Notes: Remember when I said how the next entry in this series was going to be a funny crack fic? Yeah I lied. On accident. I had every intention of writing just that, but then my brain went into an entirely different direction. I just really love to run about this complex, twisted, protective relationship between these two along with hinting at All For One's manipulation of them as far back as when they were just kids.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Tomura had utter faith in Sensei. He could and would accomplish everything. No one could defeat him, certainly not All Might. Sensei had told him the story of how he had utterly destroyed All Might's mentor and so it didn't even cross his mind that the stupid Symbol of Peace was a threat. To him, yes, seeing as how he was only thirteen, but not to Sensei. One day they would even the playing field though and he would be stronger. Tomura would be able to help take the hero down.
And then that fight happened and everything was thrown into utter chaos.
Things were a blur. Tomura wasn't sure what happened, except that Kurogiri woke him up in the early hours of the morning and dragged him out of bed. He was bleary and disoriented, having gone to bed an hour before. His gaming system had still been resting on his chest. He must have fallen asleep while playing it. Half out of it, he could only remembering Kurogiri saying something had happened, but he missed everything else. The panic in Kurogiri was evident, but it kept striking against the fog in Tomura's sleepy mind.
He changed clothes and was slipping on a pair of sneakers when Kurogiri told him, "I need you to wake Ochako."
That snapped Tomura out of it for a multitude of reasons. "Ochako's here?" She'd stayed the night only a handful of times, but she hadn't visited yesterday. He'd been here all day and hadn't seen her. It was a school night. She always stayed with her fake parents during the week. Why was she here? Why hadn't anyone told him? The break in the schedule that had been set since she was born threw him off. "What's going on?"
"I brought her here a few hours ago as a precaution," Kurogiri explained, even though it wasn't much of one. That had been around the time that Sensei had left. He had wanted to ask where he was going, but Tomura knew that Sensei's business was his own. He would explain what he'd done when he got back. Where was he now? Had he been the one to instruct Kurogiri to retrieve Ochako? He was very particular about her and how she was raised. If Kurogiri had brought her here under orders, then something very serious had happened. Something very dangerous.
Tomura's blood went cold as he rushed to the bedroom set up for her. It wasn't made up for a girl, not like her very pink bedroom back at her fake parents' apartment. When he opened the door and the dim light from the hallway flooded into room, he saw that she was asleep and clinging onto a stuffed dinosaur, mittens on her hands so that she wouldn't accidentally activate her quirk on herself. He'd get her a new pair every year for her birthday. It seemed like such a dumb present, but she loved them. It was theirs, something they both shared. It occurred to him distantly as he looked at her that he'd fallen asleep tonight without putting his gloves on. That could've been a disaster for his game.
The bed was too big for her even at nine. She was short for her age whereas he had started to grow lankier upon hitting a growth spurt. She was still light so it was easy for him to pick her up, although he couldn't put her on his shoulders anymore. When she was really little, she used to bug him all the time about that, climbing and crawling on him, sometimes activating her quirk on him in the process. Annoying, little bugger.
He crossed the room to the bed and carefully shook her, hissing, "Wake up, 'Chako."
Ochako furrowed her brow in her sleep and rolled over so that her back was to him as she mumbled, "Don't wanna go to school."
"You're not going to school," Tomura told her, shaking her again in frustration. "Wake up. Something's going on."
Slowly, she rolled back to face him. "Tomura?" Her voice was filled with drowsiness and she rubbed her eyes as she pushed herself up in bed. "What are you doing here?" She must have thought that she was back in her bedroom at the apartment. Kurogiri apparently hadn't woken her up upon transferring her here. It had been that big of a deal that he'd rushed it. Her eyes flickered around the room and realization struck her. "What am Idoing here?"
"I don't know," Tomura admitted as he stood up straight.
