Paths Of A Hero

Summary: Hero or Vigilante? What is the difference? It used to be black and white, a boundary so sharp cut that many have found themselves in pieces just for approaching it. So why is it blurring now, as Eraserhead tries to keep his head low while unwittingly gaining 20+ kids, at least three Pro Hero friends and seems to have caught the eye of All Might himself, all the while his past is persistently trying to catch up to him?

"I-I'm not-" He tried to deny in a panic, for the moment forgetting that this might really be Aizawa Shouta and focusing on keeping his most important secret, well, secret, but the tired-looking younger man just waved him off.

"Don't bother to deny it. I can see Quirks and yours is very recognizable, All Might-san. To try to deny what is obvious would be an insult to both of our intelligence and I would rather not be indirectly insulted." That shut him up with only a stammered apology leaving his lips. They stayed - awkwardly, in his opinion, quiet - for a few moments longer before the maybe-Aizawa-kun sighed exasperatedly as he finished putting on a flea collar on the kitten he'd been tending to, putting it down next to an open can of food for kittens. "You don't need to worry. I've never ratted out a Pro's secret identity before and I won't start now. You have my word."

"I, uh, thank you!" He said with a hasty bow and the dark haired man hummed.

When Toshinori stayed at the mouth of the alley even after that, the man looked up again. "Do you need something?" He asked with an arched brow and Toshinori felt sweat starting to bead at his forehead.

Should he confront the man? Ask him if he was the kid missing for fifteen years? Ask why he'd never come back? Should he try to gain his trust first and then have him meet Tsukauchi so that the human lie detector can properly question him about his disappearance? Should he ask him if Aizawa Ashou is his father? But that would be a weird question without first finding out if his name was actually Aizawa at all! Or if he's actually Aizawa Shouta.

The records, for one, never said anything about Aizawa Shouta being able to see Quirks!

Nor had the surly fifteen year old looked so handsome in his picture.

Then again, that might be human decency preventing him from having inappropriate thoughts about someone so young or it could be the bruises and grime from the Sports Festival.

"I, uh ... Do you need a hand, perhaps? It seems that you have a lot of cats to deal with ... " He ended up saying, even trailing off at the end when the other fine eyebrow arched to join the first. Okay, wow, he'd never been this awkward in his life! He could actually sympathize with Midoriya-shounen when he suddenly met a new Hero and started nerding out!

"Sure," the man surprised him by agreeing, gesturing to the brush and the many, many unkempt stray cats that were obviously in need of some good, proper grooming. "Just leave the injured ones alone, for now. I have bandages and medicine for them and they usually take longer with food or water. Be careful not to press too hard, spend about five minutes on each one and try not to get the flea collar off. Once it's undone, there's no putting it back and I've only brought so many with me."

"Right," the taller male replied as he searched for a good place to sit down so he can begin with his assigned task. The stranger was kind enough to offer him a crate from ... somewhere behind him, though Toshinori had not spotted it before the maybe-Aizawa-kun had grabbed it and dragged it over. Some of the cats expressed their displeasure at all the jostling and moving this resulted in but settled down once the stranger gave them a few pets and picked up another kitten - this one truly small, practically fitting in only one of his new companion's hands - to wipe down any dirt it may have accumulated. Once he'd settled down, Toshinori picked up the brush and carefully picked up one of the friendlier cats that had come over to sniff at his leg before rubbing against it. "So, uh ... Come here often?" He winced at his own words and even got what seemed to be a reprimanding claw to the backside by a very curious older kitten.

He tried not to let the ground swallow him whole when maybe-Aizawa-kun looked up from his task once more. "... I honestly can't tell if you're trying to flirt with me or not."

The Number One Hero went red as a strawberry at that. "Uh, no! That's not what I- Shit!" He cursed as he started coughing, though thankfully there was no blood. Yet, anyway.

"Shit, are you allergic? You better not be allergic! I'm not going to have All Might's death on my hands!" The stranger made a move to sit up and move over to check on him but Yagi just waved him off.

