This chapter will serve as a prequel before Izuku became a father to two daughters. The events of this chapter follow after Izuku and Yuu relocate to a new town after giving birth to their first daughter. Yuu knows that pre-wedding jitters and parenthood can create cold feet for her Izuku. She thinks she has a strategy to keep her husband-to-be in place, whether he likes it or not! Enjoy!

NOTE: Unlike its previous comedic predecessor, this story will contain darker elements.

Yuu was spending her lunch break at the restroom sitting on the toilet. She was going through her gallery, looking at the pictures of her beloved boyfriend. She was rubbing her stomach. She was showing anticipation. She was reading the instruction for the pregnancy test to see if she was doing it right. She was certain with enough times that the duo had sex, she was pregnant. The thought of having Izuku's second child excited her. Another life to be born into the house of Midoriya.

Legally, they weren't married yet. Convincing the portly mother and absentee mother took some doing if she wanted to receive their blessing. Hisashi has yet to respond, even when she infiltrated his email address and posted several videos of underaged girls performing lascivious acts to salarymen. Of course, their voices were distorted and their faces were censored through mosaics. Nevertheless, evidence of hotel receipts, business suits, and finding a person matching Hisashi's description should make any man squirm. Who would believe him? His boss was growing worn of his shoe licker and was in search of fresh blood. Unless the absentee father wanted to spend the rest of his life on the database and work menial jobs in a future loveless relationship with a shamed wife, then he knew what must be done.

Inko, on the other hand, was a tougher cookie. Investing her emotions with the refrigerator and not a gym could toughen any woman not to fold with her sweet cinnamon roll. She was quite a connoisseur of french delights. Did she sniff her desserts like wine? Using pseudonyms from her former high school, homeowner's association, neighborhood watches, or even free samples didn't suffice. She didn't drive often, so cutting the brake line wouldn't do any good. She couldn't take that risk since Izuku frequented the household and takes her grocery shopping. Yuu gave him a bit of freedom to see his Mother Fattest, but not without a bit of supervision. Her husband-to-be knew his place. Quite selective in wording and anything but praise about Yuu was indeed passable.

Nevertheless, a stalemate was never in place. Anyone could be touched.

As she waited for the results, she pictured herself sharing their babies with her groom-to-be. She pictured a wedding where they were in the center of fellow Pro Heroes. Kamui Woods, declaring their love to the ages, her maid of honor Nemuri there by her side to wish her well. Of course, there were people on Izuku's side. A bit of blur and non-issues. Hisashi and Inko were by default have to come. If her darling didn't care about the interlopers so much, she wouldn't let them set a step into the sanctuary. A sanatorium sounded fit for them. She smiled for that idea wasn't completely off the table. It wasn't that she wanted them dead. She just didn't want them to be involved in their affairs anymore.

She closed her eyes as she tried to cover her tears of the love she had for Izuku. She loved him dearly, to the point that she prayed to God that she can be with him forever. She has been working hard to save much money so that she can eventually move out of the country so she and he could live somewhere far away. In a land of over 126 million, she needed a place with a sparse population - a population built for three. Well, four when she received the results of the pregnancy test.

The phone let her know that time was up. She showed the stick to look at the results. When she saw it, she covered her mouth.

Meanwhile….

"Thanks! Have a great evening!" Izuku bid a smile to the customer when they receive their coffee and scone. It was a second part-time job he picked up whenever he wasn't busy tutoring or wanted a few extra dollars. Babies cost and wanted to feel he was contributing (even though Yuu covered all of the expenses since she was a Pro Hero).

He kept a cheery smile - always! Knowing that customer has the right to pick or choose their drinks, eat their baked goods, and leave when they wanted, created such a fit of jealousy in him. Nevertheless, he kept his sunshine smile, always warm and friendly to the customers, including a woman. A great excuse he told Yuu that his job required it. She was plagued by the thought of scoundrels receiving a smile just for her. It was no surprise that she frequented the establishment often just for proof. Same booth, same seating arranging, keeping her eyes on him.

"Izuku, that would be all, my dear. Take an hour break, on me." It was his tall, brunette thirty-something-year-old manager named Miyoko that gently spoke to him. "You have been working hard. I was beginning to think you were shooting for manager or something, hehe!"

