Archive of Our Own

Melissa’s nails dug into his arm. She screamed and sobbed and yelled encouragement at the TV, but her words fell muffled and unintelligible on David's ears. At that moment, his entire world was reduced to the image on the screen before him. The live footage showed a vast cloud of dust and smoke. The news helicopters in far-off Japan struggled to get a proper angle on the action. And when the dust cleared enough for the cameras…

David’s own creation–a blue suit designed to the highest specs and made from a material strong enough to stop bullets–hung from a skeletal form in tatters. The camera zoomed in on sunken and shadowed eyes and a single small, feeble fist hanging in the air.

Before David could think, he was on his feet, nearly dragging Melissa with him. His pulse pounded in his ears and ice trickled down his spine. The two half-healed wounds in his chest throbbed dully. Then, another sound made it past the roar of his rushing blood. 

“Papa…! Papa! Who i-is that?”

His body had grown so numb that he hadn't felt his daughter tugging at his arm. 

His lips barely moved. “That's All Might.”

As Melissa let go of his arm to cover her mouth in shock, David knew that her feelings were being echoed by unseen millions around the world at that very moment. And that frightened him more than the danger his best friend faced on his screen. 

As he should have expected, Melissa didn't let the shock get to her for long and she resumed her cheering with redoubled desperation. Even as All Might turned the fight in his favor, no amount of cheering from his daughter or the news reporters or the crowds the cameras cut to could lift David's spirits. He was already mourning. And so, he could barely watch as All Might claimed his victory against All For One. And one last time, his best friend donned his muscle form and held up a victorious fist. Melissa's ecstatic screaming rang his ears, and he was relieved, of course he was, but he just couldn't join her. The entire world was thundering with cheers. Toshi was doing his job, and he was doing it so well , but… it was too much. David knew this was coming, and he knew that hope existed. He had learned that the hard way. But this was just too soon. Much too soon. David's fingers slipped beneath his glasses to clench the bridge of his nose. At that moment, no one else on Earth knew, except perhaps for one other… 

The Symbol of Peace was dead. And David wept. 

As the setting sun dyed the sky a reddish yellow, Toshinori arrived at the gates of U.A. at nearly a jog, waving a hand that no longer required a sling but was still delicately wrapped in bandages. David Shield turned and smiled wanly when he heard his name. He gave a small wave back. The giant beanpole of a man stooped down heavily so he could wrap his thin arms around David's waist and hook his chin comfortably over the crook of his neck. He squeezed his best friend in a tight hug, still quite a strong man despite his condition. But David was only lifted a little, up to his tiptoes…a far cry from how All Might had thrown him around the last time they reunited. He patted Toshinori’s back awkwardly at first, but only a few seconds passed before David dug his fingers into his dress shirt, squeezing his friend back with feeling. 

“You should've told me you were coming… I would've picked you up at the airport,” Toshinori murmured. His knees bent when his back began to ache from the angle of the hug. 

David shook his head, the movement causing his face to rustle against Toshinori’s dress shirt. “It's okay… I know you have responsibilities here, so I thought it would be better to meet you after work.”

He patted Toshinori’s shoulder and then they finally let go of the hug. David was a little more relaxed now, thankfully. The corners of his eyes crinkled softly behind his glasses as he smiled up at his friend. Though they had separated from the hug, Toshinori still kept his unbandaged hand on David's shoulder and smiled back with that big beaming grin: the one that never lost its spirit, no matter what form his body took. 

“So, Dave! Would you like to come inside? Some of my coworkers are still around. I can introduce you! If you plan on staying in the country a while, do you think you could give a talk to the Support Course? We have a few people who could translate for you. Those kids would be so thrilled to have an opportunity to learn from the famous–”

“That's not why I'm here,” David said firmly, but not sharply. “I only came here to see you. There are some things we need to talk about.”

“Oh.” That took the wind out of his sails a bit. “Yes, there are a few things…” Toshinori’s gaze fell to the ground and his thin lips set in a pained frown. “Dave, I–”

“Not here.” David knew Toshinori well enough to know when he'd start sinking into a spiral of negative feelings. It relieved David to see that his interruption snapped him out of it. The professor’s expression softened a bit. “Let's talk over dinner. Do you know any places around here, Toshi?”

David watched carefully as Toshi ate. He eyed the small size gyudon his friend ordered, dwarfed by David's own large kaisendon. He noticed that Toshi hadn't touched the free tea that had been poured for them, and he watched the slow, slow way he chewed every bite, like some kind of herd animal. Distantly, David recalled a time when Toshi took on an eating challenge at another restaurant they ate at together almost thirty years ago. He had wolfed down burger after burger with a reckless, youthful vigor that had left David stunned, all to get his name engraved on a gilded plaque on the wall. David knew the person in front of him was the same man, but he still couldn't shake the impression that he now resembled some sort of vulnerable, fragile prey animal. The way Toshi’s bony elbows jutted out at odd angles was the spitting image of the awkward, gangly legs of the lambs he had watched on his grandfather's farm in his youth. 

They hadn't broached any serious topics yet, but the anticipation hung over them heavily as they ate. Trying to keep things light for a little longer, Toshinori swallowed his small mouthful of thoroughly chewed beef and rice and beamed. 

“So, how's the family? I have to say, I was surprised to hear that you were coming to Japan at all. Doesn't I-Island have a rule that prevents you guys from travelling? I get Melissa's probably busy with school, but why isn't your wife with you? I didn't get a chance to see her when I was there a couple of months back, either. Were you the only one who could get permission to travel? Or maybe she's too busy with her own work? I thought she loved Japan, though…”

David set his chopsticks down. Toshi had already breached the threshold without knowing it. “Right. I should tell you. We've… separated. We're getting a divorce.”

Toshi’s jaw dropped in shock, his perfect teeth jutting out in a way that still reminded David eerily of sheep. “Whaaat? But you've been together for twenty years! What happened?” 

David winced. What should he tell him? He tacked on a pained smile. 

“Well…there were various factors. Including…you know.” He sighed. “Hiring villains, creating a situation that put the island on lockdown and…put our daughter's life in grave danger. Sam…passing like that… I guess it was all too much. I don't...blame her.”

But that wasn't everything. His ex-wife's all too clear and recent words rang in his head. “You did it all for All Might, didn't you? I can't believe you! Before sparing a single thought to how your actions might affect your family or your career or anything else, you were thinking of him! Always All Might, All Might, All Might… You've been obsessed with him since before we even met!”

As David sank into his own dark pit, he felt a hand cover his. 

“You love him more than you love me. No, don't say a word. I know it's the truth. And you know what? I can't compete with him... Have a nice life, David. I hope you can be happy.”

“Dave, you can't blame yourself for any of that. You were deceived…”

David jerked his hand away from All Might's grasp. “I can't, can I?” His voice raised in volume ever so slightly. “Nothing about that incident would have happened if it wasn't for me. I instigated it. My choices allowed that disaster to happen. Are you going to turn a blind eye to my crimes just because we're friends? You're a hero, aren't you?!”

As soon as those last words let slip, mortification hit David like a bucket of ice water at his own insensitivity. His heart pounded hard in his chest. A few other restaurant patrons glanced over upon hearing the word “hero” and All Might dipped his head to avoid recognition…something he never would've had to think about in this form until mere weeks ago. That only worsened David's embarrassment into a twisting in his stomach. But before he could find the words to apologize, Toshi spoke up, his tone of voice remarkably calm. 

“Well then… Allow me to rephrase that. That doesn't change how I feel about you. We all do things we regret. Whether you're liable for any of those actions... That's not exactly in my jurisdiction anymore. But make no mistake: I will always care about you, and there's nothing you can do to stop me, old friend.”

David's blue eyes widened slightly, stunned. Decades of sentiment and feelings welled up in his chest. “Toshi…”

The former hero took another bite of his quickly cooling beef and rice, carefully chewing and swallowing before speaking again. 

“But… I still care about her too, you know… Your ex-wife. I was there at her wedding, and we had some good times and good conversations over the years… I'd like to send her a message sometime, but I don't know how touchy things are right now. Would that be okay?”

David hadn't emotionally recovered from the last thing Toshi said before even more tender memories flooded him. He rested his head against his hand, his fingers tangling in his own short hair, and sighed. 

“You know… After things settle down in a few months, I'm sure she'd appreciate that. She always liked you. Or, well, everyone does.”

Again David wondered, as he had many times over the years, why he deserved to have the wonderful man All Might as a friend. Deep down, he knew the answer was that he didn't. It was a miracle that they had met, and it was another miracle that his line of work could be useful to the Symbol of Peace. David's eyes had already been shimmering, but he finally noticed a single tear threatening to escape the corner of his eye. He wiped it away and sniffed. “Christ, we haven't even talked about Kamino yet.”

All Might's sharp-boned countenance couldn't help but harden at the name. “That's why you came all the way to Japan, isn't it?”

David cracked a weak smile. “You found me out.” He glanced down at the bandages binding Toshi’s right hand and he gently brushed his fingertips against the wrapped knuckles. “Is this from Kamino?”

All Might nodded. “He messed my arm up pretty good, but it's almost healed now. These are coming off in a couple of days.” To prove it, he flexed his bandaged fingers individually. David lifted his fingertips to get out of the way, but Toshi took the opportunity to catch his hovering hand, softly threading his fingers between David's own. The quietly intimate gesture brought some color to David's face. His heart rate picked up.

“Um…” He blinked hard and forced that Nobel-winning brain to put words together. “I was glad to hear that he's finally behind bars. That specter that had been haunting you your whole life… All For One.”

All Might simply nodded once, gravely. 

Several seconds ticked by in silence. Maybe he didn't want to talk about it…? David leaned forward a little. “So… Do you feel…freer?”

Toshinori pressed his thin lips together tightly. He had visited Tartarus only a few days ago, so the harsh unease and negativity associated with his nemesis hadn't totally left his system yet. “...A little, I suppose.”

“Only a little? I mean, there's no way he's getting out.”

“I know… And I trust Tartarus and the police to keep him locked up, but that's not it. He just makes everything…complicated. He made sure his malice stayed behind in the world.”

Dave quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

All Might grimaced. Dave knew more about his past than almost anyone, so he didn't have anything to lose by telling him about Shimura Tenko, the painful and vile trap that All For One had laid for him. But that wound still felt too fresh, and he just…didn't feel like talking about it here, in this restaurant. So he dodged the subject by taking another bite of his now-cold gyudon with his free hand. 

The faint tugging at his hand caused by Toshi shifting to eat reminded David that they had been holding hands all this time. He slowly slipped his fingers from his friend's bandaged grip and finally got to eating some of his long-neglected tuna. Thankfully, kaisendon was a cold dish, so he didn't miss out on any flavor by letting it sit. Left at an awkward impasse, they ate quietly for a while. 

They hadn't even gotten around to talking about the biggest reason why David felt compelled to book his flight: the end of the Symbol of Peace, and what that meant. But bringing up something so important to himself and pouring his heart out… The timing just felt off. Maybe it was the restaurant setting… Maybe Toshi was feeling the same way. They should get out of here. That was the thought that inevitably led David to the warmth from Toshi’s hand that still lingered on his fingers, which was beginning to draw his attention more than the flavor of the marinated tuna. His stomach fluttered with nerves as even more old memories came back to him. But they were good memories, ones from the time they spent in college together, back when they saw each other every day. A part of him always wanted to go back to those days in an instant. How simple and exciting their lives had been… 

At some point, David's expression had softened. “I'm really glad you're here.”

