#freeing him from drafts

[prepostmortem]

throwin another igssgp art out here

i feel like his playlist goes hard, his soundtrack if you will

yknow

for when hes killin

[kettlefire]

As Good as Good Gets (DP X DC Snippet)

Richard "Dick" Grayson is the golden child. In the eyes of the public, and in the eyes of the league. Dick is a sweet, caring son, a man who went from being a sidekick to being a hero. The pipeline from Robin to Nightwing had many people applauding his dedication to keeping Gotham safe.

No one knew the full story, not truly. No one but Bruce Wayne himself. And maybe a certain butler. Many don't know that Dick only became Robin to stop him from hunting down and killing the man who killed his parents.

No one really knows about the harsh fights and arguments he has had with Bruce. The times when Dick would find himself cut off from the Wayne name for a week or so. No one knows that the first person Dick warmed up to was Alfred. Having been bribed with cookies.

Things weren't always this good, trusting, happy relationship between Bruce and Dick. It had been a rough ride, a complicated one. But that was okay, because it got better.

Dick stopped being so moody and angsty. He grew up, he learned, and he changed. He became an older brother, found people that needed him. Needed him in a way that the citizens of Gotham didn't need him.

His brothers like to call him annoying. A goody two shoes who Bruce trusted more than everyone else. They couldn't fathom how someone like Dick could be so stupid and bubbly at all times.

All times, except when shit hits the fans. Despite the name calling, despite coining Dick as the stupid Wayne. They all knew better. They knew that when it mattered, Dick Grayson always pulled through. He was a force to be reckoned with when needed.

The whole Wayne family was a force to be reckoned with when called for. It didn't have to be under the guise of costumes and vigilante acts. Whether he was Officer Grayson or Nightwing, Dick was a man with his morals and values.

One night on patrol as Officer Grayson, Dick found someone who needed that force. A force willing to protect and care for the innocent. The hurt. The damaged, yet still good.

It started like any other night. A call of shots fired by an empty warehouse. There was no sighting or knowledge of any rouges being there, so Dick took the call. Told the team he'll contact them if it seems more than just a civilian incident.

The warehouse was dark, reeked of copper and oil. It didn't take long for Dick to find the trail. The liquid he found looked like the person had been dragged before walking. There was a clear struggle, even with the mess and emptiness that was the warehouse.

That wasn't Dick's biggest concern. The concern lay in just how much blood there was. Too much for any normal person to lose and still manage to stumble through the warehouse.

It wasn't just blood. It wasn't that much, but Dick could spot the strangeness in the liquid. The mixed in green that had an eerily similar color and glow as a certain pit.

Without thinking, Dick followed the trail. Barely remembering to make contact with his family. Give them an update on what he found. Words telling him to stay put for backup went in one ear and out the other.

Something in Dick's gut was telling him he couldn't wait. He needed to find the source. Whoever was currently bleeding out in this warehouse. He silenced the comm, moving further through the dimly lit building.

Then Dick found it. Or more so, he found him. It was just a boy. A boy that reminded Dick too much of the youngest Wayne. A boy sat against a wall, looking pale and weak.

Red and green coated the front of the boy's shirt, arms wrapped tightly around his middle. An attempt to stem the bleeding. A puddle had already started to form beneath the boy, and Dick moved without thinking once again.

He quickly found himself kneeling beside the boy, hands carefully reaching out. Before Dick even touched him, the boy flinched. Eyelids suddenly opened, wide and terrified blue eyes landed on Dick's.

In just that one look, Dick knew what he had to do. The haunting, terrified, and pained look in the boy's eyes told Dick everything he needed to know. The boy was in danger. Someone had hurt this kid, and it was clear it wasn't the first time.

The boy struggled weakly against Dick's touch, terrified whimpers, and barely coherent pleas spilled from the kid's lips. It had Dick's heart aching, clear as day the poor kid has been through hell and back.

It took a lot of reassurance, gentle touches, and promises of help before the kid let Dick take a look at the bleeding wound. A promise on Dick's soul had been the final thing that earned him any semblance of trust. A strange promise, but Dick was willing to make it.

That concern turned to pure anger the moment Dick managed to pull the sticky shirt away from the wound. The sight of a Y-incision cut perfectly into the skin, stitches tight on the skin, but blood still leaking heavily from the wound.

It didn't take long for Dick to realize why. Despite the perfect surgical care of the wound, a good couple of stitches had broken. Leaving gaping spots for that red and green liquid to pour out of.

The boy was deathly silent, tears streaking down his cheek as wide blue eyes stayed trained on Dick. In that moment, Dick knew he had to help. Had to get the kid to safety, patch him up, and find out what kind of monster would do this.

