#✧ › ◜ tomura. ◞ character study.

[buttercupshands]

Chapter 419 Analysis or "How to make allies not pawns" a helpful guide from League of Villains (part 2)

This is now a second part of Tomura character analysis.

With chapter 419 being probably our last time seeing Tomura for a while, since we need to learn what happened with Aizawa now is time to remember that not only bad things exist it Tomura's life.

Warning of spoilers to the whole manga to the point of chapter 419! All of the warnings from My Villain Academy side of manga are applicable

So like... mentions of death, killing other people, manipulation, emotional abuse and many more!

This is Part 2 - See here for Part 1 of this depressing mess

With AFO being so sure that he knows better and actually controlled every single part of Tenko's life creating a Symbol of Fear without any redeeming qualities or even hope for saving after he destroys him. There's one thing that AFO still doesn't understand about Tomura and never did - and that's his allies, or the League of Villains that he created.

Even Kurogiri, being a Nomu who's views do not stray from what AFO thought was important didn't exactly understand what did Tomura think about his allies quick to assume that he thought of them as pawns all the was back in the Training Camp arc. With Tomura making game examples to explain the situation, he still didn't think of LoV as just pawns on a desk, like AFO does.

At the time of USJ arc there weren't many people Tomura called this, which could make you wonder how much it was just AFO's plan rather than Tomura's with him never worrying about those other villains yet getting so worked up over losing Nomu not only because he was strong enough to defend him from All-Might, but treating his defeat as something that must be avenged.

And that was long before Stain even entered the picture, the first of three people who greatly affected Tomura's view of his own motives alongside AFO's manipulation of literally everything else.

Tomura was terrified of fighting All-Might seconds before this and yet as this goes on it's becoming more noticeable - Tomura doesn't care for his own fear or worries as long as he's fighting for someone else's good. Not so different from how Izuku is ready to disregard himself for the sake of others, resulting in many injuries and being so close to dying so many times.

It never was a secret that Tomura is highly dependent on others to keep himself from losing confidence, or even will to fight, getting either too anxious to continue without anyone's reassurance.

And while AFO's "help" was mostly given only with some kind of lesson as we saw in "Tomura Shigaraki: Origin", with AFO literally sitting there, saying how Tenko is weak for not killing but showing some restrain instead suffering himself, never actually helping or comforting him. Only offering what he deemed nessesary for his own plan of making Tenko kill those thugs not caring that he's feeling sick from those hands.

But in USJ it's not AFO who's there with Tomura, it's Kurogiri, who was shown to still have some care that Shirakumo had that even Aizawa and Mic couldn't argue that it's similar to how Shirakumo couldn't just leave a kitten in the rain. No matter the responsibility that it would bring with taking a little one in.

A helpless little kitten that didn't get the help it needs from anyone else. Sounds way too familiar.

This never was a direct order from AFO other than he needs to "tend and protect" for Tomura, which can mean anything from just looking out when Tomura's sick, or protect him from any tread like someone trying to kill him.

Not helping him getting over his anxiety to fight or helping him and guiding him to do better as a leader of the League calming him if it got out of control. Which is somewhat opposite to the way AFO deals with Decay and Tomura's temper - letting him destroy anything even the hands that he gave him, just offering new ones when he succeedes and never really caring for his pawns, he can always get new ones.

And surely not asking if Tomura's well the first thing while talking to Heroes.

Which then leads us back to how Tomura never viewed anyone that he chose as pawns calling them his allies, with the word '仲間' which can even be translated as friends in needed context, but usually used as comrade or ally when Tomura says it. And the same thing is usually translated as "friend" when used by Twice.

In any case Tomura never once doubted his allies since he saw them as reliable, even if his first meeting with Toga and Dabi went so wrong that Kurogiri had to stop them from killing each other.

Up to the point of Training Camp AFO describes as him teaching Tomura to be independent which was at that point too far from the truth than he thought. If Tomura begging for AFO to leave with them is any indicator he actually was even less independent after All-Might almost caught them, making him doubt his own worth as a leader. Even if AFO's defeat finally let him think and wonder about himself and his past.

AFO believed that Tomura just knowing how to recruit people would suddenly make him great at using those new "pawns" which was proven wrong by Overhaul no so long after that. Showing how Tomura believed the same thing AFO did as well, fully trusting his judgement of anything including himself, all the while parroting what AFO says without fully understanding what it means.

Only after losing both Magne and Mr. Compress arm does Tomura slowly start making progress in becoming someone more than AFO tells him to do. Even if as we see in part 1 it used Decay as the ground to make it stable since he believed it was his quirk. And yet.

Even if Tomura didn't simply instruct his allies how to choose who to recruit, he never blamed them for it. On the opposite, when Twice was hard on himself after bringing Overhaul to them Tomura just looked at them for the first time without a hand on his face, or even on himself at all, showing how he trusts them as much as he would trust himself and believes that they can do it.

Taking off hands of his family would mean not relying on the conflicting feelings that they bring into the picture, something AFO would very much dissaprove, since he was now like an equal to everyone in LoV instead of being above them. He

And with this instead of making them blindly trust his decisions and following him from fear or adoration like people had been following AFO or Overhaul, he instead was an equal to them both in failure and victory that wasn't even all that guaranteed yet.

Each one of them had their own somewhat selfish goal that just seemed like they were just using each other without any worry being each other's pawns. Or maybe that's just how AFO would see them.

Yet it doesn't explain why did Toga care for Twice's trauma response of not having his mask on, since he already did his part and all that they both needed to do was done. But LoV was never about following orders or giving them, expecting for the pawns to follow without question. It was about a leader of the group that would stand up for his allies while allowing them full freedom, except when they needed to also accept that something is needed to be done for their own sake.

Like following Overhaul for a while all for cutting off his hands leaving him with nothing. Did that sound like something reasonable to do? No! They literally lost their chance at having sushi instead of just living at some abadoned building all the while occasionally searching for money or food, stealing and killing just to survive all while Tomura was just... waiting.

Nothing was really stable at the start of what we call My Villain Academia and yet no one from the LoV left while their state was... bad at the very least. No matter how AFO was teaching Tomura he was still left mostly waiting for something to happen rather than doing something to change the situation himself.

Sure, Tomura now was a famous leader of League of Villains that suddenly needed to be stopped rather that underestimated like before. But that was in the future, now LoV was laying low on funds and slowly Tomura showing his face became the norm, with him usually never wearing hands around LoV.

And with Tomura becoming more and more comfortable around LoV, the LoV itself was becoming more like a place that had one core value that accepted anything else added without anyone wondering about the past of others, like Compress said. Just some selfish people, who still followed their own needs first.

And yet somehow Toga, who joined just because she loved Stain and disliked how life was too hard found her place in the LoV alongside Twice who just needed to be trusted and trust in return. If Tomura only followed what AFO deemed to be the best way to lead no one would actually feel like they're accepted in the LoV as much as they were.

Goal or no goal Tomura succeeded even without having the whole world at the palm of his hands by just never pressing anyone to actually follow him - if they wanted to they could've just left here and there, but since they chose to follow he did what he thought was the obvious best - let his allies do what they wanted.

Which was okay for someone like Toga or Dabi who were either already comfortable by just being allowed to be themselves or being free to plan their own things for their own goals.

But not exactly that for Spinner. Who was instead literally searching for someone to show him what to do, not so different from Tomura, who still only followed whatever 'his Sensei' deemed worthy for him to look into, like letting Kurogiri go find unknown "power" that AFO left along with contact with Doctor.

And while Spinner was not fine with still being hollow even while following Tomura pretending that it's the same thing as following Stain... all it took for him to look differently at how exactly was Tomura thinking was the last real "barrier" that there was - Tomura basically spilling his whole backstory and motivations mostly for LoV to listen to, since Doctor was just testing Tomura's will all according to AFO's plan.

And after that it didn't took too long for Spinner to now follow Tomura, even if it was still not the time to really see the 'warped horizon that was waiting for them'. And yet in times where Tomura still showed some doubt over his decisions - that one old trait of his showing up like it was always at the back of his head not so different from USJ, only thing changing that Tomura got better and better at not letting his emotions control him so easily.

Since the price of that would literally be lifes of his allies.

And neither that or using their emotions to his own benefit was ever in his plans, contrast to AFO manipulating Tomura to do just that. Letting his emotions consume him completely just for his own goal and for his own sake. But as a person who was so familiar with this Tomura still was adamant at NOT allowing something like this to happen to his friends allies.

Effectively creating a bond between all six of them, including Toya that in the end kept them together until the very final arc, with Spinner keeping what Tomura would've thought and with him waking up and calling Machia to get LoV first and foremost Spinner did understand their's leader wishes, as well as Twice's who literally died for his friends.

With all that happening in the War arc the moment AFO returned with both being in control of Tomura's body and just abadoned anything that Tomura would care for like leaving Mr. Compress and Machia behind just to punish him for not getting OFA or not even caring to show any actual respect for Tomura's wishes. Instead showing how little he actually cared for anything but his own good.

But while AFO made so many pawns that he could change like gloves at any given moment, threating them and manipulating them with his power and quirks, Tomura only had 6 allies who stayed after AFO was caught and who were willing to die just to live the life they wanted.

And AFO couldn't give them that.

Even if Decay isn't Tenko's quirk and even if he has so much guilt for killing without it being a little bit justified by it...

LoV still followed him as a person who allowed them to live as they please and so what they want, not some all-powerfull overlord but an ally and a leader who had his flaws and fallings.

[ryo-apologist]

Feathers and Ashes

Shigaraki Tomura x Reader x Keigo Takami

CW: Spoilers, but at this point, they aren't new. This isn't really headcanons or a story, just my thoughts on it. Depictions of toxic relationships.

