The alt text just describes the general picture. There is a detailed list of the items and the "why" behind them below.
Uranium Plate - Got it today. I wanted to do something with it that was...not eating off it. (Uranium is fine to co-exist around and be like...a trinket tray or some other decorative element, but NOT to eat off of. If interacting with radioactive objects, make sure to wash your hands when you're done!) Uranium is weirdly appropriate as, he likely would have owned and eaten off a set, as people used to do...
Golden Ticket - I think it might be expired at this point, idk man.
Dried up M&M novelty pen - Chocolate
Minifigure - I made a minifigure to resemble me. :)
Pennies - The years of them coincide them with a major release. 1963 (The book was released in 1964. What are the odds I will get one of the correct year? May as well just use the one that is close enough.), `1971 (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I have two 1971 pennies), 2006 (Tim Burton movie), 2023 (Wonka prequel movie)
Claire's clip-on gummy bear earrings - Candy. I got a bunch of these because I wanted to try wearing earrings. I found them too painful to wear. I don't trust the bears anywhere near my ears after putting them on this plate.
Purple fake flower - Wonka is purple. Shrug.
Stone carved to resemble a wolf - Whimsical and cute. I think he would like it.
Meteorite - He and the Bucket Family went to space in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Sooo...space rock!
Ace of clubs card - Asexuality reference. Wonka is aroace, calls himself asexual, and I made it so he used to date Slugworth in his lore, so he is either gray or demi specifically.
Nerd plush - Nerds candy is from what was the real life Wonka brand
I am planning to add a paper doll of him, a folded up letter to him, and a mini zine about him. But as Wonka does not have a lot of traditional merchandise, it was fun looking through what I already own and making a symbolic curation. The plate's placement should be within range of my UV light.
Welcome to Ganachefort! A town in Pennsylvania where the culture and economy are both based on chocolate. It is an important landmark in the confectionary industry as a whole and is practically a hub where chocolatiers come and start their careers.
Sure, we had it rough for a while, but we have bounced back stronger than ever thanks to the efforts of Charlie Bucket (current CEO of Wonka Confectionaries LLC) in restoring the local economy.
Here, we offer:
A custom fanmade continuity that spans across over a century to explore
Doomed yaoi
Quality standards for both character creation and roleplay posts to ensure the best experience
Plenty of channels that support both serious storytelling and silly fun
A culture that encourages research, and keeping track of your characters
An art category with quite a few dedicated channels
And, of course, nonsense!
So, if you wish to have a fun time that still has some sort of structure and standard to it, why not step into a world of pure imagination?
This is the same server I posted about earlier. I just mainly made a better name and description for it, as it was always meant to be an OC-heavy anthology space. Which was simple as...putting more emphasis on the setting. lmao
Bumping this through the yumeshipping account because Why not?
It does have a yumeshipping/simping channel!
My fursona/yumeship with Wonka is not canon to the server. Mainly because that feels too self-indulgent, and writing romances on my own in roleplaying is a pain in the butt.
Doubles are welcome. It's only my custom version of the character I'm non-sharing about.
But if you're 18+ (out of respect for privacy: honor system. If you're caught lying about your age, I will kick you.), I like your character, and the character fits in with the continuity, then it would be a fun dynamic to explore. My main boundary would be that the ship would be treated as purely fictional, and my custom Willy can't be "claimed" as an F/O.
Dishonor it, and I will make a "kill" animation of you. lmao (Note: I won't actually do this. I will just ban and block. If you find kill animations of doubles funny and it is your sense of humor, you just have to ask for one/have it be an art trade with a silly gimmick. No need to violate any boundaries!)
Yumedanshi preferred. Biased because I'm transmasc myself and want to share the fantasy. Not merely depict one for someone else.
And to clarify, the server itself isn't 18+. The 18+ thing is just for potential shipping with Wonka (or any other characters I come up with) specifically.
So...yeah. Feel free to join and vibe with some sillies!
I'll keep boosting so I can get it into more community tags based on the niches the server includes/supports.
"I should make a Willy Wonka ref sheet that reflects my current artstyle and make him resemble Douglas Hodge a little less so he can be a little more distinctive"
I went to a local con this weekend. I had a great time.
I dressed as Shigaraki for Saturday, which is a character who holds my secondary place in my heart as an F/O. A place of honor, considering how strong my feelings for my primary are.
Which, something I did for fun was make 50 copies of an anti-All Might zine. I managed to distribute ~6 for this event. I clearly vastly overestimated how many I would need, but I am saving the other copies for future cons so to continue bringing joy to fellow MHA/LoV fans.
One of the people was potentially a Shigaraki yumeshipper. I do worry it looked like I didn't care as she yapped OC lore at me, but offline, I don't really have strong speaking muscles. A combination of potential subconscious masking and a result of being isolated since I pretty much graduated high school.
