Chapter Summary:

Toshinori doesn't know if seeing Izuku is a curse or a blessing.

Memories

"I wish that I could wake up with amnesia
And forget about the stupid little things
Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you
And the memories I never can escape
'Cause I'm not fine at all"

5sos - Amnesia

It had taken some experimenting on Izuku's part to find out what triggered his visits to the 'other world' as he liked to call it. Emotions seem to be the best method, but desiring to see Toshinori specifically worked just as well. His eyes would screw shut, hands clasped together and the next moment would find him at the park. When the later of the two methods was used, he noticed a brief increase in body temperature that couldn't be distinguished while in an emotional state.

The idea that this was a quirk popped up in his mind, but he'd choke on the words any time he tried to tell his friend. Whatever it was wouldn't allow him to speak of his unusual situation, wouldn't even allow him to speak his own name while in that world. Attempts at writing about it would cause his hand to cramp painfully, relief only coming once he gave up.

One thing still bugged him. Returning home. If he didn't at least sit down first, his knees would buckle and he'd drop to the ground. After numerous bumps and bruises, Izuku now obediently took a seated position when that tingling would prick at his neck. No matter what position he ended up in, he would be laying down in his bed the next time he opened his eyes, assuming the exact same position as when he'd left. The transition felt awkward to say the least. The journey to and from Toshinori's world seemed to go unnoticed as well. Another part of the quirk he assumed.

Izuku also started going to bed in play appropriate attire and those slightly too large shoes that he'd come to adore. His mother had asked about them, but all he'd say was that they were a gift from his friend, shaking his head in the negative when she asked if it was from Katsuki.

Speaking of the boy, Izuku rarely saw him anymore. When he did, he'd keep his head down, steps hastening to get away. Forgiveness was freely given by Izuku many times in the past, but the last was enough to keep him away from the temperamental boy. He didn't want to be a door mat anymore.

Time with Toshinori made him realize that he was worth so much more than that. Anytime Izuku let slip an incident from the past, the electric blue eyes of his friend seemed to glow with a fierce protectiveness that made him feel warm and fuzzy.

The two have been friends for over three months now. They'd met towards the beginning of September and now Christmas was only ten days away. Saori, who he had yet to meet, extended an open invitation to him through Toshinori, asking if he wanted to join them for their own little celebration. An invitation he eagerly accepted.

Today, after weeks of saving his meager allowance, Izuku asked his mother if they could go shopping. So here they were, walking side-by-side into the local shopping mall. Inko had taken his smaller hand in hers and held it in a gentle, but firm grip to avoid separation.

They browsed a few shops before entering a women's clothing and beauty supply store, avoiding the abnormally large crowd nearby, where Inko decided to purchase some things for herself and Mitsuki. The other woman wasn't keen on makeup, but she was fond of pencil skirts and cardigans. Inko guided her son to sit in one of the few chairs available and asked him to remain there until she was done before leaving to browse the racks of clothing.

Izuku remained there for what felt like forever to him, looking over the same surroundings multiple times. Bored, he hopped off of the chair and wandered around on his own. He played in the store for a short time before his wandering lead him to the entrance.

Curious eyes found the crowded toy store located across the walkway where a cardboard cutout of All Might was proudly displayed in the window, an advertisement for new merchandise and a visit from the hero himself. Before he knew it, his feet were carrying him over to the shop, his mother's request forgotten.

Delighted laughter bubbled up as he entered. A large section was dedicated to the Symbol of Peace. From clothing to toys, even bedding sets and towels, they had it all. And there sitting at the table, surrounded by chattering fans and persistent news reporters was the man himself.

Butterflies erupted in his stomach as he ducked down and used his small size to his advantage to get closer. There were a few grumbled complaints, but he didn't give them a passing thought. His focus was solely on the massive frame of his hero. When he was finally in front of the table, Izuku popped back up. Adoration was plain on his face as All Might turned his head to look at him.

"I don't want to do this." Sunken eyes stared back at him from the bathroom mirror. To him, he looked more haggard than a 29 year old should.

