The Man Behind the Screen

The End of the Battle

MIDORIYA'S POV

"Mr. Deku?" Akio asked quietly as he walked into the living room. "Where's Kacchan?"

I shook my head. "He must have gotten caught up at work. I'm sure he'll be home soon, bud." Hopefully, he'll be home soon. I have to leave for the courthouse in thirty minutes. Today's the day I've been dreading since the custody case started. Today, we decided who would have full custody of Daiki and who would only have partial custody.

"Daddy," Daiki said while entering the room with the other two kids behind him. "Why you sad?"

I shook my head. "I'm not sad," I replied. "I'm nervous, but I'm not sad."

"Why you nervous?" Daiki asked while climbing into my lap.

"Try again, bud." I chuckled while patting the couch for the other kids to join.

"Why are you nervous?" With him turning four and going to preschool soon, we've been trying to correct his grammar more. We've been doing the same thing with the twins.

"We have to go see your mommy today," I explained. "We have to talk about Ren and whether or not you'll live with her all the time or you'll live with me most of the time." I can't wait until this long battle ends.

Daiki's eyes widened. "I no want live with Mommy the all the time," he pouted.

"Hey, I'm sure it will be alright. Nobody is going to take you away from our family," Himari said gently. "Daddy and Papa will make sure of it."

"Really?" Daiki asked.

I nodded my head. I've been telling myself I'll win, but I don't know if I will. I know I won't lose my parental rights, but that doesn't mean he'll continue to live with me all of the time. I don't know what I would do if that were to happen.

Before I could say anything else, my phone rang from the table. "I'll get it," Himari said while crossing the room to grab my phone. "It's Papa."

"Go ahead and answer it," I said with a sigh of relief. He was supposed to be home an hour ago, and I was starting to get really worried. It would be a complete disaster if I went to the courthouse without hearing from him.

"Hi, Papa," Himari said happily into the phone. "We're okay. Just hanging out in the living room." She paused for a moment while Kacchan said something. "Yes, I'll do my homework now. Here he is," she said before handing me the phone and running for the stairs.

"Hey, Daiki, why don't you go get dressed, bud? You have to go with me." I really wish he didn't, but he has to. He won't be in the room while we discuss everything, but he has to go. When he was off my lap, I smiled at the twins, letting them know they were okay where they were.

"Deku?" Kacchan questioned through the phone.

"I'm here. Are you okay?" I asked quickly. He obviously got caught up in something if he wasn't home when he was supposed to be.

"I'm leaving the hospital right now, but I'm fine. I had to get a few stitches in my arm, but that's it. A villain with a nasty quirk attacked us when we were doing shift change. I'm on my way home now. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Do you want me to see if someone can come to watch the kids?" I asked. I don't know how he's feeling, so I'm not sure he would be up for it.

"No, I'm alright. Could you get the twins dressed, though? I want to take them and Himari out while you and Daiki are gone. Figured if I could use a distraction, so could they." He isn't wrong.

Nipping the inside of my lip gently, I said, "Yeah, I can do that." I let out a shaky sigh louder than I meant to.

"You alright? Shit, sorry, that was probably the dumbest thing I have ever asked you. Of course, you're not. I'm sorry, babe. I guess I am more nervous than I thought." He feels about the same as I do. If we lost Daiki, he would be devastated as well.