Toshinori was not always a fan of his inner monologue.
As he placed his forehead against the edge of Izumi's bed, he plead for his brain to shut off. The hive of his mind had been agitated by the events prior, and unpleasing scenarios buzzed angrily before his eyes. They were no longer in danger, but he was unable to avoid the question aching his consciousness; what if I hadn't been fast enough? A heavy weight settled in his chest at the thought.
His girl had almost been killed by the very man he'd been helping Naomasa track. Toshinori was so thankful for the SOS Izumi sent to his phone, especially when he reached his destination to see Odokuro's predatory stance over her. He could tell by Izumi's stature that the villain had activated his stun-lock quirk by tasting her blood, noticing the sheen of crimson along his chin (he hadn't the heart to look at Izumi in fear of the damage done at the time). Toshinori moved at speeds he didn't know he possessed outside of his quirk, knocking his foe across the alley in rage.
Retirement had taken a lot from the former hero, but adrenaline fueled him to move through his pain to keep Izumi safe. Even without the use of his quirk, Toshinori had always been strong and tonight was evidence of such; his emaciated form managed to instill fear in Odokuro for some time before the police arrived, despite the man's questionable (I.e. stupid) decision to use his successor against him. Had Naomasa not arrived when he did, the prideful killer would have likely died at the hands of All Might.
No, All Might was gone- while the man behind the moniker remained, the quirk that made him the Number One Hero fizzled that fateful night in Kamino Ward. What walked away from the rubble of his battle with All for One was Yagi Toshinori, a old man with spidery limbs and chronic aches. He was a broken vessel after the many years of service, worn to the literal bone until the end…
Only, it wasn't the end like he planned. Toshinori envisioned his light would be snuffed out following the death of his arch nemesis- both men had taken gruesome injuries from their endeavors that should have certainly killed them, but neither would concede to defeat. Both had lived despite the odds against them, All for One fueled by the red of his rage-
And Toshinori was blinded by the green of his successor.
On the surface, Midoriya Izumi was unassuming- a beautiful young woman with forest-hued eyes and dusted in freckles. She was in almost every aspect docile, but there was a deep passion burning in her heart that piqued Toshinori's interest. A "quirkless nobody", just as he had been at one point, that refused to let her status dictate her actions when it came to helping others. The man had been in awe at her pure selflessness as she dashed towards her classmate- her bully- who was being attacked by a villain.
A crowd full of quirks, full of bonified heroes, and the one with the least gave most.
Mirai called his decision to train Izumi many things- wreckless, impulsive, legacy suicide- but there was no way Toshinori could walk away from a heart like hers again (he'd later scold himself for leaving a despondent teenager on a roof's ledge after wrongfully shattering her dreams- seriously, Toshinori. Not your brightest moment). With each day, Toshinori saw more of himself in young Izumi and along with her vast (albeit intimidating) knowledge of quirk analysis, she was proving herself to be more than worthy of One for All.
Toshinori lifted his head to look upon Izumi's sleeping form. Mossy hair trellised in fluffy curls around her face, which made her rest look peaceful despite the angry bruise along her jaw. She is here. Izumi is safe. He found her fingers, webbing them between his own and giving a gentle squeeze as he whispered, "My girl, you've made me a sentimental old man. I promise to keep you safe until my dying breath."
Izumi awoke to a dull ache throughout her body and a scratchy groan in her throat. She felt sluggish, as if she'd been submerged in icy water. The room smelled overtly sterile and from experience, she instantly knew where she was. Wonderful. The chill of the room coursed over her as she instinctively drew her knees to her chest for warmth.
"Izumi-chan?"
"T-Toshinori-sensei?" Izumi's voice came out as a garbled croak. Her lashes tentatively fluttered open, grunting at the harshness of the lights above before turning towards her mentor's voice.
Sapphire orbs met viridian when Toshinori and Izumi locked gazes. She studied the exhaustion in his eyes, partially hidden behind the tufts of sunflower hair falling in waves over his face. She could see the faint lines of laughter etched on his face from years of cheerful smiles, despite not wearing one at the moment.
Many were put off by his true form, but Izumi found him to be endearing. All Might lived on a pedestal for years, a near perfect being that felt untouchable by the majority. While Izumi grew up idolizing the pro hero, it was Yagi Toshinori who showed her that All Might was fallible; her mentor was timid in his true form, bumbled through social interactions much like herself, and was much more private. Not many were granted access to this side of his life, but he'd made room for Izumi. His gaze softened as he spoke once more, "My dear, how are you feeling?"
"Like I tried to hug a full-force Texas Smash."
Toshinori could not help the snort that escaped him. This girl was sometimes an enigma to him; he knew her off-color humor was in part a defense mechanism built by years of let downs, bullying and quirkless discrimination because it was a trait they shared. He shook his head, "Not the answer I expected, but fair enough."
