May 20
I love it how Robin shines with confidence after Enies Lobby, she knows there is a family waiting for her <3
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I love it how Robin shines with confidence after Enies Lobby, she knows there is a family waiting for her <3
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Relationship Study, Character Study, Introspection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Codependency, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Angst, Guilt, Fluff, Slow Burn, Misunderstandings, Feelings Realization, Getting Together, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-War, First Kiss Summary:
“You feel that?” Katsuki asks, red eyes boring into green ones. Beneath Midoriya’s hand, Katsuki’s heart beats steadily behind scarred tissue. “I’m alive, okay? I’m alive.”
“I’m scared I’ll hurt you,” Midoriya admits brokenly, but with the way his hand has come to grip Katsuki’s shirt right above his heart, his admission seems contradictory to his actions, almost as if his brain and body are fighting against each other: His brain is screaming I don’t want you, I need to stay away from you as a twisted form of punishment poorly disguised as self-preservation while his body is yelling back I need you. I need you here with me because otherwise I don’t know what to do with myself. I need you.
And Katsuki understands.
The end of a war, of learning to love, forgive, and overcome guilt, and all the little in-betweens.
Back with my zolu brrt again!!
As a zolu fan i know that i tend to focus on luffy and zoro so soo muchh, and maybe that's why i can't ever shut up about them, but anyway-
Thinking about how when it comes to anything relating to luffy, zoro's responses... they always stands out? Like i don't know how to explain it, but let it be his response being the first/last one shown (too many examples for this one) or the significance of the words he says, like it's just-
Sometimes in big or even small moments when luffy talks about something, or has defeated someone, or at least about to... in those kind of situations when the others are silent, or their responses are not immediately shown, it's usually zoro who seems to have something to say??
(not in order of the arcs btw!)
In drum island arc, when luffy asks for chopper to join the crew, only zoro shown to adds a little comment..
Or in alabasta, how his responses to anything luffy-related always stands out?? (that smile?)
Tbh... during the alabasta arc, usually it's just a zoom in of vivi reacting to luffy and then followed by zoro's reaction (but vivi is literally the princess and important to this arc so like...)
Like he is not the only one who always makes his reactions known, but i just can't help but to notice him?? In dressrosa, during the "lucy luffy has made his entrance!!!" part, there's just something about his expression- his smile?? (proud bf reaction) or during luffy's fight, zoro with his "hurry, luffy!!" line (again, emphasizing on zoro's reaction to luffy)
Or after defeating doflamingo.. franky's reaction is shown first before zoro's, but like i said earlier "....let it be his response being the first/last one shown or the significance of the words he says"
And of course about zoro's reaction to ace's death and later to 3d2y
Also his reaction in enies lobby, punk hazard and in water 7??
Like i can't mention every single moment from the animanga (of course, cuz there are too many of em), but when his reactions to things relating to luffy are shown, i just can't help but to pay close attention to him?? pay attention to him and let my eyes linger just a little bit longer (my bias for zolu definitely contributes to that fact, but well, i am a zolu truther) Like zoro pays attention to his captain so muchh, i just can't??
Like sometimes with luffy it really is "zoro-tachi"
One of the things that has struck me the most about One Piece's incredibly well developed characters is their realistic reactions to traumatic events, despite living in a fantasy world. Something that spoke to me specifically, as a person with PTSD, was Luffy's first few minutes awake after Marineford (spoilers for both Marineford and Post-War, and the same TWs that apply to Marineford apply here--mentions of trauma, death, blood, and dissociation/derealization).
Luffy, on account of his hyper-optimism, had never actually considered or prepared himself for the possibility that he may lose Ace. He is so blindsided by this that his initial response upon waking up is complete disbelief.
This "dream-like" feeling about Ace's death is potentially derealization, a type of dissociation. Dissociation is a method the brain uses to shield the person from traumatic events they are not equipped to handle. While it is a symptom of PTSD (and even more so, complex-PTSD), short term dissociation is a normal reaction following traumatic events (from mind.co.uk). At its core, dissociation/derealization is about feeling detached, or physically or mentally numb. It is most commonly described as feeling like real life is a dream (as in Luffy's case), feeling like you (or others) are a robot, feeling like a passenger in your body, or feeling separated from others by a glass wall (mayoclinic). I describe it as feeling like I'm wrapped in layers of bubble wrap that separate me from the real world.
As stated previously, dissociation/derealization is a relatively normal response to witnessing a very traumatic event, particularly one that is surprising. It would make perfect sense for Luffy to be experiencing this in light of the events of Marineford. More evidence for this comes slightly earlier in the episode:
Not a perfect comparison to what Luffy is experiencing, but I sometimes get "gut punch" moments, where I swing drastically between dissociating and not. I am typically most struck by it when suddenly exiting dissociation, as it feels like a literal punch to the gut or being dunked in ice water. It feels right to speculate Luffy may be experiencing one of those moments now.
Another hallmark of trauma is an overactive fight-or-flight response. Given Luffy's character, no one is surprised his reaction is to fight. This can also come out as restlessness, aggression, and irritability.
