Author's note: Inspired by the song "Daddy Issues" by The Neighbourhood. Also, there's a "The Breakfast Club" reference if you can spot it. My self insert Miu makes a return! Enjoy!

Miu blinks slowly and her vision comes into focus again for a minute; she leans back on the wall, the cold brick scraping just a little against her bare back. Her exposed skin doesn't quite process the sensation in the first place; it's buzzing and Miu feels like she could shed it at any given time. She stares up at the sky and wonders if she could ever reach the few stars that manage to make themselves seen despite the lights of her hometown.

Miu wonders why she keeps doing this to herself. What was the point, going out to drink away her sorrows? When she's drunk she feels dulled to many sensations and emotions, at least while there's nothing to provoke them; Miu has never gone out drinking with someone. She needs this time alone, and she doesn't give a second thought to the potential risk of being out alone and inebriated in the middle of the night. Besides, Miu finds her tongue is looser when she drinks enough and during times like these, the last thing she wants to do is talk.

Miu doesn't want to think or feel or remember, but the alcohol can unfortunately only do so much. She knows her limits too, knows how much she can take before feeling sick and Miu doesn't attempt to get blackout drunk. That would just be foolish.

The bar she frequents is mostly empty excluding a few familiar faces and one or two strangers; no one has tried to bother her that night, but if they did, Miu doesn't fault them. A single woman drinking alone usually is a tip off for someone on the lookout for company, especially in dive bars like these. One of the older men, a regular, was hanging off her and Miu allowed it. She knows he means no real harm in it, and she is friendly enough with him to know he would not take advantage of her. Like many of the regulars, many older men, he's there for the cheap beer and the vague presence of other people.

Miu knows loneliness and booze never go well together, but she can't resist the warm blanket of being drunk and her tightly held feelings of depression and regret are allowed to mellow out into nothing but a vague sense of melancholy.

It's temporary of course and even drunk, Miu grieves that no matter how many cold mugs of beer or how many shots she consumes, she can't just put her mind out of it's misery. She's heard people saying alcohol helps them forget their troubles, but no matter how long Miu stays in her stool, drinking and drinking and maybe having the odd conversation or watching whatever's on the television, she remembers everything. If anything, once the numbness fades or her emotions get triggered, Miu finds they become worse and threaten to consume her until she thinks the most awful things. Most of them about herself, but that's nothing new.

The summer night is chilled by the previous showers. Miu breathes deep and slow from her spot of refuge; there's a faint smell of cigarettes since the smoking area is only a few feet away. Miu can hear the back door open and close; either someone has come out to smoke or they're going back in. Miu hasn't touched a cigarette in her life, but she feels little pride in the fact when she remembers she drinks like a fish. Getting drunk once a week may not be so risky in comparison, but it's definitely not doing her too many favors.

Not that Miu could name a single thing she likes about herself, at least not without the ever present voice in her heart that is quick to shoot down so much as a hint of positive regard. Miu can not take a compliment without either downplaying it or skirting around accepting it. It could be anything; she's smart, kind, beautiful, a blessing. Miu has gotten all these compliments and more, and she realizes there is something broken inside her that makes her mind reject them, but knowing doesn't make the voice go away or make Miu feel less like nothing.

Miu sighs through her nose and continues to look at the stars. They're so beautiful, sober or otherwise. Miu wants to float up there and get lost in the vast, dark sky, for it to swallow her whole.

She smiles vaguely. It's a dangerous feeling to want to lose yourself.

"Need a smoke?"

Miu glances at the man besides her; he's one of the new faces. At least, she assumes; Miu doesn't look around much when she goes out, especially when she goes out for drinks to forget.

"Oh no, I don't smoke."

The man shrugs and Miu finds herself giving him a lopsided grin as the dim light fixture above them flickers over his face.

"What?"

His voice is a tired drawl, deep and rumbling from his pierced lips. As he studies Miu, he takes a long, purposeful drag of his cigarette; it's nearly gone.

"Stars." Miu feels lightheaded and her lips aren't connecting with her brain's filter. "It's like there's stars on your face."

"The hell does that mean?" his tone isn't hostile, but there's a note of impatience and weariness to it. It's clear he does not need to deal with a drunk girls rambles, so Miu cuts to the chase.

"When the light hits your piercings, they shine like stars."

