19 Try Not To Become A Man Of Success, But Rather Try To Become A Man Of Value

~~~Giyu POV~~~

As ironic as it sounds coming from someone like me, from my experience, I've learned that love is a quiet emotion that in time becomes part of the oxygen you need to breathe, and so though you may feel not sure that it's there, any form of removal and the emotions begin to choke

I was still awe-struck minutes after Makomo had left the car park. I felt like it was when we were younger again, back in the fields and going on our first dates…our first everything

Eventually, I had decided to walk back into the hospital, keeping my head down as I traversed around the hospital until I found a less populated area and leaned onto the wall, sighing deeply

"Shit…" I murmured out loud with a wide smile, my feelings of happiness going wild inside me, unable to control

"She seems like a lovely lady," I heard a weak voice say beside me, "You're a lucky man,"

"All Might," I said, turning around quickly as I have him a deep bow

"Ah! Haha, there's no need to do that young Tomioka. I've just come here to make sure you're okay," he said, "Judging from your expression before…maybe I ruined your moment?" he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck

"No…no you didn't, to be honest if you hadn't come out here…I probably would've run away so I could see them again," I admitted to him

"Well, that's good then, we don't want another scare from you," he told me

After a second of silence, I realised why All Might may have come here. Judging from what happened last time I saw him, it seems he would want to talk to me about it

"All Might, if you're here to talk about what I heard when we had last seen each other…don't worry, I haven't spoken of anything I heard," I informed him

His face seemed to show slight relief as he said, "I'm glad to hear that, but that's not exactly why I've come here to talk with you," he said

"Is there…anything else?" I asked him quizzically

"It's just…All For One…what he did to you, I understand how you must feel. If it's anybody, then I know what he is like the most. Just…remember that…we all have dark times in our life…please keep holding on…for everyone's sake," he said to me, putting his hand on my shoulder

"Don't worry. You're the fourth to tell me that today. It truly does make me feel that I do have a purpose to continue…a purpose that I know I should listen to," I said back to him

"So, One For All? A power passed on to your successor…Broccoli if I recall correctly?" I said to him

He sighed quietly and said, "Yes, it's a power passed on from generation to generation, it's power cultivating and growing stronger every time. I've already told Hawks and Best Jeanist, I was going to tell endeavor until I noticed you as I left Young Midoriyas room. Anyway, this power was essentially made to combat All For One. Many users have tried and failed. I thought my turn would be the last but…it seems that I wasn't enough. It is a power coveted so strongly by All For One that he has gone through all of this to acquire it,"

"I understand…and so he will be after Broccoli. I know that we must protect him…but is that the way around this? If he stays in one area for too long…he may be found…and then it's all over," I murmured to myself

"Precisely. We're going to be setting up a team. Me, young Midoriya, Hawks, Endeavor and Best Jeanist. There is something different that we have for you," He told me

"I see. So…what will I be doing?" I asked him

"Well, you and a partner will do your best to acquire intel for us. While we are moving with Midoriya, protecting him, you and your partner will be feeding us and everyone else information," He informed me

"Okay…wait, partner?" I asked, nobody coming to my mind

"Yes. You do have a partner right? Someone to trust?" He asked

'People don't like you, do they? You're an absolute loner!' The words of the man with a constantly changing voice said in my head

'There are a lot of people who don't like you, so they gave you that name,' Best Jeanists' voice ring in my head straight after

"Ermm, well…" I said struggling to find my words

I sigh slightly and murmur to myself, "People do like me,"

'W-well there isn't anyone else to come with me,' The voice of a certain annoying fanatic from the Liberation Army suddenly appeared in my mind

"Yeah…I think I do," I said to All Might

"That's good," He responded solemnly

"Is something the matter?" I asked him

"I…I made a promise, to protect someone. And the more I see him grow and develop, I feel like I am losing my place to be with him and stand by him as he continues on his path…" he said, "Sorry. I shouldn't be bothering a young man like you with all of this talk,"

"No, it's fine. I'm sure that you have said all that you wanted. I'm sure he understands. From what I've seen, Broccoli is someone who doesn't hesitate to help someone in need. I believe that he will be fine," I told him

"When you said that he is growing…in what regard?" I asked him

"Well…he is developing abnormally. The previous users of the quirk…he is developing their quirks as his own," he told me

"I see…well, no matter what, if you've trusted in him and have judged him to have the makings of a hero…I'll trust him too," I told him

"Yeah…, maybe I'm just feeling paranoid," he told me

"Maybe you are," I said to him, pausing for a moment, "I think I will go talk to him now," I declared

"Huh? How come? Is there something he needs to know?" All Might asked me

"I guess…I just want to give him advice from his senior," I told him before walking down the hospital halls, waving my hand over my shoulder so All Might could see my goodbyes

