A/N: I'm not dead and neither is this fic! I've been having trouble writing lately but I am STILL HERE. *fist pump*

Thank you to Addles28, GodAmongGods, Ljedwards04, XxMysticalLunarxX, VermilionShade, jordanlink7856, pikaree1, Freyridian, and guest for reviewing!

Title: Registered Quirk: Open Heart

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Genre: Friendship/Adventure

Warnings: None

Summary: Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, "Happy please!"

Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA.

"So I learned how to use my quirk on different parts of my body quickly and efficiently," Togata explained earnestly. He looked remarkably confident for how much nervous excitement was humming on Izuku's tongue like a fizzy candy; the sound droned steady a tone below his voice. Togata grinned. "My spatial awareness and proprioception have gotten really good, since I can't exactly see where I'm going."

Izuku didn't try to suppress his admiring smile, head tilted toward Togata as he listened. It was easy to see why Nighteye had picked him out as a potential successor; he stayed confident no matter what else he was feeling, and it reflected on those around him. Nighteye's frustration had calmed into a quiet pride with a flavor that played nice with Togata's nerves, softening them, and All Might was interested and impressed, long distracted from his earlier conflict with Nighteye.

Togata commanded attention without even trying, and his story of how he came to control his quirk – not the first prompt All Might had given but certainly not the last – made Izuku respect him all the more. He thought of his own attempts, nothing more than tracking heroes and their personalities and habits, and the qualities of villains in turn.

"Your persistence is impressive," All Might offered with a small smile. "Many would have given up, with a quirk that difficult to control."

Togata beamed at him, flattered and just a little embarrassed. "I'm stubborn," he said, with a touch of pride.

"A good quality in a hero," All Might agreed, and then turned to look at Izuku with a kind smile. Izuku jumped and tried not to look too guilty, swallowing. The depth of All Might's expectation didn't make sense- "Tell us about how you learned to control your quirk, Midoriya."

Izuku ducked his head, color rising to his cheeks. Nighteye's pride gained a subtone of resentment, but Togata was curious. Izuku didn't want to be disappointing, but in a group like this, how could he not be?

What should he even talk about? Togata's story had illustrated his stubbornness and his determination, but what did Izuku learn in the process of controlling his quirk? He got caught up in little things, thought too much-

"I used to cry a lot," he blurted out, and then flushed, humiliated. But he forged on. "I mean, more. It's the body's way of venting when there are too many chemicals in your brain. A-a-and, my empathy, it's not just emotions- I can hear and taste them too. It's how I tell other people's apart from mine, sort of." It was hard to explain. He studied the table between them, tapping his fingers together anxiously, and focused on All Might. Curiosity, interest. But why, why? "So I was crying all the time, and could taste half a dozen flavors, and hear sounds I knew were really emotions. A-and, it was a lot, all the time, is what I'm trying to say."

He swallowed. This wasn't coming out right.

"At your pace, Midoriya," All Might said reassuringly, reaching over to touch his shoulder lightly. Izuku nodded quickly, took a breath, and steadied himself. He sat up, but didn't lift his gaze.

"I had to learn to pick it apart," he continued, a little more confidently. "I started writing about people I knew – their personalities, the patterns their emotions made, and the relationships they had with others, how they wove together. I started keeping notebooks of them."

He shifted the notebook he held in example, and then let his mouth form an embarrassed smile.

"I did heroes, too, when I went to see the fights in person. I-I mean, not in their downtime, obviously, but they still respond to villains and civilians and people in danger, so-" He stopped, hesitated, and restarted again. "By the time I was about… eight, I think? I was mostly able to handle it, so I started trying to… help. When people were sad or scared, I'd try to find them and…" He shrugged and trailed off, confidence lost again. "I did what I could, I guess. I just- wish I could do more."

Just the thought helped a little. He was here because he wanted to be a hero, and All Might thought he could. And even if All Might didn't choose him to be his successor, he could still try. He just had to stay determined.

"You were clever about it," All Might complimented, and he was even impressed – Izuku had to hold back a squeak, delighted, and squeezed his notebook to his chest instead, cringing into himself. "It's just as important as pure persistence."

Izuku made a noise, and Nighteye cut in, "All well and good, but will he be able to hold himself together in the chaos of a battlefield?" Nighteye glanced at Izuku, irritation brewing. "It sounds like it's quite easy to become overwhelmed."

