The Raising of a Monster

Chapter 6: Nothing More Than A Pebble

Large green eyes stared into his own, small chubby hands clasped in the owner's shirt. Freckles on his face, hair green and fluffy. His expression was one of confusion as he stared up at him. A second of silence passed and the quirkless boy tried to collect his thoughts and formulate his words. Then finally, 

“Kacchan… Why’s everything changing? What’s so wrong with me now, that wasn’t wrong before?...” Green eyes looked away, the hands in his shirt clenching a bit harder, twisting and stretching the fabric. “Why’s it such a big deal that I’m still just me?” 

Katsuki stared at the boy, smaller and thinner than him. Weaker. Anger bubbled, for no other reason than the fact that Deku was the one talking to him. Quirkless, harmless, stupid Deku, thinking he can talk to Katsuki? Talk to him?

“Haah? What d’ya mean ‘Why’s everything’s changing?’ You’re a quirkless Deku now! Useless! Did ya really think anyone would want to be friends with someone like you?! You nothing but dirt now! Of course it’s a big deal!” Pride roared from his chest as he spoke, before turning and stomping away.

Stupid freaking Deku, don’t talk to me you useless trash - You’re nothing but a pebble for me to step on, nothing but a pebble compared to my mountain. 

  ~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 6: NMTAP ~

Katsuki Bakugou was the best. As simple as that. 

He was the best in his grade, the best in his school, the best in his neighborhood - he was the best, he would always be the best and nothing would take that from him. He would grow better and better, and continue to be the best. And because he was the best, that meant he was the strongest, the fastest, the smartest - the one that could outshine all - and that he’s not afraid of anything. ( yet ) If it could be thrown at him, put against him, rival him, then he could defeat it. No matter what, he could fight it and win. 

Villains, backstreet goons, incredible quirks (though nothing was as awesome as his), authority figures, strange bugs and wild animals, death even - nothing scared Katsuki ( yet ). 

Nothing scared Katsuki. 

But things could put him off. Unsettled him in ways that irritated him, made him uncomfortable, made him want to walk a little faster as he traveled, act on his natural instincts a little more. Things could put him off. 

Things like Midoriya Izuku. Things like Deku. Stupid Deku, useless Deku, ugly Deku, outcast Deku, Deku, Deku, Deku.  

In the beginning - in the beginning it wasn’t an issue. Deku had just been different is all, and that wasn’t that weird, he was quirkless, so of course he would be different - feel different. It was just written into his nature, into his biology. Of course there would be this air to him, a feeling, a sensation that put him off. A sensation that annoyed Katsuki to the higher heavens. 

But slowly time went on, and Katsuki watched… watched as he became… numb… 

For all that everyone did to Deku - all the beatings, all the name calling, all the abuse deserved encounters - it wasn’t all that strange either to see him become such a thing. A baby that cries all the time, an outcast that isolated himself, a loner than never spoke to anyone, a dead beat that stopped relying on people for anything - but soon enough it reached a point where he would just stand there. Staring (at what? Katsuki was never sure) at the wall, the crowd, just staring. Katsuki would watch as Deku just seemed to… drift. Drift through life. Drift, but yet, would stay on his toes the entire time. Drift around, yet knew what was going on still. It was like he was walking a tightrope, but instead of his small feet walking along the length of the rope, touching the rough material as he moved, they just hovered. Hovered an inch or so above it, moving forward still as if they were taking real steps. But even so, Katsuki could tell that one wrong move and dumb Deku would still fall. Still plummet into the unknown.