Ryuko thought the bowling alley would be the best place to go. The ambundance of teenagers wanting to spend their action-packed Saturday at a place where kids and older people reflect on their golden years was beneath them. Plus, Ryuko had a discount on soda and snacks since she was a frequent patron.

She thanked the cashier with a friendly smile, carrying the tray of hot dogs and milkshakes to the table. She bypassed a couple that were in smiles as they were rolling balls to the pins. A family that was celebrating a birthday. She watched as two senior citizens exchanged war stories on how they were almost kamikaze pilots in the World War. At near the very end of the bowling lane, there was Izuku and Ochako. They looked like lost kids in search of their mother. Izuku was pouting, facing away from Ochako. Ochako was holding on the hems of her skirt, her eyes focusing on that.

Ryuko sighed as she tried to figure out on what to do. This wasn't her expertise. She was a superhero, not a counselor.

And definitely not a parent.

"Here your drinks, kids." She placed the tray down on the table. She gave each of them their meals. Neither spoke. Each acknowledged their thanks by nodding or sighing through their nose. Ochako wasn't hungry, opting to drink the milkshake. She pulled the top and licked it before grabbing the spoon to consume it.

Izuku wasn't hungry. He took it out of kindness. He wasn't much in the mood of a beverage. He licked around the edges to put flavor in his mouth.

Ryuko sat at the center of the table. Now, she felt like a mediator or a judge. However, this wasn't a debate or a trial. However, who knew what kind of feelings they were brewing from each end of the table.

"I've told your mother that we are going out for the evening, Izuku," said Ryuko as she placed the straw into her milkshake. "This should give us time to think of options."

Izuku didn't look at her, but nodded as he was reaching into his cell phone. She watched him scroll on his Facebook, liking posts or writing same comments. She turned to Ochako. Her hands were still on the hems of her skirt.

"Did you inform your mother of your whereabouts, Ochako," asked Ryuko. She knew that talking to both of them was compared to a brick wall. She thought her teenage years were harsh. Admittedly, she fooled around once or twice when she was their age, but she always played it safe. Her mother pushed safe sex in her household. She didn't condome it but rather play it safe then being a teenage mother-turned-dropout. She blew through the straw before inserting it back into her drink. Ryuko scanned her nails. She sighed heavily, hoping to get a response from either party.

There was none. Just caught in their own worlds.

"Izuku, Ochako!" She raised her voice. She was sounding like a parent than a casual family friend. "Looking away from each other and scrolling on Facebook doesn't change the fact on what's going on?" She lifted the tray, slamming it loudly on the table. Izuku's eyes darted to Ryuko. Ochako did the same.

"Seems that I have finally gotten your attention," she said as she was now itching for a smoke. She became grateful that she didn't have any children as of now. "Ignoring each other isn't going to work. We must be solution-oriented on what plans you have."

"Plans? What plans?" Izuku stated as he placed his phone down on the table. "Do you know what kind of trouble I am going to get? My parents will kill me."

"As if you are the only one." Ochako lifted her head for the first time, darting her fretful eyes to Izuku. "Are you aware of what we have done?"

"What I have done?"

"Yes! I didn't make this baby alone."

"Might as well," scoffed Izuku. "You have forced me."

"Forced you," barked Ochako. "I didn't make you want to fuck me."

Ryuko extended her hands to both sides. "Easy, kids. Language. Don't forget where you are."

"I wanted to play safe," said Izuku. "But no, you told me, 'pull out before climaxing.'" Izuku gripped the table. "I wanted to wear a condom," he said to Ryuko. "But Ochako didn't want it."

"So you want to play victim," barked Ochako. "It wasn't my hand that got you hard."

"Kids, kids," said Ryuko. "Being argumentative isn't going to make this better." She was trying her best on being a mediator. "Be as it may, Izuku, you are much as responsible for this. Despite what she wanted, you must understand the consequences." She turned to Ochako. "Ochako, you should know better about this as well. Whatever reason you had to not use a condom, you both have the consequences."

"How are you even sure you are pregnant," asked Izuku. "Got any proof?"

"Proof?" Her eyes widened. "I have been late on my FUCKING period. I have thrown up like crazy." Ochako pulled out a piece of paper and pushed it toward Izuku. "AND, I went to the doctor at another prefecture to verify it. And it looks like I am at six weeks. Right around the time when you and I did what we did."

Izuku didn't respond. His face was flat.

"You know," cried Ochako. "I have phoned you. I have texted and email you. You can pretend that you don't know. You can run and hide about it. But that's your baby in my stomach. We are going to be parents. So, get used to it."

Izuku raised his eyebrow. "We? What is this we?"