The thing that resonated with me the most is the clip below:
The symptom of trauma or PTSD that people are most familiar with is "flashbacks," though the psychological term for them is intrusive recollections. When most people hear flashback, they imagine the Hollywood movie-esque war flashback, where a character goes catatonic and watches the events of their trauma like a video, or genuinely relive the event (which we see Robin do in Enies Lobby, though I will talk about that another day). Not all, or even, most people with trauma or PTSD experience this.
Intrusive recollections come in a wide variety of ways. There is the classic flashback mentioned above, unwanted memories that come from nowhere, the sudden feeling of being in danger, and much more. My interpretation of the above clip is that Luffy is experiencing a type of intrusive recollection where a person is aware of their surroundings, but seeing reminders of the event almost so that it overlays real life, feeling momentarily the same things you felt in the moment (might be heart racing, sweating, hyperventilating). I was personally just overjoyed to see a depiction of intrusive recollection that was not the stereotypical flashback.
My interpretation of this overall is that Luffy is very realistically dealing with the psychological fallout of a traumatic event. I am always keen to diagnose characters with PTSD, but I don't really think that is what is happening here--though I have not watched very many episodes past this (diagnostic criteria for PTSD is that symptoms must be happening for at least six months, among other things).
We all knew that Oda develops his characters incredibly well, so I am not surprised, but I appreciate how characters in one piece deal with death and traumatic events the way real people would. So many shonen anime protagonists watch someone die and clench their fist and vow to train harder, or cry a bit and move on. And this often feels natural to us! As a detached viewer, we are not surprised when characters have a reaction to violence that mirrors the muted one we have. No matter how normalized the viewer is to the violence of this universe, Oda is sure to show it takes its toll on the characters. Despite being 2D, so many One Piece characters feel like living, breathing people and I think the characters having real-world reactions to fantasy violence is part of the reason why.
(Forgive me if any of this was stating the obvious! I haven't written show/character analyses before, I just see characters experience trauma symptoms and I feel seen. Please comment/chat with me if you have anything to add or discuss :D)
The cuties 🥰
Poll number 14!
I'm curious to know what everyone's favourite arcs are, but I'll be dividing the polls up by saga instead of choosing the more popular ones and only doing one poll. If you want to know which chapters/episodes each arc is, I'll include it below the read more.
Which Summit War Saga arc is your favourite?
Sabaody Archipelago Arc
Amazon Lily Arc
Impel Down Arc
Marineford Arc
Post-War Arc
Bonus: ASL Flashback
Click for the other polls:
East Blue | Alabasta | Sky Island | Water 7 | Thriller Bark | Summit War | Fish-Man Island | Dressrosa | Whole Cake Island | Wano & Final Saga | Bonus: Filler Arcs
@onepiece-polls
change of heart
Everyone noticed, but no one said anything. Not even Izuku.
They all noticed how he no longer sent death glares at random or called his friends "extra" because he knew very well how each one of their lives mattered.
How he didn't scream at people on the street, how he would listen to his teachers and how he would yell less at his mother.
Everyone noticed, but no one said anything. Not even Izuku, afraid of what his reaction would be.
Yes, Dynamight was still ruthless and unforgiving. But Katsuki wasn't.
It was noticeable in his eyes and, mostly, in his hands. No longer curled into fists, ready to explode at every minor inconvenience.
In the way he would allow strangers to approach him, in the "You want a picture? Yeah, sure" he said to a smiling kid who ran to him in the middle of patrol.
In the way he carefully wrapped his hands around their tiny waist, putting them on his shoulder and smiling his signature grin, "Say God Explosion Murder God Dynamight!" And the kid did. A beautiful picture that took over the internet for almost a month.
Everyone noticed, but no one said anything. Not even Izuku, who was the one who had more evidence the most.
He would feel it in the Katsuki would touch him like a feather, softly and mindlessly caressing his hand scar as they watch TV or walk to class. See it in the way he would kiss his temple good morning in the kitchen, regardless of who was around. In the way he would whisper worships on his lips in the privacy of their room.
Yes, everyone noticed, but no one said anything. Not even Izuku, afraid he would get self-conscious and stop.
But of course, it was bound to happen one day. It was only a matter of time.
And the time came when he was doing an interview, close to his graduation. The first one after the war two years ago.
Izuku was in the audience, as usual, staring at him like he was the reason the universe existed.
(To Izuku, he was)
And it was in the 4B sit that he left the mark of his hand on the armrest by squeezing it hard as his breath stuck in his throat and his eyes burned. Because someone had just said something.
"Dynamight, I can't help but notice, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, that you have changed your posture significantly. You are… well, you are so gentle and kind nowadays."
*Shit*, Izuku thought. Because he knew Katsuki. He knew what was to come. He held onto the armrest for dear life, anticipation tickling his bones.
But then, something amazing happened. Not the "KIND? WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING THAT??" tantrum he was sort of expecting.
No. None of that.
Katsuki smiled, looking at Izuku for a second before turning his gaze to the interviewer.
He smiled and said "Thanks. It was a lot of hard work."
Izuku's heart burst and he squeezed the armrest tighter, imprinting his hands there on the metal forever, trying (and failing) to keep himself from crying.
Izuku has never been more proud of Katsuki in his life.