Story of a Uke

Mostly meta yaoi stuff. I love Yamane Ayano, think Scarlet Beriko is a genius, and I have opinions. Strong ones. If you don't like my opinions, please move along. Anonymous Asks back on. (But I will still block anyone being a jerk. I can see your IP address, just so you know.) var sc_project=10423045; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="858b16c3";

[storyofauke]

hi, how are you? it’s been awhile since you post something!! 3> what’s your thoughts on the new chapter ?

Thank you for asking. Just to let everyone know, I’ve had a death in the family. Not sure when/if I’ll be back. 

[storyofauke]

iwillnamethisblogsoonerorlater replied to your post: I can totally see Asami in politics in future. As...

Well one would hope that Japan will get with the future and recognize same sex relationships. I do know that 13 couple have filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government to have their relationships (and anyone else’s) be recognized. So that’s good news.

Here’s hoping they prevail!

[storyofauke]

I can totally see Asami in politics in future. As a fixer he's already in league with so many politicians, like we saw in the extra where Akihito followed him for the day. Do you have any thoughts on how Asami in politics would play out?

So a couple of caveats: One, I know less than nothing about Japanese politics. Two, given the state of politics in my own country, I really don’t want to support the fallacy that “good at business” equals “good at government,” considering we’re living through proof that this is not true. (Although maybe the real problem is that there’s “good at business” and then there’s “bullshitting everyone into thinking you’re good at business.” But I’m drifting off the topic.)

So back to the make believe world of Finder, here are things we’ve learned about Asami through his work that would be positives he would bring to the political realm:

- He’s a hard worker. The man’s a workaholic. We see him staying late at the office, exhausted, having to be bullied into taking time off. He wouldn’t spend half his time on the golf course and the other half watching TV. He’d WORK.

- He does actually negotiate. Asami claims to be many things that he really isn’t, but he does know how to negotiate. He understands what people want and how to use that to get what he wants. Useful in achieving that greatest of all political goals: compromise.

- He inspires loyalty. He has the devotion of his men in a world where allegiances often shift. Also, consider how many people from outside his immediate organization come to him for his help solving problems. Considering he’s a criminal, people do trust him.

- Lastly, and this is not to be sneezed at, he is charming and telegenic, qualities that would go a long way to inspire faith in his abilities.

One question, though, setting aside his criminal background, would his alternate lifestyle be acceptable? Because I don’t see him shunting his little lover aside for any office, however high.

[storyofauke]

I agree Asami is bad at reading ppl, where Feilong is a bit better at doing so than him I feel. No wonder he is playing marriage counselor lol.

I absolutely love Fei as an Asami/Aki shipper. Especially considering he’s still carrying a wildly flaming torch for Asami. It’s pretty impressive that Fei’s heart can extend to helping out Aki. I really think what he was doing in that scene in the hideout where he was quizzing Asami was trying to figure out if Asami really and truly cared about Aki, if he really had abandoned Aki for good, if there was any hope at all that he--Fei--could find his way into Asami’s heart. And when he realized he couldn’t--because as you say, he was able to read Asami better than Asami reads himself--he retreated with as much honor as anyone in this story and not only ceded the field to Aki but handed Asami over to him. 

[storyofauke]

Hi darling! How long do you think it's been since the beginning of the story?

Click here for my take on the timeline.

[storyofauke]

Asami didn’t know that Fei loves him? then when did he get to know that?

Are you talking about the ask about Asami not being able to read people? That was about more than being aware Fei was in love with him, though he badly misread the depth of Fei’s feelings. He also made really poor calculations  throughout the Hong Kong arc due to not being able to read Fei. And look at recent chapters, like where Fei comes to Asami’s hideout and starts taunting him about being in contact with Aki and Asami says “Are you trying to make me angry?” He doesn’t understand what Fei’s doing and why. At this point, he obviously doesn’t understand that Fei is still in love with him and that is a huge factor driving what Fei is doing. When they go back to Fei’s place after the shootout, he totally misses that Fei is lying to him about Aki. (Not to mention drinking the drugged tea like an absolute rube.) 

[storyofauke]

has Aki really been trained by Asami?? everyone says so. back to Hong kong Fei long says ” you haven't been trained, have you?”“ have i stolen something that was in the middle of being developed?“ but Aki was only being forced into Sex few times (3 times in the main story by Asami). then we have Sakazaki “ your techniques are amazing. you must have been well trained “ what do you think?

