Marshmallow |BnHA|

Chapter Fourteen

"Izuku, sweetie, why don't we watch a movie?"

The six-year-old let out another sob, slamming his fists against the door. It had been less than two minutes since Nemuri had carried the boy into the living room, locking the door. The entire time he had been trying to open it, banging it with his hands and screaming.

Whether it was for Hisashi or Shouta, Nemuri was unsure. 

She frowned, seeing the two kids who had been with Hisashi running past the window, and pulled the curtains closed, sitting on her knees a small distance from Izuku.

"Hon, come on over here. You'll only stress yourself out."

He spun then, and Nemuri sucked in a breathe. His face was twisted in fear and pain, tears making his face red and blotchy, skin otherwise pale and a shake to his eyes. More than ever, he looked like a boy who'd lost everything.

Nemuri had seen the same face on those she'd saved who had lost their family.

"P-Papa! He'll - He'll ta-take U-Unkie too!" Shooting over, she pulled the boy into a tight hug, her own eyes burning. This boy had long learned his father wasn't coming home, and instead feared of the next person he loved leaving him. 

It hurt Nemuri, slightly, that even after all this time Izuku wasn't yet certain he wouldn't be abandoned. She recognised it from Shouta in their early teens.

His sister hadn't long left, uprooted and took everything she owned with her. Moved in with a man who had all-but manipulated her into it. Not a year later Shouta lost his Father. She hadn't come to the funeral, and Shouta had thought himself selfish for being angry at her, but he had the right. He'd never gotten along with his Mother - Nemuri had met her once and agreed with him - and had needed the comfort from the sister he loved so much.

Yet, she had abandoned him. There had been mornings where he'd come in quiet and distant, assessing every word his friends had said and looking pale every time one left to do something. They'd only found out years later at a bar on someones birthday, Shouta drunk out his mind to handle the loud event, that he was never sure if they would stay his friends. For years, Shouta had fought the urge to practically hang off them on his bad days when his mind told him they were going to leave and never return. It wasn't until months of subtle promises and reassurances - and being there when he needed it the most - that he'd lost the slight tension to his shoulders and worried glances.

That he'd lost the uncertainty of being abandoned.

"Izuku, he is never going to leave you. Never. Your Unkie loves you so much, he'd sacrifice everything for you. You're his nephew, his kid. You listen to me Izuku, Shouta would not take you in if he didn't intend to keep you until the very end. Oh, Izuku, hon, deep breathe."

She held her hands to the side of his face as his eyes clenched shut, breathing laboured. 

A second later, hands overlapped hers.

Looking up, her eyes met the man she spoke so highly off, but as of yet there was no pride in the gaze. If this had of been a normal situation, he'd be lazily teasing the women. But this wasn't a normal situation. 

Onyx held worry and sadness, alongside a gentle need to protect Izuku. She backed away, settling anxiously in a chair as Shouta moved to crouch where she had been. His hands moved to his wrists, finger creating a small figure of eight on his wrists, above where his pulse would be felt.

"Izuku, I need you to listen to me. You can do this, deep breathe. In, count to seven." He tapped on his wrist each second. "Good boy, not hold for four." More tapping. "And release for five. Well done lettuce, and again."

It took a few minutes for the breathing to be more steady. He was still crying, and so his breathing was faster than they wished, but the boy seemed to be aware.

He opened his green eyes, immediately flinging himself into his Unkie.

"Y-You didn't lea-leave me! 

Rubbing his back, Shouta shook his head.

"I will never leave you Izuku. I promise you. I can't because I love you." Izuku sniffled suddenly pulling Shouta's bracelet out his pocket. "A-And be-because I've got you-you're bracelet?"

Shaking his head, Shouta ruffled his hair soothingly. He wanted to tell Izuku the bracelet didn't matter, but at the minute the kid needed a constant reassurance. As Hizashi had said many nights ago, baby steps.

"And because you have no bracelet. I can't leave because I love you and you have my bracelet. 

Izuku sniffled, hugging Shouta tight. "P-Papa didn't st-stay, did h-he?"

Taking a deep breathe to push down his anger, Shouta shook his head. The scum bag should never have turned up. 

"No, he had to go and look after the two kids."

Izuku tensed. "D-Did he rep-replace me?"

"No, Lettuce, no. But not everyone has an Unkie Shouta." Smiling slightly as Izuku's eyes fluttered shut, he relaxed.

"I d-don't want to le-leave U-Unkie Sho. P-Papa was me-mean. I w-want to st-stay."

Shouta nodded, picking Izuku up and carrying him to his room. "Then you can stay as long as you want. You'll always have a home here."