Archive of Our Own

As the boy’s punch lands, All For One’s body begins to shatter apart. This body is already crumbling away. But just before he vanishes, All For One uses his quirks to hold his body together forcefully. “I haven’t achieved anything yet!” He screams. “No one can rob me of what’s mine! Only my dream gets to come true! I won’t pay it forward! Nobody gets to pick up my torch!-”

“The demon lord is singular and absolute!”

All For One’s eyes find Ninth. He only needs to repeat the transfer process just like what he did with that fool, Tomura!

The boy is suitable now that he doesn’t have One For All. All For One will give him his quirk and himself to claim-

“A new vessel!” All For One shouts as he reaches for the brat.

“You’re done, All For One!” Izuku yells, gathering the last of his strength into this one last punch. All For One’s body disintegrates upon impact. Just as he thinks it’s finally over, a hand launches at him, grabbing Izuku’s face in a tight grip.

Pain explodes behind his eyes. Izuku cries out as a wave of agony rushes through his body. The last thing Izuku sees is All For One’s body crumbling to dust before everything goes black.

Izuku opens his eyes and finds himself back in the vestige realm. How is this possible? He looks around at the empty thrones, feeling a growing sense of unease from the silence and the emptiness of the space. He can’t understand how he ended up here after losing One For All.

As he struggles to control the rising panic, something catches his eye in the center of the room. Izuku moves toward it slowly, despite every instinct in his mind screaming at him to turn back.

Izuku stares in shock, his breath catching in his throat as he slaps a hand over his mouth to stifle the scream threatening to escape. There, lying on the floor in a bundle, is a baby. But not just any baby—it's unmistakably All For One. The tiny figure has the same blood-red eyes and stark white hair.

All For One blinks up at him but does nothing else. Izuku takes a deep breath and, against his better judgment, carefully gathers the baby into his arms.

His mind races, trying to make sense of what he’s seeing, when a thought strikes him.

…Is this All For One's vestige? Is this… the quirk itself?

Did the villain actually succeed in transferring his Quirk?

Does that mean Izuku now has All For One?

He looks down at the baby, who continues to stare back at him with an unnervingly calm gaze. If All For One is a baby now, does that mean he only managed to transfer a small portion of his quirk before disappearing?

Questions flood Izuku's mind, each more overwhelming than the last. But the one person who could answer them—the villain himself—isn’t here for Izuku to ask.

Izuku looks around at what he now realizes is All For One’s vestige realm. His eyes land on the thrones, and he notices that there are nine empty thrones now. Right, so One For All really is gone. Maybe he still has a faint ember left, but that seems like the least of his worries now.

Izuku has All For One.

Isn’t that bizarre? He adjusts his hold on the baby and approaches the ninth throne.

“What should I do with you?” Izuku asks, settling onto the throne with the tiny villain in his arms. All For One tilts his head slightly, offering no response. If it weren’t for the fact that this is All For One, Izuku might even find the baby somewhat adorable.

They sit in silence, Izuku’s mind racing as he tries to make sense of everything. It could be worse, he reasons. It’s not like he’s going to use All For One. And it’s not like this baby is going to grow up and start whispering evil things in his ear… right?

After a while, Izuku feels the familiar sensation of waking up in the real world. He stands, gently placing the baby on the throne. “I’ll be back,” he whispers, poking All For One lightly on the small nose.

Maybe, just maybe, if Izuku raises the quirk All For One with kindness, he’ll see a nicer version of the villain living in his head.

Waking up in the real world is much harder than Izuku expects. There are so many tears, and so many difficult conversations. By the time everything is done, it’s already late at night, and he’s exhausted, ready to collapse into bed again.

Sleep comes quickly, but when Izuku finds himself back in All For One’s vestige realm, he’s no longer alone with baby All For One.

Izuku freezes, his jaw dropping as he sees a group of people standing before him, all of them looking just as surprised as he is. He recognizes one of them immediately—Hawks. Memories flood back to him as he recalls how All For One stole the hero’s Quirk during their battle.

“Deku?” Hawks stares at him in shock. “How are you here?”

The woman next to Hawks gasps, “Don’t tell me he stole your quirk before he died?”

“But if he died, how can we be here?” another man demands.

“The baby is literally right there!” someone points out.