Toshinori loved being a hero and helping others. There were just some days where he wished he could crawl into bed and never leave. Today was one of them. Memories have been haunting his dreams lately, much clearer than they used to be. It was disconcerting and caused a familiar pang in his heart.

Six years. That's how long it has been since he last saw Hisashi. Every dream he had brought the pain of losing him back to the forefront. His right hand came up and grabbed the fabric over his heart but he refused to break down this time. Today was a day for his fans. Moments like this one would have to wait.

Though that's what he told himself, a treacherous tear cut a path down his cheek. It dropped off and landed on the hand tightly gripping the shirt. Letting go, he turned on the faucet and splashed a few handfuls of water onto his face. Once he was satisfied with the results, he turned the faucet off and left the bathroom.

Toshinori made his way over to the bed, one that had been custom ordered with his above average height in mind. Sprawled across the surface was his Silver Age costume. Despite making his debut in what was later dubbed his Golden Age costume, this one remained a crowd favorite at events like this. Admittedly he wasn't ready for today, but he would suck it up and smile.

'I really love your smile, Toshi. It reminds me of sunflowers on a warm summer day. My very own Himawari.'

A sharp intake of breath scratched at his throat as the memory surfaced. It was during one of the few visits he was allowed to make back to Japan when he was studying abroad. They had taken that familiar path down to the park hand-in-hand and spent the afternoon in a secluded section near a rather large patch of sunflowers and other colorful flora.

Their picnic had been absolutely perfect. Hisashi's sincere and heartfelt words had him blushing cherry red, stumbling over his words before his paramour silenced him with a sweet kiss. Usually Hisashi was the one prone to turning into a tomato during their time alone, but this had been one of the moments where he had been bold.

He did his best to ignore the renewed heartache as he changed into his costume. It wouldn't do for others to see their Symbol of Peace as the wreck he believed himself to be. Willing his mind blank of everything except his plans for the day was difficult, but he managed for the most part. In a heartbeat, he assumed his hero form and left his apartment via the rooftop exit, one only he had access to.

Muscles flexed as he stretched before kicking off into the air in a single motion. Times like these he imagined those curls bouncing in the wind with matching green energy crackling around the smaller form of his companion as they darted from rooftop to rooftop.

Shaking the thought away, Toshinori focused instead on the journey to the shopping center. The sponsors have set up a makeshift landing spot atop the building that would be hosting the event. There were reporters stationed there to record his landing and brief interview before he would be whisked inside for the fan meet and greet.

As he kicked off of another rooftop, Toshinori's mouth pulled into a grin. Seconds ticked by and just as he was approaching his destination, he spun his body in midair. All Might was known for his dynamic entries, but the gathered crowd still fawned over the display. Twirl complete, he landed on the pad and a gust of wind ruffled the awestruck reporters.

All Might let out a booming laugh while bringing his clenched fists to rest on his hips, his cape fluttering in the wind. "I am here!"

Activity exploded around him and the interview was soon underway. There were periodic flashes of light, pictures that would no doubt be splashed across the web by the end of the day. The hero kept calm through it all, answering whatever questions he could in the small time frame that they had for this portion of the event.

It only lasted thirty minutes at most but it felt like hours for the weary hero. Not that anyone could tell. To those that don't know him, all they would see is the same charming hero who would save you with a fearless smile. He played the role well and hid his true self from the world.

Another booming laugh and a wave of his hand signaled the end and he was whisked away just as predicted. Toshinori wasn't even given a moment to breathe before he was being directed into the store. The table already had quite the crowd gathered around it. Screaming fans and reporters that lacked VIP passes swarmed closer the moment he made his entrance.

There was about an hour left of the event when something popped up in front of the table. Turning his head, he realized a familiar boy was standing before him, a look of utter adoration on his freckled face. It had been about two years since the last time he saw the child.

A brief memory of a stuttered name surfaced. Midoriya Izuku. It looks like you're growing well.

"It is wonderful to see you again, young Midoriya. Though I must ask where your guardian is. It's not safe to wander such places without an adult present."

