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#but its mha what else are you expecting
nagitosstolenhand · 6 months
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im having. thoughts
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doumadono · 4 months
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Warnings: violence, viking!Dabi, viking!Shoto, earl!Endeavor, viking!Hawks, viking!Natsuo, fem!reader, viking themes, viking!Bakugo, viking!Kirishima, viking!Aizawa, viking!All Might, blood and injuries, gore, implied smut (non-con), Shoto is a massive jerk
Summary: impatience simmers within you as Touya's trip lingers. Upon the troops' return, the horrifying news unfolds — the prince has fallen in battle. Grieving, you brace for no further blows, only for Shoto to remind you to always expect the unexpected
Word count: circa 11.3k
A/N: if you'd like to be added to the taglist for this series, please let me know ♥
KVITRAVN - MHA VIKING AU • MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST
PREVIOUS CHAPTER • NEXT CHAPTER
ACT V - NEW BEGINNINGS
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The biting cold pierced through Touya's sleep, and the distant echoes of an unfamiliar sound drew him out of the warmth of his furs. Shifting quietly, he glanced over to see his younger brother, Shoto, still deep in slumber. The tent flaps rustled lightly with the night breeze, and Touya reached for his dagger, his breath visible in the frosty air.
Carefully, he wrapped himself in a thick fur, its warmth a shield against the harsh northern chill. As he stepped outside, the moon cast an ethereal glow on the snow-covered landscape. The world seemed frozen, a silent expanse of white.
The muffled sounds persisted, guiding Touya through the darkness. He noticed the sleeping figures of their fellow warriors, their breath creating small clouds in the frigid night air. Only Hawks sat near the dwindling fire, his attention fixed on the rhythmic motions of polishing his axe.
"Prince Touya," Hawks greeted without looking up, his voice low yet carrying an air of confidence.
"Hawks," Touya acknowledged, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Did you hear that noise? Something's not right."
Hawks paused, setting the axe aside, and finally looked at Touya. The firelight flickered, casting shadows on his sharp features. "I heard nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps it's just the wind playing tricks on your mind, my lord.”
Touya tightened his grip on the dagger, his instincts telling him otherwise. "No, it was different. Like footsteps or the creaking of snow under pressure."
Hawks raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Your senses are sharp, Touya. But I assure you, all is calm."
As if on cue, the wind howled, carrying with it an eerie stillness. Touya remained unconvinced, his gaze fixated on the vast wilderness surrounding them. "I'll take a quick look around. Better safe than sorry."
Hawks nodded, resuming his task. "Do what you must, my lord. But don't let your imagination run wild. These lands can play tricks on the mind."
Touya acknowledged the advice, leaving Hawks by the fading fire. Each step through the snow amplified the hushed night. The cold bit at his exposed skin, but determination fueled his movement.
In the quiet expanse, Touya's senses heightened. The darkness revealed no secrets, and the mysterious sounds remained elusive. Yet, as he patrolled the perimeter, a lingering unease settled within him. 
Touya's boots crunched softly on the snow-covered ground as he wandered back to the camp. The cold air stung his face, but it was a welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been haunting him. The familiar sight of the camp brought a mix of comfort and yearning.
He found a large rock, partially buried under the pristine snow, and with a heavy sigh, he brushed off enough snow to make a seat. Settling down, he gazed at the camp bathed in moonlight. The tents stood stoically, and the dying embers of the fire flickered in the crisp night air.
Yet, despite the serene surroundings, Touya's mind betrayed him. It drifted away from the snow-covered landscape, back to you. Your laughter echoed in his ears, and the memory of the warmth of your body against his lingered like a sweet torment.
He closed his eyes for a moment, a deep breath escaping him. The image of you, the one he cherished above all else, filled his thoughts. The way your eyes sparkled, the sound of your voice, and the gentle touch of your hand were etched in his mind. In the midst of the harsh Viking world, you were his sanctuary. "I miss you," he whispered to the quiet night, as if the wind might carry his words to you. "These missions, the cold, the battles — they all feel so empty without you by my side, sweet Y/N."
His fingers absentmindedly traced patterns in the snow as he lost himself in the memories. The way you teased him, the shared glances that spoke volumes, and the moments of quiet understanding between you two. The world outside may have been harsh, but in your company, Touya found a refuge — a haven of warmth and love he never knew before.
He longed for the day when he could return to you, to feel the comfort of your embrace and to hear your laughter once more. The countdown to being reunited seemed to stretch on endlessly, each day a reminder of the miles that separated them.
With a heavy heart, Touya opened his eyes, refocusing on the camp before him. 
The moonlit night cast an eerie glow on the snow-covered ground as Touya's eyes narrowed, catching a hint of movement to the right of the camp. Dark, crooked silhouettes emerged from the shadows of nearby bushes, and instinctively, Touya tightened his grip on the dagger, rising from his snowy seat.
Silent as the wind, he moved towards the camp, his senses heightened. As he drew closer, the outlines became clear — a pack of wolves, their eyes gleaming with hunger, led by a massive, black alpha. Time was of the essence, and Touya knew he had to act swiftly. "Wolves!" he shouted, the urgency in his voice cutting through the night.
The camp stirred, warriors scrambling to their feet, roused by Touya's warning. 
Hawks grabbed his axe and joined Touya at the forefront. 
The alpha wolf, towering over its pack, snarled, signaling the onslaught about to unfold.
The first wolf lunged at Touya, its fangs bared, but he sidestepped with a dancer's grace, bringing down his dagger with deadly precision. The clash of steel against fur echoed in the cold night air as the skirmish erupted.
Hawks, his axe a lethal extension of his will, swung with calculated brutality. His strikes were a dance of death, each swing met with the desperate howls of wolves. His movements were fluid, a deadly display of skill honed through countless battles.
Touya, too, fought with a controlled ferocity, his dagger slicing through the air. Wolves leaped, jaws snapping, but he evaded and struck with lethal accuracy. The snow around them stained with crimson as the battle waged on.
Meanwhile, Hawks battled the remaining wolves, his axe a whirlwind of death. The warriors from the camp rallied beside them, forming a united front against the relentless onslaught. The air was filled with the clash of weapons, the snarls of wolves, and the shouts of warriors determined to defend their camp.
The aftermath of the vicious wolf attack left a somber scene, with fallen warriors scattered across the snow-covered ground. The hungry wolves, driven by primal instincts, had bitten through armor and flesh, leaving no room for mercy. 
As Touya fought to defend the camp, the harsh reality of the night unfolded before him.
In the chaos, Touya's keen eyes caught the movement of one particularly aggressive wolf, its maw stained with the blood of fallen warriors. With a sinking feeling, he realized it was making its way towards his tent, where Shoto likely still slept, blissfully unaware of the impending danger.
Touya's conflicted emotions churned within him. The familial bond he shared with Shoto clashed with the tumultuous history of rivalry and strife. Yet, beneath the layers of resentment, a protective instinct emerged.
Ignoring the exhaustion and the wounds that marked his body, Touya lunged towards the black alpha, the very embodiment of the danger. With a swift, determined motion, he plunged his dagger into the left eye of the alpha, a howl of pain reverberating through the night.
The wounded alpha, blinded and enraged, howled in fury. Seizing the opportunity, Touya sprinted towards his tent, his heart pounding with urgency. The shadows danced around him as he raced against time, driven by a brotherly love that transcended the bitterness of their past. Touya's heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted towards the tents, a surge of panic coursing through his veins. The distant cries of victory were abruptly drowned out by the guttural growl emanating from within the camp. His steps quickened, the urgency of the situation etched across his face.
Upon reaching the tent, he was met with a chilling sight. One of the wolves had managed to get into the tent where Shoto lay peacefully asleep. The growl rumbled from deep within its throat, a menacing prelude to the imminent attack. The wolf's predatory gaze locked onto Shoto, who remained blissfully unaware of the impending danger.
The growls of the approaching wolves tore through the tranquility of the night, reaching Shoto's ears finally as he lay within the confines of the tent. The cold air seemed to carry a sinister undertone, and with a start, Shoto's eyes snapped open. His breath caught in his throat as he realized the danger that lurked just next to him.
Turning his head slowly, Shoto's eyes widened as he beheld the massive silhouette of the wolf. Its fur blended with the shadows, and the gleam in its eyes spoke of a hunger that sent a shiver down Shoto's spine. Young prince knew that a single misstep, a solitary muscle twitch, could trigger an attack.
Touya, sensing the imminent threat, moved with a predator's grace. Silently, he approached the wolf from behind, his dagger gleaming in the moonlight. 
Shoto's heart pounded in his chest as he watched his elder brother with the corner of his eye, a mixture of fear and hope swirling within him.
As Touya lunged forward, time seemed to slow. The blade flashed in the cold night air, and with one swift and precise motion, he slit the wolf's throat. The wolf’s growls turned to gurgles, and its once fierce eyes now reflected the glint of death.
Shoto, still frozen in place, watched as Touya's decisive action saved him from the impending danger. The wolf collapsed, its lifeblood staining the furs of the tent beneath it. The camp, now bathed in an uneasy silence, bore witness to the aftermath of the fierce struggle.
Touya, standing over the fallen wolf, cast a quick glance back at Shoto. “You okay?”
“Yeah…” Shoto exhaled, unaware that he had been holding his breath, and nodded in gratitude.
Touya nodded in response to Shoto, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken bond between them. As Shoto hastily donned his fur and reached for his axe, the brothers emerged from the tent, greeted by the cold reality of the aftermath. The once serene camp now bore the scars of the recent struggle, marked by the fallen bodies of both wolves and warriors.
Surveying the scene, Touya's gaze fell on the fallen warriors, a somber recognition of the price paid in the night's skirmish. The brothers shared a moment of silent mourning for their fallen comrades before turning their attention to the survivors.
Hawks, with his axe still in hand, approached the duo. His eyes, however, were fixed on Shoto, completely disregarding Touya and the fresh wounds that adorned his forearms and shoulders. There was an air of concern in Hawks' voice as he addressed Shoto, "You okay, my lord?"
Shoto, though visibly shaken by the recent events, nodded in response. "I'm fine," he replied tersely, his gaze flickering briefly toward Touya.
Touya, despite the wounds that adorned his frame, remained stoic. The chill of the night seemed to seep through the fabric of his torn furs.
Hawks, seemingly ignoring Touya's injuries, continued to address Shoto. "Good. We need everyone on their feet. The night is unforgiving, and we can't afford to let our guard down."
Touya stated, "We need to find and kill the alpha. It couldn't have gone far. Until we bring it down, we won't be able to rest. The alpha might return with other wolves, and we can't afford to let that happen."
Shoto exchanged a glance with Hawks.
Hawks, always decisive in his actions, nodded in agreement. "Touya's right. We can't let that beast roam free. It's a threat to the camp and to our people. Let's go after it, end this, and secure the safety of our kin."
“Hans,” Touya turned to one of the warriors. "Collect the fallen comrades and do your utmost to attend to the wounded before our return," the leader instructed. 
The elder man acknowledged with a solemn nod, a silent commitment to carry out the directive in the face of adversity.
The trio, bound by a common purpose, set out into the frigid night once more. The snow beneath their boots muffled their footsteps as they followed the trail left by the retreating alpha. The air was thick with tension, the awareness of the lurking danger guiding their every move.
Touya, with his senses sharp and focused, led the way. 
Shoto and Hawks followed, their axes at the ready, prepared for whatever awaited them in the dark expanse of the Viking wilderness.
The trio moved cautiously through the dense thicket, their senses attuned to every rustle and snap of twigs beneath their boots. In the distance, a quiet guttural growl reverberated through the still night air, signaling their proximity to the wounded alpha. The sound set an eerie tone, foreshadowing the impending confrontation.
As they pushed through the bushes, the landscape opened up into a small meadow blanketed with thick snow. Moonlight bathed the clearing, casting an ethereal glow upon the pristine white canvas. In the center, the massive, black alpha wolf limped away, leaving crimson trails in the snow.
The alpha, sensing the pursuit, paused and turned to face the approaching threat. Its fur, once sleek and powerful, now clung to its scarred and mangled frame. The air became charged with tension as the alpha bared its fangs, a silent declaration of defiance.
Touya, undeterred by the formidable presence before him, stepped forward. His dagger gleamed in the moonlight as he closed the distance between them. T
The alpha, fixated on the approaching menace, seemed to recognize the danger that loomed.
"Hawks, head left. Shoto, make your way to the right," Touya commanded, his movements deliberate as he advanced toward the wolf. He didn't allow his gaze to waver, maintaining unbroken eye contact with the creature. Breaking that connection would trigger the wolf's attack, and Touya couldn't afford a single blink in this dangerous dance between predator and prey.
Shoto and Hawks shared another glance before silently adhering to Touya's directive. They moved with utmost stealth, the only sound the hushed crunch of snow under their boots, as they navigated the shadows of the night.
Touya began a deliberate circle around the wounded animal, and in response, the wolf mirrored his movements, growling and revealing its still bloodied, menacing fangs to the scarred man. The tension hung heavy in the air as the primal dance unfolded.
The wolf, fueled by a mix of pain and aggression, was the first to make a move. In the blink of an eye, it lunged at Touya, meeting the assault with swift retaliation. A dagger found its mark in the animal's side, but rather than deter it, the attack seemed to stoke the flames of its fury.
Touya, thrown off balance, toppled to the ground. The wolf, undeterred, closed in, its snarling muzzle snapping dangerously close to the scarred man's face. In the struggle to fend off the relentless predator, Touya's desperate plea cut through the frigid air, "Help!"
For Shoto, the unfolding scene was a twisted opportunity. It seemed as though disposing of Touya could be easier than he had initially thought; all he had to do was wait and watch as his brother faced the relentless assault of the wolf.
Hawks, torn by a lingering human instinct to intervene, hesitated. However, his intention to step in was halted by Shoto's raised hand, a silent command to stay back.
As the wolf persisted in its attack, Touya fought back with determination. The dagger found its mark several more times, warm blood coating his hands as he struggled to free himself from the ferocious jaws. In the midst of the struggle, Touya's voice cut through the tension, a desperate plea for assistance. "What's wrong with you, Shoto?! Hawks, help me kill this thing!"
Shoto's eyes narrowed, a chilling resolve in his gaze. "Don't you dare to move," he warned Hawks, the threat laced with a cold determination that left no room for negotiation.
Touya's brow furrowed for a fleeting moment at the words of his younger brother, but determination fueled him. With a final effort, he managed to free himself from the relentless jaws of the wolf, crawling away to the edge of a high bluff that marked the meadow's eastern boundary. The wolf lay motionless a short distance away. Touya, on trembling limbs, slowly knelt, gasping for air, his body still trembling. He then directed a bewildered gaze at his younger brother. "What the hell!?"
Hawks observed the unfolding dynamics, crossing his arms over his chest, a silent witness to the family drama.
Shoto, undeterred, approached his older brother with a sneer. "Don't misunderstand me, dear brother. I appreciate your help back in the camp, but I'm not about to owe you anything. There's a chasm between us, and nothing will erase it. Life is cruel, always has been. Survival favors the strongest, and, sorry to say, you don't fit that description."
Touya's expression hardened as he slowly rose to his feet. "What the hell, Shoto? I made it clear some time ago — I don't want the power, and I sure as hell don't want that damned earl's crown. It's yours if you want it."
