Chapter III.

Return to Sender

. . .

Hello Fuyumi. Yes, it has been some time since we've seen each other. I appreciate you inviting me to dinner, and I would like to accept. It would be good to catch up, I look forward to seeing you again. Kagome.

. . .

Fuyumi smiled at the text; her plan was working~!

Endeavor was coming home from the hospital tomorrow, and Shoto was also coming home for the evening.

And now Kagome was going to be joining them too.

She had hoped that their family would reunite and live in harmony...to some degree.

While some wounds still had not healed entirely between the family members, bridges had not been completely burned down yet.

At least she hoped...

She hoped that whatever Gods did exist, they helped her make this night memorable.

. . .

Memorable was the wrong choice of words.

Fuyumi's face contorted into a scowl as Natsuo's antics began. Despite her best intentions, she should have known better than to rely on Natsuo's support for her plan since he still has a deep hatred for his father and sister.

Endeavor, Kagome and Shouto had not even arrived, and he was already bristling at any mention of their father. And she couldn't even say Kagome's name without him biting back.

Fuyumi also failed to notify said sister that she would join the family for dinner.

The rest of the family were also unaware of Kagome's attendance, after all, she had gone behind their backs and invited her.

She had intentionally left out that part... but a lie by omission was still a lie.

A knock on the door cut short her second-guessing. Shoto had arrived with his teacher in tow.

"Shoto! Mr. Aizawa! Please do come in!" She beamed, and Shoto entered while Aizawa stayed out. "You are more than welcome to dine with us as well Mr. Aizawa."

"It's fine, thank you for your hospitality but I will just patrol the area until it's time for me to collect Shoto." With a nod to Shoto, he promptly turned. Ever since the kid told him about this dinner, he had an inkling of a feeling that something was up.

He didn't know what... he preferred to not get involved in the Todoroki shenanigans.

With Shoto now home, Fuyumi began setting the table for dinner. Endeavor should be arriving home any minute and Kagome would be here in the next twenty minutes.

As they settled into their seats, and began eating they discussed current events. Shoto spoke about U.A, his classmates, and Natsuo chatted about his medical combat training.

The sliding door opened, revealing Endeavor and his newly adorned scar.

"Welcome back!" Fuyumi greeted happily.

"It's been a while." He gruffly acknowledged, stiffly he sat down at the kotatsu.

"Shoto got permission to leave campus for this." Fuyumi beamed, starting the conversation with Endeavor's favourite topic, Shoto. Fuyumi was not stupid; she had a good understanding of how to get along with their father. She actively indulged in his interests in conversations, always doe-eyed and sweet.

He didn't ask her about her interest and life often, but she gave positive reinforcement if he did.

"I asked his teacher to come in, too but he didn't want to." She pouted. "Anyway, let's celebrate you finishing a big job! Right?"

That's right, she reminded herself, verbal praise. Let him feel comfortable. The conversation flowed naturally after this. Natsuo remained quiet despite his scowl, and dinner began properly.

A soft knocking interrupted the short moment of harmony between the family. Fuyumi rushed to the door, excited; opening it revealed Kagome in a knitted off-the-shoulder top and jeans.

As far as her siblings were concerned, Kagome seemed older and more mature than she had in the past. Her hair had been coloured a startling black, but her eyes had not changed.

They were aquamarine.

The same as their father's...

On the other hand, Kagome was in the throes of inner turmoil. She had no idea she was about to enter a room with her whole family, except for her mother. She instinctively backed away, but Fuyumi immediately sprang in to save the day.

"Kagome! Right on time!" She jumped forward to hug her sister. "I was prepared for you to cancel, yet you showed up anyhow!"

Kagome frowned though, in a half whisper to Fuyumi she said, "I think I misunderstood your text... I thought it said a dinner between just us."

"It did. I lied... sorry, sis." Fuyumi apologised, her eyes wide and pleading silently with her to stay. Kagome averted her gaze and focused on her brothers, who stared at her with startled expressions. Even her father's mouth was open in quiet disbelief.

Fuyumi grabbed her by the shoulders and led her to sit next to Shoto before she could say anything.

