It had taken him a while to listen to the terrors Bakugou had faced before calming him down enough to quickly leave and call his parents to the station. With Midoriya unconscious and locked with a quirk-proof cell, the police officers, Nezu and Detective Tsukauchi were led into an interview. Aizawa lingered in the back of the room as they questioned Bakugou again, with his parents by his side, on the events of the week; this time Tsukauchis quirk recording each answer as truth.
It was completely heart-wrenching to hear, listening to his brave student tear up over his traumatic experiences twice within the same day, leaving Aizawa grimacing again as he stuck through and listened to it all again; in some attempt to be a familiar face to the Bakugous, in their unfamiliar situation.
"What about Midoriya? What's going to happen to him?"
The young Bakugou's words were painful to listen to, as he distraughtly asked what was going to happen to his green-haired classmate. Aizawa was grateful that Nezu had replied and told him that they were going to try and keep Midoriya safe and secure at UA; the weight of the world seemingly dropping off the child's back leaving only his traumas and mental anguish to rest, at least for now.
After the interview was over the Bakugous' went home, Aizawa notifying them about the dorm visit the school would be having in the coming week to talk about the dorms, leaving the UA staff and Police to discuss the final factors of Izuku's fate.
"I don't believe we need to worry about Midoriya trying to resist the conditions he will have to follow during his stay at UA." Nezu began, addressing a police officer's concerns about the possibilities of Midoriya trying to escape, "However, I do believe he may become a bit of a flight risk. Not in terms of causing more harm to people around him but more towards himself."
A few faces around the room grimaced at the uncomfortable possibilities. They didn't need to be reminded of Midoriya's personality to know the guilt and shame of the violent acts he had committed would constantly weigh heavily on his mind. Midoriya had the heart of a hero, and the weight of all the death he must have been dragging heavily behind him.
Anyone with any common sense would realize, even though the situation was deadly unfavorable, Midoriya had done what he needed to do to survive and to protect the people around him; no matter how much pressure insolent and uninformed people put on them, they couldn't fault him for that.
"I have no doubt that being placed under so many restrictions and banning him from his core hero lessons, to avoid quirk usage until we can find a sustainable food source for him, will take its toll on him." Nezu continued on, "We will certainly need to keep an eye on him."
Aizawa nodded with agreement from where he was sitting, tucked up within one of his many yellow sleeping bags, as he left forwards to give his response.
"I agree, Midoriya is a strong-willed student, the amount of stress and trauma he's been through in just the last few days alone would be enough to make even some heroes go insane and quit." He began, drawing the attention of the people around the room, "The new white patches of hair on his head already show the physical signs of deep-laid trauma and stress."
A few silent nods were shared around the room as Aizawa lowered his gaze down to the paperwork on the table in front of him, thinking back to notes already given to them.
"The spread of the patches has slowed thankfully, but it's vital that we keep a close watch on his mentality to keep him and the others who will be around him safe."
He paused for a moment as he remembered the details Bakugou had given him.
"Although I have no concerns about him possibly attacking his classmates when he didn't lay a finger on Bakugou while they were held hostage by the league, and considering the situation, I feel like if he was ever to even accidentally harm someone, he would have done it then."
One of the police officers, who were clearly sceptical of their ideas, spoke up cautiously.
"But how do you know Bakugou wasn't lying to keep his classmate safe? Are you sure it's a good idea to keep Midoriya with all the other UA students? I mean, with all of the restrictions put in place, aren't you worried it will be too much for him and make him lash out at his classmates?"
Aizawa narrowed his eyes.
"I feel that it's quite unjustified to compare him to some psycho in a mental hospital, officer. He risked his livelihood coming to train to be a hero at UA with the quirk he was unfairly given. He had every chance to join the league of villains and work for them and so far we have no evidence that points to his cooperation with the league. He came back to us willingly, knowing the consequences he would face."
The officer visibly grimaced at Aizawa's harsh words as Tsukauchi quickly spoke up to ease the tension which was quickly forming around the erasure hero.
"During the interview with the Bakugou family everything young Bakugou-san said registered as true, I can confirm that Midoriya never once harmed Bakugou during their captivity together."
Tsukauchi began in an even tone,
"Furthermore I was also able to confirm that Midoirya was the only reason they were able to escape both relatively unharmed during the time they were able to leave; even while, according to Bakugou, so hungry he was resorting to eating his own flesh to prevent harm to his classmate."
Deep intakes of shocked breath could be heard around the room from the graphic words the detective had described, the few who were already informed of the ordeal only grimacing in response.
The room fell silent for a moment before Nezu moved on to reassure the officer that his concerns weren't necessary.
