Walk Me Home. (A Toshinori Yagi/All Might X Reader Love story)

Lean on Me.

WARNING:  This chapter gets kind of dark.

A spray of blood comes out of All Might's mouth and he is suddenly enveloped by smoke.  Standing in All Might's place and coughing up blood is Toshinori.  The skeletal man is covering his mouth with one hand while holding up his now too loose pants with the other.  Once he stops coughing he asks, "How did you know?"  He wipes the blood from his hand and mouth before tightening his belt.

You give him a huge grin, "Several things tipped me off: first, you called Izuku-kun young Midoriya as both All Might and yourself.  Second, you wear a very unique belt buckle."  You reach out and tap the buckle with a finger.  Toshinori looks down in disbelief at his own belt buckle. "Third, everytime we touch this jolt of electricity seems to go through my body and I've only felt it with you.  Last of all, and what really confirmed for me that it was you, was your eyes.  You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

Poor Toshinori spits out more blood at your last two comments, his face red from his blush.  Izuku is staring at you with his mouth hanging open.  "You're very observant,"  Toshinori says.

"With the villains that I had to go up against, I had to be.  Plus my ex used to challenge me to fights all the time and I had to watch his every move carefully or I would have been cut in two.  Literally."

Toshinori sighs, "I suppose you're wondering why I look like this?"

"I admit that I am curious, but I'm willing to wait until you feel comfortable enough to tell me."  He looks at you in surprise, "I understand all too well how difficult it can be to talk about some things."

Both Izuku's and Toshinori's eyes dart to briefly look at what's left of your arm. "Aunt (Y/N)?  Can I ask you a question?"

You turn around to look at your adorable nephew and chuckle a little when you see him nervously fidgeting.  "I believe you just did  Izuku-kun."

He blushes slightly, "W...what?  No, uh, not that.  I meant can I ask you a personal question?"

Toshinori starts to leave, "I'll give you two some privacy."

You look at Toshinori with a slight frown, "Nonsense, Toshi.  You might as well stay.  I'm sure whatever it is Izuku wants to know I'll just end up telling you later anyway.  So, please, stay."  Toshinori stops and you turn your head to look back at your nephew.  "So what is it that you want to ask me, Izuku-kun?"

"How hard was it to adjust to life with only one arm?" Izuku asks, his face red in embarrassment at having asked such a question.

"It was really hard, especially since I was left handed. It took me months to learn how to do even the simplest tasks using only my right arm." You laugh, "Hell, even to this day I haven't figured out how to put on a bra."  You don't miss Toshinori's eyes drifting down to your chest and the small coughing fit that he has.

Izuku's face turns red from embarrassment and he shouts, "Aunt (Y/N)!  I didn't need to know that!"

You laugh at how easily embarrassed Izuku gets.  You hesitate for a moment, debating whether you should continue the current conversation or not.  You decide that if you want Toshinori to feel comfortable enough to open up to you then maybe it will help if you open up to him first.  "Not only did I struggle with doing every day tasks, but I struggled with being extremely self-conscious of my appearance.  To be honest, I still struggle with being self-conscious of my arm every now and then." A rare sad expression appears on your face, "But the thing I struggled with the most was the depression that I was suffering through at the time."

Izuku looks surprised, "You were depressed?"  A look of realization replaces his surprise, "Is that why we didn't hear from you for a long time about ten months ago?"

"Yes. I was in a pretty dark place back then. I had just lost my arm and with it I lost my dream career, and my boyfriend left me."

Toshinori scowls, "Your ex wasn't much of a man if he left you right when you needed him the most."

You smile at Toshinori, but your smile fades when Izuku starts to yell.  "Why didn't you call us, aunt (Y/N)!  Mom and I could have helped you through it!"

You look into Izuku's eyes, "I know you two would have.  I didn't tell you or your mother that I was depressed because I didn't want you two to go through what I was going through."  You sigh, "Izuku, my mentor once told me something and now I'm passing his words of wisdom on to you.  'The loneliest people are the kindest. The saddest people smile the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they do not wish to see anyone else suffer the way they do.'  So I struggled alone with my injury and my depression because I didn't want anyone to have to share in my pain and misery."

There's a long awkward pause before Toshinori breaks it, "I know very well what you went through."  He hesitates before taking a deep breath and lifting his shirt to show a huge nasty scar on the left side of his chest.  The scar is an angry red and seems to concave the left side of his chest a bit.  You also can't help but notice that his left nipple is gone. "I received this wound five years ago in a fight.  My respiratory system was nearly destroyed and my stomach was removed.  I've wasted away after countless surgeries and their complications.  I can only do hero work for three hours a day now."  He sighs and lowers his shirt, "I spent over a year in and out of surgeries without much hope of anybody being able to help.  After every surgery, I was left feeling more broken and depressed.  Finally, a really good friend of mine found a way to give me a small artificial stomach...I still can't eat much or certain kinds of food, but at least I can eat."  He looks down at his hands, "But the damage has already been done.  I will no longer be the hero I once was."

You frown, "Perhaps not physically, but as I told Izuku years ago a hero's strength lies within their heart.  Everything that makes you the Symbol of Peace can never be taken away from you.  Because the strength that made you into the Symbol of Peace in the first place lies within your heart not your muscles.  The strength to keep on giving your all even though you have nothing more to give.  The strength to fight for what's right no matter what it costs you.  The strength to keep on going when you no longer think that you can.  The strength to smile to set others at ease when fear threatens to consume you.  These are all strengths that are born from the heart not the body.  Those strengths are what make you a true hero, no matter how you look, Toshinori."  You then grin from ear to ear and wink at him, "Personally, I think that you're hot in both forms."

He blushes and gives you one of his brilliant real smiles. "Thank you for your kind words, (Y/N)."  He holds out his large hand for you to take and you slip your hand into his.  He brings your hand up to his lips and kisses your knuckles.

A light blush appears across your cheeks and you smile at him.  "You're welcome, Toshi.  Anytime you need to talk I'll be more than happy to listen."  You remove your hand from his and he looks slightly disappointed.  You cup his left cheek, "So handsome."  You think you see his eyes briefly flash with admiration, but you're not sure.  You lean up while gently encouraging Toshinori to lean down a little.  You place a chaste kiss on his right cheek.  He quickly pulls away from you as blood erupts from his mouth. "Well...I should let you both get back to training."

Toshinori's eyes widen slightly, "Wait!  You don't have to go, do you?"

"I'm afraid so.  I need to  take my online class, but how about I take you both out to lunch today?"

"That sounds great, but I  insist on paying."

You chuckle, "Okay.  I will see you both at noon."  You start to walk away, turning around to wave goodbye.