Third person pov

When Izuku comes too, he doesn't hurt anymore.

He doesn't know where his quirk came from in the family tree. He can see his mother reflected in the way he pulls injuries away from those plagued by them. He's not healing them-- not technically. He's simply taking it away. The side effect is that he feels it. When he loses contact with the person he's repaired, any pain they experienced whilst in the process of getting said injury bears down on him with excruciating weight. He knew All Might had to have been fighting for hours on end to get such an extensive injury. He wondered how long it had been before someone was able to get to him and heal him up. Several, several hours based on how long he'd spent curled up on the couch.

He'd felt it all. Every blow that led up to the grotesque wound All Might had gained. The agony he'd experienced raced through Izuku's veins even now, a harsh reminder of how much the Number One Hero had sacrificed for them. He tries not to think too hard about what kind of villain did that to the man. He knows that despite everything, All Might must've won, or at least damaged his opponent just as bad. Now his idol can be at full strength again. Now, if that villain ever shows up again, he can pummel him into the ground again just like Izuku is sure he did before. 

It's the next day now, Izuku realizes belatedly. He tries to forget what it feels like to have your lung ripped out as he cracks his eyes open, taking deep breaths to remind himself that he's okay and that none of it was actually real. It hadn't really happened to him. It was a side effect of his quirk. All Might had dealt with the same pain just as well-- had lived with it, even. If he can do it and move on, Izuku can too. He must. He refuses to get hung up on something like this. He did it to help, and he isn't going to regret or disrespect that decision. He owes himself and All Might more than that.

There's something curled softly around his hand, warm and comforting. His head turns. He's a little startled to see All Might sitting there still. Memories of the night prior flood past the remembrance of pain. Yagi-san's voice, a deep and reassuring tenor that told tales of his time as a hero and beyond. Told him all about his time in America. Izuku almost tears up at the memory. He'd been so worried for him-- someone he barely knew! His panic had made Izuku's chest swell with guilt. Of course All Might had panicked. He was the Number One hero. Izuku should've seen it coming and found... some way around it. He didn't really know, honestly. There wasn't much he could've done to get out of that knowing the pain would start as soon as he let go of the pro.

Izuku risks moving slightly. He expects to be sore. It's reflex, really, after feeling so much pain. His body doesn't protest however. It's a little stiff from the tension he experienced but the phantom pains don't return like his brain thinks they should. Izuku is sure it's the most excruciating pain he's ever had to experience in his lifetime. It's something he's glad he could take away from All Might. It's silly, but he feels closer to him after experiencing what he went through in that physical aspect. He understands, sympathizes. Knows. Izuku likes to know.

That being said, waking up after feeling like you just got ran over with a truck covered in knives still isn't the most pleasant, phantom pain or not. He can't fathom how All Might managed to survive that. The man is amazing, don't get him wrong, but everyone had their limits. Yagi-san's was apparently extremely, extremely high. Izuku's was now too. He'd thought for sure his heart was going to bottom out on him and leave him for dead last night. He's pretty sure he felt part of his stomach get removed. A sensation he never thought he'd have to feel, but he digresses. 

Izuku shifts again, jumping when All Might's eyes fly open. The man's head is popping up immediately, gaze flying to him. Izuku blinks back, startled by the ghostly expression on Toshinori's face. The blonde hero's eyes scan him fervently, his entire body shifting closer. It casts a shadow over Izuku that would've been intimidating were it coming from anyone else. The hero is built like a bear with bunny ears, looming rather intimidatingly.

"M-My boy! You're awake!" He exclaims, straightening his entire body. Izuku's brows raise as the hero's back cracks like a glowstick. Sleeping slouched over like that couldn't have been comfortable. He feels bad about that too. "Are you... A-Are you..."

He looks scared. Izuku can't help but smile a little, even if it's shy and hesitant. He feels pride swell in the deepest parts of his chest as he takes in the man's healthy appearance and brightened eyes. He did it. He did it! All Might is okay, and he hadn't died in the process of taking his injury. He'd been overdramatic, as presumed. The pain was gone and he's survived just fine. Was his heart still thundering a little? Yeah, maybe, but that was besides the point in the long run. He'd get over it! And All Might hopefully would too! 

