Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Izuku snuck through the forest, his eyes shifting from side to side. Growing up in an obscure district, he had learned to navigate the woods, hunting and trapping animals to survive. How ironic that he was now the one being hunted.

Every snap of branches, every flutter of leaves left Izuku jumping, his heart thumping in his chest. He wondered if the cameras were watching his nervous trek. They probably were. He shrunk into himself, glum that his last days of fear would be broadcasted to the entire country.

He hoped his mom wasn’t watching.

Izuku slowed to a stop, looking at a suspicious layer of leaves. It was most likely a trap.

Like every district member, he had seen the Hunger Games, year after year. And year after year, he watched the pitiful contestants die under the hands of All for One, the only person to have survived 20 Hunger Games in a row.

The man was known for his traps, snaring oblivious tributes before slaughtering them. Izuku had done his best to stay hidden, picking obscure areas to hide. His last hiding place—a cramped rocky cavern—had worked for a couple of days, but people had started getting close, and he had been forced to move.

So now, he was creeping his way through the forest, searching for a new hiding place, hoping not to be found or trapped in the process.

Hence, the worry about the patch of leaves.

Picking up a stick, Izuku poked at the leaves, noting how the ground gave way under pressure. A pit trap.

He nodded in relief, glad to have noticed the trap, and slunk around the pit.

Leafs crunched underfoot, and something sprung, a wire tightening around his foot.

Izuku swore.

His snared foot whipped towards the sky, shifting his balance and causing Izuku to bang his head against the ground.

Biting back another swear, Izuku cradled his head as he bounced up and down in the air. With tears in his eyes, he strained his head upwards to see a branch, wire tied around it, bobbing in the air.

He was caught.

Izuku thrashed frantically, too panicked to listen to the logic that told him he wouldn't get free that way. He had known this would happen. He knew he would die. But now that it had come, he wasn't as prepared as he thought he was.

He thought he had accepted his inevitable death. Apparently not.

But a few minutes of dreaded anticipation later, no one had come out to kill him, and all he had done was thoroughly tire himself out. Izuku went limp, panting as he swung slowly back and forth from his ankle.

The snare was tight around it, and his foot and leg were starting to go numb, the blood rushing to his head. Speaking of, Izuku carefully felt his head, hissing when he found the tender spot that had smacked the ground. His hand came back wet with blood, and he groaned.

After dangling despondently for a few more seconds, Izuku attempted to heave himself up, trying to get a grasp on the wire he was hanging from, to pull himself up and hopefully free his foot.

But he didn't exactly have strong abs, and each attempt was met with quaking, tired muscles unable to support his weight.

And then he froze.

Something had caught his attention. Not a sound, nor a sight. No, whoever was there was far too smart and experienced for that. But the hairs on the back of Izuku's neck were raised, and his heart began thumping in his chest. He knew someone was there; he could feel it.

"My, my, what do we have here? A little bunny caught in my snare?" The voice sent chills through him. He knew that voice, had heard it every year from his television as it taunted and boasted.

The Hunger Games' reigning champion: All for One.

A figure stepped forward, and Izuku looked up, and up...and up. He knew TV had a habit of making people look larger than life, but All for One was truly massive, broad, and muscular. He had no visible weapons in hand, but he clearly wouldn't need one, could probably just rip Izuku's head clean off.

Izuku trembled, trying to keep an eye on the man as he slowly circled around Izuku, casual and relaxed despite being in the middle of the games—an apex predator in its home territory.

"If you open your eyes any wider, they'll swallow your face," All for One teased callously. "Surely you can't say you weren't expecting this?"

Izuku couldn't respond, his jaw feeling like it was locked in place with fear. The killer just kept circling him, a wickedly sharp knife being danced between his fingers. Izuku hadn't even seen him pull it out, but the sight of it forced a whimper from his throat.

"Now," All for One crouched down in front of him, locking their gazes, "what fun shall I have with you?"

Izuku's shoulders jerked with a dry sob, tears pricking at his eyes. "Mom..." he whispered. He hoped his mother wasn't watching this; he hoped she had turned away. He didn't want her to see him die.

All for One snorted a laugh. "Ah yes, annoying how many of them call for their mothers. At least for you, it's age-appropriate. You can't be, what. More than twelve?"

"I'm fourteen!" Izuku cried indignantly.

"Oooh, so he does have a little fire to him." All for One grinned unpleasantly. "I like the ones that give good sport."

More tears came at the dread those words brought him. He was like a toy to this man, they all were, and the arena was the playground All for One got to play in once a year.

All for One had gone silent, his face disturbingly blank as he scrutinized Izuku. The anticipation was almost worse than if the man had just killed him right away.

Izuku flinched with a squeal when All for One shot up, the glint of his knife catching Izuku's eye, and Izuku cringed, bracing himself—

And fell to the ground with a harsh thud as he was cut down.

Izuku wheezed, the air being forced out of his lungs and the impact aggravating the wound on his head. Choking down a sob, he scrambled back, dragging himself across the dirt. He could hear All for One behind him, slow, measured steps, his feet crunching against the leaves.

But Izuku didn’t stop, scooping up a handful of dirt and throwing it blindly behind him. All for One chuckled, and the cord around Izuku’s foot snapped tight.

Screaming, Izuku clawed at it with shaking hands, trying to extract himself. Several meters behind, he saw All for One standing there, a grin splitting his face in half, holding the other end of the cord. Izuku was caught, and like a fish on a line, he was dragged backward. Back to his death.

He was going to die. He knew it.

He knew it the moment his name was called.

He never had any hope of surviving. And he was so, so scared. But he didn't want mom to be scared for him.

She would be watching, despite his best wishes, crying at the screen. She was going to have to watch this killer murder her only son. 

She would be so sad when it wasn't her fault, wasn't Izuku's fault. 

He didn't want him crying and screaming to be her last memory of him.

So as All for One pulled him back and pinned Izuku under a heavy foot, Izuku looked up through watery eyes and smiled.

All for One startled, then pressed his boot down harder, tilting his head like a predator considering an interesting piece of prey.

Izuku knew he looked like a mess. His head was bloody, his face smeared with dirt and tears. But despite the pain, he threw every ounce of happiness into his smile. Smiling wider and wider until his mouth hurt and his eyes squinted.

He remembered his mom and all the good times with her. The days spent cooking in their cramped kitchen, and the nights they huddled together for warmth. His heart filled with love; he smiled and smiled.

Mom would know. She would know he was thinking of her when he died.

All for One hummed, leaning down towards Izuku. “What are you smiling about, little bunny? Are you that happy to die?” His voice was light, mocking, but there was an undercurrent of interest.

Izuku shuddered but forced the words out, despite his pinned position. “I don’t want to die,” he whispered. “But I knew I would die the day my name was drawn.”

The knife in All for One’s hand glinted. “Then why the smile?”

“Because I love my mom,” Izuku said. For a moment, he relaxed, the tension bleeding from his body. “And I want her to know that I was thinking of her when I died.”

All for One squinted down at Izuku, his mouth twitching at the corners, and his brow furrowed. “Is that so...”

A stillness settled between them, Izuku forcing his smile to endure even when it wanted to wobble, his muscles aching.

Something thumped softly next to his face, and Izuku blinked, staring at his own reflection in the small knife. He gasped when time caught up with him, his cheek stinging with a fresh cut from the knife grazing him. It was barely a few centimetres away from his face, buried in the dirt.

His body shuddered heavily at the realization of just how close to death that strike had been, and he grit his teeth, his smile wavering in fear, confusion, relief.

Why wasn't he dead yet?

A much too heavy pressure had him yelping in pain, All for One having leaned all his weight into the foot he had on Izuku as he bent down and plucked the knife back up. Izuku wheezed when the weight disappeared, but his breath was quickly stolen when All for One deftly cut the snare around his ankle.

He was...freeing him? Izuku scrambled to get up, to dart away, but one large hand whipped out as he got to his feet, grabbing his hair and yanking him back.

Izuku shrieked as his back met the man's chest, his scalp on fire from the harsh tug, his head wound sending excruciating pain through him with every twitch of All for One's hand on his head.

He instinctively reached up to pull the offending hand away, but his hands were caught by the killer's free one, both of Izuku's wrists easily engulfed by its size.

He writhed as All for One expertly began to bind his hands together, the trap wire digging into his skin roughly.

"Now, now," came a low chiding in his ear, "don't make me change my mind by trying to get away, little bunny."

Change his mind? On what? About what? Killing Izuku? He was going to do it at some point, so what was the man going on about? 'He's a lunatic.' Izuku thought to himself, helpless to watch as his killer pulled experimentally on his tied wrists and, seeming satisfied, stepped back.

"Let's go check the other traps, shall we, little bunny?"

Izuku was yanked forward as All for One began to walk away, stumbling over his feet as he was pulled off balance. The man grinned cruelly back at him over his shoulder, the cord firmly in hand as he set a brisk pace Izuku couldn't properly keep up with.

Izuku struggled to keep pace, jogging at times to stay even with All for One’s long strides. But despite his efforts, the cord remained taut, yanking his arms out in front of him until they were even with the cable. The cord dug into Izuku’s skin, chafing with every jerking step.

All for One didn’t stop, didn’t slow, but he didn’t kill Izuku or let him go either. When Izuku tripped on a root and fell, All for One continued walking, dragging Izuku across the forest floor until Izuku managed to get back up. Izuku was scraped and bruised, his lungs ached with the grueling pace, but he wasn’t dead.

It didn’t make sense.

