Out of Your Mind

47

Shoto had a couple cuts and bruises but overall he wasn't as bad as Izuku or Iida. When Iida came out of surgery, he was put in a room with Izuku and Shoto. All the boys were fast asleep, so you just stood in the doorway and shut the lights off so they could get their well deserved rest. You sat right outside their room and you felt your migraine come back. You reached into your bag to grab a pill but you forgot that it was back at your aunt's house. You closed your eyes and sighed. A couple hours later, Gran Torino showed up.

"You don't look so good, girl" the old man croaked. You were curled up in the chair, your head was pounding.

"Hey old man, are you blind? I look great" he chuckled and hopped into the seat next to you. "How ya doing, gramps?"

"Quite annoyed with this kid cause I'm definitely gonna get reprimanded because of him, but other than that, surprised to see my only granddaughter here" you rubbed your eyes and yawned.

"First of all, I'm technically your illegitimate granddaughter. And second, I'm technically not here so don't go blabbing" Gran Torino had an illegitimate child that he didn't know about a long time ago, and he would never have known if that child hadn't sought him out after their mother died. It was her dying wish that they knew who their father was. The relationship wasn't perfect, but since then, it had been everyone's running joke to state how illegitimate you were. No one has really heard of Gran Torino so like how you don't talk about yourself as a former pro, you don't normally talk about your relation to him. Besides, by the time you got to know him, you were already older and working as a pro, so you both acted more as friends than as relatives.

"I thought you were in Musutafu, what are ya doing here?"

"I'm helping out the police over there, they needed something to connect the Hero Killer to the League of villains"

"There's definitely a connection now, but you don't actually believe that, do you?" Confused, you cocked your head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"You heard him. His ideology was much stronger than the League of Villains. Did they think they were going to stand out because they wanted to kill All Might? If that was it then take a number and get in line." The old man huffed.

"That doesn't mean he's not involved with them."

"You're right, but the media and the public will already have drawn their conclusions before we can figure out the truth. Mark my words, there's going to be people that look into the League of Villains because of the Hero Killer, not because of the crap stunt they pulled at the USJ." You thought about it and he's right. It doesn't matter if there was a connection or not. Now because of the Nomu, the Hero Killer will be tied to the League regardless if it was on purpose or not. Right now, you just hope you never have to see one of those Nomu again.

"To be honest, girl, even though we were with him for maybe a couple minutes, that was one of the scariest moments of my life." You looked at him surprised. Gran Torino? Scared? That's a new one..

"It scared me too. I felt like I couldn't move. His words and his..conviction. It was so intimidating"

"Heh, I get exactly what you mean. I don't want to praise him but that intimidation reminds me of Toshinori. Yknow, his whole- Symbol of Peace thing" he says it as if he doesn't quite get it. Something tells you that while everyone else idolized him, Gran Torino's always been critical of All Might.

"Anyway..after tonight, I'm done. I don't want to get a involved anymore than I have to. I stepped away from that life for a reason"

"Unfortunately, I don't think that's up to you anymore, [y/n]"

"Why do you say that?"

"Toshinori told me about the boy's counseling with you. You know about One for All?" You tried not to register too much to the name of Izuku and All Might's power. He might be testing you.

"Depends..what do you know about it?"

"So you do. Unfortunately you got sucked into this much like I did"

"What do you mean sucked into it? I'm just helping Izuku from far off the sidelines" your palms get a little sweaty, you're anxious about where this conversation is headed. You wipe your hands on your pants and pull the sleeves over your hand as if they would protect you somehow.

"Come on girl, think! Do you think after learning a secret like this you're going to be able to walk away scotch free?"

"I mean-"

"Do you know how I got sucked in?" You sat silent. "All Might's predecessor was a good friend of mine and after she-" he paused, choked up because of the painful memories. "-I was left to train Toshinori because of a promise I made to my friend. Now I have to spend the rest of my life protecting a secret that could crumble society as we know it"

"I have a duty to all of my students to help them and even keep their deepest darkest secrets. That doesn't change with Izuku and it doesn't pull me into anything" you were getting increasingly more anxious and frustrated. The sleeves you pulled over your hands for security didn't feel tight enough, so you balled them in your hands and fisted them tightly.

"But Izuku wouldn't have just told you about this. Knowing you, you figured it out. Huh?" Gran Torino was one of the smartest men you know, you don't even have to say anything for him to piece your story together.

"I mean-yeah, but-"

"But nothing! From the moment you figured it out, you became a living breathing target. Whether you like it or not, you're going to have to see this all the way through, just like the rest of us" your chest suddenly felt very tight and tears swelled in your eyes

"No...I can't..grandpa...I said I wouldn't go back...." He out a gloved hand on yours and with the other you ran a hand through your hair. A nurse came to check on the boys and you caught a glimpse of Shoto, it reminded you of what his father said.

"Phoenix is going to have to come back eventually" you looked at the floor and wiped your tears. You're going to do everything in your power to prevent that. No one, clearly not even fate itself doesn't understand that you simply just don't want to go back to that lifestyle. And damnit if you have to keep running then you will.

"Look, since you already know about it, and there's no going back, I might as well tell you about some of One for All's past. The boy is going to need some support after he hears of this"

"What do you mean after? Doesn't he already know?" You wipe your tear stained face, only to replace them with fresh ones.

"You would think so. I don't know what kind of time Toshinori is on but he needs to hurry up and actually start teaching the boy if he's going to be ready for anything." He's talking about All Might as if isn't the number one hero, under different circumstances, this might've made you laugh. But these weren't different circumstances and you could only offer a sad smile.

He began telling you about All for One and how One for All came to be. Unfortunately it didn't take a genius to put together that that was who was in the Nomu's memory. So he had a name now...All for One.

After he finished the story, he gave you a couple seconds to take it all in. Izuku was only a teenage boy and it seems as if the fate of the world is resting on his shoulders.  It seemed so unfair and you promised to be there for him however you can to help. You checked your watch and saw how late it was getting.

"Are you going to stay at the hospital?" You say, still sniffling and wiping away some stray tears.

"Yeah. You go home, I'll call you if anything changes here" You stood up and looked into the room one more time at the sleeping boys. Then you leaned down and kissed your grandfather on the cheek.

"I gotta visit you more, old man."

"That would be nice. Goodness knows Toshinori never visits" you gave him a tired smile and picked up your book bag. By the time you got back to your aunts house, it was maybe 2 or 3 in the morning. You planned on going back to the hospital around sunrise and then drive home in time for your weekend with Shouta.