Toshinori raised his shadowed eyebrows, taken aback by the suddenness, but then he chuckled heartily.

“Really? We saw each other only two months ago! That's an instant compared to all the long years that usually pass between our visits.”

Dave only responded with some self-conscious chuckling, but now Toshinori was getting lost in thoughts and memories himself. His expression shifted quickly from good-humored to pensive. 

“Wait, that's not really fair of me to say… I feel the same way, after all.”

For the first time since they sat down, Toshinori intentionally averted his gaze, staring off into a far corner and leaning back in his chair to steeple his fingertips together nervously. With this subject, at least, he could express himself and now seemed like a good time to do so. But finding the words was more nerve-wracking than he expected. After a pause, Toshinori let out a deep breath through his nose and spoke with trepidation. 

“When I'm with you… It feels like there's an empty space in my soul that finally gets filled. Even though I now have Young Midoriya, my students, and a couple of friends…the space is still there.” All Might scratched his head, bony cheeks flushing slightly. “Maybe… I just long for that particular kind of interaction… That connection I can only have with my best friend.”

David's eyes widened slightly. Something electric prickled beneath his skin as he felt a squeezing in his chest.

“You…get lonely?”

Toshi turned back to face David, blinking blankly. Slowly, his expression began to wilt and his lips pulled back into a toothy frown. The deep despair revealed in his sunken eyes sent a cold shiver through David's spine.  

“So lonely.”

“...You always were, ever since your master died.”

Toshi’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and so did David's. It had felt so suddenly obvious, and the words had flowed out of him so naturally, that David couldn't believe he had never said it before.

Stunned for a blink or two, Toshi then pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead and laughed hollowly. 

“Wow, you got me there.” After one last chuckle, his hands slowly fell to the table's edge and he faced David earnestly. “But you helped. Sure there was a lot of trouble with villains, but back when I was in America, I was happy. The days I spent with you… That was the least lonely I've ever been.”

Toshi had flattered him a lot over the course of this conversation. It was much, much more than he deserved, but…he couldn't help it. A warm, achingly familiar feeling filled David's chest. 

“Toshi…” He felt touched and vulnerable, but soon enough a rush of determination took over. He had to do it. Suddenly, David's expression became serious, looking back at Toshi with equally earnest eyes, though his heart pounded underneath. “Let me stay over tonight.”

Toshi’s narrow shoulders jumped at the sudden proposition. “Oh? Oh. I, uh… I…actually live in the school dorms now, along with the students.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah. So I don't really have a lot of room for guests anymore, and…I'm not even sure if it's appropriate to have guests over as a teacher. I'll have to ask Nezu–”

This time, David held Toshi’s hand.

“Then stay with me. I have a hotel room.”

Toshinori blinked at him two, three times before he looked down at Dave’s hand covering his own, and finally his friend's intentions began to sink in. A deep scarlet flush erupted across his cheeks and suddenly he was wracked with coughs. He managed to discreetly hack the blood that came up into a paper napkin before he responded in a hoarse, forceful whisper. 

“Really? Are you serious?” One look at Dave's face made it clear that he was. Toshinori leaned forward and whispered more quietly, his intense blue irises searching. “What about your divorce? Isn't it too soon? Is this really…wise?”

Though his nerves were still surging, David couldn't help but smile slightly as a bit of giddiness rose up in his chest. Thanks to decades of friendship, he knew if Toshi wasn't interested then he would've refused outright. David just had to reassure him and he'd have this in the bag. 

He squeezed Toshi’s hand. “It's okay. I know myself better than anyone. Besides, I'm an internationally acclaimed and awarded scientist approaching fifty years of age, so are you really going to tell me I don't know what I'm doing?” David flashed a cocky grin, though he knew he must have been blushing fiercely himself at this point. He didn't pull his own fame card often, so it was a relief to see his attempt at humor pay off. Toshi chuckled behind the napkin he held in his free hand. 

“What can I say to that?” Toshinori set the napkin down and stared down at the table, his smile fading. “But now that the teachers are staying in dorms for the students’ protection, I can't just leave…”

“You can do what you want. You're All Might.”

Toshinori glanced up at Dave quickly before staring at the table again, blushing harder than before. What he said was…undeniably true, though the former top hero didn't like to acknowledge it much. And even then… 

A shaky, wry smile spread across his lips. “Well… Even if the students were in danger, there'd be nothing I could do…”

…Because I'm essentially Quirkless. 

Even with the excited nerves, the heavy awkwardness of those unspoken words hung over the both of them. This was threatening to go off the rails in a bad way, so David gave his hand a reassuring tug. 

“Toshi…”

The crimson flush had started to spread to Toshi’s long neck. He lowered his head even further, hiding his face. David leaned in a little closer, whispering. 

“It'll be good. Just like old times, right? Won't you stay?”

Toshinori’s eyes widened down at the table as he struggled to process the situation. This was really happening. After so many years, especially after his body became like this, someone he loved and trusted was expressing interest in touching him, and not only that, it was Dave . He squeezed his eyes shut as distant but clear memories of hands running across tight skin and Dave's fresh, 22-year-old face twisted in pleasure came back to him. It was true that Toshinori had numerous insecurities about this form, and now he was stuck with it for good, but could he really let this opportunity pass him by? No, he needed to go beyond…! 

“Holy shit… Okay.”

Dave's eyes brightened and he unintentionally gave Toshinori's hand an even tighter squeeze. “Okay?”

“Yes,” Toshinori managed to respond normally though he was quickly becoming as much of a mess on the inside as Dave. 

David grinned giddily, and after lovingly passing his fingers across Toshi's bandaged knuckles one last time, he dove into the rest of his tuna bowl. 

Since the restaurant was near the school, All Might made a quick detour to the teachers’ dorms. Once he got to his room, he picked up his medicine and hurriedly threw a change of clothes and his toothbrush into a tote bag. After fretting for a moment, he scribbled down a note apologizing and saying he'd be out for the night and stuck it to his door on his way out. He could already picture the profound disappointment in Aizawa's bloodshot eyes upon seeing it. 

David and Toshinori barely said a word during the taxi ride to the hotel. The air between them vibrated with so much anticipation and nervous energy that their minds were left blank. They did entwine their fingers together against the seat as a shy attempt to be mutually comforting, with David using his Quirk to make the hold extra secure. And once, while the driver was busy making a turn, David pressed a quick kiss against Toshinori’s jawline. If the former hero hadn't been a blushing nervous wreck before, he couldn't imagine how he must have looked now. His best friend of a quarter century was really looking to give him a heart attack. 

The hotel was quite nice, which shouldn't have been surprising, given David's usual pay grade. Thankfully, the opulent lobby was practically deserted at this evening hour in the middle of the week, so neither of them were recognized. The anticipation made All Might's shoulders tense as they reached David's floor and quietly padded down the soft carpet of a long hallway to finally reach his door. David fumbled with the card key a bit (his damned hands were shaking) before they finally made it through. 

Once the door closed behind them, every nerve in Toshinori’s body buzzed intensely as time seemed to slow. He felt like he was taking in the information around him in snapshots. Dave's room was big. There was a mini bar. A bed. Even in the dimness the bed looked very nice, but the couch was closer. That's where they should go. Toshinori didn't even notice that he was already holding Dave's hand again and tugging him along until the other man tugged back and whirled him around. Before Toshinori could form any questioning words, Dave pulled him down by the back of his neck and caught his open mouth in a kiss. 

All Might's tote bag hit the floor with a soft thud. His hands trembled as they rose to cradle Dave's back. So quiet, so breathless, a moment frozen in time. It had been years since he had kissed anyone, but it had been twenty-five years since he had kissed David Shield. An exquisite tingling flowed upwards from his chest, spreading beneath the skin of his face. Relief, happiness, a quarter century of building tension that he had tried to ignore released in one moment, with one action… 

And time resumed again as soon as their lips parted. Their half-lidded gazes only met for a moment before Dave reached up to kiss him again. Toshinori melted above him, his shoulders slumping and his arms wrapping more firmly around his back. Dave's left hand reached up to cup a hollow cheek, and Toshinori softly pushed back into the touch. The second kiss started out sweet like the the first one, but Dave gradually turned up the heat, softly dragging his teeth across Toshinori’s thin lower lip and gently tugging it. All Might opened his eyes at the sensation. His heart fluttered at the sight of Dave's closed eyes in the dim light. He looked relaxed, blissful, just the same as Toshinori felt in that moment, even as he was carefully teasing his lips. Was this as much of a relief for Dave as it was for him? Was that why he was starting out slow? To savor every moment? Every moment of him, even with his body as aged and Quirkless and deteriorated as it was now? Did Dave truly care for him so much that he didn't mind? That Toshinori could still make him happy just with a kiss? 

Emotion threatened to choke him as Dave softly deepened their kiss. Toshinori's thin arms shook around his friend as passion welled up within him. Finally, Dave parted from the kiss and his bright blue eyes opened. All Might's best friend smiled up at him with that exact same relaxed, heart-melting grin from their younger days, and that was his breaking point. 

“Dave…!”

He crushed his mouth down against Dave's, and he was greeted with a muffled grunt of surprise. Dave's back was made to arch backward when Toshinori exerted his wiry strength around his waist as he bent over to deepen the kiss. He was dipping Dave, All Might distantly realized. The corny heroic dip he had performed more times back in the day than he cared to admit. Muscle memory, he supposed. He couldn't help it. Excitement and gratification bubbled up within him the moment Dave reciprocated, pressing back and pushing his hot tongue up into the kiss. All Might pressed his own tongue back eagerly but kept an eye open as he started to use his leverage to steer them towards his original target. 

He turned them and then they stumbled one step, two, until Dave finally fell back onto the couch with Toshinori on top of him. Toshinori's thighs were so long that it took a bit of sliding and bumping his knees against the back of the couch to get a proper straddle on the man. His desperate panting filled the air as he slung his bandaged arm across the top of the couch behind Dave's head and finally got back to making out with him, spreading his good hand across the other's chest. Dave rested his hands on Toshinori's hips and then he seemed set on doing his best to ruin the former top hero with his tongue. 

In his mind, Toshinori was back in his twenties, repeating decades-old actions with the same youthful vigor, and each one left him with a nostalgic thrill. This was just another one of their sessions on his couch back in his old California apartment, or on that couch in the corner of the lab when Dave insisted they wouldn't get caught. This state of mind would only have been possible with Dave here, so perhaps that explained why he was getting so aroused so soon...way quicker than he could recall in years, maybe even decades. Toshinori muffled a needy groan against Dave's mouth and kissed the corner of his mouth, his cheek, underneath his jaw. When he nuzzled into the crook of his neck and kissed the skin there, Dave's breath hitched and his grip on All Might's hips tightened. Encouraged by the response, Toshinori grinned into his neck and then sucked at it, stroking Dave's chest as he started to tease with his tongue and teeth. Finally, Dave was moaning, much to All Might's excitement. 

“Toshi…”

Just hearing that word sent a spike of pleasure to his crotch. All Might let out a groan and leaned back onto his haunches. He locked his heavily lidded gaze with Dave's and panted as he reached up to shakily unbutton his own dress shirt. He got about halfway down before Dave's hand abruptly came forward to grab the open edges and clench his shirt closed in a fist. 

