#this whole thing might be one reason why i was a bit disappointed about kyouka's role in beast tbh... like it made sense but also

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Idk if this is going to make any sense, but I always feel like there's something missing when I read thoughts about sskk and it really is the impact Kyouka has on them.

Like, a lot of it is "look at the impact Atsushi and Akutagawa have on each other" and "they are so similar at their cores" which is true! And essential for any bsd partner dynamic! But Kyouka also has commonalities - she has Atsushi's general wonder, simple wants and joys, and desire to be helpful and kind, but also Akutagawa's laser focused objectivity, initial lack of questioning orders, and straightforward ruthlessness when required.

But a lot of the external influence on sskk I see mentioned is Dazai and Chuuya's... which I get, because they're the previous double black, but also Chuuya is very minorly involved by proxy only, and while Dazai undeniably is at the heart of sskk conflict (and it's good to analyze in depth!!!), I feel it's understated how much it was actually Kyouka who kickstarted the development between them - Atsushi was brand-new to the Agency, but saving Kyouka cemented his mindset of proving his worth and also gave him someone to look out for - his position became less fragile from that point on and more permanent. Her mix of kindness and darkness also forces Atsushi in the Guild arc to reassess the idea that people are either "good" or "bad". (He's working on this still, but his judgements are becoming much more nuanced than at the beginning.) And as for Akutagawa... I have a lot of thoughts on their dynamic and how I really don't think there's a whole lot of bad blood there anymore after my all-time favourite scene where they fight in Cannibalism arc - but all I will say is that he legitimately thought what he was doing would make her strong enough to survive, and both Kyouka and Atsushi telling him this is wrong, that people can't live being beaten down like that forces him to reassess his own situation in the Hawthorne and Mitchell fight. (He still has a ways to go, but I seriously hope he eventually realizes that his treatment by Dazai was horribly unnecessary and cruel.)

But what's great is that Atsushi and Akutagawa influence her development too! I don't even need to get into Atsushi's: he believes in her potential and sees her as the young girl she is - not a weapon but a person. She starts off pretty much attached to him and only him, but as time goes on, she starts to adopt a more positive mindset and becomes more confident making decisions as a result of his faith in her. With Akutagawa, she is, like Atsushi, forced to reassess others, especially after he tells her he's glad for her having found that will to live. Kyouka is unable to continue fighting him after that, and I get the sense she saw him as a person there, instead of only the man who harmed her. I also find it really interesting that she has no shame or concern about her mindset aligning much more closely with his, to the point where she'll work with him if necessary.

This is a bit of a mess but really it's one long-winded ramble on how I loved these three working together in Dead Apple and would love to see them working and fighting alongside each other again. I know, I know, this is probably not going to happen because it's supposed to be about sskk as a duo but consider:

They are a trio in my heart.

[dokidokey]

KAMI: 21 questions

summary: kaminari denki does not understand the significance of explaining the song he wrote about his ex-girlfriend, but little did he know, a certain fan needed just his words to lift herself up from her one-week misery.

pairings: kaminari denki x reader

bingo slot: musician x fan au

genre: fluff, slight angst if you squint real hard

warning/s: swearing, mentions of todomomo, mentions of cheating, a very adorable denki (!!!)

word count: 3,042

notes: I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS I AM LITERALLY BURSTING DON’T MIND ME IGNORING MY 289384 WIPS BUT I GOTTA DO THIS ONE. anyways, 4th bingo piece for @bnhabookclub’s hero camp bingo! my series masterlist, along with my event masterlist, can be found HERE. what series? this is discontinued (even though it didn’t start in the first place.)

Kaminari is one to always decline media companies’ interviews, most especially, Verified. Verified is a media company that asks artists in to shred their songs lyric by lyric and give its meaning. Kaminari never understood the concept of that. Like, what is the point? Aren’t things more interesting if you leave it be and leave your fans to decipher it how they want?

But here he is, with a yellow backdrop that matches his hair and his manager, who dropped this bomb on him yesterday, on the other end of the room. He never agreed to this. What is the point of prying his song line by line? Wasn’t it obvious enough that it is about his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him?

“But it’s good for you! Plus, the exposure!” Mina, his manager, reasoned out yesterday, the paper in her hands dancing in the air. “Your song is gaining views, Denki. It’s good to take the spotlight while it’s there.”

Denki groaned, throwing his head back. “I know. But explaining the lyrics? Really? Is there any other way?”

Mina rested her hands on her hips, a stern look on her face. “No. Besides, Verified is a big and popular company. You better not be sulking tomorrow.”

He just grumbled as she left his studio. It’s not like she left him a choice.

“You ready?” The man behind the camera asks him, angling to the lens to get a better view of him.

Denki smiles, nodding. Here he is anyway, might as well get it done as soon as possible. When the man in front of him nods, Denki raises his hands in a wave.

“Hi there! It’s KAMI, and here is the official lyrics and meaning of 21 Questions,” he grins and pauses, waiting for the question the Verified employee will ask which will be cut off during editing.

“What is the song about?” The brunette beside the camera man asks.

Denki clasps his hands together. “You know, that feeling in a. . . relationship, when it starts falling apart and there are these－ these questions running around in your head, like why did she do that, how did she do that.” His hands were moving all over the place as he talks, going up in circles beside his head and down to his lap again. “This song. . . It’s－ It’s my inner turmoil.”

He nods to signify the end of his explanation, then goes on to talk about the first verse. “So first we have, I wish there was a situation to be mad at or a person I could blame, which is. . .” Denki trails off, pursing his lips together. “Thinking about, you know, wondering if it’s alright to blame her, or blame me, or blame the other guy. Because, thinking about it, there must be something－ something wrong with me, or there’s something I don’t have that the other guy does, for her to do that.”

