Hello there. It's me again. I'll keep it short and just let you on to the story.

Where My Heart Belongs

The sunlight poured into the room through the window, lighting up her face and waking her up. Mitsuki slowly broke from her slumbering state, sitting up and rubbing her ruby red eyes. She was getting used to this routine, waking up early, getting breakfast fixed, and going out for a stroll with her friend. Speaking of which, Inko also woke up, rolling on her bed before getting up, stretching her limbs like a cat.

"Good morning, Mitsuki…" she said, yawning and already heading out to the kitchen.

"Yeah… good morning to you too," the blond replied, slowly following her green-haired friend.

Honestly, every single morning has been like this for the past six weeks, full of peace and uneventful, but lacking, at least to Mitsuki. She wondered if the feeling would ever go away for good, and couldn't help but imagine how hard it must have been for her friend during all those years. It never occurred to her that she would miss her husband so much. It didn't trigger terrible moods nor crying fits any longer but it still felt awful. Like a sting in her mind, a pressure on her chest that made her heart sink, Mitsuki was constantly reminded of what she lost, exactly because he wasn't by her side every morning. Not anymore.

So as usual, she would do anything else to keep her mind distracted from such thoughts. Occasionally, Mitsuki would worry about how Masaru was doing, without her in the house. It wasn't as if he depended on her for everything, but they were always there for each other…

"No no, stop it…" she shook her head. No good could come from delving into these sad thoughts. They made a promise to not let grief run them down.

"So… same plans for today?" She asked the green-haired lady as she poured them some tea.

"Sure. Although… I was thinking of going shopping for some things today." Inko answered, sipping her tea with a serene expression.

"Anything in particular?"

"Oh, nothing too serious. I just felt like trying to customize some of my clothes."

"Oh, am I going to witness the rebirth of my fashionista partner again?~"

"It's nothing too serious or complicated. I just thought that…" Inko trailed off, and her mind seemed to wander far away down memory lane. Back to her young days, when she met Hisashi.

"... That you would get distracted?" Mitsuki concluded, and Inko lowered her head, sighing and nodding in agreement.

It had never been easy for her, living alone with her child while her husband worked offshore. Still, Inko pushed through all those years because of the love she held for her family. But right now that same love felt so distant and smaller, there was no way to fully recover from this. At least not now. She supposed Time cures all illnesses, but the truth is that Inko was incredibly skeptical of this.

They calmly walked by the park, enjoying the mild weather. The more intense exercising would come later on, but they simply had to be active in some way. The less free time in their hands, the less was the chance of sulking in a corner, figuratively speaking. There were also the benefits of exercising regularly as the ladies felt less tired, not to mention the appearance. They would occasionally get catcalled, something Mitsuki would never allow to slide.

To break the awkward silence, Mitsuki tried coming up with any random topic.

"So… have you been in touch with Izuku yet?"

Judging by the silence, her attempt failed.

"... No."

It was clear to the blond woman that her friend would rather not elaborate on her answer, but Mitsuki knew Inko was just pushing down her feelings. She had been doing the same, after all.

"Are you sure it is okay to keep that far from him? You know, you're his mother still–"

"Yes. I know." Inko cut her words short, halting in place. She took in a deep breath and sighed, raising her eyes to the sky. "But it is still too soon. I haven't…" she hesitated. "I'm not ready yet, I haven't… moved on from this."

Mitsuki looked at her friend and legit felt her inner turmoil. This type of thing wasn't one that you simply brushed aside and despite their decision to face the consequences and then live with them, despite their best efforts to keep their minds occupied, these feelings would still surface somewhere. Be it at some random hour of the day, or late at night, as they tried to sleep. Mitsuki wanted to say some encouraging words to her friend, but she found it hard when she was stuck in the same place.

But then, another person joined them.

"Oh, I didn't expect to meet you two here. Good morning Midoriya-san, Bakugo-san."

"Shino?" Both mothers said in unison, surprised by seeing the pro hero here, although in civilian clothes.

"What are you doing here?" Mitsuki asked, still a little shocked.

"I was heading to Midoriya-san's house, and by coincidence, I took that route through the park. Are you two on a morning jog or something?"

"Yeah, something like that. You know, keep the body in shape," Inko said, trying to look more cheerful in front of the cat lady. She didn't want to be a source of worries.

