Emotions are a fickle thing. How easy they can change—with just a few words it can turn you from one extreme to another. Happiness, anger, sadness.

Izuku had been hopeless. His favorite hero told him his dreams were all for naught, that he'd never be a hero. All that time spent fantasizing, planning, had been for nothing. Just a waste of time that only left him with bitter disappointment.

"You can be a hero."

And just like that, he changed. He'd forgotten what despair felt like; All Might had acknowledged him! The Symbol of Peace just told him that even he, a useless, quirkless Deku, could be a hero! It was all he'd ever dreamed of. He was so happy. Tears formed in his eyes as he heaved a heavy sob from the pressure of emotions inside him. It was just too much.

He wanted to thank him. He tried to form the words, to show his gratitude, but every time he opened his mouth the only thing he could do was to cry. All Might didn't seem put off by it, much to Izuku's relief. The hero's face remained ever stoic as he towered over him, the setting sun behind the man lighting him up like a halo.

And then.

He said it.

"You have what it takes to inherit my power," he spoke, and Izuku was confused. Was All Might saying that Izuku could take up the mantle as the Symbol of Peace once All Might retired? His heart stuttered in his chest at the thought of his hero holding him in such high regard. Did All Might really believe in him that much? "I will give you… my quirk."

There was a strangled noise formed from a half aborted sob. It took a full five seconds for Izuku to register the words, turn them around in his head, and realize what they meant.

I will give you my quirk.

Give you my quirk.

My quirk.

Quirk.

All Might was still talking, apparently oblivious to the change in atmosphere. Izuku was only half listening as the man explained the intricacies of One for All. How it had been passed down for generations, how All Might had been quirkless too once. Usually, Izuku would pull out his notebook and record every word that All Might told him. It was amazing the things he said! It was unlike any other quirk he'd ever heard about, and frankly, almost impossible to believe!

But Izuku didn't feel amazed. He didn't feel awe. What he felt was… was…

"I'm sorry All Might, but I can't accept your offer," Izuku stared at somewhere behind All Might as he spoke. His words were stilted and without infliction, more robot than human.

"Huh? Wha—why not?" All Might looked absolutely puzzled. It was clear he never expected his offer to be rejected. Izuku didn't blame him. Who wouldn't jump on an opportunity like this? To be trained by the number one hero himself as his successor, to be gifted unimaginable strength…

To be gifted a quirk.

A quirk.

It was true. It was always true. All Might knew it, his mom knew it, Kacchan knew it. Everyone knew it. They'd all outright stated it to his face, but he just wouldn't listen.

There are no quirkless heroes, and there never will be. Determination and hard work? Who was he kidding? The only thing that matters is luck and raw power.

Izuku was lucky. He was given an opportunity other's could only dream of.

And he only felt disappointed.

"I'm not a hero," he spoke, almost a whisper. "I'm just a quirkless kid."

He turned around, ignoring the gasp and cry from his hero.

"Young man!"

"Thank you for being honest with me, All Might," his words were sharp and steady as he clenched his hands into fists so tight it made his arms shake. "It's about time I stopped dreaming and became realistic. There's a reason heroes didn't exist until quirks did. I was stupid to ever think I could be one of them."

He took a deep breath. He'd cried enough for one day.

"I am a relic of the past. Soon, there won't be any more quirklessness. Then everyone can follow their dreams."

Useless things will die out and be replaced with something better. Eventually the old is forgotten for the new. Evolution.

Izuku just wished he could have been part of it.

AN: This was written because I still think a quirkless hero Izuku would have been 100% more interesting than what we got. That and I read some other fic, the name which I can't remember now, and it made me think about how the offer All Might makes to Izuku pretty much reaffirms the idea that a quirkless person can't become a hero. I just wanted to explore how that realization would make Izuku feel.