The group of ten people starts arguing, their voices overlapping as they try to make sense of the situation. Izuku watches them helplessly. As they argue, he quietly steps toward the baby, gently cradling him in his arms. A small smile forms on his lips as All For One reaches up with his tiny hand, wrapping his fingers around Izuku’s.

Suddenly, the noise dies down. Izuku looks up to find everyone staring at him in silence, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

“What?” Izuku asks, genuinely confused by their reactions.

Hawks’ expression is unreadable. “Can you explain what’s going on? And why is baby All For One here?”

Izuku takes a deep breath and tells them everything, sparing no details. By the time he finishes, everyone looks stunned, probably struggling to process what they’ve just heard.

“Wow, that’s… a lot to take in,” the woman sighs.

“I can’t believe that bastard managed to transfer his Quirk in the end,” the old man grumbles.

A kind-looking lady gives Izuku a sad smile. “At least it’s you who ended up with it.”

“I just didn’t expect the vestiges of the Quirks he stole to be here too,” Izuku admits. “I thought it would just be me and All For One.”

Hawks eyes the baby in Izuku’s arms warily. “I’m just glad he didn’t transfer fully. Usually, he blocks the vestiges of the Quirks he steals, locking them deep inside All For One.” He gestures to the vault door behind them.

At first, no one seems to trust the baby version of All For One. But as they watch him play with Izuku’s finger, they start to realize that All For One really is just a baby now—innocent and harmless.

“Well,” Izuku begins, gently playing with the baby’s tiny hand, “I thought that maybe if I raised him right this time, even if he’s just a vestige of a Quirk, maybe I could have a nice All For One as a friend or something.”

“You’re too kind, Deku,” one of them says, with a mix of admiration and concern.

Izuku beams at them. “You’re stuck with me now. Call me Izuku.”

They exchange glances, sharing a silent conversation, before smiling back at him. “Alright, Izuku. We’ll introduce ourselves and our Quirks then.” As they do, Izuku listens closely, a pang of sadness in his heart knowing that All For One had ruined their lives. Still, he’s grateful to meet them, even if he has no intention of using their Quirks. Short-distance teleportation, minor regeneration, minor speed, minor strength, and many more. Seems like All For One wanted to transfer quirks that will help him survive first.

The last to speak is an elderly woman who seems hesitant. The others avoid Izuku’s gaze, making him worry.

“I’m sorry, Izuku-kun,” she says, grimacing slightly. “My Quirk is Longevity.”

Izuku pales. This can’t be happening. He swallows the rising panic and forces himself to ask the important question first. “Wait. Aizawa-sensei said that All For One has the doctor’s Quirk, Life Force. How many Quirks like this does he even have?”

“Trust me, kiddo,” the old man replies with a weary sigh. “A lot.”

“Keigo,” Izuku calls softly when they’re far enough from the others.

The winged hero glances at him, then down at the baby in his arms before letting out a sigh. “Yeah?”

“I’m thinking about returning your Quirk—”

“Ah, ah. Nope, nope,” Keigo interrupts, cutting him off with a firm gesture, his hands forming an X shape in front of him. “You’re not doing that.”

Izuku frowns. “Why not? You’re Quirkless now. I know how hard it is to be powerless. And I feel guilty holding onto your Quirk when I could just give it back to you.”

“Okay, kid, listen. First of all, you told me he’s the HPSC president now—that’s hardly powerless. Second, if he finds out you have All For One, you’ll probably end up in some lab—”

“Hawks wouldn’t do that—”

“—and third,” Keigo continues, ignoring Izuku’s protest, “the news that someone has the power to give Quirks would create chaos. It’s not something the public would handle well.”

Izuku hesitates, brow furrowed. “Are you sure Hawks would really do what you’re saying?”

Keigo looks at him seriously. “Izuku, I am Hawks. Trust me, I’m no saint. If I knew someone—especially a hero—had All For One, I’d find a way to use that to my advantage.”

Izuku can’t help but ask, “So you’d rather be stuck here forever?”

“Honestly? The company’s not so bad.” Keigo winks.

Izuku sighs, realizing Keigo has made up his mind. If that’s the case, there’s nothing more he can do.

