Work Text:
It was after the sports festival, Midoriya did his best. Well he wasn't the first but still, he helped Todoroki and that's more important than any medal he can get. But...he still has something bugging his mind recently.
All Might was quirkless, like him. And that was comforting of course seeing someone like himself, knowing his mentor understands him, and seeing there is an actual chance he can be like All Might.
But...is there anything else he doesn't know about his mentor? Yes obviously his name, his age and other things about One For All too. He really does want to learn these things but would it be kinda rude to ask such personal questions? He can't risk it.
Midoriya was thinking about things that didn't dare to leave his mind for the past few days as he walked to the beach. Meeting with All Might wasn't new and he probably wants to talk about the sports festival. At least All Might reassured him that he wasn't dissapointed in him...
Midoriya sees the older hero at a bench and goes near him, greeting his mentor as his mentor does the same. He sits down and
"W-what did you wanted to talk about?" Midoriya asks giving into his curiosity
"Well, for starters you did good in the festival. I know we already talked about it but knowing you I will say it again, you gave it your all and did your best wich was the most important thing and not being the first doesn't matter. You still have plenty of time ahead of you untill graduation."
"Oh, thank you I wish I could've done better but, yeah there's still two years to do better." Midoriya slightliy blushes, he really appreciates the comforting.
"And the main reason I called you here was... well I noticed you don't really know much about me or One For All and I'm your mentor so, ask whatever you want. We need to know eachother better, I've been training you for more than a year after all." Toshinori tried so hard not to laugh as his pupils eyes got bigger and filled with surprise
"Oh, umm are you sure?"
"I wouldn't suggest this if I wasn't, go on." He gestured with his hand.
Midoriya started thinking "okay uhhh-Oh whats your name?" Midoriya asked looking at him with curious eyes.
"Oh-" he thought for a moment but there's nothing to hide so
"Yagi, Yagi Toshinori. I live a civilian life with this name so aside from some exceptions people don't know my real name." Midoriya felt special hearing that and also omgomgomg I know All Mights name
"You can accually use it when we're in public, it would make things easier" well, he could, but he still prefers calling his mentor by his hero name.
"Hmm...Well, what's the weirdest villain you ever faced?" He knew all of his fights but it still was appealing to hear the mans own opinion about them.
"The weirdest you say...There was a man whose quirk made him stronger when he was embarrassed, so he would expose himself to get stronger -he was mostly restrained until anything happened-. And he always comes back! Nearly every hero in Musutafu captured this man at least once."
"Oh yes I had seen him on the news once." He racalled the memory of it, the man being captured by Kamui Woods.
"Is there a hero you favor amongst the new ones?"
"Oh well I don't really think about it that much but there's Hawks, he's the youngest hero to be in top three. Also people seem to like his attitude" that was dissapointing
"What's the scariest villain you ever fought?"
"Thats uh-" he points at where his wound is "the one who gave me this." The boy winced at the mention of his scar. "There isn't any information about him online but that monster of a human is evil beyond imagination." Midoriya would push to learn about his quirk or his name to search later but with the injury brought up he didn't want to risk making the man uncomfortable.
"Anything else on your mind?"
"Why are you suddenly so eager to share about yourself?" All Might turns his gaze from the view to look at his student. Realizing what the the question meant after a moment. The man sheepishly grinned at his pupil. "Well, because...to be honest I don't think I treated you like you deserved." He grew more serious "I choose you as a successor, yet I don't explain anything to you fully. You deserve better than to be blind about what you've agreed to." He thinks I deserve it?? AAAAAAA
"In that case, you mentioned a mentor in our conversation so I assume you had a mentor?"
"Yes, I did. She was an amazing person." He looked at the sea as he remembered her old memories. Midoriya paused for a minute as he allowed the hero to be lost in thought.
"Okay then, how many users did One For All have?" He thought the quirk was All Mights own before but upon learning the truth, this way it makes a lot more sense. Like how would All Might even know the quirk was transferable if he didn't inherit it from someone else in the first place.
"You're the ninth user," Midoriya stared at him with shock, nine generations? NİNE? sure he axpected it to go back but not nine generations back.
"Oh..and I was meaning to ask this for a while now accually, how it is even possible?"
"You gotta be a little more specific than that my boy"
"The whole One For All thing, a transferable quirks existence is against everything about the nature of quirks." The boy clarified
"Oh. Thats a story for another time, perhaps in a more private setting. I'll definitely tell you about the quirks origin but that includes a lot of 'mustn't discuss in public' matters."
"I understand." He can't say he wasn't dissapointed but this was still expected, One For All being a secret quirk and all that.
"Anything else you have questions about?"
"Hmm..." Well he asked about One For All, he knows his name, asked about a few hero things "oh accually-"
"What is a hero in your opinion?" He knows All Might answered that question countless of times in interviews but that was as All Might and Midoriya wants his mentors answer. Maybe it'll be less filtered.
"A hero can be many things but I think it's a person who tries hard to save everyone!" Midoriya frowned slightly.
"No offence but this is the generic answer. I know there's a more realistic one you have. Don't sell me dreams I'm already in UA just tell me." Okay that was a bit more sassy than he intended but at least it gives the message.
"Fine. I think a hero is someone who takes the risk of dying to save complete strangers. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but that's what it is."
"Uh- sorry if it's personal but, why are you the symbol of peace?"
"I lived in a time of war, and I wanted the others to not worry about being alive the next day, they needed someone or something to carry it all, more than a person, a symbol. An ideology that keeps them safe and far from worry. An ideology that creates a safer japan for everyone, a pilar japan can lean on. A force that helps japan get up to its feet while making the villains fear. A symbol that represents a time of peace." The mans posture straightened when explaining this, his eyes glowed with something. Midoriya was beyond fascinated at the answer (this may or may not have provoked his chronic fanboyism and mumbling)
"Oh by the way, how old are you?"
The man started coughing in surprise as Midoriya paniced "Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"
"No, no I'm good. But you won't get an answer for that."
"What..?" Wait is he accually insecure about his age? He doesn't even look that old.
"Anything else?" All Might asked trying to change the topic.
"I don't think so, thank you for answering me with all of these." I can calculate his age
"I was the one suggested this my boy. Besides I don't have a reason not to." The man replied completely ignoring the interaction a minute ago.
"I better get going it's getting late" Midoriya said noticing the sunset
"See you in school tomorrow" the hero student said as he waved to his mentor.