Chapter Text
Todoroki Shoto, as a person, could say that he was rarely ever surprised by anything. Few things truly rattled him, so to say.
That’s the way he was raised.
He shook his head tersely. That was the way he was trained.
But there were two people in his life that he could say had genuinely surprised him.
One, was Midoriya Izuku. The man, the friend, who had clawed his way kicking- or should he say punching and screaming, through the ice wall he had made around his heart.
He blinked puzzledly at his own thoughts for a moment, making a mental note to not sit in the same room whenever his sister was reading her novels aloud to herself again.
But the second, was a man who, while not at first, had now stoked a fire under him that outshone anything either of them had done at the Sports Festival.
A guy who was proving himself more annoying an enigma than he had any right to be, given his usual demeanour; Bakugou Katsuki.
The pair bumped shoulders as they walked, knocking each other briefly off balance.
Todoroki was already rolling his eyes, waiting for the usual angry barking to commence, but, it never came.
The blond bomber twitched for a second, which was indicative of what was usually about to come. But, it never did.
He took a breath, opened his mouth, closed it again, then growled lightly.
“Sorry.” He uttered slowly, and without any change in his voice.
No bite. No sarcasm. Nothing.
Todoroki looked back at him for some of the longest few seconds of his life, a little overwhelmed as to…everything.
“It’s…ok.” He said, equally as slowly.
He wasn’t sure what else he could say that wouldn’t just be words falling out of his slack-jawed mouth.
Saying that the walk was ‘tense’ would have been an understatement, as the pair of them immediately resumed just walking in silence.
They both quietly hoped to spot their invigilator sooner rather than later. At least then they would have something to focus on.
Luckily for them both, they soon spotted the bus waiting to take them out to their remedial course.
“Hey HEEEEY! There’s our dear listeners! You two boys ready to rock and rooooooll?!” shouted the ever-enthusiastic Yamada-sensei, much the chagrin of everyone else and their ears.
“Good morning Yamada-sensei.” Todoroki greeted politely, trying to subtly work the ringing out of his ear with a finger.
“Damnit Present Mic, wou-”
Bakugou made a half-choking noise as he bit his tongue, grumbling through his closed jaw even still.
“Present Mic, would you mind keeping it down?” he asked, far more blatant about checking his ears. “It is very early still; we can hear you fine without the shouting.”
Although he was clearly just as surprised as Todoroki was at that nearly polite request, Mic bounced back far quicker, flashing them a thumbs up.
“You got it kid!” he stage-whispered, which did get a far more normal grumble out of Bakugou.
“Now, there have been several changes in plan little listeners. The plan was for Aizawa-sensei and me to take you, but he’s been called on official business. All Might was supposed to fill in but, so is he now too! Nothing too major but, crazy little string we’ve got going on here, huh?”
Todoroki tilted his head. “So, who is supposed to join us then? You’re the only one here, are you not?”
Bakugou was only half-listening, wondering what official business could have been so important as to call both their other teachers away.
With Eraserhead it could well have been anything. He was still an underground hero too.
But All Might? Anything that required his attention, especially now, was interesting.
He could see Todoroki thought so too, but he wasn’t saying anything either.
“Well that’s a more interesting development actually kid! He’ll be here very soon, so you’ll meet him in a mo- oh, speaking of! There you are slowpoke!”
Bakugou blinked twice, actually taking a second to blast himself in the face to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
But no, there was-
“Kamui Woods?” he asked, only mostly hiding his surprise.
“Sorry, sorry. Know I’m late Mic. Small-time crook on the way here. Nothing interesting before you ask.”
“Well you did say ‘small-time crook’ so, I already assumed that.”
Bakugou tried to speak up, but-
“Ok that’s fair. So we’re heading out now then?”
Bakugou twitched but, tried to cut in again. But-
“We can leave immediately! Let’s go happy camper-”
“OK, time out!” Bakugou finally shouted, though doing his best to not go full force.
“Wow! Tone it down Bakugou-kun.”
“I- ugh. Look, sorry. I’m just trying to ask, why is Kamui here? He’s not a teacher.”
“But I could be.”
