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“Why did we agree to this again?” Aizawa drawled, stifling a yawn as he shuffled his feet towards the class 1-A dorm.
“Oh come on, Aizawa! The kids have been working hard lately— I think they deserve to have a little fun,” All Might replied, ribbing his coworker with a lanky elbow.
Halloween was finally upon you, and Class 1-A had somehow convinced their homeroom teacher to let them throw a costume party to celebrate. Begrudgingly accepting the students’ proposition, Aizawa immediately insisted upon chaperoning the event, unwilling to allow a bunch of 16 year olds to throw a house party unsupervised. All Might quickly decided to tag along, hoping to spend some quality time with his beloved students.
Flickering jack-o-lanterns lined the steps towards the dormitory’s front doors, pumpkin carving skill varying widely among the gourds that each student individually hand-crafted.
Pushing open the heavy door, All Might and Aizawa were greeted by a festively-decorated common room; the walls were lined with fake cobwebs and spiders, orange and black streamers hanging from every direction, the smell of cinnamon apples filling the air. There were pumpkins and ghosts and other spooky decor all around, as well as cauldrons filled to the brim with candy on just about every flat surface.
The students were spread out in small groups all around the common room; some were gathered around the stereo, assisting with the Halloween-themed music, while others stood in the kitchen, shoving candy and snacks in their faces. Others still were piled onto the couch, laughing at some of their classmates trying to (unsuccessfully) bob for apples.
All Might smiled as he glanced around, appreciating all of the unique Halloween costumes— a few of the students were even dressed up as him! But, as he scanned around the room, one costume in particular caught his eye…
You were competing in a high-stakes bobbing-for-apples relay race, you and your boyfriend Bakugou versus Midoriya and Kirishima. Kirishima was at an advantage with his sharp teeth, so you knew you’d have to act fast. Taking a deep breath, you dunked your face into the bucket of water, desperately trying to grab onto the skin of the red apple. Quickly getting a grip on the slippery fruit and sinking your canines in, you pulled your head out of the water, greedily sucking in fresh air through your nose as your classmates cheered at your victory.
Suddenly, you were lifted off of the ground, apple falling out of your mouth as your gasped in surprise. You wrapped your arms around Bakugou’s neck as he spun you around in the air, his strong hands gripping you tightly by the waist.
“Fuck yeah, (Y/N)!!! We won!!!” Bakugou yelled, so high off of victory that he was willingly showing you affection in public. You threw your head back with laughter, giggling and blushing profusely at Bakugou’s praise.
In that moment, All Might couldn’t help but do a double take. There you were, wearing the unmistakable hero costume of his predecessor, Nana Shimura, complete with bright yellow gloves and a white cape flowing graciously behind you. In all his years, All Might had never met another soul besides Gran Torino who personally knew the underground hero. Memories of her flooded his mind before he could stop them. Tears sprung to his eyes when he saw you, wrapped up in the arms of Bakugou, who was dressed in All Might’s own iconic costume… the sight sent a stabbing pain through his heart. He missed his predecessor dearly.
All Might was shaken from his thoughts as Midoriya came running up to him, already talking his ear off about something or another. Choking back the tears, All Might smiled brightly, ruffling Midoriya’s hair as the boy led him further into the party.
A little while later, All Might’s curiosity got the best of him— he just had to ask. Spotting you and Bakugou in the corner sipping punch from plastic cups, he strode over quickly.
“Young Bakugou, may I borrow (Y/N) for a minute?” All Might asked. Bakugou looked up at him with narrowed eyes, but ultimately decided not to inquire.
“Tch— whatever. I’ll be back.” Bakugou replied curtly, snatching your plastic cup and heading toward the kitchen to refill it.
“What’s up All Might?” you asked, giving him a friendly smile.
“Oh—“ All Might said, chuckling awkwardly, unsure how to proceed. “I just wanted to tell you I like your costume!”
“Wow, really?? Thanks All Might!” you replied excitedly. “I’ve been wearing this same hero’s costume every year on Halloween since I was little, but no one ever recognizes it,” you said with a shrug of your shoulders.
“Every year, huh? This particular hero must be very important to you,” he said gently.
“Oh, yes! When I was really little, I was snatched up by some villains in the middle of the night— I don’t remember a lot about it, but I think they said something about stealing my quirk… anyhow, what I remember the most is being rescued by this amazing hero!! She was so strong, and took care of those nasty villains no sweat. She was beautiful too, and had the brightest smile— just like you All Might! She’s the reason I want to be a hero… I only wish I could have thanked her properly for what she did for me. Unfortunately, I never saw her again after that…” you trailed off, staring down dejectedly at your shoes.
All Might reached down to grasp your shoulder. Fighting the tears that attempted to resurface, he popped into his hero form and gave you one of his classic smiles. “Young (L/N)! Do not worry. It’s a heroes job to fight villains and protect civilians, no thanks are required. I’m confident she felt happy knowing you were safe and sound once again.”
Looking up at your teacher with a wobbly smile, you crashed into him, giving him the biggest bear hug. “Thank you All Might!” you said, the sound muffled by his shirt.
Chuckling, he reciprocated your hug, gently patting your head. It filled All Might with complete and utter joy knowing Nana touched the lives of so many people— even from the shadows of obscurity, and continues to live on the hearts of others.
A gruff voice rang out, startling All Might. “Hey man, I don’t give a fuck who you are, hands off my girl!”