Quirks are kind of like old puppets made out of clay. Their joints are usually stiff at first. Their bodies course and unwilling to cooperate with the strings that tug them. Some are better and easier to use than others, just as how some puppets might work better for kids and others better for adults all thanks to the shape and size of their controls.

     You understood well why your father preferred quirks that specialized in raw power and strength. They were easy. Simply swing the puppet around without having to learn all the strings and it is still effective. Of course, this preference was also probably connected to his quirk being an ancient one. A later model of the one you now have. So, it still had a few tweaks to to go through before reaching your original quirk's level of perfection. For you though, there's something fun about learning the finer components of a quirk. Receiving a new quirk was more to you than receiving a toy or tool; it was more like being gifted a videogame. Each one comes with their own complex components and functions that require a lot of trial and error to get right.

     Throughout the next month, you spent every evening playing with the new wave of quirks you had just received. You only threw a quirk into the Amalgamation once you had deemed for certain it would serve neither you nor anyone you knew any purpose. Once that trial part was complete, now came the fun part.

     The puppets are like old clay, right? Specifically that which is not completely solidified yet. Some are more malleable than others. Some even are so soft that you can make adjustments, combine them with others, and reshape their purpose right away. Most, however, are not like this. No, most require a strong hand. They need to be held tightly in your palms until the heat and moisture of your body seeps into them. This process can take days for some, and unfortunately you can't repeat this process on more than one at a time, as it takes too much mental energy as-is.

     Once these limbs soften, their joints finally come free. At last, you have access to the more complex aspects of that quirk. All it takes then is to learn the strings, which is a whole nother project entirely on its own. It isn't that which excites you most, however. What you love to do is the alternative to learning each quirk individually.

     Now that the puppet is soft and flexible, you pluck a limb or two from it -- the parts you like most -- and attach them to another, pre-learned puppet. One where you have already learned the strings. By meshing the limbs together -- rubbing the soft clay into one another to make them one -- you can take what you like from one quirk without having to learn a whole new puppet. And if adding a new limb causes you to need to learn a new string, then, well, it is only one new string. From there, you can simply discard the rest of the unnecessary puppet.

     Some quirks simply won't let you sever their components..but those are few and far in-between. Usually means that quirk will work better as a single unit, anyway. You most commonly combine entire puppets, rubbing each and every limb of clay into each other before reassembling it again as one. It's hard, nay impossible to do this process while you are preoccupied mentally or physically, so this is only something that can be done alone, usually in bed before sleep, making your days even longer.

     Keep in mind that there is a difference between using a combined quirk and using two or more quirks at the same time. On the outside, they look pretty similar, but to you, the difference is night and day. Imagine controlling one well practiced, near-hand crafted puppet, versus three separate puppets you aren't even sure will work right at the same time. Switching between so many was what tripped you up so many times in the past. Especially since each one was so different.

     In short, as fun as having all these quirks can be, it is undoubtedly a job all on its own. Yet another thing to lose sleep over.

     Now you can see why all this quirk blending, politics, school, fighting, and socializing have left you with so little time to sleep. So little, in fact, that it was actually starting to become a problem.

---------------

     Cat form made life so much easier, even if it was just for a few minutes. Best part was you could pretend not to understand human language, meaning you could ignore anything and everything Kai or Hari said to you. Toga still thought you were a whole different being in cat form; that this place actually just had a cat which would mysteriously vanish every time you appeared. Didn't help that you in no way made an attempt to convince her otherwise, even leaning into it by asking her where the cat went sometimes. The most fun part about being a cat, however, was seeing how the new guys reacted.

     Finally. A lazy day. It was time for a nap.

     You laid sprawled out over a couch cushion in cat form. Being a cat simply made things like taking naps ten times easier. A couch decorator you had become. Perhaps a pillow, even. You were so big and fluffy that if you curled into a ball you probably would be mistaken for one.

     A droopy blond squiggled into the living room, spotting you after grabbing the remote. "Oh! I didn't know we had a cat!" It was the blond with drippy long hair who apparently hated heroes because one saved him from committing suicide. He'd lost all other hope in life by the time Kai reached him, all because of some girl and a terrible family debt.