The boy's expression brightened further when All Might recognized him before immediately shifting to guilt, eyes becoming watery at the thought of disappointing him. "I-I left without asking. I'm sorry, All Might."

"I see. That was very irresponsible, young man. They must be worried sick." All Might stood and bowed at the waist, addressing the crowd. "I apologize, but I must attend to urgent matters. I humbly ask for your forgiveness for cutting the event short." The people gathered swooned at this, expressing their forgiveness of the charismatic hero.

It wasn't long before the crowd dispersed with the help of the staff. Izuku had remained in his line of sight during that time, never wandering from the table. The hero looked down at him before speaking again. "Now let's find your guardian." He offered to lift the child, who became jittery with excitement upon realizing he was going to carry him. Izuku's response was an overenthusiastic acceptance of the offer that had the man laughing heartily.

All Might effortlessly lifted Izuku up and perched him on his shoulder. After insuring that the person they were looking for wasn't in the store, the pair made their way outside. It was fortunate for them that all of the shops were built to accommodate those who were bulkier than the average human.

As for Izuku, he was in heaven. To be toted around on the shoulder of the one he admired most was a dream come true. His mother often regaled him with the story of his rescue, but he was too young at the time to recall it. The fact that All Might remembered him was enough to quell any doubt he may have had in her story.

"IZUKU!"

Their heads snapped to the shrill cry in unison along with the heads of several inquisitive onlookers. Running over to them was a tearful Inko, bags clutched in a white knuckle grip.

By the time Inko was satisfied with her choices, the pile was nearly overflowing in her hands. Deciding it was enough, she made her way to the register to check out. It only took minutes for the cashier to complete the transaction before Inko was making her way back to the chairs. She had periodically peered over there only to see him looking increasingly bored each time.

I'll make it up to him. I hope he's not too upset.

When the chairs popped into view, she stopped short. All of them were empty.

Panic settled in when looking around the area produced no hints as to his whereabouts. Inko began to weep, terror filling her as she frantically called out his name over and over, the volume getting increasingly louder. It became apparent that he was no longer in the store so she darted to the register to ask the workers if they had seen the little boy leave.

They fortunately had and gestured out across to the other store just as a gaggle of people poured out. Despite the sizable crowd, one figure stood out among the rest. There, at the center of attention, was All Might with Izuku perched on his shoulder. Her feet were moving before she had time to think.

"IZUKU!"

The crowd parted, allowing the frantic woman through. She came to a stop directly in front of them, face red from the mix of emotions that she was currently experiencing. "I told you not to leave, Izuku! You could've been hurt or worse!" The last word came out in a broken sob as she reached up for him.

All Might shifted his position so that the worried woman could take the boy. Izuku willingly fell into his mother's open arms, his own eyes tearing up as he repeatedly apologized for making her worry.

Once Inko was sufficiently calmed down, she held her son close as she turned her attention to the hero in front of her. The man had returned to his full height at some point during the reunion so she had to crane her neck to be able to make eye contact. "Thank you so much, All Might. I-I was so worried that someone had taken him."

"It was my pleasure, ma'am, though I do hope that he learned a lesson from this experience." The later was said with a meaningful glance directed at the child who nodded his head vigorously. Satisfied with that, he reached up to ruffle Izuku's green curls. "Stay safe, young Midoriya."

The hand was removed from his head and Izuku gave him a brilliant smile. "I will, I promise!"

All Might departed shortly after, leaving them at the entrance of the toy store. The curious onlookers quickly forgot the two as they watched the infamous hero leave. Inko was grateful that their attention was no longer on them. With Izuku still in her arms, she ducked into the toy store.

"You want to get your friend a gift, right? Let's get one and go home. Don't think you're out of trouble, young man." Izuku visibly deflated at the last sentence but he nodded in acceptance. Inko placed him back on the ground but kept a firm grip on his left hand. She didn't want to take a chance of him running off again.

They browsed the aisles of the shop for a while, occasionally reaching out to inspect an item or two, until something caught Izuku's attention.