"I'm fine. It's, uh, a condition. A result of an injury from a long time ago that acts up every now and then. Today's just a bad day for me," he lied effortlessly, even going as far as flashing a smile at the stranger, who only looked skeptical.

"You're really not used to people knowing your secret, right?"

"Huh?" He intoned, smile slipping in his confusion.

Dark eyes rolled. "I see you, All Might-san. Not that buff front you show to the cameras. You as you really are. That's how this conversation started, remember?"

"... Right," the blond muttered weakly, blushing even more as he realized the stranger was right. He'd just naturally slipped into 'dealing with reporters mode' and gone straight for an outright lie. A lie that was not appreciated, if the look in the younger male's eyes was anything to go by.

"I don't know what happened to you or why your Quirk seems to be considerably weaker than the last time I saw you in person-"

"And when might that have been?" Surely this person hadn't known about his current condition of slowly losing even the embers of One For All since it began!

"I think it was ... five months ago? Sounds about right," the stranger nodded to himself and Toshinori nearly sagged in relief. The stranger was only now learning that All Might soon won't be able to be All Might. He seems to be taking it well enough. Most civilians would be panicked at the thought of losing their Symbol of Peace. But, then again, this young man claims to see Quirks, which meant that he appreciated people all the more for it, beyond their Quirks. Maybe. On the other hand, maybe he just didn't care. People like that exist, after all. "Anyway, my point is: there's no use in trying to really hide from me or lie to me. I can easily tell you're not exactly well so save the energy you'd use for lying to actually groom the cats, if you still want to, that is."

"Right!"

They worked in an almost comfortable silence after that. Maybe-Aizawa-kun seemed perfectly content to ignore his overall existence, or maybe the cats were simply more interesting than a deflated Symbol of Peace. Toshinori at one point wondered if this man would have acted differently if All Might was sitting here with cats roving around and over his feet, but then maybe-Aizawa-kun handed over one of the kittens he'd been tending and the little creature let out such a heart wrenching meow that Yagi forgot about everything else but doting on the cute fuzzball.

And it seemed petting and grooming cats was quite relaxing.

"I'll have to find a home for those kittens," the man with black hair eventually said, though it could have been to Yagi as much as it could have been to himself. "They're too young to be on the streets like this. They are too young to hunt, a dag could easily catch them and they're obviously not knowledgeable in avoiding moving cars. I'll walk by a middle school or something. Kids love taking kittens home."

"Why not take them yourself, until they're fully grown?"

"To, what? Toss them back out on the street?" The man sneered, clearly disgusted by the mere suggestion of such an idea. "Besides, my landlady is allergic. I think she apologized seven times the first time I expressed an interest in taking in a stray. Thankfully, I've found a home for that little one. Hopefully, these ones will get the same happy ending."

"If you don't have that much luck, I can always arrange for something," he offered, knowing that if All Might ever expressed a desire to find a forever home for kittens, his fans would all but fight for the cats. Fans were weird like that.

"I'd appreciate it," the man told him softly and he couldn't help but smile at the stranger. This caused the other to flush and look away, focusing on the next cat in his hands. A real warrior, that one. It had many patches of fur missing and a big gash on its back. It looked like it had fallen through a treetop and still landed on its feet relatively hale and whole. The stranger's hands were careful and gentle as he cleaned the wound and then wrapped it up. It, apparently, didn't need any stitches. The one that came after it, a really old tabby, wasn't as lucky but the maybe-Aizawa-kun seemed to be well equipped and skilled enough to handle what looked like a nasty dog bite that had nearly taken a piece of the cat's hide out. How the cat had gotten out of that one must be one hell of a tale, if only the cat could share it. Perhaps if they had Officer Sansa with them! "You know, I've always figured you'd be more of a dog person."

Now that amused Toshinori. "How do you know I'm not a parrot person? It's not always cats and dogs."

The younger snorted at that, not at all impressed. "It's always cats and dogs. Even people who don't like animals have some sort of preference, even if it's just which one they dislike less. And a parrot? Seriously?"

"What! I could have a parrot!"

"What, a cockatoo?"

"You have something against cockatoos?"

"Against one in particular, sort of. Too damn loud."

