Chapter Text
For his 40th birthday, Torino had given him a very smooth, expensive bottle of whiskey. “Only for the good times, brat,” the old man had groused. “You have too many successes to get hung up on failures.” And Toshinori had done his best to keep true to that promise, only pulling out the bottle during times of celebration. Just a few years later, he’d had his fateful match with All For One and came out the other side broken and limping.
Toshinori tried to have a small sip of the whiskey to congratulate himself on finally disposing of his master’s killer but between his shaking hands and still healing injuries, he couldn’t do much more than look at the amber liquid. In the years that followed, he’d had little opportunity to pour a glass, to have anything to be happy about.
Until Young Midoriya came into his life that was. He’d poured a small amount the night he’d chosen the boy as his successor and a slightly bigger one when the kid passed the entrance exam with One For All. Toshinori had almost a full glass a few days after Kamino, in part as a final acknowledgement to the end of his career but, truly, to mark the beginning of Izuku’s. He’d been sick the rest of the night but it had been worth it. Simpler times.
“I’m sorry, Torino-sensei,” Toshi murmured as he poured a glass now out of grief and fear and anger. He held the glass in shaking fingers. All For One had escaped Tartarus and was in the wind, they had no leads and no ideas what his next moves were. Toshinori had given it his all, and then some, to put that villain away and now he was loose. He sniffled and brought the glass up to his forehead in frustration.
Young Midoriya was still struggling to fully handle One For All and far, far too young to face the villain now. The hysterical parent in him had half a mind to take his boy and run as far away as they could get. He’d been devastated at the time but now he can see, with the perfect clarity of hindsight, why Torino had sent him away to America all those long years ago.
He was pulled out of his miserable introspection and half hearted search for plane tickets by a quiet but intense knocking at the door. Despite being safe on Yuuei’s campus, surrounded by Pro Heroes, Toshinori froze.
“All Might, it’s me,” Toshinori relaxed and hobbled to the door to find a very wet, very lost looking successor.
“My boy,” Toshinori scolded, pulling him in, “you’re soaking wet.” He set the glass down to grab some towels from his small kitchenette.
“It’s raining outside,” Young Midoriya offered as he accepted the towels but didn’t move to dry himself. He just stared down at them if they would offer him any sort of answers. “I-”
“Yes?” Toshi asked, worried as he guided the boy to the couch, not caring about the dripping water getting everywhere. Some things were far more important, like the blank, frightened look on his successor’s face.
“I can trust you, can’t I?” the boy choked, looking up at him with misery and desperation. “I-I don’t know who else to go to but I don’t want - I’m scared , Toshinori-san and I need someone to tell me what to do.”
“Oh Izuku,” he whispered, pulling the child, his child, close. He tangled his fingers in wet curls as he rested his cheek on top of the boy’s hair. “You can tell me anything, anything at all. I trusted you with my greatest secret, of course I would offer the same in return.”
“You-you won’t tell anyone? You promise?” Young Midoriya whimpered.
“I promise,” Toshinori returned without hesitation.
“O-okay,” the boy said, sitting himself up straight and rubbing at his eyes. Toshinori let him gather himself while he whipped up two mugs of warm tea, completely by-passing the glass of whiskey he’d been nursing earlier. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, sipping their teas and letting Young Midoriya calm down. Finally, he was able to look Toshinori in the eye and speak.
“All For One came into my room last night,” Toshi dropped his mug which his successor caught with his fast reflexes. He stared with wide, fearful eyes at the boy as he delicately set the mug on the table. He avoided Toshinori’s gaze. “He didn’t hurt me or anything, he didn’t do anything, he just… talked.”
“He talked,” Toshi parroted back, stunned and afraid, the thought of that monster being anywhere near his son drumming against his heart with every beat.
“He said,” the young man stumbled again, “he said that he was my father.” Toshinori furrowed his brow, hearing the words but not quite understanding. This was so outside of All For One’s normal, vicious behavior that he had no idea how to respond.
“He’s lying, my boy, he was trying to get into your head. Now clearly the dorms don’t offer you the protection you need, we need to find-”
“But that’s the thing!” Young Midoriya interrupted, “I don’t, I’m not sure he was lying. He uh he knew things about me, my mom, our home that no one else did. He had a picture of a white haired man with curly hair with my mom when she was younger. My father left when I was very little but that picture lined up with what I remembered.”
