Toshinori had done it again. He ran into a dangerous situation with only his fists as weapons. This time, though, someone had been there to save him from a dangerous situation.
He had been walking back from school when a villain caused a massive car wreck in a major intersection. There were cars overturned and others were completely off the road, but no one dared to leave. The villain sat in the middle of the chaos, laughing at his success. He sent out a bolt of flames toward a few of the cars, mocking the screams of those inside.
A fire lit in Toshinori's eyes and he was running before he could even register what was happening. This time, he hadn't made an attempt for the villain, knowing there was nothing he could do. He went for the quirk burning cars instead, opening the side doors and yelling at the passengers to get out as quickly as possible. He had made it to the second car when the ash began to build up, making him cough. The ash began to circle around him and the smoke became too much, the coughing turning into desperate gasps for air and gags. He couldn't breathe.
He held his throat, holding his mouth open. His lungs burned from both the smoke and lack of oxygen. His head began to go fuzzy and the colors on the cars around him blurred. The ash burned his eyes and tears started streaming down his cheeks. His chest felt as if it were on fire from the inside and his panic rose. He would die like this.
A strong blow to the villain just a few feet to his left made the heat lessen, but the smoke was still too thick to breathe. The world faded into darkness and the last thing Toshinori felt was his head hitting the hard concrete.
…
Toshinori woke up again with a burning throat but at least he could breathe. His chest heaved and his heart raced. He was alive. He hadn't died in the middle of the street, but how? Unless someone helped him out…
"I thought I lost you there, kid!" A loud, feminine voice shouted right above him.
Toshinori opened his eyes to a hero standing above him. He yelped in surprise but immediately regretted the action. His throat only let out a sick croak, rubbing his vocal cords raw. He could really use some water.
"That was pretty crazy, what you did. No one should just run into an attack like that, especially without protection against a quirk like that. If I hadn't seen you, you would've probably suffocated."
Toshinori knew he should've been listening to her lecture, but he couldn't help but stare. She looked like a hero straight out of his comics. Her dark cape moved in the wind, catching a few stray particles of ash. So, it mustn't have been very long since the attack. How long had he passed out for?
"Hey, are you listening? Is this the way you treat every hero that saves you?!" She frowned at him, her hands on her hips. Although she was obviously upset, she felt...safe. She was just like the heroes he read about nearly every day.
Her lecture started to register. "I'm sorry." He croaked, his throat protesting the words. "I just wanted to help."
She huffed out a sigh and shook her head. "What's the point in helping if you just end up hurt? Protect yourself so that you can protect others too. What good are you if you're dead?"
Toshinori ignored the last part because he actually had an argument for it. Instead of responding, he focused on standing up and dusted off his uniform. Dad probably wouldn't care that he was late. He was just drinking anyway. Would Dad even notice if Toshinori never came back? The answer made his chest ache more than it already did. "I'm sorry." He muttered.
"What's your name, kid?" She asked, ignoring his apology.
"Yagi Toshinori." He mutters. He hoped she didn't ask for his address. He didn't think he could handle disappointing Dad right now.
"What kind of quirk do you have?"
He could feel shame was over him. "I'm quirkless, Ma'am." His voice grew softer.
She seemed to think about this for a while before sighing. "Look, I don't really have the time to take you home, but I can call one of my trusted friends to-"
"Wait!" He didn't mean to interrupt her but once he had, he couldn't stop talking. "Do you notice it? The way no one ever smiled? Everyone's so scared and angry all the time." He felt his hands form into fists as his confidence forced him forward. "I want to make it possible for people to smile again. I want to be someone who can protect others, like a symbol of peace." He stared at her, long and hard. He wasn't completely sure why he'd said anything at all. He might've called it fate, but that was a bit ridiculous.
She seemed to chew on that information for a while. "A symbol you say?" She tilted her head this way and that. "Well, I can agree with you. With villains around every corner, it's hard for people to feel safe." She met his gaze again, a bright smile on her lips. "You say you want to be a symbol for them, huh? Sounds pretty crazy to me."
