oh baby...

mha 424 and bakugo's sorrow

bakugo's devastation is so palpable and raw. and while it's not spelled out directly because of how incoherent and emotional he is in this scene, his feelings go a lot deeper than just being sad that izuku doesn't have a quirk anymore.

ever since izuku got a quirk and their relationship had started to change, as well as bakugo reflecting on his treatment and deep down feelings about izuku, he's come to realize that he actually cares about him and doesn't want to continue holding him at arms length. bakugo had to go through a lot of introspection to reevaluate his role in their history and his feelings about izuku being in his life. this gave him the chance to atone for his past actions by moving forward and being a positive force in izuku's life rather than one who only ever knocked him down, so that instead of having to dwell on his guilt he can channel those feelings productively into being the best friend and rival he can to push izuku's growth as a hero and make up for it. it was very much a case of not only bakugo but izuku both moving on from their past together, never looking back. deep down, bakugo wanted to be equals with him. he wanted to be his friend properly this time, without the bullshit and insecurities.

but because izuku lost his quirk, bakugo now has to come to terms with the fact that the quirkless kid who he bullied exists once more and has just lost everything, and it's impossible for him to not feel at least a little responsible that whatever was holding their newfound relationship together has just been ripped away. it's almost like ofa was a bandaid, hiding a wound bakugo holds himself accountable for inflicting. in some ways, this regression must remind bakugo of the damage he formerly sought to cause, and unlike before, they cannot simply just focus forging a better relationship when bakugo has to face everything incriminating him. and bakugo can no longer stay by his side and do everything he can to atone because the past is alive and can't be overcome anymore, and this 'version' of izuku that doesnt have ofa makes him feel specifically guilty because bakugo is in a position of power over him again; they can't be equals.

bakugo doesn't just want to be rivals with izuku forever. he wants to earn that position. he wants both of them to play an active, healthy role in each other's lives and be good for each other, unlike before. and it must really hurt him that, in his eyes, there is no more reality where one day, when he has fully atoned for all of his actions, he can finally stand by izuku's side as his friend without that guilt weighing him down. because now izuku will wind up quirkless again and bakugo feels like there's nothing he can do for him anymore.

Not BNHA being a fucking BKDK love story from the beginning

Horikoshi has me going feral because wtf is even chapter 424?!!!

what do you mean that Katsuki literally planned to have Izuku in his life FOREVER? He's crying to him?! They're both so- ahhhhjde

FERAL I SAY, IM GOING FERAL, MOUTH FROTHING BECAUSE WHAT

It's not even subtext nor queercoding, it's overt queerness; they're saying "I love you" without having to say the words because they know, ofc they know, WE KNOW

Horikoshi really dropped 424 a few days before Pride istg this was PLANNED, when I say him on the streets ahhhh

How can I not cry at this?

chapter one

chapter 424

NO!

NO!

NO!

MY EYES DO NOT FUCKING DECEIVE ME! THOSE ARE GENUINE TRULY FUCKING HAPPY TEARS AND SMILES! 🧡💚

Clean scans (pt. 4)

absolutely gorgeous CryChans

this adds a new layer of angst to "so izuku, can i still catch up to you?" because even on the brink of death he was still thinking of their little chase and catch game, he was already letting go of that future with him.

that's why he was so happy when he was revived. he was so thankful for the second chance. YES he can catch up, he'll surpass izuku and izuku will catch up and they can still chase each other and that future is so near he can feel it. they can still do this! only to have to let it go again because izuku is quirkless again, because he wasted so much time in the past being a terrible friend and he lost his chance. he could've had this with him the entire time, but he ruined it for himself.

edit: oh my god the TCB translation gives me brain damage....he thinks of the way he treated him when he was quirkless and thinks there's NO WAY izuku forgives him now. how can izuku lay there and be content and smile at him? their quirks gave them a more even ground with each other, he knows how to help him. he was going to do it right this time. he thought he had more time to make it up for him this way. damn.

edit 2: man i keep wanting to add to this LMKSJDJDJ i noticed the panels on the bottom left i think can also be interpreted as him realizing that having that quirk finally made izuku feel confident enough to stand up to him, with him. even though izuku had always loved heroes and wished he could be like them (katsuki), he never really believed he can actually do it until after all might gave him the quirk. as cursed as ofa was, it made all of this possible. it conveniently opened a way for his dreams to come true. and although we know that katsuki thinks izuku has always been a hero, it will get a lot harder to get there and he's heartbroken for him and he doesn't know if izuku even still thinks he can be one anymore. and he probably blames himself for ever making izuku doubt himself (that's why kacchan telling him that he's a hero nonetheless is sooo important ugh i wanna delete everything they're sooo....).

Me with MHA 424 😭😔🤚

‼️MHA 424 SPOILERS‼️

NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND !!!! do you know how many POST WAR HOSPITAL COMFORT SCENES ARE OUT THERE??? do you know how many times we bkdks DREAMED of having a moment like this??? AND NOW IT'S JUST. part of canon!?

Katsuki rushing to Izuku's room AGAIN. Katsuki being vulnerable and crying in front of Izuku AGAIN. And all bec he thought Izuku lost his quirk. And then Izuku comforting him, saying he still has embers?! Katsuki saying he wants them to compete FOREVER? The two of them smiling and crying together. GOD, all this proof that they care about each other and mean SO MUCH to each other?? im cryinggg 😭😭😭

and hori said in the author's notes that this war arc isn't the end of BNHA, which means we might see them in second year, which means more scenes of katsuki and izuku being Actual friends now!?!!

AUGH i wish i can write fics abt them but im really busy w work and acads so they just have to keep holding hands in my brain for the next 2 weeks akdjsksks

''HOW ARE YOU WALKING?????''

Mitsuki wondering how Katsuki is even standing with his injuries while Katsuki is powered by gay thoughts only

normal people when their rival can't be their rival anymore: oh nice lucky me!

bakugou: 😭 what about US and OUR future ??

explain this one, liberals

I’m trying to be so serious rn but Izuku fr went “pookie this isn’t you😩🥹”

DEKU CALLED BAKUGO “cry-chan” (nacchan) LET ME SCREAM FOR A SECOND

I’m excited to see Katsuki convince Izuku that he’s just as capable and just as much of a hero without a quirk, and for Izuku to convince Katsuki that he forgave him a long time ago and that they can have a relationship outside of their rivalry.

For the rest of our lives