#desirepath feedback

[itoshis-after-dark]

mao everything you write is always so amazing and honestly I was waiting for you to drop desire path and hearing that you were disheartened by anon hate for exploring literary narratives that don't fit a sanitized version of reality makes me very sad

you're a phen0lmenal (🤔) writer and your ability to create backstories and narratives that are more than just tropes or what most people experience is something that should be cherished and appreciated

first part of desire path is a beautiful read like idk yr ability to create the environments that you do like for bluebird or hell fic is just crazy

love you and hope that you can be recognized for your hard work and effort

thank you for sharing your work and thoughts w us 💕💕💕

AWWW thank you my darling!! I really appreciate the encouragement 🥺💞 I'm really glad to know that you support my creative interests in these specific literary narratives - they are really tough to read and I can't thank you enough for giving my stuff a chance, especially this work. I'm beyond happy to hear that you find the writing beautiful and that you felt I did a great job with the setting.....thank you so much anon, I love YOU!!! 💗💗💗

[itoshis-after-dark]

Mao, I would like to formally retract my ask about “protecting my peace” because I just hunkered down and read the first chapter and I hate to think there’s a chance I could have ever gone without reading it.

Just like all your other works, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece-that I expected-but it was also such a masterful deconstruction of this trope and this sort of relationship.

The relationship between Rin and the MC is one so complex I’ll need a reread to fully get a grip on but even without that reread it is so clear that you know exactly what you’re doing with this.

Keep doing what you’re doing Mao. You’re probably the only writer I trust to tackle something like this and tackle it well.

-🐌

hi hi cara beloved thank you for reading desire path despite it totally not being up your alley!!! I know it takes a lot of trust and faith in an author to dive into a trope that you ordinarily dislike, especially one as disturbing as this, so thank you for giving me that trust. I am beyond grateful for your kind thoughts about it, esp regarding the complexity of the relationship - I did in fact think about it for 303729372 years so I'm glad that it paid off LOL

sending u all my love !!!! 🫶

[itoshis-after-dark]

I am unfamiliar with blue lock but I ended up reading desire path anyway because I enjoy your writing regardless of the content! Curious though why you chose to call it football (I am aware of football vs amfooball) when in Japan its usually soccer? Otherwise I remember you having a hard time(?) with honorifics but I think the very minor detail of touchan/kaachan when the mc is crying out versus the otousan/okaasan otherwise is pretty poignant

hi anon thank u for reading desire path despite not knowing the series!!!! I truly hope it was enjoyable for you! and LMAO yes family honorifics are the bane of my existence- always a struggle between localizing for a smoother reading experience vs foreignizing to retain nuance and cultural accuracy.... I decided to foreignize and keep 'em here to utilize them for max nuance and subtext - and the observation you made is one such example!!! I'm so glad you noticed it 💗

re: football vs soccer - there was no reason LMAO. I was going back and forth on the term (using football which is common in bllk ENG fandom vs using soccer as in Japanese), had ultimately decided on soccer for consistency with the Japanese, but then forgot to switch x_x

[itoshis-after-dark]

I liked reading that! But I wanna know how would Sae react since mc is close to him via phone. 💀

thank you anon, I'm glad you enjoyed it!!! 🫶 and don't worry, you'll see more of sae (or hear more of him, anyway - over the phone!) in later chapters :3c you'll find out his reactions then hehe

[itoshis-after-dark]

hi im so distraught by your writing but in the best way because wow. the absolute tragedy that is your written poetry. ill be thinking about it for days. im trying to formulate how it made me feel and i really cant. just beautiful honestly.

hi anon!! WAHH thank you so much, it's so kind of you to call my stuff 'written poetry' !!! 🥺💖💘💞 I am so happy to know that my fic has evoked such strong feelings in you, and that it's left such an impression on you - thank you so much for reading, and for taking the time to share that with me ♥️♥️♥️

[itoshis-after-dark]

hi new follower here! i just finished reading the first part and i’m aching to read the rest, the way you wrote their dynamic is so interesting to me and it makes me curious as to how it’ll play out. please keep writing what you like and don’t worry about what anyone else has to say about it :) looking forward to the next part!

hi there!! thank you so much for the kind words- I'm so glad you enjoyed the dynamics set up in the first scene! I hope they evolve in an interesting way for you in future parts! 🫶 tysm for reading!!! 💞💞💞