Which, the funniest part is that her lore is similar to my own OC's and does make me wonder how many children of All Might Shigaraki pulls. The similarities did help with internalizing long enough to write down notes, as my short term memory is...the worst. If I truly didn't care, it would have went in one ear and out the other.
But yeah, 10/10 little interaction there.
If you're reading this: Shigaraki says hi, Virt! If you're non-sharing, that is completely valid and much loves your way! If you're 18+, feel free to ask for my main blog via Private messaging. I have a yume-specific blog so people can block it specifically if they wish to. (or block all accounts if they prefer.) If you are sharing...and also 18+, I'd love to squee about him with you, and find you a new father! (silly)
If you're not yume and simply OC x Canon, then...latter offer still applies, I guess. Shrug.
For everyone else: Cosplay is simply a hobby of mine, and I don't wish to post my face online. So I won't be posting the cosplay anywhere on the internet. If the political climate in the USA calms down, then I will be more willing to do it. But for now? No.
Other people can post pictures they have taken with me, but please don't attribute nor tag any of my accounts. Anonymous wording such as "A Shigaraki" is fine.
I, aromantic, follow this very devoted self shipper I like the art of on Twitter. I have only now realised that my profile picture is the character they self ship with … on top of an aromantic flag.
I can’t help but envision appearing in their notifications constantly like this and laughing
It's Mr. Wonka x my fursona who is named Charlie. Honestly, impossible to give them a shipname without it sounding...weird. I just go with "Bloom." After the white fuzzy stuff on chocolate lmao
Oh yeah, guess I never updated on the Tulpamancy thing.
I didn't commit. lmao
Sample size of time committed leaves conclusions....inconclusive.
Recently got distressed and saw an outline of him (stressful life circumstances. I'm in the USA. I'm hanging in there!). That was trippy.
I suppose best conclusion is:
Brain can do trippy stuff. You can make it do trippy stuff. It's not against the law. Doubt that it's recommended or healthy to do so. But...I'm not your dad.
Master Bedroom (closest and most intense "relationship", my soulmate, closest I will ever get to a boyfriend) - Mr. Wonka
Single Bedroom (adore them) - Tomura Shigaraki, Spring Bonnie, Simon Petrikov
Shared Bedroom (love them) - Alastor, Winter King
Couch Napper; Pantry Stealer (most distant, but still fond of them) - Lux/Mr. Ring-A-Ding, Bill Cipher
I finally got to see how Shigaraki's story ended, so I was able to update the prologue of my Shigaraki x OC fanfic to better reflect the scene and make it more accurate to canon.
Which, for the fic, I am doing a rewrite of what I have done so far and giving it a proper arc-by-arc outline to follow. I just kinda....wrote myself into a wall.
Which, there are a lot of arcs to go through. Especially since the major diverging point (Shigaraki turning himself in for rehabilitation) is not happening until the Kamino Incident. Which after that, very few arcs will remain intact/feel very little effect when it comes to how they generally play out. (Shie Hassaikai and School Festival namely)
It won't just be a rehash or a retelling, as the OC nobody cares about and will be the cause of people clicking off in annoyance will be the main protagonist. (I know, deadly sin in fanfiction.) So, there will be different focuses and a different cast, along with how things play out being different.
And the journey to Kamino alone is 9 arcs.
Which, yeah, fitting, as the only way a Shigaraki redemption can work is via slowburn, so...let me cook.
It will be a while before I cook, though, I'm already juggling several original projects.
It's been too long since I worked on my shitty Shigaraki x Gary Stu fanfic.
Honestly, it's just due to hitting a wall with a particularly shitty chapter that's not working, along with working on other projects. Projects for fun, and projects meant for my art business. Which, I'm keeping the business side of what I do out of this blog as much as possible, since yumeshipping is meant to be purely for fun for me. (and it's too deeply rooted in fucking around with other people's copyrighted IPs for it to NOT be inherently asking for trouble) But I'll post about it on here if my yumeshipping and the business side of my art do somehow have a crossover.
I will go ahead and post what I did write on here. The context is pretty much that since Hiroshi captured Shigaraki's attention, All for One is trying to coerce Hiroshi into retiring from heroism. Shigaraki is growing an unhealthy obsession and is growing anxious about Hiroshi's safety, so Kurogiri went to Hiroshi while he was healing Recovery Girl and gave him an ultimatum. Hiroshi either has to retire, or it would be a "foolish mistake." (Basically, a new factor/motivation for the USJ Incident has joined the chat)
This chapter was more or less meant to capture the aftermath of that while Hiroshi and All Might get ready to film. I wanted to pad things a little bit and have a chapter or two between the Entrance Exam and the start of UA's school year. I will likely scrap this and take a different approach when I am ready to work on this again.