"With the new protocol which is currently being put into place to accommodate Midoriya's eating arrangements and to take extra precautions for his own health and others, he won't be allowed off the school premises and will have to be supervised while eating every day to ensure he keeps his hunger down."
Nezu lowered his head as agreements filled the room, lowering his voice as he spoke to himself.
"Although, once he has woken up we need to conduct an interview and discuss something. I still need to ask him where he was able to source his food from for the last two months since neither of his friends is willing to give up answers, and Bakugou didn't even know of Midoriyas' secondary quirk until their summer camp."
A few murmurs were spread around the room as All Might, now out of his hero costume and in his civilian clothes, awkwardly cleared his throat to raise his own concerns as the people around the room turned to look at him.
"Has his mother been made aware of the situation? Young Midoriya has a strong connection with his mother, is she going to be allowed to see him?"
Nezu grimaced at All Might's words, thinking back to the conversation he had held with Midoriya's mother at their home residence.
"It took us a while to convince her, but we've informed her of Midoriya's unfortunate situation; and as to be expected, she didn't take it too well."
A few weary winces were shared around the room at the thought of Midoriya's mother learning that her son was the ghoul which had haunted the streets of Musutafu for villains over the last year or so.
"Mrs. Midoriya seemed rather against allowing him to continue his education here at UA to keep him safe and away from UA and its residence, however, she seemed more adamant of her decision after we had informed her of the effects his quirks had on his hunger and how affected his mental state as well; all the while getting his food delivered to their address."
Nezu let out a defeated sigh as he carried on speaking, looking down to the list of information he had available to him on the table below.
"Unfortunately for her, there are a lot of things which won't be possible under Midoriya's new restrictions. However, she is more than able to come and visit her son on school grounds whenever she may like. Along with that, he will not be participating in any of the core Heroic lessons until we can ensure his new diet is working."
He looked back towards the police officer who had spoken up earlier, speaking confidently and determinedly as he did so.
"The police and I have worked hard to keep this all highly confidential, however, there are many people still working in the task force who would like to see Midoriya behind the bars of Tartarus."
He paused momentarily, looking around the room towards the rest of his staff looking towards him for answers and a direction to walk in.
"Therefore, to keep as many people happy as possible, while abiding by some of the same restrictions that jail presents. Midoriya will not be allowed off the UA school campus at any point until he is deemed stable and trustworthy enough to be given permission to leave for extra school activities and supervised home visits; which will work in our favour as we keep him under observation for the time being."
Nezus statement was final. Leaving the few teachers who had been able to come to the police station at such short notice, and the officers and detective who had been called in last minute, all understood and agreed with the decisions made to keep Midoriya safe and the people around him.
Their meeting was slowly coming to a close, Aizawa decided to add his own input to confirm Nezus plan of action for the few unsure people within the room.
"These final decisions won't take place until we have interrogated Midoriya himself, we'll need to ensure that he wasn't working with the league and need to know his intentions first before we place him in UA." He began, the rest of the staff looking towards him, "All arrangements are standing on how Midoriy responds during his interrigat-"
A bang from the door fling open caught the heroes of officers around the room by surprise, the noise cutting off Aizawa's speech as they all looked over to see who had barged into the room.
An officer, with widened eyes, stood by the door; staring towards Nezu as he quickly spoke.
"Midoriya's woken up!"
All Might and Aizawa lurched forward, eyes widened, from their seats, and stood up as the rest of the people around the room followed them not far behind.
"What!"
The officer nodded urgently, grimly furrowing his brows as he spoke.
"He's limbs which were bleeding have healed into stumps but it seems as if he doesn't have the energy to regenerate his leg back and he's refusing to drink the blood packets we threw in the room with him."
Aizawa felt himself and the few of the others around him grimace, the police officer visibly on edge as he looked unsure about what to do.
"He's been out under quirk suppressors since we brought him in, but no one has gotten permission to enter his cell till recently; the police department are putting together a group in specialized kit to force-feed him."
Aizava brows shot up, All Might's expression not far behind, as they stood in shock at the officer's words.
Force-feeding?"
The officer winced as Aizawas words came out harsher than intended, the underground hero in shock at the idea.
"If we don't force-feed him, or at least get him to eat himself, the likelihood of him being kept here longer than necessary will increase." He began, the rational side of Aizawa's personality stepping forward as he quickly began to understand the officer's reasoning.
"The quirk restricting cuffs is causing him pain and can't be taken off until the interrogation is complete. We need to get it done as quickly as possible, so he can be transported to UA where it is more secure."
Whether they meant it was more secure for their own safety or Midoriyas, Aizawa was too tired to find out as his narrowed eyes softened wearily.
Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, he turned to look behind him where All Might was standing with a worried expression.