Shoto sighed, idly playing with his axe as he closed the distance between them. "Yeah, yeah. The problem is our illustrious father doesn't see it that way. Rumors are circulating that you've gained favor in his eyes, especially after that last successful raid. I can't let you snatch away what's rightfully mine. I'm sorry."
Touya turned to Hawks, a look of disbelief in his eyes. "Hawks?"
Keigo shrugged, his allegiance clear. "Sorry, my lord, but I've always been loyal to Shoto."
Touya let out a derisive snort. "I can't believe this. I never wanted any of this division between us. It's always been your paranoia about power. I never wanted to harm you, Shoto. I never wanted to take anything from you. All I ever wanted was to live my own life. That's it. You're our father's prized possession, not me."
Shoto tilted his head, a wide smirk playing on his lips. "Indeed. Unfortunately, our father perceives things differently. And now that you've acquired that damn thrall, freeing her and all, I can't wait until the day you get her pregnant. That would seal my fate entirely. You get it, don't you?"
Touya snorted, tightening his grip on a dagger. "I never intended to be at odds with you, Shoto."
Shoto retorted, "Yet it always seems to come down to a fight, doesn't it?"
Before the brothers clashed, Hawks yelled, "Shoto, step aside, the wolf!"
The younger Endeavorson swiftly turned his head for a brief moment, spotting a black wolf poised for an attack. In a swift maneuver, the two-toned haired man dodged, creating an open space between the fatally wounded alpha and his elder brother.
Touya found himself without enough time to evade the impending attack. Bracing for impact, as the wolf leaped toward him, he struggled to maintain balance on the slippery snow. For a fleeting moment, he believed he had regained control, but as he took a step back, the ground beneath his feet disappeared — he stepped into the void of the bluff.
Touya let out a scream, the sound mingling with the wolf's howl as Touya’s dagger once again found its mark on the animal's side. Together, they plummeted into the darkness of the night.
Soon, the night reclaimed its overwhelming silence.
Shoto rose to his feet, accepting the hand offered by Hawks to help him stand. The two exchanged a glance and slowly approached the edge of the bluff, peering down. 
Several meters below, they observed Touya's lifeless form pinned beneath the massive wolf that had descended with him. Touya's left leg twisted at an unnatural angle.
Hawks, witnessing the gruesome scene, fought back a wave of nausea, gasping at the sight.
Shoto, however, maintained a stoic expression. "Seems like my problem has resolved itself. Fate decided to lend me a hand that night. I thought we might have to resort to poison, huh. Move, Hawks. We need to return to camp and share the unfortunate news with our fellow warriors." With those words, Shoto left, a self-satisfied grin playing on his lips.
Hawks watched Shoto in silence, his gaze lingering for a moment. Then, he turned his attention back to the scene below. A quiet tear traced down his cheek, falling onto the snow stained crimson by the alpha's blood.
Meanwhile, you went about your daily tasks in your new, free life, the familiar sense of accomplishment warmed your spirit. The small hut, now a cozy haven, stood as a testament to your new position. 
Helga and Natsuo, friends who had become like family, offered their unwavering support during the two days it took to set up your new home.
One evening, Helga entered the room, "How's everything coming along, dear Y/N? Need any more help with the arrangements?"
You smiled, grateful for her presence, "Thank you, Helga. I think we've covered everything. Your help has been invaluable."
Natsuo, sitting near a tiny fireplace, chimed in, "It's the least we could do. This is a fresh start for you, and we're glad to be a part of it."
As you arranged items on a shelf, Helga leaned against the doorframe, "I must say, this place looks cozy. It's a far cry from the constraints of the past, isn't it?"
You nodded, "Indeed. Freedom was a gift I never knew I needed. And having friends like you made it all the more special."
Natsuo grinned, "Well, now that your new home is all set, what's next on your agenda?"
You paused, looking around, "I think I'll just try to find myself something to do.”
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Later in the evening, Natsuo brought pails of water to your hut. He greeted you warmly, "Evening! Thought you might need some water after your day."
You thanked him, taking the pails. As you both sat outside your hut, enjoying the cool breeze, Natsuo couldn't help but notice a hint of sadness in your expression. "Something on your mind?"
You sighed, "It's just... Touya has been gone for so long on their mission. I miss him, you know?"
Natsuo nodded empathetically, "I get it. He'll be back, though. The missions are tough, but he's resilient. And you've got us here to keep you company in the meantime."
You smiled, appreciating his comforting words. 
As the evening unfolded, the sound of shared stories and laughter echoed under the night sky, creating a comforting ambiance. Natsuo, always a good companion, shared anecdotes from the day's activities, lightening the mood.
You couldn't help but be grateful for the supportive community you now found yourself in. The conversations provided a soothing balm to the longing for Touya's return. Natsuo's presence, in particular, brought a sense of camaraderie that eased the ache of missing your partner.
"Touya will be back. The missions are demanding, but he's resilient. In the meantime, you've got us here to keep you company, to share these moments. We're like family now,” Natsuo spoke reassuringly.
As Natsuo prepared to leave, he looked at you with a thoughtful expression. "You know, sometimes these expeditions take longer than expected. It's the nature of the missions we undertake. They can be unpredictable, but it doesn't mean something has gone wrong. Touya is skilled, and they have a strong team with them." He continued, "I understand it's tough waiting, especially when you miss him, but it's part of this life. We've all been through it. Just remember, when they return, it makes the reunions all the more special."
With a warm smile, he bid you goodnight, leaving you with a sense of gratitude for the new beginnings and the supportive companionship that now colored your days and nights.
That night, as the moon cast an eerie glow through the tiny window of your hut, sleep enveloped you in a suffocating darkness. Tossing and turning on your modest cot, you found yourself trapped in the clutches of a haunting nightmare.
The air in the room felt heavy, and the silence of the night was disrupted by your whimpers and soft cries. In the realm of your dreams, shadows morphed into menacing figures, their faces shrouded in darkness as they circled around you. Each step they took echoed like a sinister drumbeat, intensifying the dread that gripped your soul.
As you lay paralyzed in the dream, the figures closed in, whispering malevolent secrets that clawed at the edges of your consciousness. Their voices, a chilling chorus, spoke of death and despair, weaving a tapestry of nightmares that threatened to consume you whole.
“He’s dead… He’s dead…”
"Only despair and sorrow lie ahead for you."
The cold sweat on your brow mirrored the intensity of the nightmare. Your cot felt like a prison, the thin fabric of reality separating you from the abyss of your subconscious fears. The figures, now distorted specters, reached out with ghostly hands, fingers like icy tendrils threatening to grasp your very essence.
In the grip of this macabre dream, the fear of death loomed large. The shadows converged, swirling around you like a vortex of impending doom. The nightmarish scenes played out in vivid detail — the echoes of your own cries, the palpable scent of fear, and the taste of desperation lingering in the air.
As the nightmare reached its crescendo, you jolted awake, gasping for breath. The moonlight spilled into the room, offering a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness of your dream. The reality of the small hut and the sound of your racing heart gradually replaced the nightmarish visions, but the residue of fear lingered, haunting the corners of your mind. The weight of the dream clung to you, a spectral reminder of the fragility of the human psyche in the face of the unknown.
Tears streamed down your face, and stifled sobs resonated in the stillness. Clutching your pillow as if it were a lifeline, you whispered Touya's name over and over, a desperate mantra that echoed the ache in your heart. “Touya, my love… Touya…”
Instinctively, an unsettling feeling gnawed at you, urging you to acknowledge that something was amiss. The weight of the night pressed upon you, and a haunting sense of foreboding hung in the air.
In the hushed hours before dawn, you made a decision. The nagging intuition that something was wrong compelled you to seek solace in Natsuo's understanding. As the first light of morning painted the sky, you resolved to confide in him, hoping that together, you could unravel the mystery that lingered in the shadows of your troubled dreams.
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"Hey, Katsuki!? You think he's alive?" The tall, square-built man with red hair asked, casually skinning a massive, black wolf.
The ash-blond man, crouching next to a seemingly lifeless scarred figure, nonchalantly touched the man's shoulder with the haft of his axe. There was no immediate response. "It seems he's damn well dead, no doubt."
The red-haired man packed the wolf's skin into a sizable saddlebag secured to the side of his white mare. "We shouldn't leave him like that. We should bury him."
"Tsk! Oi, Kirishima, don't expect me to touch this rotting piece of shit. If you want that so much, bury him yourself. I can dig a damn hole. What the hell. We came to hunt, not deal with this crap."
"We apparently hunted down a dead man," Kirishima joked lightly, strolling closer. "Hmmm, he must've fallen from that bluff."
"He must've been a complete idiot then to get so close to the edge. Idiots always end up with the crap, don't they?"
Kirishima poked the other man's shoulder. "Quit with the disrespect. Odin's watching!" He snorted and crouched next to the man. "That's one nasty wound on his leg. Maybe it's a blessing he died, otherwise, he'd be crippled…"
"Enough chatter, start doing something!" Bakugo growled as he walked aside, scanning the ground for a spot less frozen to dig a grave.
In that moment, Touya's left hand twitched ever so slightly, and he let out a gasp filled with pain.
The sudden movement startled Kirishima, causing the red-haired man to fall back onto his butt. "Fuck! Bakugo! He's fucking alive!"
Bakugo returned to the two and once again pushed the man's shoulder with the hilt of his axe, eliciting a growl of pain. "Kill... Me..." the scarred man whispered.
Bakugo scoffed. "Oi, dumbass, shut the fuck up! Kirishima, guess we gotta take him with us. Even though I'd rather let him die here, it'd be merciful, given his injuries. He's one ugly fucking bastard. Odin himself would get fucking startled looking at this fucking extra."
"We need to bring him along. I'm certain our earl will be interested in this fellow."
"In a damn cripple? You're out of your damn mind, weird hair!" Bakugo growled, contemplating how to get the injured man onto his horse. "I think we gotta build some makeshift stretchers or something. Damn it! Let's move! I don't want to stay here at night. The wolves might have come back."
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As Bakugo and Kirishima returned from their expedition, they made their way through the bustling settlement until they reached the earl's hall. With a determined stride, they entered the great hall where Earl Toshinorison held court.
Earl Toshinorison, known as All Might, commanded both respect and awe with his formidable presence. Standing tall and proud, he bore a robust and well-built frame that spoke of a lifetime of battles and victories. His golden hair, though now touched by strands of gray, retained an air of regality, cascading like a radiant mane around his shoulders.
His face, marked by the lines of wisdom and experience, harbored a strong jawline and a pair of piercing, blueish eyes that sparkled with a blend of authority and kindness. Despite the weight of leadership, there was a warm and approachable demeanor that endeared him to his people.
Earl Toshinorison adorned himself in attire that reflected both his status and prowess. A sturdy cloak, billowing with every movement, bore the symbols of his leadership. Beneath it, he wore armor crafted with care, a testament to the battles he had faced and the victories he had achieved.
In the midst of the settlement, he occupied a grand throne within the great hall, a symbol of his leadership and the heart of the community. His voice, when he spoke, carried the weight of authority tempered with a genuine concern for his people.
Earl Toshinorison was not just a leader; he embodied the spirit of a protector, a warrior whose strength and benevolence guided the community through the challenges of Viking life. The combination of his imposing stature, seasoned wisdom, and compassionate leadership made him a figure revered and admired by all who called the settlement their home.
"All Might, my lord," Bakugo greeted with a deep bow, acknowledging the leader of their community.
The earl, seated in his imposing throne, turned to them with a warm yet authoritative smile. "Bakugo, Kirishima, what news do you bring?"
Kirishima stepped forward, his demeanor respectful yet filled with a sense of urgency. "Earl, we found a man on the outskirts. He seemed injured, left for dead. But, surprisingly, he's alive."
All Might's expression shifted to a thoughtful concern. "Alive, you say? A life saved is a tale worth hearing."
Bakugo and Kirishima nodded and gestured to their companions to bring in the injured man. As they approached, Earl Toshinorison observed with keen eyes. 
Aizawa, their most ruthless warrior among Toshinori’s settlement, accompanied them. His stoic presence added an air of seriousness to the situation.
The injured man, now resting on a makeshift stretcher, was laid before the earl. Yagi leaned forward, assessing the wounds with a discerning gaze. "A warrior left for dead. Curious."
Aizawa, standing at attention, spoke with his usual pragmatism, "He should've met his end. Perhaps fate has other plans."
All Might nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Shota. We shall tend to his wounds and learn his tale. A life spared under these circumstances may hold a purpose yet unknown."
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The air in Skjaldvargr crackled with anticipation as the weary troop led by the Endeavorsons made its way back to the settlement. A murmur of excitement swept through the crowd, and the people gathered in the heart of the village began to cheer, their voices rising in a chorus of relief and hope.
As the warriors, dusted with the tales of their recent endeavors, entered the settlement, the cheers intensified. The crowd's eager eyes followed chests and sacks, laden with the spoils of their expedition. It was a moment of shared joy and anticipation as the warriors slowly unpacked their burdens, revealing treasures and goods from distant lands.
However, the elation in the air was tainted by a somber truth. The troop that returned was noticeably smaller than the one that had ventured out. An unspoken sorrow draped over those families who, instead of welcoming back their loved ones, found themselves gripped by the cold hand of grief. The absence of familiar faces, once vibrant with life, echoed louder than the cheers of triumph.
A hushed solemnity settled over those who faced the harsh reality of loss. Families, with eyes now clouded with tears, stood amidst the celebration, their joy eclipsed by the shadows of grief. The cheers of victory collided with the silent mourning of those who had given more than the spoils of war — a sacrifice written in blood.
The contrast between the jubilation and mourning created an unsettling symphony, a discordant melody that played out in the heart of Skjaldvargr. The warriors continued their unpacking, the clinking of treasures against the somber background of grieving families. It was a poignant reminder of the dual nature of their harsh existence, where triumph and sorrow coexisted like inseparable companions.
Unease nestled within you as you sat at the long table in the Great Hall, eyes fixed on Endeavor occupying the imposing throne. The air felt charged with tension, and the weight of the room bore down on you like an unwelcome burden. 
Natsuo poked your side gently as he sat by your side, a playful gesture meant to break the intensity of the moment. "Hey, are you excited to see Touya again? It's been a while."
Your response was a hesitant smile. "Of course, I just... things are different now, aren’t they..."
Natsuo chuckled, "Well, different doesn't always mean bad, right? Touya is still Touya. I bet he's just as eager to see you."
The heavy door to the Great Hall swung open, breaking the tension that hung in the air. 
Shoto, the youngest Endeavorson, stepped in with a measured grace, his gaze flickering across the room until it settled on you for a brief moment. 
Hawks followed closely behind.
Shoto's eyes met yours briefly, a silent acknowledgment that spoke volumes. The room hushed as the two newcomers approached the throne, their arrival signaling a significant shift in the atmosphere. The weight of anticipation settled on the shoulders of those present, each heartbeat echoing in the grand hall.
Natsuo, by your side, leaned in and whispered, "Here they are. Let's see how this unfolds. I’m curious where Touya is."
"My earl," Shoto bowed his head to greet his father,  a gesture mirrored by Hawks.
Endeavor's stern gaze bore down on his son. "It's good to see you back, Shoto. Rumor has it you brought a lot of goods from the trip."
"I did, indeed," the young prince replied. "We also accumulated some losses, my lord."
A subtle tension gripped the air, and an unspoken dread settled upon your heart and soul. 
"What do you mean? Where's your older brother?" the earl asked, his frown deepening.
"He died, my lord," Shoto replied, his expression a stoic mask.
