Honey Dew {Spin-off}

18: You aren't alone

Izuku was laying on the couch, his head in Haruki's lap as the boy played in his hair. Kenji had to step out for a while, something urgent came up, and though he badly wanted to stay with Izuku he knew he couldn't.

Kenji had told Haruki about Shoto while Izuku slept so he could better understand why Izuku was like this and to make sure he didn't accidentally say anything to cause him more pain.

Now Haruki understood why Izuku said what he said to him that night. If he was in Izuku's shoes he isn't sure he'd be able to love anyone again either, but Haruki understood Izuku. He didn't know if he could make Izuku feel better but he wanted Izuku to know that he understood him.

"Izu...are you awake?" Haruki asked.

Izuku lay still before eventually nodding a little, "Mhm,"

It was so quiet Haruki would have missed it if he didn't have his entire focus on Izuku. Haruki gently brushed some hair from Izuku's face then moved his hand down.

Izuku gently grabbed it and interlocked their hands, kissing Haruki's knuckles and holding the boy's hand to his chest. Izuku didn't have the mental strength to speak so this was his way of letting Haruki know he was grateful for him and the comfort he was providing.

Haruki looked at the tv though not actually, drowning out the low sounds coming from it as he collected his thoughts.

"I became an orphan at six," Haruki started "It was just me and my mom living in a shack apartment in the backways. She was physically weak, she was born with a fragile and sickly body but she was so determined to provide for me.

Every day she'd leave me in that shack for hours before coming back every day with gifts and food for me. She was killing herself for me but she was happy to see me happy so I never said anything.

I wanted to be the one to provide for her but I wasn't able to and as I got older I realized how weak my mother really was. She got worse every day and at some point, she wasn't even able to leave anymore.

So I started to be the one to leave, I'd steal and do whatever I could to get food for us. Then I'd go home and take care of her, I wanted her to be happy so I learned how to do makeup and how to do hair since her hands shook so badly she couldn't.

I wanted her to feel beautiful because she was and she deserved to know that. Then I started to notice that she'd see someone while I was gone, she was probably trying to find a solution so I wouldn't have to be the provider.

And as time progressed I started to notice that she'd have bruises or marks on her. Whenever I asked she'd just smile and say it was nothing but I knew better I just didn't know what I would do. Then one day as I was leaving my mother smiled and said bye as usual but I could tell she didn't want me to go.

She was afraid of what would happen once I left but she hid those feelings, and I wanted to stay but we hadn't eaten in so long that we wouldn't survive another day. So I left her to get as much food as I possibly could so I wouldn't have to leave her for a while.

But when I came back our shack was destroyed and...my mother was dead, she was beaten so badly I couldn't even recognize her. It hurt so bad and I didn't know what to do so I just ran and never looked back.

I started living on the streets and after a while, I...forgot what my mother looked like. I can't remember her face anymore but to this day I blame myself, if I had just stayed that day maybe she'd still be here," Haruki finally told his story.

Izuku squeezed his hand, "It's not your fault...you were...just a kid," he said lowly.

"So were you," Izuku flinched at that and Haruki smiled a little "I had completely forgotten my mother but the moment I took your hand that day I immediately remembered the warmth of her small hands. The moment you smiled at me for the first time I remembered the smile she had every time she looked at me.