I Can't Explain How Weird It Is To See Zoro Kicking Someone.

One thing I've been struggling to articulate is how meaningfull the “now we're even” line is to sskk. Because I believe it's really so poignant even beyond it's meaning of “returning the favor”. With sskk, it's always been a fight to surpass, to get the upper hand, to prevail. Always trying to come first before the other, always trying to win over the other. Akutagawa literally tells Atsushi “defeating you, that alone is my meaning”, and Atsushi too says “I have to become stronger [...] that is what I must do to deny Akutagawa's strength”. It's fight for supremacy: for Akutagawa first of all, since he feels like the only way he has to gain his validation to live is by the way of proving himself to Dazai through defeating Atsushi; but it's a matter of triumphing over the other for Atsushi, too, for whom doing good equates to it being okay for him to keep living, and for whom doing good often came in the form of defying evil, evil that Akutagawa so perfectly embodied. It's always been a fight to prevail, it's always been a “either you, or me”. Coexistence for them was simply unthinkable.

But now Atsushi knows better. He's grown to recognize Akutagawa's value, and to appreciate his sacrifice. Most importantly, he concluded that they don't need to fight for supremacy anymore; now that he aknowealdges Akutagawa's humanity and respects him, he can finally think of the two of them as equals, peers. That's the “even” there is to it: they've finally found their common ground. Aid, support, look after one another: it's not about trying to get in front or surpass the other anymore, but rather, stand side by side. And it gets me so emotional.

for atsushi to so fully and completely recognise akutagawa's sacrifice and what it means for the person akutagawa is at heart, echoing it back to him so powerfully—akutagawa felt another see him so thoroughly, know him so deeply, that it overwhelmed him into remembering who he truly is. what other recognition could outdo this?

the ada is such a loser compared to every other organization they go up against. they've got like eight members. they work out of a rented office above a coffee shop. half of them probably also live there. they're all broke. and yet everyone from the mafia to the government to the most powerful foreign gifteds see them as an equal opponent. and they're right.

today is agressive day

I just know they will have even more chemistry than in the anime

Namivivi is going to be so good... Everyone say thank you Emily 🫶🏻💖

The “That’s immoral you shouldn’t write that, we need to get that taken down” discourse on tiktok right now is PISSING ME OFFF

Wdym you want censorship for a literal ARCHIVE are you fucking stupid

Ao3 was literally founded to preserve works that were largely getting taken down due to censorship

Censorship is the opposite of what Archive of Our Own stands for

The TAGS and WARNINGS are there for a REASON. Use them and stop complaining

The universal rule—don’t like, don’t read

It’s THAT simple

Just saw a comment that said in that moment Akutugawa realised someone thought he deserved to live.

I’m done.

No because… because Akutugawa like Atsushi has always wanted that kind of approval.

And Atsushi may not have died but even he knew it was all a hunch at that point when he pushed Akutugawa aside.

He saved him.

Used his own words against him because back on the boat Akutugawa decided that Atsushi deserved to live.

And now Atsushi’s decided he should too.

cage of the soul

You know, for as much as bsd has spiraled, I don't think Fyodor's motivations have really changed all that much since we first met him.

He's always hated ability users. A fact which I think a lot of people tend to forget is that most regular people don't know that much about them, except that they were part of the war. They know they exist, but in contexts like the Port Mafia and vaguely aware of the Agency's existence. They're not people who are liked, they have to be watched by the government, and Fyodor's always hated them.

He wants to rid the world of ability users, because he believes they are a sin (despite him being one himself). We don't know why, and I don't want that Tragic Backstory™ because I'm happy hating him as he his now, but that's been the case ever since he tried to have the Agency and Mafia defeat each other. Ever since the movie where he was willing to team up and cause a Gifted Genocide via Gifted Suicide. Also, he's kinda right about Fukuchi's plan being flawed like...yeah, world domination has never worked out well in the past. So him wanting a war against all Gifteds and manipulating Fukuchi to do it actually makes tons of sense, considering what we know about him. He thinks that peace will come as soon as the Gifteds are done with.