Hi Y'all! So I have gotten multiple requests from different people asking me to write a side story one day about what if All Might had found out about Minami (his biological daughter from another story I've released) right after her mom died when she was barely 4 years old instead of 14? The idea intrigued me, and so I couldn't resist writing a quick one-shot story about it. Hope you all like it!
If you haven't yet, please check out the sister story, A Girl's Tale, which is about All Might's daughter (Minami) when she starts her journey to become a hero alongside Izuku and the other UA students, but found by All Might much later in life : )
All Might hummed a soft lullaby as he sat in a brand new cushioned rocking chair, lilting back and forth as he half watched the flat screen television on the wall, detailing the hero and criminal activity that occurred that day. The other half of him gazed across the room to where there were large panel windows that expanded from floor to ceiling. Graceful, fat snowflakes floated down from the grey January clouds to the ground that was far below the extravagant penthouse of Might Tower, his home.
The small body cradled in his massive arms squirmed for a moment before settling back down, drawing the golden hero's attention once more.
Glancing down, he stared at the tiny girl in his arms in pastel pink footie pajamas with little white bunnies to ward off the cold. Her fine, white blonde hair was still damp from her recent bath. Her electric blue eyes, exactly like his own, were large and held the innocence that only a child of 4 years could possess. She took in her surroundings as she lay in his arms, but always instinctively came back to stare at his chiseled face, full of much more trust than All Might thought one so young could possess for only having known him for a week at that point.
All Might adjusted the sippy cup full of pediasure in his hand, smiling down at her sweet gaze as she continued to suckle the nutrient rich drink,
"Good snack little one?" All Might's baritone voice softly cooed at her.
The little girl named Minami hummed her affirmation as she tightened her own grip over a few of All Might's large fingers that held the sippy cup, her eyes squinting with a smile at her father's friendly gaze.
The large man sighed and leaned his head back against the rocking chair he was sitting in, closing his eyes for a moment while he continued to hold his daughter.
I'll just rest my eyes for a moment… the number one hero lied to himself as he felt pure exhaustion setting in, his mind drifting back to the past chaotic week where he first discovered his daughter's existence.
It had all started with a strange voicemail that had been left for All Might at his agency. Sir Nighteye, All Might's side kick, had handled all of All Might's incoming messages and contact requests, and even he found this voicemail odd. The message had been from the agency in sunny California where All Might had met Minami's mother, Faith, who had been a sidekick of said agency.
When Sir Nighteye had barged into All Might's office as he had been taking a brief moment to sit at his desk, he made sure to shut the door firmly behind him, pulling all the blinds of the office's windows to prevent nosey employees from looking in, before commencing to interrogate the number one hero.
His mood put All Might on edge and attracted his full attention, leading him to believe there was a dangerous villain on the loose.
Instead, Nighteye strode over to the large mahogany desk and pressed a few buttons on All Might's desk phone to access the voicemail. Once the mysterious message began to play for both men to hear on speaker, a young woman's voice speaking in English filled the large office.
"Hello All Might, this is the hero Elusive Fox, I'm not sure if you remember me… "
All Might sat up straighter at her name, recognizing her immediately as Faith's best friend, whom he had met several times years before.
"Well, I think it's best if we talk in person or over the phone about this, but I'll give you a small hint since I don't know who really listens to these voicemails, but tiny-Might has entered the building. Please call me at 213-xxx-xxxx," an abrupt click signaled the end of the voicemail.
Nighteye wasted no time scolding the large man once the voicemail was finished.
"What in the hell is this woman talking about? I looked up the phone number, it belongs to a reputable Los Angeles hero agency. What does she mean when she refers to "Tiny-Might?!"" the sidekick made quotation marks with his long digits, giving the number one hero a suspicious look.
All Might's eyes widened as he raised his hands in surrender, feeling himself begin to sweat, attempting to show his honesty,
"Truly Nighteye, I have no idea, I just remember her being the best friend of a woman I was once….close with…" the hero trailed off, looking off to the side a bit bashfully.
