Chapter Fifteen:

Just around the riverbed

Toshi watched as Fable exited the apartment. He had asked Gran Torino to stop by to meet her, but he wanted to be there when it happened. He had to end his morning training session with young Midoriya early for this meeting. By the looks of it, he should've just rescheduled the training session all together. Blue eyes glanced at the front door that his lover just walked out of then to his teacher that was still sitting on the couch.

"Gran Torino, what just happened?" The blond ran his fingers through his hair, eyes still on the door. Last time Fable left she, didn't return home until well after midnight. His heart clenched in his chest.

"We have to go after her!" The slender man's body was on autopilot already heading to the front door.

"Let her go," his teacher's voice went in one ear and through the other. "Maybe now she can mooch off the real father of the child she's caring."

Toshi's body stopped in mid step and turned to his teacher. He ran his boney fingers through his blond locks. His blood started to come to a boil as his eyes landed on the older man before him.

"What. Did. You. DO!" Toshi's voice rose higher until the last word was booming, "Why…why would you say something like that to her?!" The man growled between clenched teeth.

"Do you really think that child she's caring is even yours?" Gran Torino used his cane to pull himself off the couch and over to Toshi. "Toshinori, really? She's using you. I don't know for what, but know it for sure."

"You don't know anything!" The man slammed his closed fist against the wall, causing the apartment complex to shake. "Did you say those things to her?" Clear blue eyes trained on the elder, "Of course you did. Why else would she leave like that?" He scoffed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Toshinori, I know you're rather fond of his girl, but what about the one who you use to talk about? The café girl… she seemed nice and forthcoming"

"She is the café girl! I never told you her name!" Toshi shouted, "Do you know how long it took for her to stay here? How much begging and pleading it took for her move in with me and be a family?!"

"I…I…didn't know," Gran Torino looked down at the ground in shame.

"You didn't, that's why I wanted to be here when they two you finally meet!"

Toshi looked back at the door. He wanted to go after her, but what if she returns and no one was here to greet her. The lanky man sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. It's like last night all over again.

Hachiko was right. People are going to think she's just some hussy shacking it up with an older man because he might have money. Even Toshi's teacher thought so! Her face heated up with embarrassment. It was stupid of her to not think it was a possibility. Was that what everyone was thinking, but didn't have the guts to voice it out in public?

She felt the tears start to build up in her eyes. Frowning, Fable wipe away the wetness before they turned into rivulets. She was stupid and should have stuck to her original plan of not telling him and playing it off as a one-night stand mistake. She ran her hands over her rounded stomach and sat down on a nearby bench. Fable's eyes scanned her surroundings. The young woman had no idea where she was; she took the first train and got off at some stop.

Why is her life like this? Why does she have to screw everything up? This was all her fault. If she hadn't gotten drunk and slept with Toshi they wouldn't be in any of this mess. She and Toshi would still be friends; he'd probably have someone closer to his age more expecting then a young, pregnant whore. Fable gripped the hem of her shirt. Well, no one had called her that before, but that doesn't mean they're not thinking about it. Like the clerk at the mall, she could have thought that it only took an elderly man with lower ambitions to bring her back into reality.

"Uh…excuse me ma'am?"

Fable jumped feeling a hand touch her shoulder. "Oh! I didn't mean to frighten you." It was an older woman with dark green eyes and the hair to match. She was kneeling in front of the violet-eyed woman. "I'm sorry, but you look like you're about to have a panic attack any moment now!"

"Huh?" Fable's grip still didn't loosen, she could still feel the pain of her nails digging into her palms. "I-I'm okay…thank you." God, her voice sounded so soft so weak! No wonder this woman thinks there's something wrong with her.

"Oh, please!" The older woman sat next to her, resting her hand over Fable's shaking ones. "I'm a mother and I know when someone is lying. I'm Midoriya Inko."

Fable turned her head away from the older woman, too ashamed to look her in the eyes. "It's nothing that you should be worrying yourself about."

"Is it the father?" Inko's eyes landed on the woman's stomach, "Does it has something to do with him?"

