Marukichi - Tumblr Posts
HaseMaru Pacific Rim AU!!!
-Maruki's Jaeger when he was a pilot with Rumi would be "Adam Kadmon" before it got destroyed.
-Zenkichi's Jaeger with Aoi would be called, "Wolf's Fury" and then would be renamed "Valjean" when it gets salvaged and restored/rebuilt as part of the program.
-The backstories of both are similar to Raleigh's (one of the movie's MCs) in a way but let's start with Maruki: He worked as a researcher for the Jaeger program when he decided to volunteer to be a pilot. He was rusty but still capable. It does help that he has the support of his best friend Shibusawa and his fiancé Rumi, with whom he becomes drift-compatible with and is therefore his co-pilot. They quickly became an strong team, being able to fend off Kaijus that cross their path.
-Of course, sadly, it doesn't last as one particularly grueling fight leaves Adam Kadmon damaged and then Rumi gets severely injured. She ends up extremely traumatized and unable to get back on the Jaeger without having a panic attack. Maruki naturally blames himself and cuts ties with her when she ends up leaving for her safety. She does move on and finds someone else during the time skip but it doesn't help the pain he's feeling at all. Not even Shibusawa could help him out of his funk and he abandons his status as a pilot altogether, heading back to his original position. Futaba has decided to join later on since Sojiro runs the whole program (reluctantly of course but she insisted). He merely watches the others fight through the sidelines and screens, admiring one in particular.
-Which leads to Zenkichi: He and Aoi had been working together in the program for years before getting married and having Akane. They became pilots to ensure that their daughter can live in a future without any fear or danger. Piloting Wolf's Fury, they were unstoppable especially with how strong their drift-compatibility was. Akane would often watch and dreams of being a pilot herself. With their high Kaiju kill count, they feel strong together. But like Maruki, it doesn't last either.
-During one dangerous mission (that Zenkichi accepted despite Aoi's concerns) involving the protection of civilians/bystanders (think of the film's prologue), they realized that the Kaijus not only started to evolve and become stronger, but that there's more than one.
-They both try not panic as they look for the other, only for the one they thought was dead to lash out and pounce on them with the second one joining in. They start to feel overwhelmed, especially they start tearing the Jaeger apart Zenkichi feels pain in his arm and side and collapses with a scream, much to Aoi's distress. But before she could disconnect and help him, she hears tearing metal and feels a pull and freezes with a horrified look.
-Much like Raleigh's brother, she gets dragged out while still connected and killed. Zenkichi felt EVERY ONE of her last moments; her agony, fear, everything since they were still linked. Of course, backup finally came since they sent an SOS but it was far too late as he ends up bleeding and traumatized by what happened. After he gets patched up, he is forced to tell Akane that her mother is gone and she took it just as well as you'd think.
-She berates and blames him (which he agrees fully) and vows to become a pilot to avenge Aoi to which he refuses to allow. It leads to a fight and her storming off, not wanting anything to do with him.
-He leaves the program for a while only to be reluctantly brought back out of retirement by Sojiro (and Akane ends up joining against Zen's wishes anyway). To the new and veteran pilots, he's a cowardly washout who abandoned the program save for a couple of people.
-He doesn't care though, he just wants to get this done despite him also having PTSD from what happened (to the point where he REFUSES to be inside a Jaeger like Rumi). When he shows up, he gets introduced to a certain researcher who was made head of the restoration part of the program and that's where THEIR story starts.
I just love this movie so much and got brainworms!! Couldn't help myself! ^_^
An old bittersweet HaseMaru/MaruKichi AU...