Nighteye sighed as he ground his teeth, pushing his glasses up in order to pinch his eyes shut as he rubbed them with his index finger and thumb in irritation.
"May I ask if this woman was a…..lover?" having a hunch on what this nickname would be referring to.
The lasting silence after his question was all Nighteye needed to know.
Fearing his hesitance to answer would be interpreted as rude, All Might mentally kicked himself and began babbling,
"You know how it is Nighteye….how things just happen…and how it can be between a man and a woman who-"
Nighteye scoffed as he held his hand up, "I don't want to know about how many conquests you've had, All Might, but you need to handle this and see what this is about, this could put your reputation at serious risk…"
All Might jumped up to his feet then, waving his arms around, determined to clear the air.
"NO! I don't do conquests, I always respect women! I swear I would never disrespect-"
"It's FINE, All Might, just call this woman back and see if it's a hoax or anything you need to truly be concerned about, and let me know. Clearly you know her, so there may be some truth to this." Nighteye explained, attempting to calm the number one hero down as he backed out of the office, closing the door behind him to give him privacy.
All Might plopped back down in his office chair and sighed loudly, running his hands down his face at the situation before him. Before getting the courage up to call the phone number listed in the voicemail, He verified it was approximately 6:30 in the evening in Los Angeles, California.
Hearing the ring on the other end as the line connected, All Might drummed his fingers on his desk, feeling anxiety rip through him.
"Triple Threat Hero Agency, this is Nancy speaking, how may I help you?"
All Might hesitated momentarily to address the polite voice on the other end, but remembered he had a job to do.
"Yes..I'm looking for the hero Elusive Fox? I need to speak to her," he prayed the woman didn't recognize his voice.
"Regarding sir?" the secretary asked,
"Sorry, it's top secret," All Might spoke quickly and firmly, not wanting to waste brain power at this point to come up with a clever lie.
The woman sighed with irritation before responding.
"Very well, sir," She paused after emphasizing the "sir" part, " I'll transfer you to her extension, and if she doesn't answer you can leave a voicemail," there was an abrupt click and the phone began ringing once more.
After several rings, a feminine voice answered the phone, confirming it was in fact the heroine Elusive Fox.
"Hello fellow hero, this is All Might, I received your message," All Might cringed immediately after speaking, knowing how corny his response was to her, blaming it on his nerves.
"All Might," she breathed his name into the phone, very obviously relieved that the world's number one hero had actually returned her call.
"I'm so glad you called, I promise this is no joke, so I'll just cut to the chase," the woman spoke quickly into the phone in English, causing All Might to focus closely on her words as while he was fluent in English, it was still his second language.
"It's about Faith…She….She passed away several months ago….and she left behind a daughter, whom she told me you were the father of, and had sworn me to absolute secrecy. I didn't even know about the pregnancy honestly, until after Minami was born-"
"Minami? Is that….the little one's name?" All Might interrupted softly, his emotions swirling wildly within him at the name of his very likely daughter, along with the knowledge that a woman he had loved very much was now gone from this world forever.
The man could hear an exhale of breath on the other end, along with a soft chuckle, as the heroine Elusive Fox was clearly pleased with All Might's deep interest in the little girl.
"Yes, that's her name. Faith told me her eyes were so blue when she was born that it reminded her of the prettiest waves in the sea, and named her as such. She has light blonde hair and the brightest, bluest eyes I've ever seen honestly, very similar to yours in fact."
All Might felt tears swimming in his eyes. He was silent as he suppressed a sob that nearly bubbled up in his throat at the thought of his newborn child opening her bright blue eyes for the first time to take in her surroundings; A little child who had any parts of himself combined with possibly the only woman he may have ever truly loved. He desperately wished he could have been there to witness the little girl's birth. He swallowed the heavy emotions he was feeling at that moment and forced himself to speak.
"Does she now? Well, she sounds like a very special little girl indeed, especially if she comes from Faith," he garbled out, hoping he wasn't sounding too sentimental to the heroine on the other line.
