All Might x Student!Reader (Boku no Hero Academia)

Chapter 17 - Loops of Fate

He found out.

What did you expect? It was bound to happen sooner or later. Now, at least, you wouldn't have to explain every little detail to him. Or perhaps you would—just not literally everything.

For a moment, you were speechless. Your lips parted, but no words came. Your mouth was dry as sandpaper. You licked your lips, trying to push down the lump in your throat. Desperate to avoid eye contact, you sighed heavily.

"I assume you jumped in time," he spoke first, cutting through the silence. "Just tell me what happened."

His voice was calm, but you could sense the tension beneath it. You shifted uneasily, eyes lingering somewhere between his collarbone and neck. Avoiding his gaze was difficult. Too difficult.

"Same as always," you managed, forcing out the words. Your voice sounded distant, even to your own ears. "I still can't... control my Quirk."

A nervous smile tugged at the corner of your lips as you glanced at him quickly, then just as quickly, looked away again. Tell him more, you scolded yourself. You didn't have much time, what's wrong with you? If you couldn't concentrate and talk, you...

You clenched your fists. The hesitation was overwhelming. But after a moment, you found your voice again. "I think... I changed my future."

His eyes narrowed, and for a brief second, it seemed like he was about to scold you. But instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and let out a deep, resigned sigh. There was a familiarity to his reaction, like he already knew exactly what you meant by those words. His silence spoke volumes—he understood what you'd done. He knew, just as you did, that you had altered something that shouldn't have been touched.

The weight in your chest felt unbearable, as if someone had tied a stone to your heart and was pulling it down, deeper and deeper.

"Do you have any ideas how to fix it?" His voice broke the stillness.

"Just one." You hesitated, but then took a step closer to him. Boldness surged through you, and before you could stop yourself, your hand reached out and grabbed his. "You have to trust me. Do exactly what I say, Sensei. Just... please, come with me."

His eyes widened slightly at the unexpected contact, but to your relief, he didn't pull away. Instead, he looked down at your hand in his and back up at you. The tension between you both was palpable. Your heart raced, and you silently thanked the heavens that you were walking ahead of him now—if he could see your face, flushed as it was, you didn't know how you'd explain it. But at this point, what did it matter?

All Might knew everything. He knew that you had a crush on him. He knew how you felt, and he understood why you behaved so awkwardly around him. It had become obvious over time. You had stopped trying to hide it, but there was always a flicker of embarrassment in the air whenever he was too close.

But that wasn't what was important right now. You had a task, and the clock was ticking.

You led him through the empty corridors of the school, your footsteps echoing in the quiet halls. You could feel the warmth of his hand in yours, and even though you let go when you arrived outside the classroom, the ghost of his touch lingered on your skin. As your fingers slipped apart, you already missed the warmth.

At the classroom door, you turned to face him, hoping he wouldn't notice the lingering blush on your cheeks. "I have to leave you here," you said quietly. "I can't go in with you. I can't meet myself, and I don't know what will happen if I do..."

Your voice faltered, the enormity of what you were asking him to do weighing down your words. You swallowed hard and took a deep breath, forcing yourself to stand straighter. "Just... act as usual. Imagine that I—that me—doesn't know what happened. Pretend like this conversation never took place. Just go in there and help me with the essay."

For a moment, you couldn't read his expression. His face was calm, almost too calm, but there was something hidden behind his eyes. Sadness? Guilt? You weren't sure. But before you could dwell on it, he blinked, and the mask slipped back into place. Then, to your utter surprise, he laughed—a nervous, quiet laugh that sounded like he was trying to break the tension.

"Wha-what?" you stammered, taken aback. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no," he said, shaking his head. "It's just... well, I completely forgot about that essay."

Your jaw dropped. He had forgotten?

"You... forgot?"

"Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, looking sheepish. "I was about to leave when you met me on the roof. Something came up—an emergency. I was going to cancel our training too."

He was rambling, his words tumbling over each other, but something didn't sit right. You frowned, the pieces of the puzzle not quite fitting together in your mind.

"...about to leave... when I came..." you muttered under your breath, thinking out loud.

"I-I'm really sorry," he continued, clearly unaware of your internal realization. "I know I was the one who suggested helping you, but there was an urgent situation. As a teacher, I should've managed my time better. I'm totally hopeless—"

"No, that's not what I meant," you interrupted him. "In my timeline, you were in the classroom, waiting for me. You helped me with that essay."

He blinked, momentarily confused. You could practically see the gears turning in his head as he tried to process what you were saying. But you had already figured it out. The answer was obvious now.

"Time loop," you whispered, eyes widening as the realization dawned on you.

"T-time loop?" he echoed, his voice filled with uncertainty.

You nodded quickly, looking up at him, but only briefly before your eyes darted away again. Why was it always so hard to look him in the eyes? The thought made you inwardly cringe.

"Yeah," you said, your voice a little more confident now. "This has already happened. I'm sure of it. It means that when you meet me in that classroom, you already know. You know about... everything."

Your heart skipped a beat. You bit your lip, trying to keep your composure. He had known this entire time. He had known about your feelings, about what had happened on that roof, and he had just... acted normal. As if nothing had changed.

But that's what you had asked of him, wasn't it? You had asked him to keep the secret, to act as if nothing had happened. If he had let anything slip, if he had done anything differently, your past self might have figured it out too soon. It could have caused a panic, and you would have risked changing the future even more.

"(Y/N)? That would mean what?"

Hearing your name startled you. The way he said it so casually, without any formal honorifics, made your heart flutter in a way you desperately wished it wouldn't. But you couldn't help it. It made you feel... warm. You swallowed down the butterflies in your stomach and forced a small smile.

"It means you have to act normal," you explained. "Like I told you earlier. Just go in there, Sensei, and meet me. Be yourself, and everything will work out. I'll fix this... somehow."

You wanted to say more, but the words caught in your throat. Instead, you gave him a reassuring nod, hoping it would be enough to convey your confidence. All Might studied you for a moment longer before letting out another sigh, one that seemed to carry the weight of his responsibilities and his trust in you.

"Alright," he said softly. "I'll trust you."

And with that, he turned and entered the classroom, leaving you standing outside, heart racing and mind spinning. You watched him disappear through the door, your hands still trembling slightly from the emotions swirling inside you.