Hotaru's P.o.V

Katsuki and I sat on his bed, his arm lazily wrapped around my waist. I had my head rested against his shoulder as I enjoyed the comfortable silence. I was content.

If you're going to ask if Katsuki and I are dating, I can't answer that. Did we kiss? Yes. Did we actually talk it through and make a decision on where we stand? No...

When I felt the weight underneath my head begin to shift, I raised an eyebrow, "Going somewhere?" Katsuki simply nodded before getting up and kissing my forehead. He walked towards his closed bedroom door and headed into the living room, leaving me alone. I sighed as I flopped back onto the bed, the silence now feeling lonely.

I turned my head to view the rest of the room and found a picture of Katsuki when he was young. He looked so bright and happy as he held up a fish he must have caught with his bare hands. Three kids marveled at him, amongst them was a wide-eyed and awestruck Midoriya. He looked at Katsuki like he was God.

Hotaru found it interesting that the picture was taken so the other two kids were partially cut out. Midoriya and Bakugou were the focus of the photograph. Hotaru realized it must have been taken by Bakugou's parents as two large shadows were cast from a source not in the photo.

"Even in the beginning, that boy idolized Katsuki..." I unconsciously muttered, picking up the photo. I smiled, a dry chuckle leaving my lips.

"I guess that's something we have in common," I mumbled. I was torn away from my thoughts by a sudden ring of the doorbell. I quirked an eyebrow as I sat up. I crept towards the living room, wanting to check out who had arrived. I hid behind the wall and listened in on the conversation.

"We came to see if-with the addition of dorm rooms-Young Bakugou would like to continue to attend UA High."

'All Might...?' I recognized the voice. I softened my gaze, remembering that the pro hero was no longer number one. I slowly peeked out from my hiding spot. Much to my dismay, Aizawa was looking right at me. I hadn't thought to listen for any other visitors.

"I see Anzai's here," he called me out. I mentally cursed him. Attention turned to me. Katsuki, who was sitting next to his mother and father on the couch, sighed as I walked towards them. All Might stared at me for a minute.

"How are you, Miss Anzai?" he asked. I gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine, Sir," I said. He nodded. After a moment of silence, All Might stood up.

"Aizawa, please finish explaining the situation to Young Bakugou's parents. I need to talk with Young Anzai," he said. Aizawa nodded before turning back to Mitsuki and Masaru. I noticed Bakugou stare at me with a wary expression. I flashed him a warm smile.

'Don't worry.'

When All Might and I got outside the apartment, I noticed the hesitancy in his eyes. A light breeze blew by and I took a deep breath.

"I don't blame you," I said. All Might's face fell with relief as he let out a heavy sigh.

"I appreciate it but-" "No buts. I'm saying it so you don't have to. There was nothing you or anyone else could have done. I told Katsuki the same thing," I blankly watched the passing cars as the silence between us grew. All Might turned to me.

"Speaking of Young Bakugou, I noticed he seemed...happier...than normal. I take it that's your doing?" he asked quizzically. My face heated up. I saw his eyebrow lift and knew I had given myself up. I bit my lip.

"Possibly..." I muttered. All Might chuckled.

"I won't pry because I know you have your privacy. I do encourage that you keep it up if you can," he said. I looked at him with wide, shocked, eyes. I was stunned into silence. All Might gave me a pat on the back before turning towards the door to Katsuki's apartment.

"After Young Bakugou's parents make a decision, Aizawa and I would like to explain everything to your-" "Please don't," I blurted without thinking. All Might stared at me with a confused look in his eyes.

I decided to see it through, "I know I have a future at UA. Talk to my mother and that'll all change." All Might seemed shocked by my response but he was decent at hiding it. After a minute, All Might put a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll do my best to keep you at UA," was all he said before turning back towards the door.

"Thank you. Tell Katsuki I'm heading home. I'll see you there, I guess," I sighed. All Might nodded then entered Katsuki's apartment. I took a deep breath before beginning my journey home.

I thought about a lot of things on my walk, including Katsuki and my conversation with Kiyo. I put my hands into my pockets as I walked. She was right, again. Nothing could have been done about the attack and she just wanted to chose the route that caused me the least amount of pain.

"I understand now, Kiyo."

Third P.o.V...

Hotaru quietly shut the door behind her as she walked inside her home: the word home being used lightly. The clinking of glasses in the kitchen told Hotaru that her mother was, in fact, present.

