Lost Cause// A Vigilante Midoriya AU

Of Successors And Internships

Toshinori has never felt this guilty since... well, since he realized he almost killed All for One (the irony was not lost on him).

He's been at his school for several months, and he still hadn't found a successor. Class 1-A had been filled with hero hopefuls, but Toshinori had felt they were still too young to soldier such a grand responsibility. After his brief clash with All for One at Kamino, Toshinori decided to take his former sidekick's advice. Unfortunately, Young Mirio Togata had decided to refuse. That didn't leave Toshinori with many options.

...save for the one he was currently strangling himself over.

He had met Izuku Midoriya one fateful day after running into the sludge villain. He had seen him walk away from his (likely former) childhood friend and, like a coward, did nothing. Midnight had filled him in on what the boy had done since. He became a vigilante when his mother had passed on (the same day as the sludge villain... goddammit ), serving justice on his own terms. Then he somehow managed to fake his own death (he suspected Nezu), and proceeded to enroll within the Hero Course shortly thereafter.

...Toshinori wouldn't lie, he thought his choice was almost too perfect.

Young Midoriya had the experience, the strength, the spirit , to be an incredible successor. But then there was the possibility of rejection. Izuku had not been a prideful boy, not at first at least. He still wasn't one now, but his confidence had definitely been boosted since they last met. Toshinori was afraid that if he offered Izuku the Quirk, he'd take offense to the offer, as if he hadn't already worked tooth and nail to get to where he was now.

Toshinori knew what that felt like.

But he also knew what it felt like to live in a world without hope. Without a symbol. Izuku didn't have to be like him. It would become his Quirk once the embers died in Toshinori. But it would never be his if he refused. Toshinori didn't doubt the boy's ability to keep secrets (no one seemed to be suspect about his past activities), but it was still worrisome nonetheless. Young Togata had been kind enough to keep his secret. Would Izuku be so kind?

...Toshinori didn't know; it was frustrating.

No matter. His time was running out. The strain of One for All was starting to become more troublesome than before, on top of his already existing injuries. If he didn't find a successor, the Quirk would die with him. At least this way, One for All would find a host. Plus, if the boy decided that the power wasn't for him, he could always talk to Toshi about giving it to someone else. His mind made up, Toshinori plucked one of his hairs, putting it in the blender.

Hopefully Class 1-A liked smoothies.

"Soup's on!" Izuku and Rikido call from the dining room.

Hero Studies had been as strenuous as usual. Let it never be said that Mr. Aizawa wouldn't make a terrible villain; the man's intimidation tactics would work in any scenario, even if he was just a civilian. Once the class dragged themselves back to the common room of their dorms, Izuku and Rikido took it upon themselves to get some food with their fellow classmates stomachs. Looking back on it, they might have made a bit too much food collectively speaking.

Denki's jaw dropped when he saw the table; " How much hecking food did you guys make!? "

"Well," Izuku began, not noticing that the question was rhetorical, "There's chicken and rice, takoyaki, meat buns, soba..." Shoto perked up upon entering the dining room, his face lighting up.

"Hot soba, of course. Who eats cold soba?" Shoto's bright expression faded.

"But then again, we still made cold soba..." Shoto brightened up again. How adorable , Tsuyu noted off to the side.