All for One didn’t do this. He was a killer, and all tributes were his victims. Izuku watched year after year as All for One set his traps or hunted down the other contestants. Blood would spray, bones would break, and all the while, All for One would grin, his eyes alight with devilish glee. He took pleasure in the hunt, the kill. There was no reason to keep Izuku around. Unless All for One was planning a more elaborate death. But no, even that didn’t make sense. He liked playing with his prey, but Izuku didn’t understand what value came from keeping him alive. He wasn’t interesting or a good fighter. What pleasure would be gained? It didn’t make—

“Do you often mumble like that?” All for One asked, his mouth curled in a smirk.

Izuku squeaked in embarrassment, snapping his mouth shut.

All for One laughed, “You even squeak like a bunny, how cute.”

Izuku’s ears burned, and he ducked his head. He expected to be killed, not mocked for a bad habit.

All for One stayed quiet after that, but the mocking smile never left. Every couple of minutes, he looked back to watch Izuku, face flushed and panting, struggling to keep up. His only respite came when All for One stopped to check the traps, and Izuku would collapse against a tree, trying to catch his breath.

All of the killer’s traps were empty, except for one. But instead of a struggling tribute, a rabbit laid dead, its neck snapped, and mouth hung open in a rictus of horror.

Izuku shuddered as All for One held the dead rabbit up, waving it in front of Izuku’s face. “Looks like I caught two little bunnies today.” He leaned closer, his large form covering Izuku’s vision. “One little bunny is already dead...I wonder how much longer the other will last.”

Izuku shrunk back as far as the cord would allow and turned his head, unable to look All for One in the eyes. Why hadn’t All for One killed him? Why this game?

“I don’t know,” Izuku whispered.

All for One hummed, considering Izuku, before turning around and setting off, yanking on the cord and pulling Izuku along.

The golden light of the sky grew darker as the sun descended below the horizon. Izuku had initially slipped away from his last hiding place in the late afternoon when he hoped the other tributes were busy. Now shadows clung across the forest, checker-boarding the trees in black and light.

Instead of watching All for One, Izuku had to scan the path, looking for any obstacle. His swollen foot throbbed with every step, the pain growing sharper as All for One dragged him up hills or across ditches. His wrists stung, every flagging step pulling the cord tighter against his skin.

He kept his mouth sealed tight after the mumbling mistake, but if he was not allowed to rest soon, he was prepared to beg.

“Almost there, little bunny,” All for One said, giving the cord a sharp tug when Izuku flagged.

Down an incline, he led them to a secluded ravine where supplies were stacked neatly against the ashy remains of a fire—All for One’s camp.

A small glimmer of hope rose in Izuku as All for One tied the other end of the cord to a nearby tree. He had secured it to a branch high above, but this was likely the only chance Izuku would get. If All for One turned his back for a bit, perhaps Izuku would be able to get free. He'd have to climb the tree, though, and while he was a fairly good climber, his bound hands would make it exceedingly difficult. Still, this was likely his only real chance at getting away and perhaps surviving a bit longer.

The killer had lit another fire as Izuku eyed the end of his bonds. Clearly, All for One wasn't worried about the fire calling attention from other tributes. Even secluded in a ravine as they were, the light could still draw people in. It showed just how cocky the man was that no one would be able to beat him.

But perhaps if someone else came by, Izuku could convince them to set him free. Maybe. Possibly...Unlikely, but still.

He dropped to the ground, slumping against the tree tiredly as All for One set about cooking the rabbit he had caught, not even glancing in Izuku's direction. But that was ok. Being ignored by the man was much better than being under his gaze.

Izuku pulled his injured foot up into his lap, wincing. It didn't appear broken, probably sprained, though, and it was swollen and crusted with blood from where the cord had dug into his skin.

It didn't take long before the smell of cooked meat soon caught his attention, and Izuku felt his mouth-watering, staring longingly at the food. He had been scraping by gathering what food he could during his time in the arena, and he hadn't managed to catch anything.

He so desperately wanted to ask for some, but fear kept his mouth shut. All for One sharing? Unlikely.

Izuku closed his eyes and focused on resting, waiting for an opportunity to try and free himself.

A snap and a quiet swear had him jolting awake soon enough, and Izuku cried internally upon realizing he had fallen asleep. He couldn't see All for One, the man likely sleeping out of sight while Izuku was left in the open, vulnerable.

Speaking of, the source of the noise he had heard soon appeared, an older woman with a jagged axe. She stopped in her tracks as she spied Izuku, crows-feet wrinkling around her eyes as they narrowed. She made a quick motion with her hand, and a man soon appeared behind her, staring at him distrustfully.

"Who is this kid?" the man murmured to the woman.

"Don't know. I thought we were tracking All for One; perhaps this one got caught in his traps?" the woman replied.

"Hmm, poor kid. All for One would surely torture him for his own entertainment." The man gave Izuku a pitying look.

Izuku licked his cracked lips. "C-can you help me? Please? Just cut the cord, and I'll be gone, please!"

"Keep your voice down, kid," the man hissed. "Is All for One nearby?" At Izuku's nod, the man sighed and turned to the woman. "We should help him, put him out of his misery."

Izuku tensed as the woman nodded in agreement and stepped towards him. "What? No! Please, wait! Why are you doing this?!"

"Face it, kid, you ain't leaving this arena alive. The least we can do for you is make your death quick," the woman said, hefting her axe up.

Izuku curled in on himself where he sat at the base of the tree, a low whimper leaving his throat as she advanced on him.

Too soon, she was overtop of him, her axe raised for a killing blow.

And, without even a sound, a massive figure stepped out from the darkness and intercepted her. Izuku heard a choked gurgle and watched in shock as the woman fell to the ground in front of him, throat slashed open in a movement so quick Izuku hadn't even seen it happen.

Her companion shouted in anger and fear, backing up as All for One advanced on him. He turned tail and ran, the killer giving chase.

Izuku shook where he sat, eyes locked on the woman's face as she choked on her own blood, staring at Izuku in desperation.

There was nothing he could do.

The light left her eyes a second after a hair-raising scream echoed through the ravine, All for One clearly having caught the other man.

Izuku pushed himself away from the woman's body, inching around the tree as tears streamed down his cheeks. He hid his face in his knees and wept quietly.

A sharp tug upwards alerted him to All for One's return, and Izuku yelped as he was dragged to his feet once more, All for One retrieving the other end of the cord and leading him away from the tree.

Izuku was pushed to the ground near a bedroll, All for One settling himself on it and beginning to rummage through a pack nearby.

Something was held in front of his face, and Izuku squinted in the dark, sniffling.

Meat?

He was being offered some of the rabbit from earlier. Izuku glanced over at the killer warily, who looked back at him, an expression on his face Izuku couldn't identify.

Izuku reached up for the offered food and gasped as it was pulled away. He glared at All for One, dropping his hands despondently. And as he did so, the meat was held out to him again. Izuku reached for it more slowly this time, and his eye twitched as it was once again pulled away.

He huffed and pouted, upset at being teased. And when All for One offered it to him a third time, Izuku hesitated, and cautiously leaned forward, grasping the food between his teeth when it wasn't pulled away.

He chewed slowly, savouring the flavour. It was cold and a bit tough, but it was the best thing he had eaten since he had been thrown in the arena.

Another piece was offered to him after he finished the first, and Izuku opened his mouth, allowing All for One to feed him the rabbit.

He hated it. Hated the man. But the draw of the food was irresistible, and Izuku ate every piece that was given to him.

It was just before dawn that Izuku was shaken awake. His body was stiff and sore, and he groaned every time he moved. His twisted ankle ached, and his hands were completely numb. Disoriented, he looked around at the camp. There were the dying embers of the fire from last night, a neatly packed bag, and the bedroll underneath him. There was just enough light to see by, just enough to be blocked out by the shape of the large man towering over him.

Izuku squirmed back, but he had nowhere to go. All for One sat him up, and he braced himself for the same kind of violence he'd seen the night before. To his surprise, All for One cut the wire on his wrists instead. Izuku blinked, frozen. The man smirked, then turned him around and forced his arms behind his back. Izuku let out a strangled yelp of pain. His arms hurt, and the new position was agony. All for One ignored him and tied his arms in place much too tightly.

He left Izuku squirming on the ground as he tried to recover his lost breath. Where had All for One gotten more rope? He dimly remembered seeing one of two last night with rope. Had All for One looted it from his body? After he had finished cleaning up the last of the camp, All for One returned to Izuku.

"Crying again, bunny? Where did that smile of yours go?"

"It hurts." Izuku sniffled before he could stop himself. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"

All for One just gave him that sickening smile again and picked him up, throwing him over his shoulder. Izuku squawked and kicked.

"P-put me down!"

"You're too slow,” All for One replied, heading out towards the woods again. "I can't slow down for you like I did yesterday."

Izuku was torn between anger and embarrassment. Slowed down? The monster had literally dragged him without looking back. He squirmed and kicked until he was too tired to continue fighting. He thought about calling for help, but after what had happened the night before...he knew that anyone who came to kill All for One would try to kill him too. And based on last night, he wasn't sure anyone could kill the man.  All for One was so confident that he was humming while he walked, bouncing Izuku on his shoulder.

Just as the sun was coming up at last, All for One paused by a bush. "Want some breakfast, bunny?" He picked one of the berries and set Izuku down, holding it up to his lips. Izuku didn't want to be fed again, but he was really hungry, and he didn't know how much longer All for One was planning on doing...this.

Izuku opened his mouth and tried to eat it from the man's fingers; he pulled it away, laughing. Izuku glared and turned red. He didn't know why All for One liked teasing him so much. It wasn't anything like what he'd seen him do on tv. All for One pinched his cheek with one hand as he tossed the berry aside. "It's poisonous, bunny,” he said, laughing again at the stricken look on the boy's face. Still chuckling to himself, he tossed Izuku over his shoulder once more and set off to hunt.