It didn't matter if the kid was human or not. It didn't matter if the kid had special abilities or not. No one, absolutely no one, deserved to be vivisected.

The kid was shrouded in mystery, but that mystery only seemed to grow and become clearer when Bruce had entered the scene. The boy had tensed, eyes flashing a bright glowing green.

Lazarus pit green.

It set a pit of dread in Dick's gut. His mind brings forward memories of Jason. Jason, after his revival, after his dip in that cursed pit. The same flash that his brother would get if he got too angry. Too emotional.

As much as Dick wanted to focus on finding who did this, if it had any connection to Ra's al Ghul. He couldn't. Not when the kid tried to get up, to pull away as Bruce and the others made their way closer.

Right now, Dick only cared about making sure the boy was okay. Fixing those stitches, getting him a meal, and a warm bed.

He needed to get this kid someplace where he felt safe and secure. Comfortable and protected. Dick wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the promise he had made, but he wasn't letting anyone get to the kid.

That included his family. As strange as it seemed, Dick put himself between the others and the kid. Shooting them all a glare that they had only ever seen a handful of times.

Dick lifted the poor boy up in his arms, cradling the crying child close as he led the way out of the warehouse. Ignoring the questions or confusion coming from Bruce and the others. As Dick walked, feeling the trembling boy clinging to him, he made a rather obvious realization.

Maybe the eldest son really was more like Bruce than he expected. Just a few short moments the the boy, a boy that Dick didn't know his name, and he was ready to pull out adoption papers. To give the boy a safety he so desperately needs.

Give him the chance that Bruce had given him all those years ago.

[capesch-arts]

Arthur and Nyarlathothep

Let's be quick, Kay? Your shiny keeper is going to be worried sick!

"What? Why?"

Well, he can't see inside here, my good pal. Let's just say for both of your sakes, it's for the better.

"I- um... Questions... Hastur said, you're one of the only gods here that carries great knowledge. At least, one that is willing to give to us."

Awww shucks, that makes me blush! And yes! In fact, I've been waiting for you to come back to me.

"Yes I- what do you mean, back?"

Oh, my poor little lost lamb! I guess you should remember. Addison? Ever wondered why you never blew it up sky high?

"Yes, because it was risky to detonate a coal mine and it... No... We ... We made a deal..."

Uh-huh. I happened to LIKE the gal running that town, and I couldn't let you destroy it! So... What did we do?

"You offered to hide the book with his heart and gave me a decoy. But- but it wasn't you- it was a friend- it- .... Altering my memory was part of the deal..."

So your yellow fellow won't find out it was me! He was still uh, grumpy, at me. Hoho. But, that's another story. Hmm and then? And then?

"I took the deal but there was a price... Oh gods..."

Yes... I swore to hide the book somewhere outside of your mind BUT, you need to let The King in Yellow to PLUCK your soul out from your scrawny lil' meat sack.

"... That's right... I chose to leave her... I.."

We're not all perfect dads, Arthur! We all make HARD decisions. I should know! I had a daughter too, you know! But, trust me. This was the best option ya got. Remember his attack dog? What was his name Happy Dick or something? I don't know. Back then he would command him to kill your little girl. He would Artie. And he'd LAUGH at your face too. So... It is what is, dear boy...

"Why are you telling me this?"

Well, I kinda feel bad for letting you in the dark... hmm maybe? A lil' bit? I'm still deciding... since you stole my ex from me .. BUT, I actually CARE about that big ol' peacock. Well, for one reason or another...

"But, why? I'm not your friend nor is Hastur. In fact, all I've heard from the other residents of the Dreamlands is they're terrified of him. Why would you want to help him?"

I have my own personal reasons and a less personal one. Specifically regarding The Blind Idiot.

"The Blind Idiot?"

Azathoth! The creator of all. Big ol' stupid deadbeat dad of mine. I have issues

"From what I've gathered, or what I've gained from asking The King, he's the creator of all. He's a source of ultimate chaos and that the reality we exist in is his dreams..."

Correct! And a big powerful idiot like him needs to sleep SOUNDLY. And do you know who needs to make sure of that?

"No, who?"

ME. I need to keep him HAPPY. and ASLEEP! If he wakes up then [pop] everything ends... Everything dies... All the chaos? All the cults? Why do I need to make sure they exist? I need to feed that idiot. Sacrifices. Rituals. Chaos. Yadda Yadda Yadda FUCK THAT. Do you know how STRESSFUL IT IS keeping your SENILE BRAINLESS PAPPY content? FUCK IT'S HARD. like- like- having a vein CONSTANTLY on the brink of POPPING. WHOOOO! Calm down, calm down. Well, until The King came and everything was... Manageable. I don't need to make that TWIT sleep happily anymore...

