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Shouta, surely, was dying.
Spiraling- he couldn’t- breathe.
Gripping at the scarf curled around his neck, he desperately tried to get his lungs to work but he couldn’t breathe.
He could feel Hizashi holding his hand just as tightly, the papers in his bag suddenly weighing far too much. Based on Nedzu’s saddened gaze, he knew the principal felt it too.
“I’m sorry, Shouta. Hizashi.”
His scarf tightened around the hero as the man hissed, unable to breathe. It didn’t matter. The man deserved it and more and more and more-
“Shouta. If you kill him now, Izuku won’t be getting the justice he deserves.” The hero’s face, turning a pale blue was a weak show of what he really wanted- but he let go, tucking himself into his scarf and hiding beneath it. “I’m sorry, Shouta.”
“I think I’m missing some extra context in this situation, woof,” Inui spoke softly.
“Shouta and Hizashi… were planning on fostering the boy. They were planning to offer him the papers after the break,” Nedzu confirmed softly. “Because they saw the signs of parental abuse. It took some time with the investigation, but they wanted him.”
Shouta knew with his dry eye, it was practically impossible to cry- yet the tears didn’t seem to physically be able to stop. He knew Hizashi was crying as well, but the man had dissociated the moment the news broke if the glazed-over expression in his eyes was any indication.
Soft gasps around the room clued them in further. Everyone knew the couple was looking for a child- fully ready to adopt a sibling for Eri. But none of them had realized how much the couple had begun to care for the green-haired child.
“Why would you even want a child like him?” Yagi bit out, looking irritated. “The boy was quirkless and didn’t have the makings of a h-”
Yagi’s speaking was cut off by a large metal cage being forcefully put over his mouth, closing his mouth sharply. The room turned to see the unusually enraged face of Hound Dog, snarling at the hero. The man’s muzzle was now far too tight on the hero's gaunt face. He didn’t have the bone structure for it, after all.
“You, woof, should learn to keep your mouth shut.”
Hizashi didn’t even comment on the rough treatment. His glazed eyes only noted it before returning to staring blankly at the table.
The room was startled out of its awful silence by a booming and harsh knock on the door to the conference room. Yagi scowled at the door, earning a smack from Hound Dog on the back of the head.
There was a moment of silence before the door opened.
A man with white hair and red eyes stood there, exhaustion present on his face as he stared blankly around, noting each hero in the room. Yagi flinched back at the man, only being held by Hound Dog still.
“All for One,” Nedzu greeted solemnly.
“I’m not here as All for One,” the man looked at the creature. “I’m here as Midoriya Hisashi, Nedzu-san.”
The shock of the heroes only lasted a moment, but Yagi was physically thrashing at that point. He looked more like a rabid dog than any animal anyone in the room had ever seen. No one else even commented on the supervillain as he took one of the open seats.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Midoriya-san,” the principal bowed his head solemnly. “Izuku was… a kind child who died far too young. At the hands of a cruel bastard of a man.”
“Thank you for caring for him while I couldn’t,” the man affirmed, voice nearly a whisper. “I never wanted my son to get hurt in the crossfire of my job. I… never thought his mother would do what she did.”
Nedzu nodded.
“We’d been looking into it. But Midoriya was an incredibly smart boy, and hid things too well for someone of his age.”
Midoriya Hisashi’s face didn’t brighten, but a weak smile did break.
“My Izuku was the smartest. I think he would’ve made an amazing villain, but he was never prone to acts of harm. If being a hero was what made him happy, I couldn’t take that away from him.” The man chuckled. “You and Eraserhead were always his top heroes because neither of you rely on your quirks. IQ is passive and Erasure can only level the playing field.”
“Of course the problem child knew who I was before UA,” Shouta snorted wetly, shaking his head. “Kid was too smart for his own good…”
“If you think his strategy was good, you should’ve seen his love for analysis and molecular biology,” Hisashi nodded fondly. “I never knew I’d need to set aside a notebook fund for him. I always tried to buy him nice ones.”
A silence rang over the room, the only noise lingering being shaky breaths.
“Yagi,” the man addressed suddenly. Yagi froze. “You never even knew he was my child yet…” quiet. “... why would you do that to any child?”
Inui looked to Nedzu, before the mammal gave a sharp nod and the muzzle was sharply ripped back off. He knew he’d be looking into buying a new one.
