New Beginnings

Some Good, Some not so Good

Hey everyone here we go, another chapter for you reading pleasure.  Sorry it's running late today. 

Happy Reading      (:

BAKUGO'S POV

I tossed my head back and laughed as Masao sang his ABCs out of order, and Midoriya yelled, "Remix!" I don't know what changed between us, but something changed after our talk in the pool about two weeks ago. Even the kids seem more carefree than they have since their dad walked out on us. That night, I think I gained a friend—probably the only real friend I've ever had.

"Dad," Hanako said while coming down the stairs. "Don't forget about the carnival this weekend."

"Carnival?" Midoriya asked while spinning Masao around, who was still singing his ABCs out of order.

"It's a fundraiser for the kids. Their end-of-year field trip is coming up, and they always have a carnival two weeks before to raise money," I explained as Hanako handed me a folder.

"We've never been to the carnival," Kenzo said. It wasn't true, but he was only three when we went for the first and last time. I was always too busy with work to go, and Eijiro didn't want to take them by himself, so I always just wrote a check.

"Well, we're going this year." I opened the folder and glanced at the ticket prices and the other things they were doing to raise money for the kids. "Midoriya, can you bake?" I asked him.

"Not at all," he said. "Bake sale?"

"Yeah." I could just write a check like usual, but I promised to be more involved. And I know Hanako wants to volunteer at the festival, and Kenzo wants to go and play games.

Midoriya set Masao down on the couch and told him he was taking a break before walking over to me. "When is it?" he asked.

"Not this weekend, but next weekend." I handed him the fliers while I turned to Hanako. "You want to do the bake sale?" She nodded excitedly, and I didn't know how to tell her that neither of the adults here was good at baking.

"I can't bake, but my mom can. She'll be visiting next week and will be here that weekend." He handed the flier for the bake sale to Hanako. "Can you put it on the fridge so I don't forget?"

"Okay." She grabbed the flier and skipped to the kitchen.

"Wait, your mom will be here?" He doesn't talk about his family much. For a while, I wasn't sure he had one.

He nodded. "She's staying at the hotel Todoroki works at. Well, her and my stepdad."

I raised an eyebrow. "You know we have a guest room, right?" His eyes widened. "There's no need for them to stay at a hotel when they can stay here."

"Really? You wouldn't mind?"

I shrugged. "You live here, too. If you want to have your parents over, that's fine. Just let me know."

He thought for a moment before responding. "I think I'll invite them to stay here then. Although, I'll take the guest room. They can have the pool house for the week."

"Honestly, I prefer that anyway." I can't imagine his parents being anything other than nice, but I would feel better if he were in the house and they were in the pool house. I wouldn't feel as awkward running into them. "Think she'd be willing to bake?"

"I guarantee now that she'll have access to the kitchen, we won't be able to stop her." He laughed before sliding his phone from his pocket and excusing himself to give her a call.