"It's good to see you came out of that situation safely and sound, Midoriya-san. But if I may, can we talk?" Shino asked politely, something a little odd, considering how "close" they all were.

"Sure. And you can skip the formalities, remember? Just Inko is fine," The green-haired lady said, resuming her walk now accompanied by Shino. "So, what is it? Does it have something to do with Izuku?"

Shino smiled softly. The first thing that came to her mind was her son. Regardless of the source of those feelings, Shino greatly admired how Inko's mind would instantly shift to the wellbeing of her son.

"Well, in a way yes. He's been doing perfectly fine back at U.A, from what I can tell. Everything is almost back to normal."

"Almost? What is different, then?" Mitsuki joined the conversation, gaining interest in the current state of the green-haired teen.

"You can say Izuku is more… popular now, especially with the girls."

"Oh…" Inko's voice dropped down. Shino barely caught that reaction. As for Mitsuki, the cat hero detected a sting of envy as the blondie had a small pout on her face.

"It is not what you're thinking. Izuku keeps Eri-chan around him most of the time, and how to explain…? The two of them together are just too adorable of a sight to behold~" Shino said with a light laugh, then added. "That and the fan club he scored for himself still has a great interest in him, so he has been receiving a lot of female attention. ~sigh~ Last time I had the opportunity to check, he seemed a little overwhelmed~"

"And I suppose you're guarding him like you said you would," Mitsuki questioned the pro hero.

"Why yes, no ill-intended girl shall get near him, I always keep my word. However, the ones around him are all good girls. They might have a little crush on him, but nothing serious. Perhaps one or two..."

"Shino…" Inko caught her attention. "You had something to discuss with me?"

"Ah, sure. As I said before, it is related to him, but only in parts. It concerns you more, honestly." Shino held Inko's hand in hers, making the green-haired lady look at her in the face, confused about it. "Inko-san, you have to talk to Izuku."

"... Excuse me?" Inko looked at Shino, at first confused, then conflicted.

"This must be complicated, Inko, but you have to call him or something. He's worried sick about you." Shino insisted on it.

"Umm, not to sound rude, Shino, but why are you even bringing this up?"

Yes, during all this time Inko didn't make a single call to her son. Not one message or picture, nothing. He seemed to have followed her advice to the letter and gave some space between the two of them, which was for the best if they ever hoped to push their unconventional relationship into the past. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was needed. Of course, she would not cut her ties to Izuku and ignore him for the rest of her life, but Inko absolutely had to get these feelings out of her system, clear her head from these thoughts. Keeping distance helped her to focus on it, or at least she hoped it would. That said, a little part of her also thought it was a deserved punishment.

"I know I should not meddle in your relationship with him, but Izuku is so worried… Now and then I catch him mumbling over and he thinks he left all the weight for you to carry. He just wants to be there for you."

The green-haired lady heard her words, then shook her head. It definitely was something her son would do.

"I know, Shino, I know. It's just… if I let him near me, I would ask him to stay, and I know Izuku would do so to make me feel better. I can't lead him like that again…"

"Inko-san," Shino held both of Inko's hands and pulled her a little closer, surprising the mother. "You're not some heinous creature that will hurt Izuku if he gets near, you're his mother. He didn't forget that and I'm certain you didn't either."

Shino gave some time for her words to sink in Inko's head and the green-haired lady quietly pondered over it. Letting out a sigh, Inko brought a soft smile to her face.

"You are right. I shouldn't keep him isolated like this. In a way, I'm running away from the problem. But you're wrong about one thing, Shino." The cat hero had a surprised and curious look on her face. "You can speak about these things, you're almost family already."

The red-haired woman couldn't help but smile at it. First Izuku, and now Inko fully accepted her into his life. Yes, Inko said she was okay with it previously, but hearing it again felt reassuring to Shino. The mood felt much lighter and bright, just like this morning, so the pro hero felt a little guilty about what she was going to say next.

"Umm, again, sorry if I'm being too prying but… how did things go with your husband, Inko-san?"

The mood definitely went south, judging by the change in Inko's expression.

"He…" She took a deep breath in and slowly released. "Hisashi left. I don't know where to, and I didn't try looking for him. In short, I'm all alone." She forced a smile on her lips, but the tears came to the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry for hearing this, Inko."

