It's your resident stinky boy here with another chapter for this mess.

Truth be told I didn't really like how this one turned out, but hey, can't keep mulling over it too much, better to just drop the load and dab the pain away later.

Also, I've been reading you guys' reviews and thank you so much, even if one of you made me realize how dumb I am because I thought Deku was in highschool already. Mah bad, no bully.

But ye, hope you guys don't hate it as much as I do. See you lads next week or so. Dab.

Today was a big day and one Toshinori had been hoping wouldn't come, even if he knew it was inevitable.

It was time to tell Young Midoriya the truth about One For All.

Toshinori let off a long sigh as he stared at his own weakened image in front of his bathroom mirror after just having finished brushing his teeth in the early morning.

He didn't look good. His hair was a mess, messier than usual but that's expected after just waking up. The issue was the bags under his eyes that he had gained after such a poor night of sleep.

Getting shuteye had been a challenge last night, he was worried, nervous...as a hero he lived in the face of danger, he knew every day could be his last and yet none of the villains he faced made his stomach churn as much as the mere concept of breaking things up for his student did.

Why did this have to be so awkward? What would he say? What would he think? Was he ready for it? Was he really the one?

He was.

All Might knew that much without a doubt in his heart, but he was still worried sick about it. The boy had been making good progress in the last few weeks of training. He was becoming slimmer and starting to build muscle, but he knew that once Midorya learned the truth all the accomplishments he's already earned would then seem like nothing.

But, he would be able to take the UA exams next year and if he was to be ready, this could not be postponed anymore. So as the weakened symbol of justice heard the steamy whistle of his kettlepot on the stove he would let out a sigh and caress his temples before nodding to his own reflection as he started the day properly by getting some coffee brewing.

Right now there wasn't enough caffeine in the world to make him feel ready.

"Thanks again for the help Asui."

"Tsuyu." the froggy girl would correct her green haired friend as was usual for them. Even after they had known each other for a good little while now, Midorya was still a bit awkward and strange to the concept of calling a girl by her first name. Something that should annoy the dark haired little lady…

"R-Right...T-Tsuyu…"

And it probably would if Midorya didn't look so dang adorable when he got called out on it.

"Still, I'm surprised with how fast you're learning. When you started you could barely make it halfway up the wall and now you're already almost climbing it twice in a roll." the girl would compliment her dorky friend with a smile, making him blush with embarrassment and grin.

"Y-Yeah...I guess it wasn't that hard with you there to teach me."

"As long as you keep bringing these shakes." Tsuyu would shrug as he wrapped her lips around the straw of the protein shake Izuku always brought for her. When he started they tasted kind of bland, but after she had bluntly complained about it, as she was known to do, Midorya became surprisingly good at making delicious protein shakes. It really made it easy to have a healthy snack.

"No problem, but I have to get going now. See you next week?" The green haired boy would ask as he put his jacket back on. His clothing had become much sleeker now.

He wore a brand new set of black shorts with a lightweight, form fitting green shirt with matching track jacket and a brand new pair of running shoes. It was a good investment for him with his new habits and, as Tsuyu had so bluntly stated, leaving Deku's head as red as a pepper, she enjoyed being able to see his form better now that he had ditched his old baggy clothes...what exactly she had meant with that, he still wasn't sure, but deep down, it was a confidence boost.

"See ya then!" the froggy would would say with a ribbit as she stretched her legs after another set of climbing as Midorya left her to her own affairs.

Tsuyu had quickly become a good friend of his, and although they didn't do much besides meet at the park every week for a climbing session, he had grown quite fond of her. He should probably do something else with her one of these days...but then again, that'd be kinda like asking her out, what if she got the wrong idea...Deku stopped thinking about it quickly before he puked out of embarrassment.

Instead he focused his mind on what he had for the rest of the day. Another set of training at All Might's gym.

Part of him still couldn't believe that that's where he trained, it was all so surreal, but as he reached the well maintained doorway in the creepy, rundown alley and unlocked the door, that fresh scent of lime would make the teen feel at home.

Because even if he didn't mean it, this place had, in a way, become a second home for him. He knew where everything was by now, he cleaned it up after he was done, sometimes he bought things for it to make it more comfortable. Although just being there was beyond his wildest dreams, it was also comfortable.

What a complicated sensation.

But, with a smile the teen slipped out of his shoes and made a quick dash to the bathroom to wash the sweat off his face and refresh himself before he got going.

Midorya's workout routine was thankfully a little easier on a wall climb day. Push ups, sit ups and some time at the jump rope to warm him backup before he grabbed the dumbbells.

If anything, the kid had a severe sense of diligence. He never skipped on anything, if the workout plan said to lift the weight twelve times, he squeezed that twelfth lift out no matter how much pain his body was going through.

It made him smile though, he had already climbed his way past one level of the dumbbells and he was already feeling like the one he was using would become too light for him in a short while. He couldn't see his own muscles yet, he wasn't nearly that defined after such a short time, but at least he knew all this sweat was taking him somewhere.