"Fine," Aizawa began, turning back to the officer as he quickly began walking towards the door before turning back to beckon Yagi to follow him, " Come on, let's help get this interrogation moving. If anyOne can get Midoriya to listen, it's you."
All Might stood tall in his hero form as he nodded silently, quickly stepping behind Aizawa as they hurried out the room towards where Midoriya was being held; the rest of the members of the meeting followed not far behind.
It didn't take long for them to hear the incessant crying coming through the speakers, his boy curled up against the wall as he clenched at his stomach, the blood pouches scattered over the floor as if they had been thrown in.
Aizawa cringed at the sight through the one-way mirror which separated them, the power of the quirk canceling cuffs having a much dire effect on him than originally anticipated, as memories that had hidden themselves beneath the surface came to light.
The similarities between the behaviour displayed now, and the time he had managed to use his erasure quirk on; the night he got the second scar on his cheek as he had chased his scared student across the city's skyline.
Watching his student crying in pain before he hurt.
Aizawa was sure he wasn't the only one who felt guilty watching on without being able to do anything about it at that moment, if All Might's unusually fidgety stance meant anything.
One of the officers who had been watching over Midoriya for the last few hours walked over and handed Aizawa a Microphone, his expression clearly bored from waiting for Midoriya to stop crying and do as they asked.
"The chief wants to interrogate him soon but we can't do that until he's healed and calmed down enough for Tsukauchi to confirm that he won't attack us or anyone else who enters his cell." The officer let out a tired sigh as if he thought the whole situation was too bothersome to deal with.
"Just, try and get him to drink something. We haven't got any of his uh- food currently, so he's just going to have to suffer for the moment."
Aizawa paused as he looked at the microphone getting shoved towards him, unsure about whether he was truly the best person for the job; knowing full well he wasn't partially a comforting person.
He cringed at the thought, subtly turning back to where All Might stood tall behind him, subtle beckoning the hero forward to take the microphone for him knowing that Midoriya and All Might had a far better relationship than he'd ever have with his students; no matter how much the number one hero choose to deny his favouritism.
All Might looked down at the underground hero as he gave him the beckoning side-eye, before grimacing and shaking his head as he saw Aizawa's eyes widen with surprise.
All Might sighed slightly as he thought of Midoriya's reaction would be once he learnt his idol was on the other side of the wall, whilst he was sitting in his jail cell.
Yagi knew Midoriya looked up to him, he knew the lengths Midoriya would go to prove himself worthy of holding the power of One-for-All; but he was also the number one hero, a hero well renowned across the world for his career in creating japan's low villain rate, and Midoriya knew that.
Yagi knew that Midoriya had been put in a situation where he was forced to commit the crime he had for the sake of people he cared about, for the sake of his own survival.
However, he also knew the great weight Midoriya must have been carrying over his head, the guilt and shame the boy would allow to manifest within himself because of the deeds he had committed; and looking at the sorry state the boy was in now, there was no way he would forgive himself easily, let alone All Might would.
With that being said, he didn't think he would be the best person to talk to Midoriya until the news of freedom back to UA and the UA staff's understanding and sympathy of the situation had been made clear.
"I think it would be better if you spoke to him, Aizawa-san. I don't think hearing the voice of the number one hero while sitting in a jail cell is going to bring him much comfort.
Aizawa nodded slowly before turning back to the officer to take the microphone from his hand, carefully not knocking it until he stood right in front of the glass, peering into the room as he spoke; praying Midoriya would recognize his voice through the static speaker.
"Midoriya?" Aizawa felt the eyes of the occupants of the room fall upon him, his grasp on the microphone clenching tightly as he called out Midoriya's name to try and catch his attention.
There wasn't much of a reaction, Midoriya only shifting slightly as he curled further into himself leaving Aizawa grimacing at the thoughts that could have been raging through that poor boy's mind.
But that small movement was enough for Aizawa to know Midoriya was listening loud and clear, giving Aizawa a rush of relief he didn't know he needed as he leant forward to speak into the microphone again; at least his student was still coherent enough to hear him.
"Midoriya, I need you to listen to me." He began, his eyebrows narrowed seriously as he spoke, desperately hoping that his student would listen to his familiar voice.
Midoriya shifted again, slowly turning his head around to look over towards the speaker the one-way mirror as tears that had been trailing down his face came into view. His single blood-red iris visible, as his hunger forced its activation through the quirk suppressors which clawed at his stomach; giving Aizawa and All Might a chance to see Midoriya's ghoul identity clear in the light for the first time.
Aizawa swallowed down the uncomfortable lump in his throat as he continued on, peering down onto Midoriya, trying to keep a professional stance in front of the officers around the room as he spoke.