     The guy turned on the TV as he shuffled across the room. He grabbed you under the armpits and picked you up like a long, slinky bag of sand. Tired already, you made no attempt to fight as the man carried you to the couch he wanted to sit on and plopped down facing the TV. He draped you over his lap and tummy, since you were so big, and searched the TV for anything interesting to watch. You weren't entirely sure when, but at some point you wound up falling right back to sleep.

     You woke slowly once more to the same guy still petting your fur. Half awake, you readjusted your sleeping position and rested your head once more. Turned around now, your eyes widened to see another now sitting beside the blond. A much smaller, creepier guy with short black hair and a jaw so big it made up most of his head. He had two bulging eyes, and his teeth were not covered by any lips or cheeks. Despite that, he somehow portrayed a cute smile when he saw you looking up at him.

     "Cute harry child.." The new one scratched around your ears. You closed your eyes and purred softly.

     "Hey! How come you made it pur so quickly! I've been petting the cat this whole time!" The blond was stricken with jealousy.

     "Guess I'm just better than you." The smaller guy teased, making the first growl. You fell asleep once more to the two bickering with each other.

     You must have really clonked out that time, because when you came-to, you were being carried around the Yakuza base in the arms of a big buff guy with wild, reddish hair. He didn't seem particularly interested in you, but carried you around regardless and would get a little aggressive any time someone asked to pet you too.

     Outside, the sun warmed your fur and you again closed your eyes, happily soaking in all the rays. You remained half awake out of caution, eyes sliding open every now and then when the man made a sudden turn or harsh warning to his colleagues. You didn't get a chance at any full sleep until the guy set you down on a balcony pillow under the shade of a canopy. There was a wonderful mid-spring breeze that brought the beautiful scent of flowers right to your nose. You curled up on the pillow and relaxed, this time unable to sleep fully just because of how beautiful the day was... Could the weather get any better than this..? Could the sky ever be prettier? The garden blooming in the distance helped to seal the serenity of the scene. The sound of the leaves brushing against each other, soft chimes in the distance, running of cars, and the hammering of tools far away. Together they all built a beautiful, lively atmosphere. One which you simply loved bearing witness to.

     "You're a cat again?" Hari stepped off the dirt road onto the deck, staring down at you. You didn't respond in any way. "Hhh, still can't tell if you're just ignoring me or if your ears are genuinely broken." You lifted your lazy head and stared at the man with half open eyes. He appeared to be in a similar state, soothed by the calm atmosphere. "Whatever.." Hari sat down beside you, his back against the beam which held the corner together, and pet his hand through the fur along your back. You laid your head back down, arched your back and stretched all of your limbs at once. The man chuckled, his hand leaving you to instead rest on his propped up knee. You curled back up and tucked your nose into your tail, starting to purr happily.

     Together, the two of you enjoyed the peace of the evening. Nothing was said, and nothing needed to be said. It was one of those rare moments when you could relax and enjoy the peace for what it was.

     Words didn't need to be uselessly spilled to know the man was proud of you.

     "What are you doing out here?" Kai's voice sounded before you even noticed someone was approaching. From behind, the man stepped onto the deck as Hari did, hands deep within his coat pockets. Hari didn't even turn his head.

     "Nothing. ... Just got back?"

     "Yeah." Kai glanced down at you but didn't care to acknowledge your presence nor your form.  He leaned against the house's corner on the other side and crossed his arms. You yawned and flicked your ears to cure an itch. 

     "And how was it?" Hari questioned the other, uncaring, just like you, to even look at the new arrival. Knowing he was here was enough.

     Kai clicked his tongue. "Weird, but I can't say it was bad either." The man was clearly dismissive, wishing his friend would change topics already. He did not.

     "How come? Was he not able to find the cause of your mysophobia?"

     "Tsh, he said it probably has to do with past trauma. Which.. I guess makes sense, since my most vivid childhood memories all have to do with filth in one way or another. But, I didn't agree to go just to talk about my past life with a stranger."

     "If the two are so close in correlation...maybe it's necessary?"

     "And bring up that old drabby life?.. Not in a million years... It might make things worse." Both Hari and Kai seemed to have the same idea at the same time, because they locked gazes that next instant. "..don't."

     "-or it could make things better."

     "Guhhhh... Knew you'd say that." Kai brought a hand to his face. The other let up a fraction of a smile.

     It was quiet again. Kai soon realized why you and Hari were both so at peace. The perfect weather, calming, blissful sounds, and sweet scent of nectar... There was hardly a thing more pleasurable he could think of in the moment.

