The Emperor's Dragon

Take The Little Wins

Izuku pulled back from the hug he always gave Gigantomachia at the end of their training sessions. The man smelt faintly earthy and he was warm. It was nice.

"Thank you 'Machia," he said. Today they'd just sparred without quirks. Izuku knew he had gotten better over the years but it was almost impossible for him to win against Gigantomachia given the giant's bulk. He simply couldn't reach far enough to get him into the necessary holds. It did require some creative thinking on his behalf to adapt.

"Little Lord," the huge man rumbled. He always seemed slightly embarrassed by the thanks and the hug but he never refused.

"'Machia?" Izuku asked carefully, letting the giant know he had a question.

"What is it, Little Lord?"

"Dad told me something the other day, but he said I should ask you to clarify," Izuku told him, looking up.

Gigantomachia blinked and then a slow smile spread across his face. "What do you wish to know?"

"Dad said... Back when the All Might attacked Dad," Izuku began and wasn't surprised to see Gigantomachia's demeanor shift.

It wasn't obvious if you didn't know him but Izuku had known the huge man all his life. He knew that Gigantomachia was very loyal to his father and felt that day was a failure on his behalf. Even though he hadn't been there or perhaps because he hadn't been there.

He gulped and continued. "Dad said that while All Might attacked him there could have been other missions going on and that there was, but it was delayed."

"Another mission?"

Izuku nodded. "One to get me," he forced himself to say clearly.

'Machia knew that the Heroes had tracked down his Father partially because of his school records but the man had never said anything about it. Izuku didn't know if he blamed him at all and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

The huge man's face twisted into a snarl and Izuku saw his hands form into fists. "They wouldn't!" he growled.

"Dad said the mission was delayed for some reason," Izuku reinforced. "So they didn't get me but he also said if they did, you would have come for me."

"Of course I would, Little Lord!" Gigantomachia seemed surprised by the doubt in his voice.

"How?" Izuku asked.

The enormous man blinked at him, trying to interpret his question.

"I mean, how would you have found me?" Izuku clarified.

That Gigantomachia understood and a smile passed across his features. "I will always find you, Little Lord," he promised.

"But how?"

'Machia raised one hand to his nose and tapped it. "I can smell you, Little Lord," he announced. "So I will always find you."

Izuku was familiar with Gigantomachia's way of speaking so he knew when the giant said he could smell him it was not just in the way Izuku could smell him, it was something else, most likely related to one of the quirks the huge man had. He nodded, feeling relieved already but then something occurred to him.

"Is that why I can never hide?" He demanded. Occasionally they would train in a more ranging way. Izuku would have to get through the warehouses to avoid the large man. He seldom made it. Gigantomachia was always in his path.

The smile on 'Machia's face became somewhat smug.

"Oh my God!" Izuku exclaimed when he realised the truth. Gigantomachia had some sort of scent tracking quirk, which meant he couldn't get away in those training sessions! He'd just thought the man was really good, which was true, but it was more than that.