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Izuku hugged his backpack to his chest nervously. He wished that one of the straps hadn't broken in the fight; he would rather have worn it properly. Then his hands could be more free to defend himself. He glanced around the waiting room, hoping to see a way he could escape. They were several floors underground, lower than the arena and crowded dance floor he had just been escorted from. He hoped to see a vent somewhere that was big enough for him to crawl through, but they were all too small. The only doors were the elevator doors he had just come from, guarded by large thugs with mutation Quirks, and the office doors he was about to be led through.
Aizawa would kill him if he knew that he had entered an illegal, underground fight club and used his Quirk outside of the law’s parameters. Although, in this age, he wasn’t sure exactly what the laws were. It hadn’t been long since he had been hurled back in time by a villain, only a few days. He was grateful that he had an emitter Quirk, something that was easier to hide from the authorities. Of course, that hadn’t stopped him from revealing himself by jumping in the middle of a fight to protect a group of Quirk holders from a small mob. He had only gone back about a hundred years, but it seemed that this time period was tumultuous and uncertain. Quirks were becoming more common now, but fear was still heavy in society. Thinking back on his history lessons, Izuku did remember that around this time, there were lots of riots as citizens fought for equality and law changes. Of course, it was also a time when villains flourished and feasted on the fear and unrest around them.
And that was how he had somehow ended up here. He had been sleeping on the streets for several days, hiding from both the police and the mobs, desperately trying to think of a way to get back to his own time. He had been so relieved to be approached by a hero- at least, he’d thought they were a hero. They had said they were when he asked them, but heroes were uncommon in this era. Perhaps they had been a vigilante, or maybe they were just plain a villain. But he had trusted them, right up until he had been pushed into an arena in an underground club, wearing a bunny mask and facing what he at first mistook for a kaiju. The so-called hero had laughed from the sidelines and called out for him to do his best, nearly drowned out by the loud music and the cries of the crowd- cries for blood. Through the bright lights, he had seen money changing hands and saw cameras flashing as the fight was recorded from several angles. It did give him a small glow of pleasure to know that every last better had lost money on his fight.
Almost as soon as the fight was over, he was being escorted deeper into the club. The owner wanted to see him, a dealer of some kind. Probably drugs, money laundering, and information, Izuku assumed. The usual kind of thing one might expect to find in a shady club like this. It did give him a small ray of hope- perhaps he might be able to find a way home here. Surely Aizawa wouldn’t be mad at him over that. The owner may be a criminal, but that didn’t mean they were a villain. He hoped.
The door opened, and the secretary waved him in. “He’s ready to see you now.” she said. Seeing Izuku’s worried face and quick swallow, she gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s all right; the boss just wants to reward you for your fight.”
“He’s not mad?” Izuku asked uncertainly. Now that he thought about it, he had made the man lose a great deal of money himself.
She shook her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear- a strand that Izuku noticed wriggled on its own a little. “I think he’s actually quite pleased. Why don’t you come in and you can ask him about it yourself?”
Izuku took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He was a hero. He didn’t need to be afraid. Based on the current level of Quirks he was confident that he could fight his way out if he needed to. He checked to make sure his mask was still in place and then followed the woman into the office.
“Here is our little champion, sir.” The woman introduced him, then closed the door behind herself as she stepped back out, leaving them alone.
Izuku blinked a few times. It was dark in the room, only two lamps were on near the doors. The rest of the room was lit by the soft,blue glow of several large television screens that took up the far wall. Most of them showed the dance floor and arena, but a few were tuned into news channels as well. Between them was a large desk, a set of couches with a small table in the middle. And outlined by the screens, a very tall man was standing with his back to Izuku. He turned slightly when the doors closed and Izuku caught sight of a wide smile on his face when he saw him.
“You’re even shorter in person, little one. Congratulations on your fight, I was quite impressed with your performance- and I am not someone who is easy to impress.”
“Thank you?” Izuku replied, trying not to sound uncertain.
“No need to worry.” The man waved a hand, “The authorities have no power here. You’re free to use your powers as much as you like, no one is going to stop you.”
So it was illegal. Izuku made a mental note to apologize to Aizawa as soon as he could. “Oh.” He tried to think of what might be an appropriate reply. “That’s good.” Was all he could manage.
The smile widened and the man turned fully to face him. He was standing behind the desk, and motioned Izuku to come a little closer. “Are you a student? That looks like a uniform you’re wearing, but I don’t recognize what school you go to.”
“It’s, um, far away from here.” Izuku lied quickly. He wished he could see the details of the man’s face. He seemed to be wearing a mask as well, but he was only backlit by the screens.
“What brought you so far from home?” There was something familiar about his voice, but Izuku couldn’t tell what. There was no way he could recognize him, he would be too old to still be alive in Izuku’s time.
“It was an accident.” Izuku explained carefully. “I got really lost. I was hoping that maybe, um, maybe you could help me get back home?”
“And what makes you think I could help you with that?” The man asked.
“They said you were some kind of dealer.” Izuku swallowed, hoping he wasn’t making too many assumptions.
“Ah yes, they do call me that.” The man chuckled with an amused tone in his voice. “But are you sure you want to go back home? I could offer you a lot to stay here with me.”
Izuku blinked once, not understanding at first. “Are you… trying to recruit me?” He asked.
The man laughed again. “You’re a smart boy, aren't you? Fast on the uptake, but I should have known that after watching your fight. Yes, little one. I am very interested in you and your powers. I could help you reach your full potential here. I can give you a space to embrace and cultivate your powers, not hide and fear them like the rest of the world.”
Izuku’s mouth went dry. “Thank you for the offer, sir, but I really need to get back to my mom.”
“Your mother.” He cocked his head slightly. “And how does she feel about your powers?”
“She’s proud of me!” Izuku blurted quickly. Then, sensing that the man might not believe him, he went on to elaborate. “But she does get worried sometimes, since I had a hard time controlling them at first.”
“I see.” The man said after a small pause. He stepped out from behind the desk and started walking to stand next to Izuku. “How disappointing for me. Forgive me for making assumptions- you look as though you’ve slept on the street for the last few days.”
“I’m lost.” Izuku reminded him, taking a small step back. The man was even taller than he had looked before and there was a foreboding feeling building in Izuku’s mind. Something wasn’t right.
“Yes, that’s right. It must have been hard on you, little one. I had best get you back home to your mother then, hm? I would hate to worry her any further.” His large hand fell on top of Izuku’s head, softly patting it a few times. “The offer still stands, should you ever need it. A Quirk like yours should be treasured, after all.”
And that’s when Izuku felt it. A sharp tug on his very soul, like someone was trying to pull a piece of it away. Without him even calling on it, One for All roared to life in his veins. He screamed and slapped the hand away, dropping his bag as he stumbled back. With a pained and panicked gasp, he looked up at the looming figure. The hand was still outstretched and in the center of the palm, lit by his own Quirk’s power, he could see a dark hole.
“You!” Izuku gasped. His head spun as he finally threw the pieces together. “Dealer- Quirk Dealer! It’s you! All for One!”
The man paused, hand still outstretched. For a moment, he appeared as surprised as Izuku had been. “Oh my.” He said at last, his voice lowered. “You are too clever for your own good, little one. Who told you that name?”
Izuku didn’t answer, instead quickly scanned the room for a way out, another door, anything . All for One, of course it had to be All for One. He didn’t know who he was, not yet at least. But it was too late for Izuku to pretend he didn’t know who the villain was. He needed to escape and find some real help before it was too late.
“I hope you’re not thinking about running away.” All for One spoke, seeming to read his thoughts. “You’re much too powerful to let go, and you seem to know a few things you shouldn’t.”
“Stay away from me!” Izuku warned, raising his crackling fists as the villain took a step towards him.