"I should clear up why Kagome is here." Fuyumi clapped her hands together. "With Shoto seeing Mom, Dad's compromising... and everyone's lives going so well! I thought maybe we could finally be an actual family." She smiled softly; she glanced back at Kagome. "Tonight was an opportunity for our bridge with you to be rebuilt! Sooooo I invited her over! I do apologise for lying, though."

"It's fine..." To keep her word to Shippo, Kagome had to remain for the whole supper...

She wouldn't do it sober, though. Eyeing the sake bottle entreatingly.

As the tenseness in the room continued to rise, Fuyumi's confidence began to dwindle as they uncomfortably glanced at one other.

Shoto, on the other hand, unable to pick up on social cues, continued to eat and, without missing a beat, glanced at Endeavor.

"That's a bad scar."

Shoto's gaze dug into Endeavor's, causing a chill to spread around the room. The slurping of his soba noodles was the only sound that could be heard in the room.

"Hey you two, you promised to celebrate today, remember? Dad's finally trying to think about his family and everything! Even if you hate him, don't let it show on your faces so much!" As Fuyumi berated, the tense air around her became thicker as her repeated admonishments went unheeded.

Despite her best efforts, Kagome couldn't resist chuckling. She broke when she saw the absurdity of the situation coupled with the stress she was under.

Years of not interacting with her family had left her with very little idea of how they would be. She didn't expect little Shoto to taunt their father after one of the most vicious battles he's ever faced.

Her little laugh brought the room's attention to her, though, and the feeling of the stares and chilly atmosphere... caused her to reach for the sake bottle.

Because Kagome was not dealing with her family sober.

Fuyumi skilfully snatched the bottle from her grasp. Kagome whined and gazed longingly at the bottle that was just out of her reach.

Fuyumi once again tried her best to continue the flow of conversation.

"Kagome, I hear your agency is doing great." She smiled through a bit forcefully, begging her sister to join the flow of conversation and help the atmosphere.

"It's doing as well as to be expected." Kagome glanced away, as she reached with her chopsticks for some edamame beans.

"You dyed your hair." Natsuo stated flatly, and Kagome froze.

She took a second to calm herself. For her family, white was the colour of their mother's hair. To her siblings, it symbolised peace, safety and maybe even life. However, a different idea had been drilled into her head.

White was stark, cold, and isolated.

"This colour... is less distracting." She answered after a moment.

"What you mean is that if it's black it is not a reminder of us right? Of mom?" Natsuo spat, glaring at her. Fuyumi sharply snapped at him, "Natsu!"

Kagome stared at her brother as his brow furrowed in anger at her. The fool acted as if their mother was dead. She gripped her chopsticks tensely as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Grandmother..." Kagome forced herself to say with no fondness. "-was a strict woman. She had me dye it, I simply have kept it out of habit. " She admitted, briefly glancing at the sake bottle again.

That was a half-truth.

Shoto stared at her with curiosity, eyeing the black waves of hair.

"Selfish." Natsuo half-whispered, still glaring at her. "Just admit you wanted to forget us. That you never wanted to see us again."

"Natsu! Kagome came of her own free will tonight and you should respect your eldest sibling!"

"Toya is the eldest! Or should I say was?" Natsuo bitterly shot. "Respect is earned."

Natsuo gnashed his teeth and a feral frown appeared. "You wanted to get away, so you left us."

"Courtesy is at least a given, brother." She swiftly replied, but quietly she barely whispered. "I never wanted to leave... It was never my choice."

Natsuo griped and tightened his chopsticks.

"... yet you never came back did you? You practically skipped out the door of our lives and haven't returned since. You left and never returned."

But she had tried. She wanted to scream

Kagome had fought to not leave their home.

She remembers the broken door frames and her bloodied fingers from ripped fingernails as she desperately held onto them. As strangers ripped her from her childhood home.

"Maybe I should leave," Kagome spoke without an ounce of fight. She couldn't do this. The memories of her trauma were getting to be too much, and she just-

Natsuo briefly saw something strange in his eldest sister. He could have sworn she was livelier, that she was happier. Maybe he remembered her differently.

"I'm sorry, Fuyumi. I did as you asked, but this is why I hesitated to come. If it weren't for my son-"

"You have a son?"

. . .

. . .

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