Chapter Text
Calm down, sit still, that's one mill' for each wheel
—
Children all over Japan look up to the one and only Symbol of Peace. A single man who has managed to bring about an era of ease and tranquility, for every villain runs away when they hear his signature catchphrase, “I am here!”
He’s admired heavily on the other side of the world as well. Any hero lover can find his merchandise in any store, some exclusively made for All Might’s favorite country, the good ol’ USA. He got his start there about thirty years ago. His entire brand identity is based on his love for the West. If you were a true superhero fan, you might compare him to pre-quirk superheroes like Superman. Although All Might isn’t an alien; no, in fact, he’s just as human as you. Despite his flawless appearance to the public, a hero who never loses and never fails to crack a smile, some people know him more intimately. They know he’s not perfect, they can watch his interviews and clock every single lie. One of those people is Mariah Jeffords.
All Might is a popular guy. In almost every interview he’s asked if he has a secret lover stowed away, or if he ever plans on settling down. Of course, he always answers no. A man like All Might could never be tied down, the only thing he loves is justice. His shoulders always tense up when he has to answer questions like that, and his voice always has the undercurrent of a finger wag— like he’s disappointed a reporter would think to ask that.
He’s lying in every single one of those interviews. Thirty years ago All Might started his hero career in America, he met Leah Jeffords, and started what Mariah likes to call ‘the longest situationship ever’. Her mom describes her and All Might's relationship as a fling, but Mariah’s never heard of a fling that lasted almost two decades. About sixteen years into their ‘will they-won't they?’ All Might was stupid enough to knock up her mom, and suddenly Mariah was born.
Fourteen years ago, All Might stopped regularly visiting America and cut off his relationship with her mom, cold turkey. Her mom says it had nothing to do with her birth, but Mariah knows better. Mariah’s always known All Might was her father, her mom told her the first time she asked. Then she told her not to tell anyone which was the easiest thing ever; after all who wants to brag about the dad that’s never there?
All Might was a big point of contention in their household growing up. Her mom swore he loved her but he never showed it. He lived halfway across the world and never visited. Other kids’ dads give them hugs and affection. The only things she got from her father were a whole bunch of letters and birthday gifts she never liked. The only time she got to see him was a video call on holidays. All Might may be the world’s hero but he’s not hers. He’s not even her dad.
For fourteen years she lived her life separated from her father. He never showed up to a single birthday or celebration. When she graduated middle school they had an awkward five-minute conversation over the phone. Her father has never once been a fixture in her life so when her mom got sick two years ago she didn't expect things to change.
Her mom, Leah Jeffords, is an unsung hero. She’s a single mother who raised Mariah all on her own. She’s never given up on Mariah, no matter how many phone calls home she’s gotten, or expulsion threats. It’s honestly a miracle she managed to graduate middle school. So when her mom got sick, Mariah’s world crumbled around her, and to the surprise of no one, her father offered nothing but hollow words.
For two years, Mariah dealt with watching her mom become a shell of her former self. She watched as her dark skin lost its glow, as the dark circles under her eyes grew deeper, and her hair… Watching her mom preemptively shave off her hair was the hardest. Years of dedicated care falling to the floor just like that.
Her family tried to offer some comfort but they couldn't understand her feelings. Uncle Dave, Auntie Cathy, and Melissa were all All Might fans; they couldn't understand the anger that his name ignited in her. Even her mother couldn't understand. When she was a little girl and didn't understand her father had all but abandoned them, she used to cry to her mom. (“But why? Why does Daddy have to be gone all the time?” she cried.
“Shh… Don’t blame him. He would be here if he could,” her mother would say.
When she turned ten the tears stopped. “He would be here if he wanted to but he clearly doesn't!” she snapped at her mother.
Her mother didn't respond; she just stared at her with those disappointed eyes. She hates it when she looks at her like that.)
That’s why she’ll never forgive her mom— no matter how much she loves her— for making them pack their bags and move to Japan. For making her live with him.
(The first thing she said to him when she met him in person for the first time since her birth was, “I know my mom is trying to make us a big happy family since she thinks she’s going to die soon but you are not my dad.”
The car ride to his high-rise apartment was quiet after that.)
Mariah lets out a heavy sigh for the third time in five minutes. She scrapes her fork against her plate, moving around the rice and chicken she has to force down her throat. She’s been in what she likes to call ‘her personal hell’ for the past three months. Her mother had somehow got it in her head that now— after fourteen years— she should get to know her father. And even worse, they had to go to him, instead of him coming to his apparent favorite country, the United States.