Izuku took a moment, and faltered- not startled by the suggestion itself, but rather by the flare of anger that welled up in response. Not anyone else's – his own. He set his jaw and lifted his head again, looking at Nighteye with as much steel as he could muster.

"I've had my quirk as long as anyone else has," Izuku reminded him tersely. He wanted to cross his arms, but pushed his notebook against his lap instead, frustrated. "And I look for villain fights all the time. I know how to handle myself."

A warm flavor spiked in the air again, recognizable as All Might's, but Izuku kept his eyes on Nighteye, as close to defiant as he'd been all day.

"It isn't as if fear and pain are reserved for villain fights," Izuku added, sitting up straighter when it became clear Nighteye wasn't convinced. "I have neighbors who argue almost every day, and there's always someone crying in the bathroom at school, and there are so many strangers I come across who are upset or overwhelmed and still out and about-" Izuku stopped himself, and took a deep breath, ducking his head a little as his face colored involuntarily. "It doesn't matter who gets One for All. I'm going to be a hero, even if I have to work my way up from the bottom."

He took a beat to steady himself, and then, still bright pink and looking at the table, he reached out. Togata was impressed again, and the tone of his interest was once again so similar to All Might's they were almost indistinguishable. Nighteye, meanwhile, had lost most of his doubt (but not quite his resentment) and was all the lighter for it, if a little resigned.

"It is as admirable a reason as any other," All Might offered, a small grin on his face even as Nighteye's emotions evened out. Izuku's embarrassment intensified, and All Might chuckled, almost covered by the deep gonging of his amusement. A moment later, All Might took pity on him. "Togata, what made you want to be a hero?"

"Ah!" Surprise, and then embarrassment. "Well, it's nothing special. I've always admired heroes a lot, of course! I played heroes and villains same as any other kid, and eventually I decided that I wanted to save people for real." Earnestness, salty-sweet, bloomed out, and when Izuku peeked up Togata was smiling confidently, elbows on the table and hands clasped under his chin. "I've learned a lot about the realities of heroism at Yuuei, but I haven't changed my mind. If anything, it's made my resolve stronger!" He grinned. "My hero name is Lemillion, because I'm going to save a million people!"

All Might laughed out loud, and his head bobbed in a brief nod. "A wonderful name and a wonderful goal," he encouraged, and Togata beamed at the praise.

"He is a lot like you, All Might," Sir Nighteye pointed out, and with a tilt of his head, Izuku noticed that while his voice was deceptively patient, he was tense with anticipation. "In his idealism and his enthusiasm."

"I can see what you mean," All Might agreed, giving Togata a smile and a nod of acknowledgement.

Izuku could almost hear Togata's heart skip a beat, and nervousness, normally soft and buzzy, yelped from him like a bolt of surprise that made Izuku jump as well and clap a hand to his mouth to stifle an actual yelp, drawing all eyes to him.

Izuku smiled nervously and let his hand curl into a fist in front of his mouth.

"H-he's got some of Nighteye in him too, don't you think?" he offered hopefully. "He does his best to think things through, a-and be practical with his ideals." Oh no, was that insulting to All Might? It wasn't that he didn't-

All Might chuckled, cutting off his train of thought. "That as well," he confirmed.

Togata relaxed enough that Izuku nearly gave up a sigh of relief, and the other boy shot him a grin. "Thank you, Midoriya!" he said, cheerfulness restored. "I do my best!"

Izuku smiled back and glanced at All Might, who seemed thoughtful again, eyes on him for just a moment before Togata cleared his throat, looking back at the number one hero.

With a bemused little smile on his face and a slight tilt to his head, Togata said, "Not to appear impatient or arrogant, All Might… but in my experience, Yuuei doesn't judge their students by sitting down and talking. Is there… another test you had planned for us?"

Izuku sat up, looking at All Might in question with wide, expectant eyes.

All Might chuckled quietly, a faint fwip-shuffle sound of abashment coming off of him.

"You're right, of course," he acknowledged wryly. "That isn't all we have for you two."

He glanced at Nighteye, who sighed.

"It was planned just for Togata," he said, with a pointed weight to the name that made embarrassment spike up in Togata himself. "But it will do just as well with the two of you, I suppose."

The chapter is a little questionable, but I kind of wrote myself into a corner. *laugh* Next chapter should be more interesting! (And I'm less likely to try to rewrite it three different ways.) Thanks for your patience, and please review!