All for One’s eyes scanned him quickly, taking in the appearance of his Quirk. “I’ve never had a Quirk resist before the way yours did. Although…”
“You’re a villain!” Izuku shouted, hoping to cut his train of thought off before he could put things together. Of course One for All wouldn’t allow itself to be taken from its holder, All for One must know that by now. If he found out that Izuku had it he would torture him until he was able to take it. Then Izuku would never get home, never see his family again.
“You don’t need to be scared.” All for One came closer again, sensing Izuku’s growing panic. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to study you. Then you can go home. Doesn’t that sound fair?”
“No!” Izuku shouted, shaking his head. “I want to go home now!”
“And just where is home for you, my child?”
“M-Musutafu.” Izuku stuttered. He couldn’t let All for One find out that he was from the future.
“That isn’t too far from here. Surely you could just take a train back home.” All for One’s eyes narrowed. “Unless, of course, you’re lying to me.”
“It’s the truth!” Izuku insisted. He started edging towards the door but All for One easily moved to block his path.
“Ah, but I get the feeling that you aren’t telling the full truth.” All for One replied. “Things would be easier for you if you were just honest with me.”
Izuku grit his teeth and upped his percentage of One for All output. He didn’t need to beat All for One, he just needed to escape him. Then maybe he could find the current One for All holder and they could find a way to get him back home.
All for One chuckled at Izuku’s ready stance. “You’ve trained your Quirk well, I can see. And yet, I can also see that you’re holding back. You’re truly a mystery, my child. But if it’s a fight you want, I can assure you I’m much stronger than any thug you’ll find in my arena.”
“I’m not scared of you or your Quirks.” Izuku replied. “So please, just let me go.”
All for One moved faster than Izuku was ready for. Familiar black and red tendrils shot out of his hand, slamming Izuku against the wall. He had that Quirk already? Izuku grunted, grateful they hadn’t pierced him as he’d seen them do to others in the past. He flicked a finger and sent a blast of air to knock the villain off balance. He wished he had his hero equipment- that would make things go much easier.
All for One staggered, letting Izuku fall to the ground, but quickly regained his balance. “Very clever.” He laughed. “Such a unique and effective way of using your Quirk. You didn’t do anything like that in the fight earlier. What else are you hiding, little one? Perhaps I should drag you back to the arena myself and find out.”
Izuku stumbled back to his feet, more winded than he had expected. The thought of a real fight with All for One was terrifying. He had flashes of memory of Kamino Ward and all the devastation it had brought with it. He remembered All Might’s scar and involuntarily placed a hand on his side, imaging himself getting one just like it. He tried to shake the memories off. He was already too frightened and he didn’t have time to be scared. He needed to put all of his effort into analyzing and controlling his Quirk.
As Izuku finally stood, he smelled something strong in the air. Too late, he tried to cover his mouth to keep the gas from getting into his lungs. He looked around for the source, and saw All for One’s masked face smiling at him.
“Relax, little one. It doesn’t have any lasting effects.” He caught Izuku’s hands as Izuku moved to blast the foggy gas away. “Just take deep breaths and it will be much easier.”
Izuku tried to hold his breath, but he had already breathed some of the gas in. He choked and coughed a little, accidentally sucking in more of the pungent fumes. He struggled against All for One’s grip, and could feel the man pulling at his Quirk once more. He screamed in pain, his body growing weak as the poison drained his strength away. Within minutes, he was slumping against the wall, too weak to support himself. His blurry vision looked up at the masked villain, no longer able to hide his fear. All for One was smiling at him, holding both of his wrists together with one hand, using the other to pet the top of his head. He pulled Izuku’s mask away and Izuku tried to hide his face.
“You really are a child, aren't you?” All for One mused. He pulled Izuku away from the wall and into his own arms. “Poor thing, are you crying? I think it’s time for you to take a nap. Go to sleep, little one.”
Izuku whimpered and tried to keep his eyes open, but it was no use. The poison had done its job. He slumped against the villain, unconscious. He was in a lot of trouble, enough that a scolding from Aizawa was the least of his worries.
All for One easily lifted the unconscious boy into his arms. He tossed the bunny mask aside, making sure he got a good look at the boy’s face in case he needed to track him down. With a Quirk so strong, he could easily escape. Not that All for One planned on giving him any opportunities to do so. He sat down on the couch and rested the boy beside him, smiling at how peaceful and vulnerable he looked. Nothing like the steeled fighter in the arena, or the feral creature he had been a few minutes before. His cheeks were round, like his eyes. Green, they had been, the same as his hair. All for One wondered if he dyed it, or if it was natural. And he had freckles, adding to the innocent looking face.
Searching the child’s pockets, he quickly found his wallet and phone. He started with the wallet, finding it empty of any cash or credit cards. He did find a small card with the boy’s address on it, in case the wallet was lost. He lived in Musutafu as he had claimed, though the address listed didn't exist when All for One tried to search it. He was much more intrigued by the identification cards he pulled out.
The fist was an official Hero Licence. All for One had never seen anything like it before. The Hero Commission was only just formed last year, and it was struggling to keep itself together. They didn’t have money for fancy things like this, and All for One could easily see why. The issue date on the card was a good hundred years in the future. He smiled to himself, pleased that one of his guesses had been correct. They identified the boy as Izuku Midoriya, registered with the hero name Deku. That had been the same name the boy had given himself in the fighting ring. An interesting choice of names. All for One would have to ask him about it.
The second card was a school ID. “U.A.- School for Heroes.” All for One read aloud, then chuckled to himself. “So you’re a little hero in training?” He asked the sleeping Izuku, looking down at the resting face. In the future, something as abstract as superhero could be a career. Ridiculous.
All for One grabbed Izuku’s fallen backpack next. It was mostly full of school supplies. Whatever had sent Izuku back in time, seemed to have happened while he was at school. Several notebooks, a pencil case, a phone charger, a pair of textbooks, an empty bento box…. One of the books was a history book, which All for One set aside to study later. He could worry about the future as it came, but he was eager to find out more about Izuku.
Izuku moaned a little in his sleep and sagged further against All for One’s shoulder. Smiling, All for One allowed Izuku to slip down so that his head was resting on his lap. He was enjoying seeing Izuku, so strong and independent, be so vulnerable in front of him. He knew it would make the boy upset to know that he had done so when he was awake again. Izuku looked a little worse for wear. He likely hadn’t slept much since being thrown in the past, and he’d admitted that the sleep he had gotten had been on the streets. Still, he wasn’t too dirty or All for One wouldn’t have allowed him to touch him. According to his cards, Izuku was fifteen years old. Did the future really allow such young children to fight crime?
All for One started thumbling through Izuku’s notebooks. The first was full of school notes. History, English, Japanese, Math… He set it aside and grinned when he saw the title of the second notebook. Notes on becoming a Hero! Volume 14 . This notebook was full of pictures and graphs and equations and hastily scribbled notes and arrows. Each page was dedicated to a different hero, accompanied by a crude drawing of them in their costume. A detailed description of their powers and abilities was written beneath, and the rest of the notes were full of theories and ideas on how to best utilize them.
“You are much too clever for your own good.” All for One smiled, glancing down at Izuku again. He stroked some of the messy curls away from his face. “It’s a good thing I found you before anyone else did.”
As he turned through the pages, All for One saw that several of them were dedicated to the same hero. Someone named All Might. Probably Izuku’s favorite. What caught his attention, however, was that a large portion of All Might’s hero notes were written in some kind of code. Why would Izuku feel the need to only encode information on this one hero? More questions for when he allowed Izuku to wake again.