AN: Okay. hear me out here- HEAR ME OUT. It's always Shigadabi this, Hotwings that, which yes. They are elite. They are delicious. But there's a whole market being missed on Shigahawks. Dusty feathers if you will. All I know is I want to be between them and no one is letting me without letting Dabi in too.

~Darling XOXO

☾ It doesn't matter what side of the war you're on. Not anymore. When entangled with a hero bred from a society crumbling beneath the weight of their owns sins of the very idea of heroism and the villain aiming to destroy it all with a simply touch of his fingers and leave it in smokey ruins, you don't get an opinion.

☾ Maybe you do, but it's biased. Hawks wants to preach that he's a hero, he's one of the good guys, but Keigo can't even believe that himself.

☾ How can he when he has the blood of someone who saw him as an ally still warm on his palms, seeping through his gloves and tainting his very soul. The one still flickering with the hope he had as a child.

☾ Hawks and Keigo are such interesting characters. I say 'and' because I personally view them as two different entities. Not in a split personality way, not, but as in Hawks is a mask that Keigo wears to protect his fragile little heart so no one can touch it. And if we chose to delve into his entire character, he's full of so much gray morality, truly I could write an essay on him and his entire motivations and how he's so much more than what the fandom devolves him too.

☾ Shigaraki Tomura on the other end of the spectrum is an individual so tainted and rocked by a past soaked in trauma thats never been addressed in a proper way that he's blind to positions that even slightly challenge his own. His rivalry with Stain back in season one (two? Idk it's been awhile.) set his character, and thus development, up in the way that told the audience he didn't like challenges to his authority in any way. The following fight against Overhaul confirmed this. There's a difference between the way he was characterized as childish, which he is, and the way his reactions played out to these challenges. With Overhaul, this entire thing showed that above all else, Shigaraki is strategic. He's incredibly intelligent when it comes to battle IQ and war fronts and has proven it. (Not with the USJ incident, but liken that to starting a game. You never know how to play first round, but play around a bit and learn the controls a bit better and you get better.)

☾ Now, why do I say all of this in a post about a threesome with crust one and two?

☾ It's important to know why I find this dynamic so interesting because these two as individual characters are interesting, but look at their parallels.

☾ We have two children, surrounded by broken homes, that need a way out. Their quirks give them that ability, but at what cost? The cost of gathering the attention of adults who know right from wrong, taking them in and indoctrinating them in all the wrong things while encouraging enforcing propaganda about ideologies that directly contradicted what they were preaching.

☾ Neither side is truthfully right, argue with the wall about that (I'm not saying they're justified in how they're handling the war, do not get me wrong about that), but Keigo and Tomura will be damned before giving up their spot in the war, and that is something so fun to play with.

☾ Alright, back to the fun stuff you clicked read more for.

☾ Your opinion? Doesn't matter. In fact, I would avoid that topic entirely between them. Hawks is willing to kill for what he believes in, may Jin rest in peace, but so is Shigaraki evidently.

☾ Keigo and Tomura, however, are willing to set aside their ideologies.

☾ Do not get the idea that this is a healthy relationship by any means. No. I do not believe that even in his darkest depths Shigaraki is capable of anything moderately healthy. In the same vein, I don't think Hawks is either. It's not feasible with their lifestyles, it's not feasible with their missions, it's not feasible with their characters.

☾ Shigaraki is infamously territorial and possessive. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He wants what he claims is his, and he wants it now. He has the power to do so, he has the will, he will get what he wants.

☾ The only way I can see this happening is this: Hawks takes up a secret lover, how this happens is hard to say- pick your poison, I personally love them being a villain playing undercover hero and getting close, but that's me- and Shigaraki catches wind of this. Let's say we run with that idea, of the sweetheart being a villain of their own right, then they aren't affiliated with the league. Or maybe they are, I don't know. But Hawks and his villain sweetheart are running around, the former believing this is a villain trying to make a change and Keigo wants to help them, if a bit weary.

☾ And Shigaraki notices. Nothing big like the number two playing around with a villain goes on in the underground without him knowing. So he knows, and he doesn't know what the villain sweetheart is going after, but he wants in. He doesn't want anything opposing his rise to power, especially not some half-baked jack-off that thinks Hawks will save them.

☾ But then he meets them and maybe they aren't as bad as he hastily decided. He still doesn't like them, but he isn't going to dust them right away. They chat. Maybe they're threatened to fall under the League, or maybe they're willing to team up in exchange for something. Drugs, money, fire power, hard to say.

☾ But villain sweetheart refuses to give this up. Dabi fucked up with Hawks, he pulled the trigger pin far too early. But them? They have it locked down. Hawks is learning. It's subliminal, it's conditioning, it's something so small that Hawks only picks up on it when something in his routine changes to accommodate and by then it's too late.

☾ I think Hawks is honestly too smart for anything big, honestly he's probably too smart for any sort of manipulation.

☾ For the most part.

☾ Oh you thought I'd leave it at that? No. Think about the Dabi situation. He's down, he's vulnerable, he's been outed and now he's hated by the country. Hawks is dead. Keigo is yearning for something to grasp onto, to hold that won't crumble between his fingers like his hero career currently is.

☾ Now is the moment to strike. You have villain sweetheart offering up information about a mafia group they don't like, giving their information the benefit of the doubt and giving them the title of 'useable'. Not trustworthy, but the heroes take their plea for redemption with some merit.

☾ And Keigo clings to them the moment they offer any sort of apology, fake or not, for what happened, because it's an acknowledgement that he was wronged in some way shape or form.

☾ He's weary of being hurt again, but should villain sweetheart capitalize on this? Work their way deep into his shuddering and quivering heart and take post there? Manipulate the situation so that his focus shifts from hero politics to them?

☾ And then they team with Shigaraki?

☾ Keigo, not Hawks (Hawks is dead. He will remain that way. Keigo is running the show even if he's running it off a cliff), can be considered a guard dog. He's not trusted, fuck no, not at all, but he's defense. He's not trusted as offense, but canon fodder? Absolutely.

☾ If his villain sweetheart needs him, he's there.

☾ Shigaraki isn't happy, but he's too interested in villain sweetheart to let go. So what's the obvious solution?

☾ There isn't a good one. Hawks is, at this point, enamored in a relationship so dependent it's hilarious. He can't let go and he can't be alone, not again. He's done it as a child, he's done it as a hero, and he's hated it. he can't be alone. He can't, he can't, he can't.

☾ But there's a new toy in the toybox, a new piece on the board, and Shigaraki wants it. He needs it, no matter how useless it'll turn out to be. It's a piece the other side doesn't have. An uncontrolled, unpredictable, undocumented variable.

☾ To a degree, he knows what the heroes will do. He knows him and Deku will fight. He knows that. They, admittedly, know he'll do whatever it takes. They know he's going after their foundation built off of All Might and anything, especially Deku, to take it down and he's willing to take quirks to do so.

☾ But this new piece? No one knows what they want. They don't know who they're going after. They don't know what is driving them. And that, in a war, is dangerous. It can make or break either side.

☾ And Tomura Shigaraki wants them.

☾ Keigo has been proven as a non-threat to him. He's not dangerous anymore. He's been disarmed once, he has a blatant weakness to which they can exploit. So if he wants to cling to this variable then so be it. It's not on his radar.

☾ Anything Hawks can do to him, he can combat with his own quirk. He's not worried.

☾ Keigo is terrified. His quirk? We need to be so real. It's cool, yes, helpful, absolutely, but in the grand scheme? Not that combat oriented. He can't beat any of the big bad villain players unless their own quirk isn't combat based. Like Twice. Toga, I feel they are pretty evenly matched and will come down to something like swordsmanship and training. Dabi and Shigaraki? Not a chance. I hate to say it, I'm a Hawks baby fr, but being a Hawks person means I can admit he's only all that and a bag of chips because the commission pushed his image to be that.

☾ Anyway, Keigo? Terrified of losing his sweetheart. He's following them no matter what just trying to garner where they want to take this and how.

☾ So, where are we now?

☾ Keigo, with his hero persona long dead, is clinging to a villain who's using this to their advantage all while said villain is behind the scenes, working with one of the biggest players on the board currently. Said big player thinks this new piece is little more than a morsel of advantage over the other side, but this new piece has taken what is essential a bishop or knight (a piece that you never really think about until you're pinned by them) from the other side and converted them.

☾ Shigaraki is willing to ignore Hawks, but Keigo isn't willing to do the same. It's too risky for him, so he's right back where he swore he'd never go again into the lion's den.

☾ So it's a stalemate. Shigaraki isn't willing to let go, but neither is Keigo.

☾ It's a dynamic that is endlessly interesting to me and something I feel the fandom can explore. Dabi adds spice, but it's been beaten in every way with Shigaraki and Hawks and all three together. But he's got his share, Dabi's kicked to the curb for now. Let's explore these two as one pairing, because their dynamics are endlessly interesting with their parallels and their characters.

☾ I'm getting rambly so I'll end it there. I'm sure I'll write so much more about what I'm dubbing dusty feathers because I love them so much individually and can only imagine them as a pair.