He playfully scoffed at his manager. "No, no! Whenever I am in the zone, I just do what I do to make customers happy to get them in and out."

Miyoko covered her mouth, hiding her genuine smile. "I'm touched." She went into her apron pocket and pulled out her keys. "Go and relax in the office. I keep some soda, fruit drinks, and biscuits in the refrigerator. Have at it!"

Deku received the keys with both hands upon receiving them. He humbly bowed and left from the counter. He tried his best to keep his soft, innocent face. However, it was that face that warranted the attention of the customers who patronize the establishment. Unbeknownst to him, his presence was a hot topic in the tiny circle of the coffeehouse. He has often garnered a lot of tips and even from horny middle-aged women who secretly want to break him in. Thankfully, Yuu was never present. It was by the grace of God that there were calls of villain attacks and/or filling out paperwork at the agency that kept her out of sight. That didn't faze the teenage father.

He bypassed the manager's office and stepped outside to catch some air. He took a seat on a stack of pallets. He sighed the moment the cold breeze hit his fingertips. A contrast from the hot coffee he handed as a barista all day. Even though these were weekend days, he worked as long as he could. With their daughter having a babysitter, he could be himself for these two days. These days counted the most. Yuu wasn't there as much to stop him to do what he wanted. He can express himself. He could speak his mind.

The only problem was, did he have the guts without facing repercussions?

After a few minutes of venting in the cold air, he opted to head to the manager's office until he heard someone call out his name.

"Izuku!"

He got up from the pallet and looked through the holed-concrete wall. He recognized the short long-haired black-haired woman. It was the girl that he often tutored in Geometry.

He produced a tiny smile. "Nagisa!" He waved in a friendly as she approached the area.

"So, you're now adding barista to your resume?" She giggled, trying to hide her smile behind her infinity scarf. "What is next, you're going to become a Pro Hero?"

He refrained from any emotions coming from that comment. She didn't know. In her eyes, he was just a high school senior balancing jobs to make ends meet in a new marriage.

"Right now, just enough to get a car. And to help with University." He said, leaning back against the wall of stacked trays. "So, what brings you here?"

"The roomies were bothering me so I wanted some peace and quiet." She said to him. "Ironically as it sounds, coffeehouses served as an optimal environment. So here I am."

The emerald-haired teen nodded in understanding. "Understandable." He tried being short without being rude. It wasn't that long ago when she asked him out for coffee before realizing that was 'married.' Yuu informed Izuku that she watched from a distance. Life was spared. Those were her words, gripping his shoulder tightly before pressing him to takeover on stroller patrol. Even to this day, he questioned those ominous words. Was it for him? For her? For the both of them?

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Nagisa stroked her fingers through her hair when asking that question.

"On break."

"Hmm." She observed the area. "So, you like chilling in the back with all of the garbage and stuff," she retorted. "Didn't think I would find Cookie Monster or the Grouch here."

"So you have jokes," he interjected. "Yeah, I am on break. And no, do you see any bended spoons or cookie dough package residue laying around here?"

She swayed her hands back, taken back by his quick rebuttal. "So the kid can take humor. I only thought Math and Sciene filled your brain."

"When you take time to know a person, you could find out more."

She roled her soles. "Well, I could have but…" She raised her finger, showcasing her ring finger. Even that displayed her skills of rebuttals.

"Oh! You're right, Nagisa." He humbly bowed. "Sorry. I did do that, didn't I?"

Nagisa lowered her head. She adjusted her bow as the wind was picking up. "Relax, Izuku. I didn't mean anything by it." She pointed at the stack of pallets. "May I take a seat?"

He backed away to give her space. She reached into her peacoat and grabbed a pack of Pocky sticks. "I quit smoking a few months ago and these serve as a replacement." She slammed the bottom of the package. "Old habits died hard." She used her tongue to remove the wrapping and then opened the box. She stuck it out. "Wanna stick?"

He could use a snack. He hasn't been hungry and having depressing thoughts about his so-called 'wife' could kill an appetite. He reached over and grabbed a stick.

"Grab more. I keep lots of it in my All Might lockbox," she said.

"Wait?! You know about All Might?"