In that context, it’s a sneering pejorative used by Fei and Sakazaki to put Aki in his place and minimize the importance of his relationship with Asami. But was Aki really trained by Asami? Not the way Fei and Sakazaki meant it. And “train” isn’t quite the right word. What Asami did was more of an extended effort not just to draw Aki to him but to draw out something within Aki. After all, Asami has never wanted Aki trained and tamed. He likes the fight and the battle.

[storyofauke]

Housecleaning

It’s that time again. Here’s the deal: I do not post about Finder anywhere but here. Not on twitter, instagram, discord, reddit, etc. etc. and most certainly not Mangago or any other aggregator sites. In fact, I started this blog because the atmosphere on Mangago had become so poisonous.

It has happened in the past that people have copied things I’ve written here and posted them elsewhere. I have no control over that. But I’m being accused of posting stuff that I have openly disagreed with here, and the person who is accusing me ought to know it, given the amount of time she spends stalking me.

I know who’s accusing me. I track IP addresses on this blog and I have yours tagged. I see you. You say you don’t want to name and shame. I don’t want to, either, but if you don’t stop dragging me into your petty shit, I will. You have something to say to me, my asks are open. I dare you to do it under the name you go by on Mangago. I dare you to stand up and own your accusations.

Sorry to my regular followers, but this isn’t the first time I’ve been accused over there. I’ve kept quiet about it before, but it’s pissing me off now.

[storyofauke]

U know, ppl say “Love is blind”, so maybe when it comes to Aki, Asami is pretty much blind. That’s why although he keeps claiming that he can read Aki like an open book, the truth is that he can’t read anything at all.

It could be, but Asami is blind to other people, too. He didn’t read Fei at all, to his everlasting regret. Same with Sudou. Maybe on some level, he’s aware that this is a deficit for him, so he blusters his way through it, telling people he can read them when he knows he can’t. You know, sort of fake it till you make it. 

[storyofauke]

Hey I don't know if you care btu I'm pretty sure they're talking about you on mangago.

Oh for heaven’s sake. Okay. Thanks.

[storyofauke]

can you please explain to me what Asami meant in ch.47 “when you get aroused, you start feeling something over here, don’t you...? Can you bear to just leave it the way it is?

So, ahem, Asami’s got his fingers up Aki’s ass, so I’m assuming Asami feels his ass twitching, as a now sexually experienced Aki responds to that touch in anticipation. “Can you bear to leave it the way it is?” is basically “You want it bad, don’t you?”

[storyofauke]

why didn’t aki tell asami what sudo did to him? 🤔

Probably multiple reasons. Considering his previous experiences with sexual assault, perhaps he didn’t see what Sudou did as something Asami needed to know about. And penetration seems to be what Asami is concerned about, and Sudou didn’t penetrate Aki.

Also, remember how little time elapsed in the actual timeline of the story. It’s only been maybe a day or two since rough sex back in volume seven, where Asami threatened to tear apart anyone who touched Aki. So Aki just might be protecting Sudou here, even though Sudou has tested even Aki’s legendary ability to understand and forgive people who hurt him. 

(Though the fact that Aki’s got a bandage around his neck from where Sudou TRIED TO SLIT HIS THROAT ought to be considered touching, you think?)

[storyofauke]

Woahh that scene with Aki on all fours and Asami wanting to see if Soudo touched him... Its not on mangago?? Is it only in the printed version? Omg are there other scenes only avalible in the printed version?

Yes, it’s only in the tankobon. Prior to that, Asami jerks Aki off and then after Asami examines Aki, they have sex, which was only suggested in the original chapter by showing them in bed afterward. 

TBH, I’m not wild about this particular addition. Though I do like Aki claiming Asami in that scene:

But I liked the way it stood in the original. Because one of the other added scenes is an extension of the scene where Sudou has Aki tied up in the warehouse. In the original, in that moment, Aki comes to that beautiful realization of what he means to Asami:

In the rewritten scene, Aki has similar thoughts but doesn’t come to any conclusion, leaving the question open, his insecurities still somewhat intact. I guess that’s better for the continuing story because the way it was written in the original chapter, it kind of closed Aki’s character arc. 

So anyway, then the other thing that changes is that Sudou pulls down Aki’s pants and rubs one off against his ass. There is no penetration. But that’s what Asami is looking for in the later scene. It’s pretty gratuitous. Sudou is already sufficiently awful without it, so I’m not sure what purpose it serves.

The other little addition was a few pages at the end of the rooftop scene, where Asami shoots Aaron (who’s wearing a vest) and makes it up the stairs to the helipad. This appears to have been added to aggregator sites. The original stopped where Asami said “Cover me” to Kirishima.