He continues to stare at her, cigarette halfway to his crooked mouth and Miu finds her eyes drawn to the rings hooked through either side of his bottom lip.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Not enough."

Miu turns back to stare at the sky; she hopes she didn't offend him. Miu supposes he gets enough people making stupid comments on his piercings. Miu has no body art to speak of, except for the piercings in her earlobes. The gold hoop earrings must look tacky to someone with taste and style, but as much as Miu refuses to let herself believe a compliment, she can't deny that she's always done things exactly how she's wanted to. If she wants to go out on a Saturday night in a pink halter top, highwaisted shorts, and big hoop earrings dangling from her ears, it's no ones business but her's. If anyone thinks she looks like trash, Miu won't argue. It's nothing she hasn't called herself.

"I'd say you must have enough if you were willing to let that old geezer hang all over you."

"Aw, he's alright." Miu doesn't take offense; she knows what it must look like to a stranger.

"I'm guessing you like older guys?"

"Yeah actually," Miu chuckles. "But seventy two is kinda pushing it, even for me."

The man doesn't quite smile, but his words implies teasing. "Let me guess: you have some unresolved daddy issues?"

Miu grins despite herself. "I wouldn't say unresolved, but close enough. But hey, who does have a perfect family, right?"

The man falls silent, gaze facing forward, and Miu presumes he's done talking. Her mind is swimming and among the thoughts of unpleasant memories beginning to get dragged to the surface is the thought that this man's eyes are too bright.

Miu swears they're actually turquoise. Otherwise, the man's eyes are heavy lidded, cold, and completely lackluster; someone with that shade of color in their eyes shouldn't have such a dull stare. Miu's eyes are brown, nearly black; she's gotten more compliments than she can count about them, on how big and expressive and warm they look. It's a shame she could never bring herself to enjoy them; Miu thinks if she truly does possess any sort of beauty, it should have gone to someone more deserving.

"Waiting for your ride?"

"Just needed some fresh air."

Silence. Miu continues to look up at the sky and tries to find the big dipper.

"Fascinating?"

"Hm?"

The man is also looking up now. "You like stars or something?"

"It's nice to look at. You know, the stars always look brighter in winter." Miu frowns, trying to remember why this is and why she's even mentioning it. "I don't know why. My dad probably knows; he knows all about those kind of things."

"Your dad teach you about stars?"

"Sort of." Miu feels her heart swelling in her chest and decides enough is enough and says no more.

"My dad wasn't interested in that sort of thing."

"What was he interested in?" Miu feels relief; this is better. Listening is easy.

"Not his kids, I'll tell you that damn much."

She brings her glassy eyed gaze back to his face. "I'm sorry. I can leave if-"
"I'm just answering your question. Or can you not handle hearing about it?"

The man is eyeing her with a mix of disdain and disinterest, no doubt thinking what this air headed bimbo could possibly know.

Miu doesn't disagree; she can't say she knows a damn thing. After all, if she was smart, she wouldn't have come out to drink while depressed in the first place.

If she was smart, she would just put herself out of her misery, but hope is a bitch. She can't stop thinking it's not worth it, that there's something better around the corner, no matter how hellish things were. Some people would call that strength, but Miu wonders...

"I just thought maybe you would regret talking to me when you're sober. I...I never really talked to anyone about…" Miu shrugs; her tongue always gets tied in her throat whenever the subject of her past is brought up. She can't bring herself to say in direct terms what was done to to, to her family, to her heart. Besides, a stranger doesn't need to know, especially not one with is own set of problems.

"I came out here to talk to you in the first place. And I've only had a few shots." the man tells her bluntly. "What about you? Why did you say resolved. He dead?"

"No." Miu answers with a rueful little smile. "But I forgave him a long time ago. I was never mad at him really. I was tired most days."

The man tilts his head back and scratches at the skin by the metallic studs in his nose. "Aren't you a saint?"

Miu smiles. "I know it's stupid, but I just never...felt angry with him. I was more angry with myself."

"Why?"

"I couldn't do anything to make things better for my family. All I could do was sweep the floors and keep my mouth shut."

"Keep out of trouble. Sounds goods. Better than what I've done."

There's a story there, but Miu doesn't ask, doesn't feel like she has the right. She's losing her guard a bit anyway. She blames it on the man's voice; it's dry and has a cynical edge, but it's calm.