"What!" You exclaimed, jolting up from your place. "Impossible!"
Even Endeavor rose from his throne, descending the two steps to be on his son's level. "What do you mean, Shoto? What happened?" The earl’s voice trembled a little.
Hot tears streamed down your face, and Natsuo wrapped his arm around your shoulders, rubbing them in an attempt to bring you some comfort. The weight of the revelation hung heavy in the air, and the Great Hall seemed to echo with the echoes of disbelief and sorrow.
Shoto's voice cut through the somber air of the Great Hall, recounting the harrowing tale of the wolf attack. He spoke of Touya's courage, how he stood against the onslaught to protect his fellow warriors, including Shoto himself. The youngest Endeavorson described how Touya, driven by the need to eliminate the alpha, faced the final confrontation at the edge of the bluff.
As the story unfolded, you felt an invisible weight pressing down on you. Your hands trembled, and a haunting whine escaped your lips, akin to a wounded animal. The anguish of Shoto's words resonated within you, each detail etching pain into your heart.
"He fought valiantly," Shoto continued, his voice steady. "But in the end, the wolf lunged, and they both fell."
Your knees gave way beneath you, and you sank to the ground, overwhelmed by the reality of Touya's fate. The ache in your chest was unbearable, as if your heart had cracked and broken, the searing pain akin to hot iron being poured over your soul.
Natsuo's eyes flared with a sudden intensity, and he snapped at Shoto, "I'm damn sure it wasn't an accident. He just happened to fall off the bluff?! That’s not what Touya would ever let happen! You little coward! I’m sure you put your hand to that!"
Shoto growled angrily in response, his demeanor darkening as he retorted, "Are you even aware of what you're talking about, Natsuo? Accusing me of…"
"He wouldn't just fall off like that!" Natsuo's voice rose, an undercurrent of anger coursing through his words. "Touya was too skilled for that.”
Shoto's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "You dare to insinuate…"
"I'm not insinuating anything!" Natsuo interrupted, the tension in the air thickening. "I'm saying it outright. There's more to this, and you damn well know it."
"Tsk," Shoto shook his head, his voice dripping with disdain. "Better shut your mouth, dear brother. You're talking nonsense."
Your entire body trembled, barely registering the words exchanged between the two brothers.
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Hawks said with a slight bow to Natsuo and then Endeavor. "Touya was..."
"Don't you dare to talk about my brother!" Natsuo erupted, hurling a cup at the warrior. "Don't you dare to use his name, you filthy, venal bastard."
"Enough!" Endeavor roared, a silent tear tracing a path down his scarred cheek.
"Oh, I couldn't agree more with you, dear father," Shoto sent Endeavor a sly grin, and then bellowed, "Guards!"
Warriors entered the Great Hall, awaiting the young prince's orders.
"Take my father out and put him in that unoccupied hut at the bay. Make sure to tie him up well, even though he's old, the bastard's still strong."
"What!" Natsuo growled.
Endeavor looked down at his son. "What are you trying to do, Shoto? You can't just..."
At that moment, Shoto aimed a hard slap at his father's cheek. "Say one more thing, father, and I'll cut your throat here and now. You're not an earl anymore. You're nothing. You always were nothing. Give me your axe."
Endeavor remained motionless, his gaze shifting briefly between Natsuo and you.
"Your damn axe and crown!" Shoto's voice rose, demanding compliance, his hands reaching toward his father.
Reluctantly, the old earl reached to his belt, extracting the axe from a leather scabbard. He passed the item to Shoto, removing the crown from his head with a heavy sigh.
The young prince took the axe and the crown from his father, wielding the symbol of authority with contempt. With a sudden, violent motion, he smashed the crown against the nearest wall, watching it shatter into irreparable pieces.
"You're making a grave mistake, Shoto," Endeavor warned.
Shoto grinned back at his father, a sinister edge to his smile. "Oh, old man, there's no Touya to stand by your side anymore. Your beloved firstborn, the one you happily discarded and tried to kill when he was an infant, is truly gone now. You have no one to protect you. Your guards are listening to me, they've been for a while already. And Natsuo," Shoto looked at the white-haired man standing near you, "He's nothing, he doesn't even know how to wield a shield."
Hawks chuckled darkly, nodding at his people. A few warriors approached the earl, tying his hands behind his back. One of them delivered a strong blow to the earl's face.
"No!" Natsuo screamed.
You sobbed loudly, watching the horrifying scene unfold. The question lingered in your mind: why didn't Endeavor react at all?
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The crisp air carried the call of Hawks and a group of warriors as they traversed through the settlement. The sound of their voices resonated, commanding the attention of all citizens, beckoning them to gather by the bay.
Meanwhile, in the desolate confines of an abandoned hut, Endeavor was bound to a wooden balk, his mind enveloped in bitter reflection. The flickering light filtering through the cracks in the worn walls revealed a man scarred, not only physically but also by the torment delivered upon him by Hawks and his people.
As he strained against his restraints, Endeavor couldn't escape the echoing regrets that reverberated within his thoughts. He cursed himself for the blindness that had shrouded his vision, the inability to see the rot that festered within Shoto. The weight of realization pressed heavily upon him, and he was left to grapple with the consequences of his own choices.
Silently, you sneaked into the dimly lit hut, the chalice of water and a soft rug clutched in your hands. The feeble light revealed the cruel aftermath of the torment inflicted upon Endeavor, and a gasp escaped your lips at the sight of his battered form.
Approaching cautiously, you set the chalice down and carefully unfolded the rug. Kneeling beside him, you dipped a corner of the cloth into the water, your movements gentle as you began to clean the wounds on his face. The atmosphere hung heavy with tension, punctuated only by the distant calls from the bay.
His eyes, filled with a mix of pain and resignation, met yours as you worked. 
"What are we supposed to do now?" you asked with a shaking tone, your voice barely above a whisper.
Endeavor's gaze bore into yours, and for a moment, the weight of uncertainty hung in the air. "Shoto won't stop until he has complete control,” he replied, his voice strained. “I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done.”
Tears welled up in your eyes as you whispered, "I can't believe Touya..." Your hand trembled, and the pain in your voice echoed through the dimly lit hut.
A solitary tear rolled down Endeavor's scarred cheek as he uttered words heavy with resignation. "You should flee from here before I'm executed, Y/N."
Dread seized your body, and you protested, "Don't say that, my lord. I'm sure Shoto is not that crazy to get you killed… And I have nowhere to go.”
Endeavor's gaze met yours, and in that moment, he decided to reveal the truth about what he had noticed in his youngest son's eyes. "I saw it, in Shoto's eyes. The thirst for power, the willingness to do whatever it takes. He's not the boy I raised. He's become something darker, something I failed to see until it was too late." 
Your heart sank at Endeavor's revelation, the truth piercing through the air like a chilling wind. The realization that Shoto had transformed into something unrecognizable, something darker, gripped you with a sense of helplessness.
"I should have seen it sooner," Endeavor muttered, his voice filled with regret. "But blinded by my own desires for power, I failed to grasp the truth until it was too late. I won’t forgive myself… I should’ve listened to Touya."
The gravity of the situation pressed upon you, and you wiped away the tears that stained your cheeks. "We can't let him continue down this path," you whispered, your voice laced with determination.
Endeavor nodded solemnly. "You must go. Flee from this place before it's too late. I will face the consequences of my actions, but you have a chance for a different fate."
The distant sound of footsteps approached the hut, signaling the arrival of Shoto's guards. 
In that moment, you wrapped your arms around Endeavor's neck, giving him a tight hug, a silent gesture of reassurance and determination. "I promise, my lord, that I'll avenge Touya. I don't believe Shoto didn't have a hand in it anymore," you whispered, the words laden with both sorrow.
"I'm afraid you're right," Endeavor admitted, his own acceptance of the harsh reality permeating the air. “Go now, girl.”
With a heavy heart, you took the chalice and the rug, casting one last glance at Endeavor, who remained bound and alone in the desolate hut. The weight of the situation pressed upon you as you stepped out into the cold air, leaving the confines of the dimly lit space.
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The evening air hung heavy with tension as the citizens of the settlement gathered at the bay. 
Hawks, with a certain casual indifference, lazily cleaned his dagger, his guards vigilant in ensuring that no one was left behind.
You and Natsuo stood among the gathered crowd, your eyes nervously flitting between the citizens and Natsuo. 
The atmosphere thickened as two guards brought the bound form of Endeavor to the jetty, his presence eliciting hushed whispers among the onlookers.
And then, like a harbinger of darkness, Shoto emerged. A grotesque crown made of bird skulls adorned his head, and an opulent fur of a snow leopard draped over his shoulders, a trophy from one of Endeavor's raids. The blood and white paint smeared across his face formed viking symbols, marking him as the harbinger of a new era.
A profound silence fell over the assembly as Shoto made his way to the forefront. The people, recognizing the symbolic weight of his appearance, knew that there was no room left for argument or dissent. The young prince had become an embodiment of authority, clad in the spoils of his conquests, and the settlement braced itself for the changes that his rule would bring.
Shoto made his way to the jetty with deliberate steps, his eyes scanning the gathered crowd. They found yours in the sea of faces, and for a brief moment, his gaze lingered on your tear-stained visage. The weight of his stare bore into your soul before he redirected his focus to the bound figure of his father, kneeling on the jetty.
The hushed whispers of the crowd ceased as Shoto raised his hand, a signal for silence. His voice cut through the still air, carrying a mix of authority and cold detachment. "Citizens of Skjaldvargr," he began, his tone echoing over the water, "The time of reckoning has come. For too long, we have been shackled by the failures of our past. The time for a new era, a stronger era, has dawned."
His eyes scanned the faces of the assembly, pausing on his father for a moment before addressing the crowd once more. Shoto moved deliberately towards the jetty, each step echoing with a proclamation of his newfound authority. As his gaze scanned the gathered crowd, it found yours among the sea of faces. His eyes locked onto your tear-stained visage, lingering for a moment longer than necessary, a cold acknowledgment of the impact his actions had on you, before he shifted his focus to his father, who knelt there, bound and vulnerable.
The silence that enveloped the bay was broken by Shoto's commanding voice, carrying the weight of his judgment. "Citizens of Skjaldvargr," he began, his tone unwavering. "The time of reckoning has come. For too long, we have been shackled by the failures of our past. The time for a new era, a stronger era, has dawned."
He gestured towards Endeavor, his father, with an air of finality. "Endeavor, once known as the earl, has failed to lead us into greatness. He allowed weakness and sentiment to cloud his judgment. It is time for a new leader, one who will guide us to prosperity."
Shoto's eyes flickered back to yours for a brief moment, a chilling gaze that hinted at the personal nature of his vendetta. "The former earl will face justice for his shortcomings. The verdict is the death penalty. Let this serve as a reminder that only strength will prevail in the harsh realities of our world."
The pronouncement echoed over the bay, sealing the fate of Endeavor and setting in motion the irreversible changes that Shoto, now adorned with the symbols of his triumph, would bring to the settlement.
The verdict hung in the air, heavy and final, as Shoto turned away, leaving the jetty and the kneeling figure of his father behind to take a seat on a throne that was prepared for him nearby. 
The weight of Shoto's harsh verdict hung in the air like a shroud, and as the crowd absorbed the reality of the situation, hot tears streamed down your face. Instinctively, you grasped Natsuo's palm, seeking solace and support in the face of the unfolding tragedy.
The bay was cloaked in a heavy silence as the guards began the degrading process of undressing Endeavor's upper body. His once proud and scarred form was exposed to the harsh scrutiny of the onlookers, the symbols of his past glories now overshadowed by the weight of his transgressions.
The guards, expressionless and cold, tied Endeavor's hands spread to two sturdy stanchions positioned in the center of the jetty. The former earl knelt there, vulnerable and exposed, his fate hanging in the balance.
As the unsettling tableau unfolded, Hawks stepped forward, a grim determination etched on his face. Clutching his axe and dagger, he circled Endeavor with predatory precision. The rhythmic sound of his boots on the wooden planks echoed through the bay, creating an eerie cadence that intensified the chilling atmosphere.
Positioning himself behind Endeavor, Hawks loomed like a shadow, a silent harbinger of the impending judgment. The air crackled with tension, and the onlookers, unable to tear their eyes away, awaited the next grim chapter in the unfolding saga of Skjaldvargr.
Hawks nodded at his people, and they made Endeavor lean forward by pulling on the ropes tied to the earl’s wrists.
Hawks, grinning widely like a madman, started by making a deep, vertical incision along the earl's spine. This incision severed the skin, muscle, and connective tissues, exposing the underlying bones and organs.
Endeavor, bound and exposed to the merciless fate of the Blood Eagle, fought vehemently against the primal urge to scream. His muscles tensed, and every fiber of his being rebelled against the excruciating pain inflicted upon him. The raspy growls emanating from his throat served as a testament to his struggle, a warrior's battle cry against the agony that threatened to consume him.
In the midst of this macabre spectacle, Endeavor clung to the ancient belief that only by maintaining composure during such a brutal punishment could a warrior secure passage to Valhalla. His jaw clenched, and his eyes, filled with a mixture of pain and defiance, bore witness to the unfathomable ordeal, as tears rolled down his cheeks.
As the executioner continued the harrowing process, Endeavor's resolve was tested in the crucible of suffering. The groans that escaped him carried not only the weight of agony but also a silent determination to prove his mettle in the face of an unimaginable horror. 
Your tears flowed unabated, soaking into the fabric of Natsuo's shirt as you sobbed, the weight of grief and horror pressing heavily on your heart. 
Natsuo, too, couldn't contain the surge of emotions that gripped him, and tears welled up in his eyes, silently streaming down his cheeks.
The two of you, connected by shared sorrow, clung to one another in a world suddenly bereft of hope. 
Despite the absence of a genuine father-son bond with his own father, Natsuo understood the pain of loss, and his tears mirrored your own. "Father," the man whispered, barely moving his lips. "May Odin guide your spirit to the hallowed halls of Valhalla..."
With the earl's spine exposed, Takami proceeded to cut through the ribs, detaching them from the spine. This macabre act created the framework for what resembled "wings." Hawks then reached into Endeavor's chest cavity, pulling out the man's lungs through the opening created by the removal of the ribs. This grotesque act gave the victim the appearance of wings, completing the horrifying visual metaphor.
Hawks stood amidst the aftermath, his once-vibrant attire now drenched in the deep crimson hue of blood. From his tousled hair down to his boots, every inch of him was painted in the somber shades of scarlet, a testament to the brutal task he had undertaken.
The metallic scent of iron lingered in the air around him, an olfactory testament to the visceral reality of the harrowing act.
Hawks, his visage marred by the grotesque tableau before him, grinned like a man possessed, a maniacal glint in his eyes. His gaze, like a predator reveling in the aftermath of a successful hunt, fixated on Shoto, the new earl, who observed the scene with an unsettling amusement.
In his final moments, Endeavor, the once-mighty earl, summoned the strength to lift his head, a haunting defiance in his gaze. As the life ebbed away from him, he whispered words of reunion to a love lost in the annals of time. "Rei... Love.... I'm coming to you..." With those parting breaths, his head succumbed to the inevitable, lolling to the side.
Amidst the horror, you struggled to contain the surge of emotions, your tears choking your throat as you witnessed the cruel end meted out to the man who was once a father figure. 
Shoto, now the legal earl, approached the lifeless form, a twisted rite of passage in the unforgiving realm. Sizing up the head of his father, he coldly declared, "The earl is dead!"