     "...-Has attending helped you with anything so far?"

     "Hhhm.. a few small things I guess. He's putting an emphasis on dealing with the root cause. The rest are just symptoms."

     "Which is~?"

     "Are you a therapist?"

     "I'm your friend. That's close enough. Hmhm."

     "Still not telling you."

     "Oh come on, please? (Y/n)'s fast asleep." Kai rose a brow as he scrutinized your curled, furry form. "And besides. The more I know, the more I can help."

     It took a lot of glaring before the brunette finally rolled his eyes and gave in. "It's not really that much of a secret.." Kai rotated some so his full back was pressed against the wall. His body facing Hari, Kai still turned his chin to the distant greenery. "Anxiety, I guess, which grows if left unchecked. Like what happened back when I threatened (Y/n)'s life." Sighing, the brunette reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Found it rather paradoxical of me to get so defensive after discovering (Y/n)'s dad threatened her life.. when I had literally done the same thing only a few weeks prior. Not only that, but I had truly lost myself in that moment. I was so clueless about who was on my side and who wasn't that I could have turned on anyone, honestly... And, according to one of that girl's prophetic dreams... the potential future involves me forcing Pops into a coma and being unable to save him later..." The man slipped off his glove and studied his delicate hand for a second. The hand itself was toned and trained, even calloused, but the skin itself was smooth. A scowl was clear in his eyes. "I don't...want that to happen. Just like how I can't stand the thought of quirks ruling our society, I can't stomach the thought of my emotions ruling me... Taking away the few things I care about."

     Hari breathed. "So that's why you agreed to go.."

     "More-or-less." Kai shoved the glove back on. "What bothers me is how everything's all connected. My phobia, the past, the future.. myself.... They're all a lot more interwoven than what I expected, which means tackling one will mean tackling it all." He. Was.. clearly agitated by this. "...I don't even know if I want to start."

     "You kind of already have-" As Hari said that, you threw a thumbs-up of agreement out there, forgetting you were a cat until you realized you had no thumbs and it was already too late. The man glared daggers down at you.

     "I knew it. Little b####, you can hear me! You just keep ignoring me!" Uhoh! You tried to keep your cool, tensions down, and yourself safe. "Meow if you can't hear me."

     "Meow?"  'wait... S###!!!'

     "That's it!" Kai picked you up by the scruff of your neck. You shrieked.

     "Kai!" Hari used the beam at his back to stand up quickly, but by the time he was on his feet, the brunette wasn't even strangling you or anything like that. Instead, he just held you tightly against his chest and rested his masked chin on your head. You growled at him, literally, your whole body tense. Kai knew you too well. His show of "affection" was torture enough. For both of you.

     "Mrrrrrroooww..." You gave off a warning sound, which he ignored. There just had to be something to this. Animals were known to be even dirtier than humans, so then why was this guy okay with touching you at all?!

     Then it struck you. When your own thoughts and feelings quieted down enough to actually listen, the rapid beating of the man's heart came to your attention. It was hard to hear what the heck he was whispering, especially under two masks, but... It sort of sounded like he was repeating the same phrases to himself over and over again, all while remembering to take deep, thought-out breaths.

     "I'm not going to die. (Y/n) is clean. I'm not going to die. (Y/n) is clean. I'm not going to die. (Y/n) is clean. I am not going to die. (Y/n) is clean." On and on and on and on it went. Until it sounded like he might be forgetting how to breathe. It wasn't working very well. He was torturing himself more in the end than you. For you, it was just awkward. For him, he felt as though he were on the brink of death, with hives growing out all around his skin.

     Hari stepped in and forcibly pulled you from his friend's arms. Carrying you now, the silver haired man frowned and sighed. "Hhh, there is no easy way out of the mess you've gotten yourself into. There's no easy way out of anything!... I'm not just suggesting it anymore. Get some help.. And let others help you too... Your problems won't seem as big if you actually let people help out every now and then."

     Kai glared down at his own arms as he scratched at all the hives. Clearly irritated in every way, he didn't mumble a single word. Hari carried you back into the house, then set you down. He didn't say anything either. Just left you to your own boredom.

...

     "There you are, Fluffy!!" A man pounced around the corner. Oh look.  The droopy blond was back.