[storyofauke]

Ha! Made this a long time ago and found it just now, cleaning out some flash drives. (This is how old this is: made from a preliminary sketch of My Fair Prince that sensei posted on twitter, so...three years ago?)

[storyofauke]

How serious should we take the extras? I mean i thought Sensei draws them for fun. something cute and funny so we won’t get bored with only guns to long. but then there are those details like Asami’s Pic with a teddy on Aki’ phone which appears in the main story . That means this extra should be canon.??

This is a good question and one I don’t have a definitive answer for. Short answer: Some are canon, some are not and I don’t think sensei thinks about it nearly as carefully and obsessively as we do. Some are obviously so, like the ones tied into the storyline (Hong Kong extra, Temporary Paradise, etc.) Some obviously not (the businessman extras, which could be interpreted as Aki’s dreams or fantasies, since one of them turns out to be just that.) Same with the silly ones like the vampire bunny and the bear and tiger extra.

Longer answer, IMO:

Love Surprise (New Year extra) - canon

Labor Cameraman Takaba’s Wonderful Day (drinking extra) - canonTakaba Akihito’s Asami Ryuichi Report (from the character book) - canonTemporary Paradise obviously - canonBloody Mary obviously - canonSecretary’s Duty (K caring for sick Asami) - canon (why not?)Hardworking Photographer Takaba Akihito’s Fulfilling Life as Housewife (this one ties directly into story and even includes critical plot information) - canonRomantic Life of Service of Hardworking Photographer etc (onsen/three-way extra) - we now know this is NOT canonFei Long and Tao extra - I’m leaning towards not canon on this one, even though it’s just a dream, mainly because sensei talked about the genesis of this extra and how it was her editor’s fantasy about what kind of seme Tao would make. So maybe this one was just editor service.Takaba Akihito’s Graceful Summer Holiday (beach resort extra) - canonHardworking Photographer Takaba Akihito’s Summer Story (fireworks) - canonHead of Department Takaba Akihito’s Rose Colored Accomplishments (S&M extra) - canon on this one because it turns from one of the businessman dreams to “real life.” But you could argue me out of it if you wanted to, but why would you want to?The Day Asami Ryuichi’s Little Monster Arrived - canon--important canon because it’s a rare glimpse into Asami’s POVOnslaught of Love of Diligent Photographer Takaba Akihito (drug extra) - canon, no arguments accepted on this one, both endings includedMy Fair Prince - canon, but set after the manga, in a future where they’re having their happy-ever-afterAsami Ryuichi’s Little Monster Plus 1 - canon, ties into existing canon and doesn’t contradict anything, gives nice insights into both of them and their desire NOT to have children. I would also place this one after the events of the main story, in their happy-ever-after.The Boss’s Secret Life with Furball - canon, another one that starts as fantasy and is revealed to be a dream, another nice glimpse into Asami’s psyche. Happy-ever-after on this one, too.The Demon of the Guardian Forest Shrine - .....caaaannnnon....? I guess? I mean, it’s a huge coincidence and my novelist heart is wary of too many coincidences, but nothing else really argues against it.Animate Anniversary Extra (Aki working in manga shop) - silly but no other reason for it not to be canonTakaba Akihito’s Finder Warriors - same as aboveAsami Ryuichi’s Halloween Night in Viewfinder - this one, too, dream-to-reality. Happy every afters on these three.Koisuru Finder no Hyouteki - not technically an extra but I think we have to throw this one in, too, as canon because Mizuno and Hiyama’s dads appear in Finder (I forget which chapter--they’re in the background at Sion, I think.) So these stories are doubly tied together.I skipped all the obviously non-canon ones like the businessman ones that don’t tie into the story or the bear and tiger forest story. Ones not marked as happy ever after I believe fall into the gaps of the main story, mostly between volumes two and three and between volumes six and seven, because they have a feeling of a still-developing, somewhat awkward relationship, where the Happy Every After ones feel like a more stable relationship where they are comfortable with each other.

Did I miss any? I feel like I missed one.

[storyofauke]

There is " bridal carry " in chapter >> embrace the heat of the night

That’s post-coital, though. I imagine “being carried to the bed” as a pre-coital sort of thing. (And once again, Aki is unconscious. Hmm. Aki only gets carried when he’s out cold.)

[storyofauke]

Hi! Just for fun, where would you like to see Asami and Akihito ten years from now? Both professional and relationship-wise. :D

I hope Aki keeps working and developing as a photo journalist. He is good at it, when he isn’t being derailed by being kidnapped and stuff.

As for Asami, let’s put him in politics! Then he could put this criminal connections to use for the common good.