[ace-touya]

Sometimes I think about Oboro and get real sad

I headcanon him and Zashi met in middle school, with them meeting Sho in UA, and like. In the grand scheme of things he was in their lives for such a short time period, he’d known Shouta for just two years. Known Hizashi for four in my hcs

But he made such a massive impact to the point where neither of them healed from losing him, over a decade after it happened

I don’t think Rooftop Trio were that well liked outside their small circle. It was the three of them plus Nemuri sometimes, against the world

And sure, Hizashi has this sort of infectious positivity and makes everyone laugh all the time but it’s definitely a character he puts on. Buried just below the surface is this angry, sad, self-doubting dude who doesn’t think he’s doing enough for the people he loves despite the fact he always puts them before himself

And in contrast, Oboro’s positivity is so genuinely real, he’s just a happy guy. He inspired them both, lifted them both up, and probably is a big reason why they even were close in the first place, because Hizashi and Shouta are complete opposites but Oboro has some shared interests with each of them respectively which makes the two of them get close, and he absolutely was Hizashi’s biggest wingman ever when he realised he loved Shouta romantically

And then like.. after seemingly dying in a really gruesome way, he got turned into a monster at the age of only sixteen, probably in a really gruesome and horrific way if Tomura getting AFO’s quirk was anything to go off of (and that was with likely a lot more developed tech considering it was so long after, and the added fact of wanting to keep Tomura’s brain in tact, which wasn’t something they cared about with Oboro)

Then he was forced to care for a child only like 10 years younger than he was, while simultaneously also being forced to be a bystander while said child is actively being groomed, by the same guy who made him like this

Into a shell of a person, noidentity of his own, no purpose except caring for this kid who was too young and too hurt to understand that both of them were trapped. He had no free will, and no real personality

And the icing on the cake is that any of the genuine care Kurogiri had for Tenko came from the love and protectiveness Oboro had for Shouta, someone Kurogiri can’t remember but whenever his gloomy little honorary son would take too many naps in one day, or stare blankly at someone he found stupid, or coo at pictures of small dogs, he’d be reminded of messy black hair and eyes that turned red, and wouldn’t know that it wasn’t Tomura he was thinking of

[luffythinker]

I think I really enjoy the plotline in that Shigaraki/Overhaul fic where Shigaraki falling in love with Overhaul but not wanting to hurt him with his quirk and fearing nobody would want to be with him because all he does it destroy, even when they kissed after that terrible car crash he grabbed his arm and made it decay but he fixed it immediately, and after the fused and fought Endeavor and Deku t the parking lot Shigaraki felt like he was the reason Overhaul was comatose for so long and he didnt wanna hurt him so he stayed away and I think he told him why would he wanna be with him when the only thing he can ever do is decay, destroy and hurt? Doesnt matter I'd Overhauls quirk can fix him himself he still hurt him and that makes Shigaraki sad

I like soft vulnerable Shigaraki it's so good

ANON WE GOTTA GIVE U UR TEEEENNNSS

Ugh I love this, Shigaraki's quirk to me is something that can be used as a metaphor for so much, and i adore seeing it viewed as a direct representation of how he only brings bad things to the world (cause that's how his family viewed him as a kid, a bad thing), so to have a quirk that destroys, puts everything to dust and leaves nothing behind is so on brand with him and it also symbolizes his own loneliness

Shigaraki loving someone (in this case Overhaul) means he has to reevaluate his relationship with life itself, can he bring someone happiness and companionship instead of destruction and loneliness? does he deserve love? can his love ever end well? (thinking back to him decaying that dog) He has to process so much to even accept that he is in love. Also makes me think of taylor swift lyrics "I've been thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end", and it's so him (and lowkey dabi as well???) But overhaul mends it all together, every broken piece can be brought back, and shigaraki doesn't need to be afraid to do this alone anymore

[flfverse]

I guess my first question is: was Yoichi Shigaraki a submissive/sub-switch and is All for One a dominant/dom-switch? And my second question relates to your sub!Tomura post and only makes sense if Yoichi is submissive-leaning- do you think a lot of how he was raised to more so embrace submission as a whole (even though he was supposed to be a leader and those two things kind of contradict) had to do with All for One kinda... seeing him as 'like Yoichi' in a way? I can't imagine All for One wanting his Yoichi-lookalike to have any negative connotations with anything that made him more like his ...beloved... brother. Also, who was domming Tomura when he was younger? All for One? Garaki? I don't remember if Kurogiri was a sub or sub-switch, so was it him? Or was he just plain dosing on hormones like Izuku mentioned was possible in the protest chapter until it got too expensive to maintain?

sure, sub!yoichi and dom!afo, its not something i really thought about but it makes more sense than any other combo, thematically.

yall know more than me about afo and his brother, i’m just vibing lol. but it’s fun being made to step outside my bubble of favorite characters and think about what else is going on!

as far as who was domming tomura when he was younger….kurogiri is a sub, but he’s also just sort of nothing, being a corpse and all. it’s….diminished, if you will. he’s also older than tomura, so there’s that power dynamic happening. basically, kurogiri would have helped as much as he could, and it definitely works in the short term, and god damn now i’m having emotions about that

i’ve always always loved in these types of aus when submissives have sub friends and mentors, it’s very sweet. which is a big reason why i made it a cultural Thing for FLFverse! so now….yeah, i need to keep that in mind going forward, that layer of their relationship.

but. i digress. i did say kurogiri doesn’t work as a permanent solution, so all for one probably took care of the rest himself. i just don’t see him letting anyone else have control over tomura like that, unless perhaps he was also there to supervise. and THAT relationship, absent of a community to watch it and involving a guy from Ye Olden Days…i’m not saying tomura was raised traditionalist because i would’ve had to write him pretty differently to account for that baggage, but there were flavorings, shall we say

what i’m getting at is totally potentially psuedo-incest vibes. and now that i think of it…tomura doesn’t like collars. i kind of threw that in without really thinking about it, but there might be some dots to connect there

[kusatta]

WHAT DOES YOUR HEART LOOK LIKE ?

molten lava and charred flesh / your heart burned so fiercely that it burnt itself out, leaving horrible scars in its wake ; scars inside your chest and on the hands of those who touched you, the hearts of anyone who got close enough to connect to yours. the person you are now is no longer recognizable, burnt up by your own anger and passion and love. the injuries can never be fully erased, but they can be soothed with time and trust and forgiveness.

[saturnsorbits]

A brilliant character study into the inner workings of our favourite Kingpin villain, this piece works to expose and discover what lies underneath Shigaraki. By combining a series of technical devices and some stunning use of characterisation, Kitten is able to produce a deep and insightful peak into the mind of a man who is often overlooked.

The use of poetic language works to heighten the tone of the piece, shifting it from the more commonly used colloquial to something more deeper and thoughtful as it begins to dig into the very centre of Shigaraki. This is apparent in the wonderful overview we're afforded as we're told that 'he finds himself at twenty, siting on a throne way up high, with a sizeable army that would bend to his will at the drop of a hat'. By choosing this poetic language and extending certain sentences to include layers of visual and contextual stimulus, Kitten adopts an almost biographical style that allows her to really encapsulate the heart of her characterisation. Discontented with leaving this device to carry the weight of her genius, Kitten further enhances her use of poetic language by utilising contextual exophoric references such as noting that 'it only cost him two fingers'. By using this, the piece is given a sense outside of itself – allowing not only the characterisation to become more entrenched, but providing its audience with an anchor.

Further to this, Kitten adopts an interesting graphology to continue to enhance her study of Shigaraki. By using visual devices like bolding words, and the change in font found in the repeated sentence: 'Scratch the itch' the piece is propelled forwards – pulling us in not only lexically, but visually too. The use of bold words forces us to linger, waiting patiently as we consider the hidden meanings underneath each of those words. In a similar way, the font used for 'Scratch the itch', doesn't just evoke a sense of unease with it's non-standard format, but works to focus us in on that singular sentence. Coupled with the repetition, this creates a literary representation of the turmoil experienced by Shigraki, allowing us a peak into his psyche. It is in this that Kitten's talent really has a chance to shine as all these little elements slowly join together and work to enhance the entire piece and assist in our understanding of Shigaraki.

Coupling with these devices, Kitten's sense of pacing also allows gifts the piece an added sense of storytelling as it controls exactly how we read along. The use of varied sentences both slows us down, forcing to focus in on the more poignant details littered within the piece, while the longer sentences are used for almost film-like descriptions offering us beautiful lines such as: 'They wanted him to give them a genesis. When Tomura craved Revelation'.

Of course, this piece isn't finished without that beautiful twisting end. With the entire piece dedicated to the intricacies of Shigaraki's person, the ending gives us another element of his character. His submission to Reader and how this then alters and expands his personality is a beautiful flourish to expand him once and for all – and when counted beside that wonderful line: 'But I'm ready to worship now'.

Tomura was lucky, although most would say that he was anything but. 

Unlucky was far more fitting for the young man who lived more tragedies before the age of eight than most lived in entire lifetimes or more. 

Yet still he finds himself at twenty, sitting on a throne way up high, with a sizable army that would bend to his will at the drop of a hat. 

And it only cost him two fingers. 

None of the food, riches, or power compared to his most regarded prize that was given to him. No they all pale in comparison.

A sleeve to be used if he wished but he saw you as more than something that brought relief or euphoria, he saw you as something brighter, better. 

Reminding him of a word he long since abandoned just as it abandoned him. Neglected him. When all he ever wanted was to spread it to the world before the itching just beneath his skin came forth. Forced from his fingertips moments after a resounding slap and an apology from his only sibling.

And it never stopped. The itching, worse and worse each day growing like a beast as it slithers under his skin like a snake. It's scales shed between his nerve endings constantly reminding him that his blunt and cracked nails could do nothing to stop the itch. Not until it was gone. 

Until it was all gone.

Even with the comfort or discomfort, depending on the day, of his family reaching out and yet holding him back, there was only one thought behind those raw ruby eyes. 

Scratch the itch. 

Scratch the itch. 

