Marshmallow |BnHA|

Chapter Twenty-Six

Two days had passed since Izuku's near-break down at school, and the boy became increasingly more nervous as it got closer to Mother's day. 

Shouta and Hizashi had noticed something wrong immediately, and had tried everything they could think off, but Izuku just stayed jumpy and nervous, eyes constantly glossy. After all, it was the first Mother's day since she passed.

It was nearly dark on a Friday night, Izuku huddled up on the bean bag and watching the laptop absently, Paws besides him. 

"You shouldn't do that."

Izuku jumped, spinning to look at Hitoshi as he lingered in the doorway. Looking down at his fingers, he realised he had picked the plaster off, the skin around his nail on his thumb bleeding slightly, angry and red. His eyes widened as he dived into his draws, replacing the plaster quickly. 

"You should stop it." Izuku didn't say anything, subconsciously pulling on the sleeves of Shouta's hoodie. He felt boxed in, the same crawling up the back he got when his bullies walked into a room. The bruise on his side whined and he furrowed his eyebrows. Hitoshi wasn't a bully, in fact he had barely said a word to Izuku since moving in. 

"Hizashi says you do it because you get fidgety when you get nervous. I don't understand." Izuku had to clench his fists as he felt his fingers grazing across plaster. He didn't like them talking about him - no one ever said anything good.

Izuku dipped his head. "S-Sorry."

The boy shrugged, eyes not leaving Izuku. "Shouta told me to get you for dinner." And with that, he vanished.

Izuku waited a minute, stroking Paws for reassurance and walking slowly into the kitchen. They were in a comfortable silence, his Unkie cooking dinner whilst Hizashi showed something to Hitoshi on his phone. 

"Jelly Bean!" Izuku jumped as his Uncle caught sight of him, waving. Shouta didn't look over his shoulder. "You skipped lunch. I've made you a larger portion." Nodding, Izuku climbed onto his seat. Hizashi suddenly gasped, turning to Hitoshi. 

"Remember kiddo, your Mum and sister are coming to spend the day with you tomorrow. Just like scheduled." The purple haired boy nodding, eyes suddenly moving to Izuku. 

"Is your Mum coming tomorrow too?" Izuku tensed, and Shouta froze, spoon slipping into the meal as Hizashi jumped slightly. 

"Oh! No, No, 'Toshi. I'll explain later kiddo." The boy furrowed his eyebrows, and Izuku turned his head down. "Why? I don't understand." 

Izuku looked to the corner of his eyes, Fake Mama's dead eyes lingering down the hall. 

"M-Mama tu-turned off." Shouta frowned, scooping the kid up and settling him on his hip. "Me and Lettuce are going for a walk. Can you save us some dinner?"

Something flashed in Hizashi's eyes and he nodded, looking to Izuku. "Be safe out there. Sho, get some Marshmallows." He nodded and took the boy into the hall, pulling their shoes on.

Neither said a word, Izuku silently sitting on his Unkie's hips, as Shouta buckled them in the car, setting off. Izuku was leaning against the back, eyebrows slightly furrowed. He slightly recognised the route, but couldn't think where.

"Izuku." He didn't look up, fiddling with the plasters slightly. There was an edge to his Unkie's voice that Izuku didn't like. "We're going to see your Mama, I think it will be good for you."

Izuku tensed, looking up with tears in his eyes. "W-Why?! M-Mama is-isn't the-there!" Shouta shushed him, pulling into the side of the cemetery. 

"Izuku, do you remember what I told you about nightmares? And how it's illogical and impossible for them to be real." Izuku nodded, and Shouta moved to sit in the empty seat besides him, pulling the kid onto his lap. 

"Fake Mama is just a nightmare. She can't hurt you, I wouldn't let her. You know that right?" Izuku was shaking like a leaf in his arms, and nodded slowly. "We'll take it slow, okay."

It took nearly twenty minutes for Shouta to carry Izuku towards the grave, the boy hyperventilating a few times along the way.  

He had his eyes clenched shut, and Shouta sat down next to it, rubbing soothing circles into Izuku's back. "See? Sometimes, even though your Mama isn't with us, her spirit is here, and it's nice to be with them."

After a few more minutes Izuku opened his eyes, and shifted slightly, reaching out to pull his hand against the stone. His body lurched as he was threw into sobs.

"I m-miss Ma-Mama! I w-want M-Mama back!" 

He soothed him, letting the kid cry it out. Eventually, he dropped to sniffles. 

"W-Why di-did she le-leave?" Sighing, Shouta blinked away his own tears. "Because this World wasn't right for her, so she's waiting for you in the next place. You can't let this world get to you Izuku, if it get's too much, you tell me."

Izuku took a ragged breathe. "But it's important for you to move on Izuku - your Mama wouldn't want you to hold onto it, because that's when you get sad. It will always make you sad, but if you only remember the end then you'll always be sad. You've got to remember the happy moments."

Izuku nodded, rubbing his face shakily. "L-Like when s-she w-would make co-cookies and w-we'd wa-watch mov-movies?"

Shouta nodded. "Yeah, like that."