As Hawks chanted, "Long live the earl!" with an eerie enthusiasm, the guards compelled the onlookers to repeat the grim proclamation, the echoes of submission punctuating the air heavy with the scent of iron and death.
The settlement, now under the shadow of a new ruler, braced itself for the changes that were bound to come.
Shoto's subtle gesture summoned Hawks closer, their exchange shrouded in whispered words. 
As the blonde-haired man stepped back, he bellowed your name, a chilling summons that cut through the heavy air, freezing the blood in your veins. “Y/N!”
Natsuo, understanding the impending darkness, tightened his grip on your hand, silently pleading for you to resist the ominous call. His subtle head shake conveyed the urgency to stay away, to avoid the perilous path that beckoned. But the relentless echo of your name persisted, a haunting melody drawing you towards an inevitable confrontation.
With tear-streaked cheeks, you met Natsuo's gaze once more, finding solace in his silent plea. Gathering what remained of your resolve, you wiped away the evidence of your anguish and, with a determined stride, pushed through the crowd. The last thing you needed was the cold, unyielding grasp of guards dragging you to Shoto against your will.
As you approached Shoto, the air became charged with an eerie tension. His eyes, adorned with a sinister gleam, followed your every step. 
The crowd, still subdued by the recent events, parted to make way for your reluctant journey.
Hawks, positioned next to Shoto, continued to observe with a sinister grin, aware that the unfolding scene held a profound significance in the new earl's machinations. 
Shoto, crowned with skulls and adorned in the spoils of victory, waited for you with a calculated calmness.
You stood before Shoto, a pawn caught in the web of a power play.
With a wicked smile, Shoto leaned in, whispering words that clawed at the edges of your sanity. "Y/N, it seems your fate is entwined with ours now. You will play a crucial role in the future of Skjaldvargr."
Your frown deepened as you couldn't comprehend the unsettling thoughts swirling in Shoto's mind. With a hint of trepidation, you dared to voice the question that lingered on your lips, "What do you have in mind?"
Shoto, feigning sweetness, leaned in with a twisted smile. "Now that Touya is no more, it falls upon me to decide your fate, Y/N. A bereft girl, left in the aftermath of such a tragedy. But fear not, for I have plans for you."
Terror gripped your heart as Shoto unveiled his intentions. "From this moment forth, you'll no longer revel in the freedom bestowed upon you by my deceased brother. Instead, you shall become my concubine, and I expect you to bear me an heir."
A quiet but resolute "No" escaped your lips as you resisted the notion, unwilling to surrender your autonomy.
Shoto, undeterred, grasped your chin, pulling you closer. "Don't resist, dollface. Make a scene, and I'll orchestrate another blood eagle tonight. If you refuse, Hawks will have the honor of ending Natsuo's life, the last person standing by your side."
His words echoed with a cruel certainty, leaving you with a chilling realization that your fate was no longer your own. A solitary tear traced a path down your cheek, a silent testament to the anguish that gripped your soul. 
Shoto, reveling in the display of vulnerability, leaned forward, capturing the tear with the tip of his tongue. He licked it off, savoring the taste of your despair before whispering into your ear. "If I were you, I'd be obedient. There's no one left to protect you, and you're going to be mine, whether you want it or not."
"Why me?" you dared to question, your voice carrying a defiant edge.
Shoto's grin widened. "I've had my share of Viking women. A Christian girl, even a prudish one, is said to be particularly naughty in the alcove." The lecherous implications of his words hung heavily in the air, accentuating the grim reality that now lay before you.
Your stomach twisted in knots as Shoto's words reverberated in the air. 
"Y/N, from now on, is considered my concubine," Shoto declared with a tone that brooked no argument. "Anyone going against me or her will face the doom immediately. And one last thing, all the warriors who supported my father shall be executed by dawn. Consider this night your last with your families. Satisfy yourselves with your women and put your kids to sleep for the final time. Don't even think about running away, as my envoys will find you wherever you hide."
He took your palm in his, a cruel possession that marked the beginning of your tragic fate. Before you left, Shoto's gaze shifted to Hawks. "Make sure Natsuo is locked in his room in the Great Hall. Tomorrow, I'll decide his fate."
"Of course, my lord," Hawks nodded obediently, the cold determination in his eyes betraying the allegiance he now held to Shoto.
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As the thralls followed Shoto's orders, you found yourself in a bath, the warm water doing little to comfort your tormented soul. You let your tears fall freely, their silent streams mingling with the water around you. The echoes of your life's upheavals played in your mind like a haunting melody, each note a reminder of the tragedy that seemed to follow you relentlessly. How swiftly your life had changed, once under the control of Touya's unpredictable whims, and now, bound by Shoto's ruthless will.
You longed to scream, to cry out against the unfairness of it all. Shoto, a young man scarcely older than you, had become the architect of your misery. You despised him, and yet, the thought of begging for mercy from this vicious ruler crossed your mind. The temptation to ask him to end your misery with the swift swing of his axe haunted your thoughts.
However, a greater fear gripped your heart — the threat to Natsuo. Shoto's warning echoed in your mind, and you couldn't bear the thought of allowing harm to befall the one person who had consistently shown you kindness and support. You resolved to endure, to strategize, to find a way to protect Natsuo from the impending darkness that Shoto had cast upon your life.
After the bath, you were presented with the finest nightgown, a garment crafted from snow-white silk that draped elegantly around you. The thralls, with delicate hands, brushed and arranged your hair as you sat in front of a mirror, contemplating your reflection. The mirror seemed to reflect not just your physical appearance but also the weight of the burden now resting on your shoulders.
Assisted by the thralls and guided by the guards, you were led to the chamber that once belonged to earl Endeavor. As the thick doors swung open, the opulence of the room overwhelmed your senses. The chamber was vast, with a massive fireplace positioned on the opposite wall, providing warmth and a flickering dance of flames.
To the left of the entrance stood a colossal bed, adorned with a thick mattress and furs, supported by two sturdy columns at its head. The bed itself was a work of art, crafted from field maple. On the opposite side of the room, a table with two chairs and a closet adorned with a mirror completed the ensemble of wealth and luxury. It was a stark contrast to the grim fate that had befallen the former occupant of this room.
As you took in the grandeur, a mix of emotions churned within you. The softness of the silk against your skin felt incongruent with the turmoil within your heart. The room, once a sanctuary for a now-fallen ruler, now served as a gilded cage for you, ensnared by circumstances beyond your control.
It took a moment before you realized that the door had closed behind you, leaving you alone in the opulent chamber — or so you thought. 
A smooth voice, belonging to the new earl, reached your ears as Shoto gracefully rose from a chair situated in the dimly lit corner of the room. He appeared to be occupied with polishing his axe. "Finally, I was growing impatient," he remarked, his voice devoid of any warmth or sympathy.
"Forgive me, my lord," the title felt foreign on your tongue as you addressed the man who now held power over your fate. The room, once a symbol of authority and now tainted by the dark events that had transpired, became the stage for a twisted power play that you found yourself unwillingly participating in.
Shoto placed the axe on the table and leisurely approached you, gently lifting your chin to meet his dual-colored eyes. "Don't be afraid, dollface. I'm not going to hurt you."
"You already did," you replied with defiance. "I know it was not an accident."
"You mean Touya? Oh, my little raven," he cooed, "of course it was an accident. Do you really think I'd let my beloved brother die?"
You snorted, and a tear rolled down your cheek.
"Shush, shush, no crying in here. You're too beautiful for sadness," he said, wiping your tear away with his thumb. "You'll have the life you deserved and which my poor older brother couldn't provide you with."
"He wouldn't lock me in a cage," you told him, and Shoto chuckled.
"A cage? Oh no, sweetheart, I'm not going to lock you in a cage. You're my concubine now, and a lot of privileges come with this title." His words dripped with a perverse sense of entitlement, sending a shiver down your spine as you realized the dark reality that awaited you in the clutches of the new earl.
Shoto gently traces his fingertips against your lips and neck, slowly moving them down your décolletage. Shoto circled you slowly, his movements reminiscent of a predator closing in on its prey. "I just expect you to be faithful to me, that's all I'm asking for. I want you to be a representative figure, shining like a gem by my side. And I want you to bear me a child, an outright heir of pure blood," he declared.
"But my blood isn't pure. I'm not a pagan like you. Won't it make your child unworthy?" you growled, attempting to sway his unsettling conviction. However, your efforts seemed in vain as his long, thin fingers slipped under the fabric of your nightgown on your shoulders, slowly sliding the attire off.
"Don't worry your pretty little head. Before you give birth, you're going to be a Viking woman. I'll make sure of that," he said, licking his lips as he watched the thin material falling slowly to the floor.
In your initial instinct, you attempted to cover yourself with your hands. However, Shoto effortlessly seized both your wrists in one hand, securing them behind your back. Resting his chin on your shoulder, he used his spare hand to move a lock of your Y/H/C hair off your shoulder. "Don't. I want to see all of you. You were more willing to undress for my older brother. I still don't know why. Did he force you into his bed? No normal woman ever would, so he was fortunate to experience the mellowness of a woman's body before he died. His life was nothing but a failure."
That was enough. Provoked by Shoto's words laced with sarcasm, you swiftly turned and slapped his scarred cheek with all your might, pulling your hands free from his grasp. "Don't you dare," you warned. "For what you did, you will never reach your beloved Valhalla. Even your gods don't accept vile men into their chambers."
Seemingly anticipating this move, the man firmly grasped you by the throat and effortlessly threw you onto the bed. Before you could react, his weight pinned you down on the mattress. "You're so brisk and valorous; I like that," he grunted, pushing his knee between your legs, parting your thighs enough for him to settle between them. "Haven't you learned yet? You're with me or against me. And trust me, I couldn't care less about your pathetic life. So, it's better to act like a good, obedient girl for your lord."
That night unfolded in a torrent of pain, tears, and degradation. Despite your attempts to resist, to twist and turn, they proved futile. Shoto pursued his desires, stripping away your innocence. His touch, both cruel and frigid, felt akin to a scalding iron on your skin - a stark contrast from what Touya had once offered.
As Shoto slumbered peacefully at your side, content and spent from the unrelenting hours of asserting his dominance over your body, you lay by him, curled into a small, trembling ball. Silent tears traced pathways across your face, and with every slightest movement, you would gag yourself, feeling the haunting presence of his seed seeping out of you. A genuine desire for death welled within your soul.
"Forgive me, Touya... Forgive me," you whispered, your plea hanging in the heavy air before exhaustion enveloped you, guiding you into an uneasy slumber.
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heathen wolves: @queenkhepri @indignant-alpaca @misafiryanki @roast-toast @within-eyesight @crystalwolfblog @haseki-huricihan @violet-forgetmenot @dagger-dragger @smartspot @alientobe @zero-sugar-null @peter-sommer @thedancingparrot @dearsunaa @greaterheart
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bibibbon · 17 days
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MHA chapter 420 rant
New chapter new rant it's become somewhat of a thing at this point 😭
So hori's out here deflating any stakes or tension as always. I personally hated what happend last chapter with Izuku losing both his arms but I did wish for hori to continue on the path he chose instead of completely reversing it with some bs in this chapter. Heck I don't understand how Eri even had enough energy to heal his arms considering it was stated chapters before that she couldn't and shouldn't help Izuku it wasn't her fight and neither should she be forced to watch what's going on but here we are.
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Heroes are hypocrites when it comes to Eri and she deserves better. Oh Eri the ever so lasting plot device. As someone that likes Eri's character and wished for her trauma and what she went through to be explored this is just bs and shows that the heroes are incompetent hypocrites at their jobs for allowing Eri to mutilate herself (the same thing overhaul did to himself) so she can be useful to these people who she views as her saviours?!?!?! Let's not even tall about the fact that ECTOPLASM stated that he helped her with that and allowed her to do that like?!?!? You're an adult who is supposed to be supervising the child and you almost failed to stop her from running away into the battlefield but allowed her to do that to herself. Let's also talk about how aizawa horribly failed as a guardian like its clearly stated in the chapter that she did want she did because she was inspired by aizawa and how he cut his leg off so she mimicked him so she can be helpful?!?! Aizawa isn't angry, worried or disappointed but shocked and that's it nothing else he doesn't even reprimand her like seriously 😑.
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Present mic and kurogiri deserves better. We still don't know where present mic is but he deserves better than this I still hate how his feelings aren't acknowledged in this bs and he is just there pushed to the side as support. Kurogiri is a mix at this point they seem to realise that oh oboro is dead he ain't coming back but kurogiri is acting on memories that haven't died and to be honest Iam sick of hori drawing the same memory panel over and over we should just get new content show us them play fighting or doing something that friends do idk 🤷‍♀️
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Wasted potential aizawa at this point. I lasted made a post about aizawas wasted potential but dam does it really show and basically at this point hori reduced all the characters involved in the kurogiri situation to just that and it's sad like we could of had more and we should of. Aizawa was doomed from the start as he was hori's mouthpiece which sucks
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Iam not a fan of everyone coming in to fight AFO. I already hate the fact that AFO is back but having everyone who hasn't had a big moment or can still fight yet come into the fight is horrible. Iam ok with having a few characters come in but having some endgame avengers type of thing is horrible especially because class 1A and izuku aren't shown to have a strong bond a lot of the time it's one of the reasons why the vigilante arc fails and why a lot of other moments concerning class 1A and izuku fail.
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Iam a fan of the civilians trying to help however they can but no inko?!?!!?!!. I loved that we got the page of civilians genuinely wanting to help Izuku and offering their shirts to stop the bleeding also even though we don't get much from the all might guy I genuinely loved the development he has gone through. Sadly, I was expecting to see inko in this chapter and considering we had a whole page dedicated to the civilians it's sad that we didn't get any update on inko as she was probably there watching what happend to her son
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Eri's dream. I loved that Eri's dream is something way outside of heroics and it's something that doesn't involve her quirk at all. It makes me remember of izuku holding her hand and telling her that he supports her dream. I wonder if Eri and jirou hang out often or anything considering that jirou is Eri's inspiration or if present mic also inspired Eri. it's sad that Eri's character is never truly explored considering what happend to her this chapter and the double standards that are with both heroes and villains.
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ALSO MONOMA YOU DESERVE BETTER YALL TELLING ME THAT DENKI ALREADY QUIRK EXHAUSTED IS OUT HERE FIGHTING BUT MONOMA CANT FOR SOME REASON IS VILE
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super-paper · 6 months
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This might sound weird. In my viewpoint AFO feels like a child trapped in a grown man's body with his attitude and mindset. A man-child if you will. He's trying to enact childish fantasies onto the world, this obsession may stem from an event he experienced in his youth. He feels like a kid, felt it again when he blamed Kudou this chapter. In a better world AFO would've gone into the age regression community to get his chance to act out his childish impulses in a safe environment to process whatever trauma he endured instead of taking it out on the world.
YEAH I'M LOVING IT BC
Hori typically uses child imagery to like, show characters at their most vulnerable and honest and represent like the "naked essence" of who they really are. AFO rewinding into a literal child plays with those expectations, in a way-- but in this case, AFO "at his most honest/vulnerable" is almost monstrous in its depiction:
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Like, AFO's got some pretty heavily implied hang ups about feeling powerless/being powerless and he uses escapism + the constant degradation of others to distance himself as far as he can from those hang ups. I wouldn't be surprised if his backstory ends up depicting some horrible violation of his own autonomy where he was treated as subhuman/toyed with-- and he's now attempting to inflict that same feeling of powerlessness on everyone else. Instead of healing from whatever trauma he experienced, he's become a slave to it. Of course, there's always a chance I'm reading into this too much-- But Hori's been pretty consistent in his depiction of abuse as a cycle (esp. with the Kotaro-Tenko and Endeavor-Touya plots), so tbh, it would strike me as an odd writing choice if he decided "yeah, AFO just woke up one day and decided to Be Like That."