“Wait. Your body…”

Toshinori’s arousal was gone in an instant, as if he had been splashed with cold water. He was sickeningly aware of the fabric of his shirt tightening across his narrow chest. Hiding something unsightly. 

“What…?”

David froze when he saw Toshi’s eyes widen and his expression morph into searingly clear confusion and hurt. Instantly, his anxiety violently thrashed within him. He let go of Toshi’s shirt and raised both of his hands to clutch at his own face. 

“Fuck. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…!”

What the fuck was he thinking?! This was Toshi! He didn't want to look like this, and there was nothing he could do about it. But even then, of course he still wanted to be loved, just like everybody else. And he must have already trusted David because this wasn't the first time he'd seen his post-surgery body. David had already seen him stripped down in this form when he measured his Quirk levels back on I-Island. True, he had found Toshi's scrawny body an unsettling sight, like a herald for the death of the Symbol of Peace, but he'd had the damn tact to keep it to himself. Where the hell was that now?! 

“Fuck…”

Toshi must have been placing a lot of trust in him when he accepted this stupid, horny proposal. To his knowledge, Toshi hadn't been intimate with anyone since his injury. Why didn't David consider that for even a moment? That this might have been a big step for him that required a lot of courage?! And, what, he was just going to stop him from taking his clothes off? They were going to get each other off, obviously! That was exactly what he wanted. So what did he think was going to happen? And this was Toshi, for crying out loud. He loved him! He loved Toshi. Was he going to reject him just because he didn't find him as attractive as he used to? Fuck no. He should've lavished his body with attention, no matter what he looked like, because he was Toshi. But now he'd fucked it up, just like everything else. He'd ruined his best friend’s trust in him. What a horrible, wretched, god-awful–

“Dave…?”

The professor's eyes opened, and he was met with a look of grave concern. Now that he wasn't drowning in his own head, David finally noticed that he was having difficulty breathing and that he was on the verge of tears. Toshi quietly reached forward to rest a large, warm hand on a trembling arm. He was way, way too good. So much more wonderful than David deserved. Letting the comforting heat of Toshi’s hand distract him, David gradually steadied his breathing and allowed his nerves to calm a bit.

“Toshi… Toshi, I'm sorry…” David reached a hand towards his friend's face, but Toshi dodged the hand, leaning back upright. David choked at the rejection. “Shit…”

“Dave… It's okay. Breathe.”

All Might's hand slid from David's arm to his shoulder. He must have said similar words many times as a hero…but they must have never before been said in such a cold, controlled way. David couldn't help but notice, which only led icy dread to take up residence in his stomach. The way Toshi loomed above him, the deep shadows and crags in his skull obscuring his face in the dimness…David couldn't help but feel like he was passing judgment. (It was what he deserved, after all.)

After a heavy pause, Toshi spoke again. 

“I don't know what to say, Dave… You saw what this form looked like when you ran those tests.”

“I know. I know… I was being an idiot just now. That's all.”

Toshi slumped slightly, the confidence in his voice wavering. “The way we were talking at the restaurant… Did I get the wrong idea…?”

David's heart clenched. “No! God, no... I just…I was being stupid.”

“I mean… This form… I-I can't really blame you for not wanting it...”

“Toshi…! Stop it.”

Toshi had slumped down far enough for David to be able to make out his expression again. His face suddenly lifted to meet David's eyes and his sunken eyebrows raised in surprise. David scooped up the hand that All Might had still been resting on his shoulder and held it warmly between his own hands. This time, Toshi didn't make any moves to pull away. 

“I'm sorry. I can't…take back what I just said. Even if I did, it'd be obvious I'm not being completely honest… But I want to do this, still. I do.” Toshi opened his mouth to speak, but David blurted out his next words before he could. “Because it's you! I like you, no matter what you look like.”

All Might averted his eyes and grimaced slightly. That undercurrent of panic buzzed beneath David's skin again. 

“Shit, that sounded kind of bad. Just…can we possibly start over? I'm serious now. I'm all in. No more bullshit. But…only if that's okay with you. I honestly wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave.”

All Might sighed, looking a little uncomfortable, to David's distress. After a long moment, Toshi gave him a nervous smile. 

“Goodness, this sounds a bit rude, but I'd…be willing to give you a chance…? I understand your feelings, I was just a bit…confused by the mixed signals.” David felt his face flush with mortification, but he knew what he was hearing was fair. “But you came all the way out here just to see me…”

“Oh god, Toshi, I don't want to guilt you into this…”

Toshi shook his head, his demeanor growing calmer and more confident. “That's not what I mean. You had so much turmoil going on in your life, but when you saw that I was having a hard time in my life, you put that all aside to see me. I trust that you did that out of concern for me, yes, but weren't you also seeking comfort for yourself, too? You know, like when you help a friend and you end up feeling good about yourself.”

David blinked in astonishment. “Well…yes, but that's not the kind of thing people usually say out loud.”

All Might burst into hoarse laughter, lifting his free, bandaged hand to his mouth when his laughing turned to coughing. Thankfully, no blood appeared to come up this time. “Hah…! True enough. Anyway, you and I have been going through rough times lately. So! I figure it would benefit the both of us more to do our best to have a good time than get hung up on every little thing.”

David averted his eyes, his cheeks flushing as he lifted one hand to sheepishly rub at his nose. “Plus ultra, huh…?”

All Might brightened up instantly. “Yes! Exactly! Plus ultra!” The sheer radiance of his grin blasted away nearly all of David's guilt at once. Toshi moved both of his hands to David's chest and rubbed in small circles, and that alone was enough to start getting the professor in the mood again. “So how about it, old friend?”

In his head, David wanted to thank him for allowing them to continue, but before he could pull himself together enough to say the words, his left hand had already reached up to cup the back of Toshi’s head and bring him down for a kiss. Toshi hummed against his lips and tilted his head slightly to deepen it and slip in his tongue. David couldn't help but groan back as incredible relief and chills coursed through him. Before, as was now embarrassingly clear, David had only focused on Toshi's mouth since that was the part of him that had changed the least. He would rectify that now. In fact, he vowed that if he didn't make the greatest man in the world come before the night was over, then he would never forgive himself. 

He urgently kissed those sharp cheekbones, trailing down the angles to Toshi’s neck. His neck seemed so weirdly long now without all the muscle, like the skinny neck of a freshly sheared sheep. Wait…no, not weird, and he really needed to stop comparing him to something as helpless as a sheep. Any neck of Toshi's was a good one. David ran his tongue along the hard, stark lines of that long neck, and Toshi shuddered and murmured his name. He dimly recalled that there was in area of interest here that used to drive Toshi wild… David nuzzled into the side, right at the juncture between his neck and shoulder. After he heard Toshi suck in a breath and felt his shoulders stiffen, David pressed his mouth to the skin and sucked hard. Toshi gasped. 

“Shit.”

David muffled a smug and satisfied sound against his skin, then kissed and gently nipped at the spot while his hands finally finished the job of unbuttoning his friend's shirt below. Toshi moaned extravagantly as his thin body squirmed in his lap, and David felt the pull as the other man bunched up the front of his shirt in tightly clenched fists. David started to make moves towards removing the shirt altogether, but before he could push it off Toshi’s shoulders, he was a little surprised to feel the former hero frantically undoing the buttons to David's own shirt. He separated from Toshi and leaned back to give him a little room, but no sooner had he done that than Toshi's fingers suddenly froze. 

“Dave…? What's this?”

In his lubricious haze, David didn't understand what was wrong at first. That is, until Toshi suddenly shoved off of him and stumbled over to a light switch. David almost rolled his eyes. Right. That thing. The lights flickered on to more clearly reveal two large bandages covering the upper right side of David's chest and his right shoulder peeking out from beneath his button down. He could feel the third bandage pressing against the back of the couch, covering his reconstructed shoulder blade where the second bullet had exited. Toshi grabbed the tissue box from the desk and took it him with on the way back (for his coughing?) but his face was full of steely concern as he approached and took a seat on David’s left. Toshi undid some more buttons and gingerly pulled back the edge of his friend's shirt so he could have a better look. 

David blinked down at his chest tiredly. “It's…you know…from that.”

Toshi flinched and raised his eyebrows, a bit spooked. 

“Oh, of course… I… I hadn't forgotten about your injuries, but…I guess I'm…surprised that it hasn't already been taken care of. With all of I-Island's resources I assumed you guys had access to technology or a Quirk on par with Recovery Girl's. Should I take you to go see her?”

The professor shook his head firmly and then sighed. They were really going there, huh? He should have known this would be inevitable. “...Your assumption is correct. I went through all of the necessary surgeries with I-Island's top-end medical technology, so I'm all fixed up on the inside. But I declined any post-op healing Quirk use. I wanted to recover the old fashioned way.”

“...But why?” Toshi's wide, blinking eyes were devoid of comprehension. 

David grimaced and looked away, scowling at the far wall. Whatever arousal he had was deflating by the second. He felt Toshi twist in his seat and rest a hand on his arm. “Dave…?”

As much as he didn't want to bring this to the surface, he also hated that he was choking on the words. He owed Toshi. And he'd said no more bullshit. This was the last of his own that needed clearing. If he needed to angrily rip the words out of himself by force, so be it. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling his entire chest tighten up. “Do you remember…what you said at the restaurant…about whether I was liable?”

“...Yes.”

“The truth is that I'm not.” He felt All Might's posture stiffen next to him. “The appearance of a real, flashy villain made my involvement a mere footnote just like that. Then add in the fact that I needed to be rescued from him…and that you were the one who rescued me...”

“Me and Midoriya.”

David impatiently swatted his words away. “I don't need to tell you that you were the only one officially recognized for that incident. In the eyes of everyone who wasn't there, it was All Might versus Wolfram. And I was made a victim.”

“But…”

David opened his eyes and wearily stared straight ahead. “You're All Might, Japan's number one hero and internationally recognized as the Symbol of Peace. And I'm All Might's best friend, the world famous scientist David Shield. And I needed rescuing. Very dramatic, exciting stuff. And when that was over I was questioned by law enforcement, as you know. I told them everything. I listed out my crimes in detail, and they just…let me off the hook. I could get on my hands and knees and beg to be arrested, and I'm sure they'd just pat me on the back and laugh me off.”

He saw All Might lean in closer to him in his peripheral vision. “Dave…”

David gritted his teeth. Despite his best efforts, his voice began to crack. “And where does that leave me, Toshi? I'm not and could never be ungrateful for the good that came out of that situation because you and your students were there. But that doesn't erase what I did, or the regret that I feel. I can't bear to continue my work. I'm effectively retired, like you.”

“I figured…”

“For the last week I've been living in a hotel in America. I lost my home, I-Island. Even if I'm not facing any charges, I broke the island’s rules, so the bureaucratic months-long exit process was a natural consequence. I willingly created something dangerous and unethical. And I shared that information with outsiders to steal it back. And that put everything I love in danger, so any faith I had in myself is gone as well. And my wife left me… Even though you saved me, I lost everything I thought I had. At least I still have Melissa, though it's not so easy to see her anymore now that I've moved off the island. And the divorce has been hard on her, like it would be on any kid. But thank god I still have her…”

And he still had his best friend. All Might ruined his marriage and his career, but he loved him, and needed him, and was scared for him. He craved that warmth, that touch, that brimming kindness and affection that he didn't deserve, and that's why he was here. 