All for One checked some of the same traps from yesterday, including the covered pit Izuku almost fell in. This time he only found a squirrel, lifting it and saying, “Such a shame it’s not another rabbit.”

Izuku bit his tongue and ducked his head. He didn’t want to give All for One any more reasons to mock him. All for One’s shoulder dug into Izuku’s stomach, the bouncing of his gait forcing the breath out of Izuku and bringing waves of nausea. His aching arms, swollen ankle, and bruised head all throbbed in varying intensities, distracting him as he tried to watch where All for One was going.

They were on the fourth day of The Hunger Games, and of the twenty-four tributes participating, Izuku knew eleven were dead, their deaths broadcast on the screen. Izuku wondered if the Capitol announced the deaths of the man and woman from last night. Watching them be slaughtered left Izuku numb; the whole night was a terror-induced blur, other than the delicious rabbit All for One had fed him.

It was embarrassing eating from his hand. Was it another power play? Izuku wanted to regret his choice. Food didn’t matter when he would be dead soon. The meat had been gamier and dry, but to Izuku, the rabbit was heavenly, melting in his mouth, satisfying his stomach. He could imagine it right now, ripping through the tough meat, enjoying the—

Izuku’s stomach grumbled a murmuring noise that made All for One stop. “Hungry, little bunny?” he asked in a playful tone, bouncing Izuku on his shoulder.

Gripping the back of Izuku’s shirt like scruffing a pet, he rested Izuku against a fallen tree trunk.

If he wasn’t a sadistic killer with over fifty capitol-sanctioned murders, All for One could be considered handsome. His face glistened from the early morning walk, and his crimson eyes sparkled. And despite the several days spent in the arena with limited resources, All for One looked presentable, his face clean-shaven, hair neatly tousled.

“What are you thinking, my little bunny?” All for One asked, cupping Izuku’s face. “I can see your mind whirling away. I have to know what it is.”

Color bloomed on Izuku’s face. “What is it?” All for One asked. His large hand tightened, gripping Izuku’s cheeks. “I asked you a question.”

“You look...nice,” Izuku muttered. “Like you’re not even fighting or trying.”

The killer blinked, then his lips twitched, and he roared with laughter. “Oh,” he said. “What a sweet little bunny you are, complimenting your killer.”

Izuku hoped the Capitol wasn’t filming this, but he doubted it. All for One was the highlight of the Hunger Games. The Capitol broadcasted his every move to the country, and now that included Izuku.

All for One gently slapped Izuku’s cheek. “Good little bun-bun.”

Then the mirth dropped from All for One’s face, and he straightened, looking away. His nails curled into Izuku’s cheeks, and from this proximity, Izuku saw his dilated pupils.

In a swift motion, All for One dropped his pack, flipping it open and drawing things out. “What’s going on?” Izuku tried to ask, but All for One stuffed a wad of cloth in his mouth, shoving the fabric in until Izuku’s cheeks bulged and ached.

“Mpfhs,” Izuku cried. All for One ignored him, throwing him to the ground and grabbing his ankles. Izuku whimpered at the harsh handling. All for One pinned Izuku’s swollen ankles together and knotted them tight with extra rope.

He tried to ask, “What are you doing?” but the words were muffled into incomprehensible noise by the gag.

Grabbing Izuku by the back of his shirt, All for One dragged his bound body and shoved him under a large bush. Gripping Izuku’s face with eye-watering pressure, he spoke in a chilling tone, “Stay here. Be quiet.” Then he shoved branches and leaves up around Izuku’s body until foliage covered his vision.

Izuku wiggled for a moment, testing the tightness of the rope before flopping back. All for One knew his knots. Izuku didn’t have a chance with his hands bound behind his back and ankles tied.

Biting down on the gag choking him, Izuku strained to hear. Very faintly but growing louder, a soft whistle echoed through the trees. It was a tune Izuku recognized. A melody taught in his school, used when counting. His mind wandered to Tsubasa, the other tribute from his district, and the one person who would know the tune.

Would All for One kill him? He was a kid like Izuku. But All for One never spared anyone, man or child. That was, until Izuku.

Izuku braced himself as the whistling drew closer, wishing his hands were free so he could cover his ears to block out the inevitable screams of death. He debated trying to yell around the gag in his mouth to hopefully alert Tsubasa of the danger, but the threat of what All for One might do to him after stayed his tongue. After all, they were all going to die, All for One never lost, so what was the point of trying to save Tsubasa's life?

Izuku just wished he didn't have to be around to hear his death.

The whistling cut off, and a tense silence filled the area. Izuku heard Tsubasa shriek in surprise as All for One launched his attack, but instead of the sounds of murder Izuku expected to hear, a clang rang out, and he heard All for One grunt.

What...? Taken by surprise and burning curiosity, Izuku attempted to wiggle forward, trying to move through the foliage enough to get a view of the scene.

"Ah yes, I was wondering when I'd see you. Yagi, was it? I see you people haven't given up trying to defeat me, despite the fact that I've killed every one of you so far," All for One spoke casually, and Izuku continued trying to worm his way forward. "Using this poor boy as bait, are we? Not very brave of you."

"All for One," a second man's voice spit back at Izuku's killer confidently. "Your reign of terror ends here!"

Izuku heard All for One mockingly yawn. "How boorish and unoriginal. Why the attempt at trying to sound like a hero? Even if you did manage to kill me, you'd still be forced to kill all the other tributes as well, or let them kill you. You have no moral high ground."

"You killed my mentor!" the new voice hissed righteously. "Enough is enough; your games have gone on for too long."

Izuku caught a glimpse of legs and kept inching forward until he was able to more or less see the men. Tsubasa was a fair ways off, looking ready to bolt at any moment but curious enough to stick around, interested in seeing the drama unfold.

The unknown man confronting All for One was just as tall as the killer—an impressive feat. He had wild blonde hair and fierce blue eyes, his body muscular but holding that underfed look that plagued the people of the poorer districts.

In the man's hand was a short sword, and Izuku felt hope flutter in his chest. Perhaps this man really could take down All for One; perhaps he really would be able to win!

All for One, for his part, looked unimpressed, twirling his knife around idly. "Your mentor? Can't say I recall them, must not have been good enough to leave a lasting impression."

The newcomer loosed a feral snarl at that, lunging forward with his sword. All for One dodged easily, and Izuku watched with wide eyes as the two men danced around each other, exchanging blows.

The other man—Yagi?—had the upper hand with his sword, not having to get in as close to attack, but All for One was clearly still the more experienced fighter.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and Izuku gazed over to see Tsubasa running, apparently having decided he'd seen enough.

Unfortunately, All for One also saw the boy running. With a deft flick of his wrist as he dodged another swipe of Yagi's sword, his knife went flying, embedding itself with terrifying accuracy right into Tsubasa's back.

The other boy released a blood-curdling scream, and Izuku whimpered around his gag, his chest twinging. He hadn't been close with Tsubasa, but they had known each other, and his death felt worse than the strangers’ of the night before.

But now All for One was unarmed (or so Izuku assumed) and still engaged with Yagi, who was striking harder now, seeming upset at the callous way All for One had killed Tsubasa.

Izuku didn't really want to watch anymore of their fight, but morbid horror kept him in place. Until All for One managed to trip his opponent, sending Yagi crashing to the ground right next to Izuku's bush.

The man's bright blue eyes locked onto Izuku's as Izuku let out a muffled yelp of surprise, and something flashed through them that Izuku didn't have the time to decipher as Yagi reached out, quick as lightning, and grabbed ahold of him, dragging him out from under the bush.

Izuku protested, writhing in his hold as he was pinned to Yagi's chest, facing All for One, who had Yagi's dropped sword in hand.

All for One's lips pursed with displeasure. "Really now, using another young boy as a shield? Have you no shame? No care for the children?"

"What are you playing at?" Yagi demanded, ignoring the insane hypocrisy of All for One's words. "What are you doing with this boy?"

All for One snorted, “Does it matter? Ultimately he’ll end up dead, whether by my hand or yours. That is the reality of the Hunger Games, oh great hero.”

Yagi’s grip around Izuku tightened, pressing into his stomach and chest. Izuku complained through the gag, trying to work the fabric out of his mouth.

All for One continued, stalking around Yagi in a large circle. “Did you even think about what came next if you managed to kill me? The games continue, and to survive, you will have to stain your hands with innocent blood, just like me.”

Yagi snarled, “I’m nothing like you, All for One. You kill for sport, for your personal amusement.”

“Guilty,” All for One said, a smile tugging at his lips. His eyes narrowed. “But so are you.” He paused, examining Yagi’s dropped sword, angling the blade to catch the morning light. “Now that I think about it, I do think I remember your mentor.”

The pressure on Izuku increased, forcing all air from his lungs. Straining, Izuku saw Yagi’s jaw pulse, his teeth grinding together.

“Yes,” All for One continued, steps calm and measured. “I believe it was Nana? Annoying woman. Interfering with my hunting, crowing on about justice like all the idiots before her. She was decent sport, ran fast enough that it looked like she was flying.” He chuckled. “But of course, it's hard to fly with an arrow in your back.”

Yagi was trembling now, his arms vibrating with rage, and Izuku even felt moisture collect in his hair.

“All her ideals and empty talk brought to naught. I took my time killing her. I enjoyed every pained scream and fallen tear.”

All for One kept talking, circling Yagi and Izuku, but every revolution inched him closer and closer. His eyes were light, movements casual, but Izuku saw how his grip on the sword tightened in preparation to strike. Yagi was going to die. All for One was toying with him, trying to get the man so emotional that his passion overcame rationality.

Twisting in Yagi’s arms, Izuku managed to cup Yagi’s arm with his bound hands. Yagi looked down briefly, his blue eyes meeting Izuku’s.