Denki hates this. He hates every moment of it. He is literally just opening his sleeve up for the world to see. Some people won’t even care about it. This whole idea of splitting himself open, his heartbreak in all its glory, for people to just shrug off is so pointless.

He continues, nevertheless, because does he even have a choice?

“I’ve got a loud mouth, I’m pale with a ghost obsession but behind the scenes with her I’m playing twenty-one questions,” he sings, slurring the words. “Everyone knows that I talk a lot, okay?” He laughs, the tinkling sound bouncing inside the four walls. “That, and, this one. . . It’s kind of－ It’s saying－ The me I show the world isn’t the same me I face her with. Meaning, like, during the time this was going on, no one would ever guess our relationship was falling apart.”

Reliving the same hurt is hell. He doesn’t understand how Mina can just stand there when she had a front row seat of his pain. There’s an inkling of annoyance and betrayal dancing in Kaminari’s chest, along with a the guilt he’s feeling for feeling that way.

The singer wrings his hands together as he forces himself to spew out what needed to be heard. If they ask him who the song is about, he might just lose his mind. The song cover art’s background is literally Kyouka Jirou’s jacket. Yes, he made it that obvious who the song is about.

“So. . . There’s gotta be a reason you keep your guy in hiding, I’m becoming what I’ve hated but your talk is so inviting. The first line is pretty self-explanatory,” he smiles at the camera, a little wobbly and a little unsure. “I’m becoming what I’ve hated. . . That’s, uh, see, I never liked the fact that she cheated on another man with me and I didn’t know because you know, she told me she was single. I wasn’t aware she was in a relationship and cheating,” he rubs the back of his neck with an uneasy smile. “And now I’m becoming the other man, I’m the one being cheated on, but I can’t do anything about it because she－ well, she’s intoxicating.”

He continues, thrumming his fingers on his jean-clad thigh. “But then what, you drop your guy and take me on, it’s everything I wanted but then what, would you get tired of my time. Hmm,” Denki tilts his head to the side a little, eyes upward. “He left him for me and now would you get tired of my time, of me, of the tours and work and everything. Would you get tired and do the same thing you did to the other man.”

The chorus of the song is next, and a disbelieving chuckle bubbles up his throat. God, he was so fucking whipped for that woman, it kind of throws him off a little now.

“My mood’s dictated by our conversation and if you don’t text, I get too frustrated, I want you all to myself this time. Conflicted looks good on me, I’m trying desperately, I want you all to myself this time,” he sings offhandedly, bobbing his head along the tune of his failed love. “This－ This is an interesting one because I always have my phone on DND,” he shares to the camera like it’s a secret to be well-kept by everyone. “And when she came along I started leaving my phone on ring so I won’t miss any of her texts or calls. It was so unlike me that it kind of scared me a little bit, to be honest.”

Kyouka Jirou was an amazing girl, Kaminari won’t deny that. They got along so well. They wrote songs together over champagne and the dim lights of his studio. They shared kisses behind cameras. They even whispered sweet promises to each other in the void of Denki’s room. Those things happened and she had another man all along.

In the back of his mind, Denki is disgusted. With who, however, he doesn’t know. He’d been kissing his girlfriend who kissed another man. Who is he to know if that was the only thing they ever did.

It was sad, to say the least. Loving someone right under your nose who is loving another man behind your back. It was like Jirou took his heart and ripped it right in front of him, and she made sure to break it so good it would be hard for Kaminari to love again.

“I never have to carefully shape sentences when I have some words to say. They’re falling from my mouth from the time that they hit my brain. I don’t have a brake in my mouth, okay?” He pauses to stare at the camera. “I say whatever I think even before I realize what the fuck I’m saying.”

When Denki sees Mina’s eyes immediately growing wide like saucers at the expletive, he slaps a hand over his mouth. Verified always bleeps out curses and his mind decided to throw that information out the window. “Sorry!” He giggles behind his palm. “See!” He points at the camera. “That is the exact meaning of those lyrics!”

Small giggles are still erupting from the man as he tries to suppress it and get on the next parts. “Will that be cut out? Can we cut that out?” He wheezes as he rubs sweaty palms on denim. “Anyway,” he breathes, puffing his chest up and sitting himself right on the stool. “’Cause we built a picture made for frames, we live in chemistry away from all the wasted time and taste.”

Denki’s mind paddles back to a late night writing session with his former girlfriend, the other half of his sandwich long forgotten as he stared at the girl, who seems like the whole world to him as she scribbles word after word on the ripped piece of paper she snatched up somewhere on his messy table. He swears there are stars twinkling in the background whenever he catches sight of her, and it makes his little heart swell with pride as he softly tells her promises of their future together.

“We were too perfect,” Denki says, clicking his tongue after as if in disappointment. “We were. . . wrapped up in our own world. Or maybe I was the only one wrapped up in something that was. . .” He falters, heart aching at the thought of the promises that are nothing now.

He covers it up with a smile, eyes crinkling at the sides as he let his hands rest on the back of the stool. “And it sucks to sleep ’cause you aren’t talking to me. I wanna give you space but the amount between us is wrecking me.” Kaminari squints as he hums, tilting his head back and groaning softly. “So, this one. . . This is where we were nearing the end and the communication was so bad even though that was the only thing I wanted to somehow still fix what was left of our relationship, but she didn’t want that. We were already light-years away from each other, what was I supposed to do?” He lifts one hand up in a “what?” motion and crumples his eyebrows together.

