Chapter Text
The knowledge about the two brothers. All for one and One for all is securely classified, but the existence of the third might as well be non-existent.
Izuku likes to refer to himself as "All for some' so he can feel included.
Izuku never thought of himself as good or bad. He's not evil like Hisashi. He knew that what they did was wrong- and he never took part in it. But, he wasn't good like Yoichi, who devoted his entire life and then more, to stop the force of evil, which is their older brother.
Izuku may have been the youngest- but he felt stuck in the middle.
He knew of his brother's plans- but still ate breakfast with him. Same with Yoichi.
He resigned himself to blissful ignorance.
The closest he'd ever gotten to crossing the line was the vault and later Yoichi's death.
He remembered when Hisashi gave Yoichi a quirk.
"You two are alike, you know, you hate pity."
"Do you enjoy being pitied?"
"It's nice. For your troubles to be noticed."
He was only 13 when Yoichi died at the other brother's hands. But Izuku couldn't pull away- not for too long. Hisashi was all he had left. He was willing to ignore the crimes- if only to have a helping hand in his life. A rock to cling to.
Izuku died at 15.
All for one never killed. He would rather his pawns did most of the dirty work for him. Hisashi had never murdered until that day.
It seemed as though no matter how much influence he had. He'd always have enemies. Enemies that weren't afraid to be as cruel as him. Enemies that weren't afraid to reflect the same viciousness that he radiated on innocents.
Izuku remembered his death.
It was scary, appalling even. He'd never forget it. Back then- was an avid gardener. Red spider lilies- a gift for his older brother. To blend his enjoyment with his brother's morbid favourites.
It was slow- down an alleyway - through the throat. But not the jugular. His death wasn't quick and painless- it was far from it. It felt like he was there for hours. Choking on his own blood- staining the satchel of seeds.
He closed his eyes- fully expecting to never wake up again.
Only for him to be alive. With a slightly busted voice box- and an immortality quirk. From his brother.
He silently mourned the loss of any chance of having a long-term relationship. He mourned the chance of having a normal life. He dreamed that he'd run away from Japan. And start a life away from his brother's legacy. But that's not going to happen anymore.
He was afraid of death. But did he want to live forever? To never face it?
He moved out at 18. To keep tradition. Ignoring the fact that he'd never age from his 15-year-old body. (And never have a growth spurt.)
He found Kudo. He vaguely remembers both his brother's drawls about him. Yoichi's more of a love sick puppies. While Hisashi's - an XL bully.
All for one was going to kill him soon. He asked Kudo if he was ready to die. A question fuelled by curiosity rather than the urge to mock.
"I am prepared to." He answered bluntly.
"But do you want to?"
He had a younger brother. Who he was worried about. Who would take care of him after death?
"I'll take care of it."
...
That day, two traditions were born.
A young boy would ask each One For All user the same question.
The descendants of Kudo would receive visits from an ageing family friend throughout the ages.
.
Toshinori was different. He would leave something great behind. Unlike Nana, he wasn't leaving behind a family. His death would damage society as a whole. And he hadn't passed the quirk on.
It was too soon.
He noticed him. To most - he'd just be a strange teenage boy - lucky to be seeing the number 1 hero outside of work. A rare sighting.
But Toshinori knew about the boy. Who'd meet each holder- close before the inevitable fight against All for One. Close before their death.
"It's you..." He stared into the depths of those green eyes. He resisted the urge to gulp- it was as if he was meeting the eyes of the Grim Reaper.
"Are you prepared to die? Toshinori?" He asked the same old question.
"Yes-"
"But you haven't even passed on the quirk?"
"There is a failsafe for that - in case my death does take place. I'm prepared."
The furrow in his dark eyebrows loosened- putting on a calming, placating look as if talking to a hysterical child.
"But do you want to?"
"I'll do what is needed to avenge the previous holders."
"...Then I wish you luck.
______
8-year-old Katsuki ( almost the 7th generation of Kudo's bloodline) rattled off guesses about his age.
"You look 13... But the Hag thinks you're some old ass man. What the hell is your quirk?"
Izuku flicked the young boy's forehead. "Old enough for you to not use those words towards me."
Then he paused. Taking in more of the sentence.
"I'm not fucking 13, you shistain!" He’d hope his brother would forgive his profanity.
"Don't swear at me or I'll tell the hag!"
"And I'll tell her what you just called her."
He trudged along and sighed. He adored these little squabbles he had with each generation. But each kid was getting mouthier. He tripped Katsuki over while he walked beside him.
"Fuck you!" he heard distantly. Katsuki's face was in his usual gruff expression, but there was a drop of concern in those eyebrows. Concern at his eye bags and deepening frown.
Hisashi died yesterday. He was there by the sidelines. Izuku wanted to jump in and stop, but who would he help? The Hero or the Villain? The kind-hearted man or his Brother?
Watching his face blow away and seeing Toshinori's organs spill out.
He was proud of the boy for winning. But-
("When I die...I want it to be peaceful. With you and Yoichi right there on my bedside.
"Don't talk about those things, Oni chan. You won't die!" Izuku sobbed.)
While the death wasn't peaceful. At least he had him and a part of Yoichi there.
But right now,
Izuku needed time to think.
And process what happened.