S̴̛͍̍̿͗̓̑̃c̴̪͑͑ŕ̷̨̛̫̝͓̰͓͙̲̏ͅa̷̢̛̱͚̗̙̣̳͗͂̃̐́̚͝t̸̨̻̗̜̑̍̀͒̀̂̽̅̓c̴͍̖̻̹̣͔̠̿̆͊͛̍͜͝ḧ̴̨̯̪̲̥̱͉́̍̍̽̅̄͝ ̶̀̓��͎͍̖͉̔̌̀̅͠t̵̞͍̋̉̂͋̀͐́͘̚͠h̸̰̠͕̥̜͍̑̀̃̊̀͑̕e̷̼͇̠̭̅̈͛̃͜ ̵̨̱̩̪͍̀̿̒̽͐͗͠ỉ̵̤̬̳̝̈́̃͐͂̍͊͝͝t̷̛̮̫̀͑̄̾c̸̡̢̖̳̃̊̿̃̾h̷̢͉̰̺̩̯͚͈̗̟̾

It wasn't love at first sight, oh no Shigaraki Tomura knew there was no such thing as love. Twisted sure, manipulative absolutely but true? 

Never. 

Love was as real as any hero or God that he begged to save him when he was nothing more than a street rat to society. 

There was only one emotion that stood true and resounded through his bones. 

Hate. 

A hate that burned so hot it was cold and pulled at the lids of his scarred eyes until everything was seen through a gaze of sheer boredom at best and at worst, when his eyes would widen and all he could see was what the world really was. 

Vile, cruel, and dark. 

Disgusting. 

And so it all deserved to r o t.

It would, by his touch, decay so fast it would be nothing more than ash on his calloused pads and then, only then would he be comforted by the scratch that rakes its nails into his sinew, driving grooves into his bones. 

Then your fingers touched him, your skin against his and for a moment the beast inside him quieted, the itching stopped. Your pretty voice, small, meek, uttering such a pretty name that it made his pulse quicken. 

Beat faster than he'd ever imagined and it only worsened. His condition changed quickly but his goal never wavering. His gaze still dull, filled with disinterest until it landed upon you and then his bloody gaze would come to life. Softening just so and under the silvery rays of the moon you'd think they were gems, pulled from the earth and polished just for you. 

Only for you. 

Little did you know how true that hopeful thought of yours was. Clouding over his desire to scratch with your soft smile and encouraging words, singing praises over something as small as him finishing his soup.

His grip on you tightens, fingers digging into the fat of your hips as you sit on his lap, both of you looking over the throng of people. He resists the urge to place his nose in your throat as he leans closer. 

"Let's go somewhere quieter." He husks in your ear barely heard over the chanting that came from below. 

SHIGARAKI SHIGARAKI SHIGARAKI 

They weren't saying his name right. They never did, yelling out the syllables as spittle collected in the corner of their lips. As if he were their savoir when there was no such thing. 

They wanted him to give them a Genesis. 

When Tomura craved Revelation. 

It angered him, made his fingers twitch, made his nails dig into the deep groves at his throat or under his eye where he was sure to draw blood if your soft, delicate hands hadn't grabbed his wrist and stopped him. 

Guiding you where you think will be your shared room, he made it clear that it was your space as well despite the members of the liberation army hissing at you to keep quiet and wet for him. 

You hadn't expected the softness he showed you, hadn't expected him to leave you untouched despite your advances even after several months of your living with him, even when you pressed against him and you felt his cock swell he would hiss and gently move you to his liking. 

Right to his lap, as if it were your throne, and he would read to you, gravely voice in your ear barely above a whisper, and it never failed to put you to sleep. 

He takes you out of the stuffy hideout into the cool brisk air, shedding his jacket and threading your arms through the fur lined coat before looping his pinky through yours as he guided you to God knows where. Checking over his shoulder once to make sure you were were still there. 

As if you wouldn't follow him through the hell's fire and back, he didn't even have to ask. Just loop his long slender finger through yours. 

The walk is easy enough although long but the stars and moonlight keep you company before the light pollution from the nearby neighborhoods bleed into the wilderness and old cracked streets. 

Abandoned buildings sprinkled between the stretched out branches of trees long since gone, suffocated by a society that demanded near rows outlined by concrete and tar. 

Winking between the sparse branches was an old, small building with a tall steeple. The windows boarded up and the few that weren't  glimmered in dusty reds, faded yellowes and dirty whites, jagged as much as the white haired man's eyes. 

Soon it is obvious he knows this place like the back of his hand, an old refuge it seems. Squeezing your fingers with his before he gently lets go. Looking at you softly before he gives you his back, brushing away some fallen foliage and damp leaves to reveal a cellar door. One he yanks open with ease and he cannot help the satisfied smirk as he thinks about how heavy that wood was when he was much smaller than he is now. 

Taking the first step down while holding out his gloved hand to you. Steadying you as you descend into the darkness without worry or fear, only seeing his two red eyes glowing as if they were your only light and to you they were. 

Four steps down, five steps up and the two of you are at the alter that looks out over old prews. Linen thrown about in an attempt to protect the wood and relics that decorate the hall as if they one day had hoped to return to this place of worship. 

Tomura finds it laughable, those people made up their minds the second they took one look back at this place, that they were going to leave it. 

Abandon it. 

And Tomura found comfort in the fact that even places as profound and sacred as the Church were left to rot into nothing. To be swallowed whole by the ground. 

Earth to Earth,

Ashes to ashes, 

Dust to dust

The only thing Tomura didn't believe in was the "certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life." 

Hope. 

That's the word he abandoned in this place when the bibles and hymnals promised salvation but nothing came. 

No one came. 

Shimura Tenko died a long, long time ago. 

In this very spot. 

Yet when he turns to you, when he comes closer and sees the stars and moon dancing in your eyes as if they were envious of you, his brows furrow. His grip tightens and his chest seems to shrink while his heart swells in great agony. 

Hope, love, these were things he had let go of, things he let die. 

Yet resurrection seems to sit upon your lips, eternal life making your eyes aglow and salvation must be hidden between your thighs. 

"This was once my sanctuary. I didn't believe in gods or deities." He comes closer, gently tilting your chin up towards him as he looks at you with a light, with a hunger, you've never seen before, his gravelly voice echoes in the chill of the hall. His lips inches from yours. 

"But I'm ready to worship now."

@cwtomura because let's be honest, I write him for you 🖤 I know it's mellow dramatic and overly poetic but I hope you like it 🥺

[eskumii]

yandere!incel!tomura shigaraki + foreigner!darling who can't speak japanese

TITLE: " RENT-A-GF " — navi.

NOTES: nsfw (18+ only) below the cut (non-con!! somnophilia!!) reminder: this is merely fantasy, i don't condone. will prob proofread someday lol. enjoy!

PAIRING: yandere!incel!shigaraki tomura x foreinger!reader

GENRE/AU: shigaraki is rlly misogynistic and delusional, age gap (you're older), reader is a substitute english teacher who got kidnapped by bwad gwuys and is now... yeah

CHARACTERS: shigaraki tomura (21), reader (24)

let's be for real: shigaraki was born to be an incel.

and incel!shigaraki is shamelessly self-aware of this, indeed. when he's not out terrorizing innocent citizens with his villainous coups, he takes to the internet to fulfill his insatiable need for an adrenaline rush. gorey video games and brutal death metal makes him light up in glee, but sometimes it's just not enough.

so, instead, he's a frequent on the dark web, diligently scouring sites that specialize in obscure female porn collectives that cater to his twisted kinks. incel!shigaraki glowers at the pictures of stupid, slutty women who prance around in sexy lingerie, but still gets a hard-on because he wishes he had a woman who would do that for him and him only.

and what shigaraki wants, he gets. on another sweaty night in his dark bedroom, he's boredly clicking through the hundreds of entries of women who are being sold for, what he thinks, too high of a price. not that money would ever be a problem for him; if he felt compelled to, he could just kidnap the girl he wanted all over again. so, no, it's not the price—it's what he thinks they're worth based on his attraction to them.

and, so far, all of them are worthless.

you see, the conundrum is that incel!shigaraki has a thing for foreign girls. don't ask why, he doesn't know. maybe he finds it cute that they're so clueless about his culture and language, and he's the one who'll control the narrative that rules their ignorance. maybe it's so cute how they wear their perpetual confusion on their face at all times, like a bratty kid who can't navigate the world without mommy or daddy by their side.

of course, though, women could hardly do anything on their own anyway. every time he came across one they'd wail and cry as he grabbed them by the hair and threatened to kill them if they didn't shut the hell up. they'd beg for their lives or scream for someone to save them, but it would only piss him off more at how useless and brainless they tended to be. he just couldn't help but decay them—they were so noisy and whiny, it wasn't his fault.

obviously, shigaraki has neither patience nor experience with women. in fact, he can probably count with two fingers how many times he's had a non-violent interaction with a woman in his entire lifetime. the mere thought of this drives his insecurities to the brink of rage, but it's not his fault women are so unbelievably tasteless in their choice of men. it's their fault he has to go to such lengths to find a decent woman worthy of his presence.

but imagine his delight when he happens upon a listing of you, an immediately attractive foreign woman who used to be an english substitute teacher of all things. he clicks through your pictures with a renewed vigor, his interest piqued as he studies your unique features. eagerly, he scours through your posted information and it turns out that you happen to be exactly the kind of woman he's looking for.

it's a done deal. the transaction takes less than a few minutes and incel!shigaraki couldn't be more pleased with how smoothly it went. he'll have to leave a good review later on, when and if the woman he's just bought has satisfied him.

it takes just one night before shigaraki finds you literally dropped off at his doorstep like an amazon prime package. you’ve clearly been pampered with the way you’re clad in a skimpy maid outfit; your nails, hair, and makeup are all dolled to perfection. you look exactly like you did in the pictures.

and clearly you're wise beyond your years. you don't speak much because of the obvious language barrier, but you do seem to understand a bit of elementary japanese. shigaraki is delighted by your small mutterings of broken japanese—it’s unbelievably cute. sometimes he'll force you to speak in japanese just because he loves watching you struggle with your limited vocabulary.

incel!shigaraki gets attached to you. you're very attractive in his eyes, and he's completely ecstatic that you're all his. a woman he can do whatever he wants with, and no one would dare question him. the immense power trip sends him over the edge.

that being said, the first couple of weeks are still rather... awkward. you're not happy about being in the situation you're in, but you're smart enough to keep that to yourself. you don't fuss when shigaraki orders you to fetch him liquor or tidy up his filthy room, nor do you complain when he commands you to cuddle with him or keep him company while he plays video games.

