#dadmightweek

I've barely had any time to work on anything this week, so I'd be surprised if I got around to any of the other prompts, but when I read the Day 3 prompt, this scene immediately popped into my mind, and I did manage something quick & dirty with my ink markers and a digital filter or two.

Day 1: Quirk Training/Recovery

Granules of sand whip through the air, stinging All Might’s face as the early morning light filters through a veil of gray clouds. The soft glow casts elongated shadows of Midoriya and himself across the damp ground, where the young hero is focused on refining his quirk control. Midoriya is crouched low, his posture resembling a coiled spring, which Toshinori initially assumes is part of his stretching routine.

“I’m really glad you caught me back then,” Midoriya suddenly says, breaking the rhythmic silence. All Might tilts his head, a puzzled expression flickering across his face.

“Eh? What do you mean, young Midoriya?” All Might responds, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.

“You know... When we first met,” Midoriya continues, his movements transitioning into a series of squats. “You saved me from that villain, and when I grabbed onto you, you didn’t let go, even when you jumped into the sky.”

Realization dawned on Toshinori, and he couldn't help but chuckle, a warm smile spreading across his face. Being around Midoriya had that effect on him—it made laughter come easier, more frequent. He’d always had a soft spot for children, but with Midoriya, the joy felt more genuine, more effortless. The boy had a way of bringing out the best in people.

“Trust me, with that death grip of yours, letting go wasn’t even an option,” he teased lightly, his tone filled with affection. Midoriya's cheeks flushed as he offered a sheepish smile in response.

“I just—I had so many questions! And I didn’t know you were going to jump so high!” Midoriya defended himself, a nervous laugh escaping as he recalled the moment.

“Such a fanboy,” All Might commented with a playful grin.

As Midoriya completed his tenth squat, he paused, gazing out at the vast expanse of the sea, lost in thought. “How’d you do that?” he mused aloud. “You must’ve jumped fifty meters, at least… Have you always been able to do that?”

"Not always. Building skills takes practice, of course," All Might replied, his tone thoughtful as he scratched under his chin. "Things always came naturally to me, but I discovered that the trick is to channel all the power into your calves and the balls of your feet. Then—whoosh!" He waved his hand dramatically, mimicking the explosive burst of energy.

When he turned back to Midoriya, the young hero was crouching much lower than before, his focus intense. "Like this?"

Before All Might could respond, the sand around Midoriya began to shift, spiraling as a fierce wind whipped in all directions. Izuku's hair puffed upward, and his expression hardened with determination.

"Wait, wait—don't—!"

WHOOSH!

In an instant, Midoriya shot into the air at an astonishing speed, leaving a swirling cloud of dust in his wake. All Might's eyes widened in shock as he sharply turned to track the flailing green dot, now rapidly descending from the sky.

"Midoriya!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice as his heart leaped into his throat. Without a second thought, he broke into a sprint, the sound of Midoriya’s distant screams driving him forward.

“Hold on!” All Might yelled, feeling the familiar warmth of One For All igniting within him, crackling through his veins like wildfire. With a mighty push, he launched himself off the ground, soaring through the air at incredible speed.

As he closed the distance, Midoriya’s terrified screams grew clearer, cutting through the rushing wind. The boy spotted All Might through squinted eyes, his arm outstretched, desperate for help.

All Might’s muscular forearm met Midoriya’s grasp, their hands locking in a tight grip as he pulled the young hero to his side. “I gotcha,” he muttered, relief washing over him. But as he glanced downward, his heart skipped a beat.

Beneath them wasn’t the familiar safety of a cityscape or the cushion of a forest. Below was nothing but the vast, unforgiving sea.

“Shit—!” was all All Might could manage before both he and Midoriya plunged into the cold, salty water. Submerged, the roar of the wind was replaced by the muffled, eerie silence of the deep. All Might’s ears plugged, and his heart pounded loudly in his head. The saltwater stung his eyes, but even through the blurry haze, he could see that Midoriya’s eyes were squeezed shut, tiny bubbles escaping from his nose as his green hair floated weightlessly in the disturbed water.

Feeling the firm sea floor beneath him, All Might braced himself and pushed off with his legs, propelling them both upward. They broke the surface with a gasp, the cold air rushing into their lungs.

“I’ve got you,” All Might reassured, the words escaping almost by reflex, adrenaline still surging through his veins. Midoriya, though winded, appeared unharmed, his wide eyes blinking away the water.

“Come on,” All Might urged, steadying Midoriya as he began to pull them both back toward the shore.