‘Stop.’ Izuku tried to convey in that instant. Yagi needed to see that All for One was doing this on purpose and snap out of it. Izuku would die regardless, but at least that monster would be dead as well.

Understanding dawned in Yagi’s eyes, the burning rage dimming, and in a smooth motion, he threw Izuku to the side, right as All for One lunged.

Wriggling on the ground, Izuku propped himself up and watched in astonished horror as the two men clashed. All for One ducked and slashed with the sword, precise and deadly, but Yagi kept up, dodging every swipe and dealing back devastating punch after punch.

Izuku never had a chance in defeating them. He forced himself onto his knees, wobbling as he tried to stand. He wanted to do something, needed to do something.

One swipe slashed across Yagi’s rib cage, bringing a line of red in its wake. The man stumbled back, falling to the ground, clutching his side.

All for One laughed. “Goodbye, hero,” he said, not seeing Yagi’s hand clench around something.

It was All for One’s discarded knife, and with the strength of a dead man, Yagi slashed out, carving a bloody line across All for One’s face.

The killer growled and stabbed down, the sword cutting through Yagi’s side and pinning him to the ground.

Izuku screamed, the blood-curdling sound forcing its way through the gag and stopping All for One in his tracks. Face dripping blood and sword in hand, he looked like the killer he truly was.

Stumbling back in fright, Izuku tripped over his bound feet, falling down the hill. His bound limbs made him unable to stop his descent, and he crashed through bushes and over sticks, collecting scrapes and bruises.

With a muffled scream, he slammed into a fallen log, banging his head and aggravating his previous head wound. The world spun, trees dancing before his eyes. Darkness formed in his vision as the visage of All for One leaned over him, his bloody face set in a scowl.

Izuku groaned, his eyes fluttering open before pressing shut again.

Everything hurt, his chest, his legs, his wrists. Every part throbbing or stinging, complaining in loud voices about their mistreatment.

Whimpering, Izuku buried his head into a pillow, nuzzling into the warmth. He missed his bed. He missed cuddling up with mom. He could imagine her, carding her hand through his hair, twirling her fingers around individual ringlets—much like what was happening to his hair now.

Peeking an eye open, he saw All for One, directly above, a bandage wrapped around his left eye. “Awake now, are you, Izuku?”

Izuku shuddered as All for One’s hands twisted in his hair. To the man’s side, medical supplies lay open. “You took quite the tumble,” he continued.

Izuku didn't say anything in response, too frightened to consider what to say. One wrong word, and he may just die in a brutal fashion, like what had happened to Miss Shimura a few years back.

He remembers the re-runs from the days after the Games, seeing all of the highlights of All for One's brutality. Miss Shimura was the one who had enraged All for One enough to cause the man to make her death so horrifying that they had actually had to censor parts of it.

It wasn't the arrow in the back that killed her...It was the torture.

"Would you like to see the fireworks, bunny?" All for One suddenly asked, likely grinning with sinister pleasure—a reminder of another tradition in these cursed games. He had been knocked out, so he didn't hear the cannons fire, and he had no idea if Yagi did die or not.

The projections in the artificial sky of the arena would confirm though.

The Fallen Tributes.

Izuku tensed as All for One propped him up against his side, realizing now that his pillow had been the man's thigh. His head throbbed and felt heavy as it fell on All for One's shoulder, Izuku too tired to keep it up.

The first shot fired through the sky, and Izuku looked up even though he didn't want to. He had to know.

He didn't have much hope of Yagi being alive still. He'd seen the sword go straight through the man after all, but...perhaps...?

Another shot, and Tsubasa's face appeared in the sky. Izuku cringed, he had almost forgotten about Tsubasa with how focused on Yagi he had been—he felt terrible about it.

A third shot, and Izuku's heart sank as Yagi's picture was projected above them. He swallowed around a lump in his throat, closing his eyes and bringing a hand up to—

Wait...A hand?

Izuku blinked in surprise, raising his free hands in front of his face. They were filthy, dirt was caked under his nails and scrapes and bruises littering his skin. Angry, red burns from the rope had left indents around his wrists, but despite the pain it thankfully hadn't cut into his skin.

"'Mm'free?" he mumbled to himself in confusion, rubbing at his sore wrists.

His hands were swatted down. "You're going to aggravate it and make it worse by doing that," All for One admonished.

Izuku glanced up at the man, swaying when the movement jarred his head too much. All for One's image almost swirled for a moment before smoothing out. "...Why?" he croaked.

All for One snorted, his tone condescending as he replied, "I'd like to see you try and run off with a concussion like that. You were never a threat, but now I fear even a very dedicated mouse could kill you."

Izuku flushed, upset at the snide remark, and embarrassed about its truth. He didn't like being reminded of how helpless he was, how hopeless his situation was.

He tried to move away from the killer, but his body wasn't responding how he wanted it to, his limbs uncoordinated.

All for One caught him around the middle as Izuku tipped forward while trying to scoot away, pulling him back to his side. "Careful now, bunny, you almost knocked over some of my medical supplies. I really would have to kill you for that, you know."

The man's tone was light, but Izuku had no doubt he meant every word, and he reluctantly let himself slump back into All for One's arms.

Izuku looked down, and his eyes widened as he saw his legs. His swollen ankle was bandaged...actually, a few of his more serious wounds were dressed as well.

That made no sense at all. Why would All for One waste supplies on him when he was going to kill Izuku eventually? Why was the man so set on toting him around and stringing him along like a toy? He desperately wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut in fear that it would ruin this strange mood All for One was in where he bothered to treat Izuku's injuries.

All for One sighed in contentment, resting his chin on Izuku's head. Next to him, Izuku felt dwarfed, All for One's massive frame wrapping around him, consuming Izuku whole.

A piece of jerky rested on Izuku's lips, and Izuku opened them, accepting the offered food. He hadn't eaten all day, and the proffered food made Izuku's mouth wet with saliva. Grasping the jerky in between his teeth, he took the food, chewing slowly to enjoy every strand of the smoked meat.

From the corner of his eye, Izuku saw All for One watch him, his single uncovered eye tracking every chew and swallow.

All for One offered another bite of jerky, and piece by piece, Izuku ate. He didn't understand why All for One required Izuku to eat this way, but if Izuku's hands even twitched, the meat was withdrawn.

A warm haze covered Izuku, and his eyelids drooped in contentment from the simple pleasure of having his stomach filled.

All for One chuckled, maneuvering Izuku's limp body so that he rested against the killer's chest. And with Izuku settled, laid them both down on his sleeping mat.

Izuku struggled for a moment, but his head swam from the motion. All for One tightened his grip, pressing Izuku into him. "Uh, uh, little bunny," he said, "I can't have you bouncing off. Not yet, at least."

Inko wrung her hands together, anxious but unable to do anything but stare at the screen. She could feel the stares of her neighbors and friends, their hushed whispers humming in her ears. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered other than watching the screen.

One week.

It had been one week.

Inko had cried when Izuku's name was drawn, a wailing cry when she realized her baby would die. Mitsuki had embraced her from behind, rocking back and forth, gripping Inko's arms as she spoke empty reassurances that meant nothing.

Inko and Izuku stayed up that entire night, tucked in each other's arms as they reminisced on happier times. Izuku had tried to smile, but his wobble and tears belied his true feelings. Watching Izuku get on the train, Inko had felt her heart shatter.

The guards and other district members didn't bother trying to reassure her. She wasn't going to see Izuku again. No one survived the games, not when All for One played.

Gran Torino, the only living Hunger Games victor from their district, promised to do what he could. But his averted eyes and grim face spoke the truth.

When the games started, Inko refused to leave the main viewing area in the town square. She watched as Izuku fled the fighting of the opening ceremony and when he scavenged for food. She only slept when Izuku slept, curled up in a matted blanket, as her baby curled up in a hole.

Izuku fought hard and smart, and Inko silently cheered him on.

But then he got caught, snagged by a trap, bouncing in the air. He had tried to escape, but the moment All for One had stepped out from the trees, Inko knew her baby was dead.

All for One had cut Izuku down, laughing and toying with her son.

But Izuku, her brave, brave boy, looked that murderer in the eye and smiled.

"I want my mom to know I was thinking of her when I died."

Inko had collapsed to her knees, sobbing at her baby's words. Izuku, only Izuku.

But All for One didn't kill him. Instead, he tied Inko's baby up, dragging Izuku around the arena, like he was a toy, an amusement just for him.

After All for One captured Izuku, Inko didn't sleep. But she didn't cry either. Rage simmered inside her at All for One's callous nature.

When he hand-fed Izuku, smirking the entire time, Inko ground her teeth.

When he carried Izuku, forcing him to view his killings, Inko trembled in anger.

How dare he.

How. Dare. He.

How dare he play with her son, keeping him alive, when he planned to kill him.

Only a couple of tributes remained, and then—Inko closed her eyes.

No matter what happened, she would be there, watching Izuku's final moments.

All For One watched the artificial stars of his latest cage, a lazy smile resting on his features now that the bunny had settled for the night, tucked closely against him. He’d known that the Capitol had grown tired of the same bloody victory—while his prowess had once been the pride of the Capitol, the fickle nation had started to turn their minds away from him. It began two seasons ago, when his support items were lessened, then cut off altogether. This foolish country thought they wanted him to die, to rid themselves of the old and embrace the new—he supposed even children got tired of their toys.

The undisputed victor glanced down to the tuft of green hair that lay just under his chin, grimy and matted after days of being forced to fight for his life, but still so soft.

So young.

Izuku certainly wasn’t the youngest candidate to ever be chosen, but he was the youngest All For One had personally encountered in over a decade. And even though his reputation should have left his little rabbit too frightened to do anything more than scramble for safety or beg, this one had found the strength in himself to move past his fears, to comfort some mother that should have protected her child better.