“I know, rationally, that if I want to beat myself up so badly, what I've lost should be consequence enough. But I'm not really accountable. I'm not truly being held responsible for anything...by anyone. All of it is just… happening to me. It's all out of my control.”

All Might's grip on his arm tightened. “So you mean…”

David squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that he was going to sound so fucking dramatic. That he was so fucking dramatic. But this was his truth. He finally glanced in Toshi’s direction again. 

“These wounds…were punishment for my actions. The villain was the only one who punished me.”

“No…”

“Choosing how I recover is the only thing I've been able to control. If no one's going to let me properly take responsibility, then at least I can atone by enduring the pain and the difficulty, and by making sure I'm left with permanent scars so I'll never forget what I did.”

The silence after that abrupt end hung heavily between them. David couldn't breathe until he made himself meet All Might's eyes. Toshi was frowning–always a concerning sign–but otherwise his expression was neutral but stern, with the intensity of those blue irises boring right into his bones. It was hard to read Toshi’s emotions like this…was he disappointed in him? Judging him? Angry with him? Concerned? Worried? Sad, even? Considering their long friendship, perhaps he was feeling a little of everything. 

Finally All Might spoke, but his intense stare never wavered. “I don't like this. At all. But…if I told you that you were wrong for wanting to take responsibility, for shouldering a burden…then I would just be a hypocrite.”

David couldn't describe the emotion that made him feel, but it made him shiver. He almost flinched when All Might placed his fingertips against his chest near the bandages. His friend's expression softened somewhat. “I'm surprised I didn't notice these earlier. I could've hurt you, right? Especially when we were doing what we were just…doing.”

With some effort, David managed a small, shaky smile. “Trust me…if anything you did actually hurt, I would've let you would know. Plus it's been two months, so I'm doing a lot better. I still can't quite lift my right arm over my head, and the doctors told me that it may never be at one hundred percent again–” At Toshi's heartbreaking look of concern, David waved his hands frantically. “But it's okay, really! It's not the end of the world. I'm not working in a lab anymore. I'm a retiree. What’s one bad shoulder gonna prevent me from doing when all I'll be doing from now on is kicking back? Really...”

He thought that if he had a handicap, then maybe he wouldn't ever be tempted to go back to work and make anything like that quirk augmentation device he created for All Might ever again. 

While David was muttering and making up excuses, Toshi withdrew his hands and completely shrugged his unbuttoned dress shirt off his shoulders. He finally toed off his shoes as well. The professor snapped to attention when Toshi slung one long, thin thigh over his lap, halfway to straddling him again like before. A slight but playful smile had graced his friend's thin lips. 

“I guess we'll have to be more careful then, if that's okay with you…” 

Somehow, his rich voice was enough to redden David's cheeks again. After some quiet shifting in his seat, he subtly turned his body to better face Toshi and make the position more comfortable. His heart fluttered as Toshi finished unbuttoning his shirt and spread it wide open. He didn't totally remove it like his own, though, perhaps out of concern for David's shoulder. At that moment, All Might paused and silently stared down at his withered hands splayed across David's patched-up torso, one hand bare and one hand bandaged. After a moment, he exhaled in a hollow chuckle.

“We're a real mess, aren't we?”

David instinctively understood his friend’s feelings and laughed quietly back. Here they were, two sick, sad, weakened old men covered in bandages feebly attempting to get each other off and find some relief from the harsh realities of life. How had they gotten here? 

“Yeah, I guess we are.” Finally smiling again, David pressed a kiss to Toshi's forehead. Though the corners of All Might's mouth perked up a little, the kiss didn't distract him this time. His gaze still focused downwards as he ran his hands across and down the other man's stomach. The friction from the bandages scraping across his skin sent a shiver up David's spine. 

That enthusiasm he knew so well reemerged in All Might's voice. “You're looking good, though! I thought you looked pretty fit, but do I detect some actual muscle under there? Say it isn't so!”

Knowing the reason behind the teasing, David blushed self-consciously a bit. “I haven't been going lately, obviously, but yeah, I-Island has world class gym facilities.”

Toshi grinned widely. “Just as I'd expect!”

“And I'd been using them ever since I moved there.”

“I bet your wife liked that!”

Discomfort clawed at David's throat. He grimaced. “Maybe we shouldn't talk about her.”

All Might's bony shoulders jumped. Now blushing himself, he sputtered. “O-Oh, of course! I'm sorry!”

“That's okay…” David lazily glanced down and ran his hand along the thin thigh looped over his hip. Toshi’s back straightened and he shut up with a shuddering inhale. “You were thinking about how you used to nag me back in college, weren't you?”

“Nag…!” All Might pretended to be offended, but then he laughed heartily. “You were literally living off of instant ramen! And the energy drinks! I don't even want to think about your sleeping schedule…” He continued to caress David's torso as he spoke. “Did you ever sleep in your own bed or did you just crash at your desk in the lab every day?”

“Sometimes I did sleep in my bed…when I was with you.”

Toshi’s eyes widened and his face flushed crimson. David smirked. He ran his hand up Toshi's thigh to his ass, then he gripped there and pulled his hips closer. Toshi made a high, strangled noise of surprise and unfurled his right leg and tucked it behind David's back so it wouldn't get too cramped between them. He dryly attempted to clear his throat and continued. 

“Yes, well, anyway, I worked so hard on the ‘Make David Shield a Functional Human Being’ American Dream Plan, but you only followed the diet part and none of the exercise part.”

David could now happily say that looks were the furthest thing from his mind as he began to rub deep circles into Toshi's lower back and follow the prominent bumps of his spine with his fingertips. The professor's eyelids grew heavy and his gaze distant as he entered full reminiscence mode, smiling fondly. 

“Well…the first time you woke me up at my desk bringing a piping hot breakfast, it was like a revolution. Once you get a good home cooked meal after eating the same old shit for ages, you get hooked. Can you blame me? Your cooking was good.” He lifted his right arm about as far as it would go to run his hand along Toshi's upper back and pull him closer so he could whisper in his ear. “And you looked cute doing it.” David ran the tip of his tongue along the shell of his ear. 

Toshi's breath hitched and his fingers paused in their movements. David was thankful for the lights. Now he could clearly see the red flush spread across Toshi's body and every hot bead of sweat that his actions brought forth. David pressed a kiss to that certain spot on Toshi's neck and he was rewarded with another high-pitched whine. He whispered against the skin, “Do you still cook?”

All Might's voice was growing hoarse. “Yes…all the time. My diet’s gotten pretty specialized ever since my big injury…it's been convenient to just take care of everything myself.” He let out a shuddering sigh when David began to kiss his neck harder. “Do you want me to cook for you?” 

David parted from his neck, giving the proposition some thought. His left hand began to travel up the front of Toshi's stomach, his fingers kneading between the crags and dips and withered muscle, bringing forth new pleasing reactions. “...I'd love that. But you work tomorrow morning, right? I'll wait until you have time… I was already planning on staying here a few days.”

Toshi nodded, panting softly. He groaned when David tweaked his nipple and scowled in concentration as he seemed to still want to keep talking. “The plan was supposed to encourage you…to make your own meals, not rely on me… But I ended up cooking for you for a whole year.”

David gave his cheekbone a smooch. “But you liked it, didn't you? Or else you wouldn't have.”

Incredibly, Toshi’s blush grew even darker. “Well, I… I can't say you're wrong, but even after all that effort, because you never followed the workout plan unless I was literally there with you making you do it, you just remained skin and bones. But nothing like right now…”

David smirked again. “I guess the tables have turned.”

All Might blinked and then leaned back and laughed loudly. “Yeah! But my body aside, it took you like twenty years to finally get the results I wanted you to have! Way too slow! Zero points!”

“Alright, teacher.” Getting as frisky as his tone of voice, David hiked Toshi's hips even further up on his lap and craned his neck up to kiss him. Toshi moaned softly into his mouth and bent over so he could press his lips tenderly back. Those lanky legs tightened around him, and David felt something like a bulge press against his hip. Excitement bubbled within him. But before he could begin to do anything about that, he was surprised to feel Toshi's hands going for David's own belt. Metal and leather scraped audibly as he enthusiastically loosened the buckle, but then his movements slowed and became more nervous as he unzipped David's fly. 

David wasn't as hard as he could've been given his two consecutive near-meltdowns just minutes ago, but his chub still pressed obviously against the thin fabric of his boxer briefs. Toshi's bright blue irises locked on it instantly and his mouth dropped open in an expression that was unmistakably something like want. Wanting him, even after all the shit he did. David's breathing deepened. His heart raced. 

“Can I…?” Toshi's bare hand hovered over the bulge. This was getting in the way of David's plan to make Toshi come first, but the anticipation made him care less by the second. Something he'd been missing for twenty-five years… David nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips. The sweetness was enough to make his head float, but Toshi soon parted from the kiss to stare hard down at him as his fingertips gently traced the outline through the underwear. Even though the touch was feather-light, a sensation like an electric shock tore through David's body. It was the fulfillment of a quarter century of wanting, of all those dreams he had to keep to himself, of his long-standing secret, terrible habit of masturbating to old photos of Toshi. Finally, finally Toshi was touching him again. 

David gasped immodestly as Toshi more firmly stroked him through the fabric. His dick wasted no time swelling and growing so much hotter and harder against his skin, trapped inside, becoming unbearable. 

“T-Toshi, just… It's okay, just hurry up and touch me.” David pressed his hips into Toshi's hand and he reached a thumb down to impatiently tug at his own waistband. Getting the message, Toshi gently pushed the hand out of the way and dove in to pull David out. 

David involuntarily moaned at the skin on skin contact (finally, finally ) and went dizzy as he realized that even after losing all his muscle, Toshi's hand was still so huge that it nearly engulfed his cock. Just as he was getting ready to have countless fantasies realized, the last thing he expected was to hear…snickering? Toshi was snickering at him? David felt his face grow hot as a pricking fear filled him. 

“Wh-What...?”

All Might beamed widely with his sunniest, dopiest grin. “You're getting gray hairs!”

David blushed a furious crimson. 

“Shut up!” 

He shoved Toshi hard in the chest with both hands, and his friend nearly fell off the couch laughing hard. His guffawing soon turned into coughing and he grabbed a tissue. Some blood came up, but his amused grin never left his lips even as he wiped them off. 

“Heh heh, I mean I don't have any yet, but it's nothing to be ashamed of!”

David scowled indignantly. “Well, we can't all be perfect blond adonises like you.”

In an instant, All Might shut up and his eyebrows raised in surprise. He froze, bloody tissue still in his hand, and he stared at David in wonder. David stared back at him dumbly, his skin prickling with nerves as he tried to figure out what he did. Then he realized he had described All Might as perfect and attractive, even looking as he did right now. Well…if he had unwittingly given him a self-esteem boost, then that was all for the better. 

David smiled kindly and pulled him back closer. “Come here.”

After reaching a long arm over to toss the tissue in the wastebasket between the couch and the desk, Toshi smiled back at him and enthusiastically nuzzled into the side of his neck. He wrapped his bare hand around David's cock again and stroked. David's breathing grew ragged as he found relief and pleasure at long, long last. He leaned his head back against the top of the couch. “Toshi…”

“Dave...come back here.”

