"He's what?" Hisashi asked as he sat on the bed.
"We went to the doctor's office today for the test results and they found this extra joint in his foot. The doctor said that its a sign of being quirkless," Inko explained as she changed into her pajamas.
"Why are you so calm about this?" Hisashi's voice raised. Inko looked over at her husband, confused by his reaction.
"Why wouldn't I be calm? I mean, I'm worried for him, but-" Inko was interrupted.
"What do you mean worried for him? What about us? What about my business? If word gets out that we have a quirkless son we'll be the freaks of the neighborhood. It's not a good look," Hisashi spoke. A wave of disgust washed over Inko from her husband's words.
"Our son isn't a good look?" Inko's voice always held a softness, but Hisashi could hear the anger peeking through her tone.
"Not if he's quirkless. He won't be able to work or take over the company once I'm older. We'd never be able to retire in peace," Hisashi explained his selfish delusions.
"You aren't even thinking of how this will effect Izuku. He isn't just someone to take over your company Hisashi. He is our son, a living breathing human. You're speaking of him as if he's just a tool for you," Inko said.
"He's our son. He holds my name, and he effects our social status-" Inko interrupted Hisashi.
"He is our son and he is not just a mirror of our social status. He is a person Hisashi!" Inko whisper-yelled, not wanting to wake Izuku down the hall.
"How can you not care about our entire reputation?" Hisashi retorted.
"Why is our reputation more important to your son to you?" Inko's tone was dangerously angry. Inko stared at her husband, a tight frown pulled on her face.
"We had him to boost my reputation with the family men in my company-" Hisashi was interrupted again.
"I had him because I wanted a child and a family with you because I love you. That's what you said you wanted! A family life," Inko replied to Hisashi's confession.
"I- Yes, I wanted that too, I just-" Hisashi was at a loss for words.
"You wanted that TOO? I didn't have a child with you so you could get brownie points with other families at work," Inko says.
"That just happened because he was born. I didn't mean that what I said," Hisashi tried to backtrack.
"No you meant what you said," Inko replied. Her heart sank even saying those words.
"I do love you Inko, I just-" Hisashi started to speak again.
"You just had a baby with me for the wrong reasons," Inko said. A silence flooded the room as Inko stood at the foot of the bed, lost in thought for a moment.
"So what are we going to do?" Hisashi asked.
"About what?" Inko asked.
"Izuku." Hisashi had annoyance slipping into his voice.
"Support him and love him," Inko said bluntly.
"I meant-"
"I know what you meant. I know what I'm going to do. But I will not lie about or hide our son because you had him only to boost your likabilty and reputation," Inko stated.
"I- I can't risk my job because of this," Hisashi said.
"Then you aren't the man I married. I would give everything, my job, my home, my life for Izuku. And you can't even handle a few whispers from people who do not matter in our lives," Inko's voice had an anger that she didn't even know she was capable of.
"It's not that simple Inko and you know it. You aren't thinking about this long term" Hisashi said.
"No it is. You're not thinking about this for Izuku at all, let alone long term. He will have trouble getting accepted into colleges, jobs, even having friends. He need support and if that means you getting a different job, or even me going back to work at the hospital then that is what we will do," Inko stated.
"I think we need to go to bed, we can talk about this again tomorrow," Hisashi says to distract from the conversation. He clearly wasn't winning, nor was he being a good father.
"That's fine," Inko tossed his pillow and an extra blanket to him.
"You're staying out on the couch," Inko said.
"Inko, honey, you're not serious,"
"I am. Get out." Inko said fixing the bed for herself. Hisashi scoffed and left the room. Inko heard the front door slam and the tears fell down her cheeks. She climbed into bed, curling up into her bed and wiping away her tears. Her life with Hisashi flashed before her eyes and doubts settled in everything he's done in their marriage. Her mind made a web of delusions and scenarios of her marriage. Her heart ached and she tried to calm herself down. She hoped that Izuku hadn't heard anything.
A small knock came from her bedroom door. Inko sighed, sitting up as her son's figure shuffled in from the hallway. Izuku crawled up onto the bed with Inko's help. Izuku was quiet as he crawled under the blankets and cuddling up to his mother.
"What's going on sweetie?" Inko asked.
"Nothing. I miss you Mommy. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Izuku's little voice asked. Inko smiled to herself and wrapped her arms around her son.
"Of course sweetie," Inko said. Izuku didn't ask where his Dad was. Nor did he care. He just heard his Mommy's cries and needed to be with her. Inko held her son, who became such a comfort in this situation. Everything is for him, Hasasi can leave, the world can end, this is who it is for. Izuku is what she will live for no matter what.
A deep sleep came over both of them and the house became calm again….
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The alarm blared and woke both Inko and Izuku up. Inko sat up as Izuku tried to hide under the blankets. Inko gently turned off the alarm and got up out of bed. Izuku was a little lump under the blankets, trying to hide. Inko smiled and poked at the lump where Izuku's stomach would be. A little giggle came from under the blankets and Izuku sccoted away.
"I'm going to make some breakfast, I'll come get you when it's ready,"
"NO! I wanna help!" Izuku popped out of the blankets so fast and jumped off of the bed. Inko had a small heart attack when he did so, but he just ran to the kitchen without her. SHe sighed, following him into the kitchen.
"Okay, Izu, Set the table first," Inko said, setting out the plates for him to put on the table. Izuku did his best, setting the table. Inko always smiled at hoe crooked it was, no matter how hard izuku tried. She started on some eggs and had Izuku make the toast. He made the best toast. It was the only thing he wouldn't burn or finished the eggs and placed them on the plates. Izuku set the toast up and they both sat down at the table.
The day continued normally, though Inko had the weight of the previous night's events on her mind. But little Izuku just made that weight feel like nothing. She and Izuku had a wonderful day, and Hisashi was nowhere to be found. Even that evening, he didn't come home.
So, Izuku stayed with his mother again that night. He knew something was wrong. Even five year olds can feel shifts in their parents, and Izuku felt the shift his mother had. One of sadness, or stress, or maybe just tiredness. But he felt it.
Both of them fell asleep again, not realizing that the bad news would just keep coming…