He slurs out the next lyrics. “’Cause then what, you dropped your guy and took me on it’s everything I wanted but then what, am I in his position now?” He claps his hands like he just discovered something big. “This! Am I in the position of the other guy before me? Like, am I now in his place? Will you leave me for the guy you. . . cheated on me with.”

Kaminari then goofily positions his arms as if holding a guitar, and starts strumming the air while bobbing his head side to side. “I’ll forget you if you need me to, like nothing ever happened. My sun still sets without you, like nothing ever happened.” His smile is glowing as he stretches his arms wide. “I can forget, and I will,” he looks determinedly at the camera. “And I will get on with my life and do the things I love and every day would be a happier day for me,” he grins. “Even without you.”

Denki doesn’t realize that little slip up of acknowledging her as he waves goodbye, a sliver of something heavy lifting off his shoulders.

It’s another boring Sunday for you as you snuggle your blanket on the couch, the show on the TV serving to be just white noise as you go over your last texts with your ex-boyfriend.

It has been a week since your break up with Shouto and you’re still moping. He calmly explained to you how your relationship wasn’t working out anymore and that he started having feelings for a friend. In spite, you replied with “I wasn’t aware our relationship had gym schedules.” And that was the end of it.

You groan at your stupidity. If you weren’t so caught up in your jealousy, you could have talked to him a little nicer, a little calmer. But you knew who that friend he was pertaining to. Yaoyorozu Momo, the girl who always seems to be around your boyfriend. She’s a meek girl, and even before you and Shouto got together, she had been around. So, Yaoyorozu was there before you.

There are times when you and Shouto are out and she would happen to be at the same place. At first, you didn’t pay any mind, but when it got more frequent, you had your suspicions. What’s worse is that whenever she’s around, she’ll just smile at you and that’s that. She’ll pretend like you’re not standing right next to your boyfriend and like you didn’t exist. It made you feel small.

You’re loud and, at times, obnoxious. You are aware of how much attention you catch because of your brazen attitude. It really was a mystery how Todoroki liked you. You two were so different. He was more on the likes of Yaoyorozu, and thinking about it, they were so much more alike that it’s ridiculous. Yaoyorozu’s a rich girl, and so is Shouto. Their auras are the same and they give off the same vibes. Those are what really pulled at your insecurity.

And see, it didn’t take long for Todoroki to realize he didn’t belong with you. You loved him, yes, and you thought maybe you’d last forever. But now, seeing how it all ended, you want to laugh at the face of your past self for thinking such absurd things. Of course it wouldn’t last. Maybe you were too much for Todoroki.

The bubbling insecurities inside you is just starting up when there’s a ping from your phone and you groan, thinking it’s Hitoshi again because he’s been pestering you for the past week to actually get up and be productive. But no, it isn’t your friend. It’s a notification for the latest tweet of your favorite artist, KAMI, and you almost fall off the couch when you read it.

10 minutes til @Verified drops my official lyrics and meaning vid for 21 questions! Stay tuned!

Fuck, what the fuck? Official lyrics and meaning? The four walls of your room are the witnesses to how much you cried to that song after your break up. Some lyrics were so relatable but you’re relieved you didn’t experience the cheating part. It must suck for Kaminari to have his girlfriend of over a year cheat on him.

After several, consecutive refreshes, the new video pops up and you let out a little scream because on the thumbnail is Kaminari Denki himself, clad in a white shirt and leather jacket. You click play and a giggling Kaminari is on your screen, saying, “Will that be cut out? Can we cut that out?” Then it’s the usual intro of Verified.

Kaminari is waving and introducing himself with a huge smile on his face. You admire your favorite artist through the screen and wonder when he will hold a meet and greet. I’m manifesting, you think, as you position yourself more comfortably in your couch.

“This song. . . It’s－ It’s my inner turmoil.” Huh. You’re not surprised. Songs written and sang with so much emotion strikes the listeners way harder than any other song. And the fact that Kaminari wrote it with his heart up his sleeves, the song meant a lot more to you.

As he goes on explaining every line, every lyric, you can’t help the same hurt blooming on your chest again. Everything he’s saying stabs right at your heart. Every word, though different in context when it comes to you, is like a kick to your chest. 21 Questions never felt so much like home right this moment.

“I never have to carefully shape sentences when I have some words to say. They’re falling from my mouth from the time that they hit my brain. I don’t have a brake in my mouth, okay?” There’s a pause and an intense stare at the camera. “I say whatever I think even before I realize what the － I’m saying.”

There’s a bleep and your heart almost bursts at the absolute cuteness when he instantly covered his mouth and his giggles sift through your phone’s speakers. So this is where the first clip on the video is from, when he asked if they can cut it out. But no matter how adorable his giggles were, Kaminari’s words are banging its way into your head.

“We were too perfect. We were. . . too wrapped up in our own world. Or maybe I was the only one wrapped up in something that was. . .” His sentence is left unfinished, but you felt it in your bones. It’s like a slap to the face. Yeah. Maybe he’s right. Maybe you were the only one wrapped up, maybe you were the only one attached. It seemed too good to be true, and you were so high up you didn’t realize Todoroki had gone down and Yaoyorozu was there to catch him.

You aren’t prepared for the next part though, because the man decided it was okay － totally fine! － to lean back and bare his whole neck while groaning － groaning! Any other human being will not survive this. What is he doing. You’re seconds away from hyperventilating as you double tap to replay that certain part. He wants you all dead. Yes. That must be it.

The video is close to ending, and as Kaminari says his last words, it tickles something awake in your heartbroken state.