"It was the least I could do. I was already a burden as it was. If I wasn't there, my mom would have been able to run away sooner with my sisters."

Miu can't bring herself to feel ashamed or tight lipped; her head is still swimming in whiskey and beer and the man is looking at her without any emotion. It's like talking to a wall. Or a ghost, by the haunted look in his eyes.

"The police never did a thing. One just told my ma if we stuck around any longer, he'd probably kill us someday soon. He ended up living with us again when he had nowhere to go….and besides, maybe...maybe we would have been better off."

"Why's that?"

It might be from being drunk, but Miu is sure from the way the man asks that he already knows.

"It's like there's something in me that's just...not there anymore, but it should be. Like a toy with no batteries. So, maybe I'd have been better off not making it out." Miu shrugs again and scans the stars, as if they had some sort of clue. "Or maybe not. Who knows? It's in the past now. I just wish I could forget sometimes..."

"I get that."

Miu blinks. "You don't think I sound nuts?"

"Let's just say my old man and your old man should go bowling or something. Sounds like they'd get along. Mine basically used my mom and us as tools to make himself look better. He's a pretty big name in the force."

Miu stares. "He's a cop?"

"Forty years and counting; now when me and my brothers and sis hear he gets called out to settle domestic disputes, we get a fucked up laugh out of it. Wouldn't be surprised if he was one of the cops who ignored your family's issues."

"Shit. My dad's just some drugged out psycho." Miu says softly. "I mean, he's not right in the head, but your dad-what's his excuse for what he did?"

"There is none. He's a bastard and so's your old man."

"No, my dad's not a bad person. He's messed up, but..."

"He ever try to get help with his own problems?"

Miu shakes her head. "He's clean now though. Guess he's just too old to keep it up."

"So what happened with your mom?"

"She tried. To be honest, there were a lot of times she'd be so stressed, she'd get upset with me. My older sis wouldn't take that and my younger sis is just a baby, so...it just sort of left me. I tried to help with chores and things, taking care of my little sis, but it just never seemed enough."

"Better than me. You actually stuck around to help. You didn't go off and cause trouble."

Miu was struck by the harsh quality that the man's smooth tone had taken; he threw his finished cigarette onto the ground and crushed it under his boot, smearing the black ash onto the concrete.

"I went off and got into all sorts of shit. I thought I was doing the right thing." he snorted derisively. "Because staying home and helping my mom get through that hell wasn't enough for me. I guess I was too angry to do it. Guess I'm not so different than him."

Miu spoke softly, not much louder than a whisper. "What do you want to do now?"

"Now? I don't know. Not be such a fuck up. Do better, fix things between me and my family. It's all I can do. It's what I should have been doing."

"Better late than never."

"And you? You just gonna try to drink when you're sad? Every time I see you in here, you look ready to take a swan dive off a cliff."

Miu blinked and wondered if being drunk was affecting her hearing. "I haven't seen you here before."

"I don't come here that much. Not that it matters; you never look my way."

Miu assumed he had to be at least more than a little drunk to be talking this way.

"That's a good thing. You know, I think part of growing up is learning to accept your mistakes and regrets. You learn to live with it and accept yourself and you move on to be the best person you can be from now on. I can't seem to do that."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Miu winced; each word was said with a dull, I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that-shit tone. But the man didn't give her time to even reply.

"You were making things better. I went and made shit worse. Just because you couldn't solve the problems that weren't your fault in the first place, doesn't mean you're a failure. You did your best. Everyone else just couldn't get with the program."

"I don't…"

Miu knew it was true. She heard the same thing from her mother, her sisters, even her own father; there were times when he was sober and a little more clear headed, where his eyes would glisten and Miu could see all the years of regret for what he had done to them. He would thank god she had turned out okay, had even said she had turned out the best. He would beg her through tears to be better than him before passing out. Of course, he was smacking her around, smashing her head into walls, and ordering her around like a dog the next day, Miu found it hard to put faith to his words of support. It was similar with her mother; while she also sang Miu's praises, she also didn't think that maybe running a household was too much for a child to handle. She would often direct her outbursts at Miu and while she always apologized afterward for losing her temper, Miu never faulted her in the first place. In Miu's eyes, her mother had every right to lash out at her, useless and stupid as she was.

"I know it's crazy, but I just can't seem to let myself believe that. But thanks for saying it. You're very nice."

"Please."