~~~Izuku POV~~~

'Kid,' I heard the fourth user, Shinomori, say to me, as I jolted up in surprise as I saw his ghostly body appearing on my shoulder, 'Someone strong is approaching your room,' his face looked as it usually did

'Okay. Is it a threat?' I asked him, my body tensing under the hospital covers

'No,' he said as my body relaxed slightly, 'However, he is strong. Very strong. Safe to say that this person a threat if you're not careful. Be extremely careful not to anger them,'

A series of knocks hit the door as I said out loud, "You can come in,"

I was prepared for anything as Shinomori told me, 'Here he is. Be. Cautious,'

"Broccoli," I heard Tempest say as he entered the room

"Ah! It's only you! Hello Tomioka sir," I said, happy to see his face after what I've witnessed of him

'WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT CAUTION?!' I heard Shinomori shout to me, 'Oh, it's the hero from the TV broadcast that happened earlier, never mind. Goddammit, I wasted so much time doing…' Shinomoris voice trailed off mid-sentence as his body faded from my eyesight

"Hm? Izuku?" I heard my mum say as she woke from a small nap

"A-Ah mum! This is Tempest- Tomioka- err, yes him, that guy!" I said to her, my words becoming scrambled as I spoke

"Hello, Kohlrabi-" Tomioka paused for a moment, stopping his words, his face frowning slightly until he reset his posture and said, "Hello, miss,"

"Erm, hello, Tempest," mum said to him, clearly confused at his behaviour

He nodded to her slightly. He pulled a chair from the side and placed it at the end of the bed, me and him looking at each other, beds length apart

"Broccoli, I want to talk, privately," Tomioka said to me, his face looking very serious

I nodded to him, turning to my mum, "Mum, could you leave the room for a moment please?" I asked with a smile

"O-Oh sure," she said smiling, getting to her feet, "Don't be too long, you'll need to have some food soon," she told me, closing the door as she left

"It's good you're protecting her. Not showing her your weak side will keep her happy and she'll keep thinking everything is fine," Tomioka said to me with an approving nod

"Well…" I started, "I can't let her know how much of a serious condition I am truly in," I tell him, looking down to my arms riddled with scars

"I've not seen you since Kamino Ward," He speaks up

My mind flashed back to Kamino as I helplessly watched as Tomioka protected Bakugo, at our expenses

I looked to his left sleeve. It hung loose, clearly showing the lack of anything inside it

"Yes. It feels like so long ago and yet…it passed so fast," I said to him, "Kaccha-Bakugo. He still feels guilty about what happened back then. He feels responsible for the absence of two of the top heroes," I told him

"Ah, the Angry Pomeranian," He said with a nod

"T-That's new," I said to him

An awkward feeling set itself upon me as we exchanged small words with each other

"So…Tomioka, you wanted to talk wi-" "Why are you fighting All For One?" Tomioka suddenly interrupted me

I paused for a moment, thinking of an answer, "To save people," I told him

"But why you?" He asked straight after my answer

"Because I have the power to do so," I said to him, confused at what he was attempting to far from me

"I mean beyond that. What happens after you protect people with your power and continue to do so?" He asked

"Well…I'm going to make my quirk my own and learn how to wield my power, I can't allow All For One to continue going around out there," I said as an answer

"Why?" He asked once more resulting in me becoming even more confused and slightly annoyed at his persistence

"People you don't even know are dying due to crimes, accidents, and diseases in the natural course of life. But you're telling me you can't overlook it when that death is caused by All For One?" He said to me

"It is the only way to keep the ones I care about out of danger. I just want to help people. My mother is worried about me everyone I'm in danger, but this time, she is telling me to help. To use my quirk to help people," I told him firmly

"She is telling you to? So you're saying you'll fight All For One because someone else told you to?" He asked, gripping the end of the hospital bed

"Unacceptable," He said, suddenly lifting the entire hospital bed and throwing it to the other end of the room, me with it

I was shocked at first, but kept my bearing and landed safely on the floor, 'One For All: Full Cowling, 20%!'