And that smile, so much like the one given to him, the year before he entered the games to avenge his little brother...

He doubted anyone but his most loyal fans would understand the connection; he was like a god to these people, and they knew his history better than he could recall it. They would understand the temptation he had to spare, however briefly, this little urchin from one of the backwater districts.

But there was a good chance they didn’t understand the full intent, the full possibilities. Well, this was broadcast live. Perhaps he should give his fickle Capitol a reason to turn back to him.

Shifting his posture enough so that it wouldn’t wake the child but likely activated the motion-reactive cameras, he made a show of gently stroking the child’s hair, snuggling him closer in a way more foolish viewers could misconstrue as tender. “I know you don’t understand your purpose, why I’m helping you.” He murmured down to the small head, loud enough to be caught by the microphones, to catch the late viewer’s notice, and the night crew’s frantic steps to add more angles and recordings to share with the viewers as they awoke. “I know you’re scared—you’ve been caught by the Game's greatest killer, who’s been playing since before you were born.”

He looked up once more to the stars, making sure his voice would carry. “You likely don’t recall some of the rules made at the beginning, that there’s more than one way to survive the Games. But I do.” He pet the small form once more, breaking character as he thought of his brother’s smiling face, right before his death. “And I intend for us both to make it out alive.”

There. That declaration will cause enough of an uproar to get the Capitol focused on him again, scouring history to recall what vague rule their killer seems to know that they do not.

Curling himself around his captive so no foolish action could be taken once he goes to sleep, All For One smiled. He’d led his handlers to believe he was still playing their game, still preening and dancing for their attention.

‘Fools, all of them.’ By the end of these games, he and Izuku would not leave as victors to the Games.

But as victors of all Panem. 

It was a bit premature, but All for One was still confident enough in his victory that he allowed himself to dream a little. It was easy with Izuku tucked in so close to him, his small body so warm and fragile under his control. Despite his declaration a moment ago, he wasn't so sure he wanted to share Izuku with the rest of Panem when they had finished with the Games. Izuku might be safer if he didn't, locked up somewhere nice and safe to recover from the mental and physical torture he'd been put through. But his little bunny was also too cute not to share.

All for One imagined his bunny dressed in the Capitol's fashion, shyly hugging to his side to avoid the attention he would be receiving. He certainly deserved it. As usual, the media had mostly ignored him during the pregame events. He was young and clearly not going to survive, and his shy nature and plain looks didn't give him a reason for anyone to pay him attention. Even All for One hadn't taken notice of him until he'd been caught in his trap.

The killer bit back a small smile as he thought of him and Izuku wearing matching outfits. Or perhaps he should dress him up like a bunny? The boy would be so embarrassed and adorable; he couldn't wait. All for One hugged Izuku a little tighter, careful not to squeeze him in half. Izuku was underweight, and not just from the Games. If it really was just him and his mother, he doubted the boy had been properly nourished growing up. It was no wonder he was so frail yet so stubbornly resilient. His thoughts drifted to after the game again, setting out a whole feast in front of the boy and watching him panic at the sight of so much food. He would be able to eat his fill, but All for One doubted he would be able to let go of his control and allow Izuku to feed himself. His bunny needed to remember by whose grace he was still alive. That and it was strangely calming to feed him.

Izuku suddenly jumped in his arms, squirming and whimpering. He was still asleep, having a nightmare no doubt. All for One hushed him, and after a moment, the boy settled down. There would be time for him to deal with his trauma later; for now, he needed to stay quiet and submissive. Just a few more nights, and then he would have all the Capitol and Panem had to offer.

Truthfully, Izuku may have just changed all of All for One's plans. Whilst All for One knew he was too good to be bested, he was getting older, and he had been thinking about the future for a while now. Dying in the games was out of the question. All for One would never give the satisfaction of such a victory to anyone. Which meant he had to voluntarily retire, and what better position to retire into than president of the Capitol?

The citizens growing bored of his yearly slaughter put a damper on that, so this year All for One had known he would have to do something radical to bring adoration and attention back to him. Get the people talking, get more fans and loyal followers so that when all his plans came through? He would have the support of the people as he overtook the current president.

And he was not foolish. All for One knew the best way to keep his legacy going was to raise his own successor, to take over his position as the undisputed victor of the games. He had selected and been personally training a young man who showed promise. One who was filled with anger and resentment at the world, who All for One had given the name Tomura.

But Izuku? Izuku was a curveball. Izuku wasn't part of the plan. Yet as soon as All for One had seen him, he had begun to mentally change things to work around Izuku. He wanted the boy, for reasons he both knew and those he refused to think about.

Change was coming to Panem, and All for One would bring it. And Izuku? Izuku was going to be his.

After feeding Izuku breakfast, All for One noticed that the boy was sitting quietly, staring blankly at the dirt. A few spots of fresh blood could be seen on the bandages wrapping the boy's head. He hardly had time to redress them, but it seemed that the adrenaline that had been keeping his bunny going was starting to fade away.

All for One knelt in front of Izuku and gently cupped his face. "Bunny,” he cooed softly. Green eyes slowly drifted up at his voice. Izuku blinked once, then suddenly pulled back. He looked terrified. He didn't recognize him. He'd forgotten where he was.

All for One grabbed Izuku's head again and held it more firmly. Izuku whimpered and froze as the recognition seemed to return. His pupils were blown wide, swimming with pain. The man frowned for a moment. His first aid kit had a few painkillers, but nothing strong. Izuku whimpered again, green eyes traveling over his face to try and figure out what his captor was thinking. All for One gave him a smile, which only served to make him more uneasy, and let him go to rummage in his bag.

Izuku pulled back and shuddered. He started to touch his head, but a sharp warning from All for One stopped him. He dropped his hands to his lap and looked up at the color-changing sky. A moment later, All for One was trying to feed him something. He opened his mouth, hoping for more meat, but got something small and hard and tasteless. He started to gag, but a hand covered his mouth to stop him.

"Swallow,” All for One commanded. Izuku tried, but it was painful. "It's just a pill. Haven't you ever swallowed a pill before?"

Izuku shook his head and then winced and gave a small cry of pain, muffled by All for One's hand.

"Swallow,” All for One told him again. Izuku struggled but managed to swallow the pill. He gagged again and coughed a few times before All for One finally pulled his hand away. "Now come here, bunny." All for One picked Izuku up, holding him to his chest with one arm.

Izuku's injuries were bad enough that a hospital trip would have been in order under normal circumstances, but he didn't have that luxury. It would be better not to move him around so much, but that would require a good hiding place which he didn't have. He wanted to keep Izuku with him at all times. He was eager to track the last of the tributes down so that he could bring Izuku home.

Izuku felt smaller than normal in his arm, leaning into his chest and resting his head on his shoulder. He was hugging himself, eyes still partially glazed over.

"Not much longer now, bunny,” he promised, softly enough that the cameras couldn't hear. Then, just for show, he kissed the top of Izuku's head. Izuku winced softly but didn't fight back. Small tears built in the corners of his eyes, but he just closed them and hugged himself tighter. Maybe today would be the day he died, but he didn't have high hopes anymore.

Izuku didn’t die that day or the day after that. Instead, he spent five more agonizing days being lugged around by All for One as he cut his way through the remaining tributes.

One by one, Izuku watched them die; a stab through the chest or a shove off a jagged cliff. When he could, he squeezed his eyes shut and dreamed of his mom, but the screams of dying men had a way of shattering that illusion.

All for One remained fixed on Izuku, continuing to waste supplies on cleaning and binding his injuries. He became more physical, pressing a kiss to Izuku’s temple, stroking his hair, rubbing his back. It made Izuku’s skin crawl, instinctively flinching away from every fake show of affection.

Izuku assumed it was for attention. All for One was the Hunger Games killer, but he had been the undisputed victor for a long time.

The Games weren’t fun anymore, Izuku would sometimes hear. As if there was ever anything fun in senseless slaughter. But he supposed when you knew who would win every year, it took the pleasure away.

Maybe that was why All for One hadn’t killed Izuku yet, even though he wished he had (if only to stop the tension of wondering when it would happen). Sponsors appeared to be interested in All for One and his little bunny. New supplies arrived daily, and although they were never for Izuku, often the contents were given to All for One with Izuku in mind.  

Over the five days, All for One received food, medicine, and a blanket, but also padded handcuffs, a gag, and a carrier—items that All for One put to good use.

Every day, Izuku was handcuffed, gagged, and strapped into the carrier as All for One hunted for his latest victim. Izuku would protest, muffled, slobbered words, but All for One insisted on bringing Izuku with him.

Izuku supposed he should be grateful, the handcuffs were significantly comfier than the rough rope All for one had used before, and although the carrier was humiliating (no teenager wanted to be strapped into a backpack and carried around), he was willing to admit that his sprained ankle made keeping up with All for One impossible.

But mostly, Izuku was exhausted. He wanted it to be over. He wanted the games to end. He’d been with All for One a week now, and only three tributes remained: All for One, Izuku, and some man who went by the name Muscular. As soon as Muscular was dead, All for One would turn on Izuku.

Maybe he would torture Izuku, take his time peeling skin back from flesh. Or perhaps he would be merciful, pinning Izuku down and forcing him to swallow poisonous berries.

Izuku just hoped it was painless.

“Doing alright there, bunny?” All for One asked, pausing in his trek through the marshland to glance back.

Izuku grunted, one of the few noises available to him with the gag inserted. He protested every time, but All for One insisted on the gag, claiming he couldn’t have any cute bunny noises scaring people away.

All for One chuckled, poking at the ground in front of him with a scavenged stick. “I know you’re not too happy about the pack,” he said, “but I doubt you would enjoy trudging through this swampy mess.”