This was an AU inspired by "Daylight" by Maroon 5 that was conjured up a long while back that I still think about from time to time (18+/implied NSFW later down the line):
-Royal and Strikers are in separate timelines only accessible to the Metaverse/Mementos. Obviously, Maruki is in the former timeline with Zen in the latter. -Maruki ends up finding such things by chance one day and ends up (literally really) stumbling into the Strikers timeline. He doesn't sense anything off or different when he bumps into Zenkichi while the latter is in Tokyo. He's still grieving over Aoi's death at this point. -They talk and get acquainted at a bar when night falls, Zen wants to see him again and gives him his contact info and they part ways. Maruki can't help but feel a little lovestruck there (bi awakening) as he leaves. He blacks out and wakes up in his home. He decides to call Zen only to get a dial tone. What? He tries again, same thing. He then remembers that he gave his home number too and tries it. It works... But a woman answers instead. He felt heartbroken and cheated at first until he asks her about him and here's the kicker: That woman was Aoi and her husband died in an accident while on duty. He froze right then and there as he politely says goodbye and hangs up. -This didn't make sense at all. That was clearly him! He could even touch him so not a ghost. She even confirmed Maruki's description as being him 100%. That's when something clicked and he goes to the Metaverse again. -He enters that same spot and tries to call him. He answers like nothing was off at all. Maruki asks to meet up with him to which he obliges. They meet and Maruki is relieved, but it slowly confirms his suspicions when Zen brings up his wife's death during a conversation. -He does one more test the next morning and sure enough, Zen doesn't answer his cell phone (dial tone again). Maruki can enter Zen's timeline... But for 24 hours/a single day in order to keep both timelines stabilized. -He's intrigued and also wants to see Zen again, so he keeps visiting and usually making up an excuse to leave. Zen slowly gets suspicious of him, especially when he finds that Maruki doesn't really exist when trying to go through his records but doesn't say anything yet. -They grow close, but Maruki's personal life suffers a bit as he tries to balance his job and visiting Zen while Zenkichi himself is also struggling with the same thing along with his daughter (who grows suspicious that he was trying to replace Aoi with a secret lover). -Zen does make time to look further into Maruki and of course, nothing comes up still. He starts feel deceived and even used since they started to get closer (but no intimacy yet)... Especially since he started opening up to him during their meetings. He also started to follow him whenever he leaves after a while only for him to vanish. That tears it for him.
-When Maruki stops by again, he gets a text from Zen saying to meet him at a hotel he's staying at. He's confused but goes anyways. When he shows up, he sees the man frowning at him and that he's also armed: "I'm going to give you 30 seconds to explain yourself. If I'm not convinced, then you'll be taken into custody for potential fraud."
-What?! Maruki froze, this wasn't supposed to happen... Why is he... OH. He momentarily forgot that Zen is a cop and would have no doubt tried to look into him in between their meetings. He tries to calm things down, but Zen isn't having it and snaps at him. He doesn't want to feel like something's going right this time only to be met with more grief. -How can he potentially love someone who never existed to begin with? Is Maruki even real right now and standing right in front of him? He asks all of those at once and fully breaks down, his composure and even confidence completely gone. His mask is shattered at this moment. -Maruki felt like he should leave and not come back this time but he couldn't. He refused. At least not right now while he still has time left. He gives in and approaches the broken man and kisses him. Zen made a motion to push him off but goes limp as he gives in. This is at least some form of proof that he's real for now. When they part for air after deepening it, Maruki wordlessly guides him to the bed and they continue from there. They spend the night together that night. -Zen wakes up to find that he is, once again, gone and curls in on himself until he sees a note on the nightstand next to him. It's basically Maruki trying his damndest to explain everything but... It doesn't stick despite it also saying that he does love him: "If you're gonna come up with a damn excuse, at least make it more convincing..." Was all he said bitterly as he tosses it aside and gets dressed. His self-loathing and depression worsening before meeting the PTs. -Maruki isn't any better either. He actually tried to hypothetically ask Zen that night if they were to run away together, would he accept? Obviously no since he has Akane and doesn't want to leave her behind. Regardless though, he had to go... But it didn't stop from hurting. -The timelines are still accessible, but what's the point if he's probably not welcome there anymore... Right? Turns out, Zen still reciprocated and couldn't stop thinking about what could have been among other things. They're both lost, but there might be a chance somehow...
-Also, Maruki no longer has Azathoth or Adam. They've long vanished at this point.
-Aaaand... I'm gonna pull a moment from Gravity Falls and have Zen more or less punch Maruki when they meet again. Idk, as happy as he would be to see him, he would realistically still be pissed as hell. Especially due to the events of that night.