Both teens just stared back at Nishiya with blank expressions, which prompted him to explain.
“You see boys, I’ve recently spent a lot of time teaching students like yourselves, and honestly? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Todoroki nodded in understanding. “During our internships I’m guessing?”
“Spot on Todoroki-kun. I worked a lot with Shiozaki-san from your year’s class B. I was also called in to consult with Aizawa-sensei and All Might when your classmate Midoriya-kun’s new ability was proving difficult – or, well, impossible at the time – to control.
I’ve learned a lot from both experiences, and when I approached Principal Nezu about being eager to continue working with U.A in the future, he offered me a chance to take it one step further.”
“So you’re training to become, what? A teacher?”
“Precisely!” Nishiya beamed. “I’ve already begun my formal training, but today will be a training day for me as much as you two. But, I promise to do my best.”
There was a small pause as Nishiya extended both of his hands, offering them to the boys.
Todoroki shook it amicably, offering a small smile.
“I’m looking forward to working with you.”
Bakugou stared down at the hand offered to him, pondering it for a moment.
For a second Present Mic thought that he was going leave the man hanging, and make this whole thing just that bit more awkward.
But, in another show of level-headedness, Bakugou shook Nishiya’s hand slowly, politely.
“You’re a…good hero Kamui. I’m sure we can both learn something here. Maybe.”
“Absolutely!” Nishiya beamed. “Now, we should get going yes? Don’t want to be late.”
“Right you are Kamui! Come on boys. Onto the party bus!” Present Mic declared, quickly up in his driver’s seat before they could react.
“…I’ll let him have this one.” Bakugou said quietly as they all took a seat inside the bus.
Nishiya snorted a little bit, surprising the other three.
“Something wrong Kamui? You eat something funny?” Mic asked, only for his junior to shake his head.
“No problems Mic. Ready when you are.”
The two teens shared a quick look, before turning to look out their respective windows.
This training, like everything else at U.A., was going to be interesting if nothing else.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Alright, are you ready to d-d-d-d-do this?” Togata asked, very pumped full of energy as always.
Midoriya bounced on the balls of his feet, staring up at the building that was the Sir Nighteye Agency.
Did it look taller in person or..?
He took a deep breath as he stood onto the first step, jogging up the steps to meet Togata.
He smiled.
“Ready when you are senpai.”
Togata swung the door open for them, proud and tall.
“There you go! Let’s head on up. Just follow me.”
As they walked, Togata swung an arm around Midoriya’s shoulders, guiding him away from the elevators and to the stairs.
“Firstly though, let’s head this way. We have more than enough time to make it up, plus I want to quickly brief you on some things.”
Togata kept his pace slow, making sure Midoriya had to match him.
“Now, being a hero fan you may already know but, Sir is quite a strict man. He expects a lot out of us all but, he’s fair. He knows what we can do, simply put. And he’ll expect the same of you.”
Midoriya nodded. He had known that, as much as the rest of the public did. The man didn’t really appear in public with All Might that much during their time together, but he was always seen as quite terse.
“Now, this is the most important part, so make sure you heed!”
Midoriya rubbed his palm, trying to wipe off the little sweat that had gathered.
But he was flummoxed as he watched Togata push his fingers up into the corners of his mouth, pushing his smile even further outward.
“You gotta make him laugh! That is the most important thing, alright?”
Midoriya couldn’t fight this strange feeling in his chest.
“Despite how Sir may hold himself, he holds humour and laughter up highly; they’re very important to his ethos.”
He recognised that, the way Togata did that motion obviously mimicked All Might’s signature grin.
“So, you got to make sure that you can bring that kind of liveliness and energy with you! It’s something the whole team has to work for!”
But there was something so strangely familiar about it, even besides that.
But, it felt…comforting.
Like one of the smiles his mother would give him. It made him feel just a little bit lighter.
He skipped up over a few of the steps entirely, a little surprised that he made the jump, but feeling energised now himself.
“Well then, let’s not keep him waiting.”
Togata, satisfied that Midoriya would give this his earnest go, jogged the rest of the way up with him.
Their ears perked up as they neared the top of the last flight, hearing a woman’s laughter coming from up ahead.
