Kaname

A question was asked: Is it just one, is it both, or is it neither? This is my reasoning behind why I think that both of them have realised their romantic feelings for the other.

I'll start with Izuku’s side first, as he is the veteran.

Izuku's been sitting on his feelings for quite some time and repressing them as much as he can, simply just knowing these feelings… exist. Izuku has always loved Kacchan, but I'm talking specifically about the moment he realised what kind of love it was.

I think the moment that really did Izuku in was witnessing the growth in Katsuki's heroic heart for the very first time, during his team's battle in the Joint Training arc. Shiny eyes watched Kacchan's newly perfected teamwork as he fought the opposition while protecting his team and allowing them to cover for him in return.

This change in Katsuki was his heart becoming more like Izuku's, in his efforts to become the top hero that cares about saving and winning equally. He no longer looked down on the action of saving a person, so he no longer looked down on what it meant to be saved by others either. I think this really cast him in a new light for Izuku.

Kirishima: "But it's true it might be the first time we've ever seen him do something like this." (Katsuki protecting others)

As well as planting a seed foreshadowing Bakugou Katsuki Rising, Hori placed the speech bubble over a very bare panel of Izuku watching Kacchan for two reasons: Emphasis that Izuku was also seeing Kacchan's character growth for the first time, and to imply that the change in Katsuki's character that Monoma had just been yelling about was, in large part, influenced by Izuku himself.

The paneling is so genius. It seemed insignificant enough to be ignored by Bones, yet it says so much more than all other panels because it tells a story of the piece in Katsuki that had been missing their whole lives, it’s simplistic emptiness conveying the beauty Izuku saw in him finding it. If Katsuki was changing, maybe Izuku was, too... and this panel was the start of Izuku's admiration evolving into something more romantic.

Looking up famous Thomas’, one in particular caught my eye. The bible has a Thomas who is known as Thomas the Skeptic of the 12 (yes, 12 kids!) apostles. He was famous for not believing in the revival of Jesus without seeing and confirming him alive for himself. Remember how the kids didn’t believe the story about Henry until they SAW for themselves with Kali and El’s help. They were all being a Thomas! Which is probably why we kept hearing “Thomas” after. Stranger Things brings to life their version of The Allegory of The Cave, with the unenlightened one’s (the conformists) being led to the truth all getting named Thomas the Skeptic. But Jesus chastised him, saying that only now that Thomas has seen him with his own eyes, did he believe in him. “But blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed.”

This reference comes back with the party saying they believed Mike’s story about El existing without seeing/knowing for themselves and I think is a hidden message about Mike’s feelings for Will being left unseen and Byler being special to the show as a whole, as it’s the relationship on which most of the series is based on and in large part, the subtext of El’s existence. That’s why Will gives Mike that loving/heartfelt look when he says it. It feels like it’s personal to him because *it is* about him too — in the subtext.

One thing to note about this intimate shared look between Byler is that afterwards, Mrs Wheeler says she made them a lasagne - a LAYERED dish. This is very purposeful. Byler is absolutely intentional in Stranger Things, but like so many queer subtexts in mainstream stories, it comes layered. And when you stack up all the layers you have a delicious dish to eat, get it? It’s a metaphor for what they did in this show with Byler. And when you start to see more layers, it’s not at all one-sided, not even in the slightest.

So this comes down to: Can you believe something is real without seeing it’s real? Can you call yourself blessed like the party and still believe that Mike’s romantic love for Will (El) exists in this fictional world, clearly visible within its more hidden layers?

Mike crying while looking at Will’s binder next to his at the end I’m sure is there to show just how much he loves Will and how that won’t ever change, that he doesn’t WANT Will to find love with someone else, as he envisioned for him. But throughout the series he couldn’t ever express it other than in subtext, and his feelings and happy ending have been relegated into the territory of this “ambiguous belief” for the audience.

The fact the person with Will at the bar looks so much like Mike is probably because his heart yearns for it to be him at the time but he just hasn’t quite gotten there yet mentally, if that makes sense, as Mike is still fighting off the powers of conformity that stem deep from within his own home and permeate society in that time period. His intimate moment with Will is interrupted, this time it was his mother, who has previously symbolised a possible road for Mike that ends in a loveless marriage for the sake of the nuclear family unit and conformity. Until now, we’ve been at this crossroad where you’re not sure if Mike will get the kind of life his heart really craves in the end. The non-conforming life with Will, free of societal and familial expectations.

So that’s why it was especially important for the party to say they believe in this intangible uncertainty anyway. And they are all (Mike included!) being non-conformist because they choose to believe in this unknown. It gives me so much hope for Byler - the real story that can’t be told. The show’s writers didn’t want the Byler enjoyers to be Thomas the Skeptic either. They can’t officially confirm Byler for political/commercial/whatnot reasons… but they’re happy if the non-conformists understand the subtext and hints of the show and believe in the magic of love without needing to see it with our eyes. Thus they singled out Thomas the Skeptic of the 12 apostles to give us this encouragement to not lose hope and to believe El (who subtextually embodies Mike’s love for Will and vice versa) is alive and going to thrive in the future. ❤️

And going by this scene, they will surely be okay. You can see them both trying to stop this flood of feelings that they have for each other. But it’s completely futile, because they are practically swimming in them. There was literally no reason for this scene other than to show how much Mike and Will are both feeling for each other and are trying so hard to contain it but they can’t lmfao. Their hearts have a plumbing problem.

After inferring Izuku could be by his side if he wanted to, and him indirectly telling Izuku he’s the standard he holds everyone to going unnoticed… it seems to me like Kacchan is releasing Izuku… for now. “If everyone is special then no one is special”… this kinda ties into what Shigaraki said to Katsuki for me. I get the impression that Kacchan believes in his core, that Izuku treats everyone special and Shigaraki had mistaken CYH for “extra special treatment” when, in Katsuki’s mind, loving and protective is really just how Izuku is to everyone.