David glanced down in time to see Toshi's bandaged hand snake between them and reach for his face. Toshi grabbed his jaw, rubbing a bandaged thumb over his goatee with a scrape, and pulled him over for a kiss as his grip around David’s dick tightened. David pushed his tongue into his mouth and moaned softly. He knew Toshi wasn't going to fuck him into oblivion like the good old days, but even just this was satisfying him immensely. Toshi was really here, and warm, and kissing him tenderly as he was jerking him off. Not in his wildest dreams… 

So he grumbled in protest when Toshi suddenly took his hand away. But only briefly, as it turned out. Toshi pulled away to spit into his hand and got right back to it. David groaned at the wet slide of the other man's hand before Toshi quickly covered his mouth again with his own. David's eyes rolled back in bliss as Toshi jerked him faster and harder. His hips began to thrust into Toshi's hand, seeking out even more of that building pleasure. 

As he was getting more and more far gone, David desperately tried to give back any way he could: running his hands down Toshi's bare sides and over his thighs, pulling at his lip with his teeth, pressing his thigh up against his crotch… Toshi responded to that last one, letting out a moan and shifting his position to better ride his thigh. Feeling that sizable hardness grind against his leg only served to turn him on even more. He supposed it made sense, but…that part of Toshi had stayed the same, huh? David almost looked forward to getting All Might off more than his own climax, which…wasn't surprising, if he was honest with himself. But that didn't diminish how he felt right now. 

“Toshi…”

His partner had moved on to kissing his neck. Toshi was clearly starting to remember some of his old weak spots too, and the way he licked and nibbled at them turned David's bones to jelly. 

“Fuck…”

He could feel himself getting close. David panted and moaned, the hotel room and Toshi's wild mane of hair growing unfocused and hazy before his glazed, half-lidded eyes. When David's back arched and his toes curled in his shoes, All Might let up on his brutal pace, still gripping hard but now stroking excruciatingly slowly. 

David threw his head back against the couch again. “Toshi… Goddammit…”

He snickered against David's neck and then rose up to kiss his cheek. “I just want to take care of you, my love.”

That electric shock surged through David again at those last two words. His mind overloaded with all the possible implications, but all of that stopped mattering once Toshi kissed his lips so sweetly and jerked a little faster. Amazing… He was amazing. David's heart thumped hard with all of a lifetime’s worth of affection and adoration, enough for the moisture in his eyes to dew up and threaten to push past his lashes. As he unraveled he was tempted, so tempted, to spill his guts, to babble on about his deepest feelings, to beg him to fuck him somehow, about how in love he was… always was…

But before he could, he choked. He threw his head back, mouth open but silent as the first shot spurted through Toshi's fingers. Then finally he found his breath, digging his fingers hard into Toshi's thighs and moaning loudly and desperately as he came. He felt hot liquid splash and cling to his stomach. Finally… Finally… 

“Fuuuuuck…”

The orgasm left his whole body numb, his best one since…he didn't even know. He fell forward and rested his hot, damp forehead against Toshi's, gasping for air and clinging his arms around his partner’s bare back. 

“Aw, that still ended sooner than I would've liked… How’re you doing there, Dave?” Toshi was already gathering tissues to clean off his own hand and delicately wipe off David's stomach. 

“How…? I'm…” Still heaving breaths, David found he couldn't relax, even though he was spent. He felt incredible, of course, but also antsy, restless. And he knew why. He yanked at All Might's belt. “Why the hell do you still have these on?”

Toshi blushed and sputtered as he tried to find an actual explanation, but David had no time for that. In his frustration he undid the belt and yanked hard with his left arm in an exaggerated motion. The entire belt was pulled from its loops with a loud zip and discarded. Toshi watched from his perch on David's leg as the belt landed on the hotel carpet with a thump some distance away. 

“Goodness…”

David seized the button on Toshi's slacks, but once he unbuttoned it, his fingers paused. He thought in silence for a moment. 

“Stand up.”

All Might did so and gave his legs a stretch with a wince. “Should we move to the bed…?”

David's thigh prickled as blood flowed back into it. Even though Toshi was just skin and bones, perhaps his sheer height made him heavier than he looked. “Only if you sit on the edge. So there's no real difference between the bed and the couch.”

All Might scratched his neck. Was he getting a little redder? “If you want me to sit on the edge…then the couch would be better, right? It's...lower to the ground.”

David blinked. Ah. So Toshi already had an idea of where he was going with this. “I think you're right. The couch would probably be easier on my shoulder.”

And so David stood up, too, for the first time in what felt like ages. They cleaned up and arranged themselves a bit, and then All Might took David's place on the couch. His sharp knees jutted up into the air at awkward angles. But awkward was fine. Awkward was lovely. David leaned down to kiss Toshi, and then he carefully sank to his knees. He kissed reverently down the other's withered front, and when he got low enough, David finally undid his zipper. He sucked in a breath when he saw the sheer size of the outline straining against Toshi's own dark boxer briefs. Christ. Failing badly to hide his excitement, David went ahead and tugged down the edge of All Might's waistband until his erection sprang free. 

The sight instantly rendered David's mouth dry, but he swallowed then quickly rebounded, quirking an eyebrow. 

“Oh.” He cracked a wicked smile. “I remember this.”

David watched with relish as All Might's expression grew flustered and his face and slender neck turned cherry red above him. He nudged those long thighs further apart as he leaned down. Then, with his nerves buzzing in excitement, David gingerly reached out and took him in his left hand. 

Toshi covered his mouth with his unbandaged hand and muffled a sound. David smirked, partly because because of his reaction and partly because finally feeling Toshi’s huge, heavy cock in his hand again sent his pulse racing. Already it was rock hard, red, and dripping. He stared at it with his lips parted as he began to stroke it, smearing glistening precome over the head with his thumb. Even though he already came and his refractory period wasn't what it used to be, David felt a tingling excitement, a lustful hunger, deep in the pit of his stomach as he re-acquainted himself with Toshi’s cock. David realized it was just as thick as he remembered when he found he could only barely wrap his middle finger and thumb all the way around it. He could feel himself lose his mind when he added his right fist under his left and saw that it was so long that there was still room to spare. David couldn't help but muffle a pathetic groan behind his tightly pursed lips as he tightened his grip and slid both his fists in tandem all along All Might's length.

Above him, Toshi panted shallowly, his hand eventually falling forgotten from his mouth. 

“Oh, Dave…”

The nerves along David's back tingled upon hearing that name. It was through sheer willpower alone that he wasn't drooling all over Toshi’s dick or otherwise making an obscene fool out of himself. Trying to regain some kind of cool, David peered up at his partner over his glasses frames and attempted a shaky smirk. 

“How long’s it been since someone touched you like this, Toshi?”

“Too long.” Toshi leaned his head back and groaned. 

There was any amount of obscene, embarrassing things David could have said in response, but he still had the presence of mind to just settle on “That's too bad.” 

All Might hummed in what David was going to assume was agreement. 

David's eyes drifted back down to Toshi's cock and that libidinous hunger surged through him again. He gave in, leaning forward to wrap his mouth around the head as his fists pumped below. Toshi gasped and his hips twitched. David welcomed the minor intrusion with a pleased hum and he bobbed his head in time with his strokes. 

Toshi began to moan softly. “Dave…” 

David felt Toshi’s long fingers tangle in and grasp the hair on the back of his head. He would have smiled if his lips weren't completely stretched around his girth. Instead, he showed his appreciation by enthusiastically taking the big man in deeper. Toshi didn't push him down, but he still gripped his hair as if he was holding on for his life as he gasped above him. 

After a moment, David heard him speak hoarsely. “It's a good thing…that I got you off first. Usually it takes me a long time to get this hard, especially…since my injury.”

David snorted softly in amusement, since he knew that given their age, everything in that department was going downhill for the both of them anyway. Then he cupped Toshi’s dick in his left hand and rose off of the head with a pop. He mouthed the underside of the shaft as he peered up at Toshi from behind it.

“So I turn you on?”

The grip on the back of his head turned into petting as his love fondly stroked and arranged his hair. A grin spread wide across Toshi’s red, glistening face. “Of course!” 

David was trying to be saucy, but the pure earnestness of Toshi’s response backfired on him. He felt his face grow hot and his stomach flutter, so he lowered his head to mouth at the base of his cock, almost hiding behind it. 

Toshi’s fingers firmly spread across the back of his head, and David found he was being gently guided into looking up again. But this time instead of sporting a sunny grin, Toshi almost looked nervous. 

 “And I didn't expect it, but I have to admit… Your glasses. They… They look kind of nice, like this.”

“Do you want to come on them?”

All Might's whole body jolted and blood spurted out from between his teeth, dribbling down his chin. “Dave! I'd never!”

Too bad. It would've been a bitch to clean, but he would've been down for it. As Toshi coughed into a wad of tissues, David grabbed some from the box himself to help wipe off droplets of blood that had fallen onto his friend's naked chest. Instead of getting thrown off by the gruesome interlude, David was distracted by thoughts of how much he very much would like Toshi to come on his face. Maybe he could still make this happen. So distracted was he by weighing the pros and cons of All Might unloading on his face or in his mouth that he almost missed the wastebasket when he tossed the bloody tissue towards it. But when he felt Toshi’s dick subtly soften in his hand, it finally came to his attention that quite a bit of blood came up this time and his partner's gasping breaths weren't from stimulation. Once Toshi had finished cleaning off his lips and threw a veritable handful of blood-soaked tissues into the trash, David stood up and kissed him. Admittedly he could taste a metallic tang, but he didn't care in the least. He reached his left hand down to firmly jerk him off as he slid in his tongue. When he felt Toshi get harder and heard the muffled sounds coming from him grow more pleasured, David parted from his mouth and nuzzled their foreheads together. 

“Would you like a glass of water?”

“You're so kind, Dave, but I'm fine.” The raspiness of Toshi’s voice seemed to belie his words. 

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. 

David kissed him again and smiled. “Would you like me to suck your dick?”

Toshi exhaled sharply. “Yes, please.”

“Plus ultra, right?”

He finally smiled back. “That's right. Plus ultra.” And he pressed a kiss of his own to David's lips.

David lowered himself back down to the floor and settled in between Toshi’s legs. He stroked and kneaded the other man's thighs and hips through his slacks as he kissed down the shrunken muscles of his belly until his mouth reached his cock again. He had more fun with it this time, licking and teasing up the long, thick shaft. Toshi muffled a whimper and shifted in his seat. Then David took the head in his mouth, slowly swirling his tongue as he took the hefty base of the shaft in his left hand and cupped the balls with his right. He heard Toshi groan above him as he took him in deeper…deeper… And then he gagged. 

David released the cock to catch his breath just in time to see Toshi peering down at him with a flushed but worried look. 

“Dave, what are you… You don't have to do that.” He smiled sheepishly. “We're getting old, you know.”

Toshi understood exactly what was going on. He hadn't forgotten…but why would he? David's memories of the times he could deepthroat Toshi weren't ones he could ever forget. One of the most intense experiences he could recall having was a passionate night in Toshi’s old apartment when David had convinced the young hero that he could take anything he could dish out. Toshi had rammed his huge cock down his throat over and over. He couldn't breathe, and he remembered nearly blacking out because he stubbornly refused to show any signs of discomfort that would make Toshi stop. The pain, the depleting oxygen, and the most amazing and beautiful man he knew using his throat just as a hole to fuck…everything had been so gratifying and hot that losing his voice had been totally worth it. And now he wanted to pursue that feeling again. He wanted that punishment. So without uttering a word, David put Toshi in his mouth again and lowered himself down in pure frustration. Once the head hit the back of his throat he held it there, scowling in concentration, and held it...held it… until a dangerous wave of nausea wracked his stomach. He rose up and coughed into the back of his fist. 