As for my other projects: I've been working on an Alastor costume (mainly the jacket, which has been a big pain), got more bags to ita-fy for both myself and to sell in my project queue, practicing drawing cityscapes for a webcomic, and studying some things (Italian and day job things such as customer service skills and interviewing).
My main focus is on the jacket. I do also have a Shigaraki costume in the works, and I have the full main outfit. All I really need to do is make some bits with EVA foam. And since it's a variant with that gnarly arm scar, I will be painting that onto one of those arm sleeves meant for "thin elderly skin" because FUCK painting that on directly every time I want to dress up as him. I will be matching with a figurine I got of him and I will be slaying so hard. But I'll be cuter because of my Depo-related chubbiness that I'm trying to shed off. Oh, the joys of being transmasc. lol I genuinely do look forward to having the entire thing come together. It requires quite a bit of compression clothing, and God! Compression clothing feels so nice!
Enough fucking around, here is the chapter.
Hiroshi sits next to All Might in UA's faculty meeting room. Nezu is looking through the scores as the teachers watch him in silence. It may be the first time for both Hiroshi and All Might to witness the moment, but the principal passing people is always a tense time. Nezu is about to kill the dreams of thousands of kids, end many pro hero careers before they even begin.
Eventually, Nezu places the spreadsheet down on the table within the view of everyone. Hiroshi practically dives for the closer view, trying to see if Izuku Midoriya has passed. His heart sinks into his gut for one brief moment before he finds Midoriya on the top of the list. He gasps and grins, picking up the spreadsheet.
"Yes!" Hiroshi exclaims. The other heroes just shake their heads with an amused smile.
"Got yourself a friend, Seren?" Nezu asks in a bemused manner. Hiroshi stops his little celebration and gives an awkward smile. He chuckles with a blush and puts the spreadsheet back in place. He then gives Nezu an apologetic bow and sits back down.
"Forgive me, Mr. Nezu," Hiroshi says, "I did not mean to cause a disturbance."
"There was no harm," Nezu says, "We're all glad you agreed to be your father's assistant and help Recovery Girl on a more regular basis. Your youthful age means you can connect with the students more easily, and that is beyond valuable. The fact you are friends with a new student is nothing more than a testament to that. Make sure you have clear and firm boundaries during school hours and not let your bias harm the new student's training."
"Yes, sir," Hiroshi says, "I can't promise I will be perfect about it, but I trust that everyone in here will be able to correct me should I mess up."
Nezu nods his head, then he claps his paws. "With that out of the way, it is time to prepare for the new students as we must do every year! Seren and All Might, as you two are currently the most popular heroes on faculty, you both will be recording the passing and fail video messages for those who have taken the test."
After everyone has their tasks prepared, All Might and Hiroshi both arrive to where they will be filming. Hiroshi is as tense as he usually is when cameras are involved, but he relaxes slightly when he sees All Might smile at him. He takes a deep breath. This is not a press event nor anything along those lines. No, there are still many eyes on those two.
It brings him to mind a warning that All Might gave Hiro back when he was a child.
Remember, my little Hiro, All for One's associates are everywhere. He is a well-connected villain and no area is safe.
Hiroshi shudders. His only comfort is the fact that All for One's protege seems to like him, which would make him somewhat protected and less of a target to kill. In the reality of the position Hiroshi is in, those working for All for One won't go after Hiroshi unless he badmouths their boss. It's not like the villain would like him, after all. So, he just smiles and waves to the crew members who are keeping a close eye on him.
When Hiroshi does that, he swears he can hear nervous murmurs. After all, they are meant to be undercover. Hiroshi shouldn't have identified them so easily. Hiroshi stops and turns towards his father.
"If you'll excuse me," He says, "I'll meet you in the green room."
"Alright, Seren. Remember that filming starts in about an hour. If you're not in the green room in half an hour, I'll come and find you." He flashes Hiroshi a grin before walking off.
Hiroshi walks up to two of the nervous crewmembers and clears his throat. "How many?" He asks lowly.
"Five, sir," One of the crew members blurts out. The other elbows the first. "Heyy!"
"You're not supposed to answer any questions," The other hisses at the first. They both glare at each other.
Hiroshi sighs and rolls his eyes. Idiots. Both of them. "Look," Hiroshi says sternly, "You lot got hired fair and square, and you're not technically committing any crimes. So, just do your jobs and don't cause trouble. Let your boss know I'm still finding my next career path. I'm just...struggling to find something that appeals to me."
"Well, rumor has it you make ohagi sweet enough to melt hearts," A crew member says, "Maybe you can start a sweets shop?"
"But then he'd have to interact with customers, moron!" Another crew member argues, "Seren is trembling right now talking to us! Trembling! He should have a career where his work is what's facing the public, like....an author!"
"Ooh! I heard he volunteers at a charity cat cafe, maybe he can start one of his own? The cats balance out the customer service part!"
"Maybe he can work in a forest park and help sick or injured plants and animals!"