If he could, Izuku would argue back that he would like to walk instead of being strapped in a pack and carried on All for One’s back. A previous attempt to unbuckle himself had resulted in All for One handcuffing Izuku every day.

Being able to move was a luxury he missed—even if it was in a swamp.

After trekking across what felt like the entire arena, the wetlands were the one remaining unexplored area. All for One had put it off, and for a good reason.

Stinking and dark, All for One had to check every step to avoid watery pits or quicksand. Thick vines hung from twisted trees that All for One sliced through with a large knife. Through the dark, creatures moaned and howled. Izuku shivered to think of what abominations the Capitol hid in the murky waters.

Izuku pressed himself against All for One’s neck to avoid a hanging vine, whimpering through the gag as the foliage caught in his hair. “Easy there, bunny,” All for One cautioned. “Our last target should be here, but you need to be quiet.”

Izuku sighed unhappily as he was jostled along against the murderer’s back. It was nearing midday already, and they were trekking further and further into the rank, unpleasantly humid swamp. Mosquitoes swarmed everywhere even this late in the day, and the occasional pocket of deftly avoided quicksand did nothing to soothe his increasingly raw nerves.

He was almost starting to worry that they were lost when All for One suddenly stiffened up, and Izuku tensed in kind—he knew by now what that meant.

Sure enough, All for One chuckled darkly and set off in a new direction deeper into the swamp with a distinct sense of purpose. He had caught wind of his final prey.

Well, not quite final...

A shiver ran up Izuku’s spine, and he focused on his surroundings to distract himself from the all-encompassing despair threatening to drown him, as had become his go-to method as of late. Despite the constant travel, the scenery hadn’t changed much in the past half hour or so, and it was hard not to become antsy now that…the end was near. His end.

Irritated at the lack of stimulation, the teen began to fidget nervously with his hands despite the strange position of them being behind his back, and blinked in surprise as his fingers brushed something. Something firm and plastic...a handle?

The dagger.

All for One stopped dead in his tracks. Before the bolt of panic could even set in, the once quiet tranquility of the gloomy swamp was shattered by a bellow off to the side and right next to them .

“SURPRISE, FOLKS!” Like a hulking monstrosity from one of the rare horror movies Izuku had seen in the district square, a colossal man, bigger than even All for One himself , came erupting out of the murky swamp water, lunging forward and charging the pair as he took them by surprise.

The boy’s kidnapper was startled into stillness for only a moment, but it was a moment too long to stop the deceptively fast behemoth. The man ducked gracefully around the oncoming attack, only for Muscular to swerve around and hook his fingers into the carrier, going not for All for One, but instead, the helpless child strapped to his back.

Izuku shouted in pain as he was forcibly ripped from the killer’s back and tossed over the other tribute’s shoulder, choking breathlessly as he watched the other murderer disappear between the trees with shocking speed. Muscular didn’t even sound winded as he somehow sprinted through the waist-high swamp water, laughing uproariously as he yanked seemingly random vines left and right.

No, not random; with every vine he pulled, a cascade of logs, branches, and debris came raining down from the canopy above, covering his escape and making any kind of pursuit much more difficult. Some of these branches were enormous. Had he set up all of these traps? By himself?! Just how strong WAS this guy?!

A furious, absolutely spine-chilling shout of rage followed them, and Muscular laughed again with undisguised manic glee. “HAHAHAHA! You may kill me by the end of this, All for One, but I’ll be damned if you don’t give me a hell of a fight for killing your little pet first!”

Izuku stared in numb shock at the receding line of traps and trees, another frustrated shout echoing from further away. It was working…Somehow, the trap was working, and the reigning champion was failing to follow them.

The boy clenched a fist tightly in the filthy shirt under his fingers to steady himself as he felt his head go light and dizzy—probably because he was hyperventilating, he dimly realized. Both he and Muscular knew All for One would catch up and brutally murder Muscular for such an unforgivable transgression, likely before the day was even out.

But by that time, it would already be far too late to stop what was going to happen.

Muscular stormed up out of the water and onto a grassy knoll. Izuku coughed harshly as he was slammed into the soggy, unforgiving ground and scrambled away from the other on shivering limbs. The killer paced impatiently in front of him, his face twisted in a vicious snarl of bloodthirsty delight.

“Stand up and fight me, Midoriya! Are you gonna grovel like the helpless little prey you’ve been all game, or are you going to face me and die like a man?!”

He should have known better than to let his guard down in the swamp. It was by far the most dangerous section outside of the mutt-infested areas and the easiest for prey to build good traps. Stupid, stupid mistake.

Though his becoming cocky after so many years of easy victory was forgivable, losing his hold on the child was not. What had he been thinking, bringing him to such a dangerous area as this?

All for One snorted at that rather foolish line of thought. He knew exactly why he’d brought the boy with him: he’d need a bit of theatrics to get what he wanted, after all.

Still, considering the situation, he—

Hisashi’s thoughts ground to a halt as a familiar, coppery scent hit his nose. Blood.

Lots of it.

For the first time in a very long time, it brought nothing but displeasure, as opposed to the typical dark thrill of sadistic joy he’d gotten quite used to feeling these past decades.

Sounds of a struggle echoed down from atop the hill he was coming up on, screaming and laughter and the unmistakable sound of flesh being mutilated beyond repair. It continued for a surprisingly long time before finally being followed by a suffocating silence.

Hisashi slowed to a walk, a grim, horribly familiar weight settling over him. So…he was too late then.

When he crested the hill however, he found no blonde imbecile gloating over the corpse of a glassy eyed, gentle-hearted child. No, he instead found Izuku Midoriya shaking hard over the gored, faceless remains of District Three’s volunteer tribute. The boy was covered in blood and holding the knife Hisashi hadn’t even noticed he’d stolen in a white-knuckled grip. His eyes were indeed glassy, however, locked onto something only he could see far off over the horizon.

From the looks of things, Izuku had stabbed the man to death in his face and throat, despite the terrible beating he’d taken in doing so. He had gored straight through the arm Muscular had thrown up to try and protect his face, was covered in harsh bruises, and had likely broken at least his right arm in the process. Possibly even more.

Hysterical strength was nothing to be trifled with, after all.

Izuku didn’t look up as All for One slowly made his approach, only hunching in on himself further as he shook so hard he looked like he’d be more at home in an earthquake. Hisashi came slowly closer to kneel before him. The teen finally craned his head to look up at him with watering, uncomprehending eyes, still not all there. “I-I killed him…” he croaked. It almost sounded like a question.

Hisashi gave a little huff of amused disbelief. “Yes, yes you did…And it wasn’t all that bad, for your first kill,” he responded softly, laying a slow, gentle hand on the much smaller ones that were unconsciously clutching the knife protectively close like a teddy bear. “A little sloppy, maybe, but quite effective all the same.”

Izuku’s rapidly moistening eyes fluttered, and he flinched away. “I-It all happened so fast, I didn’t want—I didn't mean to—” he cut himself off with a sharp gasp as All for One wormed a digit under his fingers and twisted the thoroughly bloodied dagger away in one smooth motion. “Shh, there there…It’s over now, little one,” the murderer said softly as he ran his free hand carefully through Izuku’s curls.

“Yeah…” the boy whispered, forcing a deep, measured breath. “It’s over…we’re the only ones left.” Suddenly, his eyes shot back open, locking onto his captor with the laser focus of a cornered animal. “W-we’re the only ones left…” he whimpered, turning pale as a sheet as reality suddenly caught back up with him with the force of a train wreck.

Izuku tried to scramble away, to will his limbs to move, but he found himself locked in place as the man stood to tower over him like a goliath. He had been waiting for this moment for what felt like a lifetime now, almost craving it if only for the pain and uncertainty to end. But now he wished more than ever to be back in his mother’s arms, safe in their tiny, rickety home at the end of a cramped culdesac.

His mother. She would be watching.

Mustering up the last of his strength, Izuku steadied his breathing, despite the tears that wanted so badly to well up. He allowed himself to collapse onto his back as he stared up at the beautiful, puffy clouds and cornflower blue sky peeking through the mangrove trees. He summoned every last ounce of happiness he had stored in his heart as he smiled up at the dome ceiling and whispered loud enough that he hoped the cameras would hear, “I-It’s okay, Mom, things will be okay again someday, even if it hurts. Th-thank you for having me...” His eyes fell shut almost against his will. “I love you.”

Somehow, the only thing he felt now was pure, raw gratefulness that he’d been born at all. He hadn’t had much happiness in his short, hard life, but it had been his. He held on tight to that feeling, even as All for Once came slowly closer, even as the man crouched down beside his face, surely intending to sink the already bloodied dagger into his throat. Even though his eyes only opened lazily and his body stayed lax, Izuku’s heart began to pound wildly in anticipation of its abrupt stop.

But, as he gazed more carefully up at the canopy above, he spotted something: a papery mound, surrounded by thousands of tiny insects swarming around it.

A tracker jacker nest.

Suddenly, his heart was racing for an entirely new reason. Tracker jackers were just as deadly as they were infamously aggressive and territorial. There was a rock sitting not an inch from his injured hand; it’d be a difficult shot to take and extremely painful to even put enough force behind it for it to count, but if he managed to hit the nest, then the swarm would certainly come down and kill them both. He would have to die as well, but then, what did that matter if he was going to be killed anyway? At least this way, he would take his murderer down with him as well. Izuku would just have to hold onto him and make sure All for One couldn’t get away in time!

Wild hope and terror swelling in his chest as he gathered his nerves, Izuku wasn’t at all ready for the man to abruptly scoop him into his arms, turn to the trees surrounding them as if they were an audience, and shout, “I think this is a good enough victory, no? Surely, you’ll all allow me to keep my sweet little pet?”