Toshi, panting now, still looked down at him with concern. “You don't have to push yourself. It's so understandable that you'd be out of practice. The last time you gave someone a blowjob was me twenty-five years ago, right?”

David blinked at him, wiping saliva off his lip. “...Sure, let's go with that.”

All Might raised an eyebrow. “...Wait, what was with that pause? You don't mean–”

David suddenly felt very tired. “I never cheated on my wife.”

“Oh.” Toshi cleared his throat. “Well, that's good. So…did that happen in the time between, then? Like after I left and before you two got together?”

David's voice became dry and clipped. “Yeah.”

“Oh… You never told me. You were dating lots of people then?”

Done with this line of questioning, David went down on him again until he choked, and Toshi gasped above him. It was easier this time, so he squeezed his eyes shut and bore with it. 

The answer was no. ‘Dating’ wasn't the right word. He didn't ‘date’ very often until he met his wife. What had happened was a very intense rebound period. After Toshi left he had been a complete mess, a total disaster. And that was the part of his life he always wanted to hide. 

David emerged, coughing again, but less this time. He felt Toshi’s hand rest softly atop his head. 

“Dave… I know we said plus ultra, but I don't want to do this if it's going to make you uncomfortable.”

David bumped his hand away and shook his head. “Toshi, dammit, I'm so close! Don't worry about me. I've got this. It's going to feel amazing, just like old times.”

Toshi’s hand came back, this time gently stroking David's hair. “Well… I'm just worried about you, but it already feels amazing.”

That joyful fluttering unexpectedly filled his chest again. David looked up at Toshi’s gaunt but gently smiling face, and he gave a small smile back. The love of his life was the kindest, most wonderful human being, and the world would never see his like again. One more time David lowered himself down. He shifted and scooted his knees backwards until they were positioned below his hips, flattening out his back. His left elbow pressed into the cushion next to Toshi’s hip, bearing David's upper body weight, while his weaker right arm slid underneath a long thigh, wrapping around it securely. He positioned his face before the heavy, now glistening dick, and he kissed the tip. David snorted softly in amusement as he watched Toshi’s face go red above him, and then he slowly took his cock in his mouth. He relaxed his throat, his new position helping open it up. Then with a little effort he pushed past the back of his throat without gagging. He took in that strange yet distantly familiar feeling without complaint and inhaled deeply through his nose before he pushed in further. Sure enough, he could no longer breathe. 

“Wow, Dave…”

Toshi’s fingers gripped his hair again but didn't push. David’s throat filled and stretched as he took in his girth inch by inch, and then finally his nose brushed against wiry blond hairs. Another push and he had taken in Toshi completely, his chin resting against his balls. 

Toshi shifted slightly in his seat and coughed once. “Y-Your beard’s a bit…scratchy.”

David rolled his eyes and gave Toshi’s leg a gentle pinch since he wasn't in much of a position to react any other way. Toshi snickered but then groaned when David pulled back all the way to the tip. The professor caught his breath, sucking in deeply through his nose and resisting the urge to cough, then sank all the way in again. A moan escaped Toshi’s mouth and his other hand threaded into his hair as well. 

David soon set a slow rhythm, coming up far enough to take in a breath through his nose before engulfing Toshi again. But just inhaling through his nose wasn't enough. His body soon screamed at him to get off to properly catch his breath and alleviate the discomfort in his jaw, but he pointedly ignored it all. Toshi really seemed to be getting into it. He heard him gasp and felt him shudder, and when David glanced up, he spotted bright droplets of sweat dripping down the loose, reddened skin of his chest and forehead. And his face… Toshi’s mouth hung open and his sharp, bony features scrunched in pleasure. Deep in the recesses of his sunken sockets, his glazed eyes opened slightly and peered down. When he met David's gaze, he grinned tiredly and petted the other man's hair as he continued to bob up and down his length.

“I… I don't know what else to say, but...thank you, Dave. It's been so long… And you feel…so good.”

David’s heart fluttered at the praise and he hummed around his dick. Toshi’s breath hitched and his hips jerked slightly. Though his lips were nearly stretched to their limit around him and he strained his jaw to keep his teeth away, David shoved himself down to the base and he found it within himself to suck hard as he pulled back to the tip. A loud moan erupted from Toshi’s lips and he curled his body around David. He could no longer see Toshi’s face, but he felt his big, trembling hands stroke his back through the loosened fabric of his unbuttoned shirt. 

“Ohhh…”

David listened and felt with relish as Toshi grew louder and grabbed at him more roughly as he switched between speeding up the bobbing of his head and slowly sucking him dry. 

“Dave…!”

The agony in his bones and his urges to gasp for breath were all but forgotten as exhilaration coursed beneath David's skin. His heart pounded in his chest as he fucked his throat onto Toshi’s cock faster and harder. Good god, he loved him. Every time those deep, throaty moans reached his ears, David felt all his affection and the very essence of his soul pour from his heart and out through the sucking of his mouth. Tears pricked at the edges of his eyes. All Might shallowly thrusted his narrow hips, and David took the punishment hungrily.

All Might wheezed, his voice growing labored and dry. “I'm… I'm getting close...”

Even just that simple warning flooded David's veins with joy. Toshi’s shaking, roaming hands retreated back to David's hair, threading through the strands and gripping hard, but never pushing, never pulling, never taking control, even now. Because they weren't young men anymore. Between the time they had last had sex and now, All Might lived through his entire pro hero career, became a pillar supporting an entire nation, and flourished into a true Symbol of Peace, concerned for all citizens, stopping to save anyone he could reach. Even if he could sense Toshi unraveling in certain ways as he hurtled towards his climax, David could feel that legacy through the concern and restraint he had shown this night. Two small tears leaked out and fell down his cheeks in thin streams. Out of his love and how gratifying it felt to give Toshi pleasure, his head floated… Or… Wait, maybe he really was lightheaded. Beneath the torrent of emotions occurring inside him, he dully realized he had forgotten to breathe every time he pulled out. But before he could worry any further about passing out, he felt Toshi’s hands shift and clasp over his forehead and the side of his head. Long, quivering fingers wiped the sweat from his brow and lovingly cupped his cheek, wiping his tears as well, but never interfering in David's freedom of movement, just allowing themselves to be dragged along for the ride as his head bobbed. 

David blearily opened his eyes and looked up through his fogging lenses. Toshi had pulled back far enough that he could see his face. David would burn the expression he saw into his memory forever: that devastatingly affectionate and pleasured gaze glistening with tears of his own that threatened to overflow, surrounded by his long, flaxen bangs sticking to his red, sweat-streaked face. Whatever feelings those eyes held, there was no doubt that Toshi felt them about him. David's heart squeezed, even as his grasp on consciousness grew more and more tenuous. Then Toshi’s eyes scrunched shut and his grip on David's head tightened. 

“I'm c-coming…!”

Seconds later, Toshi’s hot seed spurted down his throat, and it took all of David's willpower to gulp it down and not gasp for air and inevitably choke. His vision began to go dangerously dark, but he continued to swallow All Might's copious load (just as much of a mess as he remembered). He barely registered Toshi’s groaning as even his hearing faded. Then finally, when All Might's dick no longer twitched in his throat and he felt his body relax around him, David freed his throat and threw himself backwards with enough force to fall down on his back. Eyes shooting wide open and arms sprawling across the carpet, he gasped and heaved as oxygen flooded life back into his body. He finally faced the consequences of his stubbornness and dramatics, with his jaw on fire and coughing sending him curling on his side. But it was worth it. 

As his breathing finally began to calm into deep inhales, David felt a touch on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Toshi above him, his blue irises free of any of the pleasure or emotions from before and now only filled with concern. He had crawled over and seated himself on the floor next to David's prone form. 

“Are you okay…? You overdid it like usual, huh?”

Toshi was too worried about him to bask in the afterglow…yet another thing David ruined with what was ultimately his own selfishness. Like so many, many other things before. David sat up and sighed. 

“Yeah. Sorry.” His voice was hoarse, but far from gone. With a soft snort, David reached out and startled Toshi slightly by tucking his softening dick back into his underwear. In his concern, he had forgotten himself completely…as expected of All Might. David leaned forward and kissed him, and Toshi immediately reciprocated. He whispered another apology between kisses and then he bid Toshi to get in bed. 

They stood up, and David saw Toshi drop his pants and fold them up neatly from the corner of his eye. He took off his watch and set it down on the table. Then as he crossed the room he maneuvered his button up shirt around his bandaged shoulder and finally removed it. He shed his other articles of clothing onto the floor thoughtlessly as he switched off the light. Near darkness engulfed the room now that night had completely fallen. Only city lights filtering in through the window gave any illumination, barely enough to perceive the outlines of objects. 

Toshinori took the box of tissues and small wastebasket with him to the bed, setting one on the bedside table and one on the floor. Only clad in his underwear, he pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. He let out a huff of air as the soft mattress hugged his aching bones. It really was a nice bed. He heard shuffling and noticed Dave standing beside the bed. In the dark he could barely make out two small glasses in his hands. Water, like he had suggested before. Dave offered one to Toshinori, and this time he accepted, cupping the glass in his too-large hands and sipping as he perceived the silhouette of his friend knocking back his own glass. He heard Dave set his glass down on the other bedside table and crawl into bed himself.

All Might set his half-empty glass aside and laid down. Their limbs tangled together and finally their bare bodies settled against each other, sharing warmth. Toshinori wrapped his thin arms around Dave's fleshier middle and squeezed him close. Their noses knocked as Dave craned his head upward searching for his lips. Toshinori helped him out. Warm buzzing flowed beneath Toshinori’s skin as he felt Dave slide his tongue into his mouth. He hummed pleasantly. Dave ran his hand down his side, and Toshi winced in the darkness as he felt fingertips dip into the numb depression at the center of his scar as they passed by. Dave didn't show any signs of noticing, though. It felt strange. Toshinori always expected his scar to be his biggest hurdle if he wanted to get intimate with anyone, but this time it went completely ignored. 

Toshinori went through the memories with Dave he had in this form: grim video calls from a few years past as he had begun to waste away, getting his quirk levels tested on the island, then today…the school gates, the restaurant, here at the hotel… The moment Dave pulled his unbuttoned shirt shut, the moment that nearly broke his heart… Maybe… No, Toshinori strongly suspected that Dave equated the scar with his emaciated state. They were equal parts of the same problem. Maybe he found them both equally unsightly… The thought alone made Toshinori’s metaphorical stomach sink. But no, what sounded more correct to him was that the problem that really bothered Dave, that he blamed in equal measure on his body and scar, went beyond appearance or even Toshinori’s own health. The real reason why Dave came to Japan… 

“Are you falling asleep…?”

The whisper snapped Toshinori to attention. He had gotten so lost in thought that he ended up laying there like a cold fish as Dave tried to kiss him. His face grew hot. 

“N-No. I want to stay up a little longer.”

He felt Dave arrange his hair. 

“Don't feel like you have to. You have work in the morning anyway. And you just came... Aren't you tired?”

He was. But he had to stay awake. Because… 

The sheets shifted and Dave pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“Go to sleep…”

“No.”

Dave nuzzled his forehead against Toshinori’s and snickered.

“What do you mean ‘no’?  You sound like Melissa when she was five.”