The woman smiled into the phone, "Yes, she is an absolute doll!" but her enthusiasm died down as she continued her next part, "But I'm not sure how she will do with me long term instead of Faith…" the woman sounded worried.
"I see…" All Might rumbled as he thought back to his and Faith's relationship. It wasn't official by any means, and had been kept top secret to prevent her from being targeted. They had traveled across the US together during his "Tour of Peace", him fighting and capturing criminals, and she helping to patch him up with her healing quirk, as well as the other heroes who were in the area, but they had a strong connection from the beginning.
"And…when was little Minami born?" the golden hero questioned.
"August 16, 2XXX,"
All Might counted back briefly, using his fingers for assistance as he calculated when the child would have approximately been conceived. Realizing she would have been created during the month of November the previous year she was born, he blushed brightly to himself.
He remembered vividly that there had been little to no criminal activity at that time, likely due to the unusual cold snap that had occurred, which left plenty of time to themselves in the apartment they both shared that had been paid for by the hero agency Faith was employed with. While he had been very much always attracted to the opposite sex, he always prided himself on putting the public first before his most primal needs. He very rarely took the time to satisfy himself with the fairer sex; just a few times before meeting Faith, and while extremely brief, it had always been respectful to the women, but with the understanding that it would only be a one-time thing.
However, she had attracted his attention like no other woman ever had, emotionally and physically. The hormones flew furiously between the two of them, no matter how long he resisted it, and he soon found himself in a semi-serious relationship while he traveled across the US. He would never forget the compromising positions he found himself in with her during that time, entranced by her scent, how soft her skin was, and the small satisfying noises she made when he pleased her just right as they brought each other incredible pleasure over and over again.
Oh yes, there was little doubt in his mind as to whom had fathered Faith's child.
"It's been hard for her without her mother," the heroine's voice shook All Might out of his reverie, and he quickly refocused himself on the task at hand.
"The first week I had her, she barely slept or ate, and only mostly cried for her mother. I know she has accepted it better that her mother isn't coming back, but I don't think she entirely understands the concept of death yet, no matter how many times I try to explain it to her. I still catch her sitting by the front door every now and then, and when I ask her what she's doing, she'll say something along the lines of how she's waiting for her mom to come and take her home,"
All Might's heart broke at the thought of the girl suffering so, it being hard to fathom how difficult it must be for a small child to accept the death of a parent. He knew first hand how horrible it was when he lost Nana all those years ago as an 18 year old, the only woman he had seen as his mother since his biological one died when he was extremely young. He couldn't even imagine how confused and hurt the little girl must have been.
"I was designated in Faith's will to be Minami's guardian in the event anything happened to Faith, and I wouldn't have it any other way….except…."
"Except?" All Might asked, urging the woman to give him her explanation, curious as why she would be eager to give up such a jewel, even if he was the suspected father.
The woman cleared her throat before continuing, "As you know and understand All Might, the life of a pro hero can be hectic, especially for those who are expected to travel all over the country, and sometimes even the world, to fight villains. My agency has been patient with me since I have taken in Minami, and have allowed me to stay stationed in Dallas, Texas, for the time being. But I know my boss is growing antsy with me, and it's only a matter of time until I am constantly on the road again once more. That would not work for a small child, she needs stability, someone who is going to come home to her most nights and spend time with her. Pretty soon, I won't be able to provide that stability for her…"
The woman hastily explained her reasoning, likely worried that the world's number one hero would think she was being cruel for choosing her career over the young child.
But the golden hero understood all too well the demands of a hero, and was grateful the woman would recognize this short-coming instead of giving the girl a half-life, attempting to reach out to him for a permanent solution.
All Might hummed to himself as he digested what the heroine said, knowing how difficult it would be for him as well to raise a child without a wife to care for her 24/7. However, he also knew with one-hundred percent certainty he now could never leave this little girl behind, biological daughter or not.