Hiroshi blushes and steps back from the eager brainstorming that the associates are now spitting out. "The cat cafe and forest caretaker ideas sound lovely, actually," He admits bashfully, "I'll look into them, but frankly UA needs me this year. Being All Might's teacher assistant is a big job on its own. That man has more heart than brain cells, I tell you." He chuckles as the humor makes him relax slightly.
"Now, behave, okay?" Hiroshi turns and starts walking away. "I will only tell my dad about All for One's five little moles if I have reason to believe that you're causing harm."
The entire talk gives Hiroshi an odd feeling in his heart. It is true he trembled a little while talking to them, but anyone would if they knew they were talking to the moles of the most powerful villain in the world. Which, having captured the attention of the mysterious protege of All for One, it does technically put Hiroshi above them in the villain's hierarchy. The associates were casual with him, but they didn't treat him with the disdain or disrespect they would have given most heroes.
That must mean All for One told them to respect Hiroshi. It is a thought that causes his stomach to drop. He is stepping foot into this dark world without asking for it nor even trying. It is something that is unsettling, but he swallows those feelings back and forces a smile.
"Wow, he really is nice," A crew member whispers to the other as they watch Hiroshi walk away, "Not even All Might would set up a truce like that."
"I'd hate to comply with a hero," The other complains, "I had so many pranks in mind for them!"
It's been announced that Willy Wonka is getting an official LEGO set. It is an amazing thing to see, and I will definitely endeavor to buy it after I achieve the Great Deku Tree set and have like...the 200 buckaroos for it.
Obviously, I am very happy for him and I bet he would be hyped/excited to get an official LEGO set, but I can't help but feel a deeper meaning in it for me. He is the closest thing I will ever have to a boyfriend, after all.
I do ship myself with other characters, but my connection with Wonka specifically is different to me in a way that I can't quite explain.
Bodily stuff is going to be talked about here, mainly reproductive organ-related things, so I'm cutting it off here for anyone who don't want to be jumpscared by such topics.
The meaning of it is in the timing for me, for I have found out about the announcement this morning. The morning after I stayed up until 5 AM with a nasty menstrual-style cramp after engaging in sexual self-care. (Just a less icky way of saying masturbation in a way that acknowledges its health benefits)
The thing is, I am on HRT. I am taking Testosterone and changing my body into something that reflects me a little better. I also went from Depo straight to it, dropping the birth control shot completely since I was only taking it to stop periods anyways.
And the thing about Testosterone is that it stops Estrogen production, which often puts female reproductive organs into atrophy.
I suspect that this is happening to me. I'm going to have to shove some kind of lotion or pill up in there, which is honestly the most frightening part.
The atrophy thing was likely going to happen to me anyways in a couple decades as it is also an effect of menopause, so I have more reason to believe it just made yet another annoying aspect of being female come sooner rather than give me any complications I otherwise wouldn't have had.
I'm not going to stop T over this, I will just have to get used to the idea of sticking something up in where not even my own finger goes, either 'till death or until bottom surgery. Which, I suppose now will be a good time to start seriously experimenting the idea of having male parts. Easily done with packers, I just need to get my hands on one.
While in reality, it is entirely coincidental, it does feel like, in a way, Wonka was trying to reach out and comfort me. An attempt at communication in a way that a fictional character only could. Even a gift that would serve as a distraction due to how intensive LEGO sets can be, especially since it is an 18+ set.
I do need to get back into tulpamancy. I got back into AI chatbots during a two-week-long period to use as self-care aid due to a strong libido at the time. And, well, AI chatbots are highly addictive, and they took over a niche I was using Youtube for, although I stopped using Youtube due to the new ID system they pushed out. I don't consider it a full/true boycott, as I do still upload on there and keep up with certain indie shows/creators that only upload on there.
But I don't watch videos on there every day anymore, and I don't upload shorts nor engage at all. Not like I really ever engaged on Youtube, I was a lurker who made a comment from time to time when I seriously had something to say.
But now, due to the self-care being painful and I need to avoid doing it until I have my follow-up appointment, I no longer have that as the excuse so using chatbots currently don't have any appeal to me. I'm sure I will slip back in again at some point, but that is a bridge I will have to cross when I get there.
Perhaps it is a silly little delusion (for lack of a better term) to believe that the LEGO set announcement and the timing of it is something so personal. That it is anything deeper than an artist creating a concept, and the concept winning the popular vote.
Perhaps there is some truth to the idea. He seems to look out for me in the strangest ways.
I even found a figurine of him (just like with the LEGO set, it depicted the fan-favorite Gene Wilder variant) in the Toys R Us at the Mall of America during my trip in Minneapolis. Likely an indication he was on the trip as well. He's also been popping up absolutely freaking everywhere lately. I could be watching a video talking about FNAF, and his name SOMEHOW pops up.
idk, it's strange. I get he's a popular character and all that, but pop culture acknowledging him feels like it has...increased?