“Agh- the boy didn’t-”
“Give us the facts, Yagi,” Aizawa spoke sharply. “I don’t want to hear a single insult come out of your fucking mouth, or I swear it’ll be on your grave.” His sharp eyes punctuated his words. Both fathers looked to the man who killed their child- their son-
“... He was a necessary sacrifice. I have things I need to do. He had no life ahead of him. Without the quirk, he likely would’ve just committed suicide anyway.”
It was Hizashi who spoke then.
“He told me that he’d considered it.” All eyes in the room turned to the blond teacher. Eyes unseeing and blank, never leaving the floor. “That he’d considered suicide. But ever since he came to Yuuei, that he’s never been happier. That he was just… so happy he had friends who loved about him and cared for him.”
Dead eyes met gaunt ones.
“You killed a child for a few extra hours of life, Yagi. You killed a bright, happy, finally starting to heal child- for a few more moments of life to cling to.” He trailed off for a moment, but it was clear he wasn’t done. “Midoriya- no. Izuku had great plans. Aspirations. Hopes. And you killed that for the mere hope of a few more hours in the spotlight?”
“You make me sound like a monster Yamada. We have one of those in the room already!” the man snarled, like a feral beast. “I did what was necessary!”
“He said he wants to confess his feelings to his friend,” Yamada continued, ignoring him entirely. “Two weeks ago. He’s been eating lunch with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Shou sits in with us. He actually enjoys more than just hero work but has never been encouraged on anything. He was writing poetry, did you know that?”
Silent tears began down his face.
“He was so… proud. I recommended him for a competition, in the next district over. We had a whole day planned for it. He was… so excited.”
Yagi stayed silent and Yamada slammed the table, getting to his feet.
“ WHY THE FUCK DID YOU TAKE THAT FROM HIM? ” His quirk seeped into his voice, aimed right at the man. “ DIDN’T YOU HAVE ENOUGH?? HE WAS A CHILD WITH HOPES- ASPIRATIONS- anD-” He took in a half-sobbed breath. “You took that from him. You took… every chance he had to grow.”
Nedzu solemnly bowed his head, before carefully getting onto the table, envelopes in hand. One by one, each teacher received a card.
Every. Single. One.
When Nedzu arrived at Yagi with the letter in hand, he didn’t try to untie him or otherwise. He turned to the staff and opened the letter.
“ Dear All Might ,” Nedzu began to read. Yagi glared.
“ When you receive this, I’ll be gone. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good enough successor and I realize it was foolish of me to think I could be a hero. I’m sorry I yelled at you when we spoke last- I truly understand why you did this. I don’t have a life ahead of me as a quirkless person, just like you said.
I’m not happy with you despite this. I understand but my classmates won’t know the truth. Neither will my teachers. You can write it off as a spur-of-the-moment suicide but I do partially blame you for taking me away from the people I care about.
I have to break promises now. I hate breaking promises.
I told Aizawa that I’d go to the movies with him and Eri for Eri’s birthday. I hope she never learns what you did, because I don’t think she’d forgive you. Even if I was quirkless, Eri and Aizawa are too kind to think any less of someone for something as trivial as not having a quirk. I know she’ll grow into a kind young woman with parents as nice as Aizawa and Yamada. She was like a sister to me .” Aizawa choked on a sob at that, hands and nails digging into his face and scalp. How would he tell Eri? That her hero- her brother in all but blood was gone?
“ I told Yamada I’d enter some local competitions because he said I have a knack for writing. They said I had an impressive vocabulary for someone my age and had been teaching me about poems and slam poetry. I’ve never known an adult as kind and patient as them, and I wish I could’ve given them my poem in person. We had plans for the first competition, but something tells me they would’ve made every competition special. They’re amazing that way.” Yamada was silent, clutching their letter tight in their hands. Their hands were shaking with such tremors, that some of the staff worried the letter might rip, but that was foolish thinking.
“ Eri had told me that they’d been thinking about asking me to come to live with them on the weekends. They wanted to foster me, apparently. It’s hopeful thinking but I do wish I could’ve seen for myself if that was true or not. I think I really would’ve loved living with them.”