"I'm okay!" Izuku's voice comes out a little too loud. He lowers it, flushing with embarrassment as he pushes himself up. His shirt feels stiff from how much he sweat the night prior. "I-I'm really sorry I didn't tell you about-"

Izuku doesn't get a chance to finish his apology before he's being scooped up by All Might. He's careful about it, pulling Izuku into him like he's afraid he might break if he's any harsher. Izuku is rigid as a board as his face is shoved into All Might's shoulder, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears that threaten to form. The hulking man keeps a firm grip on him, the breath he takes in deep and shuddering. Izuku hesitantly allows his arms to come out and hug him back, unable to get them all the way around his neck. He's quiet, not sure what to do or say as Toshinori takes a moment to simply breathe.

Izuku tries not to freak out about the fact that this is idol. It's All Might! The most amazing, strongest, coolest hero in the whole wide world is hugging him of all people. A man Izuku has always aspired to be just like is since he was in diapers, practically. He sat there all night waiting for Izuku to get up. Worrying and fretting over him. Izuku could cry just thinking about it. He tries not to. He doesn't want to send All Might into cardiac arrest after just fixing his dented toolbox of a body. Izuku isn't going to say it out loud, but the guy needed some major TLC.

"My boy," All Might's entire chest vibrates when he talks. Izuku tilts his head a little to let him know he's listening, feeling a little nervous. Is he in trouble? Is All Might going to take him back to the orphanage? He isn't going to be mad if that's the case. He caused a lot of trouble. All Might could be out patrolling today, yet he's instead here with Izuku! The man pulls back slightly to take a look at him, blue eyes piercing and full of a seriousness that makes Izuku start sweating all over again. "What's... what's your favorite color?" 

Izuku isn't sure why the question makes him burst out laughing, but it does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izuku likes the color red and his favorite food is Katsudon. He's a big fan of heroes-- All Might being his favorite, much to Toshinori's internal smugness-- and likes to analyze their quirks and fighting tactics. All Might had observed this morning as the boy slowly peeked out of his shell, his eyes shining as he watched the hero news and quietly mumbled observations to himself, shoveling pieces of omelet into his mouth every so often. All Might made a mental note to look up some more recipes later when they weren't busy setting up the boy's new bedroom. So far it had been quite the taxing endeavor, but Toshinori felt like they were also getting somewhere close to done.

The first thing All Might noticed about Izuku aside from his obvious shyness and selfless nature is how absolutely downright smart the kid is. He's no expert on child development by any means, but even he can tell this kid's thought process extends far beyond that of a normal ten year old's. Nighteye would absolutely love this kid, he noted mildly to himself. He'd muttered dozens of theories about the quirk of the villain Cementoss and Gunhead had taken down this morning, talking about better ways they could've applied their quirk in order to get the villain faster. It was entirely astonishing. Toshinori felt insanely proud.

Another thing he'd noticed that Izuku still didn't seem to be quite okay. He didn't appear to be in any physical pain, but sometimes he'd flinch or get a distant look in his eye. Or he'd reach to his side-- the same side Toshinori's injury had been located on before the boy healed it. It's extremely concerning, and All Might has no idea what to do. Does he say something? Take the boy to a therapist? Izuku doesn't seem keen on talking about whatever his quirk is, eyes darting away when questioned. He doesn't want to push where he isn't welcomed.

"Here we are!" Toshinori boomed, dropping the dozens of bags of clothing and other necessities onto the carpeted floor of Izuku's new room, absolutely beaming. Moving out his old, untouched office furniture had been easy as pie without his injury. A quick trip to the mall in which he wore a clever disguise-- a ball cap, sunglasses, a mask, and a shirt with his own face on it-- had gotten the young boy a whole new wardrobe. Partially against Izuku's will, as he had been very hesitant to go into any stores, but they'd made due. Especially after Toshinori emphasized his wealth. Being the Number One Hero had its perks, after all.

"You didn't have to get me all of this." Izuku's voice came out a very timid squeak that made Toshinori want to squish his cheeks together and coo. He was just such a cute kid! Very shy but definitely the sweetest ten year old Toshinori had ever met, and the most mature. Wasn't he supposed to throw tantrums and demand... candy or something? Ice cream instead of actual meals? This was almost too easy. It was a novel experience. It felt more along the lines of movie-logic than it did real life with how good Izuku was. 