But today wasn't going to be a usual day, as the teen would come to find out after having his attention peeled away from his scheduled weight lifting as he saw his idol step in through the door dressed in some rather casual clothing "Hello, young Midorya! Hard at work, I see!"

Izuku's expression brightened as his smile became wider as he saw All Might, instinctively putting more effort into lifting the weights he held so he could perhaps impress his tutor "H-Hey, All Might! Y-Yeah, I'm trying my best!" he'd answer a bit awkwardly as he was approached by the blond, receiving a rewarding pat on the back that puffed his chest with pride.

"Izuku…" the number one hero would clear his throat as he started before the words died in his throat as his eyes met the young boy's bright and expectant ones. All of the sudden, all of the worry had rushed back. Toshinori knew he needed a successor but...pulling someone into this mess, laying all of this responsibility on them wasn't an easy thing to do "...I, uhh...I brought donuts!"

"D-Donuts?" Izuku would crook his head to the side with mild confusion at the statement "That doesn't really...fit in the nutrition plan…"

"Well, yeah, but you have to cheat on it a little bit every once in a while to keep your sanity!" All Might announced with a laugh as he opened the box of multicolored, sugary goodness towards the teen with a bright smile "And you've been working hard as it is, allow yourself some freedom today and get back on the horse tomorrow!"

I mean, what he was saying about cheat days and all wasn't exactly a lie, it wasn't too bad to have one every once in a while just to keep your mental state in check...but the real reason he had brought the box of dessert was because for some reason he felt like maybe it would help 'sweeten' the bombshell he was about to drop...or maybe he felt like he was going to need something caloric to binge on after it hit.

It seemed to work part way, however as he saw Izuku shrug his shoulders and shily reach in for a blueberry filled donut before the pro hero himself grabbed a strawberry glazed one.

He had grabbed them from the coffee shop he usually visited nearly every morning, the sweets there were always teasing him and his healthy habits every time he went there and from the occasional cheat days he squeezed in, he knew them to be top quality. The dough was light and soft, the filling not overly sweet and generous, all in all it was a great snack that helped loosen his throat for what he had to do and hopefully it helped placing young Midorya in a state of comfort, he'd need it.

"Izuku…" All Might would say as he swallowed his first bite of donut, which had been awfully slow given Deku already had his cheeks puffed with half of his treat already, the kid really missed a more unhealthy eat "...we have to talk."

Now that was not a reassuring statement. Izuku knew nothing good usually came after 'we have to talk'. All of the sudden as he nervously swallowed the sweet batter that rested in his mouth he brought his eyes to his idol, who seemed to be staring off towards the floor with the nibbled treat in his hand. He felt a cold sensation rush into his stomach.

Had he done something wrong? Had something happened?

"T-Talk…? A-About what...?"

Toshinori would sigh as he rubbed his eyes, trying to ease the strain inside his mind as he cleared his throat "Well...there's something I have to tell you, young Midorya...I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you when it comes to the reason I started training you."

"W-What do you mean?" the green haired teen would ask as he fiddled with his powdered sugar covered fingers awkwardly

"So...uhh...it's a long story…" Toshinori would say, making his protege jump back as he saw the steam begin to seep off of his skin as he finally relaxed enough to let his muscle form go as he slowly deflated down to his neutral, skeletal shape, running his fingers through his golden mane as he took a deep breath "But I can't keep leaving it for later."

"W-What…" the student would stand up and step away from his idol as he watched his shape shift and shrink, a hand quickly coming to cover his mouth as his eyes teared up in plain confusion.

"It's still me, kid…" Toshinori would say as he lifted his shirt to expose the painful looking scar on the side of his torso "I took a bad hit in a fight years ago...it left me in bad shape, I can only stay at full power for two hours every day, usually…"

"O-Oh no…" Deku trembled as he felt his heartbeat intensify and his stomach hollow out with a cold, uncomfortable sensation of dread "W-When did it happen? Was it your fight against Razor? Or El Diablo...?"

"Heh...fanboy…" the symbol of peace would laugh weakly as he brushed some hair away from his face "But no, this fight was covered up, the only people who know about it are the ones who were there to see it going down." he would explain with a sigh "I...should have told you earlier."

"T-Two hours...you shouldn't have wasted so much time with me, if you can only be a hero that much...y-you should have...you could be saving people...if you weren't with me…"

"Izuku!" Toshinori would catch the boy's attention with a stern voice and a frown on his face. To think that even in a situation like this the teen still found it in him to think of others before himself "I used what time I had with you because I wanted to! If I didn't think it was not worth every second, I wouldn't be here!"

"B-But...how can it be worth it...when people's lives are at stake…?" Midorya would spew out with worry in his shaky voice as he attempted to hold back his tears

"Well...listen, you're a great kid, alright...but there's another reason." Toshinori would say as he would suddenly chomp down the rest of his donut before quickly gulping it down with a grunt "My quirk. It's unique in a way. It can be passed over to other people...and with the way things are, I know I won't be able to be a hero for much longer, so...I need someone to carry it on for me, a heir...and I want that to be you."