A deafening silence rang out from the marsh around them. All for One was...asking to keep him? Izuku forgot how to breathe.

The silence carried on for one minute, then two, then five and ten and twenty, before the victory horn signalling the end of this year’s Game bellowed throughout the grounds loudly enough to badly startle the teen and make his ears ache. 

…What???

A huge grin split All for One’s face nearly in two, and he took advantage of Izuku’s frightened clinging to hug him closer and crow, “Well, it looks like you’re coming home with me now, little bunny! Congratulations!” The boy just hung limply as his captor laughed aloud at his dumbstruck face and made his way towards the hovercraft slowly approaching them over the horizon. Izuku’s jaw opened and closed soundlessly like a goldfish as his eyes boggled unseeingly at the impossible truth he’d just been presented with.

Against all odds, he had survived the Games.

But...at what cost?

Inko stared at the huge screen displaying the end of game highlights, not even registering what she was seeing. Her mind was still racing, an adrenaline rush fading out from her veins and making everything muddled.

She had collapsed on her knees in the main district square, sobbing as those around her murmured to each other in shock. Inko wasn't sure if she was crying because of terror or relief...probably both.

She had never felt such horror and despair as she had upon seeing her child vulnerable before All for One, the only tribute left. Her heart clenched and beat so hard she thought it might jump straight out of her chest.

And then the man...spared Izuku.

All for One, the Capitol's most famous killer, had spared her son.

And Inko had never known relief could feel so sweet.

...And so bitter.

She just knew. She knew that man wasn't going to bring her baby home. No, All for One was going to try and keep her Izuku for himself—she could see it in his eyes.

And Inko knew she could no longer sit around passively.

Izuku had drifted in and out of awareness for most of the trip back to the Capitol, heavily injured and still suffering the remnants of his concussion. All for One had laid him down on something soft inside the hovercraft, motioning for someone else who approached Izuku with a large needle.

Izuku had struggled, but All for One had held him down easily as whatever it was was administered to him. Likely a sedative considering the blanks in his memory.

He opened bleary eyes, having to remind himself he was no longer in the arena as fear shot through him immediately upon awakening. Izuku licked cracked lips. "Mom?" he called, his voice raspy and quiet.

Someone chuckled close to his ear. “Not quite, bunny. Guess again.”

Izuku’s nose wrinkled in thought. He felt slow, like he was slogging through the arena’s swamp, every thought requiring more effort than it should. He wasn’t in the arena anymore. It was over. All for One had picked him up and said...Izuku’s heart stuttered, and a beeping noise he hadn’t noticed before picked up.

“All—” Izuku swallowed, his mouth dry for more than one reason. “All for One?”

A large hand carded through his hair. “Clever, little bunny.”

Izuku blinked several times, trying to clear the fog clinging to his eyes. He reached a hand to rub it away, but his hand stayed put. “Wha—”

“Not yet, bunny. The doctor needs to look at you first before you can get up.”

“Doc’tr? Cn’t afford. Mom must be w’rried,” Izuku slurred.

The fog was beginning to clear enough for Izuku to see All for One leaning over him. His white, curly hair was styled to perfection, and a new thin scar crossed over his eye. A remnant from Yagi. His lips twitched in amusement as he continued to stroke Izuku’s head. “Money isn’t a problem for me little, bunny. You’ve received the best care in Panem.”

A man standing beside All for One bowed his head. “Thank you, my Lord.” He fiddled with a thick pair of spectacles as he examined a tablet. “Looking at his vitals, he should be alright.”

“Enough for everything planned...?”

“I believe so, but he will be rather weak from healing. I’d watch him throughout the day. And of course, if there are any issues, I’m here to assist.”

All for One cupped Izuku’s cheek. “Hear that bunny? You should be okay. You were so beat up from the Games I was worried.” His hands traveled further down to Izuku’s wrists and unbuckled the straps pinning Izuku to the bed.

Izuku stretched, his body aching from the movement. He felt stiff and weak, struggling even to sit up. All for One chuckled, slipping a hand underneath Izuku’s back to prop him up.

His head swam with the movement, and Izuku leaned against All for One, panting for breath. “Mom?” he asked, but All for One shushed him, slipping a second arm under his thigh to hoist Izuku up into his arms.

“We’ve got a busy day,” he said. “There are some people who are eager to meet you. But first, a bath, a new set of clothes, and some food.”

All for One set his little bunny down on the top of his vanity, taking a seat on the chair in front of him and holding back a smile. Even sitting down, he was still taller than his bunny.

The boy gazed around the room with glassy eyes, having been in and out of it since he woke up. All for One was slightly concerned, but it made getting Izuku cleaned up and dressed a whole lot easier when he was too weak to protest.

And now it was time for what All for One had been looking forward to since he decided to keep Izuku: dolling him up in the finest clothes and accessories he could get his hands on and making his little bunny into the cutest thing he had ever seen.

Normally, All for One had a fashion team that did all his hair and makeup, but his Izuku couldn't even walk properly right now, and something in him snarled at the idea of others getting close to his new child when he was so vulnerable. Muscular had dared to take the boy right from his hands, and All for One had been separated from Izuku for too long after as the boy recovered and he took care of business.

This was a special time and All for One intended to enjoy it. And so, once he had picked all the products he wanted, it was time to begin.

Izuku wrinkled his nose when All for One started to attack his face with a brush, and All for One held his chin still. "Don't move, little bunny," he instructed.

"What are you doing?" Izuku grumbled in complaint.

"It's a very big day for the both of us, Bunny, so I have to make you presentable." He continued his work, opting for a light powder foundation that would smooth Izuku's complexion without hiding any of the adorable freckles he had.

"What is all of this?"

"It's makeup, Bunny. Haven't you ever worn makeup before?" Izuku shook his head and All for One clicked his tongue as he buffed a soft, rosy blush over the bridge of the boy's nose and across his cheeks. After a moment's contemplation, he added some to the tip of Izuku's nose as well for extra effect.

Eyeshadow was simple but charming, a soft brown shading just on the upper lash line and a contoured lining below the eye to create the illusion of a larger eye. Not that his bunny needed it, but with a soft white pencil liner on the waterline and a bit of mascara, Izuku's natural doe eyes looked positively doll-like.

The boy wasn't overly impressed about the gloss that came next, a sheer pink shimmer that he grimaced at. "It's sticky." Izuku pouted.

All for One rolled his eyes, dusting a glittery silver highlighter across the boy's cheekbones. "You'll get used to it, little one, I promise."

Izuku grunted a disagreement but sat passively as All for One dressed him with the final pieces of his outfit. A lacy, cream cravat and delicate, black buckled shoes.

"Are you done yet?" Izuku whined, clearly still tired despite his weeks in a medically induced coma.

"Have patience, Bunny," All for One admonished, adorning the child's fingers with gold rings encrusted with precious jewels.

All for One stepped back, admiring his work. "One last thing," he promised, holding up a golden headband with a set of bunny ears atop it. He had had it custom made as soon as he was out of the arena, and he was excited to finally get to see his bunny in it.

Izuku stared at the headband in mild disgust but resigned to his fate as All for One worked a brush through his clean, fluffy hair and set the bunny ears atop his head.

Hisashi chewed his lower lip, staring at his bunny in awe.

He was perfect.

Absolutely adorable, like a little doll come to life. All for One couldn't wait to show him off.

"Are you ready, Bunny?" he asked, lifting the tired child back into his arms.

"For what?" Izuku’s brow furrowed in confusion. "...Am I going to get to see my mom now?"

"No, but she's going to get to see you. That's good enough, isn't it?" All for One dismissed.

Izuku gawked. No? It wasn't? Where was his mother?

His head felt heavy, and Izuku couldn't stop it from falling on the man's shoulder, unable to stay as alert as he wanted to be.

His clothes were soft but stiff, and Izuku felt uncomfortable in the layers of fancy Capitol fashion he had been swathed in. Compared to the loose, patchy clothes he wore in his district, it was a huge change, and not one Izuku was sure he welcomed.

What was going on? Why was All for One still paying attention to him? Surely he had only been a passive amusement for the man? And yet, the killer had barely let go of Izuku since he woke up, smothering him with his presence.

He wiggled slightly, but All for One bounced Izuku in his arms, like trying to settle an unruly child.

“Easy there, Bunny. You can’t hop off yet. You can sleep once we’re done.”

“Don’ wanna sleep,” Izuku grumbled.

“Mmm,” said All for One, striding out of the massive bedroom and throwing open the doors. “Somehow, I doubt that, Bunny. And regardless, you will sleep. Your body is still healing after all.”

Izuku sat quietly in All for One’s arms as he strode down a hallway, his dress shoes clacking against the sleek tile. It was so noisy. They couldn’t be that noisy in the arena.

His surroundings blurred in and out, Izuku’s eyes struggling to focus on something for more than a minute. He told All for One he wasn’t tired, but it was a lie. He felt so heavy; he couldn’t move his head from its spot on All for One’s shoulder even if he tried.

The hallway had changed now, sheer and white. If Izuku could bend over, he was sure he would be able to see his reflection on the surface. It was nothing like the nailed-together wood walls of his home back with mom.

When it got cold, Izuku had been charged with finding the holes in the wall and mending them to stop the draft. It wasn’t labor-intensive, but Izuku’s fingers would always be a slight blue by the end.

Peacekeepers fell into ranks next to All for One, and Izuku flinched into him. The killer chuckled, squeezing him tighter, and carried on, unconcerned by their armed escort.

Peacekeepers were always at the drawing. Too many people tried to run when their name was called. Izuku hadn’t, but they had still gripped his arms in a crushing grip.