All Might hesitated. He didn't know how to start, and if he did, he would ruin whatever nice mood they had going. It was even possible that they would never be intimate like this again. Toshinori indulged in a rare flash of selfishness and rolled on top of Dave, coaxing his mouth open as his hands felt down his sides. They both muffled moans as the wet heat of the kiss consumed their tired minds, but soon Dave broke it off and chuckled. 

“Don't tell me you want to go for round two?”

No. Obviously those days were far behind them.

Paying his comment no mind, Toshinori plucked the glasses from his friend's face. He sat up on Dave's hips and examined the lenses in the dimness. 

“At least these were spared.”

Dave snorted. “It would've been fine.”

Silently, Toshinori extended his long reach over and set the frames down on Dave's bedside table. Another delay. Another excuse. 

Dave pulled him back down for another kiss and when they parted, Toshinori pulled back just enough to see his whole face softly illuminated by the city lights. Without the glasses, the same face from half their lives ago looked back at him. The same curious blue eyes, the same chiseled nose, the same casual grin…just weathered with some lines and wrinkles. A face he always treasured. With that soft grin, Dave reached out and touched his hollow cheek. A shudder ran down Toshinori’s spine. Dave spread his other hand over his back and turned the both of them onto their sides. He initiated another sweet kiss, and Toshinori melted. Their hands languidly ran over each other's bodies as their lips softly moved together. Toshinori held him closer, and his hands stroked up his back. His bandaged fingers scraped over tape and gauze, and they stopped. Subtly and gingerly, he felt around it. Sure enough, yet another bandage covered the back of Dave's right shoulder. He might have felt a lump through his shirt before, but it had never drawn his attention in the…heat of the moment. Memories flashed back to him of grisly blood-splattered walls from when he rescued Dave from the helicopter and binding his gushing wounds before medical help arrived. 

Even though the day was saved in the end, what a traumatic experience that incident on I-Island had been. Especially for Dave… Even though Dave had learned an important lesson and realized the error of his ways…like he confessed earlier, his slate had been far from cleaned. There was no way he could wake up the next day and go back to normal, free of trauma or guilt. Not after that… And that wasn't even mentioning the utter upheaval of his whole life ever since then… Even for the greatest heroes, sometimes it was easy to forget that not everyone's problems were fixed just because you rescued them. Shame clawed at Toshinori’s heart as he silently admonished himself for not calling to check in with Dave after he left I-Island. But lack of consideration wasn't the only thing All Might was to blame for. Only now was he starting to understand...

Everything was his fault.

Dave's problem… 

Toshinori’s heart twinged with a horrid sadness as he pulled away from Dave’s lips. He tried to hide it, but not with a smile. Now wasn't the time for smiles. 

He held Dave's shoulders and looked into his eyes. Toshinori inhaled slowly through his nose and sighed. 

“Dave… Thank you for tonight. Really. It…really helped me. Did I help you feel better, too?”

Dave's eyes already showed signs of wariness, perhaps at his tone. “...More than you can imagine.”

“But the reason you came to Japan wasn't to make love to me. You came to Japan for the Symbol of Peace.”

A choking sound escaped from Dave’s throat and his eyes shot wide open.

Toshinori swallowed and continued. “You know now, because of that incident… The Symbol of Peace doesn't die with me. Midoriya is my successor, and the future is in good hands with him, with the other fledgling heroes, and with your daughter.”

Dave grimaced. “I know that…! But…”

“It's one thing to understand it, but it's another thing entirely to face it in reality.”

Dave scowled at him, pressing his lips tightly together for a pause before he burst. “One month…! You lost your Quirk only a month after! There was no way I could be ready…!”

Toshinori kept his expression calm as Dave grew more emotional. “That was the choice I made. In that battle… I would either use up One For All or I would accept my fate and die there.”

“No!” Dave buried his face in Toshinori’s chest and his voice cracked. “That would've been so much worse! God. No…”

Toshinori couldn't fight the urge to rest a hand on the back of Dave's head, even though part of him warned that he shouldn't. “Of course you'd prefer your best friend to live, but… The Symbol of Peace is really important to you, isn't it?”

“...Yes.” His voice became quiet and choked.

Despite himself, Toshinori began to stroke his hair. “Back then, you were the first peer, the first friend who really believed in me. In my goal. That support meant so much to me. It helped carry me through my whole career.” He heard a sniffle from Dave. “But back then, it was merely an idea. Can you tell me why the Symbol of Peace is still so important to you now, after all this time?”

Dave's hands balled into fists against his back. Haltingly, he emerged, looking up into Toshinori’s eyes. 

“It's not just important to me. It…” Seemingly losing his nerve, his gaze dropped back down to All Might's chest. “It means the world to me. I always… I always had faith in you, but you really did it. You dropped the crime rates. You became someone that people could look up to. You really gave people safety, peace of mind. And you saved so many lives… You really accomplished everything you said you would. That's wonderful.”

The praise still brought warmth to Toshinori’s chest, despite everything. “But… I have faith that the next generation of heroes will carry on my legacy. That's why I'm still working as a teacher. To guide them. You don't have to be sad. That symbol you hold so dear won't be lost. The person who represents it will just be replaced…”

David suddenly distanced himself, scowling. His fingers gripped Toshinori’s bony shoulders hard. All Might's heart jumped. 

“Replace you? No one can ever replace you! There's only one All Might! The world will never see anyone like you ever again.”

“How can you say–”

“Because!” Dave gnashed his teeth together. “You're…! A miracle! Y-You’re…the greatest…”

Dave squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them wide, searching Toshinori’s own. He shook All Might's shoulders once. 

“Why am I the only one who's upset? I felt like I lost something, but…it's not me! You're the one who lost everything! Everything you built up, everything you worked so hard for your entire life… Why aren't you the one who needs comfort?”

Toshinori swallowed. He could feel his own pulse in his neck. Dave's wild eyes were met with his own calm ones. 

“Sometimes bad things just…happen.”

Dave's grip loosened and he drew back in shock. “Bad things…just... happen? How can you mean that? Is that what you say to everything…?!”

“Sometimes bad things just happen. And you carry on.”

All Might watched unwaveringly as Dave's expression faltered. His lips trembled and his eyebrows drooped. He buried his face in Toshinori’s bony chest again. “God, I'm such an idiot…!”

Toshinori gently shushed him and stroked his hair again. “No, you're not. Of course I'm sad. Of course there's a part of me that wants to be upset. And I've had trouble adjusting to so many changes in my life, sort of like you… But that's how I've dealt with things throughout my life. It's…one of the only ways I've been able to keep going.”

Dave sniffled again, his arms tightening around his friend's back. “You're so strong… All of my problems…they're nothing compared to everything you've gone through.”

All Might scowled. His voice became sharp. “Now don't you start with that nonsense. Your problems are no less important. And…”

They weren't things that just happened.

“Back then…Wolfram was hired by All For One.”

“I know… You told me at the hospital.”

Toshinori shook his head. “All For One did all of that just to hurt me. He used your connection to me. That was the only reason why…that disaster happened.”

A long silence passed, and finally a single sob erupted from Dave. Toshinori felt moisture collect on the skin of his chest. “Oh god…! Everything really is my fault!”

All Might's heart flipped. His eyes widened. “Dave, no! Look at me.”

His gangly limbs scrambled to hold Dave up to eye level. Long fingers sank into the flesh of his friend’s bare upper arms as he pulled him up the bed’s surface. 

“Not all of the blame rests on you! You're a genius. Use your brain! What's at the root of everything? What's the real cause of all your problems?”

Toshinori’s heart nearly broke when he saw Dave raise and cross his forearms to hide his face. His resolve wavered. Could it be that…Dave already knew? Toshinori’s throat began to tighten. His grip loosened and he lightly stroked Dave's upper arm instead. 

“You know…becoming a top hero, a world figure… One thing you have to learn to accept is that no matter how hard you try to have a positive impact and inspire the masses, you're going to have a negative effect on some people, too.”

Dave made a sound of disagreement from behind his arms. Toshinori sighed. 

“I think it's harder for you to see because you don't live in Japan, but… I know of villains who turned to crime because of me. Disillusionment I've caused because I can't save everyone. I'm even disliked by some of my fellow pro heroes because I never let anyone else have a shot at being number one. And that's only a few examples. Any vision as large as mine has costs. It hurts to see them, but I have to keep moving forward no matter what.”

Dave slowly lowered his arms. He wasn't crying, but as his eyes adjusted to the darkness Toshinori could tell that his wide eyes were moist and reddening. 

He drew a little closer to Dave before continuing. “But what I have a harder time with…is the way I can both positively and negatively affect people at once. Like how I can negatively affect the people I've had a positive impact on, but it's difficult for them to see it…and until recently, I couldn't see it, either. But that doesn't mean it's not a problem.”

Dave's bloodshot eyes continued to bore into his core, blinking slowly. Toshinori swallowed, frowning. 

“Sorry, that doesn't make much sense… Here, let me tell you a story. Just this week, two students had a fight at the school. They had a long history together and they never got along…but the one thing that they shared is that…they both looked up to me. I inspired them…”

Finally, Dave spoke up again, his voice tired and hoarse. “I imagine that's the same for every kid in Japan.”

Toshinori’s face grew hot. He averted his gaze. “Well… I guess… You're probably right… But in this case… One of the students injured himself over and over trying to emulate me.”

“Is that Midoriya? Melissa mentioned something…”

All Might cleared his throat. “Yes, actually… And the other student… He has a bit of an inferiority complex. He always wants to win, win, win. And he used me as a sort of…measuring stick for greatness. He was connected to the incident at Kamino, and once he saw that I was forced to retire, he blamed himself. And after admiring me for so long only to see my power reduced to nothing… I can't imagine that was easy on his mental health. 

“So… Yes, it was against school rules, but they had plenty of personal reasons to fight. But also, in a sense...they were fighting because of me. But if I walked up to them and apologized for causing them so much pain just by existing as All Might, they would think I'm being ridiculous. It would never ever occur to them to blame me for their suffering… because of the positive impact I've had on them. But that doesn't mean I'm blameless. Do you see what I'm getting at…?”

Dave began to look ill. 

Toshinori’s hand retracted from his friend's arm to grab his hand. “Dave…”

Finally, at the precipice, nerves rattled Toshinori. He had been rambling on and on…taking the most roundabout way to this point to soften the blow as much as possible… Sometimes the great All Might wasn't brave at all. 

He swallowed, gathering his nerve. “You're like them, Dave. But compared to them…you're on a completely different level.”

Dave weakly attempted to tug his hand away from Toshinori’s grip, looking increasingly uncomfortable. “I'm… I'm not…”

“…You're obsessed with me.”

“I…!” Toshinori felt a pang in his chest as Dave's face reddened and twisted in some strong emotion. He hid his face behind his free hand. 

“Am I wrong, Dave…?”

“I don't…want to hear that from you…!” Dave harshly spat out his words from behind his fingers. 

Toshinori ran his free hand down his own face and took a deep breath. “You… At the bare minimum, you put your career and reputation on the line, broke the law, crashed the expo, and inconvenienced everyone on your island and gave them a big scare…just to have a shot at delivering your device to me to save my Quirk. And even then, if you really were my best friend, if you really knew me…then you would've known I'd never use it. But you were either blinded by your drive or you felt compelled to go through with all of that just for the slightest chance at preserving the Symbol of Peace. I think that qualifies as obsessed…”

Dave's naked shoulders began to shake, and Toshinori heard the sobs he obscured behind his hand. His heart ached as he ran his thumb over Dave's knuckles. 