"N-No!" Fable's arms immediately wrapped around her midsection protectively. "He has nothing to do with this..." She muttered softly.

"Hmm…" Inko stood up. Fable watched the woman's feet, thinking she was about to leave. "It's getting a bit chilly. Why don't you come over?"

"I-I can't you hardly know me! W-what if I'm a villain? You can't just let a villain into your home!" Fable exclaimed, looking at the woman with a worried expression.

"A villain would never say that." Inko placed her hands on her hips "Now, come with me or I'll call the police. I can't just leave a young pregnant woman in distress alone at the park!"

Fable pressed her lips into a thin line. Another interaction with the police is the last thing she wanted. The whole station left a bitter taste in her mouth. And right after last night, she begrudgingly pulled herself up and followed the woman home.

"I never got your name," Inko said as she wrapped a warm blanket around Fable. "Silly me!" The woman's carefree laughter brought a smile upon Fable's face.

"Fable…er, I mean Miller. Miller Fable." The dark-skinned woman quickly corrected herself, looking down at the hot cup of tea in her hands.

"Miller…" Inko hummed thoughtfully, "The same Miller All Might confessed to on international news?"

"Er…" Fable froze briefly eyes darting around the room. Oh no. The pictures on the walls.

Midoriya. Fucking. Izuku. This is his home, his mom, and probably his blanket wrapped around her.

"I-I can't be here," Fable bolted up and headed to the door.

"Stop!" Inko shouted causing Fable to be rooted in the ground. "Sit back down, Miller-san. We need to talk. Now"

"I can't be here…this is my student's home. And I don't have academic issues to talk about." Fable rubbed her hands together nervously. "I should leave," and Fable's stomach decided to let itself be known.

"When was the last time you've eaten?" Inko's voice was directly behind her now, her hand holding Fable's.

"I…was going to eat before…" Fable shrugged reaching for the door.

"Sit down!" Inko dragged her back with strength that the two didn't know she had and she placed Fable at the table. Before fetching some left over from her fridge, "You need to eat something. After all, you're feeding two."

"Three. I'm having twins..." Fable barely said over her breath. "I was going to eat something, but I ran before I could." She could see this disapproval of the older woman before her,. Fable suddenly found the hem of her shirt interesting again.

"Why did you run?" Inko pulled out a chair in front of the young woman. "I brought you here because you seemed troubled and I can't let you go like this."

There was a long pause Fable bit the inside of her cheek once more. She could swear the taste of cooper washed over her tongue. What's the worst that could happen? Inko calling Toshi? The woman doesn't even have his number!

"The father…he's an older gentleman."

"Well, that isn't bad. My husband is older than me!" Inko laughed softly, her smile lines wrinkling at the edges of her eyes.

"He's thirteen years my senior." Fable blurted out waiting for the older woman's reaction. Green eyes just grew wider as her mouth hung agape before a curt nod.

"And…that's all?" Inko reached over and squeezed Fable's hand tightly, "That's why you ran?"

"No, well not anymore. When I first found out," the dark-haired woman took a deep breath. "I wanted to run and not tell him. You see, he has some health problems. They weren't planned." She waited for Inko to say something, but the woman remained silent. "I wanted to hide it from him and act like it was something else. My friend talked me out of it…and I really feel terrible about thinking like that before. Then, the things with All Might…he knows I won't leave him for anyone, but…" Fable looked out the window with a defeated sigh.

"You're worried about what your relationship looks like form the outside." Inko spoke up, "Dear…it's none of their business. o what if he's older? You love him. He loves you."

"Yeah… That doesn't matter. I was so stupid to think it was enough." Fable said bitterly. "His teacher came over today. He practically called me a Jezebel!" Her eyes grew misty again, "A-and that hurts…h-he…doesn't k-know me!" Fable felt a hand on her shoulder and that was all it took for the dam to break, releasing everything that she was holding back,. "S-so…I ran. I-I didn't want so stay in that apartment any longer!"

Inko pulled her into a hug the older woman started to rub her back in small circles. "That was very reckless of you, Miller-san," Inko said softly into her ear still holding the young woman tightly.