Toshinori felt his heart fall. Of course. He shouldn't have expected anything more. She owned him nothing, especially after finding out he's quirkless. If anything, he'd just caused her more trouble.
Before he could dismiss the 'crazy' ideas, she spoke again. "Your quirkless, right? well...I might be able to help you out, Toshi. Meet me here tomorrow morning." She gave him a positive wink then started walking away.
"Wait! Are you serious?!" He couldn't believe it. No one had ever believed him before, let alone attempted to help him. He felt a bright smile pull at the corners of his lips. His chest felt a little less heavy, his heart aching a little less. He felt good. Positive. Happy. For once, Toshinori believed in himself. Maybe he could actually pull this thing off. Maybe he could achieve his dream and help others.
…
Toshinori remembered meeting Nana at the park consecutively for weeks before she finally told him about the nature of her quirk. He had been beyond astonished, not only at the idea of a quirk being passed to someone else, but that she was willing to give one to him. This would solve his problems. He would have a quirk. He would be worth something, finally. He could do something worth noticing. Maybe...no. Mom was long gone. He couldn't change that no matter what he did.
"Now, don't get ahead of yourself, Toshi. We still have to train you up, big and strong." She flicked her arms for emphasis. "If I just gave you my quirk, your limbs would probably blow off!" She made a strange sound effect with the hand motion. "Who's going to take my quirk if you're in bits and pieces." She laughed. It was a bit less funny to Toshinori.
"How will you know when I'm ready?" he couldn't help but visualize the scene. She would overestimate his power, his strength and then he'd become just a torso. He rubbed at his shoulder.
"We'll just know. It's like in those comics you love. The heroes don't measure out how long they have to work at their powers in order to be a hero, they just feel it." That was another thing Toshinori adored about Nana. She actually cared about the silly things he talked about, like comics and theories. She didn't just brush his ideas away and call him stupid or crazy like everyone else. She listened and even asked him questions. The first time she'd engaged in his rants, he was too surprised to respond.
"I guess so." He let his arms fall to his sides. "Should I start with a few laps, Master?" He'd gotten used to calling her his master after she'd clearly explained that he would be the successor of her quirk and power. He liked the idea, being taught specially by someone else. Someone that cared about him for who he was.
"Actually, we're going to do something a little different today. There's someone I want you to meet." She gave him a dangerously enthusiastic wink before letting out a loud whistle. Before Toshinori could question it, something started falling toward them. When he realized that it was a person, he felt his blood stop pumping for a few seconds.
Dust kicked up around Toshinori and he coughed a few times before it cleared, leaving a big man standing in front of him, wearing a white and yellow hero outfit. Was this who Nana wanted him to meet? He wasn't completely sure why, since Nana had been training him for a while before now. Why bring someone else into the picture now?
"Did no one ever tell you it's rude to stare, Boy?" The hero snapped, glaring at him. Toshinori stuttered for an explanation, but found none. Thankfully, Nana started talking before he got into more trouble.
"This is Gran Torino. He's been my best friend and trained with me when my master gave me One For All. He knows almost as much about this quirk as I do." She hung an arm around his shoulder. Her weight didn't move him an inch. He stayed standing, like a massive statue. His build was more leg based but if Toshinori was correct, that might have something to do with his big, yellow boots. Did he have a speed quirk? Levitation? How had he fallen from such a great distance without breaking a bone? Did he have a quirk that-
"Are you sure this is the one, Nana? He seems kind of stupid to me. Stupid and weak. Just look at those arms." Gran Torino huffed, gesturing to Toshinori's entire body. He felt a wave of shame wash over him. He wasn't that weak, was he?
"Yep! That's him. He may not seem like much, but trust me, Sora."