Miu's lips quirked up in a half smile. "You came out here because you were worried I'd do something. You said you only ever saw me upset. You thought I'd…"

He ran his hand through his mussed hair and his jacket sleeves fell slightly to reveal tattoos on his forearms. Miu had already noticed the ones that ended just under his chin and the knuckles of his hands. She wondered how many tattoos and piercings he had and if there was any part of his body that was left bare. She wondered why he had so many in the first place, but decided not to ask.

"I just needed a smoke." the man said simply and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Alrighty then. Hope you have a good night."

"You're not giving me much to work with here."

Miu lowered her eyes; he was standing in front of her now. He was a good head taller and she found she had to tilt her head up to make direct eye contact.

"You're barely even looking at me. I thought you liked stargazing."

"What?"

"Ya know, 'cause of these." he lightly tapped one of the studs in his cheek. "You like 'em, right? Or does it freak you out?"

"Oh I don't really care."

"You ever think of getting more than these? Got any tattoos?"

Miu feels goosebumps on her buzzing skin when the man gently loops the crook of his finger into one of her dangling earrings.

"No."

The man's lips break out into a sly smirk, the closest thing to a smile Miu's seen so far. She doesn't even know how long they've been talking. It could be ten minutes, and hour; time flies when you're wasted.

"Aren't you just a good girl? No smoking, no ink, just your ears pierced."

"Besides, I don't really have the money for that sort of thing."

"I'll do you for free. And don't worry, it doesn't hurt the first time as much as people say if you know what the hell you're doing. I've never done work on a virgin before."

Miu knows he's referring to her status as someone without any body accessories, but she also can't say for sure he's not alluding to something else entirely. Suddenly, his eyes lock on hers; his lips are parted only a little, but Miu can smell the smoke and a hint of vodka.

"Damn you're beautiful."

Miu shrugs and averts her eyes; this statement is completely earnest. She feels her skin prickle and her heart thumping in her chest.

"I'm alright."

"Hey...if you like older guys, does that mean I'm out of the question? You one of those people who has daddy kink?"

"Not every girl with daddy issues has a daddy complex." Miu smiled dryly, trying to diffuse the abrupt tension with a joke. "I never ever even called anyone 'daddy, not even my dad."

"No?"

Miu's smile faltered; she feels her regrets creeping up on her.

"...Nowadays we're more strangers than anything else. I don't know him as a person, or at least, not a person I could get closer to."

"What about me?"

"You? I hardly know you." Miu can't help chuckle. He's definitely persistent. "I really shouldn't even be telling you any of this."

The man's eyes bore into her relentlessly; he is not letting it drop. "Why not? Don't think I can understand?"

"It's because you can. You don't need to hear this...you don't need to hear more of this."

"I don't mind."

Miu frowns up at him and tilts her head, half to get in focus and half because it's a gesture she finds she does when she drinks.

"Why are you doing this? Listening to me and all that. Do you want to sleep with me that much?" Miu tries for another joke. "I can't be that good looking."

"What's your name?"

Miu didn't expect that. She herself didn't even think to ask his name once during their conversation.

"Miu."

"I go by Dabi."

"What, are you on the run?"

"Not anymore." Dabi leans in. "Most girls are kinda into it though, the whole bad boy schtick."

Miu laughs girlishly right in his face; she can't help herself. "You're not bad."

Dabi's features form into something of a real smile. "Are you sure about that?"

"I think you're pretty nice."

"You hardly know me."

"I'm just going off by this." Miu replies plainly and chuckles again behind her hand. "Sorry, you just look so serious."

"I am serious." Dabi's eyes raked over her face; Miu didn't know how or when he had gotten close enough where she could see her face reflected in his pupils. She wished he would back up; her face was the last thing she wanted to see.

"You look better when you smile. You look real."

"What?"

"You hardly look real when you get all stoned faced. Makes me think you're...a statue. Like you're not even there, just a pretty piece of scenery."

"Now who sounds ridiculous?" Miu giggled.

"That's my girl."

"Now I'm yours?" Miu muttered with some amusement, some apprehension.

"Would you like that?"

Dabi lowered his lips to Miu's ear; the ends of his hair tickle her cheek and one of his hands is still toying with the ends of a lock of hair almost as dark as his. The smell of smoke is cutting through her haze and confusion.

"You want to be my little girl?"