A child-sized cape that reminded him greatly of All Might. Looking for tags, he noticed that it wasn't an officially licensed product, merely inspired by the hero. In fact the only tag he could see was the price. There wasn't even a brand label stitched into the seem. Izuku took it as a good sign since any time he tried to bring specific items, especially hero merchandise, with him to see Toshinori, they would remain behind even if he tried to tuck it into a backpack first.

The back of the cape was a beautiful shade of royal blue and the interior ruby red. On the shoulders were two white, star-shaped clips that would fasten it to whatever top the person wanted. It was perfect. With this, Izuku could share something precious to him and Toshinori could represent the country his mother was from.

"Can I get this one, 'kaa-san? I know he'll like it." Eager hands held the fabric in a light grip until his mother could pluck it from the rack.

Inko held the item up to inspect it briefly before nodding. Elated, Izuku giggled as he was picked up once more. The pair made their way to the register to check out. The cashier beamed upon noticing what was selected. "I was wondering if anyone would find those."

"What do you mean?" Inko looked at her inquisitively.

"Those capes were made by the owner of the shop. They were originally intended to be a gift, but...Anyway, I'm glad that you chose one. I'm sure it'll be well taken care of." It was obvious by the woman's manner that something had befallen the intended recipient, but neither of them wanted to press the subject.

"Mm-hm!" Izuku agreed wholeheartedly. "I'm going to give to my friend. We want to be heroes when we grow up!"

The lady smile, the earlier mood dissipating in the face of such a bubbly child. "Even better. I'm sure they'll love it."

It wasn't long before the transaction was complete and the pair were on the way home. The day had taken a few unexpected turns and they were ready for it to be over with. Izuku held the neatly folded cape in his lap while watching the scenery fly by. He had been offered to have it gift wrapped, but he turned it down.

"I want to wrap it for him myself. It'll mean more that way."

The two women had smiled fondly at that and dropped the matter. Now all that remained was figuring out exactly how he was going to do it.

Maybe I'll watch a video about it. 'Kaa-san does it all the time when cooking.

The remainder of the trip was spent lost in thought as he tried to figure out what to do.

Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz

A hand reached out from the bundle of blankets on the bed and fumbled with the muted phone. He answered in a weary tone, already knowing who'd be calling at this time.

"What do you want?"

A dry chuckle was the response before the other person spoke. "Is that really how you're going to greet me, Yagi-kun?"

"...I assume you reviewed the footage I sent? The resemblance is uncanny."

"Straight to the point then. Yes, it certainly is. The boy takes after his father."

"Were you able to pull up their records? I want to know, I have to..."

There was a pause before Tsukauchi spoke again, his tone apologetic. "Unfortunately I wasn't given clearance to pursue the matter. I'm just as curious as you. We may not have had the greatest bond, but Midoriya-kun was my friend as well. The only file that I could access was the incident report from the day of his passing. As for the woman, if she's not Inko, she must be a close relative. They share similar features so perhaps an aunt.

The blankets rustled as Toshinori finally sat up. They went over that file together back when he first found out of Hisashi's passing. He'd been inconsolable for days afterwards, barely managing to bring himself out to do his duty as the Symbol of Peace.

"He never mentioned having a sister. I don't know if he was lying or just didn't know about her. There were times where I'd ask about him and he'd go to answer before clamming up. It was almost like he was unable to speak about it."

"There are quirks that can essentially act as a gag order. I'll look into it the next time I can get access to the quirk database."

"Thank you. I appreciate this, Tsukauchi-kun." The words wavered in his throat. He always became emotional when discussing such a touchy subject.

"Anytime I can, you know I'll help out, Yagi-kun. We're friends after all."

From there, the conversation changed to more pleasant topics until they finally bade each other goodnight. The call ended with a click and he put the phone back on the nightstand while standing up. There was no way he'd be going back to sleep this night so he left the room in search of something to eat.

Visions of a freckled face popped up in his memory as he passed by the den, but he resolutely pushed them down. If for tonight only, Toshinori would try to keep his mind free of thoughts he knew would break him down.