#but not overly so

[aheckinmess]

Jingle Bell Rock

(Part 19 of The Snowball Effect)

Read on AO3.

Tags: Enji Todoroki, Endeavor, Female Reader, Reader Has an Ice Quirk, Endeavor x Reader, Enji Todoroki x Reader, MHA Christmas Special, Attending a Christmas Party, All Might is Mentioned, Got a Little Angsty, But Not Overly So, More Like a Deep Conversation with Enji, After All He's Only Soft with You

Word Count: 891 words

Summary: Official pro hero Christmas parties are much more difficult than Christmas parties with friends who happen to be pro heroes. The obvious trial? The press. Lesser known struggles? Having to remind your husband that even the Symbol of Peace is human.

Playlist: The Snowball Effect

December 19

Pro hero Christmas parties make you a lot more nervous than parties with your friends who just happen to be pro heroes. The biggest difference? The media is a beast. Even just pulling up in the car with Enji you both find yourselves boxed in a metal car with camera flashes twinkling like stars outside the dark tinted windows.

“Ignore them.” Enji reminds me with a kiss to my temple. “It’s just me and you, remember?”

When the two of you step out, he’s no longer your Enji. He is Endeavor.

Flames mask his face as his features cement into rigid lines across his face. His exterior transforms to gruff and grouchy in moments with his careful hand at the small of your back contradicting the icy glare he throws towards everyone else.

It draws a chuckle from your chest as you both make it past the press and into the main hall, where a magnificent tree stretches to the ceiling and declares a season of joy and generosity to the massive crowd of heroes.

“Just me and you and a bunch of strangers.” You snort.

“It won’t be so bad.” Enji consoles. 

“Strangers? Why, Mrs. Todoroki, I’m hurt!” All Might’s laughter echoes behind you, accented by the shuttering of camera lenses. “Surely you and Endeavor have seen me enough times to consider me an acquaintance, at least!”

You chuckle at his comment, not even a little surprised when your husband grits his teeth.

“Hardly. You’re more like an irritation. Arguably worse than a stranger.” Enji growls, his fingers gripping your hip tighter. “Come, my flame, let’s go.”

As he steers you away and off to the side for refreshments, you squeeze his forearm.

“I know he’s your rival, but what’s so bad about him otherwise, Enchan?” You press, a smirk developing around your cheeks. “He’s only ever treated you with respect and honor.”

“My flame,” Enji pinches the bridge of his nose, sucking in a thin breath of air. When he opens his eyes, his hand lays on his napkin. “I’ve explained this before.”

“And you promised me you were working on it.” You urge, resting a hand on top of his. “We agreed. You can train Shoto to strive for the number one spot if he wants since he’s insistent on being a hero like All Might, too. But trying to make him shoulder your dreams is not fair to either of you. The first step to breaking free of those corrosive thoughts is more interaction with your rival. He is human, just like you.” 

“Sometimes I wonder.” Enji mutters, glancing at the blonde who’s still surrounded by fans and reporters alike. “Why else would all my work go to waste?”

“Don’t you think he feels the same way?”

Confusion swirls in the skies of his eyes as he looks at you.

“Impossible. His goal is achieved.”

“His goal may not be the same as yours, Enchan.”

You’ve spent time with All Might both as the Symbol of Peace and as Toshinori. But one thing remains common between the two of them: it’s lonely at the top of the hero rankings.

“I fail to see your point. Enlighten me.” Enji loads a fork with turkey as he eats and listens to you.

“Have you ever seen All Might’s family, Enchan?” 

“No, but I imagine he has good reason for keeping them hidden with his status being what it is.” 

“That’s not what I meant.” You chuckle. “I mean, have you ever seen anything about All Might having a family? There’s no mention of a wife, children, even immediate family like a mother or father. You, of all people, should know that the higher up in the rankings the more impossible it is to hide your loved ones from view. If he had a family, we’d know by now.”

Enji opens his mouth to speak, before understanding sparkles in a sea of blue.

“You’re saying that what he really desires is a family, but no matter how hard he works he cannot attain it…”

“Yes.” You nod. “While you consider him your rival because you want to compete for the number one spot, I wonder if he considers you the same because he wants what you have…a loving family to share that success with.”

Both of you eat in silence for a time; while it’s frustrating not knowing what’s going through Enji’s head, you’re just glad he marinates on this subject. When it was first evident Shoto had the desired quirk Enji had hoped for, he’d been much less receptive to any advice regarding All Might.