"Midoriya, we're here to interrogate you for your connections to the league of villains and the crimes you have committed over the last seventeen months." Aizawa began seriously, before letting out a strained breath at the terrified sight of his student as Midoriya rolled back over away from them, "We have reason to believe that the crimes you committed were not done willingly, even if you were forced by your own hand."
Aizawa paused as he let his words sink in.
"We need you to cooperate with us so we can prevent the worst possible outcome from happening."
Midoriya's future had already been decided, but as much as Aizawa hated to admit it, it was best to keep that from him as long as possible; there was always a chance he was working with the league of villains. Even with Tsukauchis quirk, Midoriya was incredibly smart, avoiding police capture for so long; there was always the possibility of Midoriya finding a way around it.
Aizawa looked back around the room at all the eyes watching intently through the window, before turning back as he felt his demeanor soften.
"Midoriya, you're very lucky to have such loyal friends who care about you so much. We want to try and help you as much as possible but we can't unless you cooperate with us. If you refuse to eat you'll have to remain in solitary confinement until you die from starvation."
It was harsh, but Aizawa knew that Midoriya needed to be told the truth and understand the reality of the situation he was in. He released his finger from the microphone as he canceled out the connection to the speakers, watching silently as Midoriya jolted slightly at the mention of his friends as All Might stepped up beside him; both watching silently as Midoriya slowly began to move from the protective position he was laying in.
"You've done well, Aizawa-san." All Might began after a while, Aizawa nodded slightly as he lowered his head into his capture weapon, not bothering to reply as they watched Midoriya reach over hesitantly towards one of the blood pouches before rolling back guiltily away, prompting the police officers on the other side of the glass to start preparing for the interrogation.
It was a start, at least. A start to a long road ahead of them.
Midoriya had been through enough trauma to last over multiple lifetimes, and yet from his actions during the training camp and what his friends said was true, his heart seemed to still be full of gold.
Aizawa could only hope Midoriya would be able to follow the road far enough to become the hero he knew his student could be.
The world came back to Midoriya slowly, firstly the lights, then the sounds. Finally, it was the pain, oh god the pain.
He felt as if he was five seconds away from starving to death, as agony rippled through his body like lightning, his stomach feeling as if it was being torn out from his stomach.
His screamed cries of pain rippled throughout the rook as his blurred eyesight slowly came back to him through the rivers of tears trailing down his cheeks.
It took a while for his coherent thoughts to make their way through the screams in his mind, slowly remembering the ordeals which had occurred and the situation he had landed himself in.
He was in a jail cell. He had finally been caught.
Izuku felt his tears trail across his face as he laid flat on the ground, looking around the bare room, the single blinding light on the ceiling along with the mirror opposite him the only things preventing him from seeing the eerie similarities between here at the dinghy cell All for One had kept him hostage in.
He let out a strained gasp as he felt all the stress and anxiety which had built up over him over the last year come crashing down, his chest hurting as his heart began to play up from the lack of oxygen entering his body.
Tears rolled down his face harshly as he rolled over to face the wall, blocking out the blinding light from his eyes as he snapped them shut, only his back left facing the white wall behind him; coughing outcries and splutters as he did so.
Izuku brought his hands up to his face as he dug his fingers into his jaw, with the agony from his stomach and his anguish attacking his mind, Midoriya felt as if his world was on fire; his lungs burning and body shaking as tears trickled onto his fingertips, leaving him trying to calm his rapid breath.
It was only after his tears began to slow down that he noticed the intense scaring from his fingers reaching down to his knuckles, from the repetitive self-mutilation he had participated in; the sight of his marred skin leaving his gasping his shock and horror. His fingertips covered his bright pink, fresh scaring.
Izuku lurched back at the sight, remembering the sorry state his leg had been in after Shiggarakis quirk had destroyed it, before shifting in a way that revealed his leg to him.
Or well, what was left of it, as the destroyed skin of his lower leg from his knee was missing; leaving only a ghastly stump of pink, tender skin in its place.
Izuku felt his eyes widen in horror, his leg had not regenerated back..!
He lay frozen at a loss for what to do, his palms holding the remains of his leg as closely as he could as he thought of the possible whys to this situation.
It was hard to tell he was truly starving with the quirk suppression cuffs taunting and overruling his senses.
He laid like this for what seemed like hours, his overwhelmed senses clawing at the front of his mind as he bawled carelessly aloud for all in that tiny room to hear, his cries ringing out past the door and down the corridor as his teachers unknowingly arrived on the other side of the glass.
Only visibly flinching as a few packets of what he could smell as human blood was thrown into the room and onto the floor behind him, causing him to curl up further within himself as he felt the overwhelming feelings of shame and guilt overcome him; knowing that this was real and that the people waiting on the other side of that door knew exactly the kind of monster he was.