“ I’m not even going to be able to see my own Dad in person. I wanted to apologize for being cruel to him- telling him I wish I had never been born. That I wish he wasn’t my father. He was right about my mother being a monster, but I denied him anyway. He’s always been a huge support in my life and I practically threw it in his face.” Midoriya tucked his head further into his chest, closing his eyes. “I’m sending him a letter. An apology to his address in America. I don’t want him to think I ever hated him. But I can’t tell him in person anymore.”
“I’ve asked Nedzu to keep everything a secret and to not pursue legal action. I’m not sure if he’ll keep my death a secret but for your sake, I hope he does.
I’m sorry for being such a failure, but I don’t forgive you for hurting the people I love. You owe them an apology.
I know I don’t deserve one, but they do. Please.
Midoriya Izuku.”
Nedzu was slow to set the letter on the table in front of the man, who glared at it in rage and fury. The room was full of quiet sobs as some of the staff read their own letters from the boy. Nothing but gratitude, love, and appreciation for all they’d done.
“ Dear Dad,
I’m sorry for what I said back then. I’m so glad you were always here for me. I know you aren’t as present as you’ve wanted to be, and I don’t blame you for that. You always told me to look for people who would love me, and I ignored that.
I found people who cared about me. It took time, but I did. Things with Mom didn’t work out too well and my adoptive little sister told me that some of the UA Staff are holding competitions on who gets to offer to foster me first.
Two of my teachers are, allegedly, in the lead. It’s hard to believe someone would care for me like that, I admit, but it feels nice.
When you get this, I’ll already be gone. My body is draining the life force faster than initially expected. I was meant to survive till Sunday. Poor planning, huh?
I’m sorry, and I love you. Thank you for always believing in me.
Your Son, Izuku”
“Dear Aizawa,
I’m dropping the honorific for this letter. I’m sorry about being informal and I hope you won’t mind, but that would make this so much longer and harder to write.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for giving me a chance to prove myself and for telling me I am more than what I can give. Thank you for being the first person in a long time to give me hope.
You’re kind and brutally honest in a way that felt so safe. You never made me feel like a burden, even with the nickname I earned.
I heard a rumor you wanted to foster me, and I wish I could’ve told you yes. I would’ve loved to live with you and Eri and Yamada. I hoped it wasn’t just a rumor, even till this whole situation arose.
Thank you for making me feel like a person. Like I was someone worth loving, even if I’d done nothing to earn it. I’m sorry I got stuck in another situation, and I’m sorry I didn’t try to look for a way out of it. This way was for the best.
Thank you for being you, Zawa.
Love, Your Problem Child, Izuku.”
“Dear Yamada,
Thank you. For everything. For giving me food when I couldn’t afford my lunches, helping me with my tie when my hands hurt too bad. For offering me extra notes when I got too invested in my analysis and poetry to focus. For hugging me and holding me after I broke my arms again at the sports festival and got the news of my chronic pain. For showing me that not all touch hurt when you ruffled my hair and got Aizawa doing it too. For letting me nap in your office after I started having nightmares of the USJ. For encouraging me to do more than just dedicate my life to hero work.
You were the first one to push me into more interests and encourage me to explore. Who told me while dedication was important, so was living and enjoying life. I really did enjoy writing poetry, and could’ve seen myself doing it more often. I left you my notebook with Nedzu so you could read some of my finished and unfinished poems. I’m sorry I couldn’t deliver them to you myself.
Thank you, for making me feel so loved. Like I was something amazing.
Love, Izuku.
Ps. I’m sorry I’ll miss the competition. I was looking forward to it.”
“Let us destroy everything,” Nedzu spoke softly, addressing the elder Midoriya. “Yagi’s legacy, his work, everything. And then we’ll pass him off to you to kill. I wish I could fulfill Izuku’s final wish to not take action, but I can’t in good consciousness let him continue on.”
Yagi’s horrified expression spoke wonders.
“... I accept your conditions,” the elder Midoriya spoke. “I will return in a month to kill him. He’s yours to destroy. In the meantime, I’ll be taking my son home to rest.”
“We’d like to bury him in UA if that would be alright,” Nedzu responded. “He died a hero, Midoriya-san.”
The elder Midoriya allowed it for a moment, before nodding.
“He would love that. I just need some time with him.”
