It had been late into the second year. Izuku was, as always, spending his time after class trying to balance taking care of Eri and his sickly mentor. The diagnosis came at the tail end of the year: Cancer. The lingering effects of One For All on a weak and unprepared body such as All Might's were not to be taken lightly. Eri had sat down in the corner, experimenting with an abacus. Toshinori's breath seemed to thin with each day. It's all my fault

Without provocation, his hand violently clutched his chest, eyes wide. Izuku took action quickly, screaming for a nurse. His hand grasped fervently for Toshinori's slightly too forcefully. It's all my fault.

"Are you alright? All Might! It's ok, it's ok, it's ok, it's-" the lump in his throat could no longer be ignored. Eri tugged at his outfit, eyes darting between the two. It's all my fault.

There was nothing that could be done. His condition had deteriorated so significantly that even had he survived the heart attack, the cancer would've taken the Symbol of Peace soon after. It's all my fault.

His face appeared in Izuku's mind every waking second. His mouth, agape enough to indicate he was trying to say something, but the words couldn't form. His eyes, afraid and desperate. His hand, cold and shaking. The day after, UA students were informed. An obituary was published, stating the mythical hero had sacrificed himself for civilians in need. The day after, a secret funeral was held, only the select few who knew of the secret of One For All attending. It's all my fault.

"Deku? Deku, can you hear me?"

Izuku jolted back to lucidity. A glance around told him he was back in his room, where he'd spent many a night alone, ruminating on every bad decision, every misstep, every letdown he'd incurred upon the man who gave him hope. The man who gave him a future.

Ochaco let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It was clear now, being face-to-face with Deku, that he was a changed man. Something deeper than just the loss of his mentor troubled him. It was second year when the two finally admitted there was something between them, and it was the beginning of third year, shortly after All Might's death, that Ochaco could take it no more. Izuku had grown distant in that time, always finding a convenient reason to miss a date or skip class. Soon, it became every date. Every class. She still loved him. He still loved her. It took months of building up the courage to admit to him that she couldn't be there for him if he wouldn't let her in. His reply deftly crushed any hope of this resolving without tears.

04:06 - Deku

its ok
im used to it

And just like that, he vanished for a year.

"Y-yeah. Sorry, Uraraka. I'm just... thinking."

It was her turn to be pulled out of her thoughts.

"Maybe you've done enough thinking. You can't expect to carry the world alone, y'know."

He let out an exasperated chuckle, "That's my job." Wait. Don't say anything about All Might. "Uhh, where's Iida?"

She played with a thread hanging from her hero costume. Her financial woes still meant repairs were out of the question a majority of the time, though finally being able to serve as a fully-fledged hero part-time eased the burden. "He left to grab something for us to eat. You're..." She toyed with the words, attempting to phrase her observations of his obviously declining health tactfully, "...you're thinner than I remember."

On cue, the successor's stomach growled. "I've been busy, I guess. Time flies, huh?" He placed a hand on the back of his head and gave a plastic grin.

"Yeah. It does." She turned away, seeing through his flimsy veil. I can't even comfort Uraraka. She doesn't believe anything I say. What am I doing? What's WRONG with me!?

The few minutes Tenya took to return were stretched to unbearable lengths by the thick, heavy silence. "Sorry for the wait, you two."

Ochaco's expression changed dramatically the moment Iida swung the door open, masking the anguish it held before. "Let me help you with that, Iida! I'll pay you back soon, I just need-"

His angular arm movements somewhat resembled him waving her off. "As class representative, it's my duty to take care of class 3-A, is it not?"

They're trying so hard for me. I'm so USELESS, it's obvious Uraraka and Iida are only doing this to-

"Midoriya. Sorry to ruin the mood, but Shigaraki dropped this." Tenya handed a sheet of paper to his contemporary, upon which an address was scrawled in nigh-illegible writing. "I don't know exactly where this is, but I believe it safe to say that's where we should head next."

"We should call for backup first, right?"

Ochaco and Tenya shared an uneasy glance. She stepped forward, wringing her hands. "We're really the only heroes free. Most of Japan came under attack early today and there hasn't been an update in hours, so the pros can't help."

"Us students, too, are in limited numbers. Some are assisting in the mainland, but a good amount were injured when the League of Villains captured Eri."

Izuku's head dropped at her name. Eri... I let you down. I let everyone down. I should've been there, not sulking in my room. What kind of hero am I? Brushing aside his intrusive inimical thoughts, he stood, a steely determination sharpening his facial features. "We don't really have time to sit around. Is there anyone from our class helping out who can leave their post?"

Tenya stroked his chin as he pondered. "Todoroki may be at an essential post, but we could certainly ask?"

Ochaco shook her head. "We shouldn't force anything though. If they've called that many heroes up, the situation'll be really serious."

Izuku eyed his phone, ignoring the flood of notifications appearing at the top of the screen. Maybe he can help.

Kacchan

Shigaraki stepped out from the portal, the skin around his throat growing red with irritation. Jin and Gigantomachia should keep the pros busy just long enough.

Dabi, Spinner, Toga and Compress each sat separately around the warehouse, anxiety picking at them. The ghostly visage of All For One clearly caught them all by surprise.

"So he's really back..." Dabi's involuntary response voiced what was on their minds, otherwise all completely stunned.

"I must thank you for staying with Tomura, and for continuing on even in my absence," the spectre began, having donned a replacement suit and an upgraded, sturdier mask. "Your rewards come shortly. For now, into position." Obeying in lock-step, Compress made his way to the upper railings. A timely save from Toga is the only reason I'm here. For Tomura, for All For One, and for myself, I must do better.

Dabi hid behind one of the many crates, poised to strike. It all comes down to this, huh? The world needs a wake-up call, far as I'm concerned.

Toga acrobatically positioned herself above the entrance, needles primed and ready. Once this is all over, I can do whatever I want! I can be whoever I wanna be...

Spinner lay a number of caltrops at the entryway before stationing himself amidst an array of obstructions. This is our chance to rid the world of false heroes. Everything will be set right.

Eri shivered, her wrists having numbed to the scraping metal. Please be okay, Deku. Please be okay...

AN: Apologies for the slow build. Things should pick up in the following chapters, promise. I'm always looking for feedback, so don't be shy~