Ochako threw the blanket off and got out of the bed. She was wearing light blue pajama shorts and a t-shirt that matched his hair. He looked around for a pair of slippers or shoes for her to wear, but there didn't seem to be any. Kurogiri must have forgotten in his haste. It was something so simple that people didn't think of, but it made Tomura even more anxious. What was going on? If they brought her here this quickly and as a precaution, it sounded like it was for her safety and if it had to do with her safety and Sensei's business…
Taking her hand, Tomura guided her out of the bedroom to the front room of the bar. Socks would have to do. Her feet were too small for his shoes. If he had to carry her at some point, he would. He honestly didn't know where they were going. Were they staying here or would Kurogiri take them somewhere else? They'd have to find something more for her to wear if it was the latter.
When they entered the front room, Ochako tore her hand out of his grip and rushed over to Kurogiri. "What's going on? What's happening? Is it Papa? Is he okay?"
"Of course he's okay," Tomura scoffed, although there was a seed of doubt in his head that he'd never felt before. If Sensei was fine, then why wasn't he here with them? Why wasn't Kurogiri answering right away? It was hard to tell what he was thinking since he was made up of black mist and had two yellow slits for eyes. He had a damn good poker face, as one of Sensei's other underlings had joked.
Kurogiri knelt in front of Ochako. "Your father was involved in a massive fight." She stared at him in a blank sort of way, still trapped in the fog of confusion that prevented her from processing things fully. Tomura felt the same if he was being honest. Stuck in the limbo of the early morning hours, everything felt surreal right now. "With All Might."
The air was sucked right out of Tomura's lungs. Sensei had fought All Might, the only person that had the potential to match him in strength, the only one that could even fight him. No one else could possibly fight him and live to tell about it. Sensei was the strongest person on the planet. He never fought, except for when it seriously counted, and this was something deadly serious. Judging from the way that Kurogiri was the one telling them about the fight instead of Sense though…
"Where is he?" Tomura demanded, taking a step forward. Kurogiri's attention switched to him, but he didn't answer quick enough. "Where is Sensei?"
Ochako hadn't moved from her spot. She hadn't blinked or turned around to look at him. She stood still, staring forward as if she was still in a dream or asleep. The news had swept over her and frozen her in shock. He could only stare at the back of her head, her hair still mussed up from bed, and then back to Kurogiri, who sighed and stood up again.
"He's with the doctor," Kurogiri told them, "but he's alive." Only then did Ochako move, wrapping her gloved hands over her mouth to keep herself from making any noises. She wouldn't want to cry in front of them, but she was much more free with her tears than he had ever been. "He'll have to have a few more surgeries, but he's at least conscious now."
Ochako's hands fell from her mouth and she quietly said, "I want to see him."
Kurogiri laid a misty hand on her shoulder. "It will not be easy to see. The damage was...extensive."
"I want to see what All Might did to my father," Ochako snapped, her voice so bitter and vicious like a viper that he lifted his hand and it caught even Tomura off guard. He'd never heard her sound like that before. She was so bubbly and sweet. Confused and terrified and angry as he was, he'd expected weeping from her, not this seething tone that had her clenching her fists at her side. When she turned around to look at him, as heated as her eyes were, there were tears in them as well. "Take us to him, please."
She was starting to tremble, barely holding it together. It probably wasn't a good idea that she see her father, but Tomura was in no position to argue, not when he felt the same way. He had to see Sensei for himself. He had to make sure that he was alive and would make it. More surgeries? Meaning that he'd already had at least one. What had All Might done to him? There had been nothing on the radio about a fight on a massive scale between two superpowered beings. Was it being kept a secret? What had happened?
After eyeing the two of them carefully, Kurogiri opened up a warp gate. Ochako turned, a hard expression on her face that didn't match with her bubbly personality, and stepped through it first with Tomura watching her disappear into the void. It was the first time he had ever really thought that she reminded him of Sensei. He smiled and laughed too, but the serious look on her face made him think of Sensei when he was planning.
Tomura followed her, leaving the bar and entering a room with a door right in front of them. It wasn't like they could take Sensei to an actual hospital, although they had a doctor on retainer. No, this was a clinic of some sort and on the other end of that door was something that would change their lives. Tomura hesitated as Ochako stared at the door. He couldn't have said why, but he knew that once they opened it, nothing would ever be the same.