The blond could only chuckle at that as the stranger grumbled while expertly giving the cat three stitches. The cat had no problem in letting the man work on it and it occurred to Toshinori that this guy probably did this regularly. "Are you a vet or something? You seem to really know your stuff," he said with a nod towards where he was now bandaging the cat when those dark, bloodshot eyes looked up at him again.

The younger, however, surprised him by shaking his head. "I'm actually just a private graphic designer - you know blogs, web pages and the such - who dabbles in Quirk Theory - comes useful when combined with my Quirk - and occasionally volunteers at the local rescue shelter. I'm a fast learner so one of the vets showed me basic care for injuries. I picked it up quickly enough so I sometimes even help in easier medical procedures so the vets can tackle the big stuff. And I'm pretty good with cats. These guys, especially, are so compliant because I've been feeding them for months since I moved to Musutafu."

"Oh, you're new to the town!" Really, this stranger seemed full of surprises. "Wait, you said you 'dabble in Quirk Theory'; what does that mean?"

The man didn't answer until he made sure that the bandaging was secure and then gave the cat what appeared to be an antibiotic of some sort, probably to ensure nothing gets infected. He only answered once he'd turned to the next cat. "Got interested in it a few years ago. Applied for college classes one summer on a whim, mostly. I had noticed something interesting due to my Quirk and needed scientific sources to try and put it into words. Ended up being convinced to write a whole paper on it. I'm majoring in it. Should be done this year."

"You do know using your Quirk in public without a license is illegal, right? And, no offense, but it kind of sounds like you've had a late start," he said carefully but the man just laughed.

"Yeah. Told you it was on a whim. As for my Quirk, well, it's in a constant state of activation, so I can't not use it even if I wanted to."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"But how does one end up interested in Quirk Theory on a whim!?" He couldn't help but ask incredulously even as he carefully moved on to one of the injured cats his companion had just treated. They eyed him suspiciously but obviously detected no ill intent - as there wasn't any; Toshinori liked animals, though it is true that he is usually more of a dog person - and let themselves be pampered.

Quirk Theory was harder to finish than medicine or law school these days! All sorts of Quirks kept popping up left and right, gene mutations happened more and more, creating completely new, unrelated Quirks to the child's parents. Or Quirks skipped several generations altogether before re-manifesting again in a great grandchild. And the way certain Quirks acted, their limits and the ways they might impact the user's body could be near unpredictable!

Quirk Specialists need to finish both medicine and Quirk Theory if they want a license to work. They were one of the rarest occupations in the world. As rare as leaders of state!

"Not sure," the black haired man replied with a shrug as he picked up a kitten with what seemed to be either a broken or a sprained paw. "Was in a bookstore. Saw an interesting caption. And it was on sale. I guess that's what got me interested. What about you?"

"What about me?" He asked back in confusion, looking up from his careful grooming of the injured cat to the 'vet'.

"How did you decide you wanted to be a Hero? Or, well, I guess I am more interested in how you've decided to become the Symbol of Peace. Where did that idea come from?" The maube-Aizawa-kun asked, looking up from his own work to regard him with steady eyes. It was only then that Toshinori noticed a healed, crescent scar marring the skin under his companion's right eye. He wondered how he got such an injury before reminding himself that he had been asked a question.

And not just any question, but the Question, with a capital Q.

"I've always wanted to help people, so my reasons for becoming a Hero were nothing special, nothing new. Nothing the world hasn't heard before a million times. Becoming the Symbol of Peace, though, has been my goal from the beginning." He found that he had the other's rapt attention focused on him. The kitten in his lap didn't seem to mind that its treatment was being delayed, since the younger man was scratching it between its ears. "There were already plenty of splendid Heroes fighting the good fight, keeping people safe and evil at bay, but the people still didn't feel safe. They went to sleep every night fearing they will be taken from or murdered within their own homes, that their children will never return from school one day. They watched all these Heroes fight day and night and yet they had no hope that they will ever see true peace. So I decided that I'll be a pillar of strength and hope. I'll hold the whole society on my shoulders if I need to. I will become their symbol, something and someone they can believe in, that they can turn to when it all looks like it's been lost to the darkness."

