#the end of DIO

[saionjeans]

yet another moment where saionji says something incredibly trenchant and insightful only to be completely dismissed due to the ridiculous framing and the general cringiness that pervades everything he says and does (eg, pointing out that the castle is a trick of the light, announcing that they must shed the coffins end of the world has prepared for them, etc etc). obviously in this instance, he is both saying something that is proven correct throughout the show via a myriad of dynamics, but is also shown to be a precept that is teleologically challenged and rejected by anthy’s final choice.

upon a first viewing, one might assume saionji himself is talking about anthy here, whether by presumptuously assuming that she loves him despite his abuse, or claiming that her rejection of him does not lessen his love for her. either way, he seems totally delusional and moronic. i can only assume that utena, who has even less information than we do regarding saionji’s true feelings, assumes that he is talking about anthy, and thus dismisses him out of hand for being a violent idiot. and rightfully so. but also, he’s clearly not talking about anthy, even if he may think he is (or at least would claim that he was if questioned). and this statement is truly definitional to his relationship to touga, whom he resents, envies, and maybe even loathes, but whom he cannot seem to ever actually abandon.

even when he’s given the chance to start fresh, he returns to ohtori (and in this case you can say that it’s because he has nowhere to go, no family, the outside world is scary, ohtori is all he knows, he felt he had no other choice… but this was also true of anthy, and she eventually found the courage to leave! it’s very very hard, but it’s not impossible, which is the point). even as he vocally condemns akio’s system, he nonetheless participates in it, albeit reluctantly, for touga. he is freer, healthier, and kinder in wakaba’s dorm, but he is also deeply unhappy. which isn’t to say that he ever seems happy (at least, not after losing the rose bride), but his unhappiness in “wakaba flourishing” is that of depression, whereas his unhappiness around touga is that of resentment. he’s rightfully angry over constantly being mistreated, but at least he’s not lost. he has a purpose. even if it’s just the purpose of receiving abuse and putting up a futile fight, it’s a role he can play with the only person who has ever truly mattered to him. it’s all he knows; it’s the closest thing he has to real love. and so he stays.

nanami is in a very similar situation as saionji is. they both idealize a version of touga who never really existed, and cling to him despite his blatant mistreatment of them because he is the only person who has ever shown them true affection in their entire lives. he manipulates them, makes a laughingstock of them, facilitates and participates in sexually abusing them, but also makes sure that they are too dependent on him to leave them. nanami is even more blatant in illustrating this idea than saionji is, as for most of the show, she does not even resist against touga like saionji does, rather she purely venerates and worships him, to the point of parody. he is a terrible brother to her, but in such a way that makes it seem like he’s actually a good brother to an obnoxious, ridiculous sister. he is actively grooming her, and she has nowhere to run, because he has fashioned himself her entire world. she cannot fathom a world beyond his limits, her very own personal end of the world.

it’s somewhat unclear whether touga thinks that controlling saionji and nanami is necessary to keeping them around, or whether he only wants them around because he enjoys assuming control over others. it’s probably a mix of both. he probably does hold some affection for them, but cannot conceive of a way to keep them as close to him as he would like without exploiting them, because he believes that true friendship is for fools and true love is impossible. to touga, if every relationship must be imbalanced in some way, then he at least wants to be the one with the power in his deepest relationships, unaware (or at least, willfully ignorant) of the fact that by corrupting and perverting their dynamics, he is slowly tainting their naive childhood love and affection that drew them to him in the first place. so in touga’s case, he inverts saionji’s logic to refigure it as “love can only be facilitated through abuse, no one will truly show you love unless they have to (through exploitation).” it’s the logic of someone who sees the world through an almost 2D framework of abuse, exploitation, transaction, and control. it’s the logic of someone desperately sad and desperately cynical. nanami is very wise (and brave) to ultimately reject him/it, even though it, too, is all she knows.

tsuwabuki complicates the nanami/touga dynamic by aspiring to inhabit both their roles simultaneously, and so he allows himself to be subjected to nanami’s exploitation while simultaneously subjecting her to violence. he is happy to be abused by nanami not because he loves her per se, but because their abuse is mutual. shiori and juri have a similar dynamic, wherein they are both at fault in different ways, both attempt to avoid the other (physically and psychologically) and yet constantly collide like magnets. however, the i would argue that the abuse they face is largely systemic, and their behaviors are primarily a symptom of their internalized homophobia rather than overt malice (even though shiori may pretend otherwise). miki and kozue’s tension is also mutual. they both harm the other despite loving them deeply. because love is not a bandaid that revolves all pain, misunderstanding, and miscommunication. see: the utena and anthy ledge scene.

finally, i think this quote is actually most powerful when figuring it through the lens of utena, anthy, and akio. of course, akio has fostered a dependency in anthy much like touga has with nanami, and so she does not know how to leave him despite being in incredible pain at his hand. but she is not “happy,” as saionji puts it. she is the most miserable girl in the world. she doesn’t love akio as much as she loves the memory of him, the idea of dios (which is of course also true for nanami and saionji re: touga, arguably also true for juri re: shiori, miki re: kozue, etc etc) — but anthy needs akio. or at least, akio has convinced her that she does. he is end of the world, she cannot envision a life beyond his imposed limits.

but i actually find it more interesting with regards to utena and akio. i don’t think at any point in the show, utena ever actually has real, romantic feelings for akio. i think that she is terrified of him, and in her desperate feelings of trapped helplessness as he ensnares her, she convinces herself that those heart palpitations, startled movements, shocks and thrills she feels in her presence is the emotional response not of fear, but of affection. but we know that in anthy’s presence, she doesn’t feel afraid, she feels calm, relaxed, happy. being with anthy isn’t wildly exciting, constantly requiring rationalizations to explain away the dread and internal rejection she feels towards akio’s advances. being with anthy feels like coming home. and it’s why she is initially so happy to be accepted into anthy’s family, to have a big brother like akio, to live under their roof. in utena’s naive, hopeful mind, she is joining anthy’s family in the most innocent possible sense. and she endures it, the grooming, the abuse, the rape, the end of the world; she fights til her very last breath, because she is in love. no matter how [utena] may be abused (by akio), she’s always happy to be near the one she loves (anthy).