He was only thirteen. He wasn't ready. He wanted to be, but he wasn't. And Ochako… She was nine. She was still a little kid. She had so much of her life ahead of her. For the first time in years, since Sensei had saved him, the future felt muddled, dark, and terrifying.
Ochako gripped the doorknob. From behind them, he heard Kurogiri say, "Ochako, wait-" but then she ripped the door open. The sight that met them ripped a cry out from her, the sound more like a dying animal, and she bolted into the room toward the hospital bed inside, throwing herself partly on it while careful not to disturb the person in it.
On the other hand, Tomura stood stock still, his face going pale. He was frozen. Kurogiri had told them that it wouldn't be easy - he'd said that the damage was extensive - but he couldn't help but feel like they had been horrific understatements. Sensei was lying in a bed, hooked up to an assortment of machines and covered in bandages and braces, including half of his face. Ruined skin covered where his eyes had been just hours ago and his hair had been shaved off presumably for a surgery. It looked like he had one foot already in the grave.
"My child," Sensei said, slowly lifting his left hand that wasn't bandaged and placing it on Ochako's head. She had her face buried in the bed, her fingers clinging to the blanket, as sobs wracked her body. They almost sounded like muffled screams. Tomura had never seen her cry like this before. Oh, sure, he'd seen her cry plenty of times. She had thrown fits like every other little brat, like when she didn't want to go home or he wouldn't let her play his video games. Nothing like this though. She sobbed as if the world was coming to an end, her entire body shaking.
The screaming sobs slowly tapered off and she lifted her head. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks soaked with tears that no doubt burned. "What...what did he do to you, Papa?"
"I was foolish," Sensei told her, bitterness evident in his tone despite his obvious weakness and the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. "I underestimated him. He wasn't like...the other." Ochako stared at him, confusion mixing with the pain. Like Tomura, she found this whole nightmare hard to believe. No one was stronger than Sensei. He couldn't be defeated. "I will live, but it will be at a cost for now."
Ochako's lips wobbled as tears threatened to spill out of her eyes again. She was going to dry up if she kept it up, but she was trying to be strong. "Why did he hurt you?" She shook her head wildly. "I don't care. I hate him. I hate him! I hate him !"
Her words bounced around in Tomura's head. It didn't matter why All Might had done what he'd done. He was their enemy and that was that. They would take him out. It was a part of their plan, but now, as he listened to Ochako cry and stared at Sense lying near-broken in the bed, that utter hatred was burned in Tomura's mind. He would be the one to take out All Might - for Sensei, for the League, for Ochako. No one was allowed to make her feel like this and get away with it.
"Tomura."
His eyes jerked up, latching onto where Sensei's should've been but were gone. He still felt seen though and knew that he was meant to step forward. He walked further into the room, each step stiff, until he was standing at the side of the bed with Ochako. It wasn't the bandages or casts that bothered him so much as the machines. Sensei would never be the same after this, would he?
His mouth dry and his lips cracked, Tomura tried to wet them so that he could speak, but found himself struggling instead. "Sensei, I…"
"This is unfortunate, but it will not stop me from helping you grow," Sensei told him, sounding stronger than he looked. "You will succeed me and accomplish great things." Tomura wanted to feel pride - he wanted to feel good - but it was impossible right now. He felt himself crumpling on the inside, as if he'd placed all five fingers of his hand against his own chest and activated his quirk. "I will not be able to teach you the way I planned and the road will be that much more difficult. I must remain here for my recovery and you there."
Panic spiked in Tomura's mind. "No-"
"There is nothing to argue," Sensei cut in. "I will guide you as best as I can so that you grow to become a leader in your own right, but you must make your own decisions too." He slid his hand from the top of Ochako's head to cupping her chin. "You will need to take care of Ochako. You two must rely on each other to accomplish our goals. I expect great things from you both."
Ochako sniffed. "Yes, Papa."
"You will be strong, won't you?" Sensei asked her.
"Tomura and I will make All Might pay for what he did," Ochako promised fiercely.