"Faith…..Faith had always sworn me to secrecy, that I would never tell anyone, especially you, that you were her daughter's father. She was always worried that Minami's life would be in jeopardy, or that it would be unfair to force you to raise a child, as it was never your intention. But I can't support myself or a child without a job, and all I know how to be is a hero. Knowing what my future holds for me, my only other option would be to leave Minami with Faith's parents in Oklahoma, and you and I both know how Faith's father is," the woman's voice trailed off as her voice darkened a bit.
All Might's blood ran cold at the thought of leaving any child, let alone his offspring, with Faith's parents, remembering very clearly how awfully she had described the abusive personality of her father. Her mother may have been kind, but from his recollection Faith had described her as a meek and soft spoken woman; Someone who would not be able to indefinitely protect a child from the wrath of Faith's father forever.
"I thank you, truly, Rebecca, for contacting me then instead of giving up Minami to Faith's parents. We both can definitely agree on what a horrible sentence that would be for a defenseless little girl," All Might spoke, referring to the heroine by her given name he remembered learning several years ago, quick to praise her good instincts.
"I just want you to know…H-h-how much I love Minami as her Auntie, and H-how sorry I am for all of t-t-this…I should have c-called you so much s-s-sooner, but I didn't know how to honor Faith's wishes a-a-and do what is right. Faith l-l-loved you so much…b-b-but she loved Minami more, and tried to do her best…." The woman burst into tears, as evidenced by her gasping voice and sniffles; the weight of losing her best friend, as well as having to unexpectedly take care of a young child weighing down on her.
All Might frowned. He hated the sound of a crying woman, it always tore at his chivalrous heartstrings, despite knowing women were strong creatures, and made wonderful heroes just the same as their male counterparts. The only worse sound after that in his opinion were the cries of a child. His brows furrowed as he heard the kind woman continue to weep on the other end of the phone, leaning forward on his desk, resting his head in his freehand.
"Hush now my dear, there's nothing to be sorry for." All Might hummed into the phone in his deep voice, hoping his response soothed her. "I am not the least bit angry at you over keeping this secret, and am so grateful for the time you have taken to care for my child as if she were your own."
"I'm almost positive Faith's parents don't know about Minami, so they shouldn't cause any issues. I just want what's best for Minami, and after thinking it over for a long time, I think Faith was wrong to keep it from you for so long; Minami needs her father, she needs you." she sniffled as her tears died down, taking hiccupping breaths as she attempted to calm herself.
And I am going to be there for my daughter now. What a brave woman for having to bear this for so long. I wish I could hug her right now to reassure her….All Might thought to himself before speaking again.
"That's good to know Rebecca-chan," All Might lapsed slightly into a Japanese state of mind, "Fear not now, for I am here, and I will take care of everything!" All Might grinned into the phone, the embodiment of self-confidence.
She barked a laugh as his charisma as she sniffled, the last of her tears drying up at his reassurances that everything would be ok. "This little girl is definitely your daughter. She has your hair and eyes, as well as your charming personality. She goes plus ultra in everything she does, especially when it comes to playing cops and robbers with her toys or coloring. She always locks up the villains in jail after pretending they robbed a bank, and shades inside the lines of her coloring books with her crayons. She already has the heart of a hero!" the woman giggled.
All Might belly laughed as he sat back in his chair, glad the mood had changed for the better. "A true hero in the making then! I look forward to meeting her soon!" he grinned into the phone as he shuffled the various papers on his desk, looking for a scratch piece of paper as he grasped a pen.
"Now, would you mind giving me your address? I'll schedule a flight out to Dallas, Texas this evening. I should be able to arrive at your home approximately tomorrow afternoon, your time of course. I would appreciate if you could have Minami's birth certificate, social security card, as well as your guardian paperwork ready to go, I'll have my sidekick email you the proper paperwork to relinquish custody over to me, and I will arrange for a genetics test as well," The hero explained politely.
"Of course," she smiled, knowing by his response that he had accepted her proposal of taking over the care for Minami.