“I can forget. And I will! And I will get on with my life and do the things I love and every day would be a happier day for me. Even without you.”

Even without Shouto, you’ll get by. Your world doesn’t revolve around him. There’s a lot of things you can do without invalidating your heartbreak, and maybe you’ll hold on to Kaminari’s words. Every day would be a happier day for me. It’s another thing you’re manifesting on, along with that meet and greet of Kaminari.

more notes: yes this is based off waterparks’s 21 questions pLEASE I FEEL LIKE AWSTEN’S CHAOTIC ENERGY IS A DIRECT COPY OF THE ONE KAMINARI EXUDES SO THIS IS PERFECT. anyways this series’ titles are going to be a bunch of waterparks songs.

[autumn-foxfire]

So like i think its important to acknowledge the context here for some of this. The context being that between chuuya being introduced and us getting chuuyas backstory its been A WHILE. Like for a good while i used to joke that they were really wasting chuuya cuz they had a fan favorite character who we had like no information and backstory on. Like i wanna say its been at least two years between chuuya introduction n backstory but honestly im terible with memory n even worse with time progression so all im gonna say for a very very long time the fandom didnt know shit about chuuyas backstory. The most we got in guild arc was the hint that kouyou was his mentor n of course that he n dazai formed the ace in mafias sleeve n for a long while that was pretty much it. Fans ran wild with that n everybody had their own headcanon n there were a lot of fics exploring his possible backstory. From him being a french (flashbacks to french chuuya era) immigrant/ child trafficked for his ability to him training to work in kouyous borthel (that was a popular headcanon for kouyou but i dont think it has any base in canon) until they discovered his ability and were like oooo this baby dangerous. My favorite was anything that included kouyou just picking up a half feral kid chuuya n being like ahhh im keeping this, mine now. Feral Chuuya gives me life n i still like to read about it. The point being when chuuyas backstory came out it was going to have to contend with A Lot of fan content some of which was really really good.

Anyway i dislike the whole oh there was a god shoved in him when he was a kid bit. I wont stick to this a lot cuz im honestly past the point 'ugh this is So stupid' n to the point 'i dislike it but i also dont really care' but ye, im not super big fan of throwing gods around so randomly cuz i feel bsd isnt really built with that in mind, n i considered that whole part a really boring explenation to corruption and eh, im not gonna pretend that the fanwork didnt influence me n that i might have liked it better if i didnt read so much speculative fanfiction cuz it really comes down to 'its not like in my headcanons so i hate it :/'n thats p much all there is to it n thats no fun to talk about.

I did like sheep parts tho loved dat.

No what im here to talk about is how KOUYOU GOT FUCKIN ROBBED. Like we barely get any chuuya kouyou interactions anyway despite her being shown as his mentor like how mori was to dazai n kouyou herself really only had time to shine with kyouka n like this was the perfect oportunity to explore her more. She was shown as chuuyas mentor from the start, she was included in every fanwork that included chuuyas backstory, if ur gonna do chuuyas backstory you need to have kouyou there she is his mentor after all

Nope nope what do we get instead

FUCKING RANDO SAN

LITERAL GUY NAMED RANDO

Like ok fine u needed a villain for the novel thats fine, make it the person who tried to grab chuuya out good good great BUT WHAT WAS ALL THAT SHIT ABOUT FUCKING RANDO SAN BEING THE ONE TO RECRUIT CHUUYA INTO MAFIA. WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT CHUUYAS FUCKING HAT BEING RANDOS, WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCK WAS THAT SCENE OF CHUUYA SITTING ON HIS GRAVE LIKE FUCKIN DAZAI WITH ODA

WHAT THE FUCK

I will not stop yelling

Like honestly it made me so upset. I dont mind fucking rando san as a villain or whatever but i do mind him kinda being pushed into the spot of chuuyas mentor (whos kouyou) or recuiter (whos dazai) n him being tied into his character so significantly like the tradition of a mentor giving their student something is obvs a big thing in mafia what with dazais coat n all n it just made me so upset that chuuyas hat was given to him by some fuckass named rando n not kouyou. Or that rando seemed to impact him so much to be considered some sort of great influence when he p much just busted him out n then dazai did all the work. Like it just made me so upset that this random one but villain named literally rando was shoved as an important figure in a story of a character whos backstory we've been clamoring for so long when kouyou was literally right there like 'hi im here ready to be relevant forever.'

Like we already got a nice view of her with kyouka what with her wanting to protect kyouka but being willing to let her go wgen she sees thats the best for kyouka n that she will be happy n protected with the agency. Like i doubt she would be as protective with chuuya since their age difference is a lot smaller (4-5 years i think) so shed probs view him more as a friend or a younger brother than a literal child she has to protect but like i wanna see that i want them to have a bond, why hint at her being his mentor n then do nothing with it when mori is of such significance for dazai.

Like i think all this comes down to is obe of primary problems i had with bsd n one of the reasons i ended up growing tired with it: bsd really likes introducing new characters n new groups while at the same time doing very little with ones it already introduced if they arent like atsushi akutagawa dazai n sometimes kunikida n chuuya. N like that just gets boring after a bit i dont care about new evil group no 65 i care about the characters i already know so BLS DO THINGS WITH THEM BLS

...I’ll be honest, I didn’t notice that Kouyou was supposed to be Chuuya’s mentor. Did I just miss that in the anime or something? I didn’t know they had a bond at all.

As for Chuuya’s backstory, I also... didn’t really mind it either. I know the god part was a bit random but I also thought it was kind of fitting that Chuuya’s ability, or a part of it?, was born from something out of this world. It really does fit the “corruption” theme too, in my opinion, in the sense that his body has been corrupted by a god and it would also explain why his body isn’t able to handle the body too.