White hair. Curls. Intelligent, calculating eyes. All For One had mostly kept his face covered during their clashes but Toshinori had caught glimpses. He glanced up at his successor, seeing for the first time not his soft, rounded face or spring green coloring but those same features he remembers from brutal battles. The tea churns uncomfortably in his gut.
“According to him, I was something of a test case to see if his quirk could be inherited. My quirklessness made him abandon us but he said I was useful b-because of One For All and…” Toshi’s eyes widened at the implication. Black Whip had only manifested a few weeks ago with the promise of more quirks to come. But what if it wasn’t a latent ability of One For All but it’s older brother? He brought his hand up to his forehead.
“I don’t know what to do, All Might,” the boy whined. “I can’t be a hero if people find out about this, much less if I really do have, you know,” he swallowed thickly, looking to Toshinori for answers. “I’m scared, I don’t want people to hate me. I don’t want you-” There was a fear in his eyes Toshi was quick to snuff out. He reached over and pulled Young Midoriya close once more.
“No one would hate you for this, least of all me,” he assured fiercely. “I don’t care where you came from, I only care about you and your future. As far as I’m concerned, that bastard has no claim to you. I can see certain similarities but all you’ve shown me is that he had all the tools to be a good and instead chose to hurt others. Even as a child, you’re twice the man he’ll ever be.”
“All Might,” his boy cried, practically melting into his embrace. As he held the weeping child close, whispering soothing phrases into his ear, Toshinori couldn’t help but worry.
All For One was obviously trying to drive a wedge between him and his successor but the bond between them was too strong to be severed.
No, what scared Toshinori was how little power he had to stop the man from taking what he assumed was his. What was to prevent him from spiriting Izuku away in the middle of the night? What about when he realized that his son wouldn’t bend to his will, what would he do then? He clutched the precious boy in his arms tighter and struggled with the best decision for his son and the world. But he would damn the world if it meant keeping Izuku safe. Toshinori had a lot to think about tonight.
Izuku felt so much lighter the next morning, comfortable enough to meet the others downstairs for breakfast. He was still turning over the revelation in his mind, so much that he felt dizzy but All Might’s assurances and comforts had taken away a good bit of his worries. As long as his mentor, his real father, believed in him then everything would be okay.
“Midoriya, either get your OJ or let other people have a turn,” Jirou griped and Izuku realized he’d been holding the carton, staring at it without using it. He flushed, pouring the juice and handing it back.
“Are you quite all right, Midoriya?” Iida asked from across the room. “You seem distracted this morning.”
Izuku’s father was potentially the greatest supervillain who had ever lived and he might have inherited his quirk as well, his hero career and general quality of life depended on neither of those facts ever getting out. But he had All Might, mom, Aizawa-sensei and his friends. He would be okay. “Yeah, it’s nothing.”
At that exact moment, the entrance to the dorms was kicked in.
They all scrambled, some falling into defensive positions, others running, presumably to get Aizawa while he and a few others charged forward. His eye caught on the uniforms, some sort of police but none he recognized. What on earth were they doing here?
Kacchan was hunched forward, palms sparking threateningly and Todoroki looked like he was a moment away from blasting them all away with a glacier. A man stepped forward with an official document in one hand and heavy duty quirk suppression gauntlets in another. Dread lapped at Izuku’s feet like ocean waves.
“Stand down, we have official orders from Tartarus to bring one Midoriya Izuku into custody. We have no wish to hurt up and coming heroes but we will if you decide to interfere.” The dread made its way up to his knees and he couldn’t move. No…
“The fuck? Deku didn’t do anything!” Kacchan screamed.
“You can’t just barge in and take one of our friends! I don’t care what your stupid paper says!” Ashido growled, stalking up to one officer and pointing in their face.
“We’re not letting you take him!” Uraraka frowned, stepping in front of him. The dread was up to his chest and he couldn’t breathe.
“What the hell is going on here?” Aizawa hissed, sprinting in front of them, clothes in disarray and his capture weapon hastily wrapped around him but he looked ready to fight to the death. “You are not allowed to be here, get away from my students or I will make you.”
“This is a matter of national security and not even Yuuei’s standing can stand up to that,” the main officer stated, handing over the document. “Everything should be explained here. We won’t harm the boy but he is coming with us.” Aizawa-sensei snatched the paper out of his hands and hastily read it over. His anger slowly melted and became replaced with horror and confusion. He clenched it in his fist.