UA was quiet that day. The staff all shuffled around, clinging to one another. They’d always been a family and it was a dark day to lose one of their young pups. None of them left the teachers longue, with the exception of Nedzu and Inui, who brought Yagi down to the cells under Yuuei.
With a TV provided, he’d be allowed to watch his legacy and everything he’d built crumble to ashes. But today was for mourning.
His integrity was the first to go. They wouldn’t sell Izuku’s story to some news magazine to mangle and distort, no. Nedzu had the full article prepared, but the class needed to know first.
It came too fast, but they didn’t have a choice. The article would be released at noon. Aizawa walked into class, Yamada attached at his hip as they all went silent. The two knew they looked awful- neither had been able to get the strength to take a shower, as even Kayama was stuck in her depression.
“Sensei,” It was Iida who spoke. “Is everything okay?”
Yamada tried to open his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. Tears pricking his eyes, he took another breath and shook his head, gesturing for Aizawa to continue. The two took a seat on the man’s desk, looking to the class.
“Kids, this homeroom will be your only class for the week,” he spoke softer than usual. They all looked at him in confusion in worry. The letters in his messenger bag felt like carrying the world on his hip. Atlas wouldn’t have been able to hold it. “You’ll have till next Wednesday off.”
“... Sensei, why?” It was Momo who asked.
“And… and where’s Deku, sensei? We’ve been texting him and he…” Uraraka trailed off. “He hasn’t replied to any of us.”
He never wanted any kid to have to know it. To experience the death of a friend so young. But he wouldn’t lie to any of them. Never. Not about this.
“... Izuku passed away last Friday. None of the staff were informed until Sunday.” A silence fell over the room.
“... s-sensei… y-you’re-” Shinsou stuttered over his words. “You're kidding- right? No- no way. He- he’s no-”
“No way- Sensei this- this isn’t funny!” Ashido slammed the table. Tears were welling in her eyes and burning into her desk. “This isn’t a good joke!”
“There’s… there’s no way…” Iida trailed off, face turning horrified.
The class continued their denials- beggings that this wasn’t true. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel Hizashi’s pulse against his fingers. Begging for that connection. It took some time before he spoke again.
“It’s true. And I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“No, I- sensei, are you sure??” It was Shinsou and when he went to reply, he felt himself fall under the boy's quirk. “ Is Izuku really… gone? ”
“ Izuku passed away due to the effects of a quirk that was used on him ,” he spoke without his control.
“What happened?” The class was silent, staring at him with rapt attention. So many teary eyes and horrified faces- so many dissociating and stuck in their head. It was an awful sight.
“ Izuku passed away on Friday. He knew he was going to die and looked to Nedzu for help in planning his passing. Sunday, the teachers were informed of the situation and the events that led to it.”
Shinsou tried to start another question, but Hizashi gently pinched his hand, snapping him out. The boy looked absolutely heartbroken.
“... I’ll explain the full situation. Today at noon, an article will be published about it- leaving his name out of it.” He bowed his head. “... Izuku…”
…
The class was horrified at his explanation. Rage- fear- hatred- all bubbled. But under it all was sadness and grief and despair that he recognized in himself so prevelantly.
“When I call your name, please come grab your letter. He wrote one for everyone.”
…
He walked the students back to their dorms. A few clung to him- Ashido- Uraraka- Hagakure. Others clung to more of their friends. Bakugou was clinging to Kirishima, while the redhead held right back. Todoroki hadn’t snapped from his trance since the classroom and was being gently pulled along by Shoij. Jirou, Momo, Aoyama, and Sato were practically stuck together.
Hizashi had taken a few of the students too. Shinsou and Iida hadn’t left their side since they’d left the classroom, both stuck in their own heads. He didn’t blame them.
It didn’t take long to arrive and he called.
“Kids. Everyone go change into pajamas- comfy clothes and bring down pillows, blankets- whatever you need. No one is being alone tonight, am I understood?”
A quiet murmur of “yes senseis” rang out.
…
Aizawa had ordered the entire class pizza that night and no one left the common room for long. When the news broke and the campus went crazy, they all just tucked closer together in the dim room as one of Izuku’s favorite movies played.
He wasn’t surprised when he woke up to Iida, Todoroki, and Shinsou heading for the door. He also didn’t miss the fact that Todoroki had a fucking knife.
“Brats,” he tiredly called out and all three flinched, turning to him in horror. “Not tonight. Put the knife back, and come lay back down. We’ll talk in the morning, okay?”