All Might sighed as the conversation with the heroine ended, having sent her a text message to her personal phone from his phone with the exchange of information. Leaning back in his chair, he spun around to stare out the window that faced Tokyo numbly, mulling over everything that had just happened.
I have a child….I have a daughter….a daughter that I made with Faith...But Faith is dead….I have a daughter….
He repeated the facts to himself over and over again, letting it sink in. He imagined a little girl who was living half way across the world, no longer with a mother, her world turned upside down. His heart clenched at that thought, and for the first time felt an extremely strong paternal instinct churn with him, wishing he knew someone with a strong teleportation quirk so he could get to Texas sooner.
His cell phone buzzed and he flipped the device into his large palm, seeing it was from the heroine he just spoke to.
Opening the text message, he was welcomed with the sight of a cheeky little blonde haired girl smiling as wide as can be, dressed in a lavender outfit, sitting on the floor with a few dolls. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the phone camera. Her fine light blonde hair was in a high ponytail, it's texture causing it to look like a palm tree as the strands jutted out at every such angle.
All Might grinned as he felt warmth encompass his heart, getting a good look at his daughter for the first time. He felt tears swim in his eyes as he gazed at the sweet little girl staring back at him. Then he belatedly realized something,
Elusive Fox never mentioned if the girl had a quirk or not. Oh well, I'll find out soon enough if she inherited my quirklessness or if she has her mother's quirk…
Putting his phone in his pocket and standing up from his desk, he stretched briefly before opening his office door and walking out onto the main floor. A few employees and visitors waved at him. He smiled grandly as he waved back, and quickly made his way across the floor to his sidekick's office before anyone could stop him.
He knocked as a courtesy before opening the door, barely giving the man inside the time to say "come in."
Entering the room Sir Nighteye didn't seem phased by All Might's presence as he continued writing furiously on some paperwork, likely finishing up some rescue reports. Instead he started speaking to the man in front of him, not even glancing up at him yet.
"So, what is the final determination?"
All Might shuffled a bit before speaking.
"I will be heading out tonight to the US to take the child into my custody. I'll need you to ready some legal paperwork for me as well, and to get in touch with a laboratory that can expedite a paternity test," All Might didn't know why he felt bashful for having to explain this to the man. Maybe deep down he felt ashamed for only being human and having been in love, that All Might was not in fact some all knowing, all perfect being. But one thing he did know was that he would never be embarrassed of what his love resulted in; Minami.
Finally, with All Might's words, Nighteye stopped writing and an angry look went across his face, He looked up at the large hero standing before him.
"Are you confirming that you possibly have a bastard child, that you were so careless as to even make this a remote possibility?" Nighteye frowned, clearly angry at the curve ball of a situation that had been laid before him.
All Might felt taken aback by the verbal attack from his sidekick. He knew that Nighteye was a good hero and person, but he really didn't hold back his sharp tongue most of the time.
How dare he call my daughter a bastard and talk to me like that…This is my agency, my life! I'm not a child that he can scold!
The number one hero ground his teeth and paused to give himself a brief moment, attempting to compose himself before speaking, almost surprising himself by the vicious wave of anger he felt from Nighteye's accusation.
Though he quickly failed, and felt his anger boil over briefly.
All Might stepped towards Nighteye's desk and slammed his hands on the surface, the action nearly splintering the wood. He leaned down and gave his sidekick a glare that would make most villains piss their pants.
"Don't you EVER call that little girl such a terrible name…" he snarled, baring his teeth at the thin man sitting before him, his voice dangerously low.
Nighteye remained seated as he stared at All Might, scoffing and rolling his eyes, not letting on any intimidation he may have felt at that moment from having the number one hero stare him down so fearsomely.
"Regardless, you don't even know if it's yours…but if you want to go and scope this issue out, that's fine by me," the thin man waved his hand nonchalantly. "Just let me know what you need me to do, and I will complete it."
Deciding to ignore the fact that Nighteye referred to his possible child as an "it", All Might nodded.