It’s as awkward as it sounds. Her mom somehow slipped into old patterns with All Might, but Mariah was left tiptoeing around him. All Might is a hero who always has a smile on his face but Mariah’s managed to knock it off easily.
All Might looks up from his plate. “Is it good, Mariah?” he asks with a hopeful tilt to his voice. Her mom doesn't cook much anymore; the treatments have made her much weaker, and she can hardly stand up for long periods. So Mariah had taken over most of the cooking. They ate a lot of frozen meals before Mariah learned how to cook properly. All Might's fridge was full of frozen meals when they arrived, so she assumed the cooking would still be her responsibility. For some reason, All Might insisted on cooking for the two, and then her mother insisted they have family dinners. So that’s how she ended up here, her mom next to her, and herself sitting across from All Might.
She pushes around her fork some more. It’s a simple chicken and rice meal but somehow he messed it up. “No, the chicken is dry,” she deadpans.
All Might’s face falls and he stares down at his plate. “I-Is that so?” he mutters, “I’m sorry.”
Mariah almost can't believe this demure twig sitting across from her is her father. She had known All Might didn't always look so mighty. Many of their phone calls had been video calls and she had seen his frail form for herself. It’s so much harder to believe when you see it in person though.
Her mom elbows her in the ribs. “Mari,” she hisses. Her mom is the main one insisting on this closeness between her and All Might. She wants Mariah to treat him like her dad, but it’s impossible. Mariah’s never had a father who was visible outside of a phone screen. This ridiculous situation has been orchestrated by her mom and the Shields, All Might had barely anything to do with it. How can she accept this man as her dad?
Mariah winces. “It’s true,” she doubles down. Her mother stares at her with that horrible look, disappointment clear in her eyes. Mariah looks away from her. She hates family dinner. At least she doesn't have to deal with her father’s half-hearted attempts at connection or her mom’s judging eyes during the day. She can be as antisocial as she wants because her mom has doctor appointments to attend and All Might has people to save. The only downside is her days are spent studying Japanese. Her mom was so gung-ho about moving she forgot her daughter wasn't fluent like she was. They speak English at home but whenever she goes out she can hardly string a sentence together. She needs to become proficient if she wants a chance during entrance exams in ten months.
“Do you have a high school you want to apply to?” All Might asks. She hasn't talked about it with anyone. Mariah’s entire life has been disappointment after disappointment so it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that Mariah is quirkless. She’ll manage to blame this on her father as well. Some say he has the strongest quirk ever but he even couldn't pass it down to his daughter. She must have the most useless father in the world.
Leah tenses beside her. Her mom knows her dream is to be a hero— everyone back in California does— she could never shut up about it. Even her mom doesn't know how All Might will react.
“Yeah,” she replies, and hopefully that’ll be the end of the conversation. She’ll never lie about her dream but if he says the same thing everyone else has told her she’ll get pissed off.
And because nothing can ever go her way he asks, “Which school?”
Her father knows she’s quirkless. The only time he’s ever heard her cry was after the doctor's appointment she found out. Her mom called him and she was blubbering in the back. “UA,” she answers, because what other school could a wannabe hero want to go to?
“UA?” he questions, “I hear the general education course is good. Or do you want to be a support tech like Melissa?”
Mariah’s eyes narrow at his assumption. Her mom cuts in before the conversation can escalate. “Okay, we don't need to talk about this now,” she tries to change the subject. All Might looks confusedly at her.
“I’m going to apply to the hero course,” Mariah says.
“But you’re quirkless.” And there it was. She clenches her teeth so she doesn't snarl at him. Everyone— her entire life— has told her that: teachers, classmates, her mom at some point, even Melissa once.
(A memory from before her mom was sick pops into her head. Melissa pulls her into her room and brings her over to her desk, which is probably big enough to hold a small car. On the desk is a small device with a shiny coin hooked up to it. “I made this for my science fair project,” Melissa explains. She takes out the shiny coin and replaces it with a rusted penny, then she flips a switch and the machine bursts to life. Mariah watches as a tiny laser begins to move over the surface of the penny, scraping all the rust off.
“Cool,” Mariah whispers. She couldn't imagine putting in so much effort for a science fair project. Melissa’s always been the cerebral one of the pair; she’s a genius.