I also thought that the point of Rando being the one who “gave” Chuuya his hat was symbolism of Chuuya finding a piece of his past because of him and that’s why he visited his grave (almost as a silent thanks in a way). Plus I think it was another one of Dazai’s manipulation to get Chuuya into the Port Mafia, he knew he would never accept a belonging given to him by Dazai (he even pulled a face when he heard that Dazai, as his recruiter should be the one to give it) but when he learned it was Rando, a person who while had attacked him but had also helped him learn a tiny bit more about the god inside him, made accepting the hat more easier for him.

At least, that was my take on it.

I am a little disappointed myself about the lack of attention some characters have recieved compared to others (cough Kenji cough) and I wished they were given a little more, but I also understand why new criminal groups are introduced as bsd wants to draw a stalemate between the Agency and the Port Mafia.

I guess this a matter of different opinions XD

[bokura-no-ua]

Inktober - Day 14: Fierce

Characters: All Might (Yagi Toshinori), Ashido Mina, Uraraka Ochako, Yaoyorozu Momo, Hagakure Tooru, Asui Tsuyu, Jirou Kyouka, Eraserhead (Aizawa Shouta), Midnight (Kayama Nemuri), Present Mic (Yamada Hizashi), Nezu Rating: G Other Tags: U.A. Teachers are all dorks who like teasing Aizawa a little too much, All Might is a good friend, All Might Being Soft, Aizawa likes cats, Animal hoodies

Art by Kumi and story by Red. Read it on AO3! Please, do not repost anywhere.

Toshinori was walking down the halls of U.A., feeling content after a hard day’s work.

The students were progressing really well, slowly getting the hang of controlling their quirks and using the environment to their advantage. It was incredibly satisfying to witness.

He was just about to turn a corner to head to the teacher’s lounge for a cup of tea before sitting down to write some reports on what exercises his students had engaged in earlier that afternoon when he heard excited voices inside the 1-A classroom.

He frowned. He thought all of them had already gone to the dorms for the day.

“Okay, so does everyone have one?” Toshinori recognised young Ashido’s cheerful voice rising above the others’.

“No,” young Uraraka replied. “Bakugou-kun’s hasn’t arrived and Iida-kun hasn’t even bought his yet. Apparently, he can’t seem to choose between a kangaroo and a bear.”

“But wasn’t the bear one taken already?” young Asui asked all of a sudden.

“I think Tsuyu-chan is right. Isn’t Kouda-san’s a bear?” Young Yaoyorozu’s chimed in.

“Let’s go back and sort this out,” young Jirou offered, putting an end to the discussion.

Toshinori heard shuffling and the scraping of chairs being pulled back in place and he ran to the corner to hide. He couldn’t have any students see his true form, after all. If they found out he had been eavesdropping on a group of female students’ private conversation, the situation could escalate rather quickly.

Despite the fact that they were going the opposite direction, their voices still carried down the large, empty hall.

“Could someone explain to me how this whole kigurumi sleepover thing came to be?” young Hagakure asked the group.

“Oh, right, you were sick after playing around in the rain a week ago and had to miss a few days of class!” young Uraraka commented.

“Yes, Ojiro-kun hasn’t stopped teasing me since.”

“Well, if you really want to know...” young Yaoyorozu started, only to be interrupted by young Ashido.

“It was his idea in the first place!” A few gasps were heard, but young Ashido continued unabashed, “What? She deserves to know, don’t you think? Especially since it was all a plan to cheer her up!”

“Oh my goodness, Ashido-san! You shouldn’t have said anything! Ojiro-san went through so much trouble to try and keep the real reason a secret!” young Yaoyorozu said.

“She was going to find out sooner or later, but I’m sure she’s happy to know. Right, Hagakure-chan?”

Their voices were becoming faint so Toshinori knew he was in the clear when he heard them going down the stairs.

He breathed a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. He should really be more careful in the future.

As he glanced around the hall, he decided to just forego the cup of tea at this point and made his way to his own room, ready to tackle the long list of reports he needed to write by the end of the week.

But, however hard he tried to focus, his mind kept going back to the girls’ conversation.

What were they talking about? It seemed to be about animals at first, but then they mentioned some kigurumi?

After a few minutes of pointless staring at the mostly empty document on the screen of his laptop, Toshinori gave in and opened a new tab on his browser.

He quickly typed the word he thought he had heard and was met with thousands upon thousands of, mainly, retail shops which sold these sorts of… onesies with hoodies?

The more he scrolled down the first few sites in the list of results, the more he understood what his students meant. The designs were definitely cute and he certainly saw the appeal of being wrapped up in such cozy-looking fabrics. He could easily see himself sleeping in one of these.

His eyes were drawn to the fourth site on the list, though. This one sold only feline-related designs and there was even a “create your own kigurumi” option at the bottom of the page.

He hesitated for a couple of seconds, mouse hovering on the tantalising link, before clicking on it.

Just to see what it’s all about, he tried to convince himself.

All excuses went out the window as soon as he saw the colour wheel on the side, really. There were over two dozens of fake fur options, ear styles, tail with and without fur. The list seemed endless.

His eyes became glassy as he read every single item on the customisable list.

Without wasting another second, he started creating his very own kigurumi, seeing what worked well with what.

Needless to say, he never came back to the open document to write the reports.

Those could wait. Fashion could not.

To say that Toshinori was disappointed when his delivery arrived two weeks later would be an understatement.