I activated One For All moments too late as I felt a blow hit me in the gut, my arms crossed in front of me were my only protection as I skidded across the floor, hitting my back against the opposite end of the room

"A person's true nature reveals itself during crisis. I'll keep attacking until I get an acceptable answer," Tomioka said to me, dashing towards me

"Look, Tomioka, it's not just someone else. It's my precious mother's request! I can't let that down!" I shouted, swinging a kick towards where Tomioka appeared in front of me

He grabbed my foot, gripping it hard, swinging me around him swiftly mid-air. He let go of my foot, throwing me to the other end of the room, my body slightly rag-doll, just being able to find stable footing as I landed on the wall, dropping to the ground

"A family member is still someone else," Tomioka said as he strolled towards me, "A hero is constantly facing death. And not just their death. Sometimes…you must ignore the victims, or use lethal force to stop someone. It's a lethal job. You have to be highly motivated and perhaps a little crazy to handle it," he trailed off, his words making me extremely angry

"You'd do that because someone else told you to? Don't make me laugh! It's been more plausible if you told me you were doing it because you were scared of the consequences," He finished

"Hey! I-" "Is it going to be your mother's fault when you get killed by All For One?" He interrupted me, his words shocking me as I realised what he was saying

"You're inexperienced, impulsive, you're jumping in when you shouldn't, even if you helped the person. I know what I said that day in the hospital…but there are lines to this type of thing," he said to me, sending another heavy kick to my side, followed by a strong gut punch

I got to my feet, getting into my shoot style stance. I dashed towards him, dashing around different spots of the roof, floor, walls, anywhere to try and find a weakness in his defence. He just stood there, almost as if there was no threat at all

I dash towards him as fast as I could, "What do you want me to do?! I can't just watch as the people close to me get hurt! What do you want me to do? Runaway?!" I shouted

'St. Louis Smash!' I send a downwards kick from right above him

He casually moves to the side, dodging my attack allowing me to lower to his eye level. I looked forwards towards him and saw disgust in his eyes. A heavy blow landed on my chin as he connected an uppercut to me, sending me flying backwards, colliding with the wall

"It's not easy to imagine how you'll feel on the verge of death. However, I can say one thing for certain. With the way things are going, you might end up cursing your beloved mother. Heroes never die without regret," he finished as I collided with the wall once more

"I'll ask you once more. Why are you fighting All For One?" I heard him question me again

"I've always wanted to be a hero," I began as he slowly approached me, "But I've never once thought that there is something only I could do," I said, ducking under a punch from Tomioka, increasing One For All to 35%, sending a punch that collided with his gut

"Defeating All For One IS something only I can do! Even if I manage to escape the consequences or from this responsibility, I'd be there eating, training, or watching the news as I see one of the people I look up to broken, crying in front of his only friend!" I screamed at him as he lay on the floor

I walked over to him, getting on my knees in front of him as I continued, "And I'd get depressed thinking: 'Someone is dying right now because of All For One, but it's not my responsibility right now. If I can train and get stronger, I'll be able to beat him!' Do you expect me to just tell myself that?! No! I don't know what I'll be thinking when I die, but I'm not gonna regret the way I live!" I shouted at him, noticing he slowly began to sit up

"For you right now, these are the years that a man changes into who they're going to become for the rest of their lives," he started, placing a hand on my shoulder as he got to his feet and began walking towards the door

"When you look at the new quirks that you are gaining and the power you have acquired, just…remember one thing for me…" he said

"Remember what?" I asked, looking up to where he was

"That with great power…comes great responsibility," he said as he clutched the door handle, twisting it

"Tomioka," I said once more to gather his attention

He turned towards me and asked, "Still got a question for me?"

"You don't address some people by their names…some people see it as you being rude but…is there another meaning behind it?" I asked him

Without looking back at me he opened the door, ready to walk out, "I only address those who have earned my respect by their names, if they allow it," he told me

"Izuku Midoriya, your answer is acceptable," he said before shutting the door, leaving me in the room with a newfound inspiration

~~~~

Was this good? I hope it was. I incorporated some scenes from other stuff I found inspirational and bunched it together to make this…hope you liked the ending interaction and Izuku POV

:)