“This is signed by All Might,” he ground out, “this can’t be right.” The dread had washed over Izuku completely and he felt like he was drowning. Hurt tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. All Might had sent people to take him away, to lock him up in the same prison his father had just escaped from. He squeezed his eyes shut, tuning out the betrayal and anguish. He’d given his whole life to All Might and if this is what his hero wanted...
“I’ll go,” he said shakily, stepping forward and presenting his wrists.
“Deku!”
“Midoriya, what the hell!”
“You can’t!”
“I’ll be fine,” he smiled weakly as the cuffs were locked onto his wrists. The light within him that was One For All dimmed and he’d never felt so helpless and alone in his life. “I don’t want you guys to get hurt or in trouble.”
“I’m coming with,” Aizawa-sensei sneered, gripping Izuku’s shoulder so hard it prevented him from dissociating any more. Oh god, this was really happening. He’d confided in All Might and his teacher had turned him in and gotten him arrested.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible, this is classified information of the highest order, we’re not even privy to the details. You and your students will say nothing of the matter or there will be swift and severe consequences. Do you understand, to you and the rest of the world, Midoriya Izuku no longer exists.”
That said, Izuku was pulled out of Aizawa’s grip and marched out of the building leaving everything behind: his friends, his belongings, his life. His knees felt wobbly making the long walk to an all black car with darkened windows and he’s surprised he didn’t crash to the ground.
“Problem Child,” Aizawa shouted from the dorms. “I’m going to figure out what’s going on and get you back where you belong, even if I have to wring Yagi’s fucking neck to do it.” His teacher’s words and the incomprehensible shouts of his classmates should have been a comfort. Instead all he felt was numb.
Izuku stepped into the car and found All Might waiting next to him in the backseat. He gaped at his mentor, unable to put into words the hurt and fury and confusion over what had just happened, at what the man before him had done. Izuku had learned early on not to trust adults but he’d made an exception for All Might. And look how that had turned out.
“I’m sorry, Izuku,” All Might said wearily. He looked like he was going to reach over and touch him but Izuku flinched away. “I’m so sorry but it had to be done. You’re not safe here, my boy,” All Might continued on, pulling back his hand. “All For One proved that Yuuei’s best security couldn’t stop him and I can’t just ignore that. At first I contemplated taking One For All back, making you less of a target.”
Izuku’s blood ran cold with fear, even suppressed, he focused on the warm and beautiful feeling of his quirk. Losing One For All would kill him before any villain could get to him.
“But it’s too late for that, so all we can do is move forward. Don’t worry, you’ll keep and master One For AllI but I decided it was necessary to take you someplace he couldn’t reach you.”
“Tartarus,” Izuku warbled, still feeling adrift and not sure what to feel.
“It kept him contained for months, it was only a series of unfortunate circumstances and Shigaraki’s interference that allowed him to escape,” All Might assured anxiously, like he was trying even now to convince himself. “I told your mother and we agreed this was the only way, she’s waiting for you at the facility with some of your belongings and I’ll buy you anything else you need.”
Izuku’s breathing picked up, his mother was in on this too? Was there no one he could trust anymore?
“You’re not in trouble, you’re not going to be imprisoned, I swear on everything I have left in me,” All Might pleaded anxiously. “I didn't want the cuffs but your uh situation was made secret from everyone, including the guards. Once we’re at the facility, they’ll be taken off and you’ll be given as much freedom as we can risk. We’ll keep training with One For All, get you strong enough that All For One won’t be able to lay a damn finger on you.”
“You’re locking me up, to keep me safe,” Izuku murmured slowly, absorbing the full horror of it. He would be trapped within four walls of a prison, surrounded by the most dangerous villains until he mastered One For All. He could barely handle 20%, how long would it take him to reach 100%? He flopped back against the seat, going utterly limp with misery. No more friends, no more school, no more sun on his skin or quiet moments alone.
“I wish it hadn’t come to this, my boy,” All Might said, sounding just as miserable and hollow as Izuku felt. “I’ll be with you every step of the way, even if I never leave that damned place again and you end up hating me, I will ensure that All For One doesn’t get to you. I won’t lose anyone else to that man.”
He reached out and set a thin hand on Izuku’s knee, still too shaken by his world shrinking and collapsing so suddenly, he didn’t shake the man off. “It’s going to be okay, Izuku, trust me.”