Work Text:
Hisashi Midoriya, also known as the centuries old villain 'All for one' at first didn't expect the day for when he had to fight his son.
Izuku Midoriya, ninth holder of all for one and all might's successor didn't expect the day that he was going to meet his supposed father through a fight between hero and villain in which the villain turned out to be his father.
...
And so there he was face to face with the new number one hero, his son who proudly called himself "Deku". His son who looked at him full of hatred. Who was he even kidding, he knew this day would come, he just didn't want for it to happen.
...
Hisashi was a man that kept his word.
He promised his family a normal but fulfilling life and himself his own empire and successor.
By the time he heard his wife claim the words that their son wanted to be a hero one day over the phone, Hisashi only hoped and prayed that his son wouldn't have a quirk so that there will never be a day he wouldn't have to deal with the burden of fighting his own flesh and blood once again.
And so through a phone call his wife gave him he figured that his son turned out to be quirkless and a huge wave of relief overcame him.
And then he stopped contacting his wife and son for his own reasons and that is too continue building his empire while his family live out a peaceful life away from the constant dangers of living with a villain.
...
Years passed and he didn't think he would hear from his son or wife again until the USJ attack, Shigaraki and the others had claimed about a green haired youth that showed almost the same quirk as All might's.
'So that filthy so called symbol of peace had passed down his quirk, huh' He thought to himself. His mind drifted to the the fact that this supposed youth had green hair and so he remembered his son who had the same hair color as this youth.
At first he didn't think too much of the possibility that that same green haired youth would be his son, besides his son was quirkless and there was no way his son could've inherited his brother's quirk at least he thought so but those were just ways to comfort himself from the possibility that it might be his son. And so the awaited UA sports festival came.
He and his successor watched the event unfold through television. He asked Shigaraki if he can determine who the green haired youth was.
Almost all his hopes that the green haired youth with all might's quirk wasn't his son were crushed when he heard the mention of 'Izuku Midoriya', the exact name he gave his son. But he still prayed to himself that it could've just been a coincidence that the contestant had green hair and the same name, but it would be stupid if he didn't believe that was his son because of stupid coincidences. And then all hope was lost when Shigaraki did determine that was the same youth. It was stupid to deny something that was so obvious.
For the first time in a few decades he had never felt this hopeless. His son, his own flesh and blood was the next holder of one for all. And so he had no choice but to sit back and watch the sports festival.
When he didn't think things could be a lot worse, he watched his son across the screen use his quirk carelessly through breaking his bones, and it pained him. Of people all over the world it had to be his son who all might chose. Worse was that his son was breaking his bones because he didn't know how to properly use the quirk.
...
And so the kamino incident happened, All for one didn't expect to see his son in person after all these years, too bad his son didn't know the truth. But he can set aside that for now, for now he only had one goal in mind and it was too destroy his arch nemesis, All might, the so called "symbol of peace", the eight holder of one for all and the one stupid enough to give one for all to his son.
But it was probably karma punching him back in the gut, he chose Shigaraki whom he chose out of spite. Shigaraki who was the grandson of Nana Shimura, All Might's predecessor. How ironic that All Might had chosen the son of his arch nemesis to be his next successor and that he had chosen the grandson of one of All Might's predecessor to be his successor. His stomach churns due to the worries that had been consuming him that one day he would have to face his son in battle one day. He dreaded the day where it will come, but he had to be prepared no matter what.
Even if it was karma, All Might took many things from him as well, his empire, his face and now his son. He'll just have to make sure All Might gets what he deserves.
...
And so he lost.
Now isolated from human contact, strapped, imprisoned and being watched carefully.
He'd rather stay here than fight his own flesh and blood again anyways.
But then a sense of worry overcame him, what could be happening to his son anyways?
He needed human contact, though he did have human contact but it was only from that damned peace symbol who barely even visited.
It was making him go crazier than before.
He didn't even know how much time has passed.
He needed to escape, now.
Too bad he is defeated though.
And within bounds his mind drifts to the memory of his brother's death, his brother who had died in his own hands, his brother whom he loved yet killed. History would repeat, this time instead of his brother it was his son. The history in which he killed his own flesh and blood. But despite his love and worries for his family he was also a man who only had his eyes set on his goals. To him, even if it pained him he would do whatever it takes to win. He knows his son knows about him. He knows his son would be there to defeat him in the future. If only his son didn't know about him or hadn't inherited that stupid quirk, that way he wouldn't be worrying too much about defeating him. He'd been petty that his son inherited one for all, he loved his son even though he was absent throughout most of his son's life. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't let himself lose.