#remind me to write an analysis on the moniker ‘end of the world’ next #bc i only rly allude to that here #id in alt text #u #analysis #manalysis #saionji #utena #touga #anthy #akio #nanami #miki #kozue #juri #shiori #tsuwabuki #dios #utenanthy

[sovereignjojoz]

how they carry you/you them (ultimate edition)

Pairings: Jonathan x reader, dio…x reader?Joseph x reader, Ceaser x reader, jotaro x reader, polenarff x reader, Avdol x reader, josuke x reader, Rohan x reader.

Warnings: weird, partial fluff, partial crack, idk, dio?, tired at Rohan’s.

Notes - for all the love on the Bucci gang edition!<3

Jonathan Joestar

Gotta be Bridal style

The og gentleman

Very traditional

He just loves to carry you he would carry you always if he could.

He’ll probably spin you around too, he’s just so sweet!

Carrying him

I mean if you insist!

It’s quite unusual in Victorian society so he’s a bit befuddled.

But if it pleases you then go ahead!

Dio Brando…

He’s just gonna be a manhandler.

He’s not sweet or nice, none of that lovey dovey stuff he’s gonna do what he wants.

He’ll carry you, drag you, whatever, he fr doesn’t care.

Not very romantic.

Carries you however he wants even if it’s never been heard of.

Kinda possessive, he might squeeze you tight if others look at you.

Touchy.

Honestly bad overall, but you dio simps probably don’t care, that’s why you like him after all! (Affectionate)🥰

Carrying him

He expects this, don’t be daft.

And he’s not gonna make it easy.

He might even make u carry him on a throne, after all he’s dio and it’s what he deserves.🤷🏽‍♀️

Joseph Joestar

To put it simply, he’s a troll.

Every time he carries you, he’ll pick you up bridal style and secure you in his arms, and only once you’ve wrapped your arms around his neck or have gotten comfortable he’ll either a) pretend to drop you (if he’s feeling kinder) or b) actually drop you.

Then he’ll laugh rambunctiously.

“C’mon babe, ya fall for it every time and it gets funnier every t-“

“Jojo!”

“ ouch my ear! ‘m sorry!”

Seems like the kinda guy who likes to carry you whilst doing squats or other gym activities just to show off his strength, he especially loves it if it gets a ride out of you.

Overall annoying

Will not put you down.

Likes to make you squirm by carrying you with one arm and touching/tickling your feet like the weirdo he is.

Kinda touchy.

So so annoying.

Will definitely show off in front of Caeser

Carrying him

Never offer

He gets even more annoying.

As soon as you've picked him up, he'll make himself as heavy as he can and literally drop all his weight on you just so you struggle.

And he's so audacious and sassy.

He'll taunt you with comments like, "oh, is that struggling I see, huh? You insisted on carrying me so chop chop."

He even snaps his fingers at you.

Just drop him.

Caeser Zeppelli

Hm, ever the charmer isn’t he?

You just know he absolutely loves carrying his s/o.

It’s obvious knowledge that he has a notorious history of being a playboy, and because of his experience with women, he knows what women like, what little gestures make them blush, how they prefer to be held etc.

So he’s going to put the knowledge he’s accumulated on you, he wants to make you swoon.

He somehow manages to always gets the timing right too, he will literally sweep you off your feet like Prince Charming.

He’ll probably want to kiss you too and like pull you really close to his chest.

He definitely wants a s/o who gets easily flustered when he carries them! No matter if you cover your face, blush, squirm he doesn’t care, he wants that reaction!

“Caeser put me down!” You whisper-shouted, trying and failing to push him away, you were literally in front of Lisa Lisa!

He kissed your neck chastely, “why Cara? I quite like you in my arms.”

“Mpmph!”

Likes to show off in front of Joseph.

Carrying him

He’ll blush out of surprise.

It’s feels so foreign to him, he’s not quite sure if he likes it!

He’ll definitely be more vulnerable to getting flustered!

Overall, he prefers to do the flustering and carrying.

Kujo Jotaro

Listen, I’m not even going to lie, you’re probably going to have to jump/floor him to get him to carry you…

Or you’re going to have to annoy him 24/7 so he considers it, just so he can get you to finally shut up.

“Jojo, Jojo, Jojo, please! I really really love you jojo! And you would do the same if you love meee-!”

Literally knocks you off of your feet.

Might just leave you on the floor.

Or he’ll hold you for one second, the drop you (heart eyes).

Jump on his back and you’ll get a piggy back for like 5 seconds or something before he pushes you off.

Small bonus! Part 4 jotaro! (+ jolyne)

Becomes more open to carrying you.

Still would rather not but if you insist fine.

He’ll brashly pick you up, stand still and hold you bridal style.

Baby Jolyne will make grabby hands and he’ll pick her up with one hand and carry you and her both.

Carries both you and baby Jolyne like sacs of potatoes.

Will put baby Jolyne on his shoulders.

Carrying him

Don’t try it, he’s got good reflexes, you might get knocked out.

He’ll probably wobble around because he doesn’t get carried.

Hates it.

Jean-Pierre Polnareff

My babygirl.

He’s such a romantic.

He just wants to pamper you and spoil you by making you not have to do anything ever, including walking!

“Ma Cherie! Please, don’t dirty your beautiful shoes in that puddle, allow me.”

Loves the feel of you close to him.