“Sensei we-”
“Tenya,” Shouta gently cut off his nephew. “It’s okay. Just lay back down. I know you’re mad. You should be. But we’ll talk in the morning. Save a day for mourning.”
“Kids, we need your help.”
One of the first things that showed up on Toshinori’s screen wasn’t a news page. No- it was a video recording of 1-A.
There was a large pile of All Might merch in the center of the common room. It was Iida who spoke into the camera.
“Yagi.” The casual use of his name had his blood boiling. The little kid- because he was a kid- spoke as if he was above him. Pretentious in a way that had him pissed. He was the Symbol of Peace! “These are all of the items of merch that 1-A had of you. We all looked up to you.”
There was a fury in his eyes. A bloodlust that had a heavyweight in his stomach drop.
“Allow us to show you what we think of you.”
To Nedzu, who also watched the video the creativity of the destruction was impressive. From Iida’s use of a knife- which was a talent he’d be directing to Snipe- to Shinsou’s beatdown- to Bakugou’s explosions, being able to see the horror on the hero's face was delightful.
“We have wonderful pups, don’t we?” he spoke softly. Tsukauchi sighed.
“I would go with impressive, but insane.”
When the news broke, there were riots at UA and the HPSC- demanding All Mights removal. Nedzu happily informed them that he had already been removed from the staff and was currently being held for his crimes.
The HPSC really tried to fight but Nedzu and Izuku had many conversations about their organization. Notably, how one might go about destroying them. So with great glee, he released “1ZUKU.pdf” and smiled fondly as society began to burn to the ground.
His last message was to a certain red-winged hero.
“How would you feel about a new job?”
Yagi from his cell could only watch as the world he built was torn apart- falling away like sand in his fingertips.
Distantly, he tried to ignore the voices that screamed that this was what he deserved. For killing their ninth- their young one.
He prayed for them to go quiet again.
One month later, a news broadcast was put out to everyone in Japan. To the world.
Hisashi Midoriya held the former symbol of peace’s head in his lap, staring deep into the camera. The head was beaten and bruised- making it obvious the man had been tortured.
“Citizens of America- of the world. This is my retirement from villainy. I’ve spent decades hunting down Yagi Toshinori- All Might. It had always been a classic hero versus villain.” He laughed but the noise was bitter and sad. “But even I can’t overlook such a monster. The world may rest a little easier that he is gone.”
And the news cut out.
No one had to know that Aizawa and Yamada stood behind the camera, while Nedzu finished the broadcast. Nor did they need to know that the torture hadn’t been solely- or even primarily done by the villain. No, that could be left to the wind.
Hisashi Midoriya preferred to hurt with his words.
Aizawa, Yamada, and Nedzu much preferred with tools. And with the battered corpse thrown to the pit they’d prepared, they looked at one another.
“He can rest easy,” Nedzu spoke in his soft voice.
“The funeral is tomorrow, correct?” the elder Midoriya spoke and Aizawa nodded.
“At UA. It’ll just be class 1-A, the teachers, and a few others,” Yamada smiled softly. “He wrote that he didn’t want something sad. We’re gonna bring snacks and make it a celebration of life. I doubt he’d want us all sobbing out there.”
“Oh he’d hate it,” Aizawa snorted, shaking his head fondly. “We found as many awful hero snacks as we could. I never even thought they’d make an Ingenium wedding cake- but we found one.”
“I think he’ll enjoy it.”
In the backyards of UA, there is no longer a single shrine with a boy with blue wispy hair. It’s well cared for. It’s no longer alone.
Another sits by it. A boy with bright green hair and a wide smile, with eyes full of glee as he holds a cat in his memorial picture. A smile so bright, he could’ve been mistaken as still alive. Both have flowers, but the green-haired boy has a field. Bouquets, gifts, and draped around the top of the headstone, a thick necklace chain with a ring around it.
“Rest in Piece, Izuku Midoriya.
Son, friend, and the truest hero of all.”
Embedded behind bulletproof glass sits his hero ID. His acts of bravery, immortalized.
“Sleep well, Problem Child.”
“I hope your dreams are gentle, Izuku. I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner.”
“Sweet dreams, Sunshine. Keep Oboro company for us, ya dig?”