It had been useful after all that he had kept his distance from his family, that way he wouldn't shed too many tears when he defeats his son. Because to him it doesn't matter wether you are family or not, wether you are friend or not, to him success is a must and he'd make sure no one would get in his way. The knowledge that Izuku was his son was just an obstacle from eliminating that cursed quirk. Maybe he can even use the knowledge that he is Izuku's father against his own son in the future when the time for battle comes. Maybe he can even offer his son to join him and give up that quirk in exchange for a new one. But if his son would refuse, he'd respect his son's decision, after all Izuku is his own person and then he would just focus on winning instead. He'd do whatever it takes to win even if it leaves him with pain. Atleast if he wins, the feeling of victory would overcome the pain that had came with it. Besides pain is just one of the roads to success.
And so he plots.
This time he'd make sure his escape is a success.
...
A few years had passed since Izuku graduated from UA and throughout those years at UA he had defeated the league of villains and mastered how to use One for all and the seven quirks that came along with it and now here he was with his own hero agency, giving new meaning to the word "Deku" by being number one hero and keeping his promise to his mentor, idol and father-figure who was All Might that there would be a day that he can finally come and proudly say to those who needed saving that he is finally here.
Saving people with a smile, defeating evil with a smile and telling those he can reach to save that he was there was all part of his promise.
And he proved himself worthy of being proud of to his former classmates, his mother, his teachers and his mentor.
Though, he may have fulfilled his dreams and made everyone he knew proud he felt as if something was missing. And it was the lack of his father in his life.
But he always thought to himself maybe out there his father was watching, proud of his success and boasting to others that his son is the top hero.
He may have not known his father but atleast he hoped his father was proud. He knew his father had no right to boast that he was the father of a top hero or be proud because of his absence from his son's life. But just being proud of his son was enough for Izuku. And so he hoped his father was out there and happy for him.
He just didn't think of the possibility his father would be his enemy.
...
Here he was face to face with all for one, a few centuries old maniac who was the supposed rival for one for all holders. Their battle was being broadcasted live all across the nation.
...
To the audience watching the fight go down it was shocking.
This was the first time they had seen their number one hero, Deku look so defeated. The hero's face had mixed emotions written all over it but the most recognizable one was defeat. Sorrow, anger, confusion, shock and defeat. The audience weren't aware of the conversation that had just went down between the hero and the villain they'd been watching.
...
Izuku Midoriya was a man not so different from his father. He had the hobby to analyze quirks and only had his eyes set on his goals, both of them would not easily give up their goals. Him being quirkless didn't stop him from proving himself to be a great hero and no matter what you tell him or do to him he would never give up achieving his dream of becoming a hero. Yet he was also a man not so different from his uncle. He had a strong sense of justice and what was good and what was not apart from that shared the same ideal with his uncle in which the hero always wins in the end.
A boy that started out as a fanboy without a quirk who proved himself to be a worthy successor of one for all, what started out as a powerless boy that couldn't save his one childhood friend from a slime villain turned out to be a powerful hero that can save millions.
To Yagi Toshinori, his predecessor thought that day by day Izuku would exceed his expectations and to him it was right for him to choose the boy as his successor for he knew Izuku would make a great hero one day. To Inko Midoriya , his mother it was scary knowing that he'd put himself in danger all the time just to save others but as long as her son was happy she was happy. To his classmates Izuku was a man that inspired them. To Aizawa, his 1st year home room teacher, Izuku was a problem child who turned out to be a man with great ideals and skill. Izuku was a man many people looked up to even at his days as a student at UA.
But Izuku had always wondered what his dad thought of him until the very words that All for one told him. And it was a shocking and painful revelation to find out that the man he was groomed to defeat for many years turned out to be his father.
But this was no time for him to shake his head and deny, the weight of the world was on his shoulders and he wouldn't let this man defeat him with just words. He was in denial of the truth but it made so much sense yet so much it sounded like a lie.