Towards the back, All for One found Izuku’s own name and hero costume, as well as those that belonged to his classmates. Izuku’s own notes were encoded as well, which made sense. Should the notebook fall into the hands of a villain, it would be bad for the boy to give so much details on his own powers. All for One smiled again as he remembered that Izuku had called him a villain. That meant that Izku had met him, or at least heard of him, in the future. Did that mean he would still be alive? Or was he just a legend? Izuku had known his true name, the name of his Quirk. It had been the first thing to tip him off that Izuku knew more than he was willing to say. He hadn’t revealed that name to anyone yet, he didn’t feel the timing was right. The only person who had known it was his brother, already long dead.
All for One paused, looking back at Izuku again. Could it be? Izuku’s Quirk hadn’t come when he’d tried to pull it out. It had been the same with Yoichi. He felt a sudden flash of anger. That meant the Quirk had survived, passed down another hundred years. He had been sure that he had killed it five years ago, unable to extract it soon enough before its host had died. That meant that man had passed it on before he died! But he didn’t remember One for All being so powerful… It had grown a lot in a hundred years. Perhaps it had been one of the things that had drawn All for One to the boy.
He thought back on Izuku’s fight with the arena champion. Though he had looked panicked and confused at first, as soon as the fight had started he had turned cool and serious. His control over his Quirk was excellent, though he clearly struggled with it during certain points. All for One had felt a buzz of excitement as he watched Izuku flash back and forth, as fast as the lighting around him. He had worked mostly with his legs then, kicking and dodging. It had only taken him a few minutes to identify his opponents weak spots and exploit them. All for One might have normally just snatched the Quirk as soon as the fight was over, but something about Izuku’s attitude had made him want to meet with the little fighter.
Izuku had been flush with adrenaline and embarrassment as the crowds screamed and cheered for him. Unlike most winners, he didn’t seem to want the attention. But, when the microphone had been pushed under him, he had introduced himself as Deku, and then, he had smiled. It was the smile that had won All for One’s attention. Izuku had no reason to smile like that, not even as a winner of the arena. Not the kind of smile that was used to set people at ease, to assure them that things would be okay. It made sense now that he knew. Izuku had a hero’s smile.
All for One put the things back into Izuku’s bag, everything except the history textbook. He spent a few minutes trying to guess the password on Izuku’s phone, but gave up. If he wanted to snoop a little more, he could always make Izuku tell him the password, or have one of his followers hack into it. He dropped the phone into Izuku’s bag, along with his wallet.
“So you’ve inherited my baby brother’s Quirk then?” All for One asked, knowing that Izuku was still fast asleep and wouldn’t hear him. “And now you’ve fallen into my hands. No wonder you were so eager to get home. Well I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now, little one. And I don’t plan on letting you go anytime soon.”
All for One could sense Izuku waking up. He had moved him to a safe location, a few levels deeper in his lair. He didn’t want to interrogate Izuku in his office, since Izuku already knew the way out. It was better if he didn’t know where he was. He had Izuku seated at a table in a barren room, his hands cuffed on the surface in front of him. He knew that Izuku could easily break himself out, but Izuku was afraid of him, and he had a safety measure in place.
Izuku lifted his head at last, blinking slowly as he tried to shake himself into full awareness. He was confused, of course, staring at his cuffed hands. Then he looked up at All for One and paled, jerking back. All for One smiled at him, glad he was still wearing the demon like mask that covered half his face. It was cliche, he knew, but he liked a bit of theatrics every now and then. Especially since this would be his first interrogation with a true superhero.
“How are you feeling, Izuku?” He asked.
Izuku jerked again. “How do you know my name?”
“I took the liberty of looking through your things.” All for One nodded to the items from Izuku’s bag that he had laid out on the table. Izuku’s ID cards, his analysis notebook, and his cell phone. “Or would you rather have me call you Deku?”
Izuku swallowed hard, looking at his things and squirming back in his chair. “Deku is fine.” He answered softly after a moment. He was studying the handcuffs and All for One decided to put his safety measure into play before the boy got any ideas.
“I can see you’re already having dangerous ideas.” He said, making Izuku look up at him. “Before you think about escaping, let me show you the special trap I’ve rigged for you.”
He turned his own phone to let Izuku see. It showed a live feed of the club, many stories above them. “You see all these innocent people here? Should you try to escape, I’ll be able to use one of my Quirks to give them a little surprise. A poisonous one, much more deadly than the tame little treatment I gave you. The kind that might easily melt bones You understand, don’t you?”
Izuku’s bottom lip trembled. “You’re saying that you’ll kill them all if I don’t behave?” he asked quietly.
All for One smiled and set the phone down on the table, face up. “You are very clever, aren’t you?” He reached across the table to pinch Izuku’s cheek, but Izuku pulled away. “Oh? Are you not going to be good?”
“Just because I’m going to be good doesn’t mean I’ll just let you touch me however you want.” Izuku gave him a glare and a small pout.
All for One chuckled and drew his hand back. “Such a feisty little hero. But I’m afraid you’ll have to let me touch you a little, in order for this to work. You’ve already lied to me before, and even with seven hundred lives on the line, I don’t trust you not to do it again.”
“What do you want to know?” Izuku asked stiffly, eyes drifting between his hands and the screen.
All for One smiled and placed his hands on top of Izuku’s. “We’ll start with something easy, just as a test. What’s your name, Deku?”
Izuku shot him a quick, suspicious glare. “You already know that. You dug through all my things.” The distaste and distrust in his voice was clear.
“Then it should be an easy question for you to answer, shouldn’t it?” All for One tilted his head. He could feel Izuku’s hands trembling slightly underneath his own. Nervous like the little rabbit he had dressed up as earlier.
Izuku took several deep breaths to steady himself, keeping his eyes down. “Izuku Midoriya.” He replied. “But my hero name is Deku.”
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen.” Izuku mumbled his reply. His eyes continued flickering to the items on the table, as if to assure himself that he wasn’t giving away any information the villain hadn’t already verified for himself.
“What school do you go to?”
“U.A.”
“And where are you from?”
“Musutafu.”
"And what is the name of your Quirk?”
“One for All.” Izuku answered then stiffened. All for One smiled, watching the horror cover Izuku’s face. Of course he hadn’t meant to say that, but he’d fallen for the trick nonetheless.
“It’s all right, Deku. I already knew that you had my brother’s Quirk.” All for One assured him, leaning back in his seat, but still keeping his hands on top of Izuku’s. “You’re from the future, aren’t you? How did you get sent back in time?”
“Yes. A villain did it.” Izuku replied, then paled even more and pursed his lips.
“You called me a villain too, didn’t you? Am I still alive in your day, little hero?”
“Yes.” Izuku flinched at his own answer, then looked up at All for One accusingly. “How are you doing that?”
“Doing what?” All for One hid another smile, knowing that Izuku had already found him out.
Izuku’s eyes fell to their hands and he tried to pull back. “It’s touch activated, isn’t it? Let go, I can tell you the truth on my own!”
All for One chuckled and squoze Izuku’s hands tighter. “I don’t think so, Deku. You figured that out quicker than I hoped. But if you want me to let go, I can just play on my phone instead.”
“Don’t.” Izuku’s voice was strained. “Please. You don’t have to do that.”
“Very well, let’s continue then.” All for One rubbed his thumbs into Izuku’s palms, making the boy squirm. “Who is your favorite hero?”
“All Might.” Izuku answered warrily.
“I thought you might say that. You’ve written a lot of notes on him in your little book here, although only his and yours are in code. Does that mean that he has the same Quirk as you?”
Izuku gave a short huff of frustration. “Yes. All Might gave me One for All.”
“And what number are you?” All for One asked. Seeing Izuku’s confusion he clarified his question “How many holders have used One for All?”
“I’m the ninth.”
“Tell me their names.”
Izuku squirmed. “I don’t want to.”
All for One gave a bark of laughter. One of the limitations of the Truth Quirk was that the victim had to tell the truth, even if the truth didn't answer the question being asked. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. You don’t seem to want to look at me, Deku. Are you afraid? Am I really that scary?”
“Yes.” Izuku answered, so softly that All for One nearly didn’t hear him.