And I've said this before on twitter, but like-- AFO is SUCH an Umineko/"Witch" coded character. It's one of the reasons I find him so fascinating, bc I've always loved the way umineko depicts coping mechanisms in severely traumatized/abused individuals and how it depicts abuse as a vicious cycle:
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In Umineko, "a witch" is typically a manifestation that's born from a person's horrible trauma (or from a person's "will" to overcome that trauma and escape from an otherwise inescapable fate). They're born from humans who have been violated in some terrible way and who are desperate to redefine themselves as something powerful-- something that transcends that pain, something that pain can no longer "touch." They reclaim a sense of agency over their trauma/abuse/etc by adopting powerful alter egos who blend fiction and reality-- but ultimately, it's all still a form of escapism.
It's hard not to see the similarities between how umineko defines "witches" and how mha defines "villains"-- especially with characters like AFO, Tomura, and Dabi who have all adopted trauma-based alter egos-slash-identities and who attempt to reclaim "agency" over their trauma in intensely destructive ways.
Like.... so much of heroaca is just "my trauma takes the form of a powerless child because that's how it made me feel, and that's how it still makes me feel even though I'm not a child anymore-- but what if you could see that?" and then AFO won't even allow that much bc he's throwing his whole afoussy into rejecting MHA's usual tactics for humanization and instead going "OH??? YOU LIKE CUTE KIDS???? YOU LIKE CUTE INNOCENT WEEPY KIDS?? I'LL SHOW YA'LL CUTE *rips his entire face open*". We gotta respect his commitment to the bit, I guess, but at the same time jesus fuckin' christ dude.😬
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adoreyor · 6 months
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once again reiterating my point that if you dont like a series, you dont have to read it. this time for mha fans. horikoshi has always been very obvious about the direction that mha is going in. its a hopeful story, that is about SAVING people. its not going to be like some other mangas and shows where every character ends up dead and the mc has to do it alone. its always been obvious that izuku would have help in the end, and if you are angry about that, you havent been paying attention to the story at all. if you want specific things to happen like AM dying or izuku fighting alone, write/read fanfiction. the author doesnt have to change his story to fit what you expect.
if you dont like it, thats fine, because no one is forcing you to continue it. no one is going to like everything and if mha isnt the manga for you, thats fine!!! just read something else thats better fitted to your tastes, because if you are only reading it to complain then whats the point? doesnt that just get boring for you?
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sapphic-agent · 7 months
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There are so many interesting aspects of MHA worldbuilding/academia that we never got to see, and it pains me.
For a world that doesn't allow people to use their Quirks in public areas, how do 1A (bar Izuku, Kaminari, and Aoyama) have such control over their Quirks? Are there gyms or training facilities they can go to in order to train their Quirks? I'm assuming Yaoyorozu and Ida got some form of private training, given their wealth, and Todoroki had been trained by Endeavor from age 4/5.
How exactly do the work studies even function? They're optional and located all across Japan, so how do they make up the absences? How do they keep up with their schoolwork? Does UA pay for lodging? Why are the lowest ranked students in class even allowed to go on a work study if their grades are so bad? How has Oboro dying and the Shie Hassaikai raid not given UA even more bad press, considering that Sir Nighteye was killed and many UA students were injured? Nedzu mentioned "restarting" the work studies, so I assume maybe Oboro's death caused UA to pause them?
We also see in universe that the teachers disagree with Nedzu/the establishment on how UA should be run. Snipe didn't want the Sports Festival being held so soon after the USJ Attack. Present Mic was rightfully upset that his traitor theory was being shot down (wonder how they all felt when they found out he was right). All Might didn't like the first years being on work studies to begin with. Later on, Snipe, Cementoss, and Vlad King didn't want the work studies being made mandatory (though that last one was due to the HPSC).
It's funny you say this because I was actually somewhat thinking about this topic.
One thing that always nagged at me was that Yaoyorozu and Todoroki were really the only 1A students who were exemplary (I'm excluding Bakugou here for a second). It's supposed to be the best hero school in the world, yet it's only the two of them who actually show that off (with their quirk control, Yaoyorozu with her intelligence, and Todoroki with his raw strength). They should have been the expectation, not the exception.
Don't get me wrong, other 1A students like Kirishima and Tokoyami are good with their quirks, but not to the level that those two were at the beginning. To get into the greatest hero school in the world, you would expect more exceptional students. Even looking at a wider scope, the only other examples we can point to are the Big Three (and maybe Kendo but we don't see much of her skills beyond her fight with Yaoyorozu).
It would have been way more impactful for Izuku and Bakugou to get there and see how far behind they were (mostly Bakugou as Izuku already experienced this somewhat). Bakugou being the second best right of the bat makes no sense when Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Iida have (presumably) has the best training and tutoring possible (I will never stop being salty about Bakugou beating out Todoroki in class ranking, in what world does that even make sense). If this was going to be the best hero school in the world, there should have been students who have pushed themselves to the limits their entire life. Bakugou getting there and seeing that he wasn't any more special than everyone else would have been way more impactful. They both should have spent more time playing catch up.
But I'm rambling. UA in and of itself is just messy and the story just doesn't go into depth past surface level in any aspect. The only time Horikoshi starts to do this is with Lady Nagant, but even then a lot of society and its impact on her is left in the air
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kiisaes · 2 years
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thoughts about bkdk being canon?
i sorta answered this already (here if u're curious) but i suppose i can answer again, this time more in depth and specific to bkdk :')
this turned out WAY longer than i thought so erm. more under the cut LOL
personally i don't think bkdk will be canon. before bkdks throw tomatoes at me, it's not because i dislike them as a ship — rather, canonizing them would be canonizing a main boy x boy relationship in an extremely popular shounen series. i've expressed my pessimism way more times than i should LOL but i truly don't think shounen jump would be willing to take this risk. let it be known that shounen jump has allowed canon lgbt ships and characters in their IPs — blue flag is perhaps the most well-known example of a main relationship being between two guys — but blue flag is not nearly as internationally famous as mha. the more eyes on an IP, the more cautious its choices have to be. it's why the most popular shounens tend to be "stereotypical", "cliche" and "cheesy"; this is what works with its main demographic (teenage/young adult males, to be exact), and if a series gets as big as the likes of mha, it's only smart to keep following that trend.
now, horikoshi does have a tendency to subvert expectations, even within his incredibly cliche hero school story.
bakugou is a subversion of the morally dangerous, edgy rival character by being one of the most heroic, straight-laced teens in the series (as well as genuinely apologizing for his faults that he recognizes are his own). even though he looks and acts like that, his motivations and aspirations are always admirable, even pure and childlike at times. unsurprisingly, people hate him for not being either fully evil or fully good, despite how horikoshi specifically wrote him to be a healthy balance between both his failures and his accomplishments.
deku is a subversion of the stereotypically boyish, emotionally stunted, shounen main character by being unashamedly emotional, awkward and sensitive regarding feelings other than anger or happiness. aka he cries a lot, so much so that average shounen dudebros genuinely hated him for being "soft" and "a baby", but praised him during his vigilante arc where he was ... well, for lack of better phrasing, far more similar to existing shounen protags for being less openly empathetic and more badass. you could honestly argue that deku's entire character isn't meant to be typically badass, flashy, or otherwise appealing to the standard shounen audience. his character arc literally deals with being the hero no one thanks or acknowledges, but he continues to selflessly help others despite the lack of appreciation.
ochako is a subversion of the one-note, intentionally-less-interesting-than-the-mc love interest character — it may not look like it at first glance, but ochako has her own arc that is both connected to deku, yet simultaneously not dependent on him that's been festering in the background since she developed her childish crush on him. the more i read this series, the more i'm convinced that she was never meant to end up with deku. she was only meant to play that role before she comes into her own skin and uses her attraction to deku as a way to be her own kind of hero. or horikoshi is going to shove them together last minute, in which, well, fuck me i guess.
all might is a subversion of the gary-stu archetype, because instead of being the perfect human specimen the way he always presents himself to the public, he's constantly physically deteriorating. not to mention he's a subversion of the know-all mentor character, because he honestly kind of sucks as a mentor. this comes from his own faults as a selfless hero, unable to properly learn from his own mistakes until it was too late. also because he's never taught anyone before so like duh. love him though. i am a toshinori supporter first, everything else second
there's other characters that have been subverted too but you get the idea. horikoshi is very good at writing characters, and to an extent, character relationships. that might be his biggest strength outside of, obviously, his art. and clearly he likes subverting our expectations, otherwise he wouldn't write his main characters like this. he knows what's the norm, uses those tropes as a baseline, only to go out of his way to overthrow those norms the further he develops each given character.
however! i don't think horikoshi will go so far as to subvert the stereotypical main ship (izuocha) and instead pick the relationship between the main two characters (bakudeku). rival relationships in shounen are pretty popular anyway, and mha is not the first shounen to have a deeply meaningful relationship between the male main character and the male main rival/deuteragonist. naruto and haikyuu both have oddly homoerotic friendships between the main two rivals and neither of these relationships are romantically canon.
the reasons why they aren't isn't ever explained why, but i sincerely think at least a sliver of the reason is because both characters are of the same gender. case in point: haikyuu only has a handful of canon boy x girl relationships by the time the series ended. so little that you could literally count the number on one hand, despite the amount of characters in the full cast. and yeah a vast majority of those characters were guys, but those guys were left presumably single, or at least their relationship statuses weren't disclosed. haikyuu did what naruto didn't, which was consciously understand that the most impactful relationships within the entire series were always between two men. for example, hinata and yachi are canonically close friends, and furudate could just pair them up without much thought. but they didn't, instead opting to keep hinata single and keeping his most important relationship with kageyama. likely somewhere there, no matter how faint, furudate didn't canonize kagehina due to fear of backlash, even though it'd make sense chemistry-wise.
bakudeku is in the same boat, where deku could be paired up with ochako if horikoshi just stopped giving fucks — they have a good friendship, with ochako having a crush, or at least a strong admiration, on deku — but he is decidedly not. at least not yet, but it'd be weird to canonize them after taking deku's long platonic feelings for her into account. deku has been entirely single this whole time with nothing aggressively romantic happening between him and ochako (except for the blackwhip situaiton, which ochako's VA herself mentioned as not inherently romantic, but as a chance for ochako to showcase her heroism). i'm inclined to believe this is part of horikoshi's subversions: specifically keeping deku and ochako away from heartfelt, desperate moments where their connection can be brought to the forefront. this makes it even stranger that horikoshi gives bakugou a lot of the standard damsel-in-distress roles, such as being taken hostage by the sludge villain, being kidnapped by the league of villains, and even being carried by deku during their fight with all might. granted he was carried over the shoulder, but he was specifically carried, lol. compared to ochako, bakugou is put in much more danger, consequently "depending" on deku to save him, as much as he hates that.
narratively, this makes bakudeku the most purposeful relationship, from their connection since childhood and having it develop slowly but surely during their adolescence.
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their relationship is significantly meant to represent change and equality, as their relationship arc is parallel with many of mha's core themes. canonically they are the two students that inspire the rest of their class to be better heroes. the character deku interacts with most is arguably bakugou, if we put their history into account. even though bakugou was his bully for most of their lives, deku still unconditionally cares about him, even without bakugou asking him to. most times, it's actually against what bakugou wants, which is for deku to leave him alone. he also has the most emotional investment in bakugou, since he canonically sees bakugou as his image of victory, as well as someone who instantly triggers his emotional response as opposed to his logical response. literally like 80% of deku's "outbursts" where he acts utterly irrationally (and not always in a heroic way) are related to bakugou. see: sludge villian,
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bakugou's kidnapping (in the original japanese version, i believe he says "give him back" in a distinctly possessive way, as if bakugou is genuinely his. but i could be wrong, idk how to read japanese),
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deku vs kacchan 2 (instead of trying to talk down bakugou, he ends up fighting him even though it's against the rules, just because he can't exactly say no to bakugou's unconventional way of dealing with his feelings),
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blackwhip's awakening (there is murder in his eyes. monoma insulted bakugou and deku was ready to kill him),
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danger sense's awakening (same as blackwhip's awakening, but amplified to 100 given how bakugou was straight up stabbed in front of his eyes),
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and bakugou's apology. (this one isn't deku being impulsive, more that bakugou appealed to his emotions and it worked way better than any of their classmates' attempts lol)
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through a few of these given pieces of evidence, it's also evident that bakugou cares a hefty amount for deku, just in a more lowkey, less obvious way. this feeling gets distinctly more desperate when deku runs away, so much so that bakugou bluntly tells everyone that he knows deku best (something he probably would have never verbalized earlier in the series), mobilizes his class to chase him down, and eventually talks deku into coming back. so it's also canon that bakugou cannot stand the thought of deku not being near him — "it makes me wanna keep him at arm's length" and whatever.
in literally every story-related way imaginable, it makes sense for bakudeku to be canon. in terms of relationships, they have the most developed, dynamic, and interesting one. they get the most screen time. the proof is quite literally in the story. everything bkdks look at for bkdk proof is canon, a somewhat rare situation shipping-wise, where two characters that aren't together in canon already feel like they are together in canon. at this point, all they'd have to say to make it canon is "i like you". so why the hell am i such a fucking cynic about them?
i've already mentioned up there that it's already pretty damn hard for a shounen jump to canonize a gay ship. it doesn't matter how popular the ship is in the fandom; if the mangaka and/or the manga distributor doesn't want them to be canon, then they won't be canon. it's made even worse that deku and bakugou are the main characters; if they were background characters, they honestly might've had a better chance in my eyes.
because here's the thing: canonizing bakudeku means that mha (and to an extent, shounen jump) is now officially supporting the lgbt community. which it already techncially is with its side characters like toga (either bi or pan), magne (trans) and tiger (trans), but they're side characters. purposefully not as important as deku and bakugou, who are the poster characters for merch, advertising, and spin-off material such as movies and games. regarding the lgbt community, japan is more conservative than the US — they haven't legalized gay marriage, and the overall understanding and acceptance of it is lower than the western world. all of this combined makes it very hard for any canon lgbt content to be big, mainstream and serialized. this isn't to say that japan doesn't allow any shows involving gay characters, but those shows are considerably more niche, many of them falling under bl/gl instead of any other broad genre. even yuri on ice, which was a big hit for what it was worth, only got one season and a movie that is seemingly never coming out.
mha is, in every sense of the word, not a niche series. horikoshi would be risking a lot making his male main characters romantically involved with each other, because mha is not a series that can fly under the radar and be solely picked up by smaller groups that are more accepting of queer people and relationships. it'd be like making luffy from one piece canonically gay. and i have never read one piece but i'm pretty sure all the dudebros in both the west and in asia would flip their fucking shits. it doesn't matter how close deku and bakugou are. as long as both of them are guys, their canonization will be inherently "political". at best, people would complain about why romance should be in a story like this in the first place (a common homophobic argument against lgbt relationships, since they have nothing against the male mc dating the main girl). at worst, people would be outright homophobic, aggressive towards the direction the manga is moving, and horikoshi could face serious repercussions regarding funding and advertising.