It would make sense that All for one was his father, he had been gifted with 7 quirks by his predecessors and handled so many quirks without losing a grip of his sanity unlike those nomus, besides him who can manage multiple quirks without losing his control it was All For One. But then again All for one was the one who created one for all so it made sense that a version of the quirk which was all for one would also be passed down to him. Another thing that made sense to him was that the fact that his father would be absent his whole life without any visits because of his job, he didn't think that his dad would be managing an evil empire. His father may have not visited but him and his mother had been receiving too much money, suddenly he is guilty from the fact that the money that had sustained him his whole life was a result of such evil acts.
It had to be a lie to distract him. Besides his father had been overseas his whole life and had been working there for a really long time. His father can only breathe fire not steal and giveaway quirks.
Again, this man who claimed to be his father was an evil mastermind could just easily steal quirks and fire breathing had to be one of them. Either way this man infront of him who he now faces to defeat had lied. If what he had said was true then his whole life his father had been lying to him and his mother and to him that was unforgivable and if what he had said was a lie then it was low of him using his father against him like that which was also deemed unforgivable in his eyes despite his father's absence.
Even if what the man infront of him said was true it doesn't matter if he was his father or not, mass genocide was unforgivable in his eyes and just like his uncle, in his own eyes justice would always prevail.
...
All for one expected his son to turn against him and with a hit he had received from his son his expectations were met, ofcourse his son had inherited the same spirit as his uncle, hadn't he?
No matter who he was to Izuku, Izuku would defeat him because it was Izuku's goal to be a great hero and going down the path of a great hero equals having a strong sense of justice. And just like Izuku defeating him despite the knowledge he is the father, he also had the plan to defeat Izuku because of his goals to take over the world. Just like All Might, to All for one Izuku also took many things from him. Izuku took away his league, his successor and his pride. Izuku made him dread this day. All might really rubbed himself on his son which resulted in Izuku to take away so much things from him.
When All for one told Izuku he was his father he wasn't lying, when all for one asked Izuku to join him in exchange for many things he promised himself he would stay true to his word. He never told lies, atleast that was the case in his twisted eyes.
He knows loves his son despite his absence, he is proud of his son for the person he has become now, when his son won the first event at the sports festival without even using his quirk he was impressed, when his son broke his bones to win in the sports festival he wasn't as impressed as before but he was still happy his son was succeeding. It shocked him that his son had to bare with the burden of fighting his own father one day and wielding one for all but if his son was doing what made him happy he was okay. When he had heard from the other villains about his son winning over and defeating villains he was impressed. When he found out his son was the number one hero he was proud. But even if he was proud he had his own set of goals to achieve, his son had achieved everything he had ever wanted. It was his turn to make himself proud.
If he was going to defeat and end his son right now there had been built inside of him that he never had the chance to be a good father, and if his son was going to die atleast just this once he can feel that his father really cares for him despite his father also wanting to kill him. And so he tells how proud he is of his son's achievements and how just this once he would like to be the father he never was to his son. Izuku remains unswayed. And so he offers his son to join him once again which his son had refused. If he defeats his son he would have to deal with the emotional pain that came with the victory.
And so Izuku uses all of his power against all for one, the fight continues and the conversation continues.
...
And with every strike they both exchanged sentences. The villain suddenly stops moving and the hero is moved to tears, the hero then uses everything in his power to end the villain once and for all. Everyone who was watching cheered for the hero.
The media and audience were shocked when they saw the dying villain in the arms of the bruised and crying hero. The villain had been defeated by the hero yet the hero looked so defeated, they watched the two fight but didn't know the conversation that went on between them.
Atleast the people can now be at ease knowing that their number one hero had defeated such a strong villain that All might himself couldn't defeat.
Only Izuku knew the truth.
...
Izuku was now at ease that the villain All for one had been dead yet a mixture of the feelings sorrow and guilt had overtook him knowing that he had just killed the man that brought him into existence, helped name him and sustained him. Victory always comes with pain. Atleast he knows his dad was proud of him. He then remembers his conversation with All for one before he ends it all.
...
"Let me prove to you atleast just this once that I can atleast be a father in your eyes." All for one says in a way that can plant guilt and sorrow into the hero's heart.
"How? How can you say that after so many years of-" The hero's statement had been cut off by the words that followed from the villain's mouth.
"I've always been proud of you despite you being a hero. I dreaded this day to come. You and me we aren't so different when it comes to achieving what we want. And just this once I would like to make you feel proud of me." Izuku doesn't know how to react or respond.
" I accept defeat. "