He smiled and leaned forward, giving Izuku’s hands a squeeze. “I’m not going to hurt you, Deku. I’m just very interested to learn about you and your future. Have we met there? Is that why you’re scared?”
Izuku shook his head. “I’ve seen you but… we’ve never talked.”
All for One smirked, feeling pleased to know that he would live for so long. “And am I just as handsome in the future?” He asked jokingly, not expecting Izuku to answer.
“No.” Izuku’s voice trembled and he looked away.
The smile slipped from All for One’s face. “What do you mean by that?”
“Y-You don’t have a face.” Izuku shrank back, hunching his shoulders. “Or eyes or nose or ears.”
Well that was disappointing to hear. But at least his future self had saved him the trouble of teaching Izuku to fear him. That was good. Fear was the first step into manipulating Izuku into trusting him. Perhaps he could trick Izuku into thinking that if he changed him, he might be able to change the future. Heroes loved to save people, didn’t they?
“Don’t worry, my face isn’t really so scary now. Would you like to see it?”
“No!” Izuku said quickly, but All for One was already pulling his demon mask away. He needed to draw a line between himself and his future self, to show Izuku that none of the things he had seen that scared him so much had happened yet. He couldn’t get One for All unless Izuku gave it to him, and he needed to get Izuku to trust him to do that.
“There, that’s better, don't you think?” All for One smiled, wiping some of the sweat back into his messy hair. He expected to see Izuku warrily drop his guard a little, but the expression on the young boy’s face was something different entirely. He looked a little horrified, but mostly he looked very confused. “What’s wrong?” All for One took Izuku’s hands again, surprised to find that he had started sweating. He smiled again, taking on a joking tone. “Perhaps I was secretly someone you knew?”
Izuku didn’t answer. His mouth was thin, trembling slightly. Was he about to cry? “I don’t want to answer any more questions.” Izuku said in a shaky voice.
All for One looked him over. Something was off about Izuku’s reaction, very off. He seemed even more frightened now, though not necessarily of All for One. The boy was distracted, nervous, and still seemed very confused. He decided to press him.
“Who do I look like, Deku?”
Izuku grit his teeth together and stared at their hands.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Because if I don’t answer, I don’t have to tell the truth.”
All for One snorted. “Ah, so you already figured that part out? Such a clever little boy. I bet you’re the top of your class, aren’t you?”
“I’m not.” Izuku replied. “I just know that I can choose what information I give you now.”
“You’re a little too clever sometimes.” All for One sighed. “But sometimes your silence can be answer enough, don’t you think?”
“Only if you’ve guessed correctly.” Izuku gave him a small glare, masking his fear and confusion as best he could.
“You’re being unnecessarily difficult.” All for One told him. “You agreed to behave yourself, and yet you’ve done nothing but try to antagonize me.”
“You’re asking me questions I don’t want to answer!” Izuku replied, raising his voice a little. “Don’t you get it? You’re a villain! If I tell you those things, you’ll use them to hurt people! I don’t want anyone to get hurt! I want to protect them!”
“So you’ll only answer if you think I can’t hurt anyone with the information?” All for One raised an eyebrow. “And what about you? Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt?”
“I don’t care if I get hurt, as long as everyone else is safe.” Izuku replied stubbornly, but a tear slipped out of his eye and ran down his cheek. He tried to wipe it away, forgetting for a moment that his hands were trapped by both the handcuffs and All for One.
All for One lifted one hand and wiped the tear away. Izuku flinched and turned away from his fingers, biting his trembling lip. “What are you most afraid of, Izuku? If you answer, I promise I won’t use it against you.”
“I don’t trust you to keep your promises.” Izuku replied stiffly, sniffing back more tears. “Besides, why would you make a deal like that? It doesn’t benefit you at all.”
“To get you to answer more of my questions, of course. I want you to trust me.”
“I don’t trust you. I won’t.” Izuku glared.
All for One sighed loudly and pulled his hands away from Izuku. Izuku panicked when he saw the man reaching for his phone, but All for One simply lifted it off the table and slid it into his pocket. He crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward, giving Izuku a disarmingly gentle smile. “Go ahead, Izuku. I won’t tell anyone.”
Izuku eyed him with clear distrust. He swallowed hard, fiddling his freed fingers. Eventually he lowered his eyes. “Th-That I won’t ever get back home.” He answered softly.
All for One didn’t let any of the triumph he was feeling show. He could tell that Izuku was naturally a trusting person, one who looked for the best in others. He had already taken the first step into allowing himself to be manipulated and he didn’t even realize. “I see.” All for One nodded, knowing that Izuku was telling the truth even without his Quirk forcing it. “Don’t worry, after you’ve answered all of my questions, I’ll find a way to get you back to your own time.”
Izuku snorted with disbelief. He watched All for One take his hands again for his next question.
“Tell me about your school.”
“What is it you really want to know?” Izuku sighed. He was tired of these mind games.
“I want to know about how you got my brother’s Quirk, and what our future holds.” All for One chuckled. “But I also like chatting with you. You make very good conversation, quite entertaining.”
“I don’t like being your entertainment.” Izuku replied angrily.
“Then perhaps we should end it here for today. I’m sure you’re hungry, little one. I’ll bring you to your room- oh, and just remember, my club is always full no matter what time of day it is. Don’t think about running away until I’m finished with you.” All for One stood and slipped his mask back on. He noticed that Izuku watched him as he did so, looking unsettled once more. Izuku had clearly recognized him without the mask and was very upset about it. Just who was he to Izuku? And why did the child seem so afraid to speak about it? He would find a way to get Izuku to tell him, even if he did have to resort to torture.
“Can I have my things back?” Izuku asked softly.
All for One considered the request. Izuku’s phone couldn't make any calls or texts, he had checked that already. And nothing the boy had on him would be able to help him escape. Still, perhaps he shouldn’t grant any of Izuku’s requests. He was the one in charge, he was the one making demands here. But he also wanted Izuku to trust him. From past experience, torture didn’t work on getting One for All out of its user. So he relented with a smile. “I don’t see any harm in that.” It wasn’t like he wouldn’t be carefully monitoring Izuku at all times. And it was good to let Izuku believe he had some sense of control over things.
“Thank you.” Izuku said and All for One smirked to himself. Children were so easy to handle.
Izuku didn’t like that he was forced to hold hands with the villain as he was escorted to the room he was to be kept in. He vocalized his protests, but All for One just laughed in reply. He felt a bit more bold now that the man was wearing his mask again, instead of talking to him with that face. Izuku refused to think about who it was, who it looked like, afraid he might say something out loud. His muttering might end up to be the death of him if he wasn’t careful.
“Here we are, nice and cozy, just like I remember it.” All for One announced and Izuku looked up.
“No!” He instantly gasped, pulling back. “No, don’t make me go in there!”
“What’s the matter? You recognize it?” All for One frowned down at him.
Izuku nodded, too afraid to think that he shouldn’t be saying anything. “That’s where you kept First! Where you- I don’t want to go in there! Please, keep me somewhere else!”
“First?” All for One chuckled. “You mean Yoichi?”
Izuku looked up at him, panicked and confused. “Who?”
“So you don’t even know his name.” All for One laughed. “My brother, Yoichi. That was his name.”
“Oh.” Izuku made a mental note, then screamed when he realized that All for One had distracted him enough to walk him the rest of the way to the vault door. “No! Please, I’m scared!” He hated that All for One was still using that Quirk on him, forcing every word out of his mouth to be the truth.
“It’s perfectly safe.” All for One pushed him forward. “I even got all the spiders out this morning for you. In you go.”
Izuku shrieked as he fell into the vault, catching himself on the rough cement floor. His backpack was tossed in behind him and the door closed on screeching hinges. It was pitch black inside the vault. Izuku hadn’t even gotten to see how large the room was. He fumbled around for his backpack and dug out his phone. The flashlight lit up the vault and a few deep breaths stopped the panic attack that had been about to start.