"Why The King? What's so special about Hastur?"

Well, let me start with big ol' pappy. You're spot on! The very reality we're standing in is his dreams. It started out as a "good" dream. No pain, no madness, no death, no FLAVOUR! Endless power and chaos! No rules! No stakes! No NOTHING! Just a "happy" little dream with no in-betweens.

"I thought he's the embodiment of amorphous and ultimate chaos? How is that good and happy?"

Well, a world with no restrictions can seem chaotic to your pea brain now, Arthur?

"Well you don't have to rub it in"

CONTINUING...! A boring little dream with the appeal of boiled chicken...! Until... He had a nightmare. It was a small one. So MINISCULE. So... Out of reach.. yet it became the center of his attention.

It started as a dancer. A jester! To be precise. Dancing in the middle of all that chaos for all to see. So small and yet so blaring! So... Yellow. With a wide smile and a happy little song serenading every flow of its movement. And as it danced and danced, it became slower, stiffer, weaker... And the smile on its face gradually faded and became a pitiful frown. As it turned its last tune, it fell! Broken! Withered and pale... It DIED.

"How would that-"

Come on, Arthur! You're an ARTIST! You should know that you humans could give MEANING to death. But for us? Death? Actual death for us is TERRIFYING. And for Azathoth, it was damning. The slow decay and withering of life, weakening and fading out existence, before being subjected to a fate lower than oblivion. It's the reason why every offspring he has, has so much power, Artie! He's projecting his fears to us by giving us tremendous power. Even though it is ultimately futile...

"How does this connect with The King in Yellow?"

That nightmare woke The King up, Artie. And not only that, he was a WILD ONE. No one seems to know what he is or why he is but the moment he existed, DEATH! DECAY! THE END! Came with him and SPREAD throughout this little dream we call our reality. And despite that, he's still singing and playing his songs like some sort of MOCKERY towards the father of all. Well, until his recent block that is... Carcosa dying and all that...

"And that's why you're relieved of your duties? Hastur became daddy's new favourite?"

Oh Arthur... Didn't you hear what I said? I said he WOKE up not that he's BORN from the nightmare.

"What?"

Let me be clear. He's. NOT. Azathoth's.

"... What?"

Whatever he was, was asleep. Asleep for who the fuck knows how long. Older than dear old pappy, I'd say! And when that little nightmare came to him and SHOOK the Blind Idiot, THE KING. WOKE. UP.

"Wait, wait... How can that be? You're implying that The King is a separate entity far beyond even your own creator, the one whose dreams are our reality. Are you telling me, The King is older than that? What.. what is he...?"

Oh come on, Artie! I think you have a guess on what he is. I can feel the gears running in that teeny little brain of yours. Keep going though! I know you still have some more questions!

"It- I... How does this all... Keep Azathoth asleep? Does death keep him satiated, or?"

AHH it's more like, he's now aware that there's something outside of his dreams that exists... And it's looking RIGHT AT HIM. And he doesn't want to know what's in store for him when he opens his innumerable amount of eyes and stares back at the abyss.

"Is he- wait- if he's more powerful than Azathoth, how can he even exist on the same plane as us? If he's separate from him how is he here?"

The same way he can walk casually with your little meat suit in the human world, that form is just an avatar. An extension of him. Hell! He doesn't even NEED to have a powerful one! In some realities that avatar is a Great Old One born from... Uhh I don't know one of the many kids Azathoth has? It mixes up. For the one you're seeing in our Dreamlands, he hijacked Azathoth's nightmare, the little dancing jester, and used it to conjure a physical form in this reality. To spread his plague of wither and death. An extension of his mockery towards dear old dad. After all, what could be more humiliating than having your own dreams be used to "birth" your ultimate horror? So POETIC! Gah! This is why I love him!

"I... This is too much..."

Oh, I reckon. Sit down! Sit. Not everyone gets to discover how this little globe twirls around without their brains going KA-PLOOSH!

"If he is... Some sort of bringer of death... Why is he desperately trying to keep his city alive? Why does he collect humans? Why does he... Why does he value life if he mocks it?"

Well... That's the mystery isn't it? And I'm sure your little detective mind can figure it out! Oh and we're out of time anyways. I think your King's about to burst through my front door. WOW! He's really clingy isn't he? Luckyfuckingbastard >:(

"Wait, WAIT! I still need to-"

Sorry Artie! This one's all on you now! Oh and I'm keeping your Addison memory jumbled up. He's still mad at me I'm afraid! Sooo BUH-BYE!