He had to look away from his audience of one as he recalled one of his first ever conversations with Nana.

Why was he telling all of this to a complete stranger?

He really shouldn't.

And yet it kept coming.

"Sounds pretty insane, right? Don't worry, it wouldn't be the first time I've heard it. My old master, Nana ... She told me that she thought it was crazy the first time I've revealed my dream to her, but she'd then helped me build it, make it a reality."

"I don't think it's crazy at all." That, though, surprised him enough to make him turn back around to look at his companion. The younger man had a faraway look in his eyes and he'd stopped petting the kitten, though the little one seems to have fallen asleep a long time ago so didn't mind in the least. Probably wasn't even aware of it. "It's a noble cause. A bit unreachable to anyone else, maybe, but not everyone has your drive, All Might-san. Not everyone can be a Hero like you, can handle the pressure of so many expectations. You've been prepared for this from the beginning, if your words are true. No one else would be able to carry this burden."

"It is a torch that must be passed down to the next generation if it is to have any meaning." Like the sacrifices of every precious One For All user. Like the Quirk itself. All Might might be the Symbol of Peace, but he is, first and foremost, Yagi Toshinori, the Eight holder of One For All, Shimura Nana's successor and Midoriya Izuku's predecessor. He continued the line and he'd passed down the torch, though he refused to pass on the responsibility that came with bearing that Quirk.

He will be the one to deal with All For Once once and for all when he is found. The fiend won't stay in hiding for long. There is no way he has any more time left with his own injuries than Toshinori does. They will both make one final stance against each other, but All Might has a successor. Deku will continue bringing the world peace once All Might is gone.

All For One, he can only hope, has never thought of having one himself.

Though Shigaraki Tomura's role in the League of Villains' leadership is suspicious.

"Then make sure the next generation is ready. Don't go getting yourself killed; you still need to teach them," the shorter man said firmly and Toshinori blinked, focusing back on the present.

And on the fact that he had just had such a conversation with a man whose name he didn't even know. How could he do that?

Then again, hadn't he been the same with Eraserhead? And on a pretty similar subject?

He even got similar advice, too!

Then again ... He almost felt like he was talking with the Vigilante again ...

This young man seems to be giving off the same confident air as Eraserhead, a vibe that tells you he is intelligent and capable and trustworthy. And Toshinori could already tell that he is so very kind, if he finds the time in his pretty much overly busy schedule to come here and take care of all these cats. If only he could see how the man was with kids, then he could really compare him with Eraser.

'Stop it, Toshinori,' he scolded himself. 'You're jumping at shadows. This young man could be neither Aizawa Shouta nor Eraserhead. Don't jump to conclusions just because you don't get out all that much anymore! For all you know, there are a lot of young people who act like Eraserhead! And no way would someone as intelligent as Aizawa-kun leave himself virtually unchanged if he's indeed trying to hide the fact that he wasn't dead. Keep your overactive imagination for classes - you might actually think up of an interesting exercise! Aaand now you're talking to yourself- No, I'm talking to myself ... But who would you even talk to about this? ... I should probably stop before I develop schizophrenia.'

Luckily, that was the moment the younger man's phone rang and the black haired male put down the kitten he'd started treating while Toshinori had been lost in thought to answer it. "Hey, Ichiro, what's up?" A reply came from the other side but Toshinori couldn't make out what was being said. Whatever it was, it caused the owner of the phone to still completely. "Wait, seriously? Are you sure? Didn't we deal with those assholes already? I thought they were finally shut down for good, five years ago."

'Uh oh, it seems he's having some serious problems.'

"Fuck. Yeah, no, I'm not busy with anything, just treating the cats in central Musutafu. No, no, I'll come by. It's okay, I don't need a ride." The younger man rubbed at his forehead while something else was being said over the phone. "Yeah. Fuck, can't believe they're back at it. Why don't people learn their lessons the first ti- Was that Jiro? Did he seriously just yell 'They're back like herpes!'?"

Toshinori had to bring out a handkerchief to spew blood into it at that. Shit, but that was hilarious, despite how serious the situation sounded!