“But Dave…! I screwed up. Ever since the incident I thought if I'd just been honest with you and told you that Midoriya was my successor, then maybe I could've stopped you. But now I'm thinking…why did I have to ‘stop’ my best friend in the first place? How did it come to this? Ultimately… All Might compelled you to do these things. Then All Might's enemies ruined your schemes and used you and hurt you just to get to him. All Might put your daughter’s life in danger, he put bullets through your shoulder, he led to your divorce, the betrayal and death of your friend, the loss of your home and your career… God, Dave… I'm so sorry for everything.”

As Toshinori spoke, Dave only sobbed harder. “N-No… That's n-not true at a-all… “

All Might closed his eyes. “Be honest with me… If we never became friends, would any of this have happened? Can you single out even one of your current problems and explain how it still would've happened if I wasn't in the picture?”

The long seconds of silence broken only by sobs gave Toshinori his answer. 

After a while, Dave spoke with great strain. “I'm not…going to l-let you…take all the blame… Th-this is my life… These were my decisions… D-Don’t…hurt yourself…”

Toshinori sighed through his nose. His eyes drifted open. “I don't plan to. I feel terrible that I never realized anything about your feelings or what I've done to you before today, but the incident at I-Island is too big to put on the shoulders of any one person. However, the two of us were the ingredients that made it happen… And so both of us are partially at fault for it. The best we can do is accept responsibility and move on. I…really hope you don't punish yourself anymore. But the reason I laid out my part in all this was…I just wanted to help you face the truth.”

Here it came. Toshinori steeled himself, finding the words with difficulty. 

“Dave… I'm not good for you.”

“That's impossible…!” Dave unraveled even further, rolling to press his face into the sheets as his shoulders shook with sobs. Toshinori rested his hand on his friend's quivering back as he noticed his own chest tightening and his own breathing growing shaky. 

“This obsession with me and what I represent…it's become a detriment to your life, to your health… It'd be best if you let me go.”

“No…!” Suddenly there was scrambling. Dave latched his arms around Toshinori’s narrow middle, squeezing until the former hero felt pressure on his single remaining lung. Tears began to soak his bony shoulder. “No, no, no…”

Toshinori began to get choked up. His hands cradled Dave's back with a ghostly light touch. “I'm just holding you back. I know I'm really not helping by laying here with you like this, but you need to move on with your life. Find Melissa a nice stepmom or stepdad. Spend the rest of your days travelling the world with that special someone and having all the most wonderful experiences. Or, screw retirement, come back and become the best damn support item designer on Planet Earth. You can do it all. Just let me go…"

Dave pressed his face hard into the other's shoulder. “Sh-Shut up…!” 

Toshinori gaped slightly in dismay. “Dave…”

“Toshi, I can't…!” His entire body trembled as he secured the embrace tightly, sliding an arm up and burying his hand in All Might’s hair. “I love you…”

Toshinori grimaced. A rare bout of self-loathing radiated up his chest. “I know you do… I'm so sorry…”

He had heard those words from David before, twenty-five years ago. Toshinori met him early in his third year of college, rescuing him from a burning building. They became fast friends, then crime-fighting partners. Their bond naturally grew and intensified as they endlessly found joy and trust in each other. The attraction, the tension, had always been there, but it took them about half a year before they indulged… And that, too, quickly intensified. They could scarcely keep their hands off of each other when they were alone. They didn't question what they had or put a label on it, just an intense emotional and physical connection. They didn't date. In public, they just treated each other as best friends. But by the end of senior year…perhaps they were a couple. They never declared that they were, or made any overt moves to act like they were… But when the time came for Toshinori to return to Japan and pursue his long-held ideals, it was undeniably devastating. The last time they had sex was mere days before Toshinori’s flight. Afterwards they both held each other in the dark, crying. Not too unlike the present. They mourned the loss of whatever they had… What they didn't realize they really had until that night. That was the only time they said I love you. Too tragically late, when they could have said it thousands of times before… The next morning, it was Toshinori himself who proposed that they should separate amicably and move on with their lives. Toshinori would pursue his hero career in Japan, and David would be free to date and find love closer to home. So when they bid farewell at the airport, there were no tears, no kisses. Only smiles and a hug and plenty of shoulder pats. They separated as best friends and nothing more. And that's how they regarded each other when Toshinori came to have his next hero suit made, and at Dave's wedding, and during all the other times they crossed paths over the years. 

At least, that was Toshinori’s perspective. Only now was he getting an inkling that he may have made a terrible mistake all those years ago. Breaking things off with Dave had been horribly painful, but he plastered on a smile like he always did and buried the feelings deep, because their lives were just beginning, and ultimately, their futures were more important than what they had. But...it took Toshinori a long time to learn that he was pretty unique that way. Not everybody could shrug off all the evils of the world and keep marching forward. Back then, he expected that Dave would be able to move on from the breakup the same way he did, but now it was clear that he couldn't. And he may very well have underestimated the sheer depth of Dave's feelings for him. Back when he broke things off, he had been young and naive and only twenty-three… And he may have damaged David Shield irrevocably. That would be his true burden to carry from this night forward. The best chance Toshinori had to atone was to make things right here, tonight, and guide them both down a healthier path. 

“...I love you, too, Dave. You've always been one of the most important people in my life, and that's never going to stop. You and Melissa… You're family.” Toshinori squeezed his eyes shut briefly to keep the moisture back. He swallowed and looked down at the top of Dave's head. “But we've always led separate lives. And we've survived all these years apart, even thrived. Your wife… You loved her too, didn't you?”

He heard Dave sniffle and thickly swallow as he burrowed his face further down Toshinori’s chest. 

All Might frowned. “Please answer me…”

Tears and mucus squelched as Dave turned his face against Toshinori’s skin. 

“...Yes.”

Toshinori sighed in relief. “And...if she hadn't ended it, would you still want to be together?”

The answer was forced from his throat as a torn, cracked whine. “Y-Yes…” He let out a strained, pathetic whimper and broke into sobs, shoulders shaking. 

Toshinori finally relented and hugged him, tucking his old friend's head beneath his chin. Dave wrapped his limbs around him as securely as he could in response. 

“G-God… Oh god…”

“I'm so sorry that you lost her… But now I'm confident that you can find someone else who makes you happy. It doesn't have to be me. I know it's not going to be easy, Dave, but you need to accept that we're not going to end up together.”

Dave looked up at him, his face soaked and completely red. His squinting, tear-filled eyes pleaded. “Toshi…”

“And you need to accept…that the era of All Might is over. It's natural. It had to happen sometime. I'm…just a person, after all.”

Dave closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, as one sob rocked his body, then another. Then he turned back to Toshinori’s chest and really cried. All Might let him muffle his cries against his skin, and he turned onto his back, cradling Dave as he stroked his hair. 

As Dave let it all out, All Might stared stoically at the ceiling. He couldn't let them go to sleep on such a painful note. So he fought against the tiredness creeping into his body, determined to stay awake and wait out Dave.

Toshinori never quite felt comfortable around unrestrained crying. Of course, he'd seen more than his fair share of it lately spending time with Young Midoriya, so maybe he'd grown more tolerant. As Dave cried into his chest, memories of that night on Dagoba Beach from a few weeks past drifted back to Toshinori. Twice now he had supported a loved one as they'd cried their heart out over the loss of All Might. First his successor, and now his best friend. And both times he was the strong one, even though, as a part of him now teased since Dave yelled at him tonight, the person who lost the most really was Yagi Toshinori. But that was just the person he was, he supposed. That was the path he chose. “No matter how bad it gets, face the world with a smile,” his master had said. There was no time to feel sorry for yourself if you wanted to get stronger, his instructor’s fists had said. 

He never had a problem with being the strong one. But even though the sheets trapped Dave's warmth together with his, he somehow felt lonely and cold. 

Long minutes passed as Dave shook and wept on top of him, but gradually his cries quieted back to sobs, and then to silence. When Dave's body eventually went still, Toshinori feared he had gone to sleep. 

“Dave… Wake up.” He unwrapped his arms from his back and gently nudged his shoulder. 

Silence. Then right when Toshinori was preparing to make a second attempt, Dave stirred and looked up, resting his prickly chin against the other’s chest. One look at his face and Toshinori started reaching over for the tissues. 

With some difficulty, they stiffly untangled themselves from each other and slowly sat up. Toshinori wiped off his chest in silence as Dave cleaned his face and blew his nose. 

After all the tissues were thrown away, Toshinori watched in the dimness as Dave sat up with his hands resting on the sheets in his lap, puffy eyes blankly staring forward. After a moment, he cleared his throat. His voice was quiet and weary. 

“I wasn't sleeping. You're not very comfortable anymore… No offense.”

The corners of Toshinori’s mouth perked up. “None taken, this time.”

Silence fell upon them again. Toshinori leaned forward. 

“Do you feel better?”

Dave absently scratched his cheek, still staring at nothing. “I don't know.”

All Might couldn't recall a time he'd seen Dave look so…lifeless. But now it was finally sinking in that the way Dave presented himself around him might be different from the Dave most people usually saw. He smiled sheepishly. 

“Did I go too far? I'm sorry…”

Dave slowly shook his head and finally met Toshinori’s eyes. “No… You're right. I think I've known it for a while now, since I've been going through all this shit… I guess it's a good thing that you caught on. I never would've dealt with it myself.”

Trying hard to bring back some levity, Toshinori chuckled. “You're an experienced father and a respected scientist and yet I'm the responsible one?”

“Well… You're All Might.”

Toshinori blinked, raising his brows slightly. Then he swallowed and looked away. 

“I…guess so.”

Once in a while, in moments of weakness, the responsibility he took on as a hero felt incongruent with Yagi Toshinori, the man. It never settled well with him. 

The former hero began to fiddle with the bedsheets in his lap. “You know… I've finally started to realize… You're pretty good at hiding things from me.”

He heard an amused snort. Toshinori looked up and saw a smile had finally come back to Dave's face. A knowing smile…?

Toshinori continued. “So as great as it was… until I'm really sure that you've moved past your strong feelings for me, I can't allow anything like tonight to happen again.”

Dave's eyebrows scrunched and a pained look began to return to his face. All Might rested a firm hand on his shoulder and smiled reassuringly. 

“But know I'll always have your back. And I want you to be happy above all else. I'm just not the person to give it to you.”

He could make out telltale signs of moisture coming back to Dave's troubled eyes. Toshinori hugged him. 

“And you'll still be here for a few days, right? When I'm off work, let's go out and do something fun. And I can cook for you, like you said. And when you go back home, let's call more often. If you need help with anything, or if you just want to talk about what's going on in your life, just let me know.”

A shuddering sigh worried Toshinori for a moment, but then Dave spoke up clearly. 

“Only if the same goes for you.”

A gentle smile spread across All Might's face. He had him there. “...You've got a deal.” Slowly, he pulled away from the hug. “But everything else I said… You understand, right? Is all of that…okay?”

Dave rubbed the bridge of his nose. “...Okay.”

Toshinori’s heart squeezed. He knew Dave was going to have a rough time ahead of him, but he would do whatever he could to help. 

“That's all I wanted to say.”

He laid down and settled under the sheets, and soon Dave followed. Soon, Toshinori felt warm arms slip under his own and gently wrap around his bones. Selfishly, for the very last time, he let him. 

And they drifted off to sleep.