"WAIT! OOF-!"

[Arthur disappears]

Well... Let's see how THIS show goes...

[brainfreeze27]

[moltenhare2]

Experimenting on my lab rat again (lighting/shading test)

[sunflower-eddiediaz]

911 8.09 | Buck and Eddie + Walls

insp:

@becausebuckley's post

@chronicowboy's post and @frogyfrogeatscontent's reply

[finalgirlsamwinchester]

13.21 "Beat the Devil"

[irraetional]

His geriatric swag vexes me

[somegrumpynerd]

Remaining kitties for the garden

Here are all the kitties who didn't make it to the website and their pet screens c:

^The regular kitties (The nothing option would make Error show up and just kinda glare at everybody lol and there would be mirror and paper bag options to see Dust and Horror again)

^The winter kitties (The snow option would bring out Blue and Dream, the christmas lights brought Fresh and the stocking was Ink)

^The special pairs (I don't think any of these made it to the polls lol but putting out a bed would bring Horror and Dust together, putting out a rainbow cushion would bring Color and Killer (this was how you would finally be able to pet him) and putting down comic books would bring Epic and Cross, who would finally purr when pet with his bestie)

[wonderhorror-sys]

in-sys relationships are great but i cant steal his fucking blanket >:[

[hauntingofhouses]

taigen blueeyesamurai: [exists]

me: humiliate and torture that man some more ‼️‼️‼️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

[rriverrunning]

lately i've been really interested in the portrayal of sansa & her ability to lie:

acok sansa i

acok sansa ii

acok sansa iii

also acok sansa iii

this early in the book, it seems like it's general consensus that sansa is a bad liar. it's something she and everyone around her are very aware of, yet she still manages to get herself out of these dangerous situations (joffrey's anger at his tourney, being caught sneaking back from the godswood, & being trapped in the hand's apartments where she'd be unable to sneak out, respectively) not despite, but because of this fact. because she's often telling these obvious, bald-faced lies, people easily project their own assumptions of sansa's thoughts onto her, though these assumptions are often wrong. being so obviously 'stupid' to those around her, few can seem to fathom that she could be planning anything else, or bother to seriously interrogate what she might be thinking but not speaking aloud.

like it's pretty obvious that sansa is not going to be able to escape king's landing with ser dontos any time soon, but it is her first foray into really making her own plans for her future. however it ends up failing, it is significant as a little piece of defiance that previously seemed impossible to her. it's also proof that no matter how bad at lying or naive she may be, those around her are also unwise for how they underestimate her. we're watching her slowly learn when and how to lie, right under her captors' noses.

in other words, this is a theme i'm definitely going to be tracking for sansa! it's the fallout of her storyline in agot, and feels soooo important bc of how vital these perceptions of her are to her survival.

[chrliekclly]

charden is v important to me bcuz they recognize their traumas n each othr...

[gremlinshatephilosophers]

Ok related to my last post about that fun clip from when Dan toured WAD singing Evanescence at a bar in nyc:

When I went to look for it I came across these older tweets and it’s wild to see how negative he felt about his singing (with some rather difficult song choices, you’ve gotta have hella range to even attempt Beyoncé and Amy Lee). And then it’s like, damn, he went on to sing for three stage shows!

Obviously the drunk karaoke and the old clippy liveshows aren’t exactly the pinnacle of vocal talent lmao but even still, I don’t know if it was just a confidence thing back then but seeing the progression from this to live performing at hundreds of shows over multiple tours is quite something.

Tweets: (1) (2) (3)

[mishy-mashy]

Lucky timing for me that I get back into Black Clover (specifically over Nacht, Morgen, and the Grey Deer), right before the manga updated with 3 chapters around Nacht, Morgen, and Yami

Was working on an old fic to do with the Grey Deer, but anyway, things to note that are canon:

Nacht seems to suck at magic sensing

He's got a record of not sensing something or someone is there unless it's right in his face and he can see it himself.

When we first see him in the manga, investigating in Dante's room, Nacht didn't notice the Dark Disciple behind him until they said something.

(Ch. 246)

He wouldn't just let someone see him and think 'Oh, nothing will happen here' as he senses them. Nacht couldn't let anyone see him do this. He actually mentions he acted "audaciously" here, but I don't think being caught was ever on purpose.

This was someone directly behind him. Nacht is supposed to be undercover and on high-alert for himself, but couldn't recognize a guy was behind him until they spoke up. This guy wasn't trying to sneak up on Nacht, either; they noticed him, asked what he was doing, and immediately picked a fight

Maybe Nacht was just focusing on reading the papers before dealing with that guy? But he didn't react until the guy spoke up. He could've just dealt with the guy and continued reading his papers. No one noticed the blatant scream either.