---------------

     "Hey, (Y/n)chan!!"

     "Heyo, Izu-ni!! Where's Katsuki!?"

     "He got sick! Couldn't go to school today either!"

     "Oh, okay! Hey, want to help me out with this real quick?!"

     "Sure!!"

     Since you were trying to take it easy this week, you didn't get as much done as usual. But that was alright. Both yourselves and the beach were showing major improvement! Izuku especially was gaining some muscle from all this exercise. And they were the quality kind too; not the kind to slip away in the dead of night. For this, he was more than excited. But...

     "Um, (Y/n)?"

     "Yeh?"

     Izuku carefully placed the plastic tube he was carrying back down. "I was wondering.. Even if I get super strong from all the exercise, how will I become a hero as big as All Might??!"

     "Remember? I'm not supposed to tell~"

     "Okay but seriously! Are you going to give me a--?!" Catching his tone, the boy switched to a meeker posture, eyes on the sand. "I'm just wondering... Are you...going to give me a quirk or not?... Because I would like to know now more than later.. so-so I- I- I- can train for it, and-and prepare my body the best as possible!"

     You set the tires down and stared at the ocean for clues. Being all honest, you questioned yourself about what was best for the kid. You wanted to cheer him on as the world's first quirkless top hero, but... You'd hyped him for so much already. To have him stumble and fail, year after year, would only break the poor little boy's heart. And yours too, knowing you set him up for nothing but failure.

     There was a point where you had to be realistic. But, you had no idea to what degree or in which form...

     "...How about this?" You walked across the clearing to the large refrigerator. Most of the stuff around it had already been cleared away in favor of picking the heavy things up later. You slapped the side of the discarded machine and smiled at the kid. "Move this thing off the beach and I'll give you a quirk! Any quirk you want!" At least of those you were willing to give.

     Izuku's mouth dropped wide open. For a while, he just stared. "YOU REALLY MEAN IT?!" His eyes took their chance at beating Niagra Falls' water-per-second record. "You'll give me a quirk??!"

     You chuckled and placed your hands on your hips. "Yeah. I suppose one wouldn't hurt."

     The kid bowed profusely. "THANK YOU. I'LL MOVE IT RIGHT AWAY." Izuku ran up to and shoved the fridge's walls. The old machine didn't even budge. He kept trying and trying, so determined that he dug himself into a sand pit you had to drag him out of.

     Holding the kid up by the back of his shirt, "Remember that there's no time limit here, buddy? You can train as long as you like! Oh, but it has to be all on your own, so you can't ask your mom or Katsuki to help."

     Izuku's eyes were watering again, this time in defeat. "How am I going to move something so BIG? You're no fair!"

     "Hey, quirk or no quirk, this challenge isn't supposed to be easy." You smirked, finally setting the boy down. He scurried right back to pushing on the fridge again. You sighed and rolled your eyes. The moment you looked at the kid again, you felt a pair of eyes landing on you. You froze up, innards already starting to gag. It was that gut feeling of being watched..by specifically~

     "A! (Y)-cha- he-a--!" Izuku coughed up the dark sludge in your stead. Just as you were about to bid him a farewell as not to scare him, YOU were the one terrified instead! One second he was there and the next he was gone.

     "IZUKU! Dad, what is this abou--?" The sludge spilled from your throat as well. Didn't take long before you were enveloped in it and transported to another place.

-----

     You fell on your butt, gagging and coughing. The first thing you noticed was the lack of ocean sounds. Made sense. The ground felt like hardwood, smooth and sleek.

     "Ogh, you two are tracking sand everywhere." Your father scoffed. You were still taking mental courses on how to breathe again.

     "We-well you're the one who brought us here, mi-mister!" Izuku was cowering behind you, trembling hands on your shoulders. "Wait.. you're (Y/n)'s dad!!"

     "Indeed I am." He said with pride. Izuku's fond memories of the man flooded in, turning his attitude completely around. He ran around to stand in front of you instead. You finally looked up, seeing the man approach with his hands behind his back.

     "Was that your quirk?!"

     "Yes, it was."

     "Do you have many quirks like (Y/n)?!"

