Central Park on a cold day. Izuku sat on a park bench, overcoat pulled up against the snow. A figure walked past him, turned, and sat down.
A moment went by. Izuku had a strange feeling. He turned, looking at the person who just sat down next to him.
It was All Might!
Izuku gasped. Makes some inarticulate sounds. All Might gave him an enigmatic smile.
"You..."
"Relax, Young Midoriya." All Might said.
"This isn't possible..." Izuku muttered.
"It's a dream, Young Midoriya. You're still back at home. You fell asleep on the sofa, it's about seven in the morning. You're gonna wake up in a few minutes."
Izuku just stared, stunned for a long moment, absorbing this information. And then, he launched himself across the bench, grabbing his hero and hugging him as tightly as he can.
All Might laughed, taken pleasantly by surprise. Naturally, Izuku was crying. "Woah, woah..."
"All Might... Oh God, I'm sorry, I'm so sor-
"Hey." All Might stopped him.
He pulled back, sharply, put his hands on Izuku's shoulders.
"Don't apologize to me." All Might said. "My life was my own; the day I was born I was a book that was already written, and my story ended how it was always meant to end. But you, here, now, today... you're a work in progress."
"There's so much I want to ask you…so much I want to tell you..."
"I've only got a minute or two, before the doorbell wakes you up." All Might cut him off.
"I love her, All Might." Izuku whispered.
"I know you do." All Might smiled sadly.
"All I'd have to do is tell her, tell her who I really am, and she'd-"
"Be pretty easy, huh?"
Izuku nodded. "Sure would."
"So why don't you tell her?" All Might prodded.
"Because she wouldn't be safe a single minute for the rest of her life."
"Is that why?" All Might looked at him curiously.
Izuku gazed back at him, knowing there was more. "Partly."
"She needs to love you, Young Midoriya. Not the guy in the mask. But burning that mask isn't the way to protect her, or yourself. You can't deny who you are, Deku."
"Who I am?" Izuku snapped. "Because of who I am, you were killed. Mom almost- who's next? How can I be sure no one else will get hurt?"
"You can't." All Might said. "It's called life. You can't bet on it, you can't manage it or control it, all you can do is lead the one you were meant to live."
A faint buzzing sound started in the distance. All Might turned his head at the sound, looked back at Izuku.
"Young Midoriya, the one thing you gotta know, the only thing you gotta know, is who you are. The rest is just noise.
The buzzing came again, more insistent. Izuku turned, looking for it. Next to the park bench, he saw the front door of his Mom's house, standing right out here on the grass in Central Park, with just a frame around it. A man stood outside the door, ringing the bell, visible through a skinny glass window in the door frame.
Izuku turned, confused, looking back at All Might, but he was gone, and Izuku was alone on the bench again. The buzzing came once again, Izuku turned back to look at-