Wants you to jump on him, in his arms, any place any time.

Lil bit touchy.

He’ll speak to you in French too even if you can’t understand it (especially if you can’t) just to make you swoon more.

Sometimes he’ll carry you and dance just because.

Just lifts you when he’s extremely happy.

Give him affection!

Carrying him

If you love it he loves it.

He doesn’t care he just wants you to be happy.

Surprised at your strength though!

And he becomes very blushy too.

Avdol

You gotta be practical with him.

He won’t refuse but he certainly won’t endorse it unless you both have privacy, he’s not a fan of pda unlike others on here (cough Caeser, Joseph and Polenarff).

He’ll carry you if you’re injured though, and he’ll be so tender, making sure not to hurt you.

In terms of carrying you, he prefers the more romantic side of things such as carrying you to bed.

Although if you want to be silly and like do challenges he may indulge you once or twice even though he may not be so fond of such things.

One thing is though you absolutely cannot get caught by Joseph! He wouldn’t be able to handle the teasing!

Carrying him

The first time you attempt it, he’ll definitely grip you tightly out of surprise.

“Oh my!”

The look of pure shock on his face is so cute.

He might ask you to put him down after a while though.

He may let you carry him once or twice more.

The best Jojo Higashkiata Josuke

Similar to Mista, he LOVES to carry you in any way he can.

Like he’ll tackle you in order to carry you, in fact a lot of the time him carrying you stems from you and him play fighting.

His favourite way to carry you is putting you on his shoulder and doing whatever he wants, like he might even put you on his shoulder then go about having a normal conversation with okuyasu???

I can’t get this out of my head but I envision running at you at max speed and just picking you up, putting you on his shoulder and continuing running.

And the reason varies like sometimes it’s valid like kira will be in the vicinity and other times it’s so random.

“Oh shi- [name]! We have to go we’re gonna be late to meet my mom at the dentists.”

Carrying him

Again you’ll probably struggle.

And he’ll laugh at you and tease you.

Maybe even take a picture.

This is the time for him to relax, y’know?

He’s shameless too, like he’ll call okuyasu whilst you struggle and be like “you got this babe, anyway…”

If Rohan ever sees this is just another reason on the list of why he doesn’t like Josuke.

Kishibe Rohan

No.

He doesn’t have time for such trivial things, he’s got to work on things such as his manga.

This is something that idiot Josuke would do, not him.

But then he remembers that you’re his s/o and this will make you really happy, so he sighs and closes his sketchbook and indulges you.

Keeps it short and sweet.

When he puts you down they’ll be a couple of lingering touches.

Throw your arms around his neck, and kiss him, and tell him how much you love him then he’ll indulge you more.

Carrying him

Absolutely not, will jump out of your hold immediately and scowl.

#jjba x reader #jonathan joestar x reader #dio brando x reader #joseph joestar x reader #caeser zeppeli x reader #jotaro x reader #polnareff x reader #avdol x reader #josuke x reader #rohan x reader #jjba headcanons #jjba fluff #this is so stupid #but I had to write it for my bbgs polnareff and ceaser because they deserve it #Rohan too but I got lazy by the end #CAESER NEEDS MORE LOVE

[obituarybug]

The Stardust Crusaders defeat DIO

#Happy Women's Day #Somehow this ended up being a prequel my other comic where Jotaro Kujo says sorry to women #I didn't intend for that #Apparently now I'm a blog about the JJBA Stardust Crusaders defending women #JJBA #JJBA Stardust Crusaders #Stardust Crusaders #Jean Pierre Polnareff #Joseph Joestar #Jonathan Joestar #DIO JJBA #Jotaro Kujo #Kakyoin and Avdol are here too ig #Yes Iggy still dies in this scenario #Fuck that dog

[flowercrowngods]

something so monstrous pt.2

(in which kas feeds from steve and triggers a bad migraine pt.2)

🤍🌷 read part 1 here this part gets really intense on the migraine. descriptions of immense pain, fever dreams, and vomiting, some body horror imagery bc pain can be fun like that

Time and space lose all meaning as Steve remains on the precipice of something that is too violent to be called sleep, but not harsh enough yet to be unconsciousness. Real sensations evade him as everything turns into pain immediately. Even the twitch of his finger becomes a thundering blaze of blinding pain shooting through his body and settling behind his eye until he is sure he will wake up blind. 

The fear of that is everpresent, the blind spots too real to ignore every time it goes like this, and he imagines how they will grow. He imagines how they get worse every time until one day the pain inside his skull will be so immense it will take his eyesight in exchange for alleviation.

And even though it is unbearable, he opens his eyes whenever he can, just to make sure he can see still. It’s an added veil of terror that covers him whole and consumes him slowly but continually. 

At some point he notices something cold and wet being placed over his eyes, adding another layer of darkness that is welcome, even if it leaves an imprint of pressure and sensation on his forehead that makes his skin tear around it, his skull cracking and caving in beneath the touch. 

And still it helps a little, pulling him further toward consciousness but not further toward the pain itself. But Steve can only whimper weakly in response, six feet under a thick cloud of cotton-filled smog that even turns breathing into a chore, polluting his lungs with fear and horror and agony without compare.

He does fall into a fitful sleep at some point, grateful for the short reprieve, but it does nothing to alleviate his exhaustion. 

It feels like his eyeballs are being pushed into his skull for what must be hours upon hours, and the pain is so unbearable, so horrible, that he's not at all surprised when nausea rises in his chest, his body responding to its current state with confusion and a hard-reset. 

Steve keens, trying to roll onto his side, groaning at the flares of pain shooting up into his skull and down into his limbs. They only worsen the nausea and it's pure instinct that gives him the strength to sit up. 

"Kas?” he whispers, swallowing thickly against another wave. "Bathroom?” 