Midoriya felt even more at ease now. Perhaps Sir Nighteye was just a serious man by nature and demeanour, but he still valued everything All Might stood for, despite their differences.
Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as he was thinki-
“Perhaps my instruction has been too relaxed, has it?” a commanding voice boomed as they entered.
And Midoriya watched, completely blank-faced upon opening the door, as a well-dressed man that could only be Sir Nighteye, stood in front of some sort of contraption.
“HeHA, n-n-no Sir! YoUR – HAHA – instructIONS were clear!” cried the poor blue-skinned woman inside said contraption, who Midoriya thought he could see turning a little lilac around the cheeks.
“Then why dear Bubble-Girl, was your report lacking so much? No witty remarks? No cutting jibes?”
“HA! HeheeeHAHaaaaa! I- I’m sorry S- *snort* – SIR! I’m sorryyyyy!”
…no. No. This was going to be insane.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“And you’re sure about this Toshinori?”
Toshinori looked his master dead in the eye, thankful that they were being transported in a private vehicle, away from the other officers.
“Positive.” He said grimly. “Young Izuku is…”
He sighed deeply, dragging a hand down his face.
“He’s becoming distant. I’ve noticed it a few times here and there, and even his friends have come to me; told me they’re worried about him. That he doesn’t seem quite like himself.”
He leant back in his seat, trying to make himself pause to breathe.
“And I ignored my instincts on it. Tried so hard to convince myself that he was just adjusting to everything that was going on. So much has changed for the boy- for all the children. I was hoping…”
Sorahiko, getting the picture, finished for him.
“You were hoping it was just your imagination. That he was coping with it, even if compartmentalising it a bit. But, that’s not the case you think.”
Toshinori shook his head, feeling slightly claustrophobic in the back of the transport.
“He has become distant. I think…oh God.”
Sorahiko swallowed, trying to whet his throat. Knowing what was coming, didn’t make it go down any easier.
“You think he’s back to following your path. In, and forgive me Toshinori but I have to be honest, the worst way possible.”
Toshinori nodded without an ounce of hesitation.
“I think he’s trying to take the world onto his shoulders, just like I did. He’s a smart boy- so clever. But I’m afraid that he might not even realise he’s doing it. Or, worse…”
“That he feels like its his responsibility to take as much of it as he can alone.”
“But that’s not the way! It’s not! He doesn’t have to do this all by himself, he’s…”
Toshinori tried to hide it, but Sorahiko could hear the quiver in his voice.
“He’s just a boy.”
He huffed in frustration.
“But I didn’t push him on it like I should have because…because…”
Sorahiko was taken aback for a moment.
Looking into his eyes, behind the lines of stress, age, and pain.
Behind the face of the world’s greatest hero, was that broken young man he had held, sobbing, screaming, as he watched the woman who was his second mother, die before his eyes.
And there was nothing he could do about it.
“Because I’m the one who put him on this path. What right do I to ask anything more of him?”
And truly, in that moment, Sorahiko didn’t know what to say.
He was right back at the beginning. He could feel Toshinori’s wracked sobs against his chest, like it were yesterday.
He lost himself, for what was only a few seconds but, felt like a lifetime. For in reality, it had been.
But there was one difference this time.
“Listen to me Toshinori.”
He hopped up on his seat, jumping across to stand next to Toshinori on his row.
“I understand the guilt you carry, just as you understand mine. For it’s the same. The same.”
He rested a hand on his pupil’s shoulder.
“It will be hard. Even when we break through to him, and we will, it’ll be hard. Thinking like that, it doesn’t just leave you on will alone. You need to work at it.”
Toshinori reflexively reached for his old wound, remembering all too well, what taking the world on alone had gotten him.
“But we’ll be right there with him, as I’m sure you’ve tried your best to make sure he knows. We still have time.”
Sorahiko could afford himself a small smile; some of the light had come back into Toshinori’s eyes.
“We still have time.”
Sorahiko plopped down next to him, worried still, but determined.
“For now, we just have to do our part. The boy’ll be alright.”
Toshinori sighed deeply.
He didn’t particularly like this solution. Because honestly, it wasn’t one.
But he could do nothing else right now.