(Ch. 246)

Look at that. "Husssh". It was immediate silence right after Nacht dragged him.

And it's not like his reaction was only after the verbal threat. The Disciple already had his grimoire out. And grimoires are an important magic item that boosts magic capability and such, so it's not like the grimoire has no presence.

(Also the Spade warriors are quick to fight and all, but eh)

It's not just the instance with the Dark Disciple, either. Nacht couldn't sense powerful demons just a few paces away from him (Lucifero and Adramelech).

(Ch. 317)

Did everyone just have a slip in mana sensing? Did they not notice the whirling storm right above them?

Nacht was with the Black Bulls, turned his head away, and happened to see Adramelech (the devil sitting on a rock). That's when he noticed the guy; the others had Adramelech speak up before they noticed, at which point Lucifero showed up and flattened them.

Nacht just saw them. He didn't sense them. He just happened to turn and walk that way, probably intending to have gone to Yuno to bring him to Loyce for a reunion.

And when Dante was still kicking and using his Body Magic to regenerate himself, Nacht watched the guy go down and went, 'Alright, he's done now'.

(Ch. 294)

Nacht didn't sense the fact his mana was working to regenerate himself? (Luck didn't either, but it's Nacht I'm focusing on here)

Nacht has a history of being bad with sensing magic. There are instances it could've blown his cover or cost his life, but he was lucky each time

Being a sensor for magic is uncommon, but Nacht missed a soldier right behind him. Said soldier belongs to a Kingdom that believes in absolute strength.

(On the point that the others didn't sense the devils or Dante either—I'm going to consider it being for the sake of the Plot™. But I still think Nacht is bad at magic sensing, even if it can only exist as an HC later on)

Morgen and Nacht are twins, with different birthdays

Nacht is older, born during the nighttime of April 30th.

Morgen is younger, born during the morning of May 1st.

Morgen and Nacht look like their mother

(Ch. 286)

That smile they both have? Genetic.

It's hard to see because her eyes are shaded, but it's the same closed-eye curve smile. Their dad's eyes are a bit droopy / flat, but Nacht and Morgen both have narrow, slanted eyes.

They got their mother's facial features, smile, and probably hair too, since their hair is silky and long. Look at their long hair, and how their mother puts it in a bun; the twins' hair grows fast, and has always been longer than others'.

(Ch. 286)

Not as cohesive of a panel, but look at them.

The twins got their mother's smile, her eyes and long lashes. Even the nose and chin, and her face shape and jawline.

Nacht and Morgen are girly in appearance, and they look just like their mother.

(Volume extra)

Nacht is a damn troll.

I know we get a few examples of this already. He might look like Morgen and try being a good guy, but this is still someone who got on like a room on fire with Yami, and still does at 29 years old.

His shared spell with Yami is called Children's Playground.

When he brought Asta to fight and subdue Liebe, he waited until Asta stepped onto the summoning circle and just sprung it on him, knowing all he had to do was say "Summon".

(Ch. 266)

When he came back from near-death, the first thing he did was trade remarks with Yami like children, going "No u" "No, YOU".

When Asta commented on Nacht's similarities to Yami (something that Nacht KNOWS and acknowledges himself when Yami saves him), Nacht gets a shaded smile and strings up Asta with his magic

When facing off against a devil with Yami, there's a parallel shown of them when they were kids, cutting to near-30-year old adults. And they just say, "Shall we play with him?!"

Y'know, one of many examples of Nacht actually just being a big kid that still likes causing trouble.

(Kind of?) Black Bull robes seem to have changed after Nacht became frequent in the squad

I could be wrong since I haven't looked at their robes in a while, and don't want to go back and forth to check at this point (tacking this point on after it's already queued), but weren't the robes shorter before?

After Nacht becomes a common part of the Black Bulls as their vice-captain, the squad robes got longer, right? Nacht made his own Black Bulls robe a lot like the one he wore at his debut, but it's darker, covers the body more, and has the logo blatantly on it.