Things have been going well with both his life and the realm inside his head. So, of course, something has to happen to make Izuku’s life more difficult.

It starts subtly, almost without him noticing. At first, it’s a passing thought when he sees someone using their quirk—I could use that better. It’s a normal reaction, considering how he always analyzed quirks.

The next time, Izuku is in the crowd. His gaze lingers on a man who casually lights a cigarette with a snap of his fingers. His hand twitches, and the thought comes again—I could do so much more with that, he thinks. Something urging him to take it for himself.

Izuku’s breath catches, and he suddenly realizes what’s wrong with him. He forces himself to look away, but it takes everything in him to resist the desire to reach out and claim that quirk. 

He rushes home, stumbling through the door of his room and locking it behind him. By the time he collapses into bed, he’s exhausted, both mentally and physically. Sleep comes, and just as quickly, he’s back in the vestige realm.

“Izuku?” Keigo asks in concern.

Izuku brushes past him, his heart pounding as he heads straight for All For One. But what he sees stops him cold—the baby is already crying, his tiny fists clenched and tears streaming down his face. Izuku quickly scoops him up, holding him close as the baby snuggles into his chest. Despite his best efforts to soothe him, the wailing continues.

“I think he might be hungry?” a voice suggests. “I had kids of my own. If they cry like that, it’s usually hunger—or they need a change, but that’s not possible here.”

Izuku’s mind piecing everything together instantly.

All For One is hungry for more quirks.

And so is he.

Oh no.

“You okay?” Keigo asks, stepping up behind Izuku. “What’s going on?”

Izuku tries to hold it together as he explains what’s happened over the past few days. The room falls into a heavy silence, everyone reacting with various degrees of shock and worry. Keigo looks like he might just throw up.

“Izuku, this is seriously messed up,” Keigo says, voice tense.

One of the women sighs. “Izu-kun, can’t you just transfer All For One to someone else? You don’t deserve this.”

Izuku shakes his head, holding the baby closer. “No. If I keep this quirk, no one else has to suffer because of it.”

“So you’re willing to be the only one who suffers?” someone snaps.

Izuku flinches, hunching guiltily, unable to respond.

“…selfless hero,” they mutter.

He can’t tell if it’s an insult or not.

Keigo has made it his mission to always be by Izuku's side. The hero materializes next to him whenever he needs support, and just knowing Keigo is there makes Izuku feel a lot better. Keigo doesn’t have to do any of this, but he does it anyway, ensuring that Izuku doesn’t have to face this struggle alone.

Izuku's ‘quirk cravings’ are still as frequent as ever. His self-control is hanging by a thread. Each time he feels the desire to take a quirk, he forces himself to resist, but it’s becoming harder the longer this goes.

Keigo has become like a brother to him, keeping him grounded in reality and helping him resist All For One's urges. But deep down, Izuku knows he can't keep this up forever.

Every night, Izuku visits baby All For One, feeling nothing but guilt and sadness as the baby continues to cry. All he can do is gently cradle him to his chest and softly shush him, but it never seems to be enough.

Lately, Izuku feels utterly exhausted, the stress of constantly holding back from stealing every quirk he sees wearing him down.

“Y-you’re Deku, right?”

He jumps, turning to see a young man looking at him nervously.

“Yeah. Can I help you?”

“My brother is severely injured from the war, and he’s been suffering. My family thinks it’s time to let him go. He’s always admired you, so I’m wondering if you could meet him one last time?” the guy rushes out, tears welling up as if he fears Izuku will refuse.

“Of course,” Izuku agrees quickly, not giving himself time to overthink it.

Keigo trails closely behind as Izuku follows the young man to the hospital. The atmosphere is heavy, filled with grieving families. They reach the room where the brother lies, hooked up to a respirator. The man looks up at Izuku with wide, shocked eyes.

They talk quietly for a while, and then the doctor arrives. Izuku realizes the moment has come.

“Even if this is my last day, you’ve made it the best day of my life, Deku,” the man whispers. “Can I hold your hand while they take off the respirator?”

Now it’s Izuku’s turn to cry as he gently takes the man’s hand.

But then, a voice inside whispers: Take it. Take it. Take it.

And as the man’s eyes close, Izuku pulls.

The man passes away peacefully, but Izuku’s breath catches as the horror of what he’s done sinks in.

