MHA/BNHA react to For The Want of A Nail by Clouds part 1

D?ITHSP... 11 Kacchan

Mitsuki: Yes they did...

Recovery Girl rapped him lightly on the head with her cane, "Don't go saying things like that, dearie. Your injuries were severe and in other circumstances could have been life threatening. Your friends did the right thing by bringing you here."

"Deku," Eraser spoke softly, as if expecting Izuku to run away if he spoke too loud, "Who did this to you?"

Izuku stared down at his hands, "It's not his fault."

Bakugo: Yes it is you idiot!

"What do you mean, kiddo?" It was strange hearing Ms. Joke so quiet when normally her very presence was loud enough to take over a room. Izuku took a deep breath and hoped his friends wouldn't judge him.

"It was my fault. I, um, I shouldn't have gotten in his way. He was right, I was avoiding him, which I guess means he thought that I was thinking I was better than him, which I'm not, I know that. I'll never be better than him, but I guess that's how I was acting because that's what he thought and so it's my fault because he had to teach me a lesson and he's probably going to be super mad when he finds out that I still want to be a hero and then, oh no! And then he's gonna do it again and it'll still be all my fault."

(a couple of people started using the tissues that were supposed to be for the Mastermind story)

Hagakure: Gah and this one was one of the happier stories...

Hound Dog(looking at his very long pile of notes): ...I'm not even going to... gah...

Shouta felt his heart break. This kid. He'd just gotten beaten to a pulp, but instead of blaming the guilty party he was trying to justify it, searching for any tiny thing he'd done to deserve it. And the worst part was that people don't just start to do that overnight. The self blame that Deku was exhibiting had to be the result of years of abuse, both emotional and physical. Who would do that to a kid?

Kurogiri: Another child.

Spinner(sighing): Kids really are their own worst enemy.

"Deku, who did this?"

He watched as Deku continued playing with his hands rather than looking up. He didn't want to push the kid, but...

"I, um, it was my f-friend. K-Kacchan." Deku said softly, then hurried on, "But like I said, it wasn't his fault! It was mine for thinking I was better than him."

Uraraka: You didn't think you were better than him...

Tsu: It's not your fault, ribbit...

Nighteye raised one eyebrow, "First of all, did you actually think that?"

Deku's eyes widened and he flailed his arms, "No! I would never! But he thinks I did, so I must have done something to make him think that, so it's my own fault. I shouldn't have gotten in his way, I should have just..."

Bakugo: Stop blaming yourself you @I#$ nerd!

Jana: Language!

Iida: Bakugo stop shouting-

Bakugo: Shut up, four eyes! Other me is being a @#*($ !(*$@#& and the total opposite of a hero and I get to be mad about it! (to Jana) And shut up, you!

Nighteye raised a hand to cut him off, "If you didn't even do what he was accusing you of, how could it have been your fault? And even if you had 'thought you were better than him' as you put it, it would still have been his fault for lashing out. Does that make any sense?"

Deku thought for a moment, "Kinda. But he's my friend. He wouldn't hurt me if he didn't have a good reason..."

Compress: He's not your friend...

Shigaraki: And people don't need good reasons to hurt other people.

"Sometimes, people don't have to have good reasons to hurt other people." Brave said hesitantly, "And sometimes, they hurt others because it's what makes sense to them, but that doesn't make it right."

"It also doesn't make it your fault, Deku," Joke said, "If this boy decided to hurt you, it's because he wanted to hurt you, not because of anything you did."

Midnight: Exactly...

"B-but that doesn't make any sense!" Deku sniffled as he started crying again, "If he hurt me, it must be because I did something bad! We've been best friends since we were kids!"

"Deku," Eraser looked him in the eye, "friends don't hurt each other."

Koda: Yeah, tell him, Aizawa-sensei...

The room was silent for a long time as Deku digested that information. When he spoke again, his voice was fragile, "You mean, Kacchan's not really my friend?"

Everyone: Yeah, he's not.

"We're your friends, Deku." Joke said, "We care about you and would never try to hurt you or 'teach you your place'. Friends help each other, like when you help us with your analysis, or when we help you with your training. Friends tease each other and lift each other up, they don't put each other down or try to crush each other's dreams."

"Oh." Deku said quietly.

"I know it probably hurts to hear this," Nighteye said, "But Kacchan probably hasn't been your friend in a long time."

Deku nodded absently.

(Bakugo thought about that. He wasn't sure how he felt about a lot of things anymore.)

"But that's ok!" Brave said cheerfully, "You've got us now!"

Deku gave a weak smile, but Shouta could tell he still didn't really believe them. Not that he could blame the kid. One positive conversation wasn't enough to override a lifetime of conditioning. He didn't know how long it would take before Deku realized what an extraordinary kid he was, but Shouta did know one thing.

If he ever met this 'Kacchan', that kid was getting a piece of his mind.

Mirko: Yeah, go expel the brat.

Mic: Knowing Shou he won't last the first day of class.