In response, Tomura felt a cold rage filter through his body, so strong that he almost started to tremble. It took everything in him to nod his head. That anger was intoxicating, making it difficult for him to think straight. He clenched and unclenched his fists. All he wanted to do was destroy. He wanted to watch the world that All Might so loved turn to ashes.
"Oh, I'm sure he's feeling a little of that already," Sensei sighed, leaning back in the bed. "I wounded him. I'm certain of it. I did to him as he did to me. You must keep a close eye on any changes."
"I'll dig a knife into that wound myself if I have to," Tomura seethed.
Sensei's hand left Ochako's chin to rest on the bed. "I know you will." The conversation had come to a close and Tomura was struck with the fear that he did not know when he would see Sensei next. He had a feeling that it would be a while before they saw each other face-to-face and that scared him. He didn't want to be abandoned again. All Might had done this. All Might had taken Sensei away from him or at least tried. The tears started to slip down Ochako's face again. "Be brave. The world weighs nothing on your shoulders. It is yours to take and destroy."
They would burn everything down. They would tear it all down. Ochako's grief was still one born of fear and sadness while Tomura's was all fury and confusion. He didn't know where they could go from here, but they had to do something.
"Kurogiri, take them back," Sensei ordered. "I want Ochako to stay for a few days to make sure everything is safe."
"Of course, sir," Kurogiri responded, giving a slight bow. He opened a gate, but did not force them to move, instead waiting for them to leave on their own. Ochako struggled, forcing Tomura to grab her arm and pull her toward the gate. She pulled against him, but didn't yell. He tried to breathe as they walked through the gate and stepped back into the bar, leaving her father behind.
It should have been easier now that they were away from the room, but Tomura suddenly felt smothered by the silence of the bar. He couldn't breathe or think straight. Distantly, he was aware of Ochako falling out of his grip and Kurogiri closing the gate and calling his name. All he could focus on was the blood pumping loudly in his ears as his throat constricted.
His hands twitched limply at his sides before he shakily lifted his right and began to scratch at his neck and mutter to himself. "How could this happen? Sensei is stronger than that hero scum. He has to be hurt too. That pathetic excuse of a hero. I'll kill him. I'll wipe that stupid smile of his off the face of the planet. I'll drag him through the mud so much that his body won't be recognizable. He'll know exactly how I felt. No one will save him. I'll kill him. I'll kill him!"
The scratching and sudden rise in his voice should have been enough to clue them in on Tomura's tantrum, but Ochako still jumped when he slapped a glass off the bar counter. It shattered when it hit the wall. He didn't stop there with his destruction. A bar stool was disintegrated before he started his assault behind the counter. More glasses and bottles alike were either turned to ash or thrown as he screamed incoherent threats. Sensei's injuries kept flashing in his mind along with All Might's shitty smile and annoying laugh.
"I'm here!" All Might called every time he saved someone.
Where were you then? Tomura raged in his mind. Where were you when I needed to be saved? You're a fake! You are nothing! I'll show the world the truth! I'll take away everything you've ever loved!
He couldn't have said how long he destroyed the bar. It was only when he stopped for a second to suck in a gasp of air and assess the damage did he catch sight of Ochako and Kurogiri. His heart stopped when he saw that Kurogiri had actually stepped in front of her, as if to keep her out of his reach so that he wouldn't harm her. She stared at him with her big brown eyes and, for the first time, he saw fear in them. She was afraid.
The weight of everything came crashing down on him so suddenly that he tripped and collapsed back onto a couch, the one piece of furniture apparently that he hadn't destroyed yet. Hot tears burned his eyes, so shocking and unbidden that he didn't know what was happening at first. He hadn't cried in almost ten years. He'd thought that he had dried out completely.
Violently rubbing at his eyes, Tomura ducked his gaze and growled, "Get out of here." Neither one of them moved. He heard Ochako sniff. Damnit, the tears wouldn't stop, but he couldn't cry in front of them. He couldn't let that happen. He'd never forgive himself if they saw him this way. Rage was one thing. But this pain? It disgusted him. It was too weak and pathetic. "I said get out of here!"