The hunger is gone.

Izuku doesn’t even want to sleep, dreading the inevitable confrontation with the man whose quirk he stole. But eventually, exhaustion wins, and he drifts off, bracing himself for whatever comes next.

When he arrives in the All For One’s vestige world, he’s shocked to see the man smiling at him.

“Hey, Deku! The others already filled me in on the situation. You can use my quirk anytime you want!”

Izuku stares at him in confusion. “Why aren’t you angry? I stole your quirk! And now you’re stuck here forever!”

The man—Yoshi, as Izuku learned at the hospital—looks at him with gentle consolation. “That’s not true. Look at it this way: I get to live again, even if it’s in your head. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Izuku still isn’t convinced, but he can’t argue with Yoshi, who’s already jogging off to make friends with the others around his age.

“See? Everything’s fine,” Keigo says, ruffling Izuku’s hair. “Why don’t you go check on the baby?”

Right—All For One!

Izuku rushes over to the baby and gasps in relief when he sees that he’s no longer crying. He gathers the tiny figure into his arms, and his heart nearly melts when the baby babbles up at him.

Is it just him, or does All For One look a bit bigger?

Hm. Maybe he’s just too tired.

He settles down on the throne, relaxing as he holds the baby close, letting the comforting voices of the others wash over him.

Maybe, just maybe, this isn’t so bad after all.

Yoshi’s brother must have spread the word about Izuku, because suddenly, he’s flooded with requests to visit people’s loved ones before they pass away.

Izuku hesitates, still feeling horrified by the last incident, but he can’t bring himself to say no. While the intense hunger for quirks has faded, he still can’t resist the urge to steal their quirks at the last moment before they die.

It’s as if, once that line was crossed, there’s no turning back.

He feels awful afterward, but when he returns to the realm and sees the baby All For One happy, some of that guilt eases. That’s when Izuku finally realizes what’s happening.

The more quirks Izuku takes, the more All For One grows.

How had he not noticed it sooner? All For One is clearly developing, and one day, Izuku enters the realm to find the baby clumsily standing and taking a few steps toward him before nearly falling—only for Izuku to catch him just in time.

“Oh my god! You can walk!” Izuku gasps.

All For One opens his mouth and stammers, “Ii- Iz!”

Izuku claps his hands in delight. “Wow! You’re growing up so fast. That’s amazing! Here, try again. I-zu-ku.”

“I-zu!”

Izuku isn’t sure why he isn’t panicking. It makes sense that All For One is growing from the quirks he’s feeding him, but the speed of his growth is quite alarming.

Maybe he should slow down on meeting fans and taking their quirks... but Izuku dreads the idea of feeling that quirk craving again. Plus, he can’t stand the thought of All For One being hungry.

Hm. Izuku figures it won’t be a problem. As long as All For One doesn’t grow into a full-grown man... yet.

Izuku really wouldn’t know how to handle that.

By the time U.A. is ready for Izuku to return to his studies, All For One has nearly outgrown the toddler stage. His clothes seem to magically adjust as he grows, and he’s now able to materialize outside of Izuku’s mind.

Keigo frowns at the idea of babysitting a child who once stole his quirk, but All For One seems to favor Izuku, always staying close to him. 

On Izuku’s first day back at school, the child literally climbs into his lap, leaning against his chest while Izuku tries to study. Izuku has to resist the urge to hug the kid, knowing that no one else can see him—they might think Izuku’s lost it.

Time passes uneventfully over the next few years at school. The only real change is that Izuku… no longer feels guilty about taking quirks.

It’s not that Izuku wants to; it’s that he needs to. He needs to feed himself and the growing boy. Besides, no one is hurt by this—he only takes from those who are dying. And in the aftermath of the war, there were plenty of those.

All For One grows quickly and can speak properly now, which has everyone concerned.

“Izuku, tell me about all the quirks you have,” the boy says one day, materializing beside Izuku on the couch and peering at his notebook with interest. They’ve been talking about everything for a while now.

What’s strange is how All For One seems to develop without needing to be taught. He already knows how to walk, talk, and do things as if he’s lived before. 

But… he’s sweet, too.

He seeks out Izuku, loves spending time with him, and enjoys hugging and cuddling like any normal child.