"I-I know…but I didn't know what else to do…a-and after what happened…last night." Fable hugged the older woman back. She felt warm and welcoming, like a blanket just pulled out of the dryer.

"Last night? What happened?" Inko pulled away looking at Fable who looked so shaken in her arms. Fable's body started shaking with a new wave of tears flowing. She told Inko everything that happened: how the police assaulted her letting the villain go, how they refused to let her go with a lawyer. "They can't do that? And you haven't told Toshi at all?"

"N-No! How am I supposed to bring that up?" Fable pulled back wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Like…Hey, sorry I was late, but the police here are jerks and possibly racist! I-I can't even say that!" Fable doesn't want her personal experiences with law enforcement clouding her judgement here.

"Dear, I know you're scared, but you need to tell him." Inko hugged the younger woman tighter.

"I know I should." Fable stepped back and smoothed her hands over her front. "But…" the woman shrugged.

"Hm," Inko went the kitchen then returned with a paper. "Here. Call me whenever you need someone to talk to."

"Okay." Fable took the piece of paper in one hand and pulled out her phone in the other, eyes turning into the size of dinner plates. Toshi had called her multiple times and left endless text messages. Fable cursed to herself under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. Had she been out for that long? "I have to go! Thank you and I'll make sure to keep in touch!" Fable hugged the older woman before running out of the apartment to get back home.

What are you doing?

Fable shifted her feet against the floor, breathing through her nose she faced the door.

This is your home, why are you standing out here?

The young woman paced in a circle before stomping her foot lightly against the 'Welcome Home' mat. She doesn't need to worry about some rude old man! She could walk in with nose held high. Fable took out her key and unlocked the door. She paused for a few moments before entering the apartment.

"Darling!" Toshi cried for joy. Strong, lanky arms wrapped around her upper body and pulled her into a tight hug. Fable froze from pure shock before she wrapped her arms around her lover. "Where have you been? I've been calling and texting you!"

"I-I'm sorry…I wasn't paying attention." The young woman hid her face in his shirt. "I-I just got so mad that I stormed out…"

"It's okay. Gran Torino was out of line." The blond held her at arm lengths, his blue eyes boring into violet ones. "I sent him home."

"Oh, but I'm going to have see him again." Fable bite the inside of her cheek, "After all, he's your teacher, right?"

"Well, yes he is." Toshi rubbed the back of his neck, swallowing thickly.

"Ah…um…then, we're going to have to make up." Fable rubbed her hands together nervously, looking over at the fish tank.

"You don't have too, Darling."

"Yes, I do…Toshi, I…you…you never talked about your parents. I don't even know if they're still alive, so to me Gran Torino is the closest thing to your father that I've ever seen." Fable held her arms out with a deep frown on her face. "I need to prove to him that I'm not a damn hussy!"

"Fable, he doesn't think that." Toshi was in shock. He knew Gran Torino was suspicious of her, but the elder would never think that!

"Huh…sure," Fable said bitterly. Sucking her teeth, she turned on her heels and headed into the bedroom.

"Darling," Toshi followed the woman into their room finding her curled up on the bed. "I've picked out a place…they said we can move in when we get back from America."

"Really? T-they know that I'm a foreigner, right?" Fable rolled over on her side looking over at him the young woman sat up.

"Yes, but buying is always easier than renting" He chuckled lowly. "We can go see after work during the week…if you want"

"I would like that." Fable closes her eyes with a small smile before laying back in bed. Pulling the sheet up to her chin and roll over to her side slowly drifting off to sleep."Wait, we got a house? We're homeowners?!" The woman's eyes widened as she shot straight up once more.

"Yes, I know!" The older man laughed at his lover. He sat down besides her. "It's exciting, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Fable rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. She was scared out of her mind. Having children, starting a relationship with someone, and owning a house together? It was moving way too fast for her. What if Toshi comes to his senses later and realized that he trapped himself.? Everything was too good to be true. Everything was going according to plan and she didn't like it one bit.