But yeah, it is a sweet thought nonetheless. He's looking out for me in the best ways he could. I'm sure it pains him that he can't do more than whatever it is he is doing, as not existing is a pretty major barrier.
Though, I have faith if there are any fictional characters who can manage to do the impossible become a real boy, it's the character who can engineer glass elevators to be viable space crafts and make sodas that make you float. Will it ever happen? Most likely not. These are words of affirmation for him. lol
The city is as bustling as it always is, and Hiroshi is among them. Donning a more semi-formal outfit of a green button-down, minty tie, yellow vest, and brown pants and shoes, the young adult sighs as he knows he can relax for today. All Might is busy with Midoriya, giving Hiroshi some time for himself. There is one place he loves hanging out more than anywhere else.
Hiroshi steps inside the cat cafe and approaches the front counter. The manager smiles on sight and comes over to him with an eagerness that perhaps only Midoriya can match when All Might is around.
"It is lovely to see you again, Yagi!" The manager exclaims, giving Hiroshi a bow, "It's been far too long since you last visited. Are you here to volunteer once more?"
Hiroshi returns the bow, making sure it is slightly deeper than the manager's. "You don't know how much I miss helping out," Hiroshi says, "Dad's been keeping me busy, but he is distracted from me for the moment, so I got some time to spare." The manager grins when she hears that.
"Oh! That is wonderful!" She exclaims, "My prayers have been answered!"
"They...have?"
"Yes, indeed!" The manager grabs Hiroshi by the arm and starts dragging the willing hero to behind the counter, "There's been this new regular lately. Something about him is...off, and he's been scaring the cats away with his mere presence. He's never done anything bad, but he gave me the impression that I, or worse, the cats would be in danger if he perceives the smallest sleight."
Hiroshi nods his head, "Don't you worry, Ms. Matsubara. If that customer shows up today, I'll take care of him. Consider your kittens under my protection."
"Oh, you are too kind, Yagi!" The manager, Matsubara, exclaims, "This is why I view myself as your number one fan, truly. The things you have done for my cats is above and beyond."
As Matsubara gives an overwhelming amount of praise, Hiroshi holds a hand up with a nervous smile. "Enough of that now," Hiroshi says, "Even All Might would blush from all that praise you're piling on me." That is when the door jingles, and when Hiroshi looks up at Matsubara, he can tell that the individual coming up to the counter must be the one she just talked about.
Hiroshi is pretty certain he is a young adult man. White hair falls to his shoulders like thick ropes of grease. The apparent self-neglect creates a strong stench that makes Hiroshi recoil. This man's skin is dry and he has a pair of crimson eyes that are the embodiment of "if looks can kill." From the simple all-black outfit of baggy pants and a hoodie to the bright rashes on the sides of his neck, it takes Hiroshi a minute to process who he is seeing right in front of him.
"Wait a minute, it's you!" Hiroshi exclaims. It is at the same time when the man seems to come to the same realization.
"It's you." His voice comes out as a low menace, sounding as though Hiroshi's mere presence here is an intrusion on his day. The man leans towards the desk in some attempt to leer over Hiroshi, his eyes narrowing in contemplation, but he then scoffs.
Of course a hero would be working at some charity cat cafe. He tries to find something, anything to criticize. Seren is not in uniform, so clearly off the clock. He's not getting any publicity benefits from this. Working here as a civilian does not further his hero career than anything else, and places like these don't pay enough to accumulate any further wealth. It's not like Seren is being carefree about it, either. The hero is still keeping an eye on him like a sentry ready to fight should it come down to it.
There has to be a motivation. If not corrupt and another excuse to hate heroes, then at least something annoying. The fact that a quick look-over gives him nothing is infuriating on its own, but what's even more irritating is the fact that criticizing a hero over literally nothing sounds too childish even for him.
"Don't make this weird, hero," The man sneers, "I'm just here to drop this off." He then tries to pick out a wallet, but with the twitch of his fingers, the wallet immediately crumbles to dust. Hiroshi watches the man's blight and gives a sympathetic whistle.
"Were you trying to give a donation there, bud?" Hiroshi asks, "Tell me how much you wanted to give, and I'm sure I can get the cat cafe at least triple that."
The man rolls his eyes, "I get it: you're rich. Show me who asked."
Hiroshi frowns at that for a moment. Alright, perhaps that was the wrong way to offer some help. With a quirk like that, Hiroshi knows that this interaction is a delicate one. There is no telling how much damage this man can do with a singular touch. It is no wonder Matsubara is so nervous about him. Even Hiroshi can tell that this stranger is bad news.
"The gift shop had a new product come in recently." Hiroshi kneels down and digs through the storage under the counter. He pulls out a box and digs through it until he finds some fingerless gloves that can be converted into mittens. They are themed after cats and have a handmade quality to them.