Melissa turns her head to look at her, she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, I thought so too, but I lost to a baking soda volcano.”
Mariah lets out a snort, “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I just do stuff like this for fun; one day I’m going to make something a hero like Uncle Toshinori can use,” Melissa says, her voice turning from flippant to determined.
Mariah blanched. Out of all her family, she’s the closest to Melissa. She loves her mom’s side of the family— they get her on a deeper level than the Shields do— but she spends the most time with Melissa, so it’s not a lie to say she’s her best friend. Their opinions diverge most on the topic of heroes, specifically her father. The Shields love All Might, which is fine with someone like her mother, but Mariah has different opinions about him. So when Melissa gets all starry-eyed about heroics and starts going on about how awesome All Might is, Mariah gets a little uncomfortable.
“Uh… yeah,” Mariah says, hoping to move on from the subject. Melissa is quirkless, just like her— and just like her, she wants to be a hero. Leah says Melissa has a more realistic outlook, compared to Mariah. Mariah says Melissa’s already bent the knee. Melissa wants to become a support tech like her father, she says it’s a way to be a hero indirectly. Even though their dreams are the same Mariah can't accept Melissa's way. To stay in the shadows, while someone else smiles in the spotlight isn't good enough for Mariah. She wants all the eyes on her, acknowledging her, seeing her. Even if it’s idealistic, that's her dream, and it’ll never change; no matter how many times the world tries to tell her it's impossible.
“I’m serious. That’s how people like us become heroes,” Melissa emphasizes.
“What? By letting everyone else take all the action? No thanks,” Mariah scoffs. She straightens her back and takes a fighting stance, Mariah’s always been the more physical one of the two. It’s not easy being a quirkless kid; everyone thinks you’re fragile, so they either treat you with kid gloves or think they can push you around. The only way to get a modicum of respect is to push back. She begins to box the air like she’s fighting someone. It’s like a routine, left, right, up, it comes naturally to her. “I want to be the one getting things done.”
“Mari,” Melissa sighs. No matter what they’ll always disagree on this. Leah says she gets her stubbornness from her father, and maybe that’s why Uncle Dave smiles when she tells him she wants to be a hero, but it has nothing to do with him. Sometimes she thinks they look at her and can only see her father, which makes her eyes feel like they’ll explode. Melissa’s a practical girl, but Mariah has anger buzzing under her skin and resentment thrumming behind her eyes. Melissa’s eyes shift down, “Then hopefully I can design something useful for you one day.”
Mariah stops her movements. They’ll always disagree but they're still cousins at the end of the day. “Everyone will know I kicked ass because of Shield tech,” she says.
“Don’t curse,” Melissa chides her and Mariah laughs.)
“Who cares? UA lifted that rule a year ago,” she bites back, “Nothing is stopping a quirkless kid from being a hero.”
“Except the danger,” All Might says and for once he doesn't look like a droopy twig who lets himself get pushed around by his fourteen-year-old daughter. “I won't let you.”
Mariah barks out a laugh and her mom flinches away from her. The idea that her father cares about her safety is laughable. He wasn't there when she had to learn to fight the hard way. He didn’t wipe the blood off her face when she came home with a broken nose, or tend to her bruises. “And who are you to stop me?”
“Your father!” He shouts and Mariah’s eyes widen. He’s never raised his voice at her before.
“Stop it,” her mother interrupts, but she’s ignored.
“Now you want to be my father? Where were you fourteen years ago?”
“Both of you,” her mother tries again.
“You won't apply and that’s final!”
“I don’t need your approval!” Mariah shouts back, “I just need hers.” The pair turn to look at Leah, who looks dead tired. “You believe I can do it, right?”
“It’s not about belief,” All Might says.
“I’m not asking you,” she shoots back. She turns back to Leah. The table is silent. Mariah stares at her mom, and her mom stares back. “Mom?”
Leah sighs. “Of course, I believe in you… but your dad isn't wrong,” she relents, “Being a hero is dangerous and you’re…” Quirkless. “Fragile.”
Mariah’s eyes water and she has to blink back her tears. “Yeah, okay,” she chokes out.
“Mariah…” her mom starts.
“No, I get it!” she exclaims. She slams her hands on the table and pushes her chair back. She jumps to her feet. She glares at All Might, who has the most annoying satisfied look on his face. “By the way, your cooking is shit,” she spits. With those final words, she stomps off to her room.
“Mariah!” Her mother calls, but she doesn't look back.