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Izuku bounced on his bed a little bit, his blue, red, and yellow pyjamas still warm from the dryer. He smiled as his mama kissed him goodnight and tucked him in, giggling when she tickled his foot that he tried to poke out of the covers. She kissed him again for good measure, and patted the blankets a final time before sitting up.
“Wait! Don’t forget All Might, mom,” Izuku said, holding out his favourite toy version of the mighty hero.
“Oh, of course,” She said, and kissed the figure on the top of its pointy hair. “Good night to you too, All Might.”
Izuku snuggled into the covers happily, but sat bolt upright again when Mom turned off his bedside lamp. Mom always left the light on for him when he slept; to make sure the villains didn’t interrupt his sleep as all villains liked nothing better than dark bedrooms. Now there was only the room light on, and Mom would turn that off when she left.
“It’s alright, dear.” She kissed the top of his head, and smiled. “You’re not going to need the lamp anymore.”
“I’m not?” Izuku asked, voice wavering in disbelief. Without the lamp, he couldn’t sleep, and heroes need all their sleep to grow up big and strong. Mom had said so herself.
“Mmhmm. I got you something even better. So close your eyes, and I’ll say when you can open them.” She got up from his bed, making the mattress groan, and Izuku knew she walked toward the door because he heard the floor creak.
The lights went out and Izuku held All Might extra tight in his hands, trying not to cry out.
“Okay, open your eyes,” Mom said.
Izuku opened his eyes, and gasped. Plugged into the wall by the door was a night light in the shape of All Might’s face, yellow light coming from his hair. The grin was big and confident, and Izuku grinned back.
“Wow!”
“I thought you’d like it,” Mom said, coming back to his bed to tuck him in again. “This is less bright; and this is why you don’t need to have the lamp on anymore.”
“Thanks, mom,” Izuku said, and snuggled into bed. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, dear.”
It was sometime in the middle of the night when Izuku woke, and the first thing he noticed upon opening his eyes was how dark it was. He sat up, pulling the covers to his chin, and realized that the light had gone out. Mom might not have pushed it all the way in or maybe when she closed the door the thump had rattled it loose, but either way there was no longer a friendly and protective glow coming from the night light.
A rustling from the floor caused Izuku to pull his covers up higher, tears starting at the corners of his eyes. Without the light, the villains had come out of hiding. Izuku wriggled deeper into his pillows, stifling a squeak when something poked him in the leg.
It was just All Might though, and Izuku hugged the stiff plastic toy to his chest hard.
“What do I do, All Might?” Izuku asked with a sniffle. “The villains are under the bed and I’m too tired to fight them and if I call for Mom they’ll get her instead.”
Even in the dark Izuku could just make out the bright yellow hair of his hero, and he hugged the toy tighter. The rustling was getting worse. If he stayed very still under the covers the villains might not notice him, but then it could find Mom. He had to do something, but he didn’t know what. The bedside lamp was too high for him to reach on his own and he didn’t have a flashlight. The only thing that could stop the villains now was the light of All Might, but then someone would have to plug it back in.
Someone like him.
“That’s what I have to do, isn’t it?” Izuku sat up straighter even as the tears streamed down his cheeks. “I have to be brave and help All Might stop the villains.”
Izuku gripped All Might tightly in one hand, and shuffled over to the edge of the bed. Stepping off it was what the villains would expect. He needed to jump as far as he could, and plug the light back in before they could catch on. He took a deep breath, and wiped his tears away as best as he could so they didn’t make him slip. He didn’t want to say anything out loud in case the villains heard, so he nodded at All Might to show he was ready, and jumped.
He almost dropped his toy when he landed and stumbled, but he managed to save it from hitting the floor and ran to the wall. He couldn’t see but he could feel the light leaning at an angle, and he tried to push it back into the wall plug. The rustling behind him grew louder, and just when Izuku thought he could see a pale hand reaching for him the prongs slid back into place and warm yellow light flooded the room.
The villains retreated so fast Izuku didn’t even see them leave, the room empty after he blinked in the sudden brightness.
All Might’s illuminated smile was proud and pleased, as if he was thanking Izuku for being so brave and helpful. Izuku smiled back and puffed out his chest. They were a great team, the two of them.
~~~~~
"Midoriya my boy, what is it that has you looking so happy?"
"Oh! It's nothing." Izuku smiled at All Might, as they sat on the beach together after training. "Just... Just remembering the first time you helped me fight villains."