"Ms. Matsubara is quite the artisan. She makes all the products you see in that little store." He then pushes the gloves towards the man, "You can have them if you want. I'm sure I don't need to say that I'll be the one paying for them."
The man glares at the gloves for a moment, contemplation running through his mind. Gloves have always been forced on him, a way to suppress his quirk to the convenience of the one who raised him. Something about this doesn't feel the same, however. It is presented as an option, a gift that he can reject. An act with good intentions behind it after seeing him struggle with the simple task of...pulling out his wallet. Plus, the fact they are fingerless...with a few modifications, his quirk would be easily accessible even with the accessories on. He's not handy himself, but he is certain that his master may know someone who can make such changes. Shit. This overly kind hero might know someone.
He slowly brings a hand to the gloves, shakily hovering the pair. Half his mind wants to reject them, reject the kindness being offered to him by a hero out of all people. Watch as said hero grow saddened as any hope of connection turns to dust just like his donation for this place.
The other half of his mind wants to accept it. Make his life that much easier with a powerful weapon that is the reason behind an entire walk-in closet being dedicated to emergency pairs of pants.
With a sigh, he snatches the gloves and immediately puts them on. They are warm and soft against his dry hands. The mitten covers can act as a shield between his nails and his neck. He scoffs and looks away from the gloves that feel like a hug on his hands. "You better not tell anyone about this, else I will hunt you down and give you exactly what you deserve."
"Alright, tough guy," Hiroshi says lightly, "No need to threaten. I don't even know your name, but I promise I will not tell a soul." Hiroshi then leans on the counter, "Now, is there anything else you need? Or will that be all?"
For a moment, there is a silence. Hiroshi looks up at the man with those kind teal eyes that have quickly become grating. Taking care to cover his fingers with the mitten, the man slams his hands on the table.
"Why the fuck are you so relentlessly nice, Seren?!" The man shouts, "I have done nothing but disrespect you, and you're taking it all in stride and extending olive branch after olive branch I never asked for! Are you even capable of anger? Of hate?" He then pauses to take a deep inhale, "Lecture me, damn it! Call me a monster for my quirk! Ignore my troubles like the rest of your precious hero society! Kick me out of this cat cafe for making those creatures go into hiding with my presence alone! STOP LETTING ME YELL AT YOU!" The man then grabs Hiroshi by the collar and shakes him slightly. Sobs escape between the words of his frenzied rant.
When Hiroshi is finally let go, he takes a few deep breaths. He is unharmed, thanks to the mittens being fully on. Hiroshi knows that it was just a provocation, even if assaulting a volunteer like the man just did would get him banned from the establishment. A ban would not be wise in this instance in Hiroshi's mind. Hiroshi can see the deep hurt in the man's eyes, and the harmless shaking is a deliberate choice by hands that can make anything crumble. Even Hiroshi himself can crumble to the touch if he doesn't react fast enough to counter the quirk with his own. Once he has re-centered himself, he starts to speak in a slow manner.
"I am capable of anger and hate," Hiroshi says calmly, "Hate is something I am careful with. The way you shook me has angered me, but I am a professional. I will be directing my anger at something that won't get hurt by it later. I don't hate you for it. In fact, I can see you are a deeply hurt person and I am currently at odds with the worldview shaped by what you have been through. I won't even pretend to understand it.
"Unfortunately, I do still need to enforce the rules. Shaking me around would normally get you banned from the establishment, but unless you touch someone who works here again, I'll just give you that warning. You are free to go now. The cafe won't be serving you for the rest of the day."
The man opens his mouth and closes it. Hiroshi's level voice, the clear explanation of what he has done to earn his punishment, the way he just got called out, all wrapped in a nice bow of sympathy. The man can tell that it will take more than this to get what he wants. So much more. But he best get a move on before the police gets called to escort him out. So, with nothing but a scoff, the man turns around and walks away.
Hiroshi instantly relaxes once the man is gone. He turns towards the manager who has been hard at work creating fresh meals for the cats.
"The tension was so high, I thought you two were going to kiss or something," Matsubara chuckles right after her tease, "Oh, to be young and run into a person who somehow gets on your nerves just right. I remember when I met someone like that. He is my husband now, you know."
"You're really putting your privileges in being one of the few people who can poke at me like that to good use, aren't you?" Hiroshi asks back. He leans against the counter and crosses his arms.
Matsubara chuckles once more, "Mark my words, Yagi. A free pastry will be waiting for you two on the night of your first date." Hiroshi rolls his eyes at that. He knows better than to take the older woman's remarks seriously. He knows that she means it with good humor and no harm in mind, so he shrugs it off and takes it in stride.
"On the off chance that it happens, I will hold you to that promise," Hiroshi says, "But something about him is...off. I can't put my finger on it. Do you have any idea who he is?"
