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Ok now Katsuki on the other hand had to step into Deku and get closer to grow. He never hated Deku, he was envious of how naturally heroic Deku was. Katsuki hated himself, never Deku, and he felt weak because he was weak, mentally.
Deku just happened to be the physical representation of that weakness because while he was physically weak, Deku was stronger mentally than Katsuki will ever be. That’s why he called Deku useless, it was him projecting. That’s why he was so shaken at Deku vs Kacchan 1, because Deku was overcoming their physical disparity and Katsuki was still left in the dust feeling weak, which is why Deku vs Katsuki 2 happened after All Might fell. He felt his weakness was responsible for the end of All Might and hated himself even more for that, and in turn he fought Deku even more. But at Deku vs Katsuki 2 he learned to embrace that weakness and deal with it WITH Deku, because Deku was the original source of where that initial weakness feeling came from, it only makes sense for him to be the “cure” for it too. Katsuki also doesn’t understand his own emotions or knows how to deal with them, so that’s why he masks it all with anger because he sees anything else as weakness because Deku was constantly expressing everything but anger and he saw Deku as weak (physically) so he associated most emotions with weakness. Thats also why it’s so important his first action of pure heroism with no ulterior motives was for Deku, jumping in front of OFA/Shigaraki’s creepy finger thingies to prevent Deku from being stabbed. Doing this was him getting over that weakness (also why people say Katsuki grew softer while Izuku grew angrier). Him nearly dying for Deku was the ultimate show of character growth because it proved he could get over himself, his mental weakness, and his feelings surrounding Deku to throw himself away to save him. It’s also why Katsuki’s “death” is PEAK KATSUKI. He 100% went into that battle knowing it was most likely a suicide mission you CANNOT TELL ME OTHERWISE, he was completely focused on stalling for Deku because he finally realized he could accept Deku’s help and he didn’t have to do everything by himself. That’s also why he was so upset when he learned Deku lost OFA, because since he was a baby Deku has been the one thing consistent in his life, every major milestone Deku was there watching From The Sidelines (hehe), whether he liked it or not. Deku is his constant, and he kind of has trouble functioning without him. In short he really needs therapy.
also Katsuki never stopped being friends bc of Deku’s lack of a quirk, he stopped being friends because even though Deku was powerless he was still everything Katsuki wasn’t, a true genuine hero, and he took his help as mocking because that was the one thing he could never beat Deku in, or understand about him. That’s also why Katsuki has wet dreams about that god forsaken river scene because it literally changed his life
also he hated Deku at the river scene bc blah blah weakness he hates weakness blah blah Deku was the personification of Katsuki’s own weakness blah blah gay shit inferiority complexes
He LITERALLY needed to get closer to Deku to flourish because Deku is his weakness
And overcoming his “hatred” for Deku was him overcoming his self loathing and inferiority complex
Katsuki is also Deku’s weakness. Deku also really needs Katsuki. For most of his life Katsuki was the dream he could never have, complete power, confidence, and amazing. That is genuinely the only reason he sat watching From The Sidelines (im so funny i know) for so long, despite all the bullying and hurt Katsuki caused him. That’s also why it was really important for him to prove to Katsuki that he could for once hold his own against him in Deku vs Katsuki 1, it was like him coming out and saying “you have to acknowledge me now.” It’s also why Katsuki being taken by the LOV was just literally the worst for Deku, because Katsuki is also Deku’s constant. He’s been watching him for forever, and been in every major milestone in HIS life. Removing Katsuki from the equation is like having carpet pulled from under his feet, breaking all his bones in the fall, and being told to walk again. That’s also why he repeatedly looses control when it comes to Katsuki. First when Monoma insulted him, it was also like insulting Deku because that was someone he looked towards and followed and rooted for, and it was an insult to everything Katsuki stood for and because Deku is the ultimate hero he just couldn’t sit by and stand for that. When he lost control again at Katsuki’s death it was Deku seeing (again) everything he rooted for, strength and victory personified, literally dead. He also relies on Katsuki in the same way Katsuki relies on him, and having that taken away from him was like removing all his bones. Deku is the heart, the lungs, the brain, and Katsuki is the muscle, the bones, the cartilage. They help each other function
Katsuki is Deku’s drive to win, and Deku is Katsuki’s drive to save
Deku’s first true act of heroism was Katsuki
Katsuki’s first true act of heroism was Deku
please be gentle with me this is the first time i’m posting my thoughts like this