Chapter Text
"All Might... Can I be a hero? Even though I'm quirkless?"
Toshinori looked at the young boy in front of him. Disheveled from the incident with the sludge villain, he looked so small and timid, begging the man for reassurance. But he had to admit, the kid had guts.
"Young man..."
The green-haired boy looked up with a mix of fear and hope in his eyes.
"You inspired me today. The bravery you showed when even pro heroes stood aside is something I'll never forget." He sighed. Toshinori knew what it was like to be quirkless. Wanting to be a hero when you lacked the one thing that made them special wasn't easy. And now, over thirty years later, with quirks even more common and powerful?
"However..."
Being the number-one hero meant Toshinori was probably the most qualified person in the country to say how difficult it is to fight villains. Sure, the kid had been able to win this time, but who could say if he'd be able to hold his own against the next evildoer?
And, if the things he'd heard about his upcoming job at UA were correct, the training needed to even have a chance at hero work would be too much for him to bear.
Above all else, All Might's job was to keep people safe.
"It just isn't realistic to try and be a hero without a quirk."
"What..?"
"Don't get me wrong, I wish it weren't the case." I mean, sure, I'll pass One for All to a successor, Toshinori thought. But other than that, quirkless heroes just aren't a thing.
"With most villains nowadays using their quirks for crimes, it'd be nearly impossible to face them without some advantage of your own. I'm sorry."
The child let out a choked sob. "But I just want to help people... Like you, All Might! That's the only thing I want in life!"
Which is precisely the issue. His attitude towards becoming a hero was still rooted in the need to be like someone else. Such a childish outlook would be crushed in the field.
"But, hey," Toshinori reassured, changing back into his hero form to seem more convincing, "there are plenty of other options! A good number of police officers are quirkless. Just because they aren't famous doesn't mean they aren't doing good work."
"I... I guess you're right," the green-haired kid said. "Thanks anyways, All Might."
"Of course, kiddo!" All Might let out a silent thanks that he accepted things so quickly. He hoped the boy could have a good life despite the circumstances. It was just beyond his abilities to help... the kid was nowhere near suitable to inherit One for All. He couldn't bank on a "what if" when his body was already failing him.
The boy turned to leave. "I just needed to hear it from someone else... Kacchan was right."
Ah, so the young man has a friend reassuring him, Toshinori thought as the two parted ways. This Kacchan kid must be pretty nice; it's not often someone in his place would be on the receiving end of anything but ridicule. I'm glad he's in good hands.
Midoriya watched the koi swimming in the pond below. They seemed so peaceful. Not having to worry about heroes or villains... Maybe it really would be better if he--
"Heya, cutie!" Midoriya jumped back, startled by the girl who had appeared in front of him. She had blonde twin buns that she fidgeted with as she spoke. "What's a guy like you doing out here so late?"
What was he supposed to say? Not much, just about to kill myself! Wanna join?
"Oh, umm... just thinking. That's all."
The girl's tongue darted across her sharp canines as she looked Midoriya up and down. "Yeah, you look like you spend a lot of time thinking."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Was this girl really just here to make fun of him?
She ignored his question while continuing to survey him closely. "Hmm, you've probably got Type O blood."
"I mean, yeah, but..." Why the hell does she care??
"So then how come you're here all by yourself? Shouldn't you be out with friends or something?"
"No, I was just heading home, actually," he lied. I'll just come back later or something. It's not like the bridge is going anywhere...
"Awwww," the blonde whined exaggeratedly, "but we haven't even introduced ourselves! I'm Himiko Toga. Let's be friends!"
Midoriya sighed, not wanting to be rude despite Toga's insistence. "My name's Izuku Midoriya. But I should really get going now." He began to walk away, but the girl followed, continuing their conversation.
"So, Izuku, now that we're, like, besties or whatever, we should get to know each other better. I mean, you haven't asked a single thing about me yet!" she pouted. "And you're super cute, so who knows? Maybe something special will bloom between us~!"
"I don't really know about that," he replied quietly, an uncomfortable flush spreading across his face.
"Awwwh, don't be such a buzzkill, Izuku; have some fun every once in awhile! Geez, now I see why you don't have any friends..."
Midoriya froze. "You need to leave. Please."
"Touched a nerve there, hm?" she said with a giggle. "Well, alright, wouldn't wanna make my new bestie too mad at me. Let's meet up again tomorrow, okay?" Toga grinned at him. "I'll be looking forward to it!"
Midoriya ran wordlessly into the adjacent apartment complex, which happened to be his own. That weird girl didn't seem like she was going to follow me, but...
"Izuku!"
His thoughts were interrupted when his mother wrapped him in a suffocating hug at the front door.
"My baby is safe! Oh, where have you been, Izuku? Please don't tell me you've gotten into trouble! You haven't been hanging out with any delinquents, have you? Are you hurt? I was just about to call the police; you should have been home hours--"
"I'm fine, mom." He cut off her rambling and continued walking. "Just tired. I'm going to bed."
His mother called after him down the hallway. "But aren't you hungry? I made katsudon, your favorite!"
"No, that's alright..." Midoriya moved to shut his room door from inside, then paused. "I love you, mom."
"I love you, too, Izuku. Just..." she stopped to wipe at the tears welling in her eyes. Something was very, very wrong. "Please know that I'm here for you."
"You know, Izuku, you're a really bad liar."
That voice...
The girl from the bridge was in his room.
Before he could respond, Midoriya felt a searing pain in his legs. The girl had knocked him to the floor, pinning him down and restraining him tightly with some kind of rope.
She didn't have time to get that after I got away from her the first time... Does that mean she was planning this the whole time?
"Better stay quiet, Izuku," Toga whispered. "You don't want your mommy to know there's a girl in your room, do you? I mean, that's pretty naughty..."
"This isn't-!"
"Oh, and one more thing," she said, her voice suddely cold. He felt something sharp graze his upper arm. "If you call for help, I'll slit your throat and bleed you dry!"
Sure, Midoriya had wanted to die, but like this? His mother would absolutely be the one to find him, and he didn't want to think about what would happen then.
"Just let me go!" he yelled, quietly enough that he hoped his mother wouldn't hear. "What do you want anyways? I'll do it, just don't kill me!"
He felt the girl tighten her grip on his restraints. "Wow, I didn't expect you to get desperate so soon! It's kinda cute... I should just take you with me!"
Midoriya closed his eyes, praying this wasn't going in the direction he feared.
"But, yes, I can do that. All I want is to drink some of your yummy blood!"
"...What?" Hadn't she just agreed to let him live?
"Do you know how hard it is to find somebody as good-looking as you with a decent blood type? Sure, there are lots of Type O guys out there, but they're all ugly!" she whined childishly. "If I could keep you around, I'd be more than satisfied!"
Toga looked at him with a predatory grin. "And, of course, if you happen to fall in love with me, then that would be even better!"
This girl is insane! Midoriya thought, weighing his options. She talks about blood and kidnapping so casually. How do I even know she plans to keep her word? What if she just kills me the second I stop resisting?! But then again, she seems to be pretty open with her plans so far. She could really kill me at any moment, so is there even a reason for her to lie? Or maybe it's a trick...
His mental rambling stopped, blood running cold as the realization hit.
The girl had already tied him up. She knew where he lived. She knew how to get inside.
It didn't matter what Midoriya wanted.
He was completely at her mercy.