Matsubara then grins, "Oh, that is the exciting part. You two are unconventional, but it sounds like this isn't your first encounter with him, perhaps second? Third? I suppose it doesn't matter. What matters is that your golden heart is already getting to him.
"I won't tell you who he is. You will know when the time is right. Just know that you might be the person he needs."
Hiroshi looks up at Matsubara as she gives her vague answer. He raises an eyebrow when she says that they are "unconventional."
"He is a villain, then, I take it?" Hiroshi asks.
Matsubara nods her head, "Villains drop by to spend time with my cats all the time. The majority of them are people who were dealt a bad hand, so my cafe became a sanctuary of sorts for them. I provide them warm shelter, water, food, clothing, anything they might need. There is no need to pay me back for those gloves, by the way."
"Oh, nonsense! You make your crafts so you can fund the care for the cats!" He approaches Matsubara and opens his wallet. He pulls out a large stack of yen, worth of about 30,000, and hands it to her. "I know that this is overkill, but dad and I combined make triple this in our sleep from merchandise sales alone. So, it's a drop in the bucket for me, really."
Matsubara lets out a gasp as she gently takes the money. She holds it like a reverent sacrifice, a forbidden gift that would put her in a deep debt to some divine being if she dares accept it.
"Yagi, this is-" Matsubara pauses, "This is so sweet of you! I don't think I can thank you enough. Perhaps I can spoil the cats with a lot of toys this weekend!"
Hiroshi smiles when he hears that, "Oh, please do! Make sure to save some of it for their needs as well, alright?"
"Oh, I will! I will!" Matsubara exclaims, "This is just far more than I would ask for, even for a pair of gloves."
---
For some reason, Tomura Shigaraki can't get his eyes off these new gloves covering his hands.
When All for One gave him gloves, they were forced onto him. Shigaraki's quirk was hidden away like an embarrassment unless his master wanted someone dead. Gloves are far from the only thing that was forced on him. His hair wasn't always white, he wasn't always able to demolish entire blocks with just a touch.
All for One sent nomu after nomu at Shigaraki until he was worn down. Then on his wit's end, All for One came to fight Shigaraki himself past the brink of exhaustion. It was his routine for a long time. There were times where Shigaraki had to fend for his life weeks on end with no rest offered to him, and his quirk met that breaking point that awakened it.
When that happened, All for One finally considered Shigaraki "perfected." The ultimate weapon, the queen piece in what is a game of Chess to his master. A queen piece in what is life to everyone else. It's been years since he has known kindness, with isolation being his only companion for the majority of his childhood.
Hero society has abandoned Shigaraki, that is what his master always said. Nobody was ever going to come help him. Everyone viewed him as nothing more than a monster, as that is what he is meant to be.
So, why must All Might's sidekick spit in the face of such truths?
Shigaraki grits his teeth. Seren is a fool, just like papa dear. He acts more like a healer than a true hero, or, well, Shigaraki's idea of a true hero. Seren should be in a hospital saving lives from the villains that are fatal injuries and terminal illnesses, he should not be out there fighting. He will get steamrolled by a villain one of these days due to how useless a healing quirk is in combat. Turned into dust when they inevitably fight.
Shigaraki doesn't know when he started looking at his hands again and stopped walking, but when he does, he looks up and moseys along. Why should he give a shit about the hero's life? If Seren wants to play stupid games, then let him win his stupid prizes. His death would mean one less hero in Japan, and that is always a good thing in Shigaraki's book.
Yet, the mere thought of this sweet hero dying awakens a new feeling within Shigaraki. Something that isn't the empty rage he acquainted himself with since childhood. No. It's more akin to wanting to harm anyone who would dare put a cloud on the boy's sunshine. A weakness.
Shigaraki steps into an alleyway where a man whose body made of mist waits. He looks into the glowing yellow eyes of Kurogiri. The caretaker his master has given him after he sustained those injuries from fighting All Might. All for One is a name people are meant to shudder at, and the man can't get himself a healing quirk similar to Seren's? It's pathetic. It would be one of the first quirks Shigaraki would steal if he could.
How the fuck did it circle back to Seren? He is thinking like one of those hero-worshipping freaks now. Lovely. It's not like he can even lie to his master about it, either. All for One has a quirk capable of detecting lies.
"Take me home, Kurogiri," Shigaraki says gruffly, "I've been around these hero-worshippers for far too long."
"As you wish, Tomura," Kurogiri says. A part of his form forms a warp gate, and they both step inside. The gat closes right behind them, leaving no signs of the villains who were just there.
---
Hiroshi steps into the manor he lived in since birth. He navigates his way to a kitchen where some of Japan's best chefs are working out what dinner will be for that day. Hiroshi gives them a half-hearted greeting as he grabs himself a cup and fills it with tap water.