"[name], c'mere," he'd bark at you, eyes still glued to the tv screen.

"be a good girl and keep my lap warm, hm?"

he'll force you to wear cute lingerie sets like he's seen the women on porn sites do. somehow you look so much better though, and it feels as though you're teasing him with the way you bend over so much while cleaning. the outline of your pussy through the small fabric that stretches over it has him horny in a matter of seconds. you're such a tease, aren't you ashamed? you just can't seem to stay in line.

however, despite all your obvious sexual innuendos towards him, shigaraki gets no relief. he's resorted to jacking off whenever you go to sleep but no matter how hard or how much he cums, there's an itch that can't be scratched with masturbation alone. and the way you're so shy around him is adorable, sure, but your little playing-hard-to-get act wasn't cutting it anymore.

the remedy? incel!shigaraki starts slipping sleeping pills into your food and drinks.

and it doesn't take long for shigaraki to develop a routine of visiting you while you're sleeping. partly to check up on you and assure himself of your presence, but mostly to creep around the edges of the bed and feel you up. you sleep so soundly that you don't even twitch when he fondles your soft breasts or runs his spindly fingers over your curves.

he almost doesn't want to disturb you; you look so peaceful, totally different than the frightened little faces you muster when you're awake. but the bothersome tightness stretching his boxers taut against its stitches makes it hard to resist his urges. anyway, you're simply doing the only thing a woman is good for: using your body to please him.

his breath is hot and heavy, laced with lust and selfish perversion as he defiles you to get himself off. some nights he just sits and admires your beauty, caressing your face with clumsy, inexperienced fingertips. some nights your shirt is pulled up so he can marvel at how nicely your breasts sit in whatever color bra he forced you to wear.

other nights his cock is nestled between them, thrusting like his life depends on it, chasing that euphoric high he gets when he finally spills his seed across your hardening nipples. and other nights shigaraki is even more daring—cute pajama pants and panties below your knees, face buried between your thighs as he explores every inch of your sweet cunt. he knows it's wrong, but so what? he's a villian, that's what makes it feel so right.

when you make faces in your sleep, he's filled with so much genuine affection—it's almost as if you're telling him he's doing a good job. you love it, don't you? he so desperately wants to hear you cry his name in that precious accent of yours and run your hands through his hair as you lavish your praise upon him for making you cream so many times.

he can't keep his eyes off you. so soft and compliant. you're so pretty while he's stuffing his cock into you and relentlessly flicking your little clit, not stopping even when he feels you clench around him like a vice as you orgasm over and over. not stopping even though you're drooling all over the linen sheets and he's came twice already.

"that's right... y-you gonna cum again? you gonna—ngh—cum all over my cock, you dumb whore?"

shigaraki watches with glassy, intrigued eyes as you squirm ever so slightly, face warped into one of undeniable pleasure as he ravages your gushing pussy. you're such a good girl for him, letting him use you as he wishes.

you're the woman he's chosen to give his virginity to. he's so happy and content that when he cums inside of you for the third time, he doesn't pull out. instead, shigaraki gently maneuvers your body so he can spoon you from behind, whispering tender "i love you's" as if he knows what that means. absently grinding his hips because your warmth is so comforting around his sticky, softening dick.

as much as shigaraki wants to stay and pound you into the mattress all night, the sleeping medication doesn't last forever. not to mention the mess you've made; the sheets are completely ruined and your clothes are strewn about on the floor, long forgotten. it's hot in your room and it stinks of his cum and sweat, but it doesn't really matter. the only thing on his mind is you and how he'll ruin you again tomorrow night.

for now, though, he rewards you for being so good by cleaning you up, smirking whenever you unconsciously nuzzle up to his touch. when your clothes are back on, he plants a tender kiss on your forehead and admires your flushed face from the shadows of your bedside. when the sun begins to rise and you stir in your ignorance, he'll sneak out and act as if nothing ever happened.

incel!shigaraki who doesn't deny that you're just another stupid slutty woman, but you're the only woman he'll ever want to cum inside of. when he returns to his room, he remembers to pull up your archived listing on his computer and dazedly taps away at his keyboard.

"10/10 recommend"

[hatsukeii]

Today I'm thinking about...haikyuu + other anime characters who think you're just a little too sweet for them.

warning(s): nothing LOL you're safe with me again today!!

To them, life should be lived silently, like slipping between cracks that emerge amidst the lives of others. Their presence is fleeting, manifesting as a helping hand in a crowded hallway that is never seen again, a coffee order that is forgotten after the next few customers, a glossary that is skimmed through once, then never looked at a second time. A presence that you know for certain was here once before, but have nothing to show for it. When you grace their life for the first time, maybe in a library, or a bakery, perhaps a coffee shop, it is as fleeting as a comet that zips across a night sky, your presence escaping from between the seams of their own life the way they do to others. A glance shared between the gaps of leathery bookends, the dropping of change in their hand, the calling out of their name for their black coffee order. He finds eternity in the gleam of your irises, the clink of coins as they fall from your hand, the sugar that leaks from their name in your mouth. You find solace in the darkness of their tired eyes, the wrinkles and calluses in the palm that collects change, the grainy, sultry earth that echoes in their thank yous. They return to the libraries, and bakeries, and coffee shops day after day, hoping to bask in the sweetness of whatever you do and say again, mellowing out pools of black caffeine with mugs of syrup and milk, neat whiskey with crisp ice, balancing the earthy, soiled ground with a star-studded night sky. They change their order from an Americano to your recommended latte, smile at you from the opening created between books on a shelf, treat themselves to a small cake once every so often along with their usual purchase of plain bread. And when you finally chat them up one day, a wink flashing across your face as you slide your number to them on a doodled-over sticky-note across the counter, or thread it through hardbacks on a shelf, or palm their hand sneakily as you hand them change, their presence becomes an engraving on the spine of a book, a coffee stain in a worn out mug, the lingering decadence of mousse and cake that dances on their tongue, impatient for the next taste. They are a bitter canister of brewed tea, a hollow body and soul worn down by the trials of life. You are a shot of espresso in the afternoon sun, golden daylight peeking through half-lidded blinds, honey in your veins and prosperous life in your eyes. Perhaps your sweetness could accomodate for two.

Characters: Kageyama Tobio, Tsukishima Kei, Kenma Kozume, Iwaizumi Hajime, Aone Takanobu, Akaashi Keiji, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Shirabu Kenjiro, Osamu Miya, Nanami Kento, Geto Suguru, Maki Zenin, Yuuta Okkotsu but specifically after training in Africa and coming back to Shibuya, Megumi Fushiguro, Aki Hayakawa, Kishibe, Shouta Aizawa, Hitoshi Shinso, Shouto Todoroki, Tomura Shigaraki

author's note:

be honest chat do i post like a scary amount and does it get annoying </3 i have too many ideas when i should be studying for externals in two months but i DON'T CARE i need to rest for like the next week after that trials period

i had hozier's too sweet in mind with this one and i initially wanted to do like just nanami but UGH too many characters work with this i can't DO ITTTTT so i made it a general drabble EE

anyways tags!!

@chuuya-brainrot @starlysama @catsoupki @fiannee @bailey-reeds @akaakeis @hiraethwa

ok bye bye until the next one which will be soon LMFAO love u all

[buttercupshands]

Chapter 419 Analysis or "How to completely break Tenko Shimura" a manipulative guide from All For One (part 1)

This is mainly a character analysis of Shigaraki Tomura or Shimura Tenko, any other character present is there to help.

Chapter 419 was hard to comprehend even with just summaries right on April 4th. Some things need at least fan translation to fully make sense. Or just hurt more in that matter.

Warning of spoilers to the whole manga to the point of chapter 419! All of the warnings from the respective Tomura chapters are applicable.

So like... mentions of death, killing other people, manipulation, emotional abuse and many more!

This is Part 1 - See Part 2 for something less depressing

This is going to be long! So let's start, shall we?

First of all we'll need to take into understanding ALL the chapters that we'll need to remember/reread just make this chapter worse (skip if already familiar with them):

Chapter 222 - Tomura Shigaraki: Distortion

Chapter 234 - Destruction Sense

Chapter 235 - Tenko Shimura: Origins

Chapter 236 - Tenko Shimura Origins, Part 2

Chapter 237 - Tomura Shigaraki: Origins

This is your "Tenko and Tomura understanding" starter pack, basically. Without them it's harder to even start unpacking what just happened with Tomura's perspective in mind

Well then.

The chapter starts and we are immediately greeted by AFO semi-agreeing without wanting to, that Tomura was strong enough before Izuku started trying "saving" him in his own way and even succeeded making Tenko's will all the more fragile than it was when he returned using his hate to his advantage.

Even after Izuku holding Tenko's hands for the whole chapter he was still stubborn enough to continue even without that hate in his heart

And the thing that initial summaries missed was the fact that Tomura actually reacted to AFO reapperance.

Still not understanding why AFO was even saying that.

Tenko was literally taught by AFO to follow "what he wants" in ch 237 with Tenko making his first decision to kill someone himself. And never actually hiding that Tomura just needed to never forget that hatred and those bad emotions that Tomura never really understood. And it took Izuku seconds to decipher them.

With AFO reassuring Tomura that he has no need in following morals of society and just should follow whatever he wants - his want to destroy everything that hurts him. And only AFO would accept and help him. He was constantly reminded of that.

