Journey For Trust (Vigilante Deku)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Outrun

Izuku opened the door to his apartment with as little force as humanly possible—making any noise could alert his father of his presence, which could lead to Toshi's cast being ruined. If his father saw him at all, then the fat bandage across his chin and neck would only ask for his father to question where he got it. Izuku held his breath as he tiptoed into the apartment. It was only a matter of time before his father found out he went behind his back with Toshi, wasn't it?

His father sat at his usual place on the kitchen bar, along with an extra empty bottle and a half full one in his hand, staring blankly into the wall. If he kept walking straight, then he had a clear shot to the hallway, but he also had to walk right past his father. As quietly as possible, Izuku traveled forwards.

"Izuku?"

He froze inches before the hallway entrance. As if his neck turned to stone, Izuku forced his legs to turn himself around to face his father. He's a terrible son. Why would he ever try to avoid his father when he knows he's hurting? It didn't matter what happened to him.

Despite the ugly truths running around in his mind, not a single word ran to his mouth. Hisashi placed the bottle in his hand on the counter. And how much of a selfish son could he be to have to force himself to look at his own father?

"Where d'ya get that?"

A muscular hand came to his face to inspect the bandage over his burn. Izuku accidentally stepped back the moment it made contact. Crap. Flinching usually set his father off, or made him angry—and rightfully so. Who would want a son that can't even look at them? But, he'd be even more of a terrible person if he let the cast Toshi gave him get ruined.

Izuku tensed as Hisashi let out a sigh. His father pulled his hand away from Izuku's chin.

"Ya don't have to act that way 'round me," Hisashi said.

What? Izuku racked his brain for the right meaning, words, anything—anything at all, but all he found was numb shock. Shock that his father didn't lash out at him. Shock that his father might have just tried to talk to him. Shock that maybe, in some miniscule way, only made possible by his drunken state, his father wanted to talk to him.

But none of those thoughts made their way out of his mind and to his heart, where Izuku would've been able to at least stutter a response. Instead, he nodded and turned back to the hallway.

"Izuku?"

He spun around. "I-I'm sorry! It was r-rude of me to l-leave! I d-didn't know you had more to s-say, I'm sorry, it-it's my fault—"

"This isn't about ya."

Izuku clasped a hand over his mouth, preventing himself from muttering out countless apologies. Why was he only thinking about how he was rude and not how his father was feeling? Hisashi rested his forehead on his palm. Why couldn't he do a single thing right for his father?

"When I'm not"—Hisashi gestured to the empty bottle with his head—"if I say something about..." His gaze ventured to Izuku's bandage, then drifted to the cast poking out of his sleeve over his hand. "Don't, um..."

Tears came to his eyes. His father was really talking to him! To him! He probably just didn't know how to say what he wanted to. Izuku's heart sped up as a nervous smile spread across his mouth. But that was okay. It was something they had in common—maybe even something they could help each other with! All he had to do was take the first step!

"It-It's okay, I won't judge—"
"Forget 'bout it. Go to ya room."
"B-But—"
"Now."

Izuku flinches at the 'now,' the same way he did with Yui. After silently nodding, Izuku turned and walked down the short hallway into his room and closed the door. He screwed up the same way he did with Yui. The only difference now is that his father is forced to live with him. Forced to live with someone who only makes their life worse. Izuku slid to the floor and put his head on his knees. He had his chance to talk to his father, and he ruined it. He ruins everything. It was his fault.