I'm at the image limit, but when Nacht agrees with the Black Bulls that they're going to look for Asta, some of their robes look upgraded to the longer cape look? I could be remembering wrong, but if the robes are different, I'm betting Nacht had a say in it. The new robe is literally a version of what he wears everyday

[unfortunatelyilikebnha]

The best tdmd moments/things (to me; vaguely but not entirely chronological) (also I haven’t read the manga in ages and I’ve only - recently at least - rewatched bits and pieces so some of this is paraphrased while some of it I went back through to get exact quotes and NO I’m not going to do that for all of them it would take too long) (readmore bc it’s a lot):

- “As the crowd shouted, trying to make Sero feel better, Todoroki took a moment to melt his opponent from the ice prison he’d created. For some reason, in that moment, he looked very sad to me.” Ok so this is not the sports festival moment everyone talks about but it LIVES in my head ABSOLUTELY RENT FREE. It’s like, we know Todoroki’s been watching Midoriya for a while, mostly due to his obvious connection with All Might, but in this moment, while everyone is focusing on Sero, Midoriya is Watching Todoroki Back. He Sees Him.

- MIDORIYA TELLING ENDEAVOR THAT HE IS NOT ALL MIGHT AND SHOUTO IS NOT HIM. Midoriya is freeeeeaked tf out bc endvr is intimidating + he’s worried he’ll discover the secret of OFA but the SECOND endvr starts talking like an asshole, Midoriya SHUTS THAT SHIT DOWN. Again, Midoriya has had like ONE conversation with Todoroki and actively Really Wants To Get Away From Endeavor, but he just gets so mad about the way that Endeavor’s talking that he pauses his retreat to correct him and I think that’s beautiful.

- One of Todoroki’s episodes/chapters being titled “The boy born with everything” and how you could easily contrast Midoriya as “The boy born with nothing” (I could not find a definitive answer on whether canon actually calls him that but like). The juxtaposition of their opposite struggles and the underlying understanding that underneath it all they are really not that different. That they have both suffered, and are both trying to make the most of a power with a difficult legacy. (This brings me to the next point because -)

- “It’s your power, isn’t it?”/“It’s yours! Your quirk, not his!” Yeah. I don’t even have to explain this one I think, everyone knows it’s THE tddk moment. I’ll forever die on the hill that Todoroki should’ve found out about OFA sooner and we should’ve had a direct reversal while Midoriya was still struggling with thinking of OFA as his quirk instead of All Might’s and Todoroki repeats Midoriya’s words right back at him. I mean, Horikoshi LOVES to do that (see: repetition of “body moved without thinking”, “meddling when you aren’t asked to is the essence of being a hero”, “that’s what friends are for, right?” etc) the setup was RIGHT THERE, like taking my shipping goggles or whatever off for a second I think it would’ve been a great addition to the story regardless bc it’s an example of how Midoriya has helped other people AND a reminder that he has not quite conceptualized the advice he gives others for himself! Even without that though, we see how important this moment was to Todoroki literally throughout the rest of his arc, to the point that

- “Midoriya, this is my power. Thank you.” IF WE DIDNT GET TDRK TELLING MDYA THAT OFA WAS HIS QUIRK, AT LEAST WE GOT THIS. MY GOD. I was trying to go mostly chronologically, but since we’re talking about a follow-up to “It’s your power, isn’t it?” I HAD to mention this scene next. It’s a really lovely moment because 1) it’s an acknowledgement of how much Todoroki’s grown (which he did on his own! Midoriya reminded him of why he wanted to become a hero in the first place, and he had a lot of support from friends (& teachers/family) but TODOROKI decided to put in the work to become the kind of hero he wanted to be!) and 2) it’s a reminder to Midoriya that he has made a positive impact and helped the people around him, which I think he’s probably struggling with since this is like. Soon after his dropout arc iirc. (Also: it’s a cool new super move that Todoroki developed himself to try to create a better future for his family!! Which, setting aside how beautiful it is that Todoroki has crafted his fire into something that won’t hurt, is also fun bc Midoriya loves quirks and gets to nerd out over Todoroki’s cool new move lol)