Even if Tenko was feeling sick from killing at first, even if hands that he wore were still making him sick 15 years later without him understanding anything. Decisions made while person is emotional are usually the ones that the person might regret the most and Tomura lived with those unstable emotions for years. Knowing that they hurt him and make him feel sick.

But Sensei said that it's okay to follow those emotions. That's it's actually great that he does it.

Everything was for his sake, everything was for Tomura Shigaraki and Tomura Shigaraki only. He was his Sensei's successor and no one should argue with it. He's the only one to be next ruler of the underground and the next king. And Tomura gladly accepted that as truth.

Since it was easier than facing his guilt.

Because AFO just needed Tomura to have enough willpower to get OFA when the plan is ready. To make Gigantomachia to follow him while Garaki was watching knowing full well how the plan is going. Both knowing full well that Tomura is still holding himself back.

In this chapter however we finally see how all of the things AFO told and taught Tenko were just to make him so sure that HE was in control and allowed to do whatever he wants to completely break his worldview in the end "after he gets OFA" which is an unreachable goal now since OFA is gone for good.

By just saying that Tenko never had any choice to begin with.

Tomura already knew that AFO manipulated him and he was just a pawn, needed only to get OFA and piss off All-Might he accepted and embraced it as something unimportant. It was his choice and he was free to do it and not feel bad about it. Since he's born to destroy.

Until suddenly it wasn't just his life after Decay that was manipulated.

But his whole life from birth. Just because AFO didn't get his hands on Hana sooner and she was happy while AFO needed someone hurt and broken. And Shimura's household wasn't as bad as he needed it to be at first with Kotaro loving his children, wife, in-laws and even his mother.

And AFO destroyed it by creating so much conflict and even going out of his way to make sure Tenko's father knew that he was playing heroes with some kids. And even saved them by putting his own quirkless life in danger.

In some sense narrator-Tomura's words at the end of ch 236 still might hold true. AFO didn't just create his hate out of nowhere, to make it feel like even if Tenko remembers everything it's still he's doing not a villain appearing, not just some accident that it actually was.

Although AFO doesn't say anything about people who didn't help Tenko even though he he knew that it happened so he most probably was watching it happen until Tenko lost all hope entirely to finaly make him dependent on his help.

And he succeeded for the most part.

Tomura was making an assumption after he remembered everything that he "must've been yearning for that" and from that point onwards explains everything that happened as "I wanted it - I did it" and was clinging to it like a lifeline to explain everything.

He accepted that if Re-Destro is talking about his Decay quirk affecting him he exists only to destroy.

And now it seems he found a false motivation for himself that AFO created by cruely manipulating everything from his quirk to his family. Making him believe he had a hand in it. Breaking one of "safe" truths that Tomura never doubted. They only made his decisions feel right.

Which makes that a hopeless loop of broken memories being staged just to let Tenko become Tomura who hates and destroys everything believing that it's his choice. Only choice at that.

And if destroying is him only choice because of his quirk... then what can a quirkless person do while having so many people dead from his own hands? Hands that were literally cursed to have destruction quirk in them not because he was born to do it. But because his own Sensei wanted that.

And he's "unwavering heart" is now nothing but an illusion that was destroyed by both Izuku and AFO together.

There's no "Can I be a Hero?", because can he even be a Villain if most of the choices that were from Decay and the hatred in his heart weren't actually his own?

[rueclfer]

☽ requests masterlist ☾

main masterlist

thanks for requesting + reading <3

izuku midoriya

study dates // smau study dates part two // smau

katsuki bakugou

rockstar boyfriend // hc housemates // moodboard + hc sharing a wall in the dorms // smau ego death part one // smau ego death part two // smau girl's night // smau one hit wonder // smau home base // smau strike out // smau

shouto todoroki

depollute me // smau send me your location // smau

eijiro kirishima

bitches can't say excuse me // smau don't scroll up // smau me next // smau fake dating // smau red means i love you // smau

sero hanta

living next door // smau spin the bottle // smau

tenya iida

do our best // smau call it fate // smau

shinsou hitoshi

getting ready // smau so, coffee? // smau light it for me // smau change your life // smau

neito monoma

band for band // smau

mirio togata

crushing // hc

shouta aizawa

on patrol // smau night shift // smau

hawks/keigo takami

putting in overtime // smau ask the intern // smau

dabi/touya todoroki

pull me through // fic open up the door // fic sweat it out // oneshot be nice (or not) // oneshot drunk n' nasty // smau suns out, (b/g)uns out // smau jealous jealous jealous boy // smau fuck off fido // smau owe me one // smaulove to me // smau greened out // smau work and pleasure // smau in the next lifetime // smau doin' time // smau fuck around and find out // smau knife play // smau

tomura shigaraki/tenko shimura

meet cute part one // smau meet cute part two // smau + oneshot twilight zone // smau + oneshot

toga himiko

pretty girl(s) // smau

multi characters

it should've been me // smau (eijiro kirishima, katsuki bakugou, denki kaminari) i can be omw // smau (shinsou hitoshi, eijiro kirishima) take care of yourself // smau (sero hanta, shinsou hitoshi, denki kaminari) she's busy // smau (dabi, hawks, tomura shigaraki) fm babydaddy // smau (dabi, tomura shigaraki) gentle reminder // smau (katsuki bakugou, eijiro kirishima, izuku midoriya, denki kaminari)

[theshinazugawaslut]

𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑲𝑻𝑶𝑩𝑬𝑹 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 — 𝑬𝑺𝑯𝑨'𝑺 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻

/ this is my first time taking part of kinktober, if anyone has any ideas they'd also like to see, i'd be more than happy to add them. will be arranged into a proper masterlist soon!

Day One: - Shinazugawa Sanemi / Phone sex + voice kink / "Why'd You Only Ever Call Me When You're High?"

Day Two: - Katsuki Bakugo / face fucking + brat taming - Shigaraki Tomura / tentacle sex - Sanemi Shinazugawa / forced proximity

Day Three: - Shoto Todoroki / temperature play + praise kink - Sukuna Ryomen / bathing - Sanemi Shinazugawa / arranged marriage + fae

Day Four: - Muzan Kibutsuji / sex work + oiran - Shinazugawa Sanemi / vampire + longing - Sanemi Shinazugawa / ghost + haunted house

Day Five: - Shinazugawa Sanemi / omegaverse + scent kink - Katsuki Bakugo / werewolf + chasing and hunting - Aizawa Shota / villain roleplay + choking

Day Six: - Michikatsu Tsugikuni / vore + endless hunger + demon transformation / "I have been hungry." - Gyutaro Shabana / overstimuation + hand job - Sanemi Shinazugawa / piercing

Day Seven: - Levi Ackerman / virginity loss - Shigaraki Tomura / yandere and mind break - Sanemi Shinazugawa / somnophilia

Day Eight: - Kai Chisaki / medical roleplay - Izuku Midoriya / mutual masturbation + restraints/bondage - Sanemi Shinazugawa / dacryphilia

Day Nine: - Katsuki Bakugo / anal sex - Dabi / thigh fucking - Sanemi Shinazugawa / titty fucking

Day Ten: - Toga Himiko / face-sitting + squirting + blood - Keigo Takami / double pentration + bondage + praise kink + degradation kink + breeding - Sanemi Shinazugawa / yandere + paraphilic infantilism (treating/dressing someone like a child)

Day Eleven: - Shigaraki Tomura / Sex Tapes + Humiliation + Blackmailing - Sanemi Shinazugawa / dark fantasy + non-con

Day Twelve: - Douma / Vore + Period Sex - Isaac Foster / Predator-Prey + Murder + dubious consent + amokoscisia (mutiliation of women) - Sanemi Shinazugawa / teratophilia (deformed or monstrous people) + dark fantasy + reality/dream warp + mind break

Day Thirteen: - Shoto Todoroki / stalker + begging + delusional + needy - Hantengu clones / foursome + over stimulation - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Sanemi fucking a doll he made of you

Day Fourteen: - Touya Todoroki / 'Hate Sex' + loss of virginity + drunk sex - Uzui and his wives / free use - Sanemi Shinazugawa

Day Fifteen: - Kagaya Ubuyashiki / aphrodiasics - Muzan / necrophilia - Sanemi Shinazugawa

Day Sixteen: - Kagaya Ubuyashiki / CEO + exhibitionism + dick sucking - Sukuna Ryomen / party games + cockwarming + young love - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Goddess + agalmatophilia

Day Seventeen: - Touya Todoroki / Hades and Persphone + dubious consent + religous symbolism - Sanemi Shinazugawa / shower sex + lazy sex - Sanemi Shinazugawa / siren

Day Eighteen: - Shigaraki Tomura / Emetophilia (vomitting) - Sukuna / Exhibitionism + Sex slavery (of sorts) + Stockholm Syndrome - Sanemi Shinazugawa / hand fetish + lactophilia (breast milk)

Day Nineteen: - Genya / voyeurism + humiliation - Dabi / best friend's brother + forbidden love + tension - Sanemi Shinazugawa / cock and ball torture

Day Twenty: - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Courting Death / Grim Reaper AU + Suicide + Psychotic

Day Twenty One: - Cop!Sanemi / gunplay + brat taming + spanking + caning - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Wife Becomes a Man / Anal Sex (Nemi!Recieving)

Day Twenty Two: - Dabi / Delusion + yandere - Katsuki Bakugo / Barbarian King / feeding + stuffing + size kink + cock bulge - Sanemi Shinazugawa / orgasm denial

Day Twenty Three: - Genya / Mummy Kink - Sabito / treating you right kink - Sanemi Shinazugawa / pregnancy kink

Day Twenty Four: - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Son of Snow White x Daughter of the Evil Queen - Dabi / Beauty and the Beast AU

Day Twenty Five: - Muzan / Humiliation + Master/Slave  - Uppermoons / Gloryhole + Cum inflation -- Sanemi Shinazugawa / monster fucking 

Day Twenty Six: - Dabi / character study (doesnt want to end up like his parents but does worse) + branding + mafia + knife play + daddy kink + infantalisation - Sanemi Shinazugawa / lingerie + fisting 

Day Twenty Seven: - Izuku Midoriya / collars + sensory deprivation

Day Twenty-Eight: - Shoto Todoroki / soft sex + praise kink + bulging - Rengoku Kyojuro / loss of virginity + arranged marriage + passion - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Popstar!GF x Stylist!Sanemi 

Day Twenty-Nine: - Muzan Kibutsuji / CEO + Blackmailing + Classism - Mitsuri Kanroji / pillow princess + secret lesbianism + misogyny

Day Thirty:  - Sanemi Shinazugawa / doggy style - Ultraviolence / toxic!BF Katsuki - Sanemi / Loud + dick riding + gagging Sanemi

Day Thirty One: - Levi Ackerman / Quiet sex + Semi public  - Kai Chisaki / Brat taming + Corrective Dubcon - Sanemi Shinazugawa / Body Worship + First time + "I made you feel this good?"