She smiled, a shift in mood was detected from the brunette. "Well, I happened to be a member of the All Might Fan Club." She reached into her peacoat and grabbed a lanyard that showcased All Might in his glory.

"Dude." His voice was raised. "How did you get a lanyard? There are only like a hundred of these specially made."

"After convincing my mom to buy over hundred boxes of cereal to get the boxtops and paid a fee for postage, this beauty is my treasure."

"Wow. Mom told me it was either that or chow on canned sardines through college."

She bit her lip. "She must didn't love you. Kidding, kidding!" She covered her mouth. "Excuse my macabre humor."

He waved his hand. "Trust me, I am enjoying this." It has been refreshing. He couldn't count how long he has had genuine laughter.

The rest of the conversation was spent establishing their acquaintanceship. Nagisa was a first-year university student persuing general courses. She aspired to be involved in politics as her parents were involved in politics. Izuku learned that Nagisa was her given name since moving to Japan from overseas a few years ago. She picked the name after her favorite character from Assassination Classroom, which also happened to be Izuku's favorite show. Or at least a close second after Kamen Rider. She loved reading, hanging out with friends, and admitted to have a strange obsession with laserpointers and flashlights.

Overall, Izuku was quite shocked to learn the viable information about his tutoring student.

Time can and went when he saw his manager standing outside looking for him. "Hey, Izuku." She used her thumb to point back to the coffeehouse. "Your break was over ten minutes. The rush hour is here and we need you now." She patted the door as she turned around into the coffeehouse.

The emerald teen looked at the black-haired woman. "Well, that's my cue. But thanks Nagisa for the interesting things about yourself."

That warranted a blush from her. "I did most of the talking."

"I'm a great listener. I didn't mind." He grabbed his apron to put it back on. He was preparing to head back inside. "Same place Monday?"

"2 o'clock at the quad. Be sure to bring your notes about All Might. Apples to apples."

"More like apples to oranges," he retorted teasingly. "I have volumes and volumes of notes."

"We'll see…we'll see." She jumped from the stacked pallets. Grabbing her backpack, she toted it at her back. "Knowing there is a rush, that optimal environment may not be it. I'm gonna see if the library is open."

"They usually open late on the weekends."

"Here's hoping. If not, then you owe me coffee for trip wasting." Nagisa said. "You can bring your wife along. I don't mind."

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it earlier."

"No, it's okay. I just saw you were a cool guy that knows so much for a high schooler." She displayed her friendlier smile. "Just wanted to treat you is all."

He wasn't sure out of instinct or shear guilt, he responded. "My wife usually works late on Monday. If you want, wanna grab coffee then? I know a joint much jazzier than this. They even have a jazz band."

She tugged her bow. "Your wife wouldn't mind?"

"You're just a tutoring student. I can say we are describing measurements in the tempo of music."

She gave him a momentary stare. She approached him, patting his shoulder. "After five at the quad?"

"I'll be there."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"I don't back down on my word. I'll be there."

They bid each other farewell before going their separate ways. He watched Nagisa until she rejoin the countless faces of the metropolis. For the first time in a long time, he was smiling.

Unlike with his customers, this smile was legitimately real.

Later that night….

It was a few minutes after midnight as Izuku was cooing Yuriko to sleep. She has been sick and her body temperature hasn't changed. According to the babysitter, she continued fussing and spitting up throughout the day. Yuu believed that Yuriko was doing it for attention. Izuku wanted to take her to the doctor.

Applying a cold towel to her head, he began singing familiar notes that his mother sang to him whenever he was feeling sick. He hated when his Yuri-chan got like this and it has been happening a lot lately. No matter how Yuu felt about it, he was going to take her to the doctor if her fever hasn't changed.

"Izuku, honey. Come back to bed." He could hear Yuu calling out to him in the other room.

"In a minute, Yuu. Just putting Yuriko to bed."

"That was over twenty minutes ago. She is fine. Just wanting to show off."

He ignored those words. Unless she skipped several lessons of parenthood, it was important to take care of a sick child, something she has failed to do in the last several days. Thankfully, the over-the-counter medication has been working but for how long? She really needed to see a doctor.

