The Makings Of A True Hero

Chapter 3

Katsuki watches as Izuku throws off his trauma blanket in favor of grabbing his backpack. He knows exactly why his nerd is getting it. He can't risk anyone seeing the capture weapon that he keeps in there because it could get Shouta in a lot of trouble for letting him carry it outside of their training sessions. As soon as the police and media finally let Katsuki go, he rushes to Izuku to knock him upside the head.

"What the fuck were you thinking!?" Katsuki screams at the boy.

Izuku looks at the ground in shame, but not for the reason Katsuki thinks he is. "I couldn't just let you die while the pros just looked on like nothing was happening. It was all my fault anyways."

Katsuki overlooks the comment about it being Izuku's fault and just chooses to pull the idiot into a hug. He was so worried about the boy, and he just can't keep the feelings that have been plaguing him at bay anymore as he pulls back from the hug and crashes his lips to Izuku's.

Izuku is shocked at first as to what Kacchan is doing, but once his brain catches up to what's going on, he pushes Kacchan back. He had always thought Hitoshi was joking when they would comment about how clingy Kacchan is to Izuku, but now he understands what his sibling was trying to suggest. He hates to have to do this to Kacchan, but it would be even crueller to let him think Izuku feels the same when he doesn't.

"I'm sorry, Kacchan." Izuku shakes his head. "I just see you as a brother."

Afraid that he may have lost his best friend because he doesn't feel the same about the blonde as Kacchan feels for him, Izuku turns and starts for home leaving Katsuki staring at his back in shock at himself.

Katsuki didn't want that to be how he told Izuku, but now he feels like he probably just lost his best friend because of how he feels. Why did it have to be Deku that he had feelings for? It could have been anyone else, but it just had to be the boy who sees him as nothing more than a brother.

Izuku is almost home when All Might appears in front of him. What could he possibly have to say now? Is he going to scold him for being reckless? Remind him again how he can't be a hero because he's quirkless?

All Might deflates into his twig-like form. "Kid, I came here to thank you, and to set the record straight. As well as to give you a suggestion." He sighs, almost seeming to be in defeat. "If you hadn't been there… If I hadn't heard your story… Then I would have gotten dangerously close to not living by my own words! To be seen as all talk. Flashing fake muscles. Thank you."

Izuku sighs, "But… It was all my fault to begin with. I interfered with your work… And spoke out of turn even though I'm quirkless."

"But that's just it!" All Might exclaims. "Of all the people at the scene only you… only cowardly, quirkless you made the difference. You're the one who made me act!"

Izuku looks at All Might in wonder.

"There's something that's said about top heroes when they were still students. Most of their stories are linked by the following line, 'My body moved on its own before I could think!' And you did the same thing!"

Izuku can't believe what he's hearing. All Might was just saying earlier how Izuku can't become a hero. What is he saying now? That he has the traits of a true hero, but he still can't be one?

"You can become a hero!" All Might exclaims after a long pause. "You're the one who's worthy… to inherit my strength."

"Huh!?" Izuku questions. He can't possibly be hearing correctly.

All Might explains to Izuku about his quirk, and how it was passed down to him by his master. He explains how the quirk can be passed to Izuku now, and that, thanks to all of Izuku's training, he can accept the quirk now. "You accept my quirk, and you can be a hero with your boyfriend."

Izuku can't help but laugh. "He's not my boyfriend."

"But he… You…" All Might is very confused.

"I didn't know Kacchan had feelings for me until then. He's always been like a brother to me."

All Might nods in understanding and amends his prior statement. "Accept my quirk, and you can be a hero alongside your friend. All you have to do is…" All Might puffs back to his muscle form and plucks a hair from his head. "Eat this!"

At Izuku's confusion, All Might explains how the quirk transference occurs, and Izuku accepts the hair, gagging as it goes down. The pair swap numbers so that All Might can keep in touch and help train the boy in the use of his new quirk before they part ways.