Midorya fell silent for a moment, gulping down a nervous, dry swallow before he let out an awkward laugh as he fidgeted in place "Hehe...that's like a...a joke right? Pfft, I mean, me? The symbol of peace? You're just pranking me, right…?"

Toshinori sighed again as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head and shifted in his seat for a moment "I'm sorry this was all so sudden, young Midorya...I just couldn't think of any better way to tell you...but it's the truth…" he'd say, bringing his blue eyes towards the green haired teen "I want you to be my successor...the next Symbol of Peace."

Those words echoed inside the boy's head for an uncomfortable amount of time, so much so the silent quickly became awkward and All Might found himself shifting his eyes from side to side before coughing a tad awkwardly

"U-Uhh...young Midorya?"

"I-I...I d-don't know what to say…" the green haired teen would answer as he fidgeted nervously in place "Is that why...you've been training me?"

"...yes." the blond admitted "Your body can't handle my quirk right now. You need to become stronger if you want to hold it...if you want to, Izuku. I'm not forcing you to do it...but I really think you'd be perfect for it."

"I-I don't know…"

"If you want to take some time to think about it, that's fine. These are pretty big news." All Might would reassure him "Just...cut the training short today and take the time to wrap your head around it, no need to rush."

"O-Okay…" Izuku would say, not really knowing what else he could say about it with how anxious he was feeling "I...I think I should go home…"

"Y-Yeah...probably for the best…" Toshinori would say as he looked down towards the floor "You...uhh...you can take the donuts."

Izuku laid on his bed, his eyes glued to the ceiling as he tried to make sense of the news he had just received today.

Why was he in this state? This was a good thing wasn't it? Well, All Might being in the state he was in wasn't good at all, but he had chosen him, out of all people, to be the next him. He could be a hero, have a strong quirk, save people...he always dreamed of that.

But he never stopped to think of what it all really meant.

Images of his idol's scar and his bony condition flashed in his mind...that's what it really meant to be a hero. To risk that happening to him every day of the job. To come home with new scars, to always be worried that danger is around the corner, to become a target.

"What if I can't do it? What if I'm not strong enough? What if when the time comes...I can't save anyone?"

All Might was a figure larger than life, but Izuku had never stopped to think of the man behind the costume and all of the worries he must hide behind that smile. Had he failed to save someone before? Did he still remember them? Would he ever forget?

Izuku then thought of his mom. The one who had always been there for him, doing her absolute best to keep him safe. If he became a hero he'd have to make her worry every day...what if he died out there? Who would take care of her? What if the villains targeted her? Could he be strong enough to protect her?

The teen tossed and turned on his bed before turning the light off on his bedside lamp, letting the darkness envelop his room and still, he struggled to find an end to his restlessness.

What if All Might was wrong? What did he have that others didn't? Why not someone like Kacchan? Someone that was strong enough to take the wheel and control their destiny...someone with a strong quirk.

Midorya closed his eyes shut as he tried to stop the pair of soft, tearful streams that ran down his cheeks as the sobs escaped from under his breath.

It was like suddenly the weight of the world had been dropped atop his shoulders. Only when his dream seemed real enough, seemed possible, did he realize how heavy of a burden it was. Being a hero wasn't just something people did to look cool in a costume, it was something that needed broad shoulders to carry every day...and Izuku wasn't sure he was strong enough to carry it.

"I just need some sleep...yeah...I'll be fine tomorrow, I just need to...sleep this off…."

…

Beep beep beep beep

Echoed out the loud and annoyingly effective alarm clock the green haired boy had besides his back before he smacked it quiet with a yawn, rubbing his eyes awake for a moment as he looked up at the ceiling yet again.

Oh yeah...yesterday happened.

Suffice to say Midorya had woken up in a demotivated slump.

"Ugh...whatever...maybe I should just...give up on this hero stuff…" he would mumble to himself as he turned his body towards the wall and closed his eyes again. He thought of getting up...but then he thought of the possibility of seeing All Might at the park...he didn't want to, just thinking about it hurt. And in his tired state from a bad night of sleep, avoidance of the issue seemed to be the winning side in this battle as the teen began to drift back into slumber, cheating on a workout day for the first time since he started.

Maybe it was for the best, maybe he needed a wake up call to snap him out of his childish dreams…

Tac

Maybe giving up was okay this time...

Tac

He'd give All Might his answer later, he just really didn't feel like getting up right now…

THUNK

Izuku jumped out of his bed at the sudden slam against his wall as he rushed to the window instinctively to see just what had hit it to make such a sound.

Looking down at his veranda he could see a pair of small pebbles and a rock the size of a fist...he wondered for a moment how they had ended up here, before his answer came soon enough.

"Deku! Where the hell are you, you wimp?!"