Chapter 25

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Throughout the following week, Hitoshi slowly started returning to normal. It was his regular cycle for the anniversary. He'd be totally off the whole week leading up to it, then gradually pull himself together the week after. It was a vicious cycle that I hoped would end one day, but I knew that wouldn't be any time soon. 

I was wondering if I should suggest therapy as we exited our school building on Thursday when I ran right into Hitoshi's back. "Toshi, what the fuck?" I asked in annoyance, rubbing at my sore nose. Eijirou slid his thumb across my hand, silently asking if I was okay. 

"Is that your fucking dad?" 

The question caught me completely off guard. What the hell could he even be talking about? I quickly peeked around him, wanting to know who he could have mistaken for the man who abandoned me as a child. 

Only to lock gazes with my real, biological father. 

Hisashi Midoriya was leaning against a red car at the front of the parking lot, his sharp gaze spotting me instantly. His dark curly hair was clipped shorter than I had ever seen it, just grazing the tops of his ears, his wide eyes narrowed as he stared me down. 

"I-I-" Words wouldn't form as my fight or flight instinct kicked in. I hadn't seen my father in nearly three years. He had abandoned my mom and me when I was seven but had shown back up when I was fifteen, claiming to want to start over. It lasted for a week before he left again. 

"That's your dad?" Eijirou asked, sounding completely confused and lost. I had never told Eijirou or Katsuki about my dad. I never told anyone about him. The only reason Hitoshi even knew, was because he was there to pick up the pieces my dad left the second go around. 

"Take him to the truck," Hitoshi instructed, his voice cold and detached. 

I grabbed his arm as he started to walk toward my father. "Toshi, don't. Please, just don't," I practically begged him. 

I never wanted to speak to that man ever again. As satisfying as it would be to watch Hitoshi kick his teeth in, I knew it wasn't worth it. Nothing would ever be worth giving him the chance to talk to me. 

"What the fuck are we missing?" Katsuki asked, quickly pulling me to his side and wrapping a protective arm around my waist. 

I couldn't help it, my eyes glanced back to my father. His face had twisted into a snarl at the sight. I swallowed hard. 

"Why're we all standing at the door?" Todoroki asked, breaking me from my staring contest with my father. He and Sero had just stumbled upon us, the rest of our large friend group following behind them. Great, they were all present to bear witness to my mental breakdown. 

"Izuku's dad's here," Hitoshi helpfully supplied, his fists clenching as he spoke. 

Todoroki's eyes went to the parking lot, spotting my father in seconds. "We can take him. Easy." 

"No!" I said quickly, grabbing the other boy's wrist before he could start towards the lot. "I just want to leave. Please, can we just leave?" 

"Why does everyone want to fucking fight your dad?" Katsuki asked, looking down at me with pure confusion.

My eyes pleaded with him to drop it. "I'll tell you in the truck, but we seriously need to leave. Please," I said for the final time. 

That was all it took for the blond to start pulling me toward the parking lot. Hitoshi placed himself on my right, Eijirou to my left. With the rest of my friends at my back, I was fully surrounded. Brief adoration for all of them broke through my panic, but it didn't last long as my father pushed himself away from his car and started toward us. 

Katsuki wasn't phased, just kept pulling me toward the truck. Hitoshi broke away, standing in Hisashi's path and blocking him from following us. Eijirou, Todoroki, and Sero stopped a few feet away, keeping watch over the situation. 

"If you don't want a broken nose, I suggest you walk away," I heard Hitoshi say in a deadly calm voice, just before Katsuki lifted me into the truck (yes, he actually lifted me), and slammed the door. Seconds later, he was in the passenger seat, his eyes glued to the altercation. 

I kept my own eyes trained on my hands in my lap, unable to watch whatever was going down in my school parking lot. It didn't take long for the doors of the truck to open again, Eijirou and Hitoshi both climbing in. 

"Alright," Eijirou said with a huff. "What the hell was that?" 

I let Hitoshi guide my head to rest on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, I started my story. "My dad was never a nice person," I spoke softly, my hand slipping into Hitoshi's. "I don't think he ever really liked me. He was always yelling and telling me I was... I was some big disappointment. When I was seven, he left. 

"I didn't see him again until I was fifteen. He came back, spouting some bullshit about being a changed man and wanting a fresh start. It lasted a day, then he was back to yelling and throwing things and being a shit human being. He left again after a week or something, haven't seen him since," I finished, all the fight leaving my voice as I was transported back to that time. Back when I was a weak little kid who wanted nothing more than to make his dad proud. Back when his favorite activity was berating me and beating down my self-worth. 

There was a beat of silence, no one knowing what to say next. 

"Why didn't you tell us?" Katsuki asked, keeping his voice level and devoid of any hurt he might have been feeling. I appreciated it, not wanting to feel the guilt of keeping yet another secret from them. I felt shitty enough just seeing my dad again. 

"He doesn't tell anyone," Hitoshi stated, coming to my defense. He didn't sound angry or defensive, just trying to diffuse the situation. "I only know because I was around when he came back." 

"We're not upset, darlin'," Ei said in a gentle tone, causing me to look up at him. His red eyes met mine through the rearview mirror. "Not about something like this." 

Katsuki sat back in his chair, slouching slightly as he let out a breath. "It's our own damn fault for never asking." 

"Yeah," Eijirou said with a roll of his eyes as he twisted the key and his truck roared to life. "Because I just love bringing up parents." 

"What happened?" I asked as Eijirou started to drive us back to his and Katsuki's house. If my dad had tracked me down at school, there was little doubt in my mind that he would be heading straight for my house at that exact moment. There was no way I was going home while he was still there. 

Eijirou let out a short laugh at the question. "He nearly pissed himself after Shinsou's threatened him and immediately backed off." 

Hitoshi shrugged the shoulder I wasn't leaning against with a proud smirk. "He must remember the split lip I gave him last time he came back." 

Katsuki turned over his shoulder, looking back at us. "If eye bags punched your dad, I want to punch your dad." 

"Go for it," Hitoshi said, chuckling softly at the blond. 

"Please don't," I said, pleading with all three of them. "I'd rather just wait him out. He won't stay long and then we can all forget he exists again." Just like I had been doing for most of my life and I liked it that way. I felt like less of a failure when I forgot all about him. 

"We won't hunt him down," Eijirou promised, his eyes glancing at me through the mirror. "But all bets are off if we see him again." 

I knew it was the best I was going to get. 

Oh you thought this was the angst? That's cute :)






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