Izuku curled into himself further, clamping his eyes shut. He could only hope they wouldn't make him wait too much time before they put him out of his misery.
The static of a speaker starting made him jump, eyes wide as he froze in place as a familiar voice came rattling throughout the room.
"Midoriya, I need you to listen to me."
Izuku felt his eyes widening further, shock and fear filling his petrified core as he felt the overwhelming feeling of guilt and despair overcome him. His sensei watched his pathetic state, knowing the kind of monster he had become, how unworthy he was of becoming a hero knowing the betrayal and pain he had caused.
"Midoriya, we're here to interrogate you for your connections to the league of villains and the crimes you have committed over the last seventeen months."
Izukd wasn't surprised they thought he had been working with the league, even if they were wrong, but at least it looked like his time was quickly coming to a close.
A/N I have a question for everyone reading this story who would go on a date with Astolfo don't lie I know someone of y'all would 🤣 can't blame y'all when I first show him I thought he we was a girl when I found out he was a boy I didn't know how I felt after that but maybe I would no homo
see y'all next chapter tho✌️
The interrogation was far from what Izuku had anticipated, his senseis' otherworldly words still swirling unbelievably in his mind.
The blood pouches they had thrown in with him were shamefully good, as he drank from them facing away from what he now realized was a one-way mirror; where he assumed Aizawa sensei was stood watching him along with whoever else was standing beyond the door.
"Midoriya, you're very lucky to have such loyal friends who care about you so much."
Izuku had cringed at his words, the thought that his friends had possibly risked their placement at UA for his sake. What had his friends confessed to the authorities? What had they done to make Aizawa sensei say that?
"We want to try and help you as much as possible but we can't unless you cooperate with us. If you refuse to eat you'll have to remain in solitary confinement until you die from starvation.
It wasn't long after he had hesitantly drunk all the blood pouches, with some encouragement from Aizawa to push him through his own disgust and self-hatred, that a second unknown voice rattled through the speakers installing weary fear into his soul.
"Midoriya, my name is Tsukauchi, I believe we may have met or not before. I need you to answer a few questions before our interrogations begin."
Midoriya had shifted awkwardly as he had turned to sit up, his sunken tired eyes slowly looking up towards the mirror as he had replied.
"Alright..."
He had answered a few questions honestly before the speakers shut off and a few officers walked into the room along with Aizawa sense not far behind. Midoriya had felt his eyes widen with surprise seeing him enter the room, even after hearing his voice through the speaking before lowering his head shamefully as he came face to face with his sensei.
The questions which followed carried on and on for hours as he answered everyone as honestly and truthfully as he could; not bothering to keep back any details now as he told them in depth about the night his friend had attacked and tried to kill him.. There was no point anyway, he was caught.
When the topic of the league of villains, and his association came up, Izuku wasted no time confessing to the police about Hagakure's involvement and the information leaks she had committed; which had resulted in the attacks on the USJ and the summer training trip.
It was only as he was confessing his knowledge of the spy to his sensei's face did he feel the drowning emotions of guilt and shame.
Seeing up and close in person the damage he had caused on his sensei's cheek, and withholding information on who had leaked the information which had caused the other scar under his eye and the pain she had caused to all of his classmates.
It made him feel horrible, leaving him asking himself why couldn't he have just confessed and prevented all this in the first place, every time he looked up into Aizawa-sensei's tired, saddened eyes.
It wasn't until a few days later, when he was back in the dorms, that he was told that Hagakure had already fled and not returned to UA. The police who had been behind the one way glass quickly launched an arrest warrant, as Tsukauchi had given the signal for Midoriya's claim to be true, only to find the girl already long gone.
That information had not gone down well with Izuku, leaving him feeling even more bitter and sick in the stomach.
Exhaustion dragging though his head as the interrogation slowly came to a close, distracting himself trying to guess the detectives quirk, who sat besides his sensei to ass the time. It took a few hours for him to come to a reasonable conclusion, a truth quirk, and it was probably the only reason why they where interrogating him at that moment and accepting his truthful answers without and comment.
The sudden thought had caused him to tense up slightly as he had eyed the detective, scared and curious about why he hadn't called him out about the origins of his 'original' quirk once he ha asked him about his ghoul quirk and how it worked.
If he was going to comment on it, Izuku supposed, he already would have called him out about it; all he was worried about was how he was going to face All Might and give up the power of One for All.
"Thank you for being honest with us, Midoriya" the detective had begun, as he had started packing up his paperwork as he offered Midoriya a smile. The comment made Izuku feel far more relieved than he should have, considering the terrifying situation he was still stuck in.
