Quirk Time

In hindsight, this was a pretty freaking stupid idea.

He was ready, Toshinori was 1567% positive Izuku was ready. He's worked tirelessly for the past year since he met him, since the day he rescued him and the day he saw the boy risk his life to save another quirkless child from whatever torment that basement hell-hole held.

To see the look on his protege's face, the way it contorted with several emotions—the prominent one being overwhelming excitement (to the point where Toshinori thought he was going to keel over and throw up for a moment there), but when he saw a certain kind of frown pull his lips down for just a brief moment, the old Pro Hero thought he was going to have to sit down with his student and talk about how Izuku deserves this gift.

But soon, the frown gave way to a wide, toothy grin, eyes spilling with tears and a giddy, whimsical laugh escaping him—then it fell away to blankness when Toshinori told him to "Eat this."

But that wasn't the problem, no, no.

Maybe Toshinori should have gone to college for teaching or something, because even to him, telling Izuku to simply 'clench up your butt and let your heart cry out'— now that, okay, he'll admit that was probably not the best bit of advice for someone who literally just got a quirk.

All Might's quirk, no less.

Which is why Toshinori almost had a freaking heart attack when his apprentice shattered his entire arm during their next private training session after school, this time focused around his newly obtained quirk. They were making sure it passed through completely—and, uh, yeah, they both can confidently say that it did pass onto Izuku. Successfully? That's yet to be seen.

That was also the moment Toshinori found out what sort of insanely huge pain tolerance Izuku had. Well, he held out for a good ten minutes without any cries of pain and managed to still hold up a decent conversation while the blond teacher tried to figure out what to do before completely passing out in Korosensei's arms when the octopus came out of the shack they called a classroom building, and man, was he pissed.

He recalled Izuku calling that face his Beyond Pissed Off Face.

Toshinori swallowed.

"K-Korosensei, I-"

"All Might."

Toshinori stilled.

Korosensei didn't turn his gaze away from the unconscious student while he worked on healing his arm. He was finished in the blink of an eye, a slight glow coming off the red arm before it was put in a sling.

"I expect more from the Symbol of Justice."

Toshinori didn't dare correct the octopus on the incorrect title. The homeroom teacher turned his head up, the black of his face calming into an irritated red instead. "Is this what you're teaching your student? To be reckless in using his quirk?"

"No, of course not! I just-"

"Just what, exactly, All Might?" Korosensei's tiny eyes narrowed into thin ovals, obviously displeased. "He just obtained your quirk and the first thing you tell him is to 'clench your butt and let your heart cry out'?"

"No, I-"

"Midoriya is a selfless child who will not hesitate to sacrifice himself for the sake of others, you recognize this, yes?"

"I-I- Yes, I do. That's why I-"

"Let him focus everything he has into a single arm with this powerful quirk? All Might, pardon me if I'm wrong, but you were practically handed the perfect quirk on a silver platter and have no experience in actually learning how to use this quirk, do you not?"

Toshinori couldn't manage a proper response to that, so he merely nodded mutely, feeling the familiar weight of guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. It's true; he had no trouble mastering this quirk. He didn't have a single piece of good advice for Izuku to even begin helping him master his new quirk.

Toshinori sighed and closed his eyes, lowering his head in shame. "You're right," he admitted. He lifted a hand. "I have no experience in being a teacher. I was only positioned here to watch over you and keep the kids protected; The 'gain experience as a teacher' half was only a bonus to help prepare me for next year."

Korosensei's scarlet red faded back to yellow, but his disapproving expression never left. He merely studied the Pro Hero.

"I know I have a lot of nerve asking this of you," the blond grit out, slowly raising his gaze humbly. "But you're the superior teacher here. You know how to teach, so can… could you perhaps… teach me how to guide Young Izuku?"

There was silence between them, the atmosphere tense.

"Fine," Korosensei nodded. "I'll help you. But only because I feel you're a dangerous role model for Midoriya to follow and I want him to be safe while learning from you. I will help you train Midoriya with his quirk."

Toshinori deflated, smiling peacefully. "Thank you. I won't let you down."