Instead of giving him directions or pulling him up to drag him there, Kas wastes no time. He gets up off the floor, approaching him with shuffling steps once more, and gently but quickly lifts Steve off the bed in a hold — firm, yet gentle — that brings another sting of tears to Steve's eyes. Pain and vulnerability and the need for everything to be over. That’s what makes him cry.

Still he manages to hold on, his head rolling onto Kas's shoulder, the skin of his neck blissfully cool against Steve’s overheated forehead pressing into him. 

Make it stop, he thinks. Longs. Aches. It’s supposed to be over. It’s all supposed to be over now. 

He whimpers again, and imagines that Kas is the one to softly shush him this time.

The coolness of Kas's neck is gone all too soon as the vampire sets Steve on the hard, uncomfortable bathroom floor. He doesn't go far, though, crouching down beside him and holding him up over the toilet. Steve can't see anything, but still he’s grateful that Kas left the lights off, the bathroom tinged in the same darkness as his bedroom. 

Pathetically, Steve rests his forehead on the toilet seat, chasing the coldness of it as pain and nausea reach their peak. It’s disgusting, but be’s not strong enough to care. A whine breaks from him, and he wishes Kas would leave. Even though the cold hand on his neck feels good, and even though he knows he wouldn't be able to hold himself up right now. 

I'm not weak, he wants to say. And maybe he does. But he can't recognise his own voice right now. 

"Not weak, maybe, but pathetic." 

No. 

"You know you are." 

Shut up. Go away. 

It doesn't make sense for Mr Munson to suddenly be here with them, to stand in the doorway and watch his nephew, who is more monster than human these days, holding up the pathetic form of Steve, who is more pain than human. More smoke than human. More vulnerable weakness than remotely human.

Go away. Eddie? I want him to go away. Tell— Go ‘way. 

The hand wanders, pulling Steve against cool skin again so his forehead rests against the toilet no longer, basking in the cold touch and the warmth of a body to hold him. 

"Safe," Kas says, and Steve wants to badly to believe him. Wants Wayne to leave, wants everyone to leave and just let him suffer in silence and solitude like always. 

Wayne starts talking again, but Steve can't hear him this time as he suddenly heaves and retches, throwing up what little he had to eat today. Over and over and over.

It goes like this for a long time. He has no idea how long. Has no idea where he even is anymore. 

The world tilts a few times when he loses his grip, his arms buckling, his hands spasming and giving out, and still he never falls. Only ever feels the cold, damp skin of Kas’s neck. 

Kas has to carry him to bed when he's done and on the brink of passing out again, and Steve doesn’t mind this time. Kas also hands him a glass of water or two before pushing him back to lie down again. That’s nice. 

The wet cloth returns, and Steve isn't aware of his surroundings for much more after that.

—— 

The next time Steve comes to, he feels like he was freshly dragged through Lover’s Lake until his lungs gave out. His head is pulsing violently, his senses are sluggish and everything feels foggy. He has no idea where he is, the room pitch black around him as he lifts a lukewarm damp cloth from his eyes. 

A soft groan falls from his lips as he stretches his aching, cramped limbs, rubbing his hands over his face and regaining the feeling in his body. Little pinpricks of phantom pain shoot through him, his mouth tastes like ash and his head protests rather violently against his pathetic attempt at sitting up. 

He is disoriented and something about his vision is still messed up, something in the depths of the room not quite right and leaving him with a dizziness he can’t quite shake, followed by a wave of anxiety that something’s wrong with his eyes. 

He blinks. Blinks again, finding more things in the strange room as he does, his sluggish brain slowly catching up and filling in the blanks.

It all comes back to him like a tidal wave when he suddenly finds himself blinking at a pair of red eyes, softly glowing and wide open. 

“Kas,” he croaks, his throat absolutely parched. 

One second he’s wincing at that, the next he finds a cool glass of water pressed into his hands before the eyes and the shadowy form they belong to retreat to the foot of the bed again. 

 “Thanks,” he murmurs, stalling as he takes a sip. Embarrassment rises in him, but he doesn’t want to apologise. The thought of that somehow makes the vulnerability that much worse, so he tries to ignore it. It’ll all be fine if they simply not acknowledge it. 

He wants to ask for the time instead, wants to know how much the migraine took from him this time, but he knows Kas doesn’t really understand the concept of it all, let alone know the numbers. 

A silence settles between them and it’s somewhere between welcome and uncomfortable. Just like everything that happens in Hawkins. It makes Steve feel like a ghost again, but this time he’s a ghost in the room, not just in his own head. He’s the one who’s out of place.

With a little sigh, he places the glass on the makeshift nightstand again and falls over onto his side. His head is mad at him for it, still feeling too fragile for sudden movements, but lying down feels better than sitting.

There’s a huff from Kas that sounds more amused than derisive, so Steve looks at him. Looks at the shimmer in those eyes before closing his own again, not wanting to be looked at right now. Not wanting to face it.

“You,” Kas says then, his voice quiet and without the edge of that animalistic growl. The sound of someone who’s not meant to speak at all. The souvenir of someone who was human once before Evil grabbed him and modified him to His liking. 

“Me,” Steve says, an automatic response, just as quiet. He’s listening. 

“How… How are…” Kas struggles, huffing in frustration at the words that refuse to come, but still it’s the most coherent Steve has ever heard him. It makes him sit up half way again; leaning his weight on one arm to focus all his foggy and cloudy attention on the vampire trying to ask him how he is feeling. 

No more words come, though, the question half finished in the air between them. But somehow it makes Steve smile. Just a little bit. This feels important. And huge.

“My head hurts,” he answers truthfully, amused when Kas’s eyes snap back to his. To search them. To communicate something.

“Hurts?” 