- TODOROKI SHOWING UP TO THE STAIN FIGHT. Todoroki has been friends with Midoriya for like a week and gets a location pin with no other context and IMMEDIATELY deduces that 1) Midoriya’s not the kind of guy to randomly drop his location so 2) he must be in danger, and 3) IMMEDIATELY TELLS ENDEAVOR HE’S GOING TO CHECK OUT THE LOCATION AND TO BRING BACKUP TO THERE AFTER HE’S DONE FIGHTING BC HE THINKS HIS FRIEND’S IN TROUBLE. When he actually shows up the first thing he says is something like “Midoriya you should include more details at a time like this. It took me a while to figure out what you meant and I could’ve been too late” but we literally see in the flashback that he figured this all out in like 2 seconds and IMMEDIATELY came to support Midoriya AND SECURED BACKUP. Every person in Midoriya’s phone received the location pin and expressed various levels of curiosity/concern about it in hindsight but Todoroki figured it out right away and immediately came to help (this isn’t a knock on the rest of 1a btw iirc the rest of them weren’t even in Hosu so there’s not anything they really could’ve done about it besides report it - which iirc Kirishima did -, it’s just that Todoroki WAS in Hosu and DID figure it out so he immediately went to help and it was that simple for him). Todoroki also just like. Instantly accepts that ok, Midoriya and Iida were fighting a serial killer, Guess He’s Also Fighting A Serial Killer Now. ALL THIS FOR HIS FRIEND OF A WEEK. This is one of the core tenets of tddkism to me: they are as ride-or-die as they come. Also notable: Midoriya is not generally in the habit of asking for help. The fact that he did, knowing nothing might come of it, AND TODOROKI SHOWED UP EXACTLY WHEN HE NEEDED HIM??? Can we acknowledge how much that probably meant to Midoriya. Also the start of tdiimd as a trio, which this post isn’t really about, but I can’t completely leave Iida out when talking abt the stain fight that’d be fucked up :(

- “We’ll protect them together”. Yes ik, another Stain fight moment, but I believe this line deserves its own point because, again, Todoroki has been Midoriya’s friend for like a week. Immediately prior to Todoroki saying this, he tells Midoriya that his plan is risky. It’s one thing to recognize Midoriya’s text as a call for help and run to be his backup, it’s another thing to let Midoriya take the strategic lead when he’s already injured and the plan itself could be dangerous. But Todoroki puts his trust in Midoriya and says they’ll protect them together, showing his confidence in Midoriya’s strategic prowess AND battle planning ability.

- “You’re a kind person, Todoroki”. Ok I’ll get this out of the way: I have issues with how the writing of this chapter could be read as implying that being a kind person automatically means you have to forgive the person who hurt you. Ik Midoriya tells Todoroki that it’s ok not to forgive Endvr if he doesn’t want to, but the way he follows it up with the fact that he’s a kind person and the assumption that he wants to forgive Endvr...aren’t my favorite. I think it kind of makes sense for Midoriya to think like this given his own experiences (and also. Midoriya is 15, some of his wording is gonna be a little bit awkward sometimes, so I don’t think that’s the only possible interpretation of what he said), but I wish that if that was the intention, there’d be a moment later on where this view was challenged and Midoriya really internalized that you can be kind and still not forgive someone who’s hurt you. THAT BEING SAID, of all the things that Todoroki is called on a regular basis, and of all the qualities Todoroki associates with himself, I don’t think “kind” is necessarily one of them. “Kindness” was not exactly a virtue that Endeavor seemed to prioritize instilling in him (and though Rei probably would’ve, she WAS absent for much of Shouto’s childhood), and he spent so much time building his walls and striving to defy his dad that it’s not something people tend to immediately pinpoint about him. Todoroki really IS kind though, and Midoriya recognizes that AND makes it a point to tell him. For Todoroki, who has worked on himself quite a lot, and just invited friends to his house probably for the first time ever + gone through a tense family dinner in front of them, I think that probably meant a lot (and his expression in that panel is so cute. Ough).

- “Thank you for being Shouto’s friend”. I think the fact that Fuyumi recognized how meaningful their friendship was and thanked Izuku for it was so significant for both of them, like neither of them, as far as we know, HAD a lot of friends prior to attending UA so the acknowledgement that it is a big deal that they befriended each other is special <3

- Tdrk catching Mdya (and bkg and endvr but this ain’t about them) during the first war arc. He doesn’t know shit about OFA at this point but he followed Midoriya to the front lines anyways.

- Todoroki tucking Midoriya in in 327 and putting a hand on his shoulder in 32…8? 9? Fuck if I know I haven’t read the manga in ages. Anyways. These are both tiny moments but I’m grouping them together bc they really show how Todoroki is there for Midoriya, in the way that he’s always noticing things about him, that he’s RELIABLE, he WANTS to be there for Midoriya like Midoriya was there for Todoroki and that manifests both in following him into terrifying fights and in the small gestures of support. Todoroki NOTICES when something’s wrong, and when he has the necessary context he steps up to help.

Bonus mentions:

- the “are you all might’s secret love child or something?” convo in its entirety. Between the Todoroki Family Trauma Dump, Midoriya sympathizing with Todoroki and realizing that despite how different their lives have been, they’re very similar, the beginning of Midoriya’s desire to help Todoroki, and the beginning of Midoriya really Seeing Todoroki, it sets the groundwork for the start of something beautiful

- AFO: “pay close attention to them, tomura shigaraki. These two could prove to be formidable obstacles to you one day”. / AM: “they may have more in common than they realize. They both have such an intense vibe about them.” The fact that both AFO and AM comment on the tdmd sports festival match leads me to believe that originally their relationship (in the original story I’m talking about the platonic sense but read this any way you will since. This IS a post abt why I ship them) was supposed to be more central to the plot, in this essay I will - (<- ramblings of a crazy person but like!!! Both AM and AFO!! And you’re telling me it didn’t mean anything??? Come on!!)