Nothing else, but hope.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nighteye’s stare was unrelenting.
Calculated, and without mercy, he looked into Midoriya’s impression of All Might like he had just spat on his mother’s grave.
Even the ever-optimistic Togata could only chuckle nervously as he let Bubble-Girl out of the tickle torture.
Granted, he thought the expression was pretty good. But Sir? Well…
“His expressions spark a hope within me that, to this day I cannot express. You…you do not spark joy.”
Midoriya’s heroic impression dropped, in favour of a slack-jawed shock that he couldn’t shake.
And just as he thought he was about to be immediately waved out the door, Sir Nighteye turned and began walking towards what was presumably his personal office, and instructed him to, “Follow me.”
Midoriya looked to Togata, but his senior could only offer a smile and a shrug, which just made Midoriya feel so much better.
And so, there he stood now, the door shut behind him, in a room that…he honestly thought would be far more clinical.
But there was so much colour in here. It was honestly surreal.
And the fact that it was all All Might just made it…
God, he hated that it made it worse.
“I understand if you feel nervous Midoriya, but, rather, you seem tense. Why?”
Midoriya quickly pulled his eyes away from the merchandise scattered around the room, but it was too late for that. He could see that Nighteye already knew.
“Yes, it is…difficult to look at, isn’t it?”
Midoriya remained quiet, but he didn’t need to say anything.
“His approaching retirement is something that I, admittedly, was always hoping to see. But I never imagined it would come like this.”
He approached one of the posters behind his desk, adjusting one of the corners that had creased.
“What do you-”
“There are some things that All Might has not told you, yet. And while I feel it is not my place to, I am unsure these days.”
He clicked his tongue.
“Whether I like it or not, you are his chosen successor. And honestly that was already grating to me before.
But then you did it.”
Midoriya could feel all of his focus shifted to Sir Nighteye, not even noticing that, as he stared for a second, the edges of his vision blurred; the focus on everything else was lost.
“You defied what was, in all projected possibilities, the most likely scenario. That, in the conflict between All Might and All For One at Kamino Ward, the latter would fall, but at the cost of the last of the former’s strength.
But you…”
He slowly approached Midoriya, who could feel a faint tingling in the back of his head, which was only growing stronger the closer the man got.
“You managed to do something I always thought was impossible. You altered the outcome.”
He stopped for a second, just observing Midoriya; studying him.
“Your presence had a profound effect on the tide of the battle. No, you didn’t just alter the outcome, you reshaped it.”
Midoriya’s focus never wavered, as he became acutely aware of every movement that Sir Nighteye made, no matter how minor.
He didn’t know why he was so…twitchy, but he couldn’t shake it.
“I’ll be honest, I’m still incredibly unsure of you. Of how you did what you did. But, I am also no fool.
My rejection of you is no longer an option. Especially not with so much on the line, now more than ever. And…not with the extra time you’ve given all of us.”
Nighteye laughed. It was short, and dry.
“It would be stupid of me to let you go anywhere but here.”
He stepped forward again.
“Not when I can help shape you into something even greater. After all-”
He lifted his hand out, meaning to place it on Midoriya’s shoulder.
In a fraction of a second, Midoriya felt that unmistakable twinge shoot through his mind, as he stepped down and back, away from Nighteye’s outstretched hand.
“-it is a hero’s job, to defy all expectations.”
Midoriya pulled himself down, back to reality, finally feeling the need to breathe again, as all the colour returned to the room.
He looked at Sir Nighteye, who himself was smiling, despite the small bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face.
He reached into his blazer pocket slowly, pulling out a document stamp, and gently tossing it over.
“Well, now I’m certain. You have a lot of work ahead of you, Midoriya Izuku.”
He stepped back again, gesturing towards his desk, where Midoriya’s internship letter lay.
“There’s more to this than I thought.” The teen answered slowly, walking slowly over to the desk, his mind still catching up.
“More to what I’ve been…feeling.”
He placed the stamp down, and pushed it into the page.
“And, I would appreciate your guidance, Sir Nighteye.”
The pro nodded stoically, adjusting his tie with an imperceptible swallow.
“Then let’s begin.”