     "I-..." He leaned to the side, glancing behind the boy at you. You gave him a look, then shrugged. "Yes, she inherited her quirk from me." The last brought about another gasp from the boy. Questions started spewing from his mouth one after another. As that happened, you carefully studied the new place you found yourself in. It was a modern yet homey atmosphere. Definitely a new place. You'd never seen this house before. With an open loft bedroom above and a kitchen directly ahead of you, the house appeared to be no bigger than what was needed. Expensive, but this was no mansion. The furniture and everything were all specially designed to match your father's larger than average size, and everything had its special place.

(Frick it. Here's a picture.)

     "I guess it's my fault for not waiting for you to clean off from the beach. But I was in a hurry to show you my new place sooner than later."

     "Hhhh, it's fine I guess.. Couldn't you have at least asked for Kurogiri's help instead of using your own quirk?" You stood yourself up, rubbing your sore bum.

     "I could have." :) . . . "You two want some tea?"

     You nodded. "Sure."

     "Ooo! What flavors do you have?? Do you have the tiger one?!"

     "Hmhm. No. Unfortunately, I only have one."
        "Awwh."
     "But I have a feeling you will like it."
        "Oh, okay.. Can I go exploring?!"
     "Sure. Go ahead."

     Izuku scampered off. He ran down the hall past the kitchen, opened some of the doors, then passed the kitchen in the opposite direction. You followed your dad into the kitchen and leaned your hip against the cabinets. Izuku was already hiking up the larger than average steps.

     Your dad already had everything prepped and ready. All he had to do was pour the tea into some cups and set them on the island to cool beside a plate of cookies. You grabbed a cookie -- your favorite kind -- and munched on it idly. Your eyes kept switching between staring at the supervillain and trying to avoid looking at him at all. It was so quiet here. Other than the sounds Izuku made as he ran around exploring, there was nothing else going on.

     Just when you worried conversation was about to pop up, the little boy screamed. Your dad vanished in a cloud of black ink. You sprouted four wings and flew up the stairs, then sprinted to where you heard the sound. Past a hanging catwalk of a hallway and to the left was a door. You ran through it and were hit with a wall of light. After your eyes adjusted, you realized it was just a wall of glass for what looked like a nice office room. The view was beautiful out there. So vibrant and full of life.

     "WHERE ARE WE?!?!" Izuku stood in utter shock, his hands pressed against the glass. He was hyperventilating as your father gently placed his hand on the boy's head. You leaned in the door since there really wasn't anything you could do that he couldn't.

     "We're in North America right now. Though a bit pricey, I found some fine real-estate in the Roccy Mountains.. as you can see by simply looking out the window. Gesturing with his other hand at the view, the villain stared, admiring the beauty of it all for himself. "...I plan to purchase all these mountains one day... Then, I'll be able to preserve their beauty, and keep mankind from touching what it doesn't need." That still hovering hand of his reached out just a little further to touch the glass as well with the back of his finger. It trailed down the further in thought he fell...

     Just like how every warm hug, gentle touch, and soft smile reminded you of your mother, everything bright and beautiful reminded him of her too. But, there was something a little more to it too. There always was... She had given new perspective to life. Shown him the meaning of true beauty, as well as why it was so vital to protect... He wished he had taken such a lesson to heart sooner than later. Then, he wouldn't be squabbling with landlords over the nature and beauty that reminded him of her.

     He was a confusing man in every way. A living puzzle which didn't care to be understood. But, there was something so simple about the way he mourned. Though his kind of mourning was easy to confuse with greed, you knew him well enough to see the truth. The fact that he was grieving at all was humanizing.

     After all, no one can go through life without their regrets. Not even the main villain himself.

     All For One's warm hand left the top of Izuku's head as he turned from the wall of glass. "The tea will be getting cold soon if we don't hurry."

     "Okay!.. Hey, um, hey Mister, do you have your hero journals here??" Izuku followed after your dad like a trusting little fawn.

     Your dad smiled down at the boy. "I do, but I'm afraid they still have yet to be unpacked. I'm still looking for the right place to put them."

     "Oo! Oo! Oo! Can I keep them?!"

     "Hmm, I'm afraid some of the paper is too old and needs special care, but you are free to visit if you would like to read from them." You frowned while stepping back so the two could pass through the door. You trailed behind with your hands in your pockets. What exactly was your father's plan for Izuku here? He usually never showed so much interest in someone unless they were family or a part of his schemes. Heck, even his family were always a part of his schemes somehow.