Izuku shone the flashlight around the room. It was fairly small and dusty. In the far corner was an old mattress with a few blankets and a pillow. There were a couple of books as well, but otherwise the room was bare. Izuku swallowed and held back tears. All for One had kept First in this room until he had died. As he walked closer, Izuku could see writing on the walls. Yoichi Shigaraki was scrawled above the bed and beneath it One for All.
“He really did keep you here.” Izuku said softly, a hard lump in his throat. He tentatively set his bag down and sat on the old mattress. The springs creaked and he could tell it would be uncomfortable to sleep on, but it was better than the floor. He shone his light around the walls again and saw that there weren’t any outlets. He hoped that his battery would last until All for One came for him again. Izuku thought back on his interrogation and shuddered. That had been terrifying. Even with All for One smiling and only asking him easy questions, he knew that there was much more going on inside the villain’s head.
But the most terrifying part had been when All for One had taken off his mask. Izuku hadn’t been ready for that, he wasn’t sure anything could have prepared him for that face. His father’s face. Now that he was alone, it was okay to think it. All for One looked just like his father, the last time he had seen him. It had to be a trick. Maybe the villain had found a picture of him on his phone and disguised himself to throw him off? Maybe he was just a doppelganger. But no matter what, Izuku couldn’t shake the cold feeling away. What if All for One really was his father?
“It’s not true.” Izuku said out loud, his voice echoing back to him. He shuddered and lay down on the mattress, pulling the old blankets over his head. For a moment he hesitated, wondering if First- Yoichi- had died on this mattress. The words on the wall made the entire room feel like a crypt. Izuku wondered if he was going to die here too. He shook those thoughts away. He didn’t think that Yoichi had actually died in here, at least, he hoped that wasn’t the case.
A small sob escaped his lips. He didn’t want that. He just wanted to go home, back to his friends and family. He would call his dad overseas and talk with him and reassure himself that he wasn’t secretly the spawn of the world’s greatest villain. There was absolutely no way that could be true. Still, the anxiety was enough to make him cry himself to sleep, curled up in a tight ball on Yoichi’s mattress. He kept his phone on all night, the flashlight shining up at the letters scraped into the wall. In a way, he felt as though Yoichi really was watching over him.
Once again, All for One found it amusing how blissfully unaware and defenseless Izuku was when he was sleeping. He crouched over Izuku, taking note of the flashlight on his phone that was still on. He gently shook Izuku awake, listening to the boy’s moans and whines as he struggled to rouse himself.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” he smiled. “How are you feeling?”
“‘m sleepy.” Izuku mumbled his reply. “Scared. Confused.” Then he sat up quickly and pushed All for One’s hand away from his face. “Don’t do that! It isn’t fair!” he flushed angrily.
“It’s not my fault you had your guard down.” All for One chuckled. “What has you so confused, little one?”
Izuku pursed his lips and deliberately avoided the question. “What do you want?”
“I have some questions for you, Deku.” All for One replied, pulling him to his feet. “Come with me.”
Izuku stumbled behind the tall man, still barely awake. All for One brought him back to the interrogation room and handcuffed his wrists to the table once more. He sat across from him and grinned. “Are you ready to get started?”
“I’m hungry.” Izuku replied. “You said you were going to feed me last night, and you didn’t. And you lied about the spiders too.”
All for One laughed. “You’re right, I suppose. How about you answer a few of my questions first, and then I’ll get you breakfast?”
“I want breakfast now.” Izuku replied, his stomach growling to emphasize his point.
All for One sighed and stood. He placed a hand on Izuku’s head and ruffled his already messy curls. “You remind me of Yoichi, little one. And I haven’t decided whether I like it or not. Sit tight, I’ll be right back.”
It took ten minutes for the food to arrive, All for One tapping his foot impatiently the entire time. He was eager to start questioning Izuku again. He had spent the night formulating the best questions to ask in order to guide Izuku into giving the answers he needed. Of course, he was still interested in One for All and the future holders, as well as what his future self would be like, but mostly he was bothered by the way Izuku had looked at him when he had taken the mask off. Izuku knew him, and he knew him as someone other than a villain. He needed to find out who.
Izuku hadn’t been lying about being hungry. He scarfed down breakfast eagerly, eating every last crumb. All for One watched him, thinking again that Izuku reminded him of his brother. The thought had come to him last night, and he hadn’t been able to shake it. There was something familiar about Izuku. Perhaps it was just that, as the latest holder of Yoichi’s Quirk, he shared some of his late brother’s ideology. Izuku was a hero after all. Yoichi would have loved to be something like that.
After Izuku was finished, All for One hid his eagerness and resumed the interrogation. He asked Izuku about his school, his teachers and classmates. Izuku was most reluctant to talk about All Might, his mentor and the number one hero. All for One was intrigued by the ranking system and was able to coax out more details from Izuku. He knew that, whoever Izuku had recognized him as, was someone close. He had started with teachers, as he could see himself possibly taking on a role disguised as a teacher at a hero school but all the teachers were heroes as well. Next he was able to drill Izuku about the other heroes, especially the ones he admired most. If one of those turned out to be a villain, Izuku would have been very shocked. But Izuku seemed fine with talking about the heroes and politicians and celebrities of his day.
Which meant that his future self was something much closer to Izuku. A friend, neighbor, or, if All for One’s gut feeling was correct, a family member. He started wide, asking about Izuku’s neighborhood, then his friends, and finally, his family.
“Tell me about your mother.” All for One asked and instantly saw Izuku freeze up. “You said she was proud of you? And also worried? Is that because you’re going to be a hero?”
“Y-yeah.” Izuku stuttered a little. “Lots of dangerous stuff has happened at school, but I’ve wanted to be a hero since I was little. And mom knows how hard I worked, so even though it scares her sometimes, she’s really proud of me.”
“What about your father?” All for One tried not to lean forward. He noted the way Izuku’s eyes darted to the side and the way his fingers twitched. He could see that Iuku didn’t want to answer, but if he stayed quiet it would be even more suspicious.
“I… don’t know. Dad lives overseas. He doesn’t come home very often.”
Perhaps that was the truth that Izuku had been led to believe, but All for One doubted it was really the case. He could sense that Izuku had doubts as well.
“What does he look like?”
“I haven’t seen him since I was little.”
All for One smile inwardly. Izuku was getting very good at answering truthfully without answering at all. It was a fun game, but one that All for One knew he would ultimately win. “What does he do overseas?”
“He’s a buisness man. I think.”
“You think?” All for One raised an eyebrow. He noticed that Izuku looked upset with himself for adding that last part.
“That’s what Mom and Dad told me.” Izuku replied.
“And what do you think he does?” All for One pressed.
Izuku squired back, subtly trying to slip his hands away. “I don’t know.” He whispered, keeping his eyes down again.
All for One swallowed down the lump in his throat. “That’s enough for today, Deku. I’ll take you back to your room now.”
Izuku was shaking on the way back to the vault. He panicked again right as All for One was pushing him in. All for One locked the door and stood outside it for a moment. His heart was racing and he was able to let out the breath that he’d been holding tight in his chest for the last few minutes. He was sure of it, though he still wanted Izuku to confirm it. But based on how Izuku had answered today, it had to be the truth. Izuku Midoriya was his son.
All for One was too impatient to wait for the results of the DNA test he had sent into the labs. He needed to confirm the truth now so he could stop going crazy over trying to figure out what he was going to do with Izuku. At first, his plan had been to play with the boy, torture him until he gave up his Quirk, and then kill him or turn him into an expiriment of some kind. Now, however, things were different. If Izuku really was his child from the future, then he needed to take better care of him. Yoichi’s Quirk or not, it meant that Izuku belonged to him.
