Can I just say? I love this scene from chapter 43 of BSD.
Not so much Kyōka’s reaction to the truth about her parents – though that part is great – but the way Lucy advocates for her. It’s an unexpectedly sweet moment with a lot of layers.
I’ll admit, when I first got to this scene, I viewed Lucy’s upbraiding as needlessly harsh. I mean, Atsushi was only trying to help, right? Right. Thing is, their interaction here is a callback to the Guild arc. Following Lucy’s defeat, Atsushi was conflicted. He knew that beating her was the only way, but he still felt sorry that she was about to lose her home. And so, he directed the same offer (i.e., “Is there anything I can do?”) at her. At the time, it seemed like Lucy ran away because she was embarrassed, but in retrospect, there was clearly more going through her head. That moment was a precursor to her current (and, in my opinion, very interesting) dynamic with Atsushi.
Put simply, Lucy is one of few people who perceives Atsushi’s victimhood, and as a result, she understands him on a level most don’t. She’s pieced together that, for Atsushi, heroism isn’t just a virtue, but a coping mechanism; an attempt to free himself from the demons of his past. That’s why he’s always diving headfirst into danger, trying to save those in need (and relying on the Tiger’s regeneration to bypass the consequences). She’s also uniquely positioned in that – because it was Atsushi’s vulnerability that “saved” her, not his strength – she has no qualms about confronting Atsushi when the hero in him eclipses the person. When strength turns to recklessness, or when fierce empathy turns to overreach. Though her methods could use some work (she has no idea how to convey care for Atsushi without yelling at him), her motives are clear: she sees Atsushi as more than just a hero, and expects more from him than just heroics.
In other words, she’s not dragging Atsushi away here because she disapproves of his trying to help; she’s doing it because she sees the value in letting people fight their own battles. Atsushi’s offer was well-intentioned, but at that moment, Kyōka needed space – not someone to swoop in and save her.
Also, keep in mind, Lucy and Kyōka don’t like each other very much – not at this point in the story, anyway. They have no reason to fight anymore, since Lucy isn’t actively threatening to strangle Atsushi, but it’s no secret that they’re only tolerating each other for Atsushi’s sake. And yet, Lucy advocates for Kyōka. She has every reason to be jealous: if Lucy’s parents ever loved her, she has nothing to show for it. What’s more, Kyōka just received confirmation that her ability symbolizes something pure – something apart from violence. Lucy, meanwhile, is still too ashamed of her actions in the Guild arc to use Anne’s Room as anything but a coffee bean receptacle. Her ability is still defined by the labels and uses ascribed to it by others – people who didn’t have her best interests at heart. At the orphanage, it was a freak’s playground. In the Guild, an instrument of cruelty. Now? She doesn’t know what it is (and won't know until the Sky Casino arc). She should envy the fact that Kyōka got her answer. But if she does, she shows no sign of it. She sets aside their “rivalry” and makes space for Kyōka to process her feelings.
Lucy may be rough around the edges, but she’s really a good person when it comes down to it.