Ahead, giant doors loomed, black, with threads of gold woven through. Standing at attention was a Capitol attendant, his bushy, purple hair pulled back into a neat ponytail.

“Is everything prepared?” All for One asked.

“Just as you instructed.”

“Good,” All for One said, and with a flick of his hands, the door swung open.

As it did, the sound of loud cheering reached Izuku's ears. His addled mind was still trying to catch up with his surroundings. What was going on? Why were there peacekeepers escorting them? Was All for One making a big speech about his annual victory of the Games?

His eyes widened comically when they walked out in front of a podium, a huge crowd before them and cameras everywhere. At the sight of the two of them, the crowd roared even louder, and All for One allowed the cheering to go on for a moment before he raised his hand, and the crowd quieted.

"Good citizens of the Capitol," the killer began confidently, "I stand before you today, thankful and humble."

'What a load of crap.' Izuku thought, trying to shrink down into All for One's arms and away from the sea of staring eyes.

"This last week has been filled with sorrow for all of us, having lost our dear president to the rebellion we've been fighting so desperately these past few months,” All for One continued.

MONTHS?!

"But I am honoured to stand before you today as your new president. I vow to unite us and bring peace back to the Capitol once more. Not just for us, but for our dear children." All for One looked down at Izuku with a type of smile he had never seen on the man's face before. "Which brings me to my second announcement." He hoisted Izuku further up in display. "Today, I am proud to announce to you all the successful recovery and health of the sweet child you've all been so worried over—and my precious new son."

The crowd went wild, and Izuku felt his chest constrict with a jumble of emotion. ‘SON?!’

"Today is a day of celebration, as I, Hisashi Shigaraki, and my son, Izuku Shigaraki, accept your support and promise to serve you to the best of our ability." All for One kissed Izuku's temple. "Let the festivities commence!"

The noise was too much. It was overwhelming, so was the light and colors and sun, and it was all so much. Izuku covered his ears and turned into All for One's chest.

"I'm afraid my little bunny is feeling shy today.” All for One laughed into the microphone. "Your adoration is simply too much for him. I'm afraid we shall have to retire early today. Please, carry on your celebrations without us!"

The broadcast ended with that, and Inko shook with rage, hands clenched around the weapon she had been training with.

His son? That was her son, and she was going to personally remind All for One of that.

With another wave, All for One walked back inside. The doors closed, cutting off the cacophony of noise with them. Now that it was quiet, Izuku's whimpering could be heard. He was so confused, so disoriented.

"M-months?" Izuku shrank in on himself further.

"Perhaps the doctor was wrong about you being ready for that much stimulation,” All for One mused as he carried Izuku back through the white hallway with the Peacekeepers surrounding them. "But it's all over now, bunny. You did so well."

Izuku shook his head and buried his face in All for One's suit. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

"You got it wrong,” he said, trying to process what the man had said earlier. "My name...'snot Shigaraki. Mom's name's Midoriya."

"I think I got it right, Bunny,” All for One chuckled.

Izuku frowned. "...You're not...you're not the President. You're like me. Tribute. Not the...the other one."

"Things changed a little while you were sleeping,” All for One said with a tone of finality that silenced Izuku for several minutes.

"You lied," Izuku said softly, enough so that All for One almost missed it.

"What was that, Bunny?"

Izuku looked up at him, head still resting on his shoulder. "Mom. You said she would get to see me, but she...she wasn't there."

All for One chuckled. “But she did see you, Bunny, everyone saw you."

Izuku shook his head and lifted his heavy hands up to rub his eyes. "Liar. You're a big...big liar."

"And you are a very sleepy bunny,” All for One answered, rocking him a little as they walked.

"'m not sleepy," Izuku insisted. "Gonna stay up till Mom gets here."

They stepped into an elevator, leaving the Peacekeepers behind. Izuku fell quiet as it began to rise. He was still awake, and All for One could see him thinking hard. He waited patiently to see which would come first, another sleepy sentence or sleep.

"When do we get our new house?" Izuku asked at last.

"What new house?"

"They said...they said that if I won, Mom and I would get a new house. Big house." Izuku's little green brows furrowed. "No, little house. So Mom doesn't have to clean so much...or maybe someone cleans it for us? I don't know how it works...how do new houses work? Do they clean themselves? And cook too? Don't want Mom to cook..."

All for One listened to Izuku mumble to himself. He'd done that in the area a few times too but made an effort to hold it back. Now that he was clean and safe and tired, the habit had returned.

"Is that where Mom is?" Izuku asked at last, looking hopeful. "Is she waiting for me at our new house?"

"You only get a new house if you win,” All for One told him as the elevator reached the top floor.

"But...but I won?" Izuku's cute little frown deepened.

" I won, Bunny. But if you want a new house, then I can get you one. I can give you anything you want, Bunny." He leaned down and kissed Izuku's cheek.

"Want a new house for Mom,” Izuku replied, closing his eyes. His breath hitched with a sudden sob. "And I wanna take these ears off."

"Hey now, little one, don't cry." All for One set him down on a white couch. "We can take them off now. You look just as cute without them."

Izuku rubbed his eyes while he cried, "I'm not—not a bunny! And I'm not yours! I don't like you!"

"Poor little bunny is so tired,” All for One cooed, petting his hair.

"No!" Izuku screamed, kicking his legs and twisting away. "No, I'm not!"

"Izuku,” All for One called his name softly, and the boy froze. Had he ever called him by his name before? He couldn't remember. “Izuku, honey, do you want to go to bed?”

Izuku rubbed his eyes again and shook his head. His tantrum had made him even more tired. "When do I get to see Mom?"

"I don't know if she wants to see you, sweetheart." All for One hesitated. Now was probably not the best time to tell Izuku that she was missing. He was already overwhelmed.

"Why not?" Izuku sniffed.

"Because you're so sleepy." All for One picked him up again and carried him into his bedroom. "How about we take these ears off and put you to bed, hmm? Would you like that?"

Izuku hiccuped and shook his head, but didn't protest or struggle while All for One wiped his makeup away, undressed him, and put him into new pajamas.

"Feels funny,” Izuku sniffled, tugging at the fabric of his shirt.

"You'll get used to it,” All for One promised, picking him up and tucking him into bed. He expected Izuku to fall straight to sleep, but as usual, his little bunny was stubborn.

"Are you going to kill me?" Izuku asked.

All for One sat next to him and stroked his fingers along Izuku's hairline. With each touch, he watched Izuku's eyelids get heavier and heavier. "No, Bunny. No one is ever going to hurt you again."

"Do I have to see all those people again?"

"Perhaps." Definitely. The people needed to see his little prize, as much as he wanted to keep him to himself. "Go to sleep, Izuku."

"Mom,” Izuku muttered, eyes closing. "When do I get to see Mom?"

"Shhh…" All for One hushed him, and a moment later, he was asleep. The president looked down at his sleeping son, stroking his hair for a few more minutes. He bent down and kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Bunny."

As much as he would like to stay by Izuku's side until his soft green eyes opened again, there was still much work to be done. Securing his position had been simple, but keeping it would take a bit more effort. There were rebels to deal with, meetings to attend, a missing mother to find...and next year's Games to plan. But having Izuku here made it all worth it. He gave his son another kiss before dimming the lights and easing the door closed.

Dodge, swipe, parry—the movements, which had felt jilted and unnatural at the start, were becoming instinctual, and Inko wiped her brow as they took a break. Her choppy hair barely brushed the tops of her shoulders, sheared short to make it less of a hassle for her.

"Inko." An elderly man (who insisted she call him Gran) entered the room, his usual scowl a bit lighter. "We thought it was time to introduce you to someone." He stepped aside, and a tall, emaciated man walked in, his blonde hair scraggly and unkempt, but his face determined and eyes gleaming.

Inko's breath caught in her chest. "You..." she whispered.

Toshinori Yagi stood before her and bowed low. "I apologize. If I had been able to beat All for One, your son would not have been taken. I failed you both."

"I-It...he would have died anyway even if you had won..." Inko trailed off.

"No," Yagi said firmly, "I failed the Tsubasa boy. If I had beat All for One, I would have given my life for your son as the youngest tribute remaining. He deserves to live and be happy. As it is, I will do my best to help you get him back." He straightened up, looking her right in the eye. "Will you do me the honour of allowing me to fight beside you?"

Inko felt tears well in her eyes. She nodded, putting a reassuring hand on Yagi's shoulder. "We will win," she claimed fiercely.

Every week since that broadcast, she had had to watch that man tote her son around and show him off like a prize. The only reason she hadn't gone on a suicide mission to the Capitol was because, despite All for One's nature, he seemed to genuinely care for and treat her son well.

But Izuku was hers to care for, hers to love. And when Gran—the only victor in her district and her son's mentor—had approached her months ago, it had taken no convincing for her to agree to join the hidden rebellion. They offered her her chance to defeat All for One.

Yagi put his own large hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Yes. We will win," he agreed.

Inko smiled softly, sadly. "You know. You remind me of my husband—if that isn't too strange to say."

Yagi blinked in surprise. "Your husband?"

"Your husband?" Gran echoed in confusion, having never heard her speak of the man before.

"Yes," Inko laughed, "Izuku gets his stubbornness and selflessness from him. Look." She pulled out a somewhat grainy, old photo, well-worn but clearly cared for.

A man smiled out of the picture, Inko in his arms. He looked sickly but happy, his long, white hair covering one eye.

Inko ran her finger gently over the man in the photo, eyes saddened. "It's funny," she said, "All for One always reminded me of him a bit. Just a bit—it's probably just the white hair. My husband was nothing like that monster."

"I think he would have been proud of you," Yagi told her.

"I hope so." Inko smiled at him gratefully, storing the photo away and picking her weapon back up. "Now. Shall we continue?"