Bruce's bat ears should emote his feelings like cat ears do.
I know he's more mysterious and unnerving when you don't know what he's thinking and feeling, but he would look so cute if the ears reflected his emotions. Pulled back when he's pissed, or standing tall and facing forward when he sees Clark something interesting.
rayleigh, an acquaintance of yours, made the request for you to be there. while you were a little hesitant, you did owe the older gentleman a favor.
and, truth be told, luffy wasn’t so bad. damaged, but undoubtedly persevering. it was easy to become friends with the rubber man! not all the time, but enough. once he decided you’d be an integral part of his circle, he refused to let you leave.
then the comments started.
the first one was over a hearty dinner. luffy looked at you and snickered. at first you braced for a food fight, but no. he’d just cocked his head, smiled.
“zoro would like you.”
goodness gracious, this guy. you take it as a compliment and not much else. the pirate hunter? you’d only ever seen his face on wanted posters.
it only escalated from there. it’s almost like each day, you’d say or do something (or even just exist) in a way that makes luffy certain that it would work out.
“he’s a moron sometimes, but he’s good!” luffy would laugh in between training rounds, thinking he’s baiting you. “I think you’d like him!”
the captain isn’t blunt. it only worsens with each passing month.
“you think too much. zoro will help with that! and he can be kinda mean… you can help with that!”
“just wait till you see him! he’s strong. he likes swords, but i think he’d really like you, too!”
“you two should get married! I’d like that.”
once the two year checkpoint is reached, you’re tagging along with luffy as he makes the trek to sabaody.
it’s all fun and games until you meet mr. marimo himself.
luffy just smiles and snickers, looking between the two of you like he’s about to watch an explosion. his eyes practically sparkle and you can’t even get a simple greeting before luffy is introducing you.
“zoro! zoro, you’ll really like them!” the captain insists, wrapping an arm around the two of you and treating you like dolls. “they helped me a lot. they’re really good, promise!”
the swordsman isn’t amused. he hadn’t trained for two years just to fall victim to his captain’s matchmaking skills. “don’t be stupid,” he replies, voice low and firm.
luffy pouts, turns his head to you. “see! I told you he’s mean.” then he turns back to zoro. “marry them! captain’s orders.”
in a matter of moments, things calm. luffy might have a bump on his head. zoro might be rubbing his fist.
“his head’s gotten harder,” zoro mumbles to himself, his good eye glancing toward you. he thinks nothing of luffy’s earlier words. “you helped keep him in line. thanks for that.”
you shrug, a touch humble. “I don’t know if keeping him in line is the right way to say it, but yeah.”
a small pause, then you offer the swordsman a cordial smile. “good luck with him though. and the whole greatest swordsman thing.”
zoro wants to raise a brow. you point a thumb toward luffy. of course luffy told you. zoro wonders what else his dumbass captain spilled about him.
a grunt is all you get in return, then they’re off. you walk back toward rayleigh’s.
once some distance is made, zoro clicks his tongue. “you’re telling everyone my life story now?”
luffy giggles. giggles. “no just them. you’re going to marry ‘em.”
ridiculous.
still, zoro casts a glance back and happens to catch you doing the same. the two of you quickly snap your heads forward.
there’s no way luffy can predict such a thing.
and you? ending up with roronoa zoro? yeah, right!
The brutal contrast of Lava Lamp instantly agreeing to stay in the castle vs Syaoran at the start of Tsubasa having the same offer but continually refusing it, because he didn’t think it was proper.
And maybe that’s a natural difference between different sets of people in slightly different scenarios, or maybe it’s the general decline from 'Good' things into less good things when the timeline was interfered with. Like how previously Fujitaka was king and happily married to Nadeshiko, but the next time around Clow was king and Nadeshiko was nowhere to be seen, with Fujitaka already passed away. Like how Sakura used to be involved in purity rituals in the reservoir, but then it was just a ruin being excavated and nothing to do with Sakura.
I mostly just have a growing list of suspicions but let’s put a pin in it for now.