“Yeah. It will, for a while. Always does. Nothing to do about it, really.” He wishes he felt as indifferent to it as he sounds, but that’s just the tiredness clouding his tone. It’s fast approaching now that he knows he’s relatively safe. Now that he knows he can rest. His arm gives out and he slides, slowly this time, back to lie on the pillow. “But it’s not as bad. And the other pain is gone, so…” 

So. He could go home now. He should, probably. Ignoring the weakness in his bones and the exhaustion in his every fiber. If he closed his eyes again right now, he could fall asleep. Still, maybe he should—

“Stay,” Kas says again, and Steve really should have figured. He’s not quite well enough to really fight him on that, though, so he shrugs. 

“Fine,” he mumbles into the pillow, halfway back to slumberland already. 

There’s movement on the foot of the bed, and before he knows it Kas has tucked him in again, draped across the pillows as he is. It’s still unreal, that, but Steve won’t complain. What’s even more unreal, though, is the image Steve gets of Kas curling up by the foot of the bed in a similar position. As if he still means to keep watch. 

It’s ridiculous. A little weird. And sort of endearing.

——

The next time Steve wakes, everything around him is a little brighter, daylight fighting weakly to fill the room, but it stands no chance against the large wooden planks and thick curtains meant to block it out permanently. 

He blinks away the heaviness, taking stock of his body. There is a crick in his neck and burgeoning cramps in his side and hip from the position he’s still in, and this head still is a pulsing, aching mess — but no more than usual. 

He taps the pads of his fingers to his thumb before flexing his hands. Only then does he stretch the rest of his body and announce his wakefulness. 

Opposite him, at the foot of the bed, Kas is already awake and still in the same position that Steve saw him last. Did he even sleep? Does he need that? Or has he just been staring at Steve, watching him, ready to carry him to the bathroom again for round two. 

The thought of that makes his skin crawl.

“Hi,” he says to fill the silence that is all too inviting for his spiralling mind.

Kas grunts, but it sounds more like a hum. Sort of gentle around the edges. He doesn’t move, doesn’t seem at all fazed that they’re just kind of staring at each other. Steve swallows, not really sure how to go from here.

He fists the blanket and rubs the linen bedding between his fingers, feels the rough fabric catching on the callouses along his hands as uncomfortable seconds tick by. Still Kas doesn’t move. 

“Listen, man,” Steve says at last, thinking back to yesterday’s events and the vampire’s sudden care. “Thanks, alright? What you did, that was, uh. That was nice. You didn’t have to do any of that.” 

Another hum, and it occurs to Steve that Kas is back in his normal state, retreated back into his mind, hiding from the world himself now that it no longer needs him. It’s a strange thought, that Steve being hurt would be what brings him back. If at all. Maybe he’s reading it all wrong. Maybe it as just a coincidence, or maybe Kas tasted something in his blood that made him want to improve Steve’s physical state for selfish purposes. That’s probably more likely.

But it makes him feel even more wrong-footed than before, and it leaves him hyper-aware of the situation. Of their dynamic. Indifference and annoyance and… He doesn’t want it to change, doesn’t want some kind of debt between himself and Kas — especially not when Kas has no means to really settle it. But he also can’t feign some kind of gratitude when what he feels the most is mortification and embarrassment; and he sure as hell doesn’t want Kas to know that either. 

So he throws back the blanket and gets out of the bed, a little dizzy at first, but he doesn’t care as he slips into his shoes and hurries out of the room. 

He just wants to leave. Get out of here and go home, go back to bed and get over the mortification of having been seen like this. Of having been taken care of. By someone who doesn’t even like him. By someone who hissed and snapped at him one moment and then carried him to the bathroom the next. 

“It looks like there’s nothing human left in him, but we do have data that suggest otherwise.” Owens’s words echo through his mind as he crosses the living room. “It seems to be in hiding, the Munson part of him; that’s our hope at least. That you can get him back out one day, make him win over the vampire part. It could be like a self defence mechanism, I guess. We hope he can still be coaxed back into the land of the living. How, though, we don’t know.”

Was this what happened? Has Steve’s weakness triggered the human part of Kas’s tortured brain to take over? No, that can’t be. 

It seems unreal. Unlikely. Wayne telling him stories or Dustin talking about their campaign, that should have helped. Even Mike playing the guitar, or Robin rambling about something or other; all of that was much more close to who Munson was. Or used to be. Eddie Munson never struck Steve as someone who took care of people naturally. Someone who stepped in. He stepped up, sure, but only ever for the wrong reasons. 

It makes no sense. So it must be wrong; just Steve’s exhausted brain grasping at straws. It usually does that, anyway. Nobody knows if Eddie is even still in there. Part of Steve hopes he’s not. 

Just as he reaches for the front door, ready to just get out of here and pretend like nothing happened, he feels a presence behind him. Kas followed him out of the bedroom, standing in the doorway now with an unreadable expression. It's the blank one he usually takes on, but where before it was normal, it throws Steve off now. Maybe because he saw how Kas can look at him. How expressive his eyes can get.

He holds them, the red shimmer a little dimmer out here in the brighter living room. 

And maybe it's the blankness in those eyes, or the lack of judgment in Kas's every action, but whatever it is, it makes Steve let go of the door and turn to face Kas properly. 

"Why'd you do it?"

The vampire inclines his head. Listening. Always listening. Steve doesn't know how he never noticed that. It seemed so primitive before. Like how a dog will react to its owner speaking, but never process the words. Kas processes, though. So Steve keeps going.

"Why'd you... You kept saying that word. Safe. Do you, uh. Do you know what it means?" 

Slowly, his eyes growing a little less blank, Kas nods. 

Steve looks around the cabin, swallowing thickly, still feeling so out of place in here, still feeling the need to run and leave it far behind. But something makes him stay. Makes him want to understand. 

"You wanted me to feel safe?" Again, Kas nods. "Why?" 