Maybe there’s nothing to worry about. Isn’t it great that All For One already knows things? After all, he’s just a quirk vestige.

Izuku watches All For One reading his notebook from his bed and smiles to himself.

Nothing’s wrong… right?

“Midoriya,” Todoroki calls out just as Izuku is about to leave after class.

Izuku turns with a smile. “Hey, Todoroki-kun. What’s up?”

All For One, perched invisibly at Izuku’s side, tilts his head in curiosity at the dual-haired boy.

“Tomorrow is… Touya’s last day. I was wondering if you’d come with me?”

Izuku blinks in surprise. Dabi is going to die—does that mean his quirk will— “M-me? Really? I appreciate you asking, but I wouldn’t want to intrude on your family.”

Todoroki hesitates, then says quietly, “I just want… someone—want you to be there.”

Izuku’s expression softens. “Of course, Todoroki-kun. If you want me there, I’ll be there for you.”

I want Dabi’s quirk.

Later that night in the realm, Izuku sits in deep thought, contemplating how he can take Blueflame without getting caught. This situation is different from all the others.

“Izuku, what’s on your mind?” All For One asks, lounging on the throne. The boy, now likely a preteen, smiles kindly at him.

“Oh, I’m just trying to figure out how to take Dabi’s quirk. I probably can’t just hold his hand like I’ve done with other people.”

All For One seems surprised. “What is Dabi’s quirk? And why do you want it? I’ve never seen you actively wanting a quirk before.”

Izuku blushes slightly. “Well, my dad’s quirk is Fire Breathing, so I’ve always wished I had a fire quirk too. And Dabi’s quirk is so beautiful… I don’t want it to disappear forever.”

“Hold up, what do you mean you want Dabi’s quirk?” Keigo suddenly appears behind him, arms crossed.

“Keigo!” Izuku yelps. “Dabi is going to die soon. I just… want his quirk,” he admits sheepishly.

Keigo stares at him for a moment before shrugging. “It’ll be a pain if Dabi ends up here, but whatever. Doesn’t Yoshi have some kind of invisibility quirk?”

Right—Chameleon. The quirk doesn’t seem to match its name, but it allows the user to become invisible when crouching or crawling. That might work. There isn’t another quirk that could be useful for this.

They spend the whole night planning with All For One and Keigo. When tomorrow comes, Izuku is nervous but ready.

Endeavor’s driver picks them up after school, the ride is tense and silent. Izuku sits quietly with All For One by his side, staring out the window.

When they arrive, they meet the rest of the Todoroki family at a high-security hospital that Izuku has never visited before. Seeing the heavy security, he starts to doubt whether he can even get close enough to take Dabi’s quirk.

All For One squeezes Izuku’s hand. “You can do this, Izuku.”

Izuku wishes he could touch the boy back, but instead gives him a subtle nod, quietly following the family inside. The hospital feels like Tartarus with all the guards around. When they reach Dabi’s room, Izuku has to stifle a gasp at the sight before him. Dabi is in such a state of pain and decay that he’s barely recognizable, clinging to life with the help of numerous machines.

“My god,” Hawks mutters, taking a sharp breath. “Dabi…”

Seeing Dabi like this, Izuku’s desire for the quirk takes a back seat to his concern for the man. Dabi can’t even speak anymore; the only sign of life is the empty stare in his eyes.

“Wouldn’t he suffer less if he was in All For One?” the boy asks. “All For One took quirks from people when they were injured too, but I’ve never seen anyone appear here in pain.”

Keigo freezes. “…How do you know that?”

Does All For One have the original All For One’s memories?

Izuku forces himself not to panic, instead focusing on the family saying their goodbyes. He tries to ignore Keigo and All For One’s conversation and thinks about how to get close enough to Dabi.

Will they take him off life support in the room? That would make things easier.

“-we’ll stay,” Endeavor tells the guard. “You can proceed.”

Perfect.

Several guards enter and open the door to Dabi’s room. The family walks in, somber and silent. Izuku stays at the back, thinking it would be improper to get any closer.

But then Todoroki gently nudges him forward, so that Izuku is now standing right beside him, close to Dabi. Just a little touch is all it would take. A millisecond of skin contact would be enough.