[luffythinker]

Thought of something kinda fucked up about trans Shigaraki cause I wanna talk about gender so bad it's an interesting topic for me. I DONT MEAN THIS IN A LIKE TERRIBLE WAY I mean this in a character growth way? Level with me I'm not being weird or any sort of phobic please.

What if All for one gaslit Shigaraki about his gender?

Since he created him from the start he manipulated his life into something he could control but he had no control over Shigaraki being born a female and looking exactly like Nana down to her black hair and mole and this fucking scared him lol.

All For One, seeing Shigaraki's resemblance to Nana Shimura, so once he gets his hands on him he convinces Shigaraki that being male is essential to their success and power. This manipulation helps All For One control Shigaraki's identity and distance him from his Nana further never even giving him the chance, the only chance he had was when his sister showed him the picture but at that point Hana and Tenko were sisters

All For One could instilled in Shigaraki from a young age the belief that men are inherently superior in strength and capability, manipulating Shigaraki's perception of gender roles which is really fucked up but I'll get to a point later where this is better

All For One's teachings could be reinforced by traumatic experiences, such as punishing Shigaraki for any behavior or appearance that he deems "feminine," further cementing the idea that being male is safer and more powerful. All For One pushing him to suppress any and all femininity, cause kids dont know anything about gender, a little kid will pick up and play with anything, a doll or a toy car kids only see people. So AFO makes him associate being "female" with weakness and failure. And we cant have that if we wanna destroy the world can we?

This whole situation creates a rich vein of internal conflict, leading to moments of self-doubt, body dysphoria, ect of the sort. PROBABLY SELF HARM? Not just the scratching my poor child *hugs Shig*

Now, Shigaraki gets with the league, AFO isn't here after Kamino incident to power on these things though its ingrained in his brain. The league is the safe haven that allows Shigaraki to explore his gender, Magne,Toga,Dabi girls and boys working in the same team and neither of them are more or less important then the other. Kurogiri took care of Shig and having Oboro as a base made Kurogiri not wanna make Shigaraki do these things cause Oboro is an alley as much as Mic and Aizawa are and he took that with him in the Nomu-afactation process, he never enjoyed forcing Shigaraki to present as Male and is now given the opportunity to let Shigaraki be whatever he wants, hes not going to stop him, he'll encourage him cause he is the safe parent.

Shigaraki getting ok with himself presenting as Male or Non binary, Magne telling him where he could get top surgery if he wants it , Himiko sharing her gender story with him. Dabi telling Shigaraki women can kick just as much ass as a dude maybe even more, look at Mirko lol

the league just being supportive HAPPY FAMILY :) a very safe place for Shigaraki

And since we are ShigaHaul, Overhaul body worshiping Shigaraki durning spicy times. Kissing his chest (breast or chest scars depending which route we take) Overhaul servicing Shigaraki the first time they ever do it and telling him everything he needs to/should hear. Shigaraki is crying the whole time from pleasure and the conformation. Maybe, I peg Shigaraki as having a lot of pent up emotionalness so when he starts crying he can't stop himself.

Was listening to Bryce savage - inside of her head while i was writing this, hope you can understand what I was going for here wasn't trying to be weird with this sorry 😔🙏

No need to be sorry, I think there always needs to be a space to explore gender in all the ways it might happen, while I agree this route is a bit dark I love the way it ends on a positive trans-affirming note!! Also, fiction is a really good place to make up scenarios on how certain experiences could go, cause what you described here might as well be an allegory for what trans people can feel like in a society that constantly tries to tell them they are wrong or less for being who they are (especially for women, cis or trans)

But getting into the scenario, I can see AFO doing that, weaponizing gender for his own selfish goals and needs is just something a master manipulator would do. This leads to Shigaraki always feeling like he's lacking both as a vessel and as a man, we could even look at his fight with Star and Stripe with new eyes having this scenario in mind, cause he wants to be perfect so bad, he wants to hold AFO and be the best, but he might see as him proving that he is a man, that he finally achieve what his sensei wanted for him.

And thinking about him existing without AFO and getting closer to the LOV could be a really transformative experience for him because it shatters the view he built (or rather it was built for him) of gender and what gender roles look like. I think this could end with him being non-binary because he just feels like he is never gonna be one or the other and would rather exist in the in-between. He gets top surgery cause his breasts were always a point of discomfort and dysphoria, and is relieved to realize he actually feels good without them.

SHIGAHAUL IN THE AREAAAA this got me thinking of service top overhaul.... he would adore tomura's body during sex and aftercare, he takes his time worshipping every inch of it, and i agree with you that shigaraki is not a crier by any means but when it happens it takes hours to fully stop!!

I did not know the song but i just listened to it and it fits this shigaraki so much :')

[tired-teacher-blog]

Your game or mine

Characters : Shigaraki Tomura/ Fem reader

Warnings and Genre : NSFW/ 18+/ Breast Play (reader is having fun with Shiggy's tiddies)/ Dry Humping/ Mating Press/ Cream Pie/ Squirting/ A Hint Of Fluff/ One Shot

Notes : This is your fault @fictionfordays 🤤

Banner by @/cafekitsune

Masterlist|Second Masterlist

_ "Cut it out already, can't you see I'm a little busy at the moment?" and he wasn't even looking up from his phone as he groaned his displeasure with your advances.

_ "But I'm bored! And you've been playing that stupid game for hours now." your whines were falling on deaf ears as he ignored you completely to get back to the mission ahead.

You sat up, crossing your arms over your chest and pouting in disapproval, how could he possibly focus on anything else after you've put in the effort to look irresistible to him? Was he truly unaware of your intentions? Even after crawling on top of him in a new sexy lingerie set that hugged your luscious body perfectly? Or did the phone glued to his face absorb the last few brain cells he had left?

No matter the reason, you've never been one to give in easily, and so..

_ "Alright do as you wish sweetheart, play your game, and I'll play mine." the smirk lacing your words was invisible to him, and the mindless "uh-huh" spilling from his lips, proved that he wasn't even listening.

You studied his sprawled out frame once more; comfortably sinking into the plush mattress underneath himself while crumpling the soft bedsheets with each little move he made.

Your eyes lingered on his bare flexing pecs, pale skin covering the protruding muscles beneath, and pink perky nipples begging to be touched.

You bit back a threatening moan as your gaze traveled down to his yet meek bulge, knowing all too well that one small caress would be enough to bring it to life.

However, he was clearly playing hard to get, so why not see how long he could resist?

You positioned yourself on his soft cock, neglecting the flimsy fabric of both undergarments separating you, and relishing the sudden flinch escaping him when you slowly rolled your hips.

_ "Y.. you're going to make me lose." his resolve was clearly faltering against your approaches, but his eyes were still fixed on the video game ahead.

_ "Oh I'm sorry love, I'll be more careful." you feigned innocence as soft giggles escaped your throat, placing your palms flat on his firm abdomen and trailing them up until you reached his chiseled bust.

You licked your lips and clutched onto the bulging muscles, giving him one teasing squeeze before relaxing your hold again.

Nothing yet, except for a suspicious tremble appearing under your fingertips. It was undeniably working.

You ran a finger along the deep valley of his chest, rolling your hips slowly on his awakening cock and smirking victoriously as he failed to conceal a frustrated groan.

_ "If I lose.. damnit.. I'll make you pay." he hissed gloomily, fingers still tapping away on his phone's screen while his body was getting more and more restless underneath you.

Any other person would be terrified hearing the symbol of fear rasping those words, but not you.

_ "We'll see about that Tenko." yes, definitely not you.

Your hands groped his godly breasts once more, kneading his flesh greedily before leaning in to lick a perfect stripe leading to his quivering throat where you sucked a bright mark.

_ "Fuck.." the word vibrated under your lips as it left him, and you were uncertain if it was due to your actions or the mobile game he was invested in. Regardless, you were having loads of fun on your own.

Your wet kisses traveled downward to join your hands and cover every inch of delicious skin encountered, you were eager –starved even– as your warm tongue sneaked out to flick on his cherry blossom pink teats.

Your hips moved a little faster on top of him, and your giggles resonated across the dimly lit room when he shallowly met your thrusts.

_ "Seems like I'm winning." you slurred between soft nibbles on his plumpness, peering under your lashes to witness the whitening knuckles as he gripped the device tighter.

He was fully erect by then, you could tell –you can always tell– and it was only a matter of moments for him to drop the pathetic charade and give you the attention you so much craved.

Your warm greedy maw engulfed one of his nipples, sucking on the hard nub like a thirsty little kitten while your fingers played with the other; flicking, pinching, ranking your nails over the prickled skin until he no longer could keep his aloofness.