Finally there was movement, a shuffling of feet and Kurogiri calling, "Ochako-" but instead of the door to the hallway opening and slamming, Tomura felt the couch dip on either side of him. He jerked his head up, a wild fire in his eyes and the desire to turn everything to ash on his fingertips, but before he could get a word out or let the tears fall, Ochako slammed her hands over his face.
And the world stopped.
She'd taken her gloves off - he could see them lying on the ground at Kurogiri's feet - so that her palms rested against his face and her fingers overlapped with one another, some tangled in his hair, so that not all five of her pads on her fingertips touched him. The action blocked most of his face from sight, leaving only a little room between her fingers for him to see. When he finally breathed, his hot breath blew against her palms and back against his face, warming him up.
What occurred to him the most was that no one could see his face, not even Ochako, who was sitting with her knees on the couch and right on top of him, once again in her personal space. With his face blocked from view, no one would be able to tell what he was feeling. He felt...safe, protected, guarded, hidden . Her eyes were still red-rimmed and puffy, her cheeks pink and tear-stained, and there was fear in them but also determination. She wasn't afraid of him though. There was no way she could get this close to him and be afraid that he would hurt her.
She was nine years-old. He should've hated her being in his space right now. He should have despised her for perceiving his weakness and thinking she could help him. Yet neither one of them moved from their positions as they stared each other down. Eventually, his breathing began to even out and his hands fell to his sides, the urge to disintegrate slipping away from him. She hadn't thought for one second that he would use his quirk on her in his anger and confusion.
"You can't just be my big brother anymore," Ochako told him, her voice as quiet as the night. "You gotta be the leader in Papa's place." Tomura swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing nervously, and nodded. "Papa always says that you can't show weakness to those underneath you." She gave him a tremulous smile, which lit up her face despite the tears. "You're bad at hiding how you feel."
"Am not," Tomura mumbled against the heel of her palm.
"You need a mask," Ochako said. "Heroes have masks. Why can't we?"
A mask. Tomura thought about her words. Right now, he was using her hands as a mask so that Kurogiri wouldn't see the tears in his red eyes. He couldn't do that forever. Her hands were comforting though. It was like when Sensei would sometimes put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to earth whenever he got in his own head. He thought of Ochako's quirk and then his own, both of them held back in a way that the world would never understand. Then he thought of his father and the only thing he had left of him to keep his memory alive.
"The hand," Tomura breathed.
Ochako nodded. "The hand." She had caught him looking at it before, but she hadn't asked him what it was despite the curiosity burning in her eyes. Maybe she had seen something on his face that kept her quiet for once.
"It's in a box under my bed," Tomura told her. It was only her. He couldn't talk with Kurogiri right now. He had to focus on her or he'd lose himself and fall into a spell again. His hand itched to scratch at his neck until he was bleeding again, but he kept it down.
Without looking away from him, Ochako called out, "Kurogiri?"
Tomura heard the warp gate open and then a few seconds later it was closed and Kurogiri stepped forward. She peeled one hand off of his face, causing his heart rate to spike as half of him was exposed, and took it from him. Slowly, she took her other hand away and held out what was probably most prized possession in her palms in between them. Tomura gingerly took the large gray severed hand from her and placed it over his face where her hands had been seconds ago. Only then did he breathe and sink down into the couch as his mind calmed down.
"There, now you look like a proper villain," Ochako said. "Papa will be proud."
The hand was a little too big for his face, but he would grow into it. As he got older, it would fit better and he could add more to it. More hands, holding him down, keeping him centered. He knew that Ochako wouldn't be here all the time to do this. Eventually their paths would split as she worked to complete the goals that Sensei had set for her. Tomura, with his face hidden, would be the face of the League in the shadows while she would be a shadow in the light of the heroes. Her mask had to be her own face. He did not envy her for that.
"We won't let him down," Tomura swore under his breath as he placed a hand on top of Ochako's head as Sensei had done back in that clinic. "We'll tear them down - all of them. They'll learn what it means to be afraid."
He'd make sure of it. For her.