"Yes, if you could prepare the private jet and notify our pilot, I would very much appreciate that. As I said before, I plan on leaving tonight." He spoke formally to his sidekick before striding out of his office to enter his private penthouse just behind a large pair of steel doors bearing the words "MIGHT ONLY."
And that had been the end of it.
All Might knew it would almost be impossible to travel in complete anonymity, as even when he wasn't on hero duty, he always looked like All Might. His massive frame stood out in public like a sore thumb, despite everything he did to go incognito when out in the open.
Which is why upon his plane landing at the Dallas airport, he was not surprised in the least to see from his window the crowds of paparazzi on the tarmac. Clearly word had spread to the American paparazzi that All Might was making a trip to the US. He prayed they didn't know the real reason.
Upon exiting the private jet, the press swarmed as if they were an angry hornets' nest, cameras flashing and people shouting questions. Normally more patient with the press, today he did not think he could deal with their nonsense. The hero's nerves were more highly strung then usual as he was attempting to meet and collect his young daughter for the first time; he ground his teeth at their intrusion on this personal matter. Forcing a smile to his face, he waved his hand at the cameras and when asked what business he had in Dallas, he only said "hero work" and continued to move on.
More shouts came from the press demanding answers, but All Might only pushed past them, the airport security holding them back after he reached a certain threshold, as what had been previously requested by his agency so he could be on his way without concern of anyone following him in his rental SUV.
All Might breathed a sigh of relief once he was on the road, glancing behind and around him, he was positive no one was following him. He quickly slipped on a Houston Astros baseball cap, hiding his two trademark bangs that almost always stood on end.
Soon enough he arrived at a small home on the outskirts of the suburbs of Dallas, teetering toward the country side. All Might slowed his car as he pulled up on the gravel, exiting the vehicle and locking it. The one level home was surrounded by large fields of tall prairie grass. The wind blew strongly as the sun mostly shined, swirling the blades around as if they were waves in the ocean. Looking up at the sky, All Might breathed in the fresh air, noticing some storm clouds moving into the area.
The house was small and quaint, perfect for a single woman, and in this case a young child. Knocking on the door, he was quickly greeted by the woman ushering him inside, her red hair pulled back into a bun. She blushed at seeing All Might in the flesh, being reminded of the man's chiseled features and good looks.
He had to duck briefly to enter the house, but once inside there was no mistaking that a small child lived there as toys were scattered everywhere. The woman apologized multiple times for the mess, saying when Minami was in the middle of playing she didn't bother picking up the toys until she went down for her afternoon nap. All Might smiled at the mess, happy to know she had been seemingly well taken care of for the time being. He clutched the bag with tissue paper in his hand, eager for the little girl to open it.
Glancing around the room once more, his keen eyes then spotted a small mop of light blonde hair with bright blue eyes peeking at him from around the corner of the hallway, where the hero assumed led to the bedrooms and bathroom. He could feel his face light up at the little girl's interest in him, and he took a step forward towards her, eager to finally meet this little surprise of his.
Suddenly, she gasped as this large man walked towards her, ducking back around the wall of the hallway.
All Might stopped his movement immediately, his smile dropping off his face. The disappointment was evident in the large man, feeling regretful for scaring the little girl.
The heroine Elusive Fox called for the little girl,
"It's alright baby girl, come on out now, There's a special visitor here to see you!"
The little girl peeked back around the corner once more, but still unsure. The heroine sighed, feeling frustrated, and looked at All Might with sympathy.
"I'm so sorry, she's usually not this shy," she shrugged her shoulders with a frown.
All Might nodded at the woman, smiling once more, not feeling discouraged just yet.
"I think I may know how to win her over," the man grinned as he got an idea, and removed his baseball cap, allowing his bangs to bounce upward in their characteristic V, fully revealing his true identity.
It wasn't long before a captivated gasp filled the room, and the little girl stepped fully out into the living room.
All Might took in the little girl, and his heart filled with warmth. Her smile lit up the room, her blue eyes sparkling.