Izumi allowed a trace grin to grace her lips (and Toshinori would be a liar if he denied how much he loved to see her smile. If anyone deserved to, it was her). Her eyes traveled down to where a bone-soaking warmth enveloped her, squeaking in surprise when she saw large fingers mingled with her own. She stared at the connection in awe, grin widening when her mentor gently squeezed her hand. Do not freak out. It's just Toshinori… Who's holding your hand! No, Izumi, focus! I need to figure out what's going on. The girl breathed in the taste of disinfectant before asking, "I-I'm in the hospital again, aren't I?"
Toshinori nodded, "I'm afraid so." The conversation stalled as he allowed Izumi to soak in his answer. He didn't want to ask- he really wanted to sit and take in each others presence in blissful ignorance- but he did not want his protege to be caught off guard by the eventual questioning of her attack. He coughed heavily, earning her attention once more when he brought his unoccupied hand to his mouth, "Tell me, do you recall what happened that led to you being here?"
Had he not been connected to her, he may have not noticed the tension that ran through her in response. Izumi shifted to fully rest on her side, allowing her curls to fall into her face. "I… do." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she wilted into herself, "But I wish I didn't."
Toshinori's fingers untangled from her hand, the warmth sorely missed by Izumi, before brushing along her forehead to remove the fallen tresses, "I know, my dear. We do not have to talk about what happened at the moment, but I didn't want you to be surprised when Naomasa comes by later for questioning."
Oh, how Toshinori's heart hurt when tears formed along his student's lashes. Izumi pushed the heels of her palms into her eyes, "N-no, I know it has to happen. That's part of a crime investigation, after all." She tried to chuckle to play the pain off as she'd done earlier, but it came out as a cracked sob. "Besides, if it helps to keep that monster from hurting anyone else, I'll gladly relive the pain."
"Izumi," His heart was hammering against his bony chest at a frightening pace. Toshinori was a man who felt emotions to their fullest- as All Might, his passionately cheerful demeanor was waved high above him like a banner. He'd built his career on projecting that hope into others and rising as a pillar for his country to find solace. While he'd lived most of his life behind his persona, those who he'd allowed into his personal life were presented with the same intensity of his spirit. He cared deeply for his friends and projected his all into each relationship.
Izumi was a special case. This tiny girl came out of nowhere and turned his existence upside-down with her upbeat attitude despite all odds. She'd gone through hell (some of which a much younger Toshinori could relate to due to their shared history of quirklessness), yet she still greeted every day with a smile. Even after waking up from a gruesome attack from a serial killer, she was willing to put others before herself. She felt with her entire heart and soul and he'd be damned if anyone would ever tell him he could have chosen a better recipient of One for All.
Toshinori was almost overwhelmed by the combination of pride and concern swelling in his chest as he once again called her name, "Izumi, it's okay to not be okay right now." He noted the wobble in her lower lip before continuing, "You went through something no person should ever have to face. I will not force you to talk, nor will Naomasa until you're ready. There has been an ongoing case against Odokuro for similar crimes and enough from tonight alone to have him arrested." Tears poured down Izumi's face as he quickly closed the gap between them; she crashed into his shoulder as a wail tore from her throat. "My dear, I am here. You are safe now and I will not let him hurt you ever again."
"I just don't understand, Toshinori-sensei." Izumi felt his warmth blanket her as his deceptively strong arms encased her in a hug. She ached from her sudden movements, but couldn't care less as she willed herself further into his embrace. He's safe. He's going to keep me safe. Izumi wished she could hide herself alongside his heart drumming loudly in her ear. "W-why did he want to do that to me? I mean, I've been hurt very bad before, but no one has ever looked at me like that. No one has ever threatened me like that. He was going to- to…" Her voice broke into a hiccup as she trembled against him.
Toshinori never wanted Izumi to hurt like this again. He pressed his cheek into the plush of her hair, allowing her to melt into his chest as the scent of peppermint invaded his senses from her closeness. His protege has dissolved into a fit of tears, whispering apologies into his collarbone that stabbed him with guilt. He responded with gentle words pressed on her scalp, "You have nothing to apologize for, my girl. Nothing that happened tonight is your fault, please know that."
Izumi clenched her eyes together, knowing what he said was true, but her mind struggled to comprehend. Words spilled like water from her tongue, "I couldn't even fight him off, sensei. H-he had a quirk that he activated by ingesting my blood which he managed to get through a sucker punch to the face. It was like I was paralyzed and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't call on One for All and bust every tooth out of his head- n-not that I would've really, but oh God I wanted to so bad-" Her rambling swirled together, shoulders heaving desperately for breath she would not allow herself to take, "- He bit me like he wanted to rip my throat out and ohithurtsomuchand-"
"Izumi-chan, you need to breathe." Toshinori could tell Izumi was on the brink of panic. He pulled away, her hands coiled tightly into his button down shirt, before pressing his forehead into hers. "We are going to practice square breathing to help you find some ground to stand on. Is that okay?"
