"But we have so many memories there," Inko told her son, as they walked between the market stalls. She pointed to a seafood stall. "How's that?"
"Yeah, but the apartment is tiny. There are five of us right now," Izuku said. He bent over to smell the fish she'd pointed to, much to the confusion of the vendor. "These aren't fresh, they're at least a few weeks old," Izuku declared.
"W-What?!" the vendor exclaimed, completely thrown off. "They're fresh! Caught them myself, this morning, in fact!" At the man's insistence, Izuku frowned.
"Listen, I can respect the hustle," Izuku said, leaning in, a scary smile on his face, and the vendor recoiled slightly. "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't lie to my mother."
"Wha- Hey, who the hell do you think you are?!" the vendor shot back, finding his confidence again.
"Thanks anyway," Izuku said, before taking his mother by the hand. "C'mon, Mom." Izuku led his mother away, to the confused chagrin of the fish seller.
"I'm so happy you're back, Izuku," Inko smiled. "And you came back with an amazing nose."
"I'm glad my nose is so useful," he joked. "You know we can always make new memories in a house, right?"
"I'll look into it," Inko promised. "Before it slips my mind, Kota is coming over tomorrow morning."
"Kota Izumi, the boy who sent me the thank you letter?" he asked, and his mother nodded.
"Eri retreated so far into her shell when you... left, and the Pussycats offered to have her spend time with Kota. I think it helped. Even though she's doing better now, they became 'friends,' for lack of a better term, and... Mandalay?" she asked, unsure, and Izuku nodded. "Mandalay still brings him over from time to time."
Izuku nodded, and he let his eyes wander the market. He noticed that most people seemed to avoid the fish seller that was selling old fish. It seemed like he had a reputation. One woman stopped at his stand though. Izuku stopped when he began to recognize her. Inko stopped as well and followed his gaze, swallowing hard when he saw who he was looking at.
"Was that Aunt Mitsuki?" Izuku wondered in disbelief. When his mother nodded in response, the uncertainty was replaced with shock and confusion.
"I've never seen her so... so docile" he said, almost flabbergasted, as they watched the seafood vendor they just left began to talk her up, and she didn't even challenge him.
"Mmm. After you... were..." Tears threatened to fall from Inko's eyes. Izuku squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back."Katsuki Bakugo was always a handful, and he got worse, I think. Mitsuki was always chiding him for something, even more so. At some point, she just stopped. I think she's tired."
"I'm gonna go talk to her. Do you want to..." Before he could finish, Inko shook her head. There was bad blood there. He'd ask about that some other time. "I'll be right back."
"This isn't fresh fish," Izuku said, before Mitsuki Bakugo could buy them. When she saw him, she froze, and her breath hitched. Not that the fish seller noticed.
"You again!" the vendor exclaimed angrily.
"Me again, my crooked friend," Izuku grinned. He took the wrapped fish from Mitsuki's hands and dropped them back on the table. He then led Mrs. Bakugo away from the vendor, before the dishonest seller could explode in confused anger.
"I-Izuku?" she finally breathed.
"Hey, Aunt Mitsuki," Izuku greeted her with a smiled. "It's good to see you again."
"It's... good to see you too," she said, slowly getting over her shock. "Is Inko here with you?"
"She is."