shows in the west get screwed over constantly for including lgbt relationships. steven universe had to fight tooth and nail to include ruby and sapphire's romance, and even harder for their wedding. the owl house's lumity faced something much similar, and the show even got "cancelled" — i know it's a glass half-empty idea, but i think they got cut short partly because of lumity. kids cartoons always try sneaking in lgbt content, but either they get cut, hidden, or relegated to background characters where you'll blink and you'll miss it. we're getting better i guess, but the undeniable truth is that if even the US is this finicky about lgbt representation, then there's no way japan will fold so easily.
if bakugou were a girl, then bakudeku would be canon by now. if deku were a girl, then bakudeku would be canon by now. it's the same shit every time; shounen series write the most groundbreaking, mindblowing relationships between two dudes, only to never make them official due to their genders. instead, they're stuck with having the most important dynamic within the entire narrative, but it's strictly platonic. i don't think it's because shounen mangakas are inherently homophobic. i don't think horikoshi is homophobic at all. i simply think that they'd rather play it safe, knowing their main audience. shounen is not written for any fandom demographics. we're big, but ultimately we hold no power over the story.
when i say i don't think horikoshi is homophobic at all, i truly mean that, because — i think if he had it his way, he would've made bakudeku canon by now.
there's already so much shit. a baffling amount of shit to prove their loyalty to each other, how they affect each other and their arcs, how they're save to win, win to save. how bakugou is a key component of deku's character, and how deku is probably the most important character to bakugou's entire development. horikoshi is deliberate in how he writes them. he's deliberate in how he framed bakugou as "the girl" that "the hero" needs to save. he's deliberate in their complimentary personalities and values. he's very fucking deliberate in how he specifically makes their relationship the most changing, beneficial, and understanding. if horikoshi didn't care about these two and their connection, he wouldn't have done all this. he would've latched deku and bakugou onto other characters, or had them be standalone individuals. but no; their entire existence is about dependence. about finding that middle ground and growing together, intertwined.
he's also not afraid of adding lgbt characters into his series, as long as those characters don't get a large amount of screen time. like previously mentioned, toga is canonically not straight, having interest in both deku and ochako. and she's written pretty damn well too, with her attraction to deku and ochako playing a huge role in her characterization. like i said before, horikoshi is good at writing characters and relationships. i don't doubt that he's capable of writing lgbt relationships too, if given the opportunity. i'd actually shit bricks if horikoshi made togachako canon. somehow i find that more likely than bakudeku. sick and twisted.
he also made magne and tiger, who are both wholly unimportant characters and one of them fucking dies. but the point is, i believe that horikoshi would want to make more characters lgbt, he just very possibly cannot right now. there's too much at stake; he's a popular mangaka writing a hugely successful series, with an insanely wide outreach. there will obviously be a sized portion of his reader base that just absolutely hates the gays. i'm pretty sure he's aware of this.
all this said, i find it hard to believe that horikoshi doesn't like bakudeku as a canon duo. not a romantic relationship exactly, but at least as an official partner duo. they're constantly paired up promotionally anyway. it would take horikoshi zero effort to make them future pro hero partners. it would probably take him more effort to justify why they aren't. what i'm trying to say here is this: horikoshi is possibly trying, in the most subtle ways possible, to allude to their relationship deepening in the coming years. just, well, not strictly romantically. in the same way his fellow shounen mangakas either stuck to heterosexual romances or no romances at all, he will likely settle for a simple platonic relationship between bakudeku. but he won't confirm nor deny that bakudeku are more, the same way furudate didn't say shit about kagehina. it's up to your interpretation. they could be just friends or dating or married; just know that the mangaka himself likes the idea that his main two guy characters are this close with each other.
ANYWAY. THE POINT IS. i do not think bakudeku will be canon. i refuse to get my hopes up, and i will continue to be a pessimistic little bitch until i'm proven wrong. i hope i am proven wrong. i hope horikoshi decides to make them canon, i really hope he does. but i'm just not sure if he'll be allowed that chance, or if he'll want to do it in the first place. in the meantime, i am fully prepared to see bakudeku as yet another failed mlm relationship in mainstream shounen, one that could have been genuinely revolutionary. oh well. at least we still have fan content.
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deddd-l · 1 year
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The Critical Issue of People not Understanding Bakugou’s Sacrifice and why this Fandom is Doomed
The other day, I was reading an article all about “why Bakugou’s death [chp 362] adds no real point to the story” and was absolutely blown away by this take right here:
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and although I am a certified BkDk shipper, I feel a strong need to defend and explain exactly why this Article and the majority of the fandom is dead wrong about Bakugou’s character and his place in the story. Take my words with a grain of salt, however, as of course my opinion isn’t gospel. This is just my analyzation of the story of MHA and my take on the character of Bakugou Katsuki.
Let’s start from the core of all this commotion— the hate around Bakugou’s character.
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i. Bakugou Katsuki
We know him, we either love him or hate him, and we’re all aware of his importance to the story. Or…are we?
It’s been pretty obvious from the very first chapter that Bakugou was gonna be some sort of important figure in the overall story. From his introduction, to his body language, and even his speech— he was a shithead AND unavoidable.
His presence is obliviously the first obstacle to our protagonist, Izuku, as both a bully and a source of insecurity (both to Izuku and Himself)
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Believe it or not, this immediately sets the bar for what we’re to expect from Bakugou throughout the entirety of the story. This is His character, and this is his story line.
Proving himself, and being a source of importance to Izuku. First as a bully, then a rival, and finally… 
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“The most important figure to Midoriya Izuku”— someone who matters so much to Izuku, he has to die.
And guys, I REALLY need to stress how much his death matters. BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT ITS ALL BEEN BUILDING TOWARDS. From the very first moment he was introduced, to his supposedly final words. Bakugou has always been intertwined with Izuku.
And THAT is where all the animosity and confusion lies.
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ii. The red string of fate
Now, this is somewhat the part I get a bit preachy. Only because I view these two as having a connection SO powerful, it’s beyond any sort of friendship imaginable. However, if you view their relationship as more platonic, you’re 100% justified in thinking as such.
Like I mentioned earlier, Bakugou’s death has been the main point all along, because he matters so much to Izuku.
I have a very strong theory as to why people refuse to see it as such.
You see, not everybody likes to dig below the surface. Sometimes, the average viewer just wants to enjoy some sappy romance, or quick punches thrown back and forth, or even some quick and painless jokes to make you chuckle softly. Basically, people don’t like having to think while enjoying visual entertainment. I know this because rarely I actually pay attention to media I’m watching, too busy working on something else to use it as anything more than white-noise.
Bakugou and Izuku have a relationship that requires deeper thinking. It’s not like any other relationship in MHA, where you see two cute characters and harmlessly ship them together. They have history, and a dark one at that. 
The average viewer ALSO rarely views the world as anything more than Black and White at first. Which is normal, we always assume a side before learning about all the nitty gritty details in a situation.
Bakugou has a character that isn’t Black or White. He’s the deuteragonist. Not quite the protagonist, and not quite the antagonist.
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He’s a troubled kid, with a troubled past. And guess who has ALWAYS been with him through his darkest moments? Izuku.
People see this as something bad, when it’s the entire point of BOTH their character arks.
To Izuku, Bakugou is his symbol of Victory. To Bakugou, Izuku is a constant and possibly his symbol of hope. Their relationship is so complex, so deep, and filled with many, many layers. It’s vital to both of them, as we see most prominently through Izuku’s reaction to Bakugou’s death.
Their loses hurt. Because they’re so intertwined.
Like losing your other half, literally. Save to win, win to save.
Bakugou was more than just cannon fodder to get Izuku Angry. His death took a piece of Izuku away. His sense of self and his vision of Victory. There’s a reason we haven’t cut back to the Shigaraki vs Izuku battle. He’s not truly ready, not without his sense of victory with him.
But people can’t accept this. People instead take it an entirely different way.
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iii. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy
This is my biggest problem with the MHA fandom. I don’t actually consider myself a part of it. I’m a little too embarrassed about my so called peers that believe they understand or appreciate the story. I mean, you’re allowed to dislike whoever you want or like whatever you want, but the hate around Bakugou makes no sense to me. 
You guys… realize people can change, right? There is no such thing as a purely good/ evil character or person. We can try and pretend there are, but there aren’t.
There’s something called character growth, too. Not sure if you’ve heard about it, but Bakugou has gone through it a lot. So has Izuku. Because THAT’S WHAT THEIR RELAITONSHIP ABOUT. FUCK IT, THAT’S WHAT THE DAMN STORY IS ABOUT.
Izuku’s a quirkless kid who wants to be a hero? Fuck it! He gets a super powerful power and is said to become “the greatest hero ever”. Good for him!
Villains want change to the hero system because it’s not fit for everyone? They’re right! Let’s allow them a revolution and give the story more perspective and depth as more than just a hero story. Good for them!
Bakugou, god forbid, wants to reimagine himself as someone more than their past mistakes and turn a new leaf alongside his childhood friend/ most important figure? …Let’s make fun of his death instead.
I GENUINELY DONT UNDERSTAND. YES, SOMETIMES HE SAYS MEAN WORDS. WHAT ELSE?
MHA is so much more that the silly shipping, memes, or backlash it gets. Is it perfect? Of course not! Is it detailed and complex? Absolutely!
Yes, people are allowed to not like a character. I’m not trying to force anyone to love Bakugou. He’s certainly not my favorite, but I at least understand his importance. Yes, not everybody has to grasp the deeper meaning behind a story and simply enjoy it for being a cool anime with memorable character. The problem arises when there is literally NO critical thinking and everyone just agrees with what is at the surface level.
(let it also be known that I feel most of the hate stems from people watching the DAMN ANIME. No offense if you like it, but I can’t stand to watch it. It’s lazy, frankly kind of ugly, and butchers almost every character SO BADLY (*cough, Bakugou, *cough) people are apparently pretty adamant to be anime watchers only, so this could be another reason they dislike Bakugou, because the anime is GOD AWFUL. Again, no offense :))
uhhh, merry Christmas!! 💥🎄
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allbimyself65 · 1 year
Text
Yandere Kirishima x Reader
This is just setting up for the actual story and doesn't have any mha characters in it yet.
Will eventually have some bakugou x reader and kirishima x reader. No warning for this part should be all good.
Someone all too familiar is hiding in a bedroom—far, far closer than you think. It’s you; you're the figure. You’re curled up in the nest of blankets, snug, cozy, and warm, with the huge pile of blankets and stuffed animals engulfing you like an ant. You're rereading your favorite fantasy novel for the good parts only. You must have read this book a million times, but you can never get enough of it. Even if the cover looks like a trashy vampire romance book. After a long while, you eventually get too stuffy and decide to walk towards your favorite book store because even if you have around twenty new books on your shelf, you can’t stop buying books. The adrenaline rush of getting more has consumed you and your bank account. While you walked, you eventually saw the sign of your favorite quant bookstore. "All booked up," run by an older lady in the old part of town, didn't get much business but had loyal customers that dedicated themselves to the shop. You were in luck; there was no one else in the store except you and the owners. You decided to go play your favorite game. I'm definitely just browsing and not buying games where you see how long you can hold off buying a book in the store. You’d never win.
After a while, you got lost again when you decided to explore the other sections besides the fantasy one to see if there was anything that piqued your interest instead of having a one-track mind for fantasy.You eventually came to one of the more abandoned corners of the book shop. This particular bookshelf was filled with second-hand books people had donated to the kind old lady who ran the shop. They all looked so old, with dust lining the shelves and making the worn books look like antiques. Actually, scratch the donated part; they were probably the owners' books after all. You were about to power walk to the cash register when a shiny red jewel caught your eye. You turned slowly, halfway expecting to see a red demon or a ghost. Instead, what you saw was a book that was weather-bound. It was a very cool book, looking like something a famous traveler would have. The book in question was definitely not from the century, looking like a hurricane had rocked it, and it went back for some more afterwards with tattered pages and a very dusty jewel on the side. It was probably a fake, but you still wanted it for aesthetic purposes. Deciding that the contents weren’t very important anyway, you went and picked it up before grabbing your other soon-to-be purchase and leaping to the cash register. Carefully ringing the dingy bell before you and waiting at the old oak wood desk, which was embedded in the floor, You looked around, wondering how a beautiful place like this could be so forgotten. It looked as old as time itself, with ornately carved pillars from a century you couldn’t name and wood so finely polished and made with such care that professionals had to be involved. Overall, it was a hidden beauty; the store had something unforgettable in its bones. It was so remarkable that even the air seemed to have a stench of mystery and grandeur.Soon a lady appeared with a face full of wrinkles, moving with a slight grace. She spoke in a more cheerful tone than you expected from her withering form.
"Hello, thank you for your purchases. I'll take the copy of the cruel prince, and... She came to a halt, a breath caught in her throat as she looked at the old book you'd also placed on the counter.A long moment passed before she uttered another word. "Oh, I haven’t seen that book in a long, long time." She breathed again, almost as if she were saying something; you didn’t have a clue. "Though that devil of a book had long since vanished, or had finally decomposed."that ancient thing."
"Is it bad?" you inquired, your eyebrows slightly raised, and your entire posture and being inquisitive.
"Bad, no, never, but this old book will give you the adventure of a lifetime if you aren’t careful." Stumbling into a pit of more curiosity, you felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole of one question being answered and another arising. This was all too familiar; you’ve seen it before. That thought was for another millennium, but you were too tired to figure it out, so you decided to thank the woman quickly.Then power walk yourself out of there, hoping to regain the earlier inner calm you had experienced.It has started to drizzle now. The hours you thought you had left faded away into the night. The lamps illuminate your path, buzzing with the fireflies within their lights. The sky had a stretch of clouds rolling over it. An eerie calm set in, with the few people that still wondered at this time of night hurrying back to their families. You walked down the familiar stone roads, though they came and went faster than the wind. You soon arrived at the black sheep of your aesthetically pleasing street.The reason you didn’t burn it to the ground as soon as you saw it It was cheap; you needed a place to stay, and everything else was priced higher than your self-confidence will ever be. Soon things began to move on their own as you found yourself falling into your heaps of blankets, and soon sleep overcame all worries. Soon, you'll be waking up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for your early morning job.You rushed and zoomed in a daze of routine and normalcy. While things were simultaneously going to be a disaster, While getting on your shoes, you bumped into your favorite drink, ruining your shirt, and you had to change. Shame. truly a waste of a good beverage. Then, as usual, traffic was a nightmare.Then you ran to your office late. Work was normal as ever, a pretty meh day. Then you got the awful news that your building had to be fumigated the next day, so you’d have to find a place to go. They did not cover anything; they were of no help at all. This was a picture-perfect day.Soon your day slowed with time going on, and you were at home packing for a hotel you booked for the next day. It looked sketchy, but it was what your top dollar could afford, so it worked. Deciding a book would be an acceptable choice, you went and got a book; the red jewel caught your eye. Again, just like in the store, But you remind me of someone.A quiet voice in your head whispers conspiracies.of fantasy and romance and other great things. Quieting those thoughts, you grabbed something random and went off into the corner of your apartment that you found most suitable and quietly laid down to rest. Soon the hours came just as quickly as they went, and before you knew it, you were as dead as a log with sleep tearing its way into your being. The night was quiet, almost normal; if you didn’t know what was going to happen next at a later date, you could see why things played out the way they did. Something even more powerful than sleep made its way into your brain, rotting it from the inside out. Tearing into every crevice, it eats its way through your subconscious mind. like a worm would do to an apple. whispers, then silence. They came again.