Too soon it felt as if the interrogation had come to a close. Aizawa offered Midoriya a chance to ask his own questions, in a tone which was far too kind for a monster like him, which he almost declined before hesitating and opening his tired jaw to ask. His dark eyes and sunken facial features, from the lack of food, broke Aizawa's heart as he peered up at him.
"A-am i g-going to prison..?"
Midoriya could only watch Aizawa's eyes widen slightly with shock as he sat in his place, feeling so small and insecure, as his sensei offered him a relieving "No."
Izuku had dragged out a long sigh as the answer filled his mind with relief before asking pausing into a momentary silence, thankful that he would have a chance to give All Might back the power he held, sucking in a sharp breath as he asked the two men if it was possible for him to talk to his Number One hero.
Aizawa and Tsukauchi had shared a look of surprise, as Midoriya's dark circles eyes peered up to them desperately as they stood up to leave him in the plain room again.
Aizawa had grimaced a little, knowing that Yagi would have heard his students' words as he stood feel away behind him, as he gave Midoriya an agreeing nod.
"All right, I'll ask him for you."
And that was all Midoriya could ask for, letting out a sigh or relief as he slumped back into the chair he was sat in, the tension from his body draining out before another thought had popped into his head.
He hadn't considered whether All Might would even want to see him.
Izuku grimaced in thought, he could only hope his mentor didn't hate him for the crimes he had committed enough to not even want to look at him. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the horrible possibility certainly wasn't out the window.
Izuku could only hope that even if All Might was infuriated out of his mind, as long as Midoriya had a chance to give back One for All, that's all that mattered to him.
"You heard him, Yagi. He wants to see you."
The room behind the one way mirror had slowly emptied over the course of the interview, leaving only Yagi in his deflated form alone in the dim room, looking into the interrogation room at the successor he cared so deeply about.
Bakugou and Midoriya had both been missing for three days, each with their own injuries and mental scars to heal from now they had made their own way back home to safety.
Yagi lowered his head with guilt and shame, thinking back to their failed attempt to rescue the boys, only to come back empty handed. The word Shigaraki had spoken in those few hours between the raid and the phone call he had received of their escape was still haunting him deep in the back of his mind.
He could only remember feeling grief so strong once in his lifetime before, the memory of his own mentor flashing before his mind as he watched his own successor fidget awkwardly in his seat as if the poor boy would vanish before their eyes.
It already looked as if part of the boy he had once known was missing from inside the exhausted child in front of them. The dark circles, extensive scars on his fingers and missing limb broke Yagi's heart to witness; leaving the hero praying that the kind hearted, heroic boy was still strong enough to face his fight back to recovery.
It would be a long, tough journey Midoriya would have to take; but this time Yagi had no intention of letting the boy walk the long narrow line alone again.
The thought brought him back to the present as he stared in disbelief as he heard the words calling for him fall from Midoriya mouth, just as Aizawa and Tsukauchi walked out of the room leaving the boy behind.
Yagi looked over to his co-worker, looking for confirmation as Tsukauchi gave him the 'all clear' as he peered over to the hero besides who gave him a subtle nod as he spoke.
"We were right, Yagi. Midoriya told his friends' the truth. He's never been affiliated with the leave."
The second wave of relief drained all the tension remaining in Yagi's body, slumping as all the fear and worry for his successor drained away, as he peered back at the boy sitting alone.
Yagi could only hear his heart thumping erratically as his sole concentration was dedicated to the poor green haired boy curled back up into himself on the bench, his tufts of white hair poking out in odd places as he shifted in his seat.
He had thought that all this time Midoriya would have resented him for not being able to see the issues which he had lurking beneath the surface, or that the poor boy would have been afraid of him because of his hero status.
He thought Midoriya may have assumed he despised him for the actions he had taken with his own hands, but Yagi knew that heart was pathetically soft for the boy, and the bond he shared with his successor made it impossible for hinto do or say anything that would draw hate.
No matter the rumours or gossip shared, there had never been a moment that Yagi had believed that he worked for the league. He'd trusted his successor with his life's legacy, and he had never doubted his decision.
Even with the ghoul quirk Midoriya had kept hidden, he knew the power he possessed, and the actions it forced him to take, wasn't his fault; Yagi just wished that Midoriya had trusted him enough and had spoken to him soon...
He wouldn't deny that the secrets that had been kept from him didn't hurt but he wasnt stupid enough not to realise the fear and anxiety his student must have been battling on his own. He just hoped Midoriya wasn't asking for him for the sole purpose of seeing his own intentions with him.
Whether Midoriya was asking for him for alternative reasons or not, at least this was an opportunity for him to reassure the boy that all fears and doubts he had for him were all unwarranted.