"That was quite a show you put on," Satomi said. Hotaru sighed as she walked into the kitchen. Her mother was rummaging around the cupboard for a glass, a bottle of champagne next to her and a cigarette in her mouth.

"Thought you'd make me spend some money and make a fool of myself by pretending to care for you? Joke's on you," Satomi was not amused. Hotaru turned around so she could go to her room but her mother grabbed her wrist. She held Hotaru tightly as she took her smoke out of her mouth.

"That arrogant little boy-toy of yours caused me some trouble, too. You picked a fun one to hypnotize," she spat before lowering it onto her daughter's arm. Hotaru was shocked by the sudden heat, a stifled cry being the only noise she would allow herself to make. Satomi smirked as she noticed her tears.

"Keep being a little bitch and it will get worse," she said. Hotaru bit the side of her finger on her unharmed arm. It distracted her but only for a little while. Satomi took a puff of her smoke before bringing it down on Hotaru's arm once again. This time, she pushed down on it. Hotaru was unable to stop the pained gasp or dry sob that escaped her lips.

"I hear that All Might and that Eraser hero are going door to door and asking parents if they want to re-enroll their children in UA."

Hotaru ceased all movement. Her wide eyes let the tears fall as she took a shaky breath. Satomi puffed her cancer stick once more then pressed it down onto Hotaru's neck, right under her left ear. Hotaru let out a howl of pain as her mother used her skin to extinguish her smoke. She fell to the floor crying as she held her right arm. Satomi scoffed.

"Pull yourself together before they get here," she said before taking her glass and champagne bottle into the living room. Hotaru sniffled, watching her mother leave. For a minute, she sat there, debating if it was worth it. Then, she remembered her last interaction with Katsuki. Their kiss was proof that it was. UA might not need her but she needed it.

'Get up.'

Hotaru froze. She widened her eyes a bit as the recognition of the voice set in.

'Get up.'

"Kiyo...?" Hotaru mumbled. She looked to her shadow and saw the red orbs. Blue flames rose up from them, dancing in the one spot on the ground. Hotaru forced a smile.

"I missed you."

Later...

Hotaru had gotten up and into her room. She locked the the door behind her as she sighed. Her arm still burned but she had managed to find some pain relief in the medicine cabinet.

She needed to hide the physical evidence, though. Ten-millimeter rings were left on her arm and neck. She didn't have makeup to cover it up with so she chose the next best thing; a long-sleeved jacket with a collar and some bandaids.

"I don't know why I'm trying to hide this if she's just going to say no to them..." Hotaru muttered.

'You'll get your chance. Trust me,' Kiyo said. Hotaru nodded. Her relationship with the spirit seemed to have improved. She guessed they just needed a little time apart.

"Alright," the purple-haired teen sighed as she put the bandaids on top of the burns on her arm. She slipped the jacket on and made it to where it covered everything. She gulped down the lump in her throat as she looked into the mirror.

"I look like shit," she said as she looked herself over. She had bags under her eyes, a small scar on her neck from surgery, and her skin was unusually pale. She could think of excuses for everything but the burns on her arm. She shook the thoughts out of her head before brushing out her hair. Just as she finished getting ready, the doorbell rang.

"Hotaru, come down here, please!" Satomi called with a fake, loving, tone. Hotaru took a deep breath before walking downstairs. Aizawa and All Might looked to her. All Might smiled and Aizawa nodded.

'Please keep your promise, All Might...'

"Hello Young Anzai," the scrawny hero smiled. Hotaru returned the smile.

"Good Afternoon, Sir," she said, pretending not to have just spoken to him at Bakugou's place.

"We have something we'd like to discuss with you, Ma'am," Aizawa said. Satomi smiled with a fake warmth.

"Come on in," she moved out of the way so the two heroes could walk in. As their backs were turned to her, she shot Hotaru a look. A look that told her she was about to get her dreams crushed.

'Let's get this over with.' Hotaru held her breath.

Later...

"I would be happy to let my daughter go back to UA. She deserves the best and I want to provide that for her."

That was the last thing Hotaru expected to hear from her mother. She widened her eyes a bit as Satomi smiled.

"Happy to hear that," All Might nodded, returning her smile with a small one. Hotaru stared dead ahead, frozen in a state of shock.

All Might stood up so he could leave, "Well, that's really all we needed. I'll be glad to see Young Anzai back at UA." Hotaru eyes narrowed sadly. She really hopes All Might would have noticed something was wrong. She wanted to just yell at him but she knew her mother would have convinced him she was crazy or something. She was great at coercing others to do or believe what she wanted.

