stayed clean. You gasped each time a body twisted to the ground, when limbs were cut off, and when Zoro would jump and run and flip his way out the line of enemy fire.

You don’t know how you managed to stay in his pocket, but it wasn’t without effort on your part. Maybe it was the pure adrenaline that kept you from vomiting everywhere. This was your first giant fight, after all.

Almost as soon as it started, the battle came to an end, with Zoro gracefully slicing through the chest of an enemy. This time, a bit of blood did spatter across his torso, narrowly avoiding your pocket home.

With calm composure, he peered down at you, a look of shock clearly present on your face.

“Sorry you had to see that.”

Through his patented monotone voice, you could hear the subtleties. He really did feel bad. Even if you were shaken up and still reeling from being so close to a massacre, your eyes shook as you craned your neck to look back up at Zoro. He understood that look, too: Don’t worry. I’ve seen this kind of thing before.

“Everyone okay?” Nami asked into the now-quiet night. As usual, everyone was fine.

“Kona,” Luffy breathed, running over to Zoro. “Where’s Kona?”

Zoro tilted his head down to his pocket and Luffy bent down, hands on his knees, with a relieved smile. The rest of the crew soon stood behind him, all looking to make sure you were alive and okay.

“You were in there the whole time?” Luffy asked, pointing to the pocket. You nodded. “Wow.”

Sanji smirked. “That couldn’t have been fun.”

“I dunno, feels pretty irresponsible to me,” Usopp said. “I think I’ll have to hang onto Kona next time so they aren’t put in danger again.”

You smiled. No matter the situation, Usopp never failed to make you feel better.

After a few moments of silence, Usopp spoke again. “So, uh, we’re leaving, right? Like, immediately?”

“What? No,” Sanji frowned. “We still haven’t gotten the ingredients I need.”

“We’re leaving,” Zoro declared, not waiting for an answer before turning around and walking away. Luffy, with his ever-present smile, just shrugged and followed his first mate back to the ship.

Sanji threw his arms out. “Guess our food will just taste like shit!”

Zoro didn’t even bother making the most obvious comeback, instead cupping his hand around his pocket. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said after a moment. “That was just…”

“Intense,” Zoro finished.

“Yeah. Intense.” A pause. “Does that happen… all the time?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Hm.” You leaned back into the comfort of the pocket. It was cozier than you thought a pocket could be, and the closeness of Zoro’s hand was able to calm you down.

“Sorry I grabbed you before,” Zoro said softly.

“It’s alright, Zoro. You didn’t really have a choice.”

“I’ll… try to give you a warning next time.”

“Or you could keep wearing shirts with pockets for me to sit in,” you smiled.

Zoro looked down with a smirk. “That’s comfortable for you?”

“It’s growing on me. And trust me, I’ve been in a lot worse.”

You didn’t ever talk about your past, but neither did anyone else, unless the situation mandated it. But he understood what it was like to have a traumatic upbringing.

“Well, good thing you’re with us now.”

You leaned forward, watching as the world whizzed by around you. You knew plenty of tinies who were in unfortunate situations – probably stuck in cages somewhere, or living alone in crevasses and abandoned buildings. You don’t know how you got so lucky to be found by the kindest pirates in history.

When you returned to the ship, Zoro bounded below deck to his hammock, and you stayed with him, letting the deep rhythm of his heartbeat lull you to sleep.

Good thing indeed.

#i'm so one piece pilled you guys #maybe it's time for me to watch 1000 episodes of the anime #or at least keep reading articles for context #i saw that there are canonical giants and now i need to know more #also pretty sure i've used the name kona before but shhh. no i havent #obwrites #one piece #one piece g/t #g/t #giant/tiny #giant tiny #OPLA

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