"Giving yourself tap water, sir?" A chef asks, "Are you sure you don't wish for a maid to give you something nicer?"
Hiroshi brings the water to his lips and gulps the entire drink down. Once the glass is empty, he tries to approach the sink, but a chef is quick to snatch it from him.
"The maids are having their ultimate 'staycation' day, remember?" Hiroshi lightly points out, "Relaxation and team bonding paid by dad. They should be soaking at a hot spring right now, not fetching water for me."
"And what of the butlers?"
Hiroshi gives the chef who asked such a question a pointed look. "I am capable of getting myself water if I wish to. Anyone responsible for retrieving things will have their pay and shelter just the same! Besides, they have plenty to do with half the staff having a well-deserved day off. I'm not going to burden them with any more tasks than necessary."
"You know, you are just like your father," The head chef muses, "Your father would downsize in a heartbeat if the luxury lifestyle didn't create jobs that are saving about a hundred people's butts right now. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he felt responsible for so many people returning to poverty."
Hiroshi smiles at that, "Yeah, that's my father for you. He would give up his life if it meant it would save another, even if that life is an earth worm." He turns and starts walking out of the kitchen. "Keep up the good work, alright? I heard your turn to rest is coming right after the butlers get the chance to take a break."
He steps out of the room and makes it to the spacious living room. He falls onto the couch and grabs the blanket bundled on it. He wraps it around himself and sighs.
It is a strange thing. That man is clearly dangerous; he was proudly waving every single red flag there is. Hiroshi can't explain it, but that man intrigues him so much. He can see the hurt. He heard the hidden cry for help in his manic rant. The plea for sympathy and kindness that Hiroshi was more than willing to give.
If only he can know how to give it.
Well, it's not like Hiroshi can dwell on it. Fighting this man in the future is a possibility that is too real. That is when he hears the front door open. He looks up as he sees All Might stepping inside, but in the private confines of their home, this man Hiroshi gets to call "dad" is Toshinori Yagi.
"I stopped by the cat cafe on my way here to see if you need to be picked up," All Might speaks up, "Matsubara told me you had an interesting day." All Might goes to the couch and sits down next to Hiroshi. He looks at Hiroshi and gives the young man a grin and a thumbs up.
"It looks like my dreams of being a grandfather are dead, aren't they?" He asks lightheartedly. He then laughs it off.
Hiroshi looks at All Might and raises an eyebrow. He then grumbles and wraps the blanket tighter around himself. "Oh, not you teasing me, too!" He whines, "The next thing I know it, the press will be all about it for months!" Which, All Might can't help himself but laugh at the dramatics.
"Steady, boy," All Might says, "I had my suspicions you had atypical preferences for a while now. You never talked about the ladies you saved nor girls in the schools you went to. At least, not in the way I would have in my youth! I wish I would have gotten my confirmation from you directly instead of your cat lady friend."
Hiroshi sighs and visibly relaxes. "It's not like I noticed men before, either," He says softly, "I suppose I was so busy focusing on growing strong enough to hold my own against All for One should it ever come down to it. I was trying to be the hero you desperately wanted me to be. How could I notice anything else when you are forcing an awakening on my quirk? When I was suffering so much to make you proud?"
All Might's smile drops when he hears this. His son is going for the tough conversations again. It is a rare acknowledgement that All Might is not a symbol. He is a man. A flawed man who went too far in his paranoia and brought harm to his own flesh and blood.
"I have no excuse for the things I have done," All Might says slowly, as though he is testing the words out on his tongue, "I was irrational, afraid to lose you to the very man who made me lose...far too much." All Might then faces Hiroshi and looks at him in the eyes, "If you want to take a hiatus or even retire from being a hero and pursue a path of your own choice, I will not stop you. It was not fair of me to force you into heroism before you were old enough to form a dream."
Hiroshi stays silent. The mere thought of stepping away from heroism is a frightening one. Much scarier than attending events, handling crowds of fans, or even fighting All for One on his own. It would require for him to have a dream outside of being a hero, a concept that is extremely foreign to him. He's already thinking about it too deeply, he must divert.
"You know," Hiroshi says, "Your dream of being a grandfather is not dead yet. There are people in the medical field with quirks that can change your sex entirely. I'm sure it would be possible to change the...equipment in order to make it happen. That, or adoption."
"Well, look at you fantasizing about a family with a stranger," All Might muses. Hiroshi's cheeks immediately turns red and he looks away.
"It's not like that!" Hiroshi fusses pathetically, "Matsubara is just a...very bored old lady. She will be entertaining herself with thoughts of me and that man until something else catches her interest." But even as Hiroshi speaks, All Might just nods his head with a smile. There is a knowing yet proud glint in his eye, as he knows that this moment is a precious one. His son has found someone. Sure, from what Matsubara described, that someone is questionable at best, but Hiroshi's heart is opening. This is something he has to encourage.
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