The dig back at Kacchan for not thinking higher of himself or not noticing “obvious things” (Izuku’s feelings) is pretty sussy and very open to interpretation. It feels like they’re both not risking anything to explore the possibility for more. They’re mirroring each other’s hesitation.

This dynamic is basically inferred later, when Katsuki comments “peaceful idiots” at Kaminari and Jirou who are not taking a leap of faith to start a relationship themselves. “Lame losers” doesn’t really capture the nuance of Katsuki’s feelings towards himself and Izuku. Heiwa boke… two idiots not reflecting upon their obvious feelings for one another - all to keep a harmonious relationship describe bkdk to a T.

He’s projecting. Him and Izuku are also peaceful idiots with their dynamic too. So that’s why Katsuki let Izuku go. I’m sure a big part of him yearned for Izuku. Yearned he would turn around and not go to Ochaco. And that he’d realise Katsuki’s deepest feelings he holds tightly to his chest.

But Izuku won’t know who he is unless he fully experiences life and his feelings and what everyone and everything means to him. He needs context to understand who Ochaco and Katsuki really are to him. So Katsuki is showing a great maturity letting Izuku go. Also… Something something, if they come back again, they’re yours forever.

So my take away from all this is “They may be right for each other but that doesn’t mean they’re right for each other now” and these two peaceful idiots will surely get it together someday. Especially if Katsuki goes to those communication classes and they learn to understand each other better. 🤭

(Again, to me that’s Izuku wishing he could understand Kacchan’s subtleties and indirect way of talking better. They both have always sucked at truly understanding each other’s feelings for each other and finding a point of connection to act on those feelings.)

Kacchan is self aware of all of this. He has Izuku on a pedestal and feels he’s in an unrequited love. And since his apology, he has left the ball in Izuku’s court. It has to be Izuku to grow, to decide who he wants and who he wants to be. And Katsuki is okay with the cards falling where they may. And this, my friends… is unconditional love and why I loved this ship so much to begin with. He will always love Izuku and respect his choices and allow Izuku space for his internal growth. He’s a beautiful soul.

song vibe let me know you’re here 🎶

Kacchan tops for Izuku but is treated preciously like a princess when they have sex for the first time. Izuku comforts him with word affirmations, worships his body and gently soothes him with every firm, heated touch from Izuku seeping into the hurt in his heart… and they make love with Izuku sensually riding on top of him coz that boy is so traumatised with war with dying with guilt with insecurities and loneliness and yearning and just wants to feel Izuku love him in the way he loves Izuku with his whole body and spirit.

The top doesn’t always have to be rough around the edges, dominant and/or take control of the sex… the top can also be soft and emotional and cry from finally receiving that close, tender intimacy he’s always longed for with the one he loves so much that he sometimes forgets how to breathe.

Shigaraki struggles with connecting to people because he’s never been able to perform even the most rudimentary of expressions for actually *connecting with other people* (such as a handshake)… it's a concept which has been shown to us time and time again in MHA. And if you are a subscriber of "AFO having given decay to Tenko" theory... this is probably the main reason as for why he gave him such a treacherous quirk that would never allow him to connect to another person.

No one has even hugged him since his mother died trying to… and she was his only family who cast aside her safety to give the love, comfort and reassurance that 5 year old Tenko needed back then.

So I think what's to come for Shigaraki is going to be about connecting with him in the way that’s been (impossible).

My theory is that Izuku could have a moment of reaching out to Shigaraki, just as Sailor Moon reached out with a hand for Sailor Galaxia to take… and in doing so, show Tomura his pure intentions to save him. I think this could be a main feature of the Izuku Midoriya Rising chapter!

This parallel works *really* well if Shigaraki is possessed by AFO at the time. The MC’s words and selflessness helping their enemy tap into the love which lives deep inside them. In Sailor Moon this dispersed the chaos in Galaxia… and in MHA it may tame AFO’s kosei/personality.

The full theory with videos can be read here!

Izuku can’t succeed the former symbol of peace, who makes everyone feel at ease, without Katsuki by his side. Only together do they have what it takes to surpass All Might. An underlying message lies here that Izuku being queer and in love with his partner in crime is also what sets MHA apart from regular shounen - the comic book genre Denki referenced, which All Might symbolically represents. ✨💥

Before chapter 415, I was writing a post on twitter about how I really love the “Dokun” of Shigaraki’s heart beat when Izuku punched him and how it’s the same sound effect for Izuku’s panic attack and also when Katsuki’s bead of sweat brought his heart back to life.

at the end of my post I casually wrote: It definitely feels like this is being written in a way that gives: “memories are bringing Shigaraki’s heart back to life.” and then it just freaking hit me about the other place DOKUN showed up… chapter 403… Katsuki’s first appearance after reviving.

I realised OH. OH SHIT!! “DOKUN” is the onomatopoeia Hori has been using for their hearts being brought back to life…

Katsuki in the literal sense, Shigaraki in the spiritual sense, Izuku in the ROMANTIC sense.

Now that we have Shigaraki's example of it, we can see this pattern that “DOKUN” is Horikoshi's chosen sound for hearts being revived.

And if we look back to after Izuku's panic attack, with this retrospect, we can surmise that the one last big “DOKUN” was drawn when Katsuki was finally revealed alive because Izuku’s “heart” had revived.

WAH YOU WANT MY WHOLE SHIPPING HISTORY OKAY LETS GO ILL BOLDEN THE ONES I STILL REALLY ADORE AND PLACE IT UNDER A CUT (and to be clear I've liked a LOT more than these but these are the ones I grew really obsessed with at one point or another!)