That One Coffee Guy

14. Mistakes

"You're... you're joking right?"

"W...what do you mean we're going to lose the house?!"

Izuku was purely baffled at the infromation that was just thrown at him and looked at his mom with a pale expression. She couldn't be serious right? This had to be some prank...

"Mom... You're just playing with me, right?"

But the mother staring at the floor in shame gave Izuku the sinking feeling that this wasn't one of those moments.

Tears once again began to fill the corners of her eyes as her jaw clenched.

"Mom..." He began taking a deep breath to try and calm his shaky voice  "What's going on?"

"I ... He..." She whispered with a clear stuggle. Izuku waited patiently but he could tell his silence was only making her more anxious.

"W-when... You where younger... And the Shindo family took us to court for... well you know. We lost alot of money" She began and twiddled her thumbs while she tried to contain her sniffling. Izuku flinched internally at the name, immediately becoming uncomfortable himself. He never liked talking about what happened...

But for his mom he would hear her out.

She once again took a deep breath, now hugging herself tightly.

"We... Weren't in good condition and I... Almost had to place you in foster care... I gave you as many meals I could provide so that you could eat everyday, I still tried to focus on your studies and finding a diffrent job, but between that and your hospital visits...we where almost broke..."

Izuku bit his lip in guilt. Indeed he remembered when they where in a slump... But he didn't know their situation was THAT bad.

"I was becoming desperate... I-I had no other choice then to call... To call and ask for his help.."

Izuku looked at her with confusion as she only seemed to fold in on herself more in guilt. "Who are you talking about?"

"I'm...

I'm talking about your father Izuku"

In that moment Izuku felt his whole world flip. He looked at his mom in disbelief, making the room filled with a thick tension which mixed with the overwhelming fear and shame.

"But you.."

"I had no other choice"

"Mom-"

"I know already!" She choked dryly and covered her face once again. "I didn't have any other options! I was so ... So desperate that... I HAD to ask him for help... I..."

She let out a broken whisper that made Izukus own eyes sting.

"I... couldn't lose you too..."

She used her sleeve to wipe away her accumulated tears all while shaking.

"He said as long as I paid him back... I could use as much of what he gave me in whatever way I wished. He didn't have a deadline and said I had plenty of time to make it up... There was so much more then what I expected Izuku, I was just so... relieved. You would get to live a proper life a-and I wouldn't have to s-send you away! It was mostly to pay for your hospital bills, but even with the money left over we were somewhat stable again! He offered me a nice job by using his connections...but..."

"I didn't know that he would want it all back now!" Inko cried into her sleeve. "W-when I said couldn't pay, he said he'd take the house! I forgot that he owned the deed and... Oh God I'm so stupid! I know I shouldn't have taken the money! I know I shouldn't have asked! I know I shouldn't have turned to the man who has royaly screwed me over time and time again!!"