Work Text:
Toshinori is comfortably sitting on the very, very plush sofa that dwells within the Midoriya residence. A mangled-looking scarf sitting on his lap.
His attempts at knitting are going horribly, despite Inko’s claims that he’s improving.
He tries not to sigh when the bundle of yarn in his hands becomes horribly snarled instead of skillfully woven. Sighing makes Inko concerned, and he doesn’t need any more mother henning today. He wants to keep the mood light today.
The last time he spent time with Inko was the time young Midoriya got hospitalized again. He had spent his time in the sterile hospital consoling Inko for what felt like the hundredth time. His shoulder had become soaked in the hours they had been there until young Midoriya woke up and was able to assure his mother he was okay.
Young Midoriya’s shoulder on his hospital gown quickly grew to match Toshinori’s as she smiled sheepishly and patted his mother's back reassuringly as she latched onto him.
This peaceful afternoon the two are missing the green-haired teenager, he has a test to study for and couldn’t make it.
It was a little odd leaving UA without his tag a long, it was a quiet ride to the Midoriya’s residence this time. He was a little disappointed, young Midoriya had found a cool new hero again, an upperclassman of his that graduated a few years earlier. Toshinori had vaguely heard him chattering to his friends about it and had been excited to hear it himself.
But oh well, he’ll just need to hear it tomorrow during his successor’s morning training.
Toshinori blinked when he noticed a teacup in front of him, one of the new ones he had gotten Inko about a month ago, he looked up to see Inko’s smiling face as she offered it to him. Toshinori hastily put down the spider's web of yarn and took the cup from Inko as she snickered at him. Wondering how long she had been offering the cup to him as he was lost in his thoughts.
“Goodness Toshi, I thought you would never hear me and the tea would get cold while I was waiting!” She laughed again, it was a nice sound. He had heard her cry way too many times. Toshinori loved it when she and young Midoriya smiled. They really lit up the room and the hearts of the people who witnessed it. His successor would make a great hero.
Toshinori shook his head, trying to stop his wandering thoughts, he smiled at Inko, quietly chuckling along with her.
“It must be my old age, I’ve been getting caught in my thoughts a lot recently.”
She nodded in understanding,
“Me too, it’s easy when you don’t have an exciting life to keep your thoughts busy all the time.” She took a sip of tea, and Toshinori mirrored it, ah, lemon tea. “I had more time for thinking when I wasn’t busy running around taking care of Izuku. He sure was a handful growing up.”
A wistful look crossed her face, “I miss having him home, but I know he loves it there.”
Toshinori was unsure of what to say, he took another sip, trying to curb the urge to apologize, Inko had forbidden the word from the household.
Inko looked at him from the corner of her eye before a mischievous grin appeared on her face, “How’s Izuku doing at school? The last time he was home I heard him mention a boy while he was on the phone, do you know anything about that?”
Oh. Toshinori did know a lot about that, thinking back to all the classes he’s overseen with Izuku and certain people.
-
After a while, the conversation naturally peters out and they fall into a comfortable silence. They had long since now finished the tea and continued on knitting. The only sound was the quiet clink of the knitting needles, and occasionally Inko’s voice as she corrected his mistakes.
Toshinori felt at peace, warm, and comfortable, his mind quiet for the first time in a while. After a few more moments of companionable silence, Inko stood, stretching her arms over her head before placing them on her hips and looking at Toshinori.
“I just remembered, there was this new documentary my friend wanted me to watch. It’s about the history of quirk use in Japan. Would you like to watch it with me?”
She stares expectantly at him, and he nods.
“Sure! That sounds interesting and it would give me something about quirks I could talk to young Midoriya about.”
She lit up, “You could! I don’t think Izu’s seen this one yet. You could surprise him with your knowledge!”
She went over to the TV, grabbed the remote, and went about getting the documentary started. Like all sources, the documentary started on the glowing baby that started society’s quirk evolution.
The two continued knitting as they watched the documentary, occasionally commenting about something interesting that had happened. Toshinori became absorbed in knitting, the documentary becoming nothing but white noise. He was getting close to completing the scarf he was making. He looked up, a question on how to complete the scarf on the tip of his tongue for Inko when the words on the TV caught his attention.
“In the 20XXs, when society was in tumult, disarray ran rampant and society felt as though it would collapse, no one was adjusting well to the presence of quirks. With everyone in a state of panic and confusion, rumors started, rumors of a man who could take quirks from people who would do anything to get rid of the strange new power. Many terrified, desperate people flocked to this man.”
A picture was showing on the screen as the narrator’s voice droned on, and Toshinori’s heart froze. It was him! How did one of those pictures exist? How did he never know that photo existed?