"Don't be. I brought this upon myself, it is only fair…"

"But a month has passed already. Why don't you try to reach him and–"

"No… I don't think I can. That night I decided I wouldn't ask him to stay, but still… I begged him to not go. I don't think he will ever come back…"

Inko felt as if her energy was drained, just from remembering how hollow his eyes looked that night. Despite that, Shino kept trying to motivate her.

"It is clear to me that you still love him, Inko. Again, I may not be the right person to say it, but I think you should at least try. You probably will never have what you lost, but you could start something new. I think both of you could." She said the last part looking at Mitsuki, who was quietly following the talk on the sidelines.

Needless to say, the blondie also felt saddened once she was reminded of her husband's refusal to see her again.

"It's not that simple, Shino…" Mitsuki said. "You should know better that once lost, trust is very hard to recover."

"Well, you two are expecting the 'no' already. What else is there to lose?" This may have looked like false hope or positivity based on nothing, but she meant it from her heart. Shino genuinely wanted to see these two women happy in their lives.

"I have heard somewhere that Love is a choice. You still love them, right? So… why not at least try?"

She hoped her words carried her feelings properly. The last thing she wanted was to sound condescending when she hasn't been into a long-term relationship herself.

To her relief, it seems she was successful.

"Thank you, Shino. I think I needed to hear that…" Inko said, giving her a sweet smile while squeezing her hands a bit.

"I'm just trying to help, no need to thank me."

"Well, I suppose that's what heroes do, right, Mitsuki?" Inko turned to her friend but the blondie was walking ahead of them. "Mitsuki…? Wait, where are you going?"

She froze in place for a moment, scratching the back of her head. She didn't turn around to answer.

"I'm going to, ah, umm…" she sighed exasperatedly. "I have something to figure out… I'll see you later, okay?"

"O-okay. Later…" The green-haired lady felt a hint of worry in her chest as she watched her best friend walk away from them.

"... I think she will be fine." Shino quietly said.

"I hope so," Inko concluded.

"So, why don't you call him?"

"What? Now?" Inko looked at Shino with a surprised face.

"Sure, we don't have to wait for any special occasion, do we?"

Inko wanted to argue, but she didn't have any arguments to bring up. That and Shino's shiny smile encouraged her a bit. So the green-haired woman picked her phone and called her son's number. What an irony, she used to call him all the time and cut contact for more than a month.

"Hello… Mom?" His voice sounded surprised. Inko felt her heart skip a beat, however, she didn't think it was any lustful thoughts, just the relief of hearing her son and knowing he was ok.

"Hello, Sweetie. How are things going? Everything alright with school?" She said the same things she always asked him.

"Umm, yeah, everything is fine." He answered, still sounding a little weird. "What about you? Is everything, umm… did something new happen?"

"Oh. I'm fine, dear, I… Your Mom is fine." It was both an answer and Inko reassuring herself about it.

"Oh, good to know…"

There was a moment of awkward silence, in which Inko couldn't help but look for assistance in Shino's eyes. The cat lady silently nodded, she had to tell him about what she was going through.

"To be honest, Izuku, I haven't been feeling well lately…" He listened closely on the other side. "I talked with your father and… we're not together anymore." She waited for his reaction, but it didn't come immediately. He quietly asked her.

"Did you two, umm, are you going to divorce Dad?"

"No, I– well, I don't know. We talked right after coming back home, we had a minor argument, then he left and I haven't heard from him since then."

"You two argued? A-are you really okay, Mom?!"

"I am, dear. You know your father, he would never… ~sigh~ he would never hurt me. Mommy is a bit depressed, however," A bit was using a euphemism, but she didn't want to make Izuku worry more than was needed.

"... I wish I could be there with you."

"Aww, sweetie, it's lovely that you worry about me like this but there's no need, I'll be fine. It will pass… eventually."

"Are you sure, Mom?"

"Uh, not really." She was completely honest. "But I'll survive."

"Should I… speak with Dad too?"

"When the time is right, yes. For now, I want you to focus on your studies, okay?"

"Sure," Izuku went silent for a moment, and Inko waited as she felt he wanted to say something more. "It's good to talk to you again, Mom."