"Izuku, honey? Are you coming, darling?"

Izuku frown when he heard her strain her words. Using words like 'honey' and 'darling' no longer have any meaning. Oftentimes, he pondered being called a bitch, a bastard, a cuckold suited him better for his image. A bitch to not say anything. A bastard to not do anything. A cuckold to be robbed - just sitting still and take it.

Nowadays, he wasn't even sure what he loved about Yuu. Did he love her? Was there even love in the first place? For Yuu, her definition of "love" wasn't any different than going through the extremes to prolong the inevitability of her being separated from him.

It has been brought up, many times.

Darkness filled the hallway. Not even a nightlight can break the darkness within his mind and spirit. Walking the thin line back to his living hell, he entered the domicile that was supposedly his love nest. Yuu was sitting up, reading a book ironically called This Purpose Driven Life. She was wearing a simple baby blue pajamas and she was sporting her reading glasses. Upon seeing her beloved, she placed the book down by the nightstand, raising the covers to welcome her beloved back to her humble abode.

The boy was silent. Only sounds filling the room was his sitting on the bed, removing his slippers and adjusting his pillow, turning his back away from Yuu. He looked at the open door, wanting make sure that Yuriko was soundfully asleep.

"Darling, what's wrong." Yuu bundled up next to him, crossing her legs with his. "You have been awfully quiet with me since you got home. You seemed to be deep in thought."

"Just had a long day, sweetheart. Got work in the morning and some homework that needs to be finished." He lied with a calm and straight face. "The baby is also on my mind as well. I am thinking of taking her to the doctor tomorrow before work."

"There's no need to be worried by Yuriko, baby," she replied. "High fevers are normal. The medicine will work. Just give it time. No need to go to the doctor for everything."

Always an excuse, anything that the attention could be on her. Did she even cared for Yuriko. He masked the bitterness on face by displaying a curious look. "You're right! You're always right." He reached over and gave her the obligatory kiss on the lips before turning his back away from her and wanted to sleep. At least she didn't have the gift of taunting or horrifying his dreams.

Yuu wasn't going to do any further. She knew something else was going on. She decided not to tell him the news of their second arrival. Hopefully, tomorrow he will be in a better mood and exchange that attitude of his.

It took a lot for her as her nails dug deep in her right palm.

The next day…

Izuku stepped out of his apartment and took the elevator down to the ground floor. Yuu had the day off so she could watch Yuriko. He gave her a few dollars to go to the pharmacy for stronger medication. If she couldn't take her to the doctor, at least find something feasible for their daughter.

He was torn. This was ridiculous. Why did he allow this woman to abuse him so? Why did this monster become the mother of their daughter? Why God? Why can't I do anything about this? Why am I such a coward to be afraid of her?

He took a train and then a bus to his job at the coffeehouse. It was a double shift and he needed the money. All expenses were focused on the apartment, the bills, and the baby. More so of the latter as Yuu often forgot that she, too, was partially responsible for their birth.

Entering through the front door of the coffeehouse, he quickly headed to the manager. "Hi, Miyoko-san," he greeted her with a bright smile.

The manager smiled back warmly before looking back down at some paperwork on her table. With that, Izuku immediately prepared for work.

Grabbing his apron, he felt his phone vibrating. He immediately grabbed, fearing the worst for Yuriko's condition. Upon seeing the phone, he saw it was Nagisa. It was a text message.

"Hey, Izuku! Sorry to bother you at work. Listen, I forgot that I had a study group with the girls tomorrow evening and wouldn't be able to make our appointment. If you are free tonight, can we got out instead?"

He placed his back against the wall. He was conflicted. On the other side of that phone was a person who genuinely wanted to hang out with him. He couldn't recall the last thing he hung out with anyone…male or female. Yuu was cautious toward anyone as in this day and age, anyone wanted a taste of him. He was baffled, upset, angry, confused…

And just wanted a friend.

"Hey, Miyoko-san. Is there a chance that I can leave early today…."

To be continued….

BD: GOTA got something cooking up for this particular series.

GOTA: Might as well since you're working on other projects.

BD: Yeah, yeah! At least you are putting things back in motion with our other works.

GOTA: True! Stay tuned! As always, team Greenshade!