The grainy, old, photo of his worst enemy showed on stage. The voice of the narrator was drowned out by the roar of his heart. Beating harshly.
Toshinori had been adamantly in denial about his realization that had come about a few weeks ago. The picture on the screen was a harsh reminder of thoughts he had been desperately shoving to the back of his mind. Toshinori could taste the coppery tang of blood in the back of his throat.
“Oh, would you look at that? What a coincidence, that man looks just like Hisashi.”
Inko’s cheerful voice jolted him out of his frozen state, blood bubbled in the back of his throat, and he coughed. Trying to avoid spraying blood all over, he lifted his hands to cover the cough.
Blood smeared all over the scarf, he could hear Inko’s worried voice above him, but all he could think of was his enemy’s smirking face in the restored photo and how disappointed he was that the scarf was ruined.
It had been getting chilly lately and Toshinori was so excited to wear it to training where he would be standing on the sidelines on the chilly mornings and he would be able to burrow his face into the warm yarn. He had seen Aizawa do that so often with his capture scarf and Toshinori watched with jealousy, wanting to do the same. He had been so close and now he had to start all over.
The picture of All for One remained on the screen. His enemy’s face smirking at Toshinori’s misfortune once again.
-
The morning started chilly. Frost on the grass crunched underfoot as Toshinori made his way to the training field, Aizawa was to start the training simulation and Toshinori was to join them.
Toshinori tried not to shiver as a particularly cold rush of wind blew. A new bunch of dead leaves fell to the floor, the pretty reds and yellows crunching underfoot as Toshinori tried to wrap his jacket tighter around himself, to try and preserve warmth.
It didn’t help, and Toshinori arrived on the training ground trying not to be obvious about his shivers. The autumn wind had chilled him to the bone.
He went to stand by Aizawa who was giving instructions to the students who were standing in front of him. They all had serious determined looks on their faces as they listen to the underground hero, but most of them smiled at him in greeting when they noticed him.
Warmth bloomed in his chest, as he made eye contact with them and smiled back. His students were the greatest.
Aizawa’s gruff voice sent them off, and they all scurried off in different directions. Chatter starting up as they began to brainstorm ideas to tackle the obstacle.
One figure remained, his successor's fluffy green-hair looked slightly damp from the shower, slight worry pricked at his heart as his student made his way up to him.
“My boy, shouldn’t you be wearing something on your head? Wet hair in this wind? You could get sick!” Toshinori fretted, he was feeling more and more like Inko sometimes when it came to their boy.
The teenager grinned brightly at him, “Don’t worry about it All Might! It was mostly dry when I left the dorm! So I should be fine! And my winter costume keeps me plenty warm everywhere else!”
Young Midoriya fumbled around in the pockets of his costume, pulling out a nicely wrapped package, and holding it up to Toshinori.
“Here take this! My mom asked me to give it to you!”
Surprised, Toshinori gingerly took the package.
“For me?” He questioned with wide eyes, he hadn’t been expecting anything from Inko. What a surprise.
His successor smiled again, it seemed to get brighter every time Toshinori saw it.
“Yep! It’s for you! Come on open it!”
He did, and he gently unwrapped the package. The fluffy, warm-looking scarf that greeted him, warmed Toshinori to the soul. The Midoriyas were the greatest thing to grace the Earth.
He ran his hand over the soft yarn, looking at his successor who had the brightest smile on his face at Toshinor’s reaction.
“My mom knew you were disappointed about what happened to your scarf so she made you one. I picked out the scarf.”
“I- I don’t know what to say. Thank you, my boy. I will call your mother to tell her my thanks, but you should tell her for me as well. This is the greatest gift I have ever received, I will treasure it greatly.”
His successor’s face turned bright red, and he sheepishly scratched at the back of his neck.
“I’m glad you like it All Might, but it’s just a scarf.” He laughs, “I can’t wait to tell Mom that you liked it! She’ll be so happy!” He makes to leave, hesitating slightly, Toshinori, thinking he understands what his successor wants, opens his arms. Inviting the green-haired boy in for a hug.
His successor darts forward, giving Toshinori a big hug, before running off to catch up with his classmates. Calling out a quick “bye!” that Toshinori echoes.
Toshinori can’t stop smiling as he wraps the scarf around his neck, he ignores Aizawa who gives him a knowing look. He is finally able to mimic his fellow teacher and hero as he burrows his face into the soft warm material.
The next day, Toshinori returns the favor to his student. Gifting the boy a warm hat to cover his head from the chill. Toshinori was a little disappointed he couldn’t make a handmade gift like the scarf, but seeing the way his successor’s eyes lit up at the sight of a store-bought, fluffy, Mirko limited edition-themed fall hat, he couldn’t be that upset.