There is hesitation there, and Steve wonders if it's because he doesn't want to tell him, if he doesn't know the answer, or if he doesn't know how to answer. It's a loaded question, maybe. 

"Pain," he says at last, his voice barely discernible from a growl, but somehow Steve seems attuned to it now. Maybe because he listens now. Because he wants to know. To understand. 

He waits, watching as Kas struggles for more words once more. Just like last night. 

"Know... Know... pain. Know.” He taps his temple with a clawed hand, and Steve's heart falls, his chest aching with realisation. 

Right. He would. He would know pain like that. If what the doc says is right, if what Vecna taunted them with is right, if every working theory the kids have is right, then… yeah. Kas would know. He’s know something about pain. More than any of them. Pain so intense it splits you apart from yourself. 

"Shit," Steve whispers more to himself than to the room, crossing his arms in front of his chest to hug himself and keep from digging deeper, keep his heart from falling further, and keep the horror at bay. 

He doesn't want to imagine the kind of torture Kas went through. Is still going through, if what the doctors say has even more truth to it. If Munson is still in there, still suffering because human minds have a way of holding on to pain — Steve knows soemthing about that, too. 

"I'm sorry," he offers. It's all he can offer. In the end, it’s all that’s left.

And still it's so lame. It's not enough. 

But Kas just nods again, a pained shadow of a smile appearing on his face. Something transpires between them in that moment, Steve can feel it, but he can't really define it. Maybe some kind of understanding. Some kind of safety. 

"I gotta..." he starts, motioning to the door behind him. "I gotta go. Will you be fine? Did you have enough, y'know, to drink?" 

Another nod, and the smile widens a little. Looks a little less pained this time. 

"Good," Steve says, stuffing his hands into his pockets, lifting his shoulders to his ears, trying and failing to seem casual in the face of those glowing eyes. "I’ll– I'll see you around, yeah?" 

And then he's out the door, his head spinning and aching, his steps heavy with the weight of whatever has changed between him and Kas in the past twenty-four hours. 

... sooo. part 3 anyone?

🤍 permanent tag list gang: @skiddit @inklessletter @aringofsalt @hellion-child @stobin-cryptid @hotluncheddie @gutterflower77 @auroraplume @steddieonbigboy @n0-1-important @stevesjockstrap @brainvines @puppy-steve @izzy2210 @itsall-taken @mangoinacan13 @madigoround @pukner @i-amthepizzaman @swimmingbirdrunningrock @hammity-hammer @stevesbipanic @bitchysunflower @estrellami-1 @finntheehumaneater @goodolefashionedloverboi (lmk if you want on or off, for this story or permanently) 🤍 tagging for this work only: @forestnymph-666 @little-trash-ghost @jupitersgonemissing

#steddie #steddie fic #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #kas eddie munson #kas takes care of steve fic #this part is downright short for me lmao #dio words #something so monstrous #i have a lot of things to say about pain and monstrosity but instead i just juxtapose them with an actual monster #and then bend the understanding of humanity around that instead #if the tag list doesn't work pls lmk some of these tags be looking wonky on mobile #the end of this is super rushed but 1) steve is still disoriented n weak 2) the mortifying ordeal of having been taken care of must be fled #3) too many thoughts too many realisations and things rearranging overwritten by the need to leave #so pls know it’s intentional and real life is abrasive like that sometimes hdhdh

[mikibagels]

Let's stick to chess next time 😓

#dio brando #enrico pucci #jjba #jofoes #church besties #monopoly ends friendships #monopoly responsibly #fanart #my art #sketch #comic #silly

[tillman]

The writing in part 1 of jojos specifically really gets to me because dio is such a fascinating villain for a story with such heavy themes of nature vs nurture and humanity and what not but also they do the “you disagree with this mans morals. He puts dogs into furnaces” bit and constantly go “he was born evil hes the devil its in his Blood” its so fucking funny. I dont know im genuinely obsessed with how poorly it fumbles its very few themes. And I know thats not the point. But its just a hysterical reading to me.

#its like genuinely astounding how it tries to take dio somewhere with the nature vs nurture thing. #and then ends up going ITS IN HIS BLOOOOOOD !!!! like lmao. ok. #txt #I dont know I think dio is too fucking good of a character. god damn. #part 3 doesnt even bother with writing dio as like a foil to the joestars in a thematic narrative sense #just in a very literal narrative sense. and thats fine. its fun. maybe it goes harder in the last half I dont recall #but its just hysterical how p1 really wants to lean into it. and then just kinda stumbles its way into HES WVILLLLL #GUYS YOU HATE HIMMMM HE BURNS DOGGGS HES WVIL like its just comedic

[asofterutena]

(the city of the human body)

[original comic by @diaryofadissembler]

#a softer world #revolutionary girl utena #shoujo kakumei utena #a softer world remix #rguedit #anthy himemiya #utena tenjou #dios #utena and anthy #ep: the ends of the world #diary of a dissembler remix #7 2023

[rated-oof]

#o dio mio #rodan #king ghidora #ya know I actually try to not give them human bodies but it happens in the end #also i never know to whether just have one of them or all 3 of them sharing a body #I guess it's whatever the hell I want lol #rodorah

[accursed-vagabond]

so there's this meme going around on twitter

#spiderverse #across the spiderverse #miles morales #zero escape #virtues last reward #vlr spoilers #dio vlr #sigma klim #quark end #animation #animation meme #vagas art tag #i was giggling the whole time making this

[idkaguyorsomething]

it’s quite fascinating how, up until this point, despite being framed as the traditional protagonist, jodio is given mostly traits that are associated with previous villains in other parts. think about it, he demonstrates greed, ambition, and a tendency towards excessive violence and short-sighted decisions. he’s even explicitly diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and calls himself a sociopath, traits that are often associated with villains due to the lack of empathy it causes (which is a whole can of worms about the stigmatization of mental health in popular fiction, but i’m willing to give araki the benefit of the doubt and wait to see which direction he takes the story and that trait in particular in).