The man snorted to himself. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I'll be on my way in a minute, I just need to pack up. Don't worry about it. I'm actually glad you called me. We need to nip this in the bud. I guess I'll just have to cancel my lesson with the kid again." He snorted again. "Yeah, he's gonna be pissed with you. But, hey, just make sure you have coffee ready and the fluffiest cat at hand next time I bring him over and you're gold. Speaking of which, you may have called at the best possible time, now that I think about it. Found some kittens. Five younger and three older ones, one's got a broken paw. Would it be okay- Yes, thank you. I'll bring them with me. How are the ones that'd been put on adoption? Really? Last week? Good. Good. Yeah, if Koichi vouches for them, then they should be good. Anyway, see you in a few. What do you mean what I'm wearing? What, is there a dress code now or something?" A reply, sounds of laughter, and his companion snorts again. "I thought the expression was to 'dress to impress', not depress." More laughter.

Toshinori looked his companion up and down. The other noticed him doing it and arched an eyebrow in askance and, feeling bold for some reason, the Number One grinned at the suspicious cat-lover. "Well, with how good you look in such simple clothes, I'd have to agree with your friend. You'd dress to depress simply because of how handsome you'd look."

Unexpectedly - and delightfully - that earned him a deep red flush from his companion and more laughter from the other side of the conversation, meaning that whoever was calling had heard his comment. That almost made Toshinori blush himself but he did his best to push forth All Might's blinding smile and fake it till he makes it that he wasn't embarrassed by his own boldness. The younger man hissed at him much like a disgruntled cat at that before looking away, ears still a little red. He exchanged a few more words - most of them sounding scolding and vaguely terrifyingly threatening - before the conversation seemed to be coming to an end.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." He put his phone away before Toshinori could register the call was over, then turned to packing his things away even as he spoke to him, sounding very much put together and as though the little embarrassing exchange hadn't happened at all. Impressive and a bit sad that he didn't get to tease him some more. "I have to go, something came up. You're welcome to stay as long as you want. This crate here," he patted a small black one a bit further down the short alley. "Is where you can put away the brush later. People know not to touch anything inside. If you want, you can come back whenever, even if you need to work on your flirting-"

"Hey, now! It wasn't that bad, was it?" He complained good naturally but only got a Look before the man continued what he was doing and saying as though he hadn't just dissed him.

"There's always some cats around here and I myself come when I have the time. The locals feed the cats and there should be enough food in the crate for at least a week, anyway."

The man stood up and grabbed a random box from the alley, put a blanket at the bottom and scooped up all the kittens, who only meowed at him. Then the man had a laptop bag thrown over his shoulder and bowed in farewell to All Might.

"It was a pleasure talking with you, All Might. Once again, I promise to keep your secret safe. Thank you for your assistance."

The blond couldn't help but smile warmly at the kind, polite young man. "It was my pleasure! I'm really glad that I've met you. And, honestly, this was one of the most relaxing afternoons of my life. It certainly helped me clear my head a little."

The stranger who wasn't as much of a stranger anymore rightened up, nodded and gave him a small half-smile. "I meant it when I said you can come by anytime you want."

Toshinori gave another teasing grin at that. "Now it sounds like you're flirting."

The younger glared at him even as red started creeping back into his cheeks. He turned around and left without another word, which, fair. But he didn't seem overly angry, so Yagi figured he hadn't actually offended the younger man. He stayed with the cats, chuckling to himself, until he got a worried call from Thirteen when no one could find him on campus despite the fact he was supposed to be in all day. He sighed as he waved goodbye to the cats and made his way back to UA.

On the whole way back, for once, his thoughts weren't centered around All For One, his duty as All Might, Heroics in general, teaching the students, training Midoriya-shounen, Aizawa Shouta or even Eraserhead. Instead, all he could think about is a handsome man with a very kind and caring character and when he could possibly come back to that alley again. Those kitties definitely needed more than one person's attention, after all.

And if more flirting or teasing were to happen in the process, just to see that cute blush again?

Well, that will be Toshinori's little secret.