"I'll have to." He grumbled. Letting out another sigh, he started pacing around the boy. "Listen up, kid. If you expect to gain Nana's quirk and to become a hero, you have to take this very seriously. If I see you messing around or slacking off, I'll kick your a-butt"
Nana gave him an odd look before standing high again. "Are you ready to start training, Toshi? For today, Gran will just be watching. I'll let him have his way with you once he's gotten to know what you can do."
Training became worlds harder after that. Toshinori learned early on that Gran Torino didn't like him, or anyone for that matter. When they worked out, he would shout at Toshinori for improper form. When they took occasional trips to the local ice cream parlor, he would glare at Toshinori for talking too long or going off on a tangent. When he did anything that wasn't perfect, Gran Torino was quick to derate him. At first, it had bothered Toshinori. He felt like a disappointment and let his shame stay for a bit too long, but after months of this cycle, he learned that Gran Torino just liked to complain about everything. It wasn't until Nana pointed it out, that he noticed it was true. The hero wasn't just mad at Toshinori for existing. He complained about the flavor Nana liked or how wet the ground was.
Gran Torino wasn't there the day Nana gave Toshinori her quirk. She had mentioned something about him going on a mission and that he shouldn't worry himself over someone else. Toshinori decided to do as he was told and trained like usual.
When the sun began to set, Nana pulled him off the ground -they were working on hand to hand combat- and told him it was time.
"Are you sure?" He whispered. Sure, they'd been training, but he didn't feel much stronger. He wasn't big or buff -not that he'd expected a six pack after the first day. He had grown taller, sure, but he still looked like an uncooked noodle.
"I'm sure." She stood confidently, as if the chance of her being wrong was impossible. "Toshinori Yagi, you've earned my trust, my admiration and my quirk in these last two years. At first, I wasn't sure if you were the right one. One For All had never been passed into a quirkless holder before, but I know now. You're exactly what this world needs, Toshinori."
He didn't know what to say. He was in shock. She was speaking so honestly, personally.
Slowly, she reached back to the bun on her head and plucked a hair from her up-do. Just as slowly, she lowered n front of him and smiled at the brightest she'd ever seen. "With this, you will have my power."
Toshinori hadn't realized he was smiling until it fell. What did she mean, with this…wait a second! "The hair?!"
"Yes, the hair! What else would I be referring to?" She laughed. "You have to take in some of my DNA and this is the best option. It's either a hair or some flakes of my skin. Or maybe an eyelash. Your pick." She laughed louder when he started to shake. "Don't worry so much, Toshi. I washed it this morning."
Toshinori took the hair -it was more of a forceful hand over, but he wouldn't mention that- and examined it. He could see where it had been pulled from her head, a little bit of flesh still attached. He felt sick. "Are you sure?"
"Eat it already!" She shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders and shook him enough to make him dizzy.
Once released, Toshinori pushed the disgusting details of it and balled the hair between his fingers. He popped it into his mouth and swallowed it with no little amount of gagging and hacking. Once the hair had made the full journey down, he waited. And waited. And nothing happened.
"Did I do it wrong?" Fear started to pierce through his mind. Was there a worthiness factor to this? What if he hadn't really swallowed the hair and it had just sat at the back of his throat? Was this all just a cruel joke?
"I might be because you don't have a quirk. It should be transfusing with whatever quirk you're born with, but since you don't have one, you probably won't feel anything until you use it.
"So...when do I start learning to use it?"
"We'll get to that tomorrow. It's getting too dark to stay out here. Good night, Toshi. And good luck." She gave him another wink before floating away.
Toshinori wondered how he would tell Dad about this.
…
It seemed that Dad didn't notice. Why would he if he was drunk nearly every second they spent together. He didn't notice when Toshinori started getting taller and bigger, gaining a fair amount of muscle in such a short amount of time. He was too drunk to realize that his son was leaving home to train ever. Single. Day.
Toshinori was sick of it. He walked into the master bedroom, ignoring the disgusting smell and cans of beer littering the floor. Dad's dark hair was unwashed and just as messy as his bedroom. He was sipping at a new bottle, watching something on his phone. He didn't even look up when the door opened. Was he really too drunk to notice?
