Shattered Dreams

Lean On Me - part 1

There was an awkward pause.

All Might stared back at his young successor, mortified.

Then he hurried in wiping the tears off his eyes with a string of apologies.
- ...Forgive me, Midoriya-shōnen, I didn't mean to break the moment, I'm so sorry! Go on, go on, this is great, I'm sincerely thrilled for you two! When do you think you'll confess??

As he spoke, PAF! he switched to his muscle form, flashing the teen his usual wide grin and a thumbs up —
but of course his traitor of a body almost immediately switched back to its weakened form, causing All Might to cough blood.

A sweat drop rolled down the blond's neck as he felt like an idiot. He really did need to quit that habit alread-

Izuku pulled him into a hug, startling him.

The hero in training squeezed his mentor tight against him, his own eyes threatening to well up.

He always knew he had too much empathy for others but seriously, to see All Might of all people, the proud, ever-smiling Symbol of Peace, his idol, cry over a broken heart...?
That was just too much.

Izuku's voice came out before he could even think.

- A-All Might, you told me I could ask you absolutely anything, right? ...What exactly happened between you and Endeavor?

There was another blank.

The young man immediately bit his lip and let go of the former N°1 Hero.
"Crap, that's way too direct!" he assumed. "And SO tactless of me!!"

He lowered his head in shame and racked his brain for something to say.
- I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-

- Don't apologize.

All Might bit his own lip and motioned for the teen to sit down.
He kept quiet for a while, then he let out a long, shaky sigh.

- I... don't want to bother you with that, he muttered. I'm grateful for your concern, but you don't have to worry about me.

Izuku frantically shook his head and stood back up to face him, diving his big green eyes into his.

(That look, his mentor was starting get used to it: the young man flashed it every time he was about to admit that he had been reckless, but for a good cause.)

- Todoroki-kun and I found out about you and Endeavor's relationship by the most total chance, he confessed. But we don't know much, and we wanna help y-
All Might opened his mouth to cut in, but the hero in training raised a hand to stop him — and immediately gave himself a mental slap for disrespecting his idol, but right now the blond really needed to listen.

- If the mere mention of his last name makes you wanna cry, that means you need to let it out, you have no idea how painful it is to see you like that! ... So please tell me all about it, from the beginning. There might be something we can do!

Izuku sat cross-legged on the ground, glanced at his watch, and his eyes shone with a mix of determination and stubbornness.
- I have exactly four hours and forty-six minutes before I need to get ready for class and if I am even ten seconds late Aizawa-sensei will give me detention, so let's go!

All Might paused.

Then he burst out laughing and some color came back to his face.
- ... Fine, fine!

~

Sports Festival Final, UA Training Arena, April 1985

Both shocked and impressed as he saw the redhead still standing, Toshinori grinned wider and wiped the thin string of blood off his mouth.