"Yes, Sweetie," She said, rubbing her eyes because a few droplets wanted to roll down her face. "It is good to talk again."

Relatively speaking, it didn't pass that much time, but it felt like ages since she stood in front of that door. Another foreign feeling was the sensation of not belonging here, almost as if there was a barrier pushing her away. How long has she been standing here?

Mitsuki wandered around all day, going from shop to shop, looking for the right clothes. Passing at Inko's apartment just to take a shower and get ready, she still waited for maybe an hour after the time he used to arrive from work. Why all that hesitation? It was as Shino said, the worst thing that could happen was him saying 'no'.

"Is that so…?" Mitsuki never thought of herself as a pessimistic person, but right now her mind was clouded with anxiety, and her heart was full of worry. What if he reacted violently? What if he decided to humiliate her? What if… he already found someone else?

Her hand slowly approached the door, her knees felt weak, and she felt like sweat was starting to form. Should she knock on the door or ring the doorbell? Going by the hour, Masaru should have just finished dinner, if he even fixed something to eat. Usually, it was her who–

"Focus! Come on, Mitsuki, be a grown woman and just go for it."

Well, easier said than done. With a shaky hand, the blondie knocked on the door. It was so gentle she barely heard it herself, so she tried a second time, a little harder. Still no response, so she went for a third, and a fourth, increasing in strength. The silence was her answer from the other side, which brought to the front of her mind, images of Masaru probably getting "busy" with someone else.

It felt terrible, just by imagining it. Mitsuki felt angry that he would move on from her so fast. How could he? And at the same time, she felt that old sentiment of not being worthy creeping up her heart again. Anger and guilt, what a combination. Being lost in thought, Mitsuki knocked on the door harder and harder without noticing.

"Should I try the doorbell–"

Her heart skipped a bit and she froze in place as she heard his voice and the sound of the lock coming from the other side. She lost all reaction as the door opened.

"Hold on a moment, but I'm warning you already that I'm not interested in buying any… thing…" To say Masaru was shocked at the sight of his wife at his door was an understatement.

She forced an awkward smile and waved a hand while he got sour and a tired expression adorned his face.

"... I thought I was clear…" He said in a low voice, looking down as he closed the door, but Mitsuki quickly held it open, much to his surprise. Or was it? She has always been one to force her way through someone's personal space, or at least through his.

"Are you busy? I thought we could… talk." Mitsuki was struggling to keep that smiley face up.

"Again, I'm not interested, and I'm not buying anything…" Masaru said, moving to close the door but once again Mitsuki prevented it, putting her hand and foot on the way and pushing it open.

"... I'm going to close the door one more time and I suggest your hand does not get in the way–"

"Masaru," He refused to look at her. "Please, just… let me in for a bit. I want to talk about something with you."

The smiley face wasn't nearly enough to hide her desperation. Not that he would notice, Masaru still refused to make eye contact, except for a glimpse when she pleaded to him.

He rubbed his face and shook his head. This ought to end in regret, right?

Stepping back, Masaru simply turned around and walked inside, with Mitsuki quietly following. The house was completely dark, aside from the light in the living room. The man sat on the couch, elbows propped on his knees and fingers interlocked, covering part of his face. His eyes cast a dry glare on her as if he couldn't stand her presence. To think a while ago, she would receive anything but love and care from the same person.

"So, how have you been?"

The lack of response somehow felt like a better answer than words could convey. She awkwardly sat on the other couch.

"... Did you eat anything already? I could fix you something for–"

"Mitsuki," The blondie almost bit her tongue. The way he said her name, made her heart sink with how emotionless it was. "Just say whatever you have to say and leave."

She couldn't do it, Mitsuki certainly could not make this through. She had a plan or at least an idea. She would get in her best clothes, use the right shampoo and perfume, pick the perfect lingerie, gather all her charm, and win her husband again. But just seeing him react like this, rather, being that much apathetic and cold, completely crushed her confidence.

Mitsuki wanted to solve this like the grown-up, mature woman she was, but the plans instantly got tossed over the proverbial window. Still, it was not the time to cry, not yet. The blondie slowly got up, only to sit on her knees right in front of him. She looked at his eyes behind the glasses before lowering her head on the floor.

"Please, let me stay with you, Masaru."

He didn't remember Mitsuki ever being this polite and formal.

