A/N A friend dared me to write a story with no main ships in it (there are some minor background ships but nothing that really impacts the story) so bear with me as I desperately try to keep these boys from making out.
It was late already and Inko was probably wondering where he was by now. His meeting took longer than expected because his business partners were being difficult about the deal Hisashi offered. Ah, such a waste... He even got blood on his good suit! It'll be hard to remove those stains, for sure... What a pain.
You see, Hisashi Midoriya wasn't just a businessman like many people thought. He was actually the holder of one of the most powerful quirks on this planet, if not the most powerful, All For One. Hisashi had been alive for over a century and built his underground empire from the ground up. It had always been his pride and joy, up until he met Inko, that is.
She was sweet and caring and saw all the good in the world while Hisashi had only ever been able to see all its flaws. He saw things that needed to change and Inko saw things that should always stay the same. She changed him, in a way, and he fell hopelessly in love with her. Hisashi swore he'd protect her no matter what and took her as his wife. A few months ago, she gave birth to their son, his son.
In all those years of being alive, Hisashi never thought it was possible for him to have this kind of simple life. A loving family to come home to after a long day of work. It just wasn't for him, you know? Villains don't usually get their happy ending. They always end up facing their tragic fate one way or another. Yet he somehow managed to get it all! Isn't that just wonderful?
A notification on his phone made him stop dead in his tracks and he quickly read the message. Something happened with the Shimura household... He had people watching it at all times, making sure the descendents of his previous nemesis wouldn't pose a threat to him in the future. Or maybe he could manipulate them and use them against his new enemy? The possibilities were endless, really.
He frowned when reading the message though. A massacre... Youngest child missing, taken or fled, unsure. Hisashi sighed, seems like he's going to need to work overtime today...
"I'm sorry Inko..." he whispered to himself. His wife will have to wait a little longer. As he walked towards the general area of the Shimura household, he started to wonder if this is how it'll always be. Hisashi missing out on important moments with his family, barely able to spend time with them due to his work as All For One...
He didn't want to be kept away from the ones he loved but his work was important too. He was changing the world! For better or for worse, that remained to be seen, but he was changing things and that was a fact. Hisashi came to a stand still in front of an alley, hearing small sobs and cries from within.
"Hello?" he called out, walking down the dark and narrow path.
Most people would be afraid when walking in places like this, but Hisashi classified himself as someone people should be afraid of rather than being scared of attacks or assaults. The alley was a dead end, a shaking and crying boy sitting all curled up on himself against the wall between the trash. His clothes were tattered and torn, dirty too. The boy couldn't be older than four, his red eyes full of tears.
They reminded him of Mitsuki, a good friend of Inko. She also gave birth to a baby boy recently, making the two moms excited. Their boys would be the best of friends! They'll personally see to it! Hisashi smiled a bit at the memory, kneeling down in front of the child. His hair was a light blue and now he could also see there were scratch marks on his neck. Huh... Wait... This was the youngest Shimura, wasn't it?
He read reports about his appearance and behavior. There were mentions of some kind of rash on his neck and this boy seemed to fit the age category.
"Hey, you don't have to be afraid... I'm here to help"
"H-help..?" the boy whispered, flinching at the hand that reached out for him. He didn't want to hurt this person! He didn't want to hurt anyone!
"A-are you a hero, mister?"
"No, I'm not... But that doesn't mean I can't help you" Hisashi whispered, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder.
"See? I'm not here to harm you"
All For One didn't like to admit it, but he couldn't help but compare this boy with his own son. What if it was Izuku trembling in an alley like this? All alone and with no one to care for him?
Had he gone soft after becoming a father? Perhaps... Yet that didn't change the fact he would want someone to look after his son. This boy had no one left... No family to go back to, no home... His house was partially destroyed and his family murdered. At least, that was what the notification had told him. He needed to look into the matters in more detail later. First he'll get this kid off the streets.
"My name is Midoriya Hisashi. Can you tell me yours?"
"T-Tenko" he choked out, still crying as Hisashu pulled him in his arms, picking up the small child. He felt so cold... No wonder he was trembling.
"Alright Tenko, hang on, okay?"
"W-where are you taking me..?" he asked, his voice squeaky and scared.
"Your new home" Hisashi smiled, walking out the alley towards his own house.
It was just an apartment, but it was big enough for his small family. They had everything they needed and desired. Tenko was calming down a great deal as Hisashi walked, becoming completely limp. He'll take care of this boy as if he was his own, because that's also what he would want for Izuku if he were in this situation. Izuku... He'd barely made it to his birth and he already missed big moments in his son's life. Like his first smile, for example. He didn't want that. He wanted to be there for his son and his family!
Maybe he could put some more responsibilities onto his subordinates? That way he could have more time off. But what if there was an emergency? He still had to be at headquarters whenever he was needed, no matter the circumstances. But could he completely step down? Cut himself loose from the criminal world and live life as a normal citizen? Almost no one knew his true identity due to his mask, so it wouldn't be impossible. It would be messy though and the power shift was unpredictable...
As he arrived at his doorstep, he still didn't know what would be the best decision. He put down Tenko and opened up the front door, hearing his wife call his name from elsewhere in the apartment.
"Hisashi? Is that you? I was already starting to wonder where you-"
She stopped talking as she saw the boy her husband had with him. Still crying softly as he hid partially behind the man who took him.