Toshinori was very proud to say that they had already started bonding, and Young Izuku was already becoming more comfortable with him. They'd both spent about two hours struggling to put his bed, dresser, and desk together. Izuku was much better at it than he was, nodding at the instructions whilst Toshinori cluelessly stared at the diagrams and tried to understand why he specifically needed to use screw type b12 to put pieces E and F together, and why said screw had to go through hole 13 on one piece and hole 4 on the other. He was the muscle in this scenario for sure. Izuku had been very flustered to see the furniture delivered when they'd gotten back from the mall, eyes wide. Toshinori had definitely not taken photos.

"Nonsense!" Toshinori beamed excitedly, hands planted on his hips. Izuku's room was coming together grandly! He'd given the kid a free run of any merch he could find lying around. Previously, Toshinori would've kept it all for Nighteye, who took great pride in his All Might collection. Seeing as that was no longer an option at this time, it had started accumulating around his home in heaps. He was endlessly flattered by Izuku's awe over the multitude of action figures of posters, watching the boy run around and dig through boxes whilst rambling about 'limited edition' this and 'only fifty ever made' that. It was completely adorable even if he had no idea what the kid was talking about half the time. "Wait. We didn't buy you any school supplies, my boy!" 

"I-It's fine!" Izuku really didn't need any. Toshinori looked absolutely distraught by the mere notion, like he'd just created a great blunder. Izuku was beginning to realize that All Might, while just as large-as-life as Izuku had always known him to be, was also... a dork. Just like Izuku. He was doting and had absolutely no idea what in god's name he was doing. That's not to say Izuku did either. This was uncharted territory for both of them. It didn't make it any less funny to watch the Number One Hero freak out over menial things. Izuku was wondering if maybe he had a better grasp on the situation than the man did. "I still have plenty. It's almost summer, anyway."

"My, I had forgotten about summer break!" Toshinori announced. Izuku blinked at him. Had he just forgotten how the school system worked? Izuku wasn't even surprised anymore. "Do we need to go on vacation?"

"I don't... think so?" Izuku didn't know. He and his mom always made it a point to go to the beach a few times, but he wouldn't exactly call that a vacation, per se. Summer didn't mean it was required they go somewhere in that case, right? He was starting to question himself now that he thought about it.

"I see." Toshinori nodded thoughtfully. How was he going to watch Izuku? He could get a babysitter... his mind immediately went to Gran Torino, and he shuddered. Nope. Never. He'd find one on- on- google. He looked grimly at his ward, who stared back with big, innocent eyes. He would not befall the same fate as Toshinori. He simply couldn't. Though he was going to have to search long and hard for someone competent enough to keep a secret, it would be worth it to save him from the clutches of that man. "My boy. Don't talk to short men in capes under any circumstances. Especially if they like Taiyaki. I will handle it."

"I... I wasn't planning to." Izuku eyed him weirdly, but Toshinori just nodded grimly, folding the shirt he'd grabbed. It was so tiny compared to his hands. Izuku was so small! Izuku moved to change the subject before All Might could make any more weird, out-of-the-blue demands. "U-Um... am I going to school tomorrow?" 

Aldera Elementary school was about an hour away. Nothing to All Might who could clear entire prefectures with a single leaping bound. He'd gathered all the papers he'd dropped on the floor the day prior and combed through them carefully. He'd even went and ordered a filing cabinet just so he could keep track of things like Izuku's social security card and birth certificate. And the any assignments he brought home! With how smart he was, however, All Might was sure plenty of them would end up on the fridge. He was going to need so many magnets!

"If you want to." All Might said easily. He'd been watching the boy closely for any more signs of side effects, but Izuku still seemed to have fully recovered from whatever that bout of pain was. He'd tried to ask specifically what it was, but the shivers that would wrack through Izuku's body told Toshinori the boy wasn't quite ready to go into detail, even after their furniture-building bond. That was fine. He was just glad he was okay now, and he was more than patient enough to wait. He dug through the bag he'd been occupied with, pulling out two pairs of sunglasses. "Look, my boy! Now we can match!" 

Izuku's laughter was like bells. Toshinori's grin grew so wide it hurt.