on the other hand, dragona is given the most traits we associate with classic heroism, being the leader and mediator of their group who advocates for holding back when jodio gets out of hand and the one that gets to experiment with the macguffin, as well as being nicer and having almost as much focus dedicated to them as their brother. the fact that, as a dark skinned person of color with an ambiguous gender identity, they’re also a rather nontraditional hero, especially in a japanese piece of media, adds another interesting layer to this.

there are two main parallels we can draw to these two: giorno and bruno, and dio and jonathan

jodio and giorno both obviously embody a lot of dio’s traits, being ruthless and power-hungry, although jodio is certainly more emotionally open and driven by personal gain than reserved and idealistic, more like a young dio than most of his sons were. whereas dragona, as a calmer team leader who follows the rules but still needs the protagonist to bail them out of a tight spot, has tons of parallels to bruno, but the fact that they’re set up as the underdog brother with more traits the story associates with heroism when their brother is a clear reference to dio brando of all characters should not go unnoticed

what i’m trying to say is that upcoming emotional drama is inevitable and it will HURT

#ARAKI YOU BETTER NOT FUCK UP THIS RARE DEPICTION OF A PROTAGONIST WITH ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER #YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR WRITING OF MARGINALIZED CHARACTERS WE’VE ALL SEEN IT HAPPEN #IF THE SIBLINGS START CLASHING LET IT BE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS CONFLICT #THIS STORY IS FILLED WITH SO MUCH POTENTIAL I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE SHIT BY THE END OF IT #jjba #jojo’s bizarre adventure #jojolands #the jojolands #jodio joestar #dragona joestar #giorno giovanna #bruno bucciarati #dio brando #jonathan joestar

[lolobizarreadventuresshatpost]

End of Part 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheele%27s_Green 

#true victorian era problems #jjba #Phantom Blood #dio brando #arsenic paint #arsenic green #Dio #lolo edits #puts the sh1t in sh1tpost #the good ending #jojo meme #jojo's bizarre adventure

[diospore]

Endeavor + Hawks - Undercover Mission! ...Except, Enji seems to think he's better at disguises than he is.

"Dude. Enji. Literally everyone can tell it's you."

"How so?"

"You are literally flaming."

#mha #endeavor #todoroki enji #my hero academia #bnha #mha hawks #bnha hawks #endhawks #endeavor x hawks #keigo takami #Hawks is fantastic at disguises I think. let that man loose in a clothing store and he'll come out an entirely different person #they have to catch a criminal who happens to frequent this gay bar and have to go in pretending to be a couple #and then they're a real couple by the end of the night #yes i just wanted an excuse to draw endeavor in a dress! look! he looks good! #he should embrace his feminine side after he stops being an asshole #dio's art tag

[outoftoucherlocksholmes]

it occurred to me while backing up procreate files last night that aside from Bad Bisexual Representation Booty Shorts Dio, i never posted any of the things from this canvas i had going for sketches while watching part 3 back in 2022, which is a shame, really

#jojo's bizarre adventure #stardust crusaders #jotaro kujo #joseph joestar #kakyoin noriyaki #jean pierre polnareff #muhammad avdol #dio brando #hol horse #n'doul #oingo and boingo #terence t d'arby #alessi jjba #with a special shoutout to lisa lisa kars and shadow the hedgehog #context for the oingo boingo alessi one: i was like ''damn it must suck being an eight year old with severe anxiety in the same cult mansio #as Loser Dude Who Beats Up Children For Fun'' and then thought of that image #context for the terence darby one is that he levitates sometimes and that shits creepy in a hilarious way #also ''commits vehicular manslaughter nonbinarily'' is also just something i said on discord (about yoda actually) #but for some reason kakyoin would often end up being the one driving. and i think he should be allowed to run over some of dio's minions #i think everything else here speaks for itself #OH also the enya and polnareff ''can't stand his fake ass/me and the bestie'' was drawn on this canvas too but on hidden layers #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo part 3

[flowercrowngods]

It's unreal. The light is streaming in through the windows, the curtains still drawn to block out the midday heat, tinging their living room in golden hues that match so well with the light grey fabric of their new sofa.

Eddie should probably snap out of it and head over to the windows, open the curtains and let the light in, and with it the warmth and fresh air of a surprisingly wonderful day.

It's March, he hears the echoes of Steve's giddy voice a week or two ago. Everything's better in March.

Eddie didn't agree then, and he's not sure he agrees now, but he must admit there is something magical about this moment.

Still he remains rooted to the spot, leather jacket heavy on his shoulders, his hands hidden in the sleeves of it, just in case this really is a dream. Just in case someone will come in and snap him out of it, take away their couch and leave an eviction notice.

It's dumb. But Eddie doesn't deal well with things that are unreal. Things that he knows aren't meant for him. Things that he knows he only gets in this one play-through of his life, while millions of other Eddie Munsons are out there in parallel universes who never get to even lay eyes upon a couch this nice. Let alone buy it. From their own real adult money.

It's a corner sofa, the fabric light grey, and he remembers it being harder than it looks. Solid. Just perfect for both their fucked up backs, scar tissue pulling if they sit wrong for too long, phantom pain and muscle aches coming in hot when all they want is to just relax and enjoy a lazy evening.

Eddie bites his lip, trailing his eyes along the pristine fabric, the pillows lining the back of it, the flawless stitches keeping everything in shape.

They have a couch now. A sofa.

It's so fucking unreal.

He drops to the floor right then and there, sitting with his back against the wall, and never once taking his eyes off their sofa. It feels important to look at it for a while. It feels important to wait for Steve. It feels... It feels like maybe he'll ruin everything if he goes and sits on it now.