"I already said, I don't want to see you a–"

"Please, please just let me be here!" She kept begging. "I know I have no right to ask this, but I just want to be close to you."

"But I don't. If this is what you had to say, then you know where the door is-"

"Masaru!" He was getting up but Mitsuki shot up and grabbed his hand with her own. "Look, I'll do everything you want!"

He held a mildly surprised expression.

"Everything…?"

"Yes! Anything, just say it and I'll do it! I'll cook all your favorite foods, I'll keep the house clean all the time, prepare baths, give massages, you name it."

Masaru looked at the blonde woman holding him. Her hands were shaking, not keeping a strong grip. Her eyes were watery, and she looked so… desperate. Nothing like the Mitsuki he used to know and love.

"... And you think this will magically fix things? You think… this is going to make me forget?"

"W-well, not really, but–"

"You're right, it won't! Are you kidding me?"

"Masaru, please, I just–"

"Is this a game for you? Do you think you can just come, toss me a bone and I'll run back to you like a dog?"

"I never said that!"

"That's not what it looks like!" He aggressively yanked his hand free. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me…?"

The man was a wreck. Arriving home that day and not finding Mitsuki was devastating. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but he felt so hollow and betrayed. And he could not bring himself to utter an offense at her, let alone raise his hand. She was still his wife, the person he fell in love with, and built a beautiful, albeit a little different family. She was part of his life, she was part of him.

And not seeing her now was the same as opening his chest and ripping off a chunk of his heart.

Masaru hesitated on crying. Should he feel that bad because he was cheated on? It wasn't his fault that Mitsuki was an unfaithful and quite ungrateful b–

Curses. Not even in the confines of his mind, he could say that about her. So the next days were a sequence of numbly going to work and coming back, followed by a mix of resentment for the ash-blonde's betrayal and general sadness for the lack of her presence. And during all that time, Masaru tried to figure out why.

She did say it wasn't his fault, but there has to be something, right? Why else would she backstab him like this? Was he not around as much? Was he not satisfying her, sexually speaking and in general? Was he getting old?

As Masaru delved into these thoughts more and more, he slowly concluded that there was nothing wrong with him. Mitsuki was the problem, not him. He was the lovely husband and she was the cheating wife who was using him as a piggy bank while she had her "fun" with another person. And as such, he felt his heart getting duller. Each time she crossed his mind, each picture of her or any object that reminded him of her, all this worked to harden his broken heart, to the point he simply didn't care anymore. And why should he, honestly?

However, something was still amiss. He still felt hollow, and Masaru knew why. As much as he hated to admit, Mitsuki leaving left a hole that would never fill in again, he was sure of it. He considered going out and meeting new people, even if it was just for hookups and one-night stands, anything to distract him from that void. Even binging alcohol crossed his mind, but he cast those ideas aside. Even if he did all that, would it really work?

And then, here she was, appearing out of nowhere…

Mitsuki listened to every word he said, and she couldn't help but feel like the worst person in human history. This man did not deserve what she did to him, and Mitsuki was sure she did not deserve him or the pain he felt for her absence. Still, she has to try.

"Masaru… I'm so, so, so sorry you had to go through this, completely alone, above all things. I… I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best to make it up to you… even if it takes the rest of my life. Please… please let me be near you again."

She tried to reach for his hand one more time but he moved away.

"Why do you want this so much, anyway?"

"Because!–" She scooted closer, still on her knees, and hugged his legs. "I can't be anywhere else. It is you who I love, Masaru. I chose that long ago, and I want to keep choosing you."

"You didn't choose me when you cheated, did you?!"

"I know, I'm sorry!"

"Saying sorry won't fix a damn thing!"

"Then what do you want? I said I will do anything! I would even–" Mitsuki suddenly created a scenario that she didn't like at all, so she instantly froze.

"Come on, what were you saying?"

"Nothing…"

"So you don't have anything useful to me…"

Useful. He did say that as if she was an object. Guess she really changed Masaru, as he would never say something like that. But perhaps that was the way to go…

Still kneeling on the floor, Mitsuki looked at the carpet. She had nothing else, it seemed. So she slowly unbuttoned the top of her blouse, giving a good view of her bosom. She had a black lacy bra, most of it being translucent fabric. She looked ashamed because of that, having to resort to this to try and reconsider her husband.