Trapping Enji in a thick icy prison that took twenty minutes to melt had finally reminded him that you wouldn’t be pushed around, especially concerning the safety and emotional care of your children.

Now? Here you are. He’s much more receptive to your thoughts regarding his ambitious obsession with beating the No. 1 hero and Symbol of Peace.

“I don’t suppose I’d considered that.” Enji finally answers. “You are right, of course. Even now, he still stands over there unable to move because of the crowd.”

“Why don’t we go help him escape for a bit of reprieve? In light of the Christmas spirit, if nothing else?”

And though you can tell the idea genuinely pains him, he stands with a heavy sigh.

“Fine.”

Day 20

Credit to @saradika-graphics for the holiday banner! Thank you so much!

[apollos-boyfriend]

i was cuddling with my boyfriend last night when his shoulder started tensing up (like he was readjusting or gently pushing me off) and when i asked him if he was okay or needed me to move or something he went “no you’re fine, i was just imagining myself pulling a large rope. i didn’t even realize my shoulder was doing that lmao” then refused to elaborate and i have never been as attracted to him as i was in that moment.

[elegantmantaray]

So i got back into undertale recently, and apparently both Frisk and Sans can be measured using in-game sprites as 2 feet tall.

Which has some implications, mainly for Frisk, 'cause 2 feet tall is absolutely tiny. Like that kid is either a fucking toddler or has some form of dwarfism.

And poor Sans, he is never going to be taken seriously as an adult by any human ever.

idk what their in-universe canon heights actually are, but i find this really fucking funny.

[pansy-picnics]

“gay son or thot daughter,” you start to ask, but you can’t even finish your sentence because cosmo and wanda heard “gay son” and immediately started cheering and clapping

[pinacoladamatata]

"I've seen the way you look at him... You're in it."

they shouldn't kiss. they shouldn't kiss at all. they're going to kiss a whole lot

[notrobinsomethingworse]

Alternative Titans Tower scene

Jason, wearing his original Robin suit (that’s sized up to ‘fit’ him: Do you remember me?

Tim: Did you seriously think I was gonna be scared seeing you wear panties?

Jason: what?

Tim: Like Jesus Christ I’m 13. I don’t want to see you wearing underwear. I can see the outline of your di-

Jason: wait no-

Tim: Like everything just hanging there. Did you even look in the mirror before coming here?

Jason: No- that’s not the point.

Tim: God dude. I looked up to you and now I have to see this? It’s gonna be in my goddamn brain forever. I’m gonna close my eyes and it’s gonna be you in those fucking short-

Jason: Can we move on?

Tim: I don’t even think I can. It’s just stuck in my brain now. I’m not gonna look at Robin the same way now and I’m goddamn Robin. God. Do I start avoiding my reflection now? Dr. Freeze is gonna be a nightmare. It’s gonna be like one of those mirror mazes but with pictures of your di-

Jason: Are you done?

Tim: God no. They warned you never meet your hero’s but never because you had to see them in some scaly panties. Seriously I can see you asscrack from he-

Jason, cocking riffle: Okay you’re done.

[starburstminibot]

Was supposed to be a quick sketch and then I got obsessive over the details :[

[gatoburr0]

This is fun

[mischievous-thunder]

Character profiles of the two equally reckless and lunatic halves of a complete whole

[deconstructthesoup]

Very specific yet weirdly helpful writing tip: When plotting out your story beats, whether big or small, try to imagine OSP Red narrating them as if she's doing a Trope Talk

[spicykellybear]

Two coworkers that sweat profusely around each other for like a year until one of them (not Reigen) works up the courage to confess

[lunarwednesday]

be mine.

[willczek-art]

NPMD Tarot - The World

Others from the series: The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Devil, The Star, Strength

[vulpixelates]

i know it will never happen but i so desperately desire an origins-type playable backstory thing in all games but especially veilguard. i feel like it added so much depth to origins and made you feel instantly connected to your character in a way that gets lost in games like inquisition where you fill in the blanks as you go except for the bare basics. like, i do enjoy the freedom to willy nilly decide where a character was before the events of the story from a creative perspective, but the playable origins were just so good! especially when you go back to where your warden is from and can engage differently with the arcs there

[khaopybara]

❝It's time for a new goal. I want to live for you now.❞

FIRST KANAPHAN as KANT PATTANAWAT and KHAOTUNG THANAWAT as BISON episode 8 of THE HEART KILLERS

[fanfic-gremlin-ft-trauma]

happy birthday to one of the greatest fics of all time <3 ( @bisexuallsokka , thank you for writing this masterpiece.)