Yagi stifled a sigh, taking a deep shaken breath as he walked over to the door beside the mirror, looking at Aizawa who offered him a nod as he walked into the room.
It was a lot warmer than he had expected it to be, the bright lights on the ceiling causing his eyes to burn at their intensity a little as he quickly closed the door behind him, the sound catching Midoriya's attention as his face shot up from where it was resting.
The green haired boy's widened eyes watched him intensely as his small, less intimidating form stood on the opposite side of the room, before looking down shamefully and lowering his face into his crossed arms as he muttered something out; fresh tears clearly falling from his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I-im so sorry, All Might, I- Oh my god. I can't tell you how sorry I am.!"
His successors sobs broke Yagi's heart, the older man feeling his face crumple with mirroring sorrow as the poor boy clearly worked himself into a panicked frenzy, his breathing rapidly beginning to increase.
Yagi couldn't help himself as he quickly walked across the room and pulled the crying boy into his arms, silencing his apologies as he gently pushed on the back of Midoriya's head until the boy's chin was resting comfortingly on his shoulder; his own tears quickly coming through as he did so.
Midoriya's eyes had widened dramatically with shock as he let out an audible gasp of air at his mentor's actions, silencing his splutters before he felt another overwhelming wave of guilt overcame him.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry All Might. You probably hate me, I'm so sorry"
Yagi pulled him further into the hug at his depressing words, whispering words of indisputable comfort and care all the while.
"It's alright Midoriya, it's alright. I'm so sorry "Yagi began, wrapping his other arm around the boy's back as he tugged him closer to settle him. "I didn't see the pain you must have been going through. It's not your fault, young Midoriya, it's not your fault. I don't hate you, I could never hate you."
Midorya freezed in his arms at his word, a silent gasp of air rushing past his ear as the flow of tears continued pouring from their eyes; never once ceasing to stop.
Yagi listened carefully to his student in his arms, counting down the seconds until the poor boy slowly got his breath back, before relaxing into his arms as he gave up his feeble attempt to escape from his arms.
Midoriya lowered his head back into the crook of his mentor's neck, as he tried to seek out the comfort of human touch that he had avoided ever since he had been cursed with the power he had newer wanted. Grabbing a hold of Yagi's baggy shirt tightly, as if he was going to vanish from his arms, only the comforting palms of his hands holding back the flood gates beneath his eyes.
The pair sat like that for a while, not sure how long had passed as both their tears ran empty and dried up, before Yagi slowly opened his mouth to talk to his successor for the first time in a world free from the lies and deception kept hidden between them.
" heard you had asked if you were going to be sent to prison, i can assure you i wont allow that to happen, my boys."
Midoriya lowered his head further into his mentor's shirt with a poor hidden cringe, muttering out a few words Yagi had only managed to catch the end off.
"I deserve to be thrown in prison."
Yagi had almost pulled his head away with shock, if it wasn't for the intense grip he felt coming from the boy beside him, as he felt his heart begin to break again at his depressing words.
"Oh Midoriya, it's not your fault, you were in a situation where you weren't given a choice...
Midoriya slowly shook his head, the movement barely visible as he began to oppose, only to freeze halfway through his words as a terrifying memory struck him.
"All Might, I-"
Yagi tilted his head with concern as he looked down at his student with furrowed eyes, his heart freezing with worry as he saw the suddenly terrified expression crawling on Midoriya's face.
"Midoriya, what's wrong? Please tell me?"
Midoriya's stiff form slowly lifted away from his neck as he turned to stare his sensei in the eyes, horror glazing them mirroring into Yagis' as they caught his own.
"All Might. You were wrong, All for one is still alive!
Midoriya began, his words making Yagis' world freeze as he lurched back in shared horror, zoning in on his student's voice and nothing else alone.
"He's alive! He tried to take the ghoul quirk and force me to give him one for all...'
It was at that moment that Yagi knew he must have been lying to himself, as he felt his heart freeze with horror and disgust, because in that moment he realised he and never felt the true power of rage and hate fuel his body before.
He felt his face fold visibly with anger as he tried to keep his tone kind.
"Young Midoriya, I'm going to need you to tell me where he is."
Midoriya sniffed loudly, his voice shakily weak as he spoke, before leaning back into All Might for another comforting hug.
"If I'm allowed to, All Might, I think I could show you-"
Yagi felt his eyes widen as he felt a wave of urgency overcame him as he interrupted his students' words, swiftly pulling away from his student as he moved his arms to grab ahold of his shoulders to ensure he heard his student voice clearly.
"Midoriya, what do you mean?"
Midoriya looked up at Yagi with surprise at his sudden reaction before awkwardly lowering his head in shame as he hesitated before slowly confessing some of the power behind his cursed abilities.