His skin felt like fire against hers as she nodded into him. Izumi whimpered when he withdrew from the touch, but Toshinori's hushed timbre rang in her ears, "My girl, I am here. You can keep your eyes closed if you wish, but I want you to keep you focus on me- be it my words, my face or touch." He wrapped his arms around her once more as she gave another curt nod, stress evident in her rigid form. "Good, you're doing good. I want you to count alongside me as we breathe together."
So she did. Toshinori had only utilized square breathing with Izumi one other time, following the events in Kamino, to an overall positive response. He knew his girl was prone to anxious thoughts and wanted to work more to help her overcome when those feelings became too much- but this was certainly not how he'd planned on resuming their session. The former hero counted calmly as he inhaled, feeling her shoulders expand against him in return. As he exhaled, Izumi's shaky breaths followed suit.
The two continued the pattern, Toshinori's eyes never leaving her as tension slowly dwindled from her small form. He knew his neck would ache later from the the angle he held to maintain her in his site, but he would deal with it later. Toshinori hummed in approval when he noted how her brows unfurled with her exhale, "You're doing wonderful. Now, I want you to focus on 4 things you hear; can you list those things for me?"
"I-" She stifled the rising emotion in her throat, pausing until she could confidently respond, "I hear you, Toshinori-sensei, the clock on the wall- I think it's the monitor they've got me hooked to, and I hear my own voice."
Izumi tentatively opened her eyes, glancing up to see a soft smile stretched on Toshinori's face. His eyes fell on hers, his voice reposeful as he spoke. "Now, please tell me 4 things you can sense by smell right now."
"Um," Izumi pursed her lip in thought as she took a deep breath, "I smell disinfectant, peppermint…? I think it's whatever they used to wash my hair when I first arrived here. Medicine, and…" A slight tinge of flush pricked her cheeks and she turned her gaze to where her hands still held his shirt, "I think it's, um, y-your cologne? You smell like sandalwood."
He chuckled as more of his girl's observatory nature begin to show. He tucked a viridian strand of hair behind her ear, "Fantastic work, Izumi. Now, how are you feeling?"
The demure grin gracing Izumi's face made Toshinori's heart soar, "I feel better than earlier. Thank you, Toshinori-sensei.
He was so proud of how much she'd grown- the young girl he met following the sludge villain's attack was a stumbling mess of nerves, but even then her passion burned like a supernova. Taking Izumi under his wind and having a front row seat to her physical transformation was one thing, but to see the drive that pushed her even when her body (and Toshinori himself) protested was another. She was driven by her dreams and Izumi proved first-hand that nobody would stand in her way.
I get it now, Nana-sensei.
Toshinori's large hand carded through Izumi's hair, taking in the long locks that were usually tied back. She pushed her head into his palm with a giggle, earning one from the former hero as well, "I may have to start calling you Neko-chan if you keep acting like a kitten."
At that, Izumi snorted, a genuine laugh ringing in Toshinori's ears, "Please don't. Aizawa-sensei would never let me live that down."
So the two jumped into the sea of laughter presented to them, leaving the problems that would later face them for when Detective Tsukauchi arrived. Toshinori, as well as Izumi, knew interrogation would be difficult, but when had Izumi backed down from a challenge? Her entire life had been filled with obstacles that would have caused others to abort their pursuits long ago.
Yet here she was- Midoriya Izumi, heir to a powerful quirk known as One for All, passed down from the Number One Hero himself, All Might. Quirkless for most of her life, now strongest of her peers and beaming like a shooting star towards her goal of heroism. To say Yagi Toshinori was proud would simply be a gross understatement. She had more roadblocks ahead, but the strides she'd already shown in her ability to overcome eased him greatly.
After all, his own mentor had dealt with a similar child when she'd offered Toshinori the very same quirk decades before.
Toshinori and Izumi would grow together- her through the immeasurable passion beating in her heart, and him with the growing pride filling his chest when he sees her- to take on this world. Toshinori passed his mantle onto the only person worthy of One for All. He would fight hell and more to assure she took his place as Number One Hero when she debuted. Death would not be taking him any time soon as long as there was work to do for Izumi.
He would live, be it moment by moment, for his girl. They'd laugh, cry and claw their way together until he was no longer needed. But for now, he would chase the high of her laughter as he explained her similar traits to a kitten, taking her mind away from the evil faces hours before. Again, those things can wait for when they have to be faced with Naomasa.
Izumi would press on just as she'd done time and time again. Toshinori would stay by her side to hold her up when the weight on her shoulders proved too much.
A pang of familiarity nudged in Toshinori's brain, noting a faint whisper tickle his ear as he held Izumi against his chest:
I'm so proud of you, Squirt.