'She's a master manipulator and if you did something that threatens her, she'd surely push you to the brink of death,' Kiyo warned. Hotaru nodded, standing up. She gave All Might a small smile as he walked out the door. She caught a glimpse of Aizawa standing next to the car he and All Might came in. A long awaited sigh escaped her lips.

"So, what's the catch?"

"I think you've got an interesting little circle of friends," Satomi took out another cigarette. She lit it and let the smoke pour out of her mouth. She blew it in her daughter's face, an amused look on her face.

"But I believe that you spend too much time with them."

Hotaru's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She held her breath as she watched Satomi's lips curl into a sly smile.

"Go to UA and say goodbye to all of those little bastards you've tricked into friendship," she said. Hotaru clenched her fist. She tightened her jaw and let her head fall.

'You used to think you were a villain. I said you weren't. If you had acted like this woman then I would have told you otherwise,' Kiyo said. Hotaru took a shaky breath. The spirit was right...

The twisted woman knew the purple-haired girl wouldn't refuse. She knew her hold on her was that strong. She had to give in, though. There was no other way...

'No other way...' she repeated in her mind.

'No other way...'

Suddenly, Hotaru turned around and ran out of the house. Satomi was quicker by a fraction of a second. She grabbed Hotaru's wrist but the girl managed to get the door open.

"All Might!" she shouted. The heroes were still there. All Might spun around as his name was called. Satomi cursed under her breath. Aizawa's scarf shot out and wrapped itself around Satomi's wrist. She flinched, letting go of Hotaru. The teen booked it out of the house. She ran to All Might and hid behind him. She couldn't and wouldn't face off against her mother. However, she could run. She always wanted to run.

"That damned girl has cost me everything!" Satomi yelled. Her eyes were wide as she tried to shake Aizawa's scarf off. She looked like a madwoman.

"She's got that thing inside of her! It'll kill everyone! Stop it! We have to stop it!" her eyes burned into Hotaru's soul, the young girl cowering behind All Might. The scrawny blonde man wrapped an arm around her but kept her back a safe distance.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

'Tell him. This is your opportunity-your chance at a better life,' Kiyo encouraged. Hotaru swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I've wanted to leave for a long time..." she tried to sound spiteful but her voice came out broken. She tightened her grip on All Might's arm. As Aizawa restrained Satomi, she continued to shout.

"I can see the one on your neck and the bandages on your arm. Did she do that?" All Might asked. Hotaru hesitantly nodded. Satomi let out an angered scream.

"Don't feed into it!" she warned. Aizawa clicked his tongue before using his scarf to shut her up. All Might watched as Hotaru removed her jacket and took the band-aids off. He narrowed his eyes, frowning at the ten-millimeter burn rings. He looked to Satomi with a silent-but-furious gaze.

"Get the police over here, Aizawa. They need to be the ones to get her. She's not worth the energy," he spat. Aizawa sighed as he nodded.

"Thank you," Hotaru smiled as tears formed in her eyes. All Might returned the gesture.

"I'm glad you decided to say something. I wanted to do something when I saw the burn mark peak out from under your jacket. I knew I couldn't act, though. At least, not yet," he said. Hotaru somberly looked at her mother.

"Do you have anywhere else to stay?" All Might asked. Hotaru shook her head.

"She was all I had and I can't bother Katsuki with this. His mother has enough on her plate. She doesn't need another mouth to feed," she said. All Might paused.

"I'll figure something out. You shouldn't have to worry about were you'll stay right now," he sighed. Hotaru wrapped her arms around the hero.

"Thank you, All Might. You're still number one to me."

All Might couldn't stop the smile that etched its way onto his face. Soon, the police showed up and arrested Satomi for child abuse and neglect as well as fraud.

Apparently, all the time she spent at the church was nothing compared to the money she had been slowly leaking out of their bank account. It was a strange satisfaction that Hotaru felt as she watched her mother get put into the back of the police car.

'I should have done this a long time ago...' she thought.

'You should have done so many things a long time ago.'

...

Well, this chapter was definitely a harder one for me to write. With the holidays just around the corner, I was going to skip this week but I got a new computer and decided to just spend a whole day locked in my room. I'm a huge introvert and basically a garbage human. Anyway, how was everyone's holidays? Got any good gifts?

Thanks again, Loves!

Special Thanks To...

AgentJuneau

MaxSiker

etford5

Reviews...

rsaenz18: Thanks for the encouragment. I'll try my best!