"Dad." Toshinori didn't bother whispering. For once, he wanted to be heard. He received no answer. Walking further into the room, he grabbed an empty can and threw it at Dad's head. If he couldn't hear, then maybe he could feel.
"Shhhhhh-" Dad fell off the bed with a loud thump and a few more cusses. Toshinori walked around the bed to stand above him. It hurt so much to watch his father do this. To watch his dad forget about everything but beer.
"Dad." He spoke louder this time. "Get up."
Dad's words were barely coherent. "what are you doing?"
Toshinori fought for control over his own emotions. The fear of never getting Dad back was a constant demon. "I want to talk to you."
The purely Japanese man stood up slowly, groaning and hiccuping all the while. When he managed to get back on his bed, he was already reaching for his bottle. Toshinori took it from his hands and held it away. If he wanted a chance at talking, he'd have to keep him from drinking more.
"Hey." Dad glared somewhere between the bottle and Toshinori. "Give it to me." he demanded. Was this really all he cared about anymore?
"No." Toshinori glared just as hard. "What's wrong with you? Why…" he swallowed down his tears before continuing. "Why do you drink like this? You're just killing yourself."
"Give me the bottle." Dad repeated, as if he hadn't heard a word Toshinori said.
Toshinori had had enough of this stupid game. He threw the bottle onto the ground, ignoring the shattered pieces that fell around his shoes. The sound made Dad jump. Good. He hoped the disgusting liquid ruined the floor. "Why don't you care anymore? Why are you doing this to us?"
"You broke it…" Dad whispered.
"I want to know why, Dad! I want to know why you don't...why you don't love me!" The tears were getting too heavy to stop.
They stayed in silence for a long time before anyone responded. Toshinori was about to leave, already halfway across the room when Dad spoke up. "She'd come back...if I didn't hurt her." It was almost too quiet to hear and when he did, Toshinori wasn't sure he'd heard right. When had Dad ever hurt Mom? He remembered the yelling, though the memories were getting foggy. He couldn't recall a single moment Dad had hurt anyone. Dad continued. "If I'd been a better husband...then he'd still love me. I wouldn't have to drink just to get her out of my mind. I wouldn't hurt…"
Toshinori couldn't speak. This was the first time they were talking about her for so long. Had Dad never let go of her? Had he really been heartbroken for all these years? "Dad...It wasn't you. She-"
"No! Shut up! You don't...you don't understand. You're just a child, Toshi. You don't understand what it feels like to love someone. You'll never know. Never." He started to ramble. Toshinori couldn't help but let the tears leak out. It hurt too much to hold them back.
"Dad?" It was a broken whisper.
"I need a drink." He muttered, searching the bed for another can. Once he found one in the mini fridge behind his nightstand, he opened it with a painful hiss and drank.
"Can we...can we be a family again? Even if it's just you and me? Can we at least try?" Toshinori held his breath, wishing desperately for an answer. He didn't want to live alone anymore. It hurt too much to come home to this every day. He needed his father back.
"Get out, Toshinori."
Something snapped inside Toshinori's chest and let out a soft sob. Covering his mouth, he left the master bedroom and slid down the closed the door, finally letting his pain out. The tears felt like fire as they ran down his face. His chest pulled and his jaw ached from the pressure. He wasn't going to get his family back. He'd lost any chance at that when he was born quirkless. It didn't matter that he had a fake quirk now. It didn't change a single thing. He would always be worthless.
Toshinori tried himself to sleep that night, waking up in that same hall, just to be reminded of his own failures.
Author's Notes: I was going to let his father have some kind of redemption, but it wouldn't correlate with my other fanfiction were Toshinori's dad is included. I would also like to note that domestic abuse in males is treated a lot less seriously and any kind of abuse, emotional or otherwise, can really mess someone up. That's not to say everyone who's been abused it messed up either. On a lighter note, thanks for reading this and I'm sorry for the slower updates! I'll get the next one out as soon as it's done.