"Wake up," they said, foreshadowing their next lines.
"Come on, wake up; so many things shall await you." They came into the final part of your subconscious, the final bite of the apple, crescendoing into your dreams, reeling back relaxing whispers that weren't going to work.Soon your dreams come alive with a putrid vision of worms and apples. of awful creepy crawly things.You awake with a gasp. /
"AH!, just a dream, don’t be silly, nothing wrong, but just in case, let's not go back to sleep," and then you realized you were talking to yourself in your sleep: "Oh my god, I’m going insane." Again, something glistened in the back of your mind. The worm nestled deep within the apple. You thought you were going crazy. Your mind must’ve been converting to that of a dragon; with its constant referral back to that jewel, you might as well be a fully fledged one yourself. Still, this overwhelming desire to find out what’s in the book was much more than a simple curiosity. So you did exactly that: you went open, walked over cautiously, and opened the book with a deep breath.You looked around, searching violently for some kind of change, and... Nothing? The book was blank.
"I swear these books are getting to my head or something, honestly thinking something like a book could do something magical," you hughped."Old piece of garbage"Rumbling, thrashing, and crashing went off at once. Books flying off the shelves tumble down with gravity. Pages swirling. Something glowing a brilliant apple red The book's open pages were sucking things into you.
"AAAAHHHH!" With flight instincts kicking in, you darted, trying to run. A whirlwind of force is coming from the book. With terror, you realized it was after you. "Almost there," you thought when the door was mere inches away. Another powerful gust You're on the ground. Desperately, you tried to grab onto something. The wind was too strong. The shining light now swirled in beautiful circles. like the Mona Lisa, only red and somehow even more beautiful, bursting with pops of green and orange. You screamed another time in a hopeless attempt to try anything. You were sucked in, and the book slammed shut. Then he fell to the ground. Then it suddenly opened. It began to write and paint a picture of you in your room. Quick as lighting, as soon as it started, it was finished; then page two was beginning, with the background setting but nothing being painted yet. It's almost as if the stories are happening right now... 
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blole-hack · 2 years
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max omg, yk the nickname situation regarding katsuki and izuku as toddlers, well?? forgot that katsuki also literally only cared that izuku couldn't read as well as he could ("you mean you can't?" directed at izuku, glancing back at izuku, really tightening his izuku goggles as much as damn possible). and that even if in that situation katsuki was just looking for attention from his peers and to tease izuku, that means he was specifically enthralled by izuku's attention and also implies that he subconsciously thought izuku was worthy of attention from him and wanted a reaction out of him. and THEN katsuki then proceeds to continue using the nickname for izuku whilst hiding under the flimsy false pretense that he thinks izuku's dumb and useless which we both know is him being full of shit. i'm not even exaggerating when i say my boy is and always has been obsessed. i'm. having so much brainrot rn
edit: FOR CONTEXT for what i will say below READ @justawhoresblog 's post here first
OlivER Oh my god YEAHHH YOURE RIGHT QJDJWJJSW
HES SO ATTENTION SEEKING
in some way he does want izuku to admire him, because he wants to show that hes better than him *at stuff* and only him.
like "can you do that izuku? lol u cant"
its not just "hah u suck" but also "hah izuku im better than you, seE"
to connect with the recent chapters;
Man, his feelings for him really run deep and complex
He wants izuku to think that he's better than him, because he wants Izuku to look up to him and think he's great. Which means he wants Izuku's attention, subconsciously even since he was a kid.
Hes afraid of izuku surpassing him, because hes afraid of being left behind by izuku. He's afraid of that because he wants to be with Izuku. But he's also scared of Izuku which is why he wanted to push him away,, but that's exactly why he's afraid of izuku surpassing him. So he also wanted Izuku to back down and be afraid of him instead, but it also gets complicated because he also wants Izuku's attention.
Maybe its because deep down he really thinks he isn't good enough. No matter how arrogant he looks he really has a twisted sense of self worth. Deep down he really seeks Izuku's approval, which ties into (his almost final moments-)
He wants to be perfect as how everyone expected him to be, but its more important to him that
He also kept comparing himself Izuku, but that makes sense because you want to make someone you deem awesome admire you, and since they're awesome to you you want to be better than them too, especially with all the societal pressure in MHA.
in the words of Lil Nas X, "I wanna fuck with those I envy. I envyy-"/j im sorry
AND NOW HE DOESNT WANT TO BE AHEAD NOR BEHIND DEKU
he FINALLY ACCEPTED THAT HE JUST WANTS TO BE BY HIS SIDE
FUCK BEING BETTER AND BEING THOUGHT OF AS A BIG DEAL THAT THE STRONG WANTS TO FIGHT AGAINST
Fuck being better than deku
in SHORT WOW bakugo has had bakudeku angst longer than deku???
and also MORE PARALLELS
Since Deku's admiration to Bkg and All might both foil and parallel one another
Bkg's admiration to Deku and All might also both foil and parallel one another (the desire to surpass them...but deep down actually really looks up to the other? i mean it was obvious in the case of All Might but he DID keep it suppressed and hidden) but idk thats a topic for another dayyy OR for someone else to cover since I'm too shy to write actual metas
AND THIS may BACK UP THE CASE FOR DEKU NOT BEING MEANT AS MALICIOUS AT FIRST! And the other scenes and in the "de-izuku" moments because he subconsciously refered to him as such in times he didnt have bad feelings towards him anymore. It might have just started as a way for Bkg to get attention from him.
For (younger) Bkg, everyone else was already, by default extras compared to him. It is by default that he's better than everyone else. It is only Deku (and kind of All Might and other adults but they arent peers so it doesnt count) that he ACTIVELY TRIES TO PROVE he's better than him. And thats because he sees something in him. (which is obvious now in hindsight now that he explicitly said how he feels but man was i dense THE SIGNS WERE THERE ALL ALONG)
Also man rewatching some parts of the Bkg vs Uraraka fight
the reason why he was so passionate about defeating her is partially because of deku right
"Don't underestimate me" he told her. But iirc he kinda had no reason to besides *looks at deku*
how he thought Deku was looking down on him. man i didnt even cover that yet
one's thoughts abt how someone they like feels about them gets warped by their insecurities
an added oof the balance of all of BKG's complicated feelings. Its precisely that he thought that someone he wanted to like him ACTUALLY looked down on him made him so upset at deku right?????
RIGHT
WAIT
if thats NOT GAY WHAT IS WHAT ISSS-
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junosswans · 2 years
Text
The many times of Midoriya Izuku rejecting Bakug*u Kat*uki & what it means to them
Again, not exactly anti-bakug*u but I'll tag it like so and hide his name so that people who potentially don't want to read it don't have to
(contains: mha comic spoiler, antibkdk but it's really complicated, in general critical of a certain blonde character but I don't think there's anything mean spirited here and my point isn't to shit on him, but to theorize where he's heading towards)
Thinking about how over and over izu chose the other option as opposition to bak*gou and feeling a moment of hope for a liberating ending between the osananajimi but then also grim cause hori probably won't do that (or the jump editors won't let him do that)
It's a thought that only came to me after the comic apology scene, which so many 💥🥦 shippers screamed over, and it led to me contemplating the progression of their relationship & how they were positioned in the story as archetypes.
I kept on thinking about how in the apology scene, Izuku never directly replied to bkg's apology. Bkg said I'm sorry for everything I've done, and Izuku's immediate action after the shock was to apologize to everyone for being inconsiderate in his previous words.
I'll have to say this first, I don't ship them at all and could never see myself doing so (for apparent reasons), and as someone who endured bullying and abuse I hate bkg a lot, but thinking about their character development is really interesting and as far as angst goes, they probably have the most dramatic mutual-but-also-not-mutual pining relationship ever and its honestly kind of fun to think and read about, lol.
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And after they have returned to UA, and bkg accidentally called him deku as usual instead of Izuku, his reply was a smile and "you don't have to force yourself", which...
Like, can we stop a moment and think about how Izuku never directly addressed bkg's apology? The way he said "you don't have to force yourself" as if he's given up on hoping? If I am the author and I wanted the apology moment to be the salvation the two needed, I'd definitely let Izuku accept the apology then move on. There's no point in dragging things out unless I'm preparing for a greater moment of enlightenment. Unless the reply Izuku had in his mind was not what we are expecting (acceptance).
From my pov, I think he was hesitating. He was having second thoughts and he was unsure. If it was set before the final arc, Izuku would probably immediately accept the apology, or say "I've never blamed you/been mad at you"-- no matter how we view their relationship, we can agree on that, right? But why the hesitation now??
I think we're close to the reveal of the reason for the change of mind for Izuku, judging from how the story has been building up. And I have a theory which is an unlikely one but I also really want to see if anyone else feels the same.
One of the main theme of this story, or of most stories, is the discovery of self-identity. To establish your name and develop your personality & world view and find where you belong. It's a very common theme, yeah?
MHA is a story that's defined by choices instead of predetermined fate-- todoroki chooses to use his power to neutralise but not harm (unlike what he's been taught), midoriya chooses to save eri despite nighteye telling him he couldn't do it, the LoV thinking bkg would be good villain material and him rejecting them, and the dichotomy between the heroes and the villains? It's "I choose to become what I want to be not what others (eg my father, society, etc) want me to be" versus "society called me a villain so I will be one as my revenge".
For Izuku, I’d argue that his journey of becoming himself relies on the rejection of his childhood, in which he was repeatedly told that he had no right to choose (quirkless people can't be a hero, you should kys instead, you need to become the next symbol of peace, so and so), and he needed to defy those voices and choose his own path. And as someone who played a big part in those negative voices, bkg was someone who Izuku needed to reject. (By reject, I don’t necessarily mean cut off. What I mean is that they both need to reevaluate their view towards each other and stop seeing the other as someone more/lesser, which had been a constant in their dynamic until very recently; Izuku needs to reject what bkg used to say to him and the labels that he had given him. Only with this could they achieve a healthy & balanced relationship.)
It started with him reclaiming the name deku by choosing ochako’s interpretation over bkg’s; and then cheering for todoroki when td and bk faced off in the sports festival;
And Izuku did, repeatedly. It was small but it was there, how he was trying to push the influence & shadow of bkg (his abuser) out of his personal narrative, in a passive way. It was unintentional statements and outbursts at first, and it was kind of a one step forward two steps back situation (which is common for abuse survivors who are trying to make amends), but I think he was coming to the realisation that it’s what he needed to be the hero he wanted to be.
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Tbh, I really really didn’t expect this line. Like I was so so so bracing myself for midoriya to cheer for bkg but then he DIDNT and it was insane and I screamed. Anyways--
Then it escalated into deku vs bkg 2 and well, that was definitely a lot of emotional baggage to unpack. It was an incredibly painful read for me because well… the level of mental gymnastics you’d need to do in order to view the world like bkg…. bro needed the psych ward not a hero school. There were definitely a lot of moments that shippers would swoon over, but if you’d allow me to go blue curtain a bit I’d say the most important line is this one:
There was also the “it has to be you kirishima who goes to save bkg because if I was the one who’s holding out a hand he would rather die than catch it” in which, yea it was accurate assessment. But like. Anyway I don’t feel like getting into that today...
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Wtf bkg? You thought of me like that?
Judging from how it’s been emphasised over and over by bkg and AM lately, Izuku changing from someone who has no regard for his own well-being will be a major plot point in this last arc, and this will likely include his relationship with people. In order to grow from being overly self-sacrificial, he will need to distance himself from people who hurt him or at least, acknowledge that people who would hurt him doesn’t care for him and move on from there. And this leads us to this line:
Prior to this, I don’t think Izuku gave too much thought to their relationship. He likely attributed all the bullying and namecalling to his quirklessness and “it’s bkg being bkg” and this was the moment when he was like, ah, so you hate me on a personal level, you pick on me not because you look down on quirkless ppl (Izuku probably internalised a lot of the shame & discrimination regarding that) but because you really hate me, midoriya izuku, specifically. You THINK I look down on you, and you THINK I get beaten up by you because it’s fun for me or something. All the while I've idolised you and looked up to you and believed so earnestly that you will be a great hero. It’s through this fight that they finally get a glimpse of what the other thinks of them and it’s when Izuku started to contemplate the definition of friendship, affection, and relationships in general. I feel like after this was when the distance between the two really showed, even though the air between them became less tense. Bkg had learned the truth of OfA, but in terms of plot progression it didn’t seem to do much for the two. The “helping deku to train” acted as a plot device to explain how he got stronger, but aside from that, how did this part contribute to Izuku’s character development?
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And really, I think we are seeing bits and bits of how Izuku is mentally distancing himself from bkg (he still cares but not as much and as extreme as before), although it could just be my wishful thinking. one of the notable instances is this frame from the apology scene:
When I read this, I was like...??? So you actually know that friends aren't supposed to beat you up??? On one hand, the IRONY but on the other hand, there's a part of me that's holding out for the possibility that this is hinting at something bigger in the future. Could this statement mean that he will learn to draw a better boundary between himself and people who don't treat him fairly (which is very often)? I definitely hope so.
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To be fair, I didn't remember either, so I went back and had a look:
He didn't remember. oh. my. god. You would have thought that he definitely would, but he didn't remember at all. (I ugly laughed, for a moment) Whether it was because he had too much on his mind or that he didn't exactly care is left for you to determine.
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The other reason for this theory of mine was Todoroki's development after the license exam. We got to see how Izuku told Shouto it's ok to not forgive his father, but because he's "a caring person," he was waiting for an opportunity. In which, kinda a wack argument but it was indeed very much in character for him to say so.
...ok.
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It was said before by many others, but the two really have a lot of parallels as well as opposites, like childhood trauma, refusing to use his quirk to the point where it hurts himself vs forced to cope with a quirk that hurts himself, and of course most importantly, learning to come to terms with your trauma and making peace with your abuser.
What Midoriya said above irked me a little, because no, you are 100% allowed to not forgive him forever and that doesn't make you a bad person, but then in the next chapter we got this:
And then we get to know exactly what Shouto was waiting for:
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He was waiting for endeavour to change before deciding whether he should forgive him. In which on this aspect I really think Todoroki was coping a lot better than...... anyone else in this series even though he's often depicted as a dense & slow person. So with the parallels in mind, could this be what bkg and deku are heading towards as well? Would Izuku's mind change after witnessing the conversation between Natsuo and Enji? Could we expect more of the dirty laundry between the two will be revealed to the other characters and they will be forced to face it? Will Izuku need to do the same thing, to hold off his judgement and possibly decline the apology until bkg really has proved himself?
On bkg's side, we have been seeing a lot of references to him being the one who knows Izuku the best, even bkg himself said so. There seem to be this shift of power balance where it used to be izk chasing after bkg, and now bkg might have to chase after izk who's less interested in him now. (If this is the case, imagine the angst. The role reversal. The pining. Oh my god hori would be insane to pull this but it would be so delicious--)
In the latest chapter, we saw shigaraki declaring that he was not interested in bkg at all, aside from his relationship to Izuku. Shigaraki demonstrated his unrivalled power which gave bkg a great shock. By the presupposed logic of “the characters of mha need to learn to be something other than who they’re told to be,” for bkg who’s always been told that he would be the greatest, the most powerful, the protagonist in life, it’s probably his moment to learn how to step aside and support others (which he evidently hasn’t mastered yet, since he burnt hadou’s hair again). If I am to maximise the dramatics in this plot, I might even force him to renounce his status as a hero because I crave the poetics and the internal struggles, but that’s unlikely. However, since right now we are having two people facing off, one of which rejected Izuku’s help in their childhood, and for the other one Izuku wanted to save his childhood (The visual parallels were so blatant that there’s no way it’s not intentional) so I’m really, sincerely looking for a role reversal between Shigaraki and bkg, between a “false hero” and a villain (label wise).