     You didn't like not knowing what was cooking in your old man's brain, but at the same time you were helpless to stop it. After all, Izuku finding out your dad was not only a villain, but the villain who killed All Might- well, that would break his soul. Not to mention that through learning, he would discover your part to play in the hero's death, which would undoubtedly create distance between the two of you. It was all so delicate, this mentor/student relationship of yours. One wrong move and it would snap like a thin, silver thread.

----------

     After tea, which was mostly enjoyed in silence with only the occasional small talk, Izuku went exploring again, this time with you following his lead.

     He shoved open the back door -- there wasn't really a front door to be found; literally the only way to reach this place was via teleportation -- and screamed once more. You tugged him back, ready to fight or whatever, but the preteen yanked himself free and ran on ahead. "A POOL!?!? (Y/N), YOUR DAD IS SO RICH!!" You slid through the door smirking, your dad following after. Apprehension held in his eyes as the boy made no attempt to slow down.

     "Please..you're..all..covered..in..."
        "CANONBALL!" Splash!
     "Sand..."

     You teasingly chuckled at your dad, who sighed and shook his head as the youngest one dove for the deepest depths of the massive pool. It truly was just as impressive out here as it was inside. The pateo was of strong concrete, the outside structure itself tough and modern in appearance, and already there were many plants growing throughout. There was even a single lawn chair for optimal relaxation under the sun.

     You waited, a little anxious seeing as you had no confirmation of Izuku's great swimming abilities. When he resurfaced, sputtering but unharmed, a sigh of relief escaped you. It was your father's turn to chuckle at you.

     He crossed his arms, watching the boy exploring his new pool. On the other side was a diving cliff and a couple waterfalls to splash around in. Though his eyes were trained on the kid, his attention was on you. "I still wonder why you took such a liking to that boy.. I mean, I can see he has his own useful interests and..innocent draw to him, I suppose, but I still question what made you want to mentor the boy of all things."

     "Mhm. Didn't you hear? This boy's destined to be a great hero someday."

     The man nudged you with his elbow. "I know you cannot actually see the future. If there were any unguarded abilities like that, I would have grabbed one already. So, tell the truth. What do you see in him that I don't?"

     You stood there to scratch your chin and ponder... In all truth, there was no real rhyme or reason as to why it would specifically be him. The only one-up Izuku had on other kids just like him was that he was the main character in an anime you watched. In fact, had you no memories of your past life, the chances that you two would ever cross paths were slim.

     Why did you want to see him become a hero so bad? Sure, he would be sad not getting to become a hero, but, in these past months you've already taken the quirks of two of his would-be classmates! They too were people you once rooted for, wanting to see them achieve their dreams as well. And, their dreams were no less real than Izuku's were. So, in the grand scheme of things, why did you favor Izuku's feelings over theirs'?!

     ...Guess, this problem still plagued you somewhat. One where it is hard to see this reality through any lense but for the manga turned anime it was setup to be... You've already changed so much, reshaped so many lives to the point that some aren't even recognizable from their canon counterparts!.. But yourself?? You haven't changed much at all!

     After all, you see this entire world through the lense of mere entertainment still. These people as characters, and the settings as but places for drama to occur. As your brain spirals, you dig up some of the deeper, existential thoughts, desires, and motives you always tried to cover up. This world. These people. They were all here because and for you. In a way, without your own selfishness, nothing before your eyes would even exist. All these problems, dreams, reality itself... were only here because you wished for them to be.

     You swallowed those thoughts for now, staring ahead at the kid with a more serious look. "I guess... I want to see him become a hero..because... For self validation, suppose. If I can turn him into the world's greatest hero, despite all the odds.. then... Then I can do just about anything. And... I guess I just want to feel like a good person. I want to be labeled as a positive influence to the world... I don't want to be.. the 'bad guy.' Sounds shallow now that I say it, but.. that's as close to the truth as I can get."

     All For One was silent. He didn't even make a sound of thought or acknowledgement. He just...stood there. Processing everything at a slowed pace.

     "...Can we go back now-?"

     "-Your eyes are looking better, by the way."

     "Huh?"

     "The skin around your eyes." Your dad turned his head to you and pointed at his own. "They look much healthier than they did last month."