Apparently, he had made a mistake in his order. When he was customising away the other day, he had clicked on the option of “hoodie” thinking the kigurumi wouldn’t have one if he didn’t.

But no. It meant that the design he had created got made into an actual, regular-sized hoodie instead of a kigurumi.

He had been so excited about it! When he calculated when the order would be delivered and realised the timing would be just perfect for Aizawa-kun’s birthday, he had spent an extra hour designing one for him, too.

And to think Aizawa-kun would’ve probably loved it. Toshinori had chosen a panther because he knew how much Aizawa-kun loved all cats, big or small, but also because it was the animal Toshinori associated with him the most.

The panther was stealthy, always lurking in the shadows, waiting for its prey to appear, which, to Toshinori, it was pretty much what Eraserhead did for a living. He was well-known for being a night patrol kind of hero, unlike Toshinori himself.

He sighed. It would have to do since he didn’t have enough time to order another one.

When Kayama-san approached Toshinori and told him the principal had organised a little something for Aizawa-kun’s birthday the next day, he was absolutely delighted.

Since November 8th ended up falling on a Wednesday this year, the get-together was really just a little dinner party over at the principal’s house.

Aizawa-kun was probably going to hate being the centre of attention, but Toshinori was sure his present was going to bring him some happiness at least. Maybe Toshinori could even get a smile out of him.

When all the teachers arrived and started preparing everything to surprise Aizawa-kun, they all agreed how hard it had been to shop for him and chatted about what they had ended up buying.

Toshinori refused to say anything about his purchase and couldn’t help but smile at his colleagues complaints as he set the table.

When Aizawa-kun arrived and they all jumped from behind the many pieces of furniture in the living room to scare him, his expression remained as stoic as ever.

“Would it kill you to act even the tiniest bit surprised?” Yamada-kun complained loudly.

“Why would I? You do this every year,” Aizawa-kun argued, his face showing signs of tiredness as always.

Nezu, perceptive as ever, suggested they had dinner first and opened presents later, so as to save Aizawa-kun from being the centre of attention for such an extended period of time.

And so they sat and chatted as they ate, everyone exchanging funny stories and things that had happened both inside and outside the school thse past couple of weeks.

It was a rather relaxing environment to be in, abandoning whatever worries he had at the door and just being with them like this, not as teachers or pro heroes, but as friends.

After a few more complaints from Yamada-kun, Aizawa-kun sighed in defeat and finally stood up and walked to the coffee table, where all of his gifts were waiting to be unwrapped. He took a seat on the sofa and opened box after box silently.

They all quickly gathered around him, getting excited in spite of the fact that Aizawa-kun’s features remained the same as he thanked everyone for their generosity. The only reaction was that of a raised eyebrow at the final box on the pile, Toshinori’s messy handwriting wishing him a happy birthday a clear contrast with the beige wrapping paper he had chosen.

He knew everyone expected something flashy from him, but he could dial that down for somebody else’s sake. This wasn’t about him; it was about Aizawa-kun, who was currently throwing the dull-looking paper on the floor with the rest and about to take the lid off the box.

At first, he said nothing as his gaze finally landed on the hoodie. But when he took it out of the box and saw the ears and the little detail of a paw on the zipper, his eyes widened in genuine surprise.

“Is this…?” Aizawa-kun started asking and raised his head, whatever he was about to say dying on his lips because, in that moment, Toshinori put on his own lion hoodie on.

“I got the idea when I overheard some students talking about kigurumi. Do you know what they are?” To which Aizawa-kun just nodded. “Good. Well, I wanted one, and then realised your birthday was just around the corner and thought, ‘Aizawa-kun would love a panther design!’ But then I made a mistake with the order and then, as you can see, it looks more like a regular black cat than an actual panther, and-”

Toshinori had a whole speech ready in apology for his silly mistake when Aizawa-kun stood up from the sofa, taking off his own jacket and replacing it with the gift Toshinori had given him.

Aizawa-kun was silent as he changed, but they all heard the words left unsaid: I love it, thank you.

Toshinori stood in awe, happy that his gift had been so well-received. Then, Kayama-san got her phone out, motioning for him to stand closer to Aizawa-kun, who was taking a closer look at the little paw.

“Hey, why don’t you pose for the camera? Make a little roar motion with you hand or something!” Yamada-kun suggested and, surprisingly, Aizawa-kun complied - although his expression did not change in the slightest.

Toshinori got near, thinking that Aizawa-kun had heard him and copied the pose with both hands, a happy smile on his face. Kayama-san snapped quite a few photos, babbling about how she would love to post them online. She still shared them in the chat group they had, their phones beeping and vibrating with notifications at the same time.

Just as Aizawa-kun took his phone out to look at the pictures, Toshinori approached him from behind and placed his arm around his shoulders. What Toshinori didn’t realise was that Aizawa-kun had no idea he was standing there and almost dropped his phone when he felt Toshinori’s heavy hand landing on his shoulder.

So, yeah, maybe Aizawa-kun was expecting the party all along but the accompanying yelp and look of pure horror he got from Toshinori’s unexpected surprise was just the best reaction they could’ve asked for.

[marlikesthings]

I know this chapter wasn’t perfect, but I liked it. I certainly didn’t expect things to finish so quickly, but I got more shin soukoku development, I got to see dazai and atsushi talking (+ proud dazai) and there was even a reference to oda at the end. 

I was very surprised to see akutagawa lending rashomon to atsushi!! I knew akutagawa was too interested in atsushi to kill him. Nevertheless, I never expected him to do that. I expected at best that akutagawa would use rashomon to pull out atsushi (and then have atsushi help him) but this was even better.