And it feels really fucking big.

At some point he hears the front door opening, their lock going so smoothly now that Steve fixed it with some graphite, and the sound makes Eddie smile. That's another thing that's unreal. The key barely making any noise, the lock not rattling, the door not creaking and cracking. Eddie pulls a strand of hair between his lips, the smile feeling too silly for this room, for this home, for everything he gets to have now.

For all the tiny things that matter now. All the tiny things he gets to have, turning the key's smooth slide into an allegory of everything he ever wanted but never dared to hope for.

The slide of curtains, the click-click-click of the window handle being turned to let the air in. The breeze of fresh spring air dancing around his nose.

It's all a little much. It's so fucking addicting.

And then Steve. Socked feet coming to a stop beside him, a hand landing in his hair, a voice that's so endlessly warm and fond and maybe a little worried sounding from above him, "Hi, angel."

"Hi," Eddie says, tearing his eyes away from their couch to meet Steve's. The sunlight from the windows hugs him, making him glow. Eddie smiles. He smiles and smiles and never wants to stop.

Steve hums as he leans down to press a kiss to his forehead, and Eddie weaves his arm through Steve's legs, holding onto his knee.

Everything feels a little less silly now. Like every time Steve doesn't question his little moments of sitting on the floor and just staring at things.

"We have a couch now," Eddie says, because it feels important to point out. Because Steve isn't looking at it.

"We do," he hums. "I got the call earlier. Thanks for helping with that, baby."

Eddie nods again, leaning his cheek against Steve's knee and trailing the couch again with his eyes. It looks brighter now that the curtains don't turn the room into something out of a sepia-type movie anymore.

Steve's hands comb through his hair, massaging his scalp a little with his nails. It's nice. It's warm. It's pretty.

And it's so unreal.

"I'm twenty-four," Eddie says then, and some part of him wants to carve that into the fabric. He won't. But maybe he should carve it somewhere else. "And I own a couch. It's a little crazy."

Steve comes to sit down beside him, their shoulders pressed together and he links their hands, resting them in his lap after a brushes a kiss to Eddie's knuckles.

"Why's it crazy, angel?"

He shrugs, resting his head on Steve's shoulders and curling into his warmth some more.

"Most of my life I never thought either of those would happen, y'know."

Another hum, followed by another kiss to the crown of his head. Another smile.

"But you did it," Steve whispers. "You made it. And we've got a couch now."

"We've got a couch now."

Saying it out loud doesn't make it feel any realer. It only makes his heart race and his eyes prick.

"I love you," he says, finally looking away from pretty grey fabric to meet prettier hazel eyes. "I love you so much."

Steve leans in, kissing the tip of his nose. "I love you. Thank you for buying a couch with me."

And it occurs to Eddie then that Steve understands him. Sitting there on the floor with him, hearing his words and listening to those unsaid, understanding Eddie on such a fundamental level that it should be scary. And it is, sometimes.

But he's not scared now. Because they have a couch. And they have pretty curtains that keep the light outside and still turn the room into something magical. And they have a lock that only needed a bit of graphite to let the keys glide smoothly.

And they have each other.

They stay on the floor until Steve's stomach growls, and they eat dinner with their backs against the couch and Eddie's feet in Steve's lap. They hold each other close after dinner, just breathing each other in as the breeze blows around them.

In the end, Eddie is the first to sit on the couch, with Steve standing between his legs and giving him a scalp massage in silence. In the end, Eddie buries his face in Steve's stomach to hide the tears, and Steve lets him.

Because this is real. And he gets to have this. They both do.

🤍 permanent tag list gang: @skiddit @inklessletter @aringofsalt @hellion-child @stobin-cryptid@hotluncheddie @gutterflower77@auroraplume@steddieonbigboy @n0-1-important@stevesjockstrap @brainvines @puppy-steve @izzy2210 @itsall-taken @mangoinacan13 @madigoround@pukner@i-amthepizzaman @swimmingbirdrunningrock @hammity-hammer @stevesbipanic@bitchysunflower @estrellami-1 @finntheehumaneater @goodolefashionedloverboi @awkwardgravity1 (lmk if you want on or off, for this story or permanently)

#steddie fic #steddie fanfic #steddie #steve x eddie #listen i have a couch now and if you know me you know that i get really fucking emo about the tiniest things #i fixed my lock with graphite btw when i was blackout drunk. it still fills me with so much joy #sorry tag list gang idk what this is but it wanted out #i could write fics/poems/whatever about the most mundane things until the end of my days tbh so today we have: couch #dio words #dio's steddie ramblings #the hurt/comfort is implied like you'll catch it when you reflect on the words but most importantly this is healing. and comfort. and fluff #and so much love and understanding it makes me wanna throw up

[leonsrightarm]

me: i'll keep working after one ror2 run

the ror2 run:

#ror2 #i don't have negative money i have so much money that the game can't process it any more #if you get enough you can loop back around to having a positive balance again #i got colonel droneman in like the second level and daddy's credit card in the third and i was like. #well. this run is over when i say it's over. #but i got bored and went to greet my grandson mithrix after this #hilariously i ended up getting a third dio's best friend from a supply drop on the moon

[xelidonia]

Something that shouldn't have taken me 30+ episodes to notice: Nanami and Touga's last name, Kiryuu, is the Greek word Kyriou, meaning "of the Lord." highlighting their parallel with Anthy and Akio, as well as the fact that despite their power they are tools/pawns in a more powerful man's grasp

#revolutionary girl utena #nanami kiryuu #touga kiryuu #akio ohtori #if dios is god and akio is lucifer that makes the kiryuus “angels of the Lord” #which fits very well with touga's role in heralding End of the World #much to consider