"You can… use me in any way you want. If you want, you can… f-find someone else, even! I won't bother you, I can play the maid. Just… let me be with you..."

She couldn't see his eyes behind the reflex of his glasses, but he seemed to be considering it, which made Mitsuki both hopeful and worried.

"... Get up."

"Huh?" She held a confused look.

"Get. Up." He repeated, holding Mitsuki by the shoulders, and harshly tossing her on the couch.

She wasn't dumb, Mitsuki knew where this was going. Honestly, she expected something like that to happen. If that was the "price to pay" for being with Masaru, she was more than willing to take it. Or so he thought.

He didn't bother being careful with her clothes, popping the remaining buttons of her blouse open, and with the same recklessness, groped her breasts. Mitsuki groaned a bit but endured the harsh treatment. In her head, she deserved it.

Masaru, however, wasn't planning on wasting much time there. He lifted her black skirt and raised one of her legs, and off went her underwear.

"Wait–" Mitsuki said but stopped herself. The look in his eyes told everything.

"Do you want to say something?" He asked coldly.

"N-no…"

He just lowered his pants enough to expose his member, and unceremoniously went inside Mitsuki. Now, she liked it rough, but this was too rough. And the worst part was that it hurt her feelings more than it caused physical discomfort. So this is how things would be between them from now on? She closed her eyes and pursed her lips. Tears wanted to come from her eyes but she would not allow herself to cry in front of him. And then, nothing.

Mitsuki slowly opened her eyes and looked down. Masaru was sitting on the other couch, pants up and head low. At first, she felt relieved, but it was quickly superseded by worry, as her "last resort" just failed. The blondie rushed to his side, trying to get him back on… doing anything with her.

"M-Masaru, what's wrong…? Y-you didn't like it? I, uh… I can… g-get you in the mood, just let me–"

"Mitsuki," He sounded so tired, different from the cold and detached tone of before. "please, just leave me alone."

Her hands shook in hesitation to touch him. She could not win him back, not even with her body.

"I… I can't!" And so she wrapped her arms around him desperately. "Masaru, I'm begging you! Please, let me stay with you, I'll give you anything, I swear!"

"I don't want anything! Whatever it is that you offer, I don't want it! I just–" And now it was his time to break into a crying fit. "I just want my love back..."

Mitsuki froze in place, watching Masaru take out his glasses as he cried like a little kid, something she did a couple of times during these times. It went on for a couple of minutes more until he got to recompose himself. He definitely didn't plan to break like that in front of her.

"Masaru… I'm here. I still love you, and I'm… right here..."

He rubbed his eyes.

"~sob~ My wife would have never cheated on me..."

The words pierced through her chest like a lance, but she had to persist.

"I know. I fucked up, there's no denying it. But what if... and I know it is one huge what if… you gave me another chance? I-I will never hurt you like this again! Masaru, I can't live like this, without you..."

"And I should… just ignore what happened and forgive you?"

"... no, you don't have to. If you want, you can… f-find someone and, uh, get it even with me. I won't m-mind..."

"Getting even is not the problem. How do I know… that it won't happen again?" They locked eyes. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Mitsuki took a deep breath in.

"You can't," She had to be completely honest, with him and with herself. "Masaru, you will never trust me the same way again, and I know that. It is my fault, and I don't blame you for this. Which is why I know the amount of bullshit I'm saying when I ask you to believe me..."

Mitsuki temptingly reached for his hand, and since he didn't move it away, she dared entwine her fingers on his own. More surprising, she felt the gesture being returned. Oh, how she missed that sensation.

She knew it wasn't nearly enough to make up for what she did, it never would be, for real. But it was a start, and she already felt better with herself.

End of Chapter

Alrighty, chapter done, relationships under repairs. And on that topic... Yes, I'm aware the story took a very different direction than the start. I'm also aware not everyone was a big fan of that, and I respect it. As usual, I had a very generic idea when I started ant I just rolled with the rest of the plot along the way. This is why I wanna thank any of you that have been following me on this crazy train, and for those that eventually dropped because the initial idea got put aside, my apologies. I'll try to do better in future fics.

And as always, thanks for taking your time and reading this chapter, the next one will come soon, and we're very close to the end, so stay tuned. See y'all another time.