The Emerald Prince

Chapter 87: Transformations

(Skip this if the last chapter didn't confuse you)

Some people were confused by what Kiri said in the last chapter. I apologise for failing to get across my meaning or perhaps being way too subtle about it.

Here is Izuku's quirk as specified in chapter 2:
Name: ???
Ability: Enables user to take, copy, upgrade, give and fuse quirks. Taking and copying quirks requires the target to willingly kiss the user. Giving quirks requires the user to willingly kiss the target - warning - if target already has a quirk, this can be fatal.
Quirk holding limit: None
Side effects: Those with powerful quirks are subconsciously drawn to the user.
Drawbacks: Quirks copied cannot be given to others or upgraded. Fusing quirks drains users' stamina. Quirks will not have any affect on their original owner and equally once a quirk is copied, the original owner cannot use their quirk on the user.

The problem that Izuku has been battling relates to the side effect mentioned. That it draws powerful quirk users to him. He assumed that that meant all his relationships were built on that side effect, that they were fake. That if he lost his quirk, no one would care about him anymore, because the side effect wasn't forcing them. The reason this didn't appear in his behaviour was because even if it wasn't real, that illusion of friendship was wonderful, and with his low self esteem - far more than he felt he deserved.
Bakugou, Shinsou and Todoroki thought this too, to a far lesser degree. They thought his friendships were genuine, but that the quirk strengthened them a little.

What Kirishima pointed out was that drawing is not continuous. There's only so close someone can be drawn before they crash into you. That means that though the initiation of Izuku's friendships may have been under the influence of that (recall his first day, 'did you miss me Kaachan?' and the atmosphere in that scene), their maintenance is unaffected.
This meant all Izuku's relationships are genuine, which for him is world shaking and completely unbelievable hence his reaction.

I hope that helped those of you who were confused.

———

Izuku woke up in Shoto's arms.
He raised his eyes, the heterochromic teen seemed to have been on his phone, but glanced down at the movement.
"I fucked up yesterday, didn't I Sho?"

Todoroki looked genuinely confused, "I thought you'd be happy to find out your friendships with all of us aren't lies?"
The greenette flushed, "I am, but I worried them didn't I? And... and Kacchan... he looked so scared..."
"As did you, Zuku," pointed out Todoroki, hugging him slightly tighter, "he still terrifies you doesn't he?"
Izuku shook his head determinately, "that isn't right, it's just..."
The taller teen sighed, and brushed a hand through tousled green curls in reassurance. "I know Zuku, so why can't you admit it out loud?"
The greenette bit his lip, and wouldn't meet Shoto's gaze.

They stayed like that for several minutes, before Izuku finally mustered the strength to say it aloud.
"My mother." His chest heaved with the words, and they tumbled from his quickly after the admittance, "she... she beat me so bad Sho... she... she used to l-lock me in this- this cellar for days... she had... had these knives too...and the things she'd say...she used to hold me just like that and scream at me, it sent me into panic when Kaachan did it..."
He trembled at the acknowledgement, the confession spilling quickly from his lips once it had started.

Shoto didn't speak for a while, just kept stroking his hair, he knew enough to know Izuku hated being pitied, he wouldn't want to be consoled by someone who could barely understand.
"You need to tell him."
"I know." Izuku shivered slightly, and Shoto immediately pulled him closer, "He can't let go without it... it is just so hard to say... the way they look at you.."
"I know." He could truly understand that at least.