Anyway, I think this is it for me today, I read the lastest chapter yesterday and there were so many thoughts on my mind and needed to vent a little (a lot)...
But then, these are all just theories and most of the time, manga theories remain to be just that. If this really happened hori will probably go to god tier author for me, but I really don't think that's gonna be the case, haha
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anti-katsuki-lounge · 2 years
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What do you think is the most fundamentally wrong thing about Bakugo? Because from I see, it's not his character design that is the issue, as it fits the MHA world, is attractive to fans, and explosions are cool(let's be real, we all have seen the shows with explosions in the background as we grew up like in Power Rangers). It's how he gets too much Author's love that gives him back motivation onto why he hates Deku and too much Plot Armor that it poisons everyone, including Bakugo himself.
His backstory of hating Deku for giving out a hand after falling down a creek does not make sense. I rather make him a spoiled prodigy who never received any failure nor genuine help prior to UA. IRL, many prodigies fail in their later years as they were never given the help they've needed as kids nor given the rest and break from what they're doing, that they see getting any sort of help as a weakness. Here, that hatred makes more sense as BK feels that he shouldn't receive help from the weakest kid in the class, who just wants him to rest from everyone else's expectations, given that their school environment is very toxic.
Removing his god tier Plot Armor would flat out improve his character as his antagonizing of Izuku would decrease, he gets more failures in the plot lines that he is forced to be in, namely tying in the finals of the Sports Festival, letting Izuku getting better grades than him in the finals and failing the physical final, etc.
I think fundamentally, I think its the Author's Love from the early fanbase that compounded his problems and wrote him into the future plots which gave him greater Plot Armor than most characters of any series.
You’ve pretty much explained why I hate Katsuki. Katsuki’s problems are a result of him having shitty motives for what he does and him being coddled by Hori. Katsuki’s character is your basic outline of a Shonan Rival, so it shouldn’t be hard to write/develop him, but Hori somehow messes that up.
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anotherclown2609 · 2 years
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The insight series. no 1: Bakugo's insight through his small moments.
-> What is this? A series where I look into small details in the novel and the manga of MHA (I don't like the anime) and point out things that define how I view my most favorite characters and ship (it's BKDK) then delivered to you in small doses.
#1 Bakugou and his appreciation of the past, in heavy corelation to the way he unravels his relationship with Deku. 
- He remembers and rethinks.
- He understands and relearns.
- He holds keepsakes of the past: memories and memorabilia.
In this part taken from the "school brief, novel 05, chapter 4 and novel 03, chapter 6", and this cut from the "manga, chapter 362", , I highlighted these moments here as indicators of how Katsuki is one secretly sentimental person over his relationship with Izuku and his admiration of All Might (which are central to his ideals, sense of self and objectives).
Credit to @dekusheroacademia for collecting these snippets.
(school brief, novel 05, chapter 4)
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(school brief, novel 03, chapter 6)
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(manga, chapter 362)
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Or tldr, Bakugou is secretly sentimental.
(1) He remembers and rethinks:
• Remembers:
- His and Izuku's childhood selves from the resemblances towards the duo Takkun and Macchan.
- Theirs bond.
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• Rethinks:
- His and Izuku's relationship in parallels to Takkun and Macchan's relationship.
- How Izuku's wish for them to make up indirectly spoke of his wants of mending their bond and Katsuki's feelings in reaction to that. He must have dwell on his thoughts of their relationship and his actions enough for it to pull an immediate reaction out of him.
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(2) He understands and relearns:
• Understands:
- Their broken relationship and its problematic nature are not as simple as how it is for the two kids, which can only be concluded after a process of remembering and dwelling on thoughts about their relationship.
• Relearns:
- Izuku's wants of mending their relationships and how it is changing the nature of their relationship moving forward as now Katsuki is slowly acknowledging and giving into it.
- His conflicting opinions of how to deal with the situation as he is indeed more affected by it than expected.
(3) He holds keepsakes of the past: memories and memorabilia.
- He treasures Izuku enough to not cast aside memories of him, memories of their relationship and memories of what got them together in the first place: their shared admiration of All Might. And that is surprising for some, as he is not shown to be someone who lets people in on his vulnerable sides, where he is easily affected by, where his opinions of self and ideals are built upon and destroyed.
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- Mind you, he was the kid that was always pushing Midoriya away or trying to run from his bonds with him because his sense of self was threaten by Midoriya's beings. And that kid not only did not erase any memories of Midoriya, but kept it close enough that he could point out resemblances in someone else. He also shown a side of him that is indeed humane and nostalgic too, by agreeing to Midoriya sentiment here, albeit in a very Bakugou-esque way.
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But sentimental enough just like anyone else that treasure their memories. For real though, he has kept that card for a very long time and was now revealed to have deeply treasured it.
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Conclusion of Bakugo's insight #1:
Katsuki Bakugo is actually one big sentimental guy under all that bravado he puts up. He treasures and puts more thoughts, and actions into his relationship with Izuku more than many like to admit. He is also someone who holds things dearly without ever spoken it out loud. Many would miss this and then judge him as just a brute and not a brute with layers, and multifacets that you need to read closer and deeper to discover.
So please, if you haven't, go read the manga and the novel. The anime do him no justice.
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love-toxin · 1 year
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All this devil may cry, and this fire emblem and anime....
You aren't gonna forget about stranger things, are you? I love everything you write, but your worshiper Eddie stuff is my new hyperfixation and I really don't want you to abandon it......
if i can be honest for a moment i get this question a LOT, and i have to say that this is both yes and no--but I'll give context! this is ellie gets real time ⬇️ (also a tldr at the end!)
idk how it is for other writers, but for me, I'm mostly directed by hyperfixation on its own--i pretty much go for whatever tickles my brain the most in the moment and gives me the most dopamine. i can't realistically write for the same thing on an endless loop and expect it to be good, or more importantly to be fun! sure, sometimes I'll be solely focused on one thing for a long time or other things for a short period, but sooner or later it's gonna be time for me to switch it up and try something new. which also means that even when I'm very invested in something and I have full intentions of continuing it, I need to take breaks and focus on something else to give my brain time to refresh and cook up some new ideas or recharge a bit so i can go back and work on stuff I've already started. if i keep staring at the same half-finished projects I'll end up getting so frustrated i just don't finish them at all.
i think when people see me talking about other interests their first reaction is often to assume that I'm gonna be dropping whatever I'm doing at the moment, but not so! stranger things especially is an overarching interest for me that backgrounds my fixation even when I'm concentrating on other things. i think for a lot of new readers on my page (hello new lovelies!) they haven't been around to see me do that with other things, for example; i wrote an insane amount of MHA fic when i started out here to the point that i completely burnt myself out writing essentially that and nothing else, which ended up turning me off of even watching the series or keeping up with it, mostly because i assumed that was people wanted to read and i just wanted to write what people liked even i ended up hating what i produced.
but now i do it for myself! i can't say with complete certainty that I'm gonna be writing fic for a certain fandom for the rest of my life, but i mean i also can't say with certainty that I'm not gonna get hit by a meteorite and turned to space dust either LMAO. i totally get the concern and i understand even getting annoyed when someone becomes known for something specific and then breaks away from it suddenly, but you really have nothing to worry about! fandoms i used to love years ago and drifted away from still come back for me to obsess over, it's extremely rare for me to just completely let go of a fixation even when i burn myself out on it. everything is a cycle! if i start talking about something else, take it as a good thing--it means that i understand that I need to do something different so that i can come back to it when I'm fresh with ideas and enthusiasm. the last thing i want to do is turn this into a chore or a responsibility in my mind, because that's a one-way ticket for me to lose all sense of enjoyment with it and that's not what i signed up for! im doing it to talk about tits and pull bitches! priorities!! <3
tl;dr - you don't have to worry about me dropping stranger things, it's just important for my motivation and inspiration to keep my fixations diverse and take breaks so i don't burn myself out writing the same thing on repeat and getting sick of it!
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a-flux-uchiha · 8 months
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B D Z for the ask game!!!
B - A pairing I didn't initially consider but someone changed my mind would definitely be Kamasaki/Moniwa. One of my friends really liked it and it eventually leaked over to me lol. It's fun.
D - A pairing I wish i liked but just cant? I honestly can't think of any? If I wanted to like a pairing I'd just figure out how to like it.
Z - This is just automatically what comes to mind when someone asks about fandom stuff: Different fandoms and how the canon results in different quantities of specific tropes and stuff. So Naruto and Miraculous share a perpensity for salt/bashing fics due to the....hatability of the canon portrayals of many characters. Mha also has a little bit of that just due to the lack of facing some things that happen but never have consequences. (Eg, bakugo being muzzled and restrained at the sports festival, all might, etc)
On the other end we have Spiderverse which is........full of nsfw as one might expect from a work thats full of attractive characters. Don’t go in anything relating to Miguel O'hara without filtering if you want to live.
But it also works at a broader level with story tropes and things that really only show up this often in Fandom. So like Naruto has a lot of one-way timetravel fics. There's so many ways to end the world, and so many ways to go back and change it and just skew the plot wildly that they're so common, and also just so much fun. Plus Naruto is kind of split into eras in canon, and there's so much for each era, so writers tend to specialize in certain eras or characters. So an author might specialize in Founders era stuff, or stuff when Kakashi was a kid, or any number of other things. I specialize mostly from the Uchiha massacre to the chuunin exams, plus Tenten is my absolute dear beloved and so is Shisui, assuming I can keep him alive. Which I do whenever possible.
Mha has a few one-way time travel fics, but they're much rarer. Miraculous I don't think has any. That's a phenomenon just in Naruto.
Mha is very prone to toss a rock in the middle of a stream and see where the water goes type of fics. Just changing one or two details(like who has what quirk, if someone's parents died, etc) and then seeing where it goes from there. They're fascinating because it's not really angry fix-its like you see in Naruto a lot, it's more respectful to canon, and is more of a game of yes and. The variation in what you can do with MHA is fascinating.
Haikyuu, on the direct other hand, is full of AU's. It has so many characters and all of them are so good, but, well, it's a volleyball anime, there isn't exactly much world to explore. So, AU's. Plus how you often get people who specialize in specific characters or teams, or have just the one blorbo who's a rare character and just lives in their head permanently(me with Nametsu Mai my dearly beloved). Sometimes you get aus where the teams are still holding up, all groups together, and sometimes(like when im doing it usually) there's no real organization like that, characters have just been stolen and plopped down into a new location and now the writer is pushing them together like we're all just playing dolls.
Feel free to take this all with a grain of salt, it's just things I've noticed in my own adventures through fandom, someone else might have a fully different view on things, but hey, what am I if not very prone to ppattern recognition.
If I get asked about Z again I'm going on my 'The Uchiha Were Fridged' rant
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tonberry-yoda · 11 months
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🌈
Ik its pretty late (for me atleast) but I just couldn’t wait for tomorrow to make another one (i loved it just as much as u) so here it is! (Btw you don’t have to answer it right away) and this one is for mha
Who’s your favorite character?
Who’s your favorite hero?
Who’s your favorite class 1-A student?
Who’s your favorite 1-B student?
Who’s your favorite villain?
Who’s backstory is the saddest?
Who do you relate to most?
Who’s your favorite underrated character?
Whats your favorite ship? (Optional)
What character would you revive?
If you could change a villains past which would it be and how?
Who’s your favorite character to write for?
(Extra) If you appeared in the mha universe what would be the first thing you’d do (timeline: ep 1)
(Hero) Kiss marry kill with…
Bakugo, Deku, todoroki
(Pro hero) kiss marry kill with…
Midnight, Aizawa, Endeavor (idk how to spell it)
(Villians) Kiss marry kill…
Shigaraki, Dabi, Overhaul
Have a good day!
AHHHH OMFG YAY! I wasn't expecting another one and I am so glad I woke up to this! It was pretty late last night, so I'm sorry I couldn't get to it sooner!
Who’s your favorite character?
ALL MIGHT! (and Tomoyasu Chikazoku my husband)
Who’s your favorite hero?
Going right back to him: All Might! He really is just such a good character and gets thrown away way too much :(
Who’s your favorite class 1-A student?
Iida. Because he's amazing and his dub voice is one of my favs VA's. But yeah I've come to find I love Iida a lot as a character!
Who’s your favorite 1-B student?
Oh, this is such a good question... I like the Manga kid, I think he's pretty cool, but I'm gonna go with Testutestu
Who’s your favorite villain?
*coughs* Skeptic *coughs again* I mean Dabi
Who’s backstory is the saddest?
Dabi. His whole story is one of the only reasons I'm still reading the manga. Like bro was alone for so long and never felt loved by his dad and now bro is burning. Though, now that I think about it the whole Oboro thing is really sad and same with Shiggy. idk who would be the saddest, but Dabi's story is keeping me hooked, so there's that lol
Who do you relate to most?
Oh god.... good question..... I really don't know let me think about this.... Probably Denki? Yeah let's go with Denki.
Who’s your favorite underrated character?
Guess I gotta say it LMFAO *ahem* SKEPTIC. Like come on people, he was tossed around in the anime like he was nothing but istg he's important T^T and like just one of my fav anime characters ever T^T
Whats your favorite ship? (Optional)
me and skeptic I MEAN UH.... I'm pretty fond of Mic and Aizawa and people hate too much on Deku and Uraraka
What character would you revive?
tbh horikoshi is too scared to kill characters sometimes LMFAO but I would have to go with Oboro, or if I can get technical with this answer, All Might (who isn't dead, just as a character is lol) OMFG NO WAIT I JUST REMEMBERED! TWICE. BRO DESERVED BETTER AND NASTY AHH HAWKS JUST SLAUGHTERED HIM. Yeah, probably Oboro though
If you could change a villains past which would it be and how?
Literally just give Dabi a home. In any way. Whether it be back with the Todoroki's or something else, I just wish he had a better childhood
Who’s your favorite character to write for?
Skeptic and Dabi (you can see a pattern here LMFAO)
(Extra) If you appeared in the mha universe what would be the first thing you’d do (timeline: ep 1)
Probably go hang out with Dabi or like chill with the league. I don't wanna be a villain, just show love to the ones who weren't treated well
(Hero) Kiss marry kill with… Bakugo, Deku, todoroki
Kiss: Bakugo Marry: Deku Kill: Todoroki Deku's a cutie, Bakugo would bite me, and I just don't like Todoroki LMFAO
(Pro hero) kiss marry kill with… Midnight, Aizawa, Endeavor (idk how to spell it)
Kiss: Midnight Marry: Aizawa Kill: Endeavor I ain't gay, but I would take a kiss from Midnight any day. I was actually gonna kiss Endeavor, but vs them, sorry bro LMFAO
(Villians) Kiss marry kill… Shigaraki, Dabi, Overhaul
Kiss: Overhaul Marry: Dabi Kill: Shigaraki This one was almost difficult, but I would always put Shiggy away LMFAO but between Dabi and Overhaul, that was a tad difficult, but I think this works lolol
Thank you so much omfg I wanna do a million more of these KJFKJLFDKL literally though, thanks again! I hope you have a good day today and keep yourself well <3
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