Keep your eyes down. Don't make eye contact. Hope no one notices you. That mantra played in his head nearly every day, for how long he was unsure. Years at least. Ever since him and Clumsy had officially stopped being friends. For a while Brainy doubted they even were long before that as they spent less and less time together. Clumsy's likable personality and easy going nature made him exceptionally popular but he and Brainy used to be pretty close. In Brainy's mind it was his own unlikable, annoying personality that drove the other smurf away. Clumsy spent more time with the smurfs who were 'better' company and Brainy became more and more isolated.

Brainy went to his usual bench, thinking back to the day that marked the end of their friendship. It was winter and Brainy reluctantly had left his mushroom to face the cold because he heard there was hot chocolate. Most smurfs had been out for ages, having snowball fights or building snowmen. How they weren't freezing Brainy didn't know but he hardly cared. It had been about a year since the portal incident which had stranded them in New York so Clumsy was still regarded as a hero. Brainy was regarded as something that had probably just messed up a quicker success with his 'advice' and had probably only lucked out on making the portal. Not that Brainy had minded Clumsy finally getting some positive recognition for something. He did wish that the views on him stopped being so negative but he still had a friend at least. He didn't think they would completely stop being friends because it was happy-go-lucky Clumsy. He didn't think he would have it in him to stop being somesmurf's friend.

He was wrong.

They hadn't spoken in a while so when Clumsy had approached him that wintery day, Brainy was relieved. He thought they were finally going to talk (and he wasn't exactly wrong) and his fingers were crossed that they were finally going to do something together. Preferably without the group of Clumsy's friends as the ever growing group included Hefty who Brainy was already doing everything he could to avoid.
"Hi," Brainy had said, giving Clumsy a small smile as the smurf had approached. Then frowned, concerned. Clumsy's trademark smile was entirely absent and he was shifting from one foot to the other with a worried expression. "Are you okay...?"
"I...ah..." Clumsy's words stumbled even more than he usually did. "I don't think we can be friends anymore..." Brainy felt an immediate sinking and wanted to just run but he silently soaked it in before forcing the one word out he could bring himself to say.
"Why?"

"Well a lot of smurfs point out how your advice can be...well less than wanted," came the reluctant reply. "And several smurfs especially Hefty, thinks with how your advice can be... the friendship could very easily turn toxic. Sorry Brainy..." With that Clumsy stumbled off leaving Brainy alone, confused and deeply hurt. His suspicions that the friendship was one sided these says was immediately confirmed and the brainiac smurf was left without a single friend with a helping of darkening thoughts.

He avoided Clumsy as best he could these days, the reminder that he used to have a friend too painful on his heart. He knew Clumsy would never be one of the smurfs who would chuck him out of the village but the damage had been much more impactful. He had never expected that smurfs to hurt him, the pain from smurfs like Hefty was much more expected and commonplace. The only reason he wasn't locking himself in his mushroom today was it was the Blue Moon Festival which was mandatory, especially as it was supposedly important. Plus it was the five year anniversary of the one in New York so it was give years since supposed heroics.

His usual bench was on the edge of the festival. He wasn't isolated enough that Papa would lecture him about being 'rude' by avoiding the others but not close enough that his presence would ruin everysmurf else's day. Smurfette, Papa, Hefty, Grouchy, Clumsy and Gutsy were all doing some kind of event each given they were the brave heroes. Well, unlike you, smurfs want them around, you idiot. By all definitions Brainy should have done some kind of event but he lied to Papa about why it wasn't a good idea. He said the reason was the only event included books which everysmurf else would find dull which was partially true but the real reason was darker. He didn't want attention because that was an excuse to be chucked out of the village, to be ridiculed and hurt...to want to spend days in the dark of this mushroom again until everysmurf's attention drifted away.

Ever since his forgotten birthday, weeks ago, he hadn't been kicked out and he managed to avoid interacting with anysmurf. That meant nosmurf had hurt him except for his own malicious, self-hating, thoughts.
"Hiya Brainy," a voice said. He cringed slightly at the realisation he was going to have to interact and looked up to see Gutsy.
"Hi," he mumbled, directing his gaze to the grass to avoid unnecessary eye contact. A long time ago Gutsy kicked him out nearly as regularly as Hefty but then, unexpectedly, he suddenly stopped. He didn't get why and he had no complaints but it was still a mystery that nagged at his mind. Gutsy sat by the smart smurf. Brainy froze slightly, not used to somesmurf being this close unless it was Hefty yelling at him or chucking him out of the village.
"I don't see you outside as often these days, laddie," Gutsy commented, trying to make eye contact with the bespeckled smurf but only receiving a slight shrug.

Brainy's mind though was full of thoughts overlapping themselves in confusion. Somesmurf noticed him like this? Not to mention the smurf who he was pretty sure was Hefty's best friend so probably hated him.
"And you're much quieter," Gutsy continued. "You're normally makin' a nuisance of yourself and nagging us all." Tact had never been one of his strong points but when he noticed the smaller smurf's noticeable flinch he quickly stopped with that. "Is something smurfing ya?"
"No, I'm fine Gutsy," Brainy lied but with an incredibly rare smile. He knew Gutsy was probably just being nice but somesmurf showing even a little bit of compassion was deeply comforting.

Gutsy wasn't convinced but he didn't know to say. He was fully aware that he and Brainy weren't close enough for any pressure to be effective as Brainy wouldn't open up.
"If there was something, would you tell me laddie?" he asked. The look Brainy gave him said it all. No. Gutsy sighed, and then smiled slightly. "I'd better go. I'm going to set up an event for later. See you around Brainy." The smurf headed off and Brainy was left even more confused than before. What just happened? Even the nagging voice was confused and he was wondering how he just interacted with somesmurf without it ending in disaster. Gutsy was nice to him: how had that happened?

"Were you nagging Gutsy?" an angry voice snapped. He glanced up again, shrinking in on himself when he noticed the infuriated smurf whose arms were crossed.
"No," Brainy muttered, not wanting to talk to Hefty because that never went well.
"Really? Why else would he be talking to you?" Hefty challanged, looking at Brainy balefully. "That is all you do and is why you have no friends. That is why even Papa doesn't want you around and..." Hefty carried on his rant, grabbing a lot of attention but nosmurf did anything. Brainy noticed many even seemed amused. As Hefty went on, listing everything that was 'wrong' with Brainy, the smart smurf was losing his patience rapidly. He agreed with everything that was being said but that just made it worse: his inner thoughts were being vocalized for everysmurf to hear.

"Smurf off, Hefty," he snapped. The context was evident swearing and he knew he had majorly smurfed up when he saw the pure rage cross Hefty's face.
"What was that?" Hefty said, voice dangerously calm. Brainy knew taking it back wouldn't do any good so he didn't. Besides. He meant it. All Hefty did was make it harder for Brainy to fit in anywhere in the village and seemed to thrive on making the latter miserable.
"You heard," he muttered, waiting for the inevitable. Hefty's grab was tighter than usual; leaving Brainy pretty sure even that would leave marks this time and the kick harder.

Knowing, as usual, he was nothing but a screw up who messed up everything he simply accepted it, doing nothing to attempt to soften the blow as he slammed into a branch on a tree then to the ground with a resounding thud. Darkness instantly flooded his vision as he blacked out, unaware of everything even the pain which shot through his entire form.