Tired of pacing back and forth, All for One marched to the vault. Izuku was asleep again, fresh tears still rolling down his cheeks. All for One didn’t take the time to gloat over his helplessness. He shook Izuku awake and half dragged, half carried him to the interrogation room. Izuku looked more confused and frightened than usual, put on guard by the rough treatment. He had waken Izuku from deep sleep, so the boy was groggy. He started crying again, quietly letting tears roll down his cheeks.
All for One pulled his mask off and Izuku squeaked. “P-Put it back on! Please!”
All for One ignored him and set the mask aside, taking Izuku’s hands and gently massaging them with his own. He could hear Izuku’s breath getting labored as he struggled to keep himself under control. “Tell me about your father, Izuku.”
Izuku shook his head. “I don’t want to!” He cried.
“What’s his name?”
“Don’t want to!” Izuku repeated louder.
“Why not?”
“I’m scared!” Izuku admitted, then shook his head again. “Stupid Quirk! I hate your Truth Quirk! Why are you asking me this stuff? It’s none of your business!”
“Just answer my questions, Izuku.” All for One tried to sound calm. “Tell me about your father, and don’t make me ask again.”
Izuku sobbed and shook his head, trying to pull away. All for One gave his hands a firm, warning squeeze and he cried louder. Still, he gave a half answer through his sobs. “He’s never home!”
“What else?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know what you want!”
“What Quirk does he have?”
“He-He can breathe fire.” Izuku stuttered. “I’ve seen him do it.”
All for One felt his heart flutter again. Fire breathing was the first Quirk he had ever stolen. He had been hanging onto it all these years for sentimental reasons. Could he have kept it for another hundred years?
“And what other Quirks does he have?”
“Normal people only have one!” Izuku cried.
All for One held in a frustrated sound. He knew why Izuku was being difficult. What budding hero wanted to face the fact that his father had been a villain all along? Especially one that, by the time he was born, was a good two hundred years old? Still, he needed Izuku to understand and to say it out loud. He let go of Izuku’s hands and cupped his face instead. Izuku stiffened, going pale once more. He needed to just ask him directly, Izuku would never tell him on his own.
“Izuku, am I your father?”
“You’re NOT!” Izuku screamed. He twisted his face away and stood, knocking over his chair and tugging at the handcuffs. “You’re not my dad! You’re a villain!”
All for One recognized his brother’s Quirk once more as Izuku broke himself free and backed away, still screaming.
“My dad isn’t a villain! You don’t look anything like him! He’s way cooler than you! He’s way more handsome! He doesn’t hurt people!” Izuku screamed, his Quirk output growing stronger with each word. “There’s no way you’re my dad! Someone like you could NEVER be my dad!”
All for One snapped at last. He grabbed Izuku’s wrist and twisted it, only just managing to control himself enough to keep from breaking it. “That’s enough.” He growled. He had expected Izuku to reject him like this, but for some reason it made him angrier than he had thought it would.
“Let me go!” Izuku shouted, still not releasing his Quirk.
“I think it’s time for you to go back to your room.” All for One said, pulling Izuku with him.
“I don't want to go back in there!” Izuku screamed. “I’ll break out this time, I swear!”
“If you do, then I’ll kill every last person in this building.” All for One threatened, squeezing Izuku’s wrists. Now this really did feel like Yoichi.
“No you won’t!” Izuku replied, making the villain stop in his tracks to look down at him. Izuku’s face, streaked with tears and flushed with anger, had taken on an unfamiliar look. Determination and courage, something disgustingly heroic. “If you kill all of them, your business will be ruined. At the very best, it will take you years to recover. You don’t care about their lives, but you still need them. So you’re not going to kill them.”
All for One let out a half disbelieving huff. “Are you calling my bluff?” He demanded, raising an eyebrow. Few people had the courage to do that. Izuku swallowed and stayed quiet. All for Once chuckled despite himself. Izuku had to be his son, test results be damned. Only Yoichi had the courage to stand up to him like that. Not even his weak successors had ever looked him in the eye like this before.
“All right.” All for One agreed. “You’re right, little one, I won’t kill them. Instead, I’ll hunt down and slaughter anyone who might possibly have the powers or technology that could be used to send you back to your own time. You’ll be trapped here forever. Understand?”
Izuku’s expression didn’t waver, but All for One did see a small hint of sadness creep into his eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t keep your promise.” Izuku whispered, sounding sad but unsurprised. His tone, and the truthfulness of his words, sparked All for One’s anger again and he dragged him to the vault once more.
“Wait, it’s dark.” Izuku begged, digging in his heels.
“Perhaps if you hadn’t thrown a fit, I could have gotten you a light.” All for One answered coldly. He closed the door as forcefully as he could, then leaned against it, still fuming. What had ever made him decide it would be a good idea to have children? Probably a pretty woman, but still. He could hear Izuku crying inside the vault and let out a frustrated sigh. He had been harsh, but Izuku surely deserved it. This was a punishment. You were supposed to punish children when they misbehaved, right?
Checking his watch, All for One decided that the DNA results had to be done by down. He stormed off down the hall, listening to Izuku’s cries grow distant as he hurried to confirm the truth. Strangely, his fear had changed from having positive results to a fear that they would come back negative. He didn’t like being wrong, and he desperately wanted some kind of revenge on Izuku for screaming at him. For being so revolted by the idea that he would actively rebel against him. It was spiteful, he knew, and childish, but he wanted a reason to keep him. He didn’t fully understand why, but he wanted Izuku to be his.
Izuku’s head and throat hurt. He was grateful for the darkness for once, his head was pounding. He sniffled again, wrapped tightly under Yoichi’s blankets. He wondered if All for One had ever made First feel like this. Alone, isolated, threatened… like he was never going to get home. It had been a full week now since he’d been thrown into the past. Now it was seeming less and less likely that the Quirk had a time limit. What if he never got home? What if All for One did kill anyone who could help him? What if they didn’t even exist in the first place?
Even though he wanted to stop crying, Izuku felt his body give up a few more dry sobs, along with several coughs. He was tired and in pain, but his body was too restless to allow him sleep. It hadn’t been long since he’d been tossed back into the vault. He was sure it would be a long time before All for One questioned him again. Unless he came in angry like before, waking him up to interrogate him, only to get angry when he told the truth and lock him up again. Stupid villain.
As he thought it, Izuku heard the vault door opening again. So soon? Anxiously, he wrapped the blankets tighter and scooted closer to the wall. All for One walked over to him and sat down on the mattress, placing a hand on his shoulder. Izuku stiffened, but didn’t move. Maybe the man would just go away.
“Izuku, I need to talk to you.” All for One said, keeping his voice soft and even.
“Go away.” Izuku’s reply was muffled by the blankets. “I don’t want to talk.”
“Come here.” All for One pulled him into his lap, ignoring Izuku’s screams of protest. Izuku struggled weakly, kicking his legs and trying to push All for One away.
“Get off! Don't touch!” He cried. “I hate you!”
“I’m not going to leave you alone until we talk.” All for One replied.
“You’re a bully.” Izuku told him, whining a little and holding his head in his hands.
“Does your head hurt?” All for One asked. When Izuku only whined in reply, he placed a hand on the boy’s forehead. “Is that better?”
Izuku sniffled and pulled away. “What did you do?” He asked.
“One of my quirks had a side effect of headaches, so I picked up a little something to counteract it.” All for One explained. “Do you feel better now?”
Izuku gave a slight nod, then started pushing him away again. “Don’t hold me, that’s gross. Just tell me what you want and leave.”
“Izuku, am I your father?” All for One asked.
“Why do you keep asking me that?” Izuku replied angrily, squirming to get out of his arms.
“Because I need you to tell me the truth.” All for One locked his arms, ensuring that Izuku stayed situated in his lap and under his control.