     "They...do..?" You felt the dry skin around your eyes. It was hard to notice changes when they happened so slowly, but, yeah. Remembering back to how dry and flaky they were before, this was a major improvement! "Huh... Wonder what I did different.." Nothing about your overall schedule changed much. You still fought. You still experimented with quirks, and you still trained with Decay at school. But- hold on... You did start sleeping and taking naps a lot more recently. Out of desperation, you forced yourself to drop a few activities and staying up so late so you could finally get some shut-eye... Was that really the cure!? SLEEP?!

     "Hmhmhm.. I always enjoy watching your face when you figure something out~... What was it this time?"

     Head dipped in embarrassment, you combed a few fingers through your low hanging hair. "I guess... I guess I need sleep just as much as everyone else."

     "Tststs," He reached out and rubbed your back. "don't we all..? It's funny how often we forget.. Especially us masterful puppeteers... I get it now. Why you like Izuku so much. He really is the perfect puppet."

    You spun your head his way and scoffed. "No he's not!"

     "(Y/n)chan and (Y/n)'s dad!! Did you see!? I climbed up the waterfall!!" Izuku stood on top of the jumping cliff triumphantly. You hurried to applaud the boy. Your father offered a few polite claps.

     "Woop Woop! Good job!!"

     "With the bond you have formed, that boy is now in the perfect position to turn him into whatever you want him to be... So, why the are you still encouraging him to be a hero far beyond what he can achieve on his own? It's important for them to form a codependency, but I can't see this ending well for you."

     "Because he's not my puppet. I don't need those when I have friends." Crossing your arms. "Something you would never understand."

     "I'm afraid it's you who fail to understand..." Shifting his weight, the man stared up at the brightening sky, the sunlight steadily growing brighter. "I feel as though I understand you better than most. . You aim for the impossible. Specifically, to craft the person of your choosing into becoming what you want them to be. What you think would be best for them. You said it yourself, though I am paraphrasing. The only reason you want him to become the world's greatest hero, is to absolve yourself of the guilt and suffering you have been subjected to since you were near his age. You want to live vicariously through him, in a way."

     You clicked your tongue, agitated that he got it so right. Mostly. "What about you then? I suppose you see me as your puppet-thing?"

     Your dad's eyes rested on you for a moment. Again, the look of apprehension as he planned out his next words with great caution. "...You are a far more complicated case. Yes, I have had wishes and plans for you since your conception. Before that, even. But...to enact those would mean I would have to break you first...." His gaze trailed away. "I don't want to break you... At least not any more than I already have."

     "...I see." At least he was being open about it. By this point, you were numb to anything vaguely evil this man said. Even if it was deeply personal.

...

     "If it is more rest you need," The man walked toward a cabinet near the back door. "Feel free to stop by and rest here whenever you like. I've already keyed-in Kurogiri with the coordinates." You rolled your eyes. Another custody struggle? What kind of infinite spiral was this?! After AFO grabbed a towel from the cabinet, he cupped his hands while walking toward the swimming pool. "Ay, Izuku, my boy! Care to dry off?? Any longer in there and you could catch a cold!"

     "OKAY!" Izuku splashed back into the water and swam across the pool. Your dad reached out a hand and helped the slippery boy out, then wrapped the towel over the greenette and his sopping wet clothes. The boy thanked him and used the towel to rub his hair wild.

     When the man turned around, he fixed a very specific smirk on you. It was hard to explain, but, you knew exactly what it meant. And it wasn't good. Confidence mixed with conniving, he had something planned. Something he knew you wouldn't like. And with that conversation you just had, you sure hoped it had nothing to do with him turning Izuku into his next puppet.

     Your reactionary expression must have revealed just as much to him, because he chuckled while approaching you again, "Don't worry. As long as you cooperate, I won't have need to use him." he pat your shoulder while passing you to reach the door.

     Your eyes bulged, staring at nothing, as everything clicked into place. Your father's strangely warm attitude toward Izuku, all the kind gestures; taking an almost parental role for the boy whenever he could... He was in just as good of a place as you to make Deku his puppet. And now that the two of you had had this chat, he was willing to legitimize the threat.

     While AFO may not wish to directly make you suffer anymore, there was no telling what he would do to Izuku. What terrible quirks he could give the boy, lies he could tell, and stories he could weave, all to make the helpless little kid into Japan's worst villain yet.

     Of all the threats you'd received throughout your life... this had to be the worst.