"Inko, sweetie, I'd like you to meet Tenko" Hisashi smiled, a hand on the shoulder of the small boy.
"H-hi... Uhm, what is he doing here? Shouldn't he be at home..?" Inko asked, confused. She didn't understand why he came back home with a random child without telling her anything. Hisashi could only imagine what this must look like to her, but it was impossible to tell her the truth without revealing too much...
"He needs our help, Inko. He has nowhere else to go" Hisashi sighed, letting a hand wander through the light blue hair. No, he was not sure of anything at this moment except a few things. One, they were to take care of Tenko. He shall not abandon this boy even if it is the grandson of one of the previous One For All holders. There was nothing genetic about that quirk, so he wouldn't have to worry about this one stabbing him in the back later.
And two, he had to come clean to Inko about who he was and what he did... He didn't want to lie to her about this, not anymore. If they were going to take him in, she deserved to know the truth. The full truth.
"...And I have some explaining to do... Please lay Izuku in bed, I'll bring Tenko to the guest bedroom. We'll talk when they're asleep"
Inko slowly nodded, giving him the benefit of the doubt as she took Izuku to his little bed.
"This will be your new room Tenko" Hisashi smiled as he put the boy on the bed.
"Come on, let's get you changed for bed, okay?"
The blue haired boy nodded, allowing Hisashi to help him get changed. Hisashi gave him one of his own shirts to sleep in and Tenko was drowning in it. Ah, they'll have to go shopping tomorrow to buy him the necessities...
Inko was waiting for him on the couch when he returned to the living room and Hisashi felt himself becoming more and more nervous.
How to tell her...
What to tell her...
Everything? Maybe that would be a little much for her. But he didn't want any secrets! He needed her to know he loved her and their son and it wasn't his choice to always be away!
"Hisashi... You're scaring me, what's going on?" Inko asked as the man sat down next to her.
"It's about my job and uh, my quirk... I haven't been completely honest with you" Hisashi sighed, taking her hand and looking her in the eyes.
"My quirk isn't fire breathing, honey... It's named All For One. The power to take quirks and transfer them to others or keep them for myself. I've stolen many quirks over the years... Gave those who wanted a quirk the power to change their lives... I-I did a lot of bad stuff too... But now that I have you and Izuku, I want to come clean a-and be there for you, for our family. I love you, Inko. I really, really do"
"W-what..?" she breathed in shock. She had difficulties understanding what he was telling her.
All For One? A quirk that can take other quirks? She pulled away her hands as if on instinct, making Hisashi flinch. Was this the end of their relationship..? She had every right to dump him for being a villain... He'd completely understand it too.
"You've...done bad things with it?"
"Very bad" Hisashi stated, mentally cursing himself for just saying that. He had to try and explain it somehow!
"Some would call me a villain... Well, most people, if not all-"
Way to go Hisashi!
"-but I'm willing to quit in order to take care of you and Izuku! I want to be there for you, protect you... You have to believe me. I want to change things, for you, to give us a better future"
Tears welled up in his eyes. He always got emotional so easily around her... Such a bad villain quality. He really had gone soft... But somehow he didn't really mind that anymore.
"Please... I love you too much to let you go..."
It was then that everything became clear to him. Of course he would give up his villainous empire for his family! Why was that even a question? He loved them! He wanted them to be happy and safe and he wanted to spend time with them! Even if he outlived them... He just wanted to be there for their milestones... Share precious moments and create beautiful memories. He wanted it all! So selfish of him, wasn't it? Inko was tearing up too, not knowing how to react or even process this information.
"I-I love you too Sashi... So so much..." she breathed, taking his hand again.
"We're... We're going to set s-some rules, okay?"
"Yes! Yes, of course, whatever you want honey" Hisashi exclaimed, smiling, hope sparking in his heart. Maybe they still had a chance after all?
"You give up on villainy and get a real job... A-and we're not telling Izuku about any of this! No using or talking about that... t-that quirk of yours! As for Tenko... Who is he really? Be honest with me"
"There is another quirk out there called One For All. It can be transferred from person to person, generation to generation. Its purpose is purely and alone to defeat my quirk. Tenko's grandmother was the seventh holder of that quirk... I-I... I had to eliminate her... Ever since, I have placed the house of her son under surveillance in case any of them wanted to avenge her, which is why I was notified there had been a massacre. Tenko is the only survivor... I still don't know what exactly happened, but I couldn't abandon an innocent child like that"
Inko hummed, processing all that information.
"Who has One For All now? Are they after you?"
"Yes... But they don't know who I am, they've never known. So don't worry, our home is safe" Hisashi spoke, trying to reassure her.
"Who has it, Sashi?"
The man swallowed the lump in his throat and sighed.
"All Might"
Silence fell in the room after Inko gasped. All Might?! The All Might?! He was Japan's number one hero! His quirk was so powerful that everyone in their right mind was afraid of being on the wrong side of his fist! So that was the power of One For All huh..?
"...Okay, we'll take care of Tenko" Inko whispered.
"We'll give him the proper care he needs a-and uh, we'll ask him whether he wants to stay with us or not"
Hisashi nodded, understanding her reservations but praising her good heart. She was too pure for this world, really. He knew he didn't deserve her, yet here he was, sitting next to her and willing to give up everything he built to continue to be at her side. A decision he'd never come to regret.