“You’re- I- You-!” Izuku stuttered under the effects of the Truth Quirk.
All for One nodded as if he had been expecting this. “You don’t know. My Quirk can’t make you say what you don't know. But it’s all right, Izuku, I figured it out for us.”
“I don’t want to know!” Izuku told him, half begging. “I don't want you to be my dad.”
“I had a DNA test done.” All for One began.
“You can't just do that!” Izuku protested, feeling sick.
“Quiet.” All for One told him in a firm enough voice that Izuku cowered back and bit his lip. “Don’t interrupt me again. This is important.” He waited a moment to be sure that Izuku wouldn’t interrupt, then began again. “I had a DNA test done and the results came back positive.”
“No!” Izuku immediately cut him off. “They can’t! You did something wrong, you have to do them again! It’s not true!”
“Quiet!” All for One nearly shouted, but Izuku wasn’t so easily intimidated this time.
“It’s a false positive! You’re not my dad, you’re not! I don’t want you to be! You’re a villain, you’re not my dad!” He half cried, half shouted. “You just want to keep me here so you can get my Quirk, then you’ll kill me like you killed the rest of them!”
“I need you to calm down, or I’ll have to use a Quirk on you.” All for One warned. Izuku stopped shouting, but the crying continued. “Izuku, I’m not here to ask you if you like it, I’m just here to tell you the truth. And I need you to understand that, and tell me that you know the truth.”
Izuku shook his head. “I w-won’t say it!”
“Tell me the truth, Izuku. Am I your father or not?”
“I- I don’t know!” Izuku cried. “I want to go home! Please, just let me go home! I want to go home!”
All for One let Izuku cry for several minutes. Izuku could feel him rubbing his back to calm him, all the while using his Quirk to force truth out of him. But right now Izuku didn’t know what was true any more. All he knew was that he wanted to go home. He wanted to be with his mother. He wanted to see All Might. He wanted to be safe in school again. So he told All for One that, over and over until his voice was gone altogether.
After Izuku could only sob and hiccup, All for One gently repeated his question. “Izuku, am I your father? Yes or no.”
“D-Don’t know” Izuku answered weaky.
“Yes you do.” All for One’s voice was deep and oddly soothing. He carded a hand through Izuku’s hair, massaging his scalp with his thick fingers. “It’s okay, Izuku. You can tell me. All you have to do is answer, my Quirk will take care of the rest.”
Izuku whimpered and shook his head. He was afraid to find out what his answer would be. All for One gave him gentle, uncharacteristic words of encouragement. He couldn’t avoid it, he knew. If he didn’t answer now, the villain would certainly torture him to get it out. Izuku struggled to gather his breath. He tried to speak, but at first nothing came out. His throat was dry and achy. He needed a drink, but he wouldn’t get anything from All for One until he answered. Izuku tried again, but this time his reply was too soft for either of them to make out.
“Say it again, Izuku.” All for One told him. “Louder, this time. I need to hear you.”
“Yes!” Izuku whined, desperate to get it over with. He’d said it. He wasn’t sure he believed it, but he’d said it. It wasn’t the answer he’d been hoping for and he started crying again. He didn’t want it to be true.
All for One sighed deeply, then kissed Izuku’s forehead. “There. It’s finally in the open. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Now can I go home?” Izuku begged, hating the way the villain was holding him more tenderly now, keeping him pressed tight against his chest.
The chest rumbled as All for One laughed. “I think I’ll keep you here for a while. After all, my future self doesn’t know you very well it seems, so I might as well take this chance for the both of us. But I’m sure I’ll be waiting for you when you get back, now that you know the truth.”
“No.” Izuku begged. “Please, just let me go home. I want to go home. I don’t want to stay with you. Don’t make me, please.”
“Call me Dad and maybe I’ll change my mind.” All for One replied jokingly.
“Please, Dad.” Izuku begged, ready to say anything he needed to if it meant he could go home.
All for One laughed. “That was really cute, Izuku. Do it again.”
“Dad please!” Izuku begged again, more desperate this time.
All for One cooed, letting Izuku cling to him. He rocked him gently, hushing his cries and pleas until Izuku fell asleep in his arms. Izuku could feel the arms around him most of the night and he worried that they would never let him go.
All for One hummed softly to himself as he ran his fingers through Izuku's hair. Izuku was laying with his head in his father's lap, looking at the television screen without watching it.
"Are you not having fun, Izuku?" All for One asked.
Izuku didn't answer. He had been getting quieter and quieter the last few days.
"Izuku?" All for One gave his shoulder a gentle shake. "What's wrong?"
Izuku's eyes turned up to him at last. He looked depressed and drawn back. He didn't answer.
"What are you thinking about?" All for One smoothed his hair down again.
"Mom." Izuku replied softly, then quickly averted his eyes as they began to water.
All for One smiled. Izuku tried not to, but he spoke about his mother often. He knew the boy was worried about her and that they had a close relationship. He'd drilled enough information out of Izuku about his future wife to be satisfied. He was eager to meet her, though it would be around 100 years before she was even born. He didn't want to come off too strong when they met, he couldn't be a total creep.
"Don't worry, my future self is taking good care of her until you get back." All for One promised.
"How would you know that?" Izuku sniffed and wiped his eyes.
"Because my future self knows you're here, obviously." All for One chuckled. "We're different, you have to understand. I love you, Izuku, but not the same way I will in the future."
Izuku snorted at that and gave him a small glare. "Why do I find that hard to believe?"
All for One did love Izuku. He loved to tease him and pet him and make him vulnerable in front of him. He loved to control Izuku. He loved to bend Izuku's strong will to suit his own tastes. But in the future, he was sure he would have a much purer love for his cute little son.
"Izuku, baby, I do love you." All for One told him. "Haven't I been taking good care of you?"
"You've been keeping me in a vault." Izuku glared and squirmed to avoid his hand as it came down to pet him again. All for One noticed the way his eyes fixated on the small hole in his palm.
All for One settled his palm firmly down on Izuku's head. "I can't have you running away from me, baby. You might get hurt."
Izuku winced and pursed his lips, face paling a little. He had asked All for One before not to touch him so much, claiming he didn't like physical touch. But All for One couldn't help forcing him to snuggle with him. He loved how helpless it made the little hero and how completely in control he was. And Izuku was the perfect size to cuddle, he couldn't help himself.
"I can't send you back home to your mother injured, can I?" All for One went on, trying to provoke him. He liked arguing with Izuku too. He loved the flush of emotions that would come over him, just like Yoichi.
Izuku's glare flickered back to him and he saw the boy pout with the effort to hold back an angry reply. Unable to resist, All for One pinched one of his round cheeks and watched his face flare with barely controlled anger.
"Izuku." All for One purred his name in the playful tone that he knew the boy hated. "Are you ignoring me?"
Izuku sat up abruptly and slid to the far end of the couch. "Leave me alone." He snapped.
"Don't be like that, son." All for One joined him, trapping him under his arm.
"You are not my dad." Izuku tried to shrug him off.
All for One sighed. "Baby, you know that isn't true. Why do you keep lying to yourself like this?"
"You can't be my dad because I haven't been born yet." Izuku huffed. "S-So no matter who you are in the future, that's not who you are now."
All for One tipped his head back and laughed loudly, making Izuku wince. "That's so cute, Izuku. But nothing is going to change that future. We're family, Izuku. We'll always be family."
"I hate you." Izuku said it under his breath, but not quietly enough to hide the break in his voice.
All for One pretended not to hear. He squeezed Izuku closer and nestled his nose into Izuku's hair, planting several kisses on top of his head. "I love you, son." He replied.
Izuku's shoulders lurched with the sob that he wasn't able to contain. "How much longer are you going to keep me here?"