Atsushi looks great in black!!

His abilities combined with akutagawa’s are amazing. I am so proud of them. I can't believe their abilities combined are able to tear through abilities (It’s interesting how atsushi and akutagawa can, if they combine their powers, use an ability similar to dazai's nullifying ability).

I want atsushi to help akutagawa realize there are people who care about him and that being acknowledged by dazai should only be an objective, not his main reason to live. Same for atsushi. I want him to realize he has helped many people and that he is strong. Not just physically, but also mentally. I think it's a shame atsushi doesn't realize how mentally strong he is yet he can see that strength in akutagawa.  

They are a great team, not only they are strong, but they also understand each other’s pain. They see in the other what they can't see in themselves. They see the potential the other has but they don't see their own potential. And that's sad. Nevertheless, they are both trying to help the other although they might not accept it. It’s thanks to akutagawa that atsushi decided to confront his past, and it’s thanks to atsushi that akutagawa is changing for the better.

This whole page is amazing. Badass ADA and port mafia. Poor virus ability user XD His face when he realized he's screwed up was great jajaja

Mori and fukuzawa look cool here. Also, I like how they know what the other is thinking and how they acted as if they really considered forgiving the virus ability user.

Well dazai didn’t fail as I thought, but for some reason I am not so surprised, which is weird since contrary to some people who saw this coming, I was sure dazai had made a mistake. Anyway, I can’t say I was necessarily disappointed. I want dazai to learn to rely more on others. I thought that him making a mistake might lead to that, but if there is another way, then that’s also okay for me. I know dazai is very smart, but I don’t think he is invincible. Fyodor has definitely something up his sleeve, and there is still agatha who has yet to make an appearance. I was satisfied with the last scene (which I am going to develop later) because it shows that regardless of his brain, dazai is still human. He can be very smart, but he worries/suffers like everyone else. 

I believe that dazai cares about the agency members, especially kunikida and atsushi (although he doesn’t seem to want to form close bonds which is perfectly understandable considering his past: oda’s death and ango’s betrayal). If we can see dazai finally accepting he cares about them and that he wants to protect them, then I would be happy. I am obviously including all agency members here, but I believe kunikida and atsushi will the first to break down dazai's wall (especially the latter). I don’t think dazai will ever get over oda's death, and I think that’s alright. Oda changed his life and it’s thanks to him he met the ADA. It’s fine as long as he realizes he isn’t alone anymore.

It’s been a while since the last time we saw fitzgerald! I wasn’t expecting him to appear, but am glad he did. 

I know the development was pretty fast, but I don’t think this is the last time we will see fyodor. Why? Look at dazai's face after seeing fyodor’s ability and after they captured him.

He was also unexpectedly quiet when atsushi found him in the boat. 

Dazai is smart and something has been clearly bothering him ever since he last saw fyodor. Was he bothered by his ability? Was he bothered by how easily everything went? I don’t know. For all we know, fyodor could have known going to the cafe was a trap yet he still went. He did seem surprised, but then again, he could have pretended. For example, dazai seemed shocked/surprised last chapter but it turns out he knew fyodor wasn't there. Maybe he planned getting himself captured to find more information of the secret services? Let’s not forget this guy allowed port mafia to capture him just because he wanted information on their abilities. I think this is part of a bigger plan and that this is the calm before the storm. Maybe him and agatha had planned something and will later team up? It would be interesting if that was the case.

Interesting detail: Fyodor knows about the ‘eyes of god’. He might seem surprised, but if he knew about it then there's no way he didn't consider ADA and the guild might join forces to defeat him. He is too smart to make such a mistake. Or at least that's what I think. 

Also look at fyodor’s face here:

He doesn’t seem troubled at all. He is even smiling. This has nothing to do with it but to be able to kill someone just by being touched... just what is fyodor's ability? 

Another thing that I liked of this chapter was ango's appearance! There are many characters that appear in this chapter and that's a good thing (for me at least). Although, I would have liked to see lucy. She helped the ADA so I would have liked to see her in fukuzawa's recovery party. She isn't the only character missing though.

Kyouka interacting with other agency members makes me happy. Also, it's little bit late to worry about that tanizaki XD Their interaction was very cute. I don't think the director is going to be very hard on them, but I wonder what their punishment is going to be?

What was dazai thinking to not notice atsushi was behind him? Look at his face. He seems surprised to see atsushi. He always notices when people are behind him (like when higuchi and gin were following him), but here he was so concentrated he didn't pay attention to his surroundings...

Anyway, I really liked atsushi's and dazai's interaction in this chapter. First of all, I feel the need to say atsushi's expressions are great XD

Atsushi is so honest with dazai. When dazai was in the mafia, his only two friends were oda and ango. Dazai enjoyed talking with them, but they never told each other what they really thought. Oda only told dazai what he thought of him just before dying, which is a shame because when dazai realized there was someone who understood him, it was already too late. They were in the mafia so that was expected but it's still sad. 

“In the mafia, no one will look at what’s in their colleagues. This is an unspoken rule. They will not open up the lid over one’s chest to look at their heart and comment at the darkness stuffed within. This is a merit of the mafia.” 

(Credit: nkhrchy)

This has nothing to do with the chapter I know but I wanted to quote oda. This quote is so important because it shows how the mafia works (kind of). (This is also relevant for akutagawa).

