The Emperor's Dragon

Birthday Investments

Izuku looked over at his dad. It was nice to see him out of the treatment room but he couldn't help the way his gaze went to the tubes that were still inserted into him. There was one going into his cheek, just under the scar tissue, and another two into his neck. Izuku really hoped they weren't going into his dad's blood vessels but he had a strange feeling that they were. It made him feel sick. A thick but flexible tube went straight into his trachea. There was the hiss of air all the time.

His dad smiled at him. Izuku resisted the urge to cry. "How was the last day of school, my Little Dragon?" he asked.

Izuku looked to the side. He didn't want to talk about it.

"Ah, she still hasn't come around," his father said.

That caused Izuku to stare at him with wide eyes. "How did you know?" He asked. He hadn't said anything.

"A father has his ways," All For One replied.

"But you always know!" Izuku objected.

"You told me, my Little Dragon, without saying a word."

The green haired boy frowned. "How did I tell you?"

"When you looked away," Hisashi explained. "Now come here, and let me see if I can guess your hair colour," he encouraged his son. He knew Izuku didn't like his current appearance, but for the moment, there was nothing he could do about it. The various tubes were necessary.

Izuku came closer, allowing All For One to rest his large hand on his son's head. It was a calming ritual for them both. He felt Izuku's curls, letting the individual strands of hair run through his finger tips. With his senses of sight and smell being destroyed, he had found his sense of touch was greatly amplified.

"Oh my," Hisashi murmured after a moment. "I do believe it is your natural colour."

"Yep!"

"That's good! You must never be afraid to be yourself," he told his son.

"I know Dad, you said that already."

"Did I?" Hisashi whispered. "How wise of me."

They sat for a few moments, just enjoying each other's company. For anyone looking at All For One, they would be amazed that he could be so calm and relaxed. They would be gobsmacked that he was with a child but beyond that they would be amazed that it seemed like he was doing nothing. The Emperor of the Underworld seldom did nothing.

"You have to be patient," All For One said eventually, keeping his voice soft so as not to disturb his son.

"Patient?" Izuku asked.

"With your friend, Ochaco," he explained. "She understands what you are saying and she sees the truth from the examples you give her. She sees your pain. But then when she's away from you, the facade comes back in and the world presents itself to her as the Heroes want you to believe it appears."

He felt Izuku frown. "What does facade mean?"

"It means mask," he replied. "Or a disguise. It means that the world appears as one thing, when it's really something else," Hisashi gave all the explanations. For all that his son was intelligent, he forgot that he didn't know everything he did. That was okay, it was his duty to teach his son.

Izuku nodded his understanding.

"It is a difficult thing, my Little Dragon, for someone to give up all that they have known and I cannot say if she will be able to."

"You mean she won't believe me?"

"Oh no, your friend believes you but against the weight of the world and her own desire not to be hurt, it may not be enough and you will drift apart."