Izuku mentally scolds himself—people are grieving, and here he is thinking about how to steal Dabi’s quirk.

“Grab your friend’s hand and touch Dabi with your finger,” All For One instructs.

Izuku glances at Todoroki, seeing him silently crying. Feeling a pang in his chest, Izuku leans forward and places his hand gently on top of Todoroki’s. Todoroki looks up in surprise before pulling Izuku into a hug just as the guards begin to disconnect Dabi from life support.

“Quick,” All For One urges.

No one is looking, so Izuku quickly brushes his pinky finger against Dabi’s hand before hugging Todoroki back.

Mission complete.

Now Izuku feels like the most horrible person in existence.

Who has he become? Izuku isn’t supposed to be like this. All he can think about is Dabi’s quirk, which should be the last thing on his mind!

He returns to the realm, exhausted, but not with the usual quirk hunger. This is something different, something worse. Is this guilt? Is it just him? He wants to believe that, but deep down, he knows the truth.

He did want Blueflame, after all. Dammit, Izuku doesn’t want to think about it anymore.

As he walks over to the group, he sees Dabi—surprisingly whole, despite the horrific burns that have left him little more than flesh and bone. The bandages Dabi had worn in the hospital are discarded on the floor.

Izuku makes eye contact with Dabi, his body tensing.

“You,” Dabi rasps. It looks like he wants to say more, but he stops himself, dragging his scorched body over to one of the thrones.

Izuku blinks, uncertain. “A-are you still in pain?” he asks, unable to help himself.

Dabi sighs. “No.”

“Then… are you angry at me?”

“I don’t really care.”

Okay then…

Izuku had expected the villain to be more explosive, but it seems Dabi is just too tired, too worn out to care anymore. With a glance back at Keigo and All For One, who are watching from the other side of the room, he walks over to them.

Oh, right. The elephant in the room.

“So, you have your memories?” Izuku asks the boy.

All For One shrugs. “Just bits and pieces. Most of my memories are with you, Izuku.”

It’s almost sweet to hear, except for the fact that Keigo is now eyeing the boy with suspicion. The hero doesn’t voice his concerns, though, merely nodding along as if everything is perfectly fine. Izuku supposes there’s no point in denying it.

And so, life goes on.

Nothing significant happens, except that the number of people from whom Izuku can take quirks is decreasing. The country is slowly healing from the war, and as time passes, there are fewer dying fans left for him to visit.

“You should go to other countries and create a new identity,” teenage All For One suggests when Izuku shares his concerns.

“What? No! I can’t just leave my friends and family like that,” Izuku frowns.

The teen stares at him, unblinking. “They’re going to leave you behind anyway, so what’s the point?”

Izuku gasps, taken aback. “W-what?”

“I hate to agree with All For One, but trust me, Izuku. If you’re not going to be a hero and work with them, they won’t have time for you anymore,” Keigo adds from where he’s lounging on the throne.

Izuku wants to reject the idea, but a part of him—deep down—is screaming that they’re right.

“How about you just wait and see with your own eyes,” All For One suggests, his tone eerily calm. “After graduation. Just wait and see.”

Why does that sound like a threat?

Of course, they’re right. 

Graduation comes and goes, and Izuku is left behind. In everyone’s eyes, he’s still quirkless, and without a quirk, he can’t be a hero.

(The real) Hawks offers him a job at the HPSC, but Izuku turns it down, choosing instead to apply for a teaching position at UA, knowing it’s just a temporary move. He’s waiting for the inevitable—his departure from this life, from this place.

As time passes, his friends start reaching out less and less. He doesn’t blame them; they’re busy chasing their dreams, living the lives they fought so hard for. And Izuku… he’s just here, hanging on the edge of something he doesn’t fully understand.

His hunger for quirks grows stronger to the point where he can’t ignore it. It becomes clear that Izuku can’t stay here anymore.

After only a year of teaching, he resigned. He goes to his mother and tells her that he’s leaving the country. It’s not just about the quirk cravings anymore; there’s a whole world out there, full of things he’s never seen, never experienced.

Maybe, just maybe, having All For One isn’t the end of the world. Maybe it’s the beginning of something else—something he hasn’t figured out yet.

For now, Izuku is doing fine. At least, that’s what he tells himself.