"My sense of smell is strong enough it allows me to follow where people have been, He kept coming into the cell before Bakugou was thrown in with me to try and get..." He paused, shaking his head as he looked away slightly before continuing, "| remember what he smells like, if it hasn't rained since we escaped and we go back to the building we escaped, should be able to find him..
Midoriya paused before sighing with a grimace, remembering the warping villain Kurogiri, as he quickly realised a problem they would probably run into.
"That as long as they haven't teleported away..."
All Might felt a wave of relief and resolve come over him, his thoughts zoning in on the practical use that Midoriyas quirk would have in possibly taking down the formidable villain, All for One.
"Midoriya," Yagi began, quickly replying as he spoke in a serious tone, "I've told you before how dangerous All for One can be, and now you have faced him yourself, but we need to act as quickly as possible to catch him before it's too late"
Yagi looked to Midoriya as he stressed his words, his tone and furrowed brows softening slightly as he saw the shock in the boy's eyes at his own desperate response.
" never wanted for you to have to see that despicable man, I want to keep you as far away from him as possible and protect you from him so you never have to see him again, but l'll see what I can do."
Midoriya sat back overwhelmed by All Might's worriful words as Yagi sighed and gently released Midoriya from his grip, quickly moving to stand up as he looked back down at his student.
"You've been very brave, young Midoriya. I promise that... After this is all over, we will talk again, and I will help you in any and every way I can."
Midoriya could only nod in silence as Yagi quickly walked out of the room, leaving his student behind as he revealed the grimace hidden beneath his angry face.
Fighting All for One was going to be hard, and Yagi was determined to do anything he could to take him down all the while keeping his successor safe.
There wasn't time to make big preparations like with the raid before, they needed to get moving now.
Yagi needed to get Midoriya out of the police station as soon as possible, so he could take them back to the building he had been tortured in, to find the despicable villain. Even if he couldn't get permission in time to take Midoriya out of the station, he wouldn't be against breaking him out to find All on One before taking him out alone.
Either way he knew it was necessary to get
Midoriya out of that cell for his own well-being as soon as possible; after all, there was nothing in this world he wouldn't do for his Successors health.
The thought alone of taking Midoriya anywhere near that villain left him feeling bitter and disgusted with himself, All Might knew he had a responsibility to take down All for One for the memory of his Mentor, the previous holders of One for All and the people of Japan.
He could only hope the pressing thought at the back of his mind, on whether he would make it back alive to keep his promise, wouldn't come true.
Thankfully, All Might didn't need to break Midoriya out of his cell, as Gran Torino had walked in and listened to the final part of Midoriya's words after racing to the station after hearing he was safe and sound.
With the two heroes combined, it didn't take long for the pair of them to explain the situation to nezu, along with a confused Aizawa, to convince them that they need to work together to get Midoriya out of the Police station to capture All for One as quickly as possible.
As Nezu gave the police and Aizawa a quick rundown of what was going on, Midoriya was giving permission to assist in the mission of capturing All for One under the conditions that he was to stay besides Gran Torino the entire time and leave the area once the villain was found.
The fight between All for One and All Might was broadcast all over the world, the actual battle lasting no more than a few minutes once the first blast attack came.
Midoriya had led the two heroes who were available to the worn-down industrial site, he had been kept hostage in, sniffing the dry air as he did to follow the smell back towards All for One.
They had paused on top of a building on the opposite side of the road when Midoriya realised the smell of the rest of the villains who had been here were slowly starting to dwindle away, apart from the one he had killed and All for One who was Suspiciously still at the warehouse.
They didn't have much time to put it to thought as a loud explosion and rush or air, which freakishly reminded Izuku of the night he was attacked by his old ghoulish friend, came flying full speed towards the trio; giving Midoriya only a few seconds to think before he was dragged away from the fight by Gran Torino.
The pair shot across the sky as they escaped, leaving Midoriya calling out his Mentor's name in fear and horror as they left All Might behind to fight for himself; the battle disappeared into the distance.
In the end, All Might won by an inch, his small fragile figure revealed to the world in the process; changing their course of history as they knew it.
Yagi managed to win the fight, but All Might the Nusaber one hero was no more.
For now, all that mattered was that All for One was behind bars; 500ft underground in Tartarus and thousands of miles away from the safety of UA where Izuku was finally taken to his new home; greeted by overly worried mother who had, much to Izuku's surprise, ran up to him before pulling him into a warm tight hug as no words where shared apart from their falling tears.
In some ways. Izuku had always been more fearful of how his mother was going to react to his ghoulish quirk than All Might; her presence in his life held up a far more important pillar of support for him over his life.
He was just glad his mother did not despise him, even if he senses the hesitance and caution she held back for his sake.
A/N favorite anime girl