The hospital corridor was unnaturally quiet, the kind of quiet that pressed in on the ears until every sound felt too loud.
Reinhard stood just outside the room at the end of the hall, his back against the cool wall, eyes fixed on the narrow glass window set into the door. Inside, machines blinked in steady rhythms, their lights reflecting faintly off white tiles and polished metal. Wires trailed from All Might's body like lifelines anchoring him stubbornly to the world.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Each sound struck Reinhard squarely in the chest.
He had not moved in hours. Long enough for the adrenaline to fade and for the weight of everything to settle into his bones. Nurses passed him occasionally, offering water or asking if he needed to sit. He shook his head every time. Sitting felt wrong. Leaving felt impossible.
The smell of disinfectant hung thick in the air, sharp and clean, clashing with the smoke and dust still clinging to his clothes. Every time the monitor inside dipped even slightly, his breath caught painfully in his throat.
"I was right there," he whispered. "I was supposed to protect you."
His fingers curled into the fabric of his sleeves, nails digging into his palms hard enough to sting. The pain grounded him. It reminded him that he was still here. That he had not vanished alongside Regulus and Pandora.
The memory replayed no matter how hard he tried to stop it. The flick of a finger. The impossible force. Toshinori's body tearing through walls. The terrifying lightness when Reinhard caught him, like holding something already slipping away.
Good flowers are always plucked first.
The phrase echoed in his mind in the form of his grandmothers voice, once bright now bitter and cruel. He hated it. Hated how true it felt.
A shadow crossed the floor.
Reinhard looked up to see Sir Nighteye standing a few steps away, arms folded, expression sharp behind his glasses. He looked composed as always, but there was tension beneath it.
"Kid," Nighteye said quietly. "We need you for questioning."
Reinhard straightened automatically. "I already gave my statement."
"You gave an account of events," Nighteye replied. "Not an explanation."
"I told you everything I know."
"Not everything," Nighteye said calmly. "You have yet to explain who you are to All Might."
Reinhard opened his mouth, then closed it again. His chest tightened.
Before he could respond, another voice cut in.
"That's enough."
Gran Torino stepped into the hall, hands in his jacket pockets, eyes narrowed. He stopped beside Reinhard, positioning himself slightly in front of him.
"The kid hasn't left that door all night," Gran Torino said. "Ease up."
"With respect," Nighteye replied, turning toward him, "this is not optional. He was present during a classified operation."
Reinhard swallowed. "I'll answer," he said quietly. "Just let me look at him once more."
Nighteye hesitated, then nodded. "Briefly."
Reinhard turned back to the door. Through the glass, All Might lay still, chest rising faintly beneath the sheets. Without the smile, without the towering presence, he looked fragile in a way Reinhard had never prepared for.
"I'll be back," Reinhard whispered. "I promise."
Then he turned away.
...
The interrogation room was cold and bare.
Gray walls. A metal table bolted to the floor. A single chair facing another. The overhead lights hummed softly, casting everything in an unforgiving glow.
Reinhard sat with his hands folded tightly in his lap. His sword was gone, along with every other weapon he carried. The absence felt wrong, like something vital had been taken, but his thoughts remained fixed on the hospital room.
The door opened.
Sir Nighteye entered first, folder in hand. Gran Torino followed, leaning against the wall instead of taking a seat.
Nighteye sat across from Reinhard and opened the folder. "State your name."
"Reinhard van Astrea."
Nighteye's pen paused. "Who are you to All Might?"
Reinhard hesitated. "He took me in. He trained me. He protected me."
"That is not a legal relationship," Nighteye said his eyes narrowing. All Might always hid things from him and he would now uncover the truth.
"Are you family?"
"No."
"Adopted?"
"No."
Nighteye leaned forward. "Then explain why you acted with the authority of someone who believed they belonged there."
Reinhard's hands trembled. "Because I couldn't leave him alone."
"That is not an answer."
The door opened again.
Nezu entered the room.
The shift in atmosphere was immediate.
Nezu walked to the table, climbed onto the edge, and placed a thick folder between Nighteye and Reinhard. The sound echoed loudly.
"I believe," Nezu said pleasantly, "that answers your question."
Nighteye opened the folder.
His eyes widened slightly.
Silence filled the room.
Gran Torino straightened. Reinhard leaned forward without realizing it. "What is that?"
Nezu turned to Reinhard. "Legal documentation. Filed days ago. Verified by the Hero Commission."
He tapped the top page.
"Toshinori Yagi is your legal guardian."
The words did not register at first.
Then they did.
Reinhard's breath hitched. "What?"
Nighteye closed the folder slowly. "These documents are legitimate."
Reinhard's vision blurred.
"He did that?" he whispered.
"Yes," Nezu replied gently. "He prepared everything himself. He was going to tell you once things calmed down."
Reinhard covered his mouth, shoulders shaking. "He never said anything. I thought I was just staying. That one day he would tell me to leave."
Nezu's ears drooped slightly. "He worried you would think he was forcing a role onto you. Or replacing something you lost."
Gran Torino turned away, jaw tight. "That idiot," he muttered.
"He really wanted me as his son," Reinhard said quietly.
"Yes," Nezu replied. "Very much."
Something in Reinhard's chest shifted. The guilt remained, but beneath it was warmth.
Nighteye stood. "This changes the context."
"It does," Nezu agreed. "Further questioning can wait."
Reinhard nodded. "Can I see him again?"
Nezu smiled softly. "Of course."
As they left the room, Reinhard paused, gripping the table to steady himself.
All Might had chosen him.
Not as a weapon.
Not as a responsibility.
As a son.
He would be strong enough to protect that choice.
A/N: So everyone, how are you liking this dynamic between All Might and Reinhard? I would love to hear your opinions and suggestions about it.