Once Izuku felt the sea floor beneath his feet, he released his vice-like grip on All Might and began to clamber out of the water. The waves, fortunately gentle, allowed both of them to make their way back to the dry sand.

Collapsing onto the gritty surface, both heroes gasped for breath, their chests heaving. Midoriya was the first to speak, his voice breaking the rhythmic sound of the waves. “I’m really sorry—” he exhaled shakily. “I didn’t think—I’d go that far.”

“Are you—” All Might began, his voice laced with a mix of concern and frustration. He paused to swallow, his normally voluminous hair now flattened and plastered against his forehead. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” He questioned with exasperation.

Midoriya flopped onto his back, the sand clinging to his damp clothes. He stared up at the sky, his hair a tousled mess around him. “I’m not trying to,” he said with a weary sigh, the corners of his mouth turning down in apology. “I just let my curiosity get the better of me. I wanted to test it out, but I forgot I’m not as skilled as you.”

All Might wiped his damp face and walked closer to Izuku, letting his brief annoyance fade. With a resigned sigh, he shook his head and sat down beside him, his large frame casting a shadow over the young hero.

“Sheesh, Young Midoriya,” All Might muttered, his tone a mix of bewilderment and affection. He coughed into the crook of his elbow, a few spatters of blood staining his skin, but quickly refocused on Midoriya. Extending a hand, he offered it to the boy with a gentle smile.

Midoriya hesitated briefly, then accepted the hand with a sheepish grin, using it to pull himself up. As he settled his weight on one foot, a sharp pain shot through him, and he winced, instinctively leaning heavily against All Might.

“What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” All Might asked, his voice immediately filled with concern.

“Um—my leg. It hurts,” Izuku admitted, his voice clipped with pain.

A surge of worry washed over All Might, thoughts of broken bones flashing through his mind. He knelt in the sand looking upon the young hero’s now hovering leg.

“May I?” All Might asked gently, his voice filled with concern.

Izuku extended his leg toward him, wincing slightly. All Might carefully examined the pale skin, noting the absence of significant bruising. He took his sneakered foot, moving it with utmost caution, turning it gently in different directions.

Izuku let out a pained grunt, his eyes squeezing shut whenever All Might adjusted the angle of his ankle.

“Sorry,” All Might murmured softly, his expression serious. “I think you’ve sprained your ankle. You might have pulled some muscles in your leg, but from what I can see, there are no obvious fractures.”

Izuku sighed deeply, the weight of disappointment evident in his voice. “Well, that’s going to be a setback for training…”

“Yeah, maybe you could think things through a bit more before launching yourself into the sky next time?” All Might said, releasing Izuku’s slender leg with gentle care.

“Sorry,” Izuku mumbled, his gaze dropping to the sand, avoiding eye contact.

All Might turned his back to the young hero, remaining seated on the ground, and gestured behind him with a thumb. “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Huh?” Izuku sputtered, caught off guard.

“Come on! Piggyback ride!” All Might urged, his tone firm yet kind. “You need to ice that ankle and lie down.”

“It’s okay, I can walk, All Might! I promise!” Izuku protested, his voice growing more flustered.

“No!” All Might interrupted, his voice leaving no room for argument. “I know how you are—you’ll only make your injury worse if you try to walk on it. So get on, already.” His insistence was clear, leaving no room for compromise.

Izuku’s freckled face turns a bright shade of red, but he said nothing further, clamping his mouth shut as he approached his mentor. He wrapped his arms around All Might’s collarbone and carefully swung his uninjured leg over his hip. All Might, mindful of the delicate situation, secured Izuku’s legs under his arms, pulling him close as Izuku nestled as far into him as possible.

“All right, let’s go!” All Might announced, finally rising to his feet with Izuku secured on his back.

Izuku buried his face in All Might’s shoulder, his damp, sea-salt-scented hair brushing against the side of All Might’s face. “This is crazy,” he mumbled, his voice muffled.

All Might shook his head with a faint smile.

Izuku’s voice was tinged with concern as he spoke up again. “I hope I’m not too heavy for you…”

“I can carry five adult civilians at once, my boy. One fanboy is hardly a challenge,” All Might said with a reassuring chuckle.

Izuku couldn’t argue with that.

“In fact, you’re lighter than I’d like. We need to make sure you’re eating more! Your body will thank you for it,” All Might added, his tone mixing concern with a hint of playful admonishment.

Izuku laughed lightly, embarrassment continuing to color his cheeks. “Only if you promise to eat with me,” he proposed, a playful glint in his eye.