MHA X Hawks' Brother Reader

III - Down The Path

"Get down here now. You're the last one who needs to show."

Y/N paused his scrolling to look at the text.

Didn't know there was a vip list. He thought.

Letting out a sigh, he shoved his phone into his pocket and rolled off his bed. He didn't plan to go until a bit later, but if things were starting up already he figured he could head out. Besides, the only other thing he had planned for the day was killing time before the party.

The boy thumped down the stairs, finishing putting his jacket on as his wings popped out the back. But as he did, he noticed another sound. Not creaky steps, or even the TV. This sounded like... Sizzling? He stopped at the bottom to listen, his hand on the doorknob. There were a few pops that accompanied a consistent hiss, like something was frying. It was coming from the kitchen too. There were lots of electric things in there, could one of them be going haywire? Koyama could wait the few extra seconds it would take for him to check the room. Afterall, it was the only place they had. And if it burnt down, they may just end up like how they were back then...

The memories of that time were mostly just pieces, small spurts captured by a three year old. But each one of them showed a different aspect of life out there, on the streets, all equally as miserable and stomach churning as the last. If there was a fire, Y/N would go down with it before he would subject himself to that again.

But when he got in the kitchen, he saw no flames, or sparks. In fact the source of the sizzling was immediately obvious, though that didn't make it any less confusing.

His mother was at the stove, cooking. The lights were all on, and the aroma of a warm, freshly made meal filled the kitchen. It was so foreign. Not to mention that Tomie's hair looked like it had been brushed, but that wasn't the craziest thing. Once she noticed her son standing in the entryway, she looked at him, and the corners of her lips were raised just slightly, forming the faintest indication of a smile.

The cheque must've come in.

"Good morning Y/N, I'm trying to make eggs. Want to have some with me?"

Y/N was baffled for a moment. She rarely cooked, and it had been a long time since she offered to share something with him that she made herself. Something inside him drew his gaze to the pan of eggs. He'd be lying if he said it looked disgusting...

"... no thanks. I'm, uh, just heading out."

"Oh... Well, enjoy your day at-" Tomie turned back to the stove, but before she could even finish her goodbye, she realized it would be a fallacy.

She saw the stove clock. 10:15... It was too late to just be heading to school.

Y/N had seen her normal look nearly every day all his life. He was entirely used to her worn eyes, the occasional trembling in her hand, and her weak, wavering voice. But to see borderline happiness evaporate in seconds to be replaced by it, it hit different.

"Y/N... Where are you going?"

"None of your business." The boy snapped back as he stormed for the door. The glimpse into a normal, happy household shattered into pieces.

Tomie abandoned her breakfast and chased after him. "Y/N, please. Don't get in trouble again. I can't handle another-"

"Another what?" He shouted, snatching his arm back that she had lightly taken hold of. "Am I too much trouble for you? A burden?" His voice became louder, fiercer with each word. Each one slammed into Tomie like a truck. But nothing compared to what he said next. "Then why don't you just go sell me too?!"

He knew every word of what he said was the truth. He had stated it many times before, and he'd retreat to his room or out onto the street right after and Tomie would return to the TV, unphased by the topic. But this time was different, in more ways than one. Both Y/N and his mother stood there in place, unable to avert their locked eyes as Tomie's glossed over. She covered her mouth with one hand as tears threatened to spill. Emotion Y/N hadn't seen from her in... well, ever.