- Also “you’re helping your opponent. You’re a fool.” Their matching maniacal grins after Midoriya prompts Todoroki to use his fire. Todoroki’s softer smile and little tear. Mdya’s “Amazing…”. Them immediately deciding to go full force regardless if it kills them (IMPORTANT FACT ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY’RE INSANE <3). “Midoriya…thank you.” (OUGHHHHHHHHH 😭😭😭)

- MDYA YELLING “DONT GIVE UP” DURING THE TDRK/BKG MATCH AND FOR A BRIEF MOMENT TODOROKI STARTS USING HIS FIRE AGAIN. Ik he ultimately doesn’t end up using his fire, but that makes SENSE, you can’t process all that trauma immediately, it takes time!! The fact that for a moment, Midoriya’s voice was enough to allow him to use his fire so soon after his life-altering revelation in the tdmd match is so important to me though :( (and the fact that Midoriya’s willing to 1) root for Todoroki and 2) root for him loud enough that both Todoroki and Bkg can hear,,, ohh tdmd are so special to me)

- their little convo at the training camp. “You have a habit of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong” lol (paraphrased). Underrated tdmd thing is that they’re willing to tell it to each other straight. But also, the genuinely good advice of “words themselves aren’t enough, actions are also needed to get through to someone” (again, paraphrased) (reminder of how Mdya helped Tdrk!! W/ words AND actions!! And now he’s helping Mdya help Kota!)

- “I don’t know, I think heroes cry when they need to probably” - acknowledges Mdya’s crying as a positive trait bc when he’s not crying it means he’s repressing things, also serves as a reminder that heroes are people too (a similar sentiment to Uraraka’s “who will save the heroes when they need saving?”). Serves to remind Mdya that his crying doesn’t make him less of a hero + it’s ok to feel things. Also Tdiimd.

- “You can’t even cry”/“Let us share that burden together” (this is like. Veeeery paraphrased I’m sorry I don’t have access to the chapter and I’m too lazy to rewatch). The whole class said very meaningful things to try to get Midoriya to come back, but even though he wasn’t ultimately the one to fully get through to him (SHOUTOUT TO IIDA ILY IIDA THIS POST ISNT ABOUT HIM EITHER BUT JUST KNOW I CANT WATCH THAT SCENE WITHOUT TEARING UP THEY R SO DEAR TO ME) Todoroki’s is one of my favorites bc sure maybe he doesn’t understand what it’s like to have no quirk and then suddenly have a quirk that’s actually seven quirks and have a pretty much all-powerful supervillain hunting him down but he DOES understand the burden of trying to shoulder the crushing legacy of a top hero, and here he reaches out to Midoriya once more reminding him that his tears are a good thing and offering to share the burden and help Midoriya like Midoriya’s helped him.

- Light novel moments: Mdya teaching Tdrk how to make AM origami and Tdrk sending it to Rei, Tdrk going to return Mdyas pencil and admiring Mdyas AM figure and Mdya trying to give it to him bc he has another one but Tdrk refuses bc he doesn’t want to damage it so he suggests he just come visit it instead (I haven’t read the light novels but I’ve seen these excerpts and I love them dearly) (these are just all really cute it’s nice to see what they’re like outside of doing hero stuff)

- Todoroki’s “Midoriya Sense” (yes this is a fandom joke based on like the stain incident + noticing smth was up during the “heroes cry too” incident + Todoroki asking abt him before the cultural festival etc but it IS genuinely very sweet that Todoroki is always looking out for Midoriya and trying his best to help when he can)

- TODOROKI TELLING MIDORIYA TO REMOVE THE BATTERIES FROM HIS PHONE SO THE GOVERNMENT COULDNT TRACK HIM WHILE HE WAS ON THE RUN BC HE WAS A MURDER SUSPECT. Now I haven’t watched the third movie so I may be wrong about the details but it was VERY funny of Tdrk to be like “did you kill people??? Never mind that actually here’s how to avoid the government” (paraphrased for comedic effect)

-“Midoriya and the others” (cute, something Shouto says…several times lmao) (Izuku has also said “Todoroki and the others” at least once (in the first movie) but I’m not aware of it being a recurring phrase like “Midoriya and the others”)