So Maruki scar HC brainworms: To give a basic description, it's a HC that Maruki got a scar on the back of his neck from when he fused with Adam (which was done by being jabbed by a tentacle in that area which looked like it hurt and that horrified me!).
Now he did give verbal permission for Azathoth/Adam to basically "use him" (which already is horrifying no matter how you spin it) but he probably didn't think it involves a painful neck jab and knocking him unconscious. Basically being reduced to a puppet as a result of the fusion. So fast forward to the aftermath, Maruki is honestly shaken and even traumatized by it. He felt used, violated even and that scar he ended up getting is a grim reminder of that along with his impulsive decisions.
He covers it up when he can just so that he doesn't have to see it and be reminded of that experience. But when he does see it or anyone remotely notices and even touches it, he panics. Yes, it does undeniably go against what he ultimately learned but let's face it; there's bound to be relapses and he wouldn't be an exception to that. But yeah, every bad and impulsive decision, the moments where he hurt and even nearly got a group of kids who wanted to help him killed. Regardless of whether he was in control or not, there's no denying that he would be messed up by that knowledge. Even when he was able to hold Adam back somehow because he does care and they know he didn't intend to, his mind drifts to negative thoughts and self-loathing. Everything basically comes back to him with a vengeance and can even go into a PTSD induced panic attack at worst.
When asked about it (the scar), he denies it being there or dodges the question and changes the subject. He knows he's running again but he's too afraid of confronting those feelings of hurt and violation at the hands of his own so-called, "Persona." He basically acts like someone who dealt with a toxic partner (romantic or platonic) from an outsider's perspective which is what would lead to a subject change sometimes. Not only that, but he would have nightmares of the experience... Sometimes with horrifying outcomes.
Now let's add HaseMaru/MaruKichi to the mix shall we? Zenkichi has scars too. Mostly from his time in the Metaverse and using his "Fury" ability and hey, maybe even surgery scars if we go with the Trans HC for him! Zen would undoubtedly be insecure but Maruki just says otherwise. Naturally, the latter would know about his own hypocrisy there but he does genuinely think Zen looks beautiful regardless. Maruki still hides his own scar and Zen would slowly get curious until one day they were just laying in bed and Maruki sits up for a moment and that's when Zen sees it. He asks about it only to get denial of its existence. He's confused and scoots closer, asking again. Still denying it. He gets a little annoyed and ends up tapping on it with his finger before asking once more and... Maruki freezes as memories come flooding back, especially that motion. He clutches his head and quietly says the "I am thou" quote as tears run down his face and then hyperventilates. Zen starts to panic too and tries to calm him down only for Maruki to scream and repeatedly apologize with a faraway look in his eyes. He does snap out of it but by then Zen had backed away from him, looking extremely guilty and thinking he had hurt him. Maruki tries to explain but he gets a rushed apology followed by a door opening and closing. Maruki could practically hear Azathoth mocking him as he's now all alone with no one to help him and that he caused it. Maruki finally has it. He's done. He already pushed away everyone else, Rumi especially... He doesn't want to lose more loved ones. He finds Zen in the living room trying to collect his thoughts and immediately hugs him tightly as he fully breaks down. He tells him everything, even the more darker aspects of his story. He doesn't look at Zen as he finishes, feeling like he would be viewed as a monster but he doesn't hear any hate or berating towards him.
"Can you turn around? I want to fully see it."
Maruki's confused but does so. He jumps a bit when he feels a small touch and then a kiss on it. To his surprise, he feels more... Warm. Especially when he feels arms wrap around him. None of the cold, empty tentacles or pain. Just a warm, gentle touch. No pain, just safety. Zen doesn't hold any of it against him, in fact... He appreciated the moment of honesty and vulnerability and that, like how Maruki viewed his scars, he thinks it's beautiful like him. They both cried but are happy that night. Ever since then, Zen made it a routine to kiss that scar when he could and Maruki doesn't associate it with those traumatic memories anymore, just that night and his lover/partner. Recovery is slow but progressing regardless. He still has the attacks and nightmares but he has someone to help ground him now if needed. The PTs themselves included once he fully reconnects with them. He's genuinely happy.