Ochako reached for the milkshake and slushed it toward his face. It caused a brief silence as onlookers saw the scene. "Fuck you, Izuku Midoriya! Fuck you!"

Izuku stood up, feeling the cold dairy treat sliding down his face. "Fuck me!? Fuck me!?" His eyes were widened. His face was furrowed. "That wasn't what you were screaming earlier when you are on my dick." Within, it was his only line of defense. His pride was hurt and needed something to heal the wound.

Suddenly, Izuku felt a slap from the back of his head. Then, Ochako felt her ear being pulled. "I said both of you guys sit your asses down before I will make a fucking scene." Ryuko's face furrowed, eyeing both of the teens. "Both of you, apologize NOW!"

Neither parties would respond. It wasn't until Ryuko pulled out her cell phone. "Apologize or else I will let Inko and Mikoto do the talking."

"Sorry," murmured Izuku.

"Mean it," said Ryuko.

"Sorry," said Izuku louder.

"Sorry," said Ochako.

"Good," said Ryuko. "Now both of you sit down!" She flagged down a waitress to get some napkins for Izuku.

"Actually, I am quite disappointed in you, Izuku," said Ryuko sternly. "You don't ever talk like that to a woman. Your mother taught you better than that."

"But she started it," interjected Izuku.

"Like it matters," exclaimed Ryuko. "A man stands by his role and don't take shots because you were hit below the belt. That isn't right." She turned to Ochako. "And you? I know you can have better sense than that. Shame on you. Shame on the both of you." Ryuko grabbed the napkins and gave them to Izuku. "Regardless of the circumstances, it is both of your faults. It takes two to make a baby and both are responsible." She folded her arms. "Now, it's up to you guys on what plans that should be made."

Izuku finished wiping up what he could gather from the milkshake and dumped the napkins on the tray. "So, Ochako, what should we do?"

Ochako produced a hard not-so-friendly smile. "I don't know, Izuku. What should WE do?"

Ryuko took a sip of her now lukewarm milkshake. This is going to be harder than I have thought.

It was near nightfall when Ryuko parked the car into the driveway. Izuku was sitting quietly in the passenger side. His head was facing the window. It was like tunnel vision with him the entire ride back, even after dropping off Ochako at her place. Ryuko told Ochako that they will talk in the morning. It was going to be a one-on-one talk. Meanwhile, as she turned off the car engine, she turned to Izuku.

"I will keep it under wraps for now until you and Ochako think of something," she told him. "You guys don't have long before a bump will show in her belly. So, think wisely."

Before Izuku could talk, Ryuko took his hand. "Those things you said to her, I know you didn't mean it." She sighed heavily. "You are much as in shock as she is. However, dear, she has it worse for the baby is inside of her. Shouting and disrespecting doesn't help. I know you are scared and you have every right to be. But, you and Ochako need each other right now."

Ryuko saw the tears dripping onto his shirt. The sniffling grew as he tried to hold it. By that time, he put his head on the window and started crying. "I'm scared!" Ryuko went to his side of the car. Instinctively, she took his hand, intertwining it and embraced him. She buried her face into his hair. "Shh! Shh! It's okay. Go and let it out," she told him. He turned and hugged her. She felt his hot tears staining her face. "It's okay, Izuku. Let it out." Her eyes let her know that it didn't need to be up for debate. She was aware.

"We are going to work this out," she told him as he sniffled. "I don't know how, but we have a trusting God that can help us figure this out." His wailing went into a crescendo. She held on as his face was buried in her chest. "We will work it out. Shh! Shh! Calm your tears. We are going to work it out."

"I'm scared, Auntie Ryuko," he said. "I don't want to get in trouble. I don't want Mama to get mad." He wailed more. "I don't want Ochako to hate me either."

"Shh! Shh!" Ryuko kissed his forehead. "Your parents won't be upset. Ochako doesn't hate you. She doesn't hate you at all."

"How," he sniffled. "How are we going to raise a kid?"

Ryuko bit into his lip, trying to fight her own tears. "Let's not worry how. Let's just thank God I am here. I won't leave you. I won't leave you. I will do my own power to help you guys"

"Auntie," he said as he held on to her tightly. "Auntie."

She shut her eyes, thinking of the things she had to do. But for the time being, holding onto the anguish Izuku was enough for now.

'Hey, do what you want with the baby. Not my problem.'

'But you promised that you will help me with it.'

'I didn't promise nothing. Foolish woman! Do you ever listen to me. I am a married man.'

'Then how am I going to support it?'

'Do what you want. Adopt, abort, cut it out, I don't care. Not my problem.'

Tears shed from Ryuko's eyes. She held on to the crying Izuku. She wanted to help more now than ever. One thing was for sure. She wasn't going to let Izuku fall into the same mistake that she did eight years ago.

To be continued….