Anyway, as I already said, atsushi is always honest with him. He always consults him when he has problems (chapter 39) and ask him for advice from time to time. What I want to say is, while dazai must be used to be consulted on certain things, I don't think he is used to people talking about themselves or people talking about their feelings. When he was with oda and ango he knew there were things they couldn't tell each other (except for oda since he was a low level member he didn't have any ‘secrets’. Except the kids, but dazai knew about them. I don't know if dazai knows about his past though). I think that being with atsushi is good for him. I also like how he is the one who ask questions here. He wants to know more about atsushi (and his partnership with akutagawa). He is always willing to listen to atsushi and I love that.

Also, I feel like dazai finally stopped pretending to be always happy. He is finally letting others see a new side of him (it's like he let his guard down). We only saw him acting quiet in front of atsushi (and fitzgerald) so we don’t really know if he is pretending in front of the other agency members or not. I really like how instead of pretending to be happy he allowed atsushi to see him worried/thoughtful. For me, this is proof that dazai acknowledges atsushi and that he feels comfortable enough to show him this side of him. (The more atsushi grows the more he resembles oda. Dazai loves oda, so I think he is finding it hard to keep pretending in front of atsushi. Or at least I hope so).

I hope one day dazai and atsushi will talk about their past. And that maybe one day dazai will tell atsushi about oda. I really want this to happen.

What is akutagawa trying to do? Things have obviously changed for both of them. Akutagawa is too involved with atsushi to kill him simply because he hates him (as he said). He is still trying to kill him though. This is just my personal opinion, but I think akutagawa is trying to kill him because he started feeling emotions he isn't used/supposed to. I mean, he knows too much about him. He works for the mafia. He isn't supposed to be too involved with the enemy. Befriending atsushi right now is impossible. He probably thinks feelings like friendship, trust, etc. makes him weak. I might be totally wrong though.

Akutagawa's shocked face is priceless. Atsushi is trying to make him understand that he isn't weak. If I understood this right, atsushi is telling him that he is strong. That he is mentally very strong. If he wasn't then akutagawa would have died long ago. His stubbornness, his tenacity, all of that saved akutagawa. Sure, he joined the mafia and he killed many people and that's not good but by doing so he managed to live, to survive all those years. I said akutagawa should depend less on dazai and I really think so, but if akutagawa had not made being acknowledged by dazai his goal, then he wouldn't have survived in the mafia and he wouldn't have a reason to live. Just like atsushi. Atsushi helps people not because that's what he originally wanted to do but because the headmaster’s voice forced him to do so. And just like akutagawa, his stubbornness (and the headmaster) is what helped him remain alive. Atsushi acknowledges akutagawa’s pain and struggles. Maybe akutagawa realized that? Atsushi and akutagawa are so different yet so similar. 

Now, akutagawa is working for the mafia (and he is an assassin to make things worse) so I am not sure how he is going to convince mori he won't kill for the next six month. It might just be me, but for some reason I don’t think mori is going to refuse him. Why? It’s not like akutagawa is not going to do anything in those six month. He is going to train in order to become stronger. At the end of the day this can only benefit the mafia. That’s how I see it at least. Of course, in the meantime the mafia will need someone to replace akutagawa, but they are supposed to be a big organization (though, we always see the same characters) so there should be someone willing/good enough to do the work.

I loved the image of atsushi looking far away because he seems so mature. His small world grew bigger, and even without the headmasters words right now, atsushi is helping akutagawa out of pure kindness. There is no reason for him to go out of his way after everything akutagawa did to him yet atsushi can’t bring himself to ignore him. Also, akutagawa proved these last few chapters (especially this one) that he wasn’t as bad as atsushi originally thought. I think this might also have influenced his decision in helping him. 

Moreover, atsushi finally accepted he has to change and that it is time he confronts his worse nightmare (the headmaster). I am so proud of him. I am so happy with all the development shin soukoku has. I am looking forward to how their relationship will go from now on.

Finally, atsushi will learn how to properly control his ability. I’ve been waiting for this moment! Also kunikida will train atsushi!!! Please I need to see that. I want to see them bonding. Kunikida learned from fukuzawa himself and he is a great fighter, so I have high hopes for atsushi. Moreover, atsushi being kunikida’s student! I need it now!!    

Dazai’s smile at the end is kind of hard to describe but it was a gentle smile (and I think it was also nostalgic because he was reminded of oda. I am not sure though). The way he looked at atsushi is also worth mentioning. Such a gentle look. Dazai is so proud of atsushi. I think that if oda was here he would love atsushi because that guy represents everything he believes. Where is my oda/atsushi interaction that I desperately need?

I was surprised to see akutagawa-oda parallels with “a mafia member who doesn't kill”. I also see oda-atsushi parallels. I mean, oda saved dazai just before dying. His words made him leave the mafia and stop killing. Here, atsushi is the one 'saving' akutagawa. 

It's interesting to notice how natsume saved oda, who in return saved dazai, who saved atsushi, etc. It’s like a chain. It’s also interesting since we know that the one who brought akutagawa into the mafia and taught him to kill is dazai, and now dazai’s new student is the one trying to save akutagawa. 

Anyway this was a good chapter for me. I love parallels, and my three favorite characters (atsushi, akutagawa and dazai) got a lot of panels so I am very satisfied! And of course oda’s mention at the end made things better (although it was also sad, because it reminds us that oda isn’t alive, why??) I know it was fast-paced but all the things above made this chapter worth it for me.

I want to see more of dazai and atsushi! I mean, oda/atsushi parallels were already there, but this is the first time that dazai seems to acknowledge this fact (though indirectly) in the manga. I know that the reference was for akutagawa, but the one who saved him was atsushi. I also wonder what does dazai think of akutagawa right now? His situation reminds him of oda, but that’s all we know. Of course, I am also looking forward to how akutagawa/atsushi partnership/relationship is going to develop!