Kneeling down to get more on her level, All Might was careful to make his movements slow so as to not startle her.
"What's your name little one?" The golden hero spoke softly as if he were trying to coax a fawn or a rabbit closer to him.
"Minami…." She murmured, still fixated on his tall bangs.
"Minami huh? What a pretty name for a pretty girl!" All Might complimented her earnestly.
"You're really All Might?" Minami asked the hero eagerly, tip-toeing closer to him.
All Might smiled and chuckled, still kneeling he reached out to the little girl, hoping she would take his hand.
"I am All Might my dear, and I came all the way from Japan just to meet you."
"Really?! Just for me?!" her high pitched voice squealed even higher at the thought that the number one hero traveled all that way just to see her, making her feel special. She slapped her little hands on her own cheeks in shock as she approached just next to his open palm, staring at him in adoration.
"She loves watching heroes on TV, but I'd say you're definitely her favorite," Elusive Fox winked as she stared at the pair before her.
All Might grinned at Minami's mannerisms and decided to use the woman's tip to his favor, "That's right my girl, all for you, you're my number one fan!" he stretched his hand out a bit more, until he was just shy of being able to grasp her, but refrained, instead wanting the little girl to come to him on her own.
"Can I have a hug please?" he asked the little blondette permission, hoping furiously that she would accept.
It was as if a switch had been flipped in the little blonde girl, her insecurity wiped away, and she slapped her hand into All Might's huge palm, it looking comically small in the large hero's digits.
"Uh-huh! Yep!" she grinned at All Might, and that was all the hero needed to swoop her up into his large arms, chuckling happily. The little girl laughed as her favorite hero held her. The hero himself looked at the red haired woman who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, smiling at the exchange in front of her. All Might gave her a big grin coupled with a thumbs up before sitting on the couch, setting Minami on one of his large thighs.
Minami stared up at him, still star struck. All Might grinned back at her as he ran a large hand down the back of her head, feeling the downy soft strands.
She's so small, she may as well still be a baby, He remarked to himself as he really took in just how little she was.
"How old are you sweetheart?"
Minami paused, as if pondering one of life's greatest mysteries, then answered, holding up four fingers,
"I'm this many!"
The jolly hero laughed boisterously, very pleased with the little girl sitting on his lap.
"What a smart girl you are!" All Might stopped petting her head for a moment to clasp his own hands together at his next question,
"Now, little Minami, do you like surprises?"
"A surprise! Oh yes! Yes!" she bounced a bit on his leg, and All Might once again grinned at her exuberance as he took his gift bag off the floor where he left it and handed it to her.
"I got this for you, as my number one fan I couldn't show up empty handed!" All Might smiled as Minami ripped into the tissue paper, and she gasped in delight, holding up the small All Might plush in her hands before hugging it tightly to her chest, rubbing her face in its soft fleece exterior.
Her skin flashed a light blue light several times as she giggled, surprising All Might a bit. He looked up at the woman who was standing across the room for an explanation.
"it's her quirk, it only showed up roughly 6 months ago. We thought it was like Faith's, but it seems a little different, more offensive. I haven't gotten her tested yet though, but she doesn't really have much control of it yet." All Might grinned widely at the news, very happy that she was not quirkless, and therefore wouldn't have to endure being bullied.
"Do you….you wanna play pet shop with me?" the little girl asked a bit timidly, unsure of the hero would accept.
All Might smiled at the request, and immediately knew his answer,
"Of course my girl! I would love to play pet shop with you! But can you show me how?"
It was then All Might played various games with the girl while they waited for the laboratory technician to show up and take a DNA sample, then to call them back with the results. But truth be told, the golden hero couldn't have been more delighted to play with his little daughter, wanting nothing more than to learn about her likes and dislikes.
Neither of the adults were surprised in the least when the DNA results came back positive. All Might blamed it on his newfound paternal instinct, but he had recognized his own features in the little girl immediately when he had initially met her. Now he knew without a doubt he had a daughter, and he was going to go "Plus Ultra" to make it up to her and take care of her properly now.