All for One pulled Izuku back into his lap, holding him tightly in place when Izuku tried to push him away. "I would keep you here forever if I could." He admitted. "But my future self would hate me for it, your mother too, I'm sure. I'm sure that me or my future self will find a way to get you back soon. Until then, I'm going to enjoy having you."
"You're not even looking!" Izuku cried, weakly kicking his legs and squirming. "How can you look when you're always with me?"
"Didn't you forget, baby? I'm a Dealer, I have plenty of people to do the work for me. You're lucky you came to me- no one else in the world has the resources I do."
"Then what's taking you so long?" Izuku nearly screamed.
All for One patiently started rocking him from side to side to calm him down. "Unlike your time, people tend to hide their Quirks nowadays. And they're not as strong as they are in your day either. Be patient, bunny."
Izuku stiffened. All for One saw a sudden burst of rage in his eyes. "What did you just call me?" He demanded, his cheeks flushing red.
All for One held in a laugh. "What's wrong, little one?" He hadn't realized that giving Izuku a pet name would get a reaction like this.
"Don't ever call me that again." Izuku growled, One for All flashing in his eyes.
All for One held back a coo of delight. Izuku was so cute when he was angry. "Have none of your friends told you that your hero costume looks like a bunny?" He asked. "And what about that bunny mask you were wearing when we first met? Or the way your nose twitches when you're mumbling?"
"Stop it!" Izuku shouted, more red than ever now.
"I think your mumbling is cute, bunny." All for One told him. "And very useful."
"Don't call me bunny!" Izuku shouted.
All for One looked down at Izuku's flushed face and watery eyes. "You really don't like it?" Izuku shook his head violently, making his curls whip back and forth with the effort. "All right." All for One conceded. "Don't cry, Izu."
"I'm not crying!" Izuku shouted, though there were tears running down his cheeks. He was exhausted from the mental and emotional strain he had been under in the weeks he had been in the villain's care.
All for One pulled Izuku in for a tight, nonnegotiable hug. "It's all right, Izuku." He promised. "I didn't mean to make you angry."
"I hate you." Izuku cried again. "I want to go home."
All for One felt a buzz from his phone and glanced at the screen over Izuku's shoulder. His heart dropped as he read the message, one he had been dreading since he had finally learned the truth. But Izuku didn't know. A few more days. He could take a few more days.
The villain kissed the side of Izuku's head. "I'm going to miss you when you go back." He said softly, surprising himself with the amount of sincerity he felt. "I wish I could keep you forever."
Izuku cried harder, leaning into All for One's embrace. He was tired, All for One guessed, but he was finally starting to accept the truth. He kissed him again and dismissed the notification. Izuku was his for a few more days, and then, in another hundred years, Izuku would be his forever.
Izuku watched All for One warily. Even after three full weeks, he still hadn't gotten used to seeing his father's face being worn by the villain. In a way it made him very sad, knowing that the father he had loved so much as a child was gone forever. Even if he hadn't discovered his true identity, the All for One of the future had been permanently disfigured by All Might. He was gone and Izuku wouldn't ever have a chance to properly mourn for him.
All for One reached out and took Izuku's face in his hands. Over the weeks, his face had slowly become more and more genuine in the care he showed there. He looked Izuku over, brushing his hair back, rubbing nonexistent dirt away from his cheek, making sure there were no tears to wipe away. He let out a half sigh. "I'm going to miss you, little one."
Izuku gave him a tired glare in reply, but didn't say anything.
"Of course, you won't have time to miss me." All for One smiled this time. "I'm sure I'll be waiting for you as soon as you get back."
Izuku suddenly pulled away. He had dreamed of returning to his own time every night. In those dreams, the future was safe. Safe from All for One, back with his friends and teachers and-
"You didn't think I wouldn't come for you, did you?" All for One asked with an amused expression.
"I-!" Izuku stopped himself, feeling sick. All for One was in the future too, even more powerful and dangerous than he was now. "Please don't."
"Why on earth would I leave you when you finally know the truth?" All for One chuckled at Izuku's panicked expression. "Of course I'll come to take you home."
"No!" Izuku grabbed his arm to beg. "Please, please, can't things just stay the way they are? Can't you let me stay at U.A.? Please! You never cared before! Please, dad, please let me stay!"
"Absolutely not." All for One replied firmly.
Izuku's eyes instantly flooded. "That isn't fair! You never cared about me or what I did or where or went! You can't just take me like that! It's kidnapping!"
"You're my son, Izuku. It isn't kidnapping."
Izuku shook his head. "It is if you're a villain!"
"Villain or not, I am your father, Izuku. You belong with me. I gave you fifteen years to yourself, and now it's time for you to come home with me."
Izuku stumbled back a few steps, wanting to put space between them. As if that space could somehow change the truth. He knew that All for One meant every word he was saying. He planned to take him away again, away from his school and his friends and his dreams. He tried to think of something, anything, he could say.
"C-Can't you wait?" He begged. "Can't you let me say goodbye first? T-To my friends?"
All for One seemed to consider this for a moment. "All right. I'll give you a day to say your goodbyes, then I'll be taking you home."
It wasn't much of a win, just a little extra time. Izuku wondered if it would be enough time to find a real solution. It would have to be. So he nodded. "Okay. Send me back please." He couldn't wait to see home again. All Might, U.A., his friends, his mother… even if it was only for a day.
"Give me a kiss goodbye."
Izuku made a face and turned away. "Gross." He muttered.
"Come on now, bunny. Otherwise you can't go home."
Izuku flushed and glared harder, drying his eyes. "I'm still going to hate you in the future. Even more than I do now."
All for One just chuckled at him, bending down so Izuku could press a quick kiss into his cheek. "I miss you already." He grabbed Izuku and hugged him. "I can't wait to see you again."
Izuku didn't reply or return the embrace. He was exhausted. He just wanted to go home.
All for One smiled at him and gave him a final squeeze. "I'll see you soon, baby. I love you."
"I wish I still loved you." Izuku replied numbly.
All for One laughed. "When are you going to stop lying to me, Izuku? Just tell the truth and we'll all be happy."
But Izuku didn't think it was funny.
All for One checked his watch for the hundredth time. The time had never passed so slowly. He paced back and forth, ignoring the aches in his body. Not for the first time, he found himself walking down to the vault. He often found himself standing inside the door, expecting Izuku to be there. But he never was, and All for One would get a strange ache in his chest.
Today, All for One opened the door and pushed it open. He'd already had the vault cleaned up, no dust or spiderweb or stale air. In the corner was the old mattress, the bedding laying exactly as it had around Izuku when he’d slept there last. All for One knew he needed to wash the blankets and replace the sheets and mattress, but with Izuku gone for so long it had been hard to let go of.
But Izuku wouldn't want to sleep on such old bedding, so All for One made a mental note to have it replaced today. All for One smiled and reached out to run a hand along the wall. There was Yoichi’s signature, scraped deep into the walls. Yoichi Shigaraki and under it One for All. All for One traced his hand down further from the older message to find a slightly newer one. Izuku Midoriya and below that Deku. Yoichi’s writing was now nearly two hundred years old, and Izuku's was a hundred.
Today was the day. The day he had been waiting for. Izuku would be coming home today, and tomorrow he would be coming home. All for One turned away from the wall. He didn't need to worry about things going wrong anymore. There had been a few close calls, but he had never lost Izuku. At least, not until the villain attack a few days ago that had caused Izuku to disappear without a trace. But All for One hadn't worried about that. If anything, he had breathed a deep sigh of relief. He was a bit jealous that his past self was getting so much time with his son, but he knew that in the end, he was going to be the one who got to keep Izuku.
"You've waited a hundred years." He muttered to himself. "You can wait one more day."
But he really couldn't wait. Izuku wouldn't be too mad, would he? He grinned, turning to leave the vault. No, he really couldn't wait. It was time for him to collect Izuku and bring him home. Maybe then Izuku could finally accept the truth.