You weren't done though, disregarding the hand leaving his phone to grip your hair as you switched your teasing mouth to the other teat. But all of a sudden, an alarming sound flared up to replace the rhythmic tunes of the game and announce your man's failed mission to clear the level..

_ "Alright, that's it!" was all he snarled out before placing the gadget onto the bedside table and grabbing your hips roughly to roll you on your back and hover over your stunned frame.

You blinked in pure confusion, striving to wrap your head around the swift change of your positions as his looming figure sent shivers down your spine.

_ "I warned you didn't I?" he did, and it was time for you to receive a proper punishment.

He gripped the back of your knees and spread your legs apart, his crimson irises blazed with fervent emotions that you could not pinpoint, while yours shamelessly ogled the conspicuous damp spot on his boxer briefs, wondering if it was your creation or his, and maybe –just maybe– it was a little bit of both.

You gripped the rumpled bedsheets and braced yourself for what was coming as he hastily tucked your legs up and pressed them to your reddening ears, "that's better.." he chuckled darkly before lowering his underwear just enough for his rock hard shaft to spring back against his abdomen, a heavenly sight that forced your cunt to squeeze around nothing.

Your longing for him was clear as day, and his gleaming eyes held an intense desire as he glanced at you once more while pushing your panties to the side, before smearing the leaking head over your sensitive folds and finally easing himself into your welcoming heat.

Your eyes rolled back in absolute ecstasy, and his name left your lips in a broken murmur as he stretched you perfectly around him.

He gave you no chance to adjust, retrieving his length until only the tip was sheathed within you, before slamming his hips mercilessly against your own.

His pace was unforgiving from the get go, grazing your insides deliciously with every deep thrust he delivered.

_ "Eyes on me angel, show me that beautiful face of yours, come on." he demanded huskily, tightening his grip on your legs and pushing them further against your chest.

His strikes were deeper and harsher from that position, filling your senses with a pleasurable pain you so much adored.

You weren't going to last much longer and neither was he, your earlier teasing and playful behavior had lead you both closer to a certain release, "Tenko, don't stop!" and he didn't, pounding even harder into your core while chanting your name like a mantra.

Your heart hammered in your chest and a thrilling heat pooled in the pit of your belly as he pushed you roughly into the mattress, his bruising clutches and erratic hips announcing his own imminent orgasm.

_ "I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Tenko please!" you tensed up beneath him as you mewled a warning, bracing yourself for the inevitable shockwaves of pleasure that washed over you only a moment afterwards, and whimpering unintelligibly as you spasmed violently and gushed all over yourself and him, soaking the two of you in a clear warm spurt before going limp underneath his persistent thrusts.

_ "Amazing.." his eyes traveled between your spent body and the mess between yourselves, clenching his jaw and panting breathlessly while the obscene sloshing noises intensified as he ground on you, "fuck! I'm cumming too!"

You shakily grabbed on to his veiny arms and dug your nails into his pale skin, wordlessly pleading with him not to pull out before spilling every last drop inside of you, and thanking the heavens when he ultimately understood.

_ "I got it beautiful.. fuck.. I got it." a strained smirk appeared on his lips as he replied, sinking into your slippery cunt and kissing your cervix with every brutal snap of his hips, once.. twice.. thrice.. and then a final lunge before exuding his thick pearly load and coating your clenching gummy walls.

He finally pulled out of you, placing your tingly legs onto the stained bedsheets, and collapsing on top of you with a satisfied heave leaving his chest.

_ "We made a mess Tenko." your tired laughter stabbed at every fiber of your pained figure, but you were blissed out; being entangled with him while sharing a few joyful instances, forgetting everything outside of your room and pretending to be in a typical relationship with a typical man— even for a little while.. it was your own paradise.

_ "This was courtesy of you angel, and we'll have to do that again soon." a soft chuckle was lacing the muffled words tickling your shoulder, and a pair of eager lips trailed gentle kisses along your skin before nuzzling the curve of your neck.

Yes, your own paradise..

[kusatta]

𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 ?

feed me your finest foods / you want to consume love. literally. to cut it up with a knife, then stab it with your fork & eat it & let it gather in your belly. to know what it feels like inside of your mouth. & your grandmother always showed it best - food is love is food is love. this is emotion, but represented in a way you understand. a way that you can relate to &, again, consume. it is temporary, but essential. we eat to live, & then we love, but that part can get confusing. but we eat, we all eat. & you might not be able to say ' i love you ' in words, but if someone brings you a pie, you can cut yourself a slice & swallow it down & tell them that it tastes really good. you can make sure that they also share a slice. you can see them smile & know that they know that you know. that you did it right this time. i hope you know you're worth a love that exists for longer than the time it takes to eat something. you're worth the words, both said & heard.

tagging:  @sasouken, @crem8, @mirkc, @truexman, & @knifelizard.

[knoepfl]

Fractured Boundaries

Characters:

Shigaraki Tomura

Reader (hero, you)

Mentions of the League of Villains

Trigger Warnings:

Mentions of violence

Toxic dynamics and emotional conflict

Secret relationship (themes of betrayal, guilt)

Brief allusions to Shigaraki’s trauma

Masterlist

Words: 988

The room was dimly lit, a flickering neon sign from across the street casting shifting shadows on the peeling wallpaper. The world outside hummed with distant sirens and the low murmur of people going about their lives, unaware of the storm quietly brewing between two souls who shouldn’t have crossed paths. You leaned against the window, watching as the light pollution drowned out the stars.

Somewhere out there, your fellow heroes were patrolling the streets, believing you were one of them—a loyal soldier of justice. If they knew the truth, your name would be disgraced. A hero fraternizing with a villain, and not just any villain, but Shigaraki Tomura, the most wanted criminal in the country. They’d hunt you down just as eagerly as they hunted him.

But when you were here, in this room, none of that mattered.

A quiet creak behind you signaled his arrival. The old apartment door clicked shut, and before you could turn, you felt his presence—heavy, unsettling, and strangely familiar.

“You’re late,” you said, your voice tinged with more concern than annoyance.

“And you’re predictable,” Shigaraki responded, a smirk lacing his gravelly voice. You turned, finding him standing a few feet away, slouching slightly as if the weight of his burdens kept him bent. His pale, scarred hands rested lazily at his sides, but you knew how quickly they could destroy everything in their path. His red eyes gleamed with that dangerous mix of amusement and hunger, always teetering on the edge of madness.

“Got caught up with League business,” he added, the smirk twisting into something darker. “You know how it is.”

You swallowed, unsure if you wanted to know the details. Some things were better left unspoken between the two of you.

“You shouldn’t be here,” you whispered, the same warning you gave him every time he showed up. “It’s too risky.”

“And yet, here I am.” He stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey.

The tension between you thickened as he stopped just short of touching you. That was always the hardest part—knowing he couldn’t touch you without the risk of destruction. His Decay could rip through flesh and bone with a single slip of control. But somehow, despite everything, you trusted him. Or maybe you just wanted to believe in the tiny slivers of humanity he let you see when no one else was watching.

“You should walk away,” Shigaraki muttered, his voice low. “You’d be better off.”

You crossed your arms, refusing to look away. “You say that every time, but you never mean it.”

He tilted his head, studying you with that unnerving intensity that always made your pulse race. “Maybe I just want to see if you’ll actually leave one day.”

“Not tonight.”

A flicker of something—relief, maybe—passed through his crimson gaze. He reached up, his hand hovering just inches from your cheek. Close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, but not close enough to touch. It was always like this between you, dancing on the edge of danger.

“Why do you keep coming back?” you asked, your voice softer now, almost a whisper. “You have nothing to gain from this.”

His lips curled into a bitter smile. “Neither do you.”

You hated how right he was. This relationship—if you could even call it that—was reckless and dangerous, with no future. But you also knew that leaving him would feel like cutting off a part of yourself. No matter how broken Shigaraki was, he understood you in ways no one else did. The two of you were different sides of the same coin, caught in a world that demanded too much from people like you.

The silence stretched between you, heavy with unspoken words. Shigaraki was the first to break it. “I killed someone today,” he admitted flatly, as if he were telling you the weather.

Your heart clenched, and you took a step back without meaning to. His eyes darkened. “Does that make you want to leave?”

You shook your head, though you felt a knot tightening in your chest. “I knew what you were when this started.”

“Then why do you stay?” His voice cracked slightly, exposing a rawness beneath the cold exterior.

Because you saw the cracks in his armor. Because, despite everything, you believed there was still a part of him worth saving. But you knew better than to say that out loud. Shigaraki hated being treated like a broken thing. He didn’t want salvation. He wanted destruction, and you were foolish enough to stand in the way, hoping to shield him from himself.

Instead, you gave him the only truth you could offer. “I stay because I care.”

He scoffed, but you caught the way his jaw tensed, as if your words had hit too close to something buried deep inside him. “You’re stupid,” he muttered, though there was no bite in his tone.

“Probably.”

A rare chuckle escaped him, soft and almost boyish. For a moment, it was easy to imagine him as someone else—a boy who might have had a normal life, who might have been a hero instead of a villain. But that life was out of reach, for both of you.

“Come here.” His voice was low, almost hesitant.

You closed the distance between you, resting your head lightly against his shoulder. He stiffened for a second, as if unsure what to do, but then he relaxed, leaning into your touch. You felt his breath hitch, and you knew that, despite his bravado, moments like these meant something to him.

“Tell me this isn’t a mistake,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.

Shigaraki was silent for a long time, his fingers brushing the hem of your sleeve, careful not to touch your skin. Finally, he spoke, his words heavy with quiet resignation. “It probably is.”

But neither of you made a move to leave.

---

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! I wanted to explore the idea of a relationship that teeters on the edge of disaster, where both people know things could fall apart at any moment, but they can’t seem to let go. Shigaraki is such a complex character, and I love the idea of someone seeing beyond his broken exterior, even if their connection isn’t healthy or easy.