Movement from his arms stirred All Might awake in an instant. Inhaling sharply at the movement, he glanced down groggily.
"It's all gone now Papa…" Minami's high pitched voice explained, and he smiled after yawning widely, setting the empty cup on the side table next to the chair. He lifted her slightly higher to lay her partially over his shoulder, very softly patting her upper back until a slight hiccup released itself from her lips. Recovery Girl had mentioned that he needn't have to burp her after her carb heavy nutrition drinks she had been consuming every evening with him, as that was mostly only necessary for infants to prevent colic. All Might didn't mind though, he had smiled at Recovery Girl at the time, asking her to humor him as he had a lot of bonding time to make up for.
Allowing Minami to slide back down onto his lap, he felt her small fingers wrap around his index finger on his left hand.
"Papa….you got a boo boo today?"
All Might glanced down and chuckled at her concern.
"Yes little one, just a small cut when Papa fought a villain, but no worries it will heal up," the golden hero explained as he wiggled his finger that had the deep laceration on it with a few stitches, a courtesy of the EMS team that had showed up on the scene earlier that day.
Minami smiled as she raised his finger to her small, pouty lips, kissing it softly.
"There, I made it all better!" the little girl smiled up at All Might, proud of her work.
All Might smiled back at the sweet little thing, her instinctive kindness never ceasing to amaze him,
If only the adults could take a lesson from children on kindness, then I'm sure there would be far less crime…
"Well thank you little Minami!" All Might lifted Minami back up towards his chest, noticing she was scratching her eyes.
Minami snaked her little arms around All Might's thick neck as she laid her head in the crook of his neck, her little puffs of breath fanning out on his skin; it warmed his heart.
The number one hero had always thought it would be impossible to have children being the Symbol of Peace, but he found himself smitten with his little daughter, and while it had been difficult to move around his schedule, he didn't hesitate in the slightest to dive headfirst into the role of being a doting father, going all out to be both a good father and an amazing hero. He was quite exhausted most of the time these days, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He loved kissing her little hands, which would ball up into equally small fists when he tickled her chubby legs, or gently pinched her dimpled cheeks.
All Might glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly 9pm, almost time for Minami to go to bed. The father and daughter had finally settled into a rhythm. Today had been the first day he had gone back to work as a hero, and he had felt so relieved when upon returning home he saw Minami had been just fine. Gran Torino, her baby sitter for the day, commented on how well behaved she was saying the "little sprout" had mainly played with her dolls, but she had already picked up a few words in Japanese.
Rocking back and forth in the rocking chair with Minami dozing softly, All Might pondered on what he still needed to do, knowing he would need to arrange for a nanny to care for her when he went to work full time, and he would have to look into getting her a tutor to make sure would have a smooth transition once she started elementary school.
Minami stirred in the hero's arms, attempting to get more comfortable. The little girl had been a bit cranky for the past few days with all the sudden changes and jetlag, and she made her displeasure known by activating her little quirk when she would cry, flashing a dark blue when she threw a temper tantrum, her skin becoming hot to the touch. However, this was easy for the number one hero to handle. His patience was never ending with the little girl as he would always end up scooping her up and bouncing her on his knee, or blowing raspberries on her little tummy, which would inevitably end the tantrum and Minami would turn into a giggling fit.
All Might couldn't really blame her, she had been through quite a bit in the last several months, and he was sure with the recent move halfway across the world she was absolutely bewildered and exhausted, but she had finally begun settling into her new life, and All Might couldn't have been happier.
Slowly standing to his feet, All Might cradled his daughter and headed towards her bedroom. He gently held the girl to his chest, and realized this was the happiest he had felt in quite a few years as he sighed with contentment.
I wonder what you will decide to do with your life little one, if you will decide to become a hero, or to take on a more civilian role. No matter, whatever you choose, I'll always be by your side to help guide you.
That's the end! I hope this one shot was everything you guys could have wanted!