Nature's Beautiful Smile

Chapter 23

We walked and talked the entire way to my house, talking about how much fun we used to have when my parents were still alive. Once we arrived at my house, All Might was surprised about how well kept it was. "Can you show this old man around? It's been a while." He said, nervously scratching the back of his head. "Haha, alright." I said before starting his tour. "Clearly, this is the living room. And if we go this way, we find the unnecessarily large kitchen." I started, a little self conscience about how little kitchenware I had. "Next up, if we go through the second kitchen entrance, we find ourselves back at the living room, but ultimately at the foot of the stairs." I said before leading him upstairs and showing him every room. When he'd seen the entire house, we returned to the living room where we sat on the couch.

"You have so little here. It's almost like the house is unoccupied." He said, his voice laced with concern. "It only seems that way because it's such a large house and I live here alone." I replied, staring at the television to avoid eye contact. "Y'know, you've been living out in these woods for a long time. Don't you ever visit friends or vice versa?" He asked, probably going I'd say yes so we could have a less awkward conversation. "If I'm lucky enough, the mailman will deliver something every once in a while." I responded, not bringing up Kat's pop ups on purpose. That'd take give him the wrong idea... I thought, getting chills at just the thought of what he'd do if he found out the ash blonde boy spent the night on multiple occasions.

"I miss when you used to put me on your shoulders and play with me in public before your accident." I admitted in an attempt to change the subject. Even though I was very young at the time, I still wouldn't mind it today no matter what had changed. "Too bad my time is shorter. I always have to be prepared so I can't use any of the little time I have dilly dallying. And I can't risk the danger that would put you in." He replied with a sigh. I could tell he missed it too. "I know." I said with a sad smile. Silence wavered between us for a while. "I'm sorry." All Might almost whispered. His hands trembling a bit as he put a hand over his face. "I blame myself for everything bad that's happened to you. I've failed on multiple accounts as your uncle and second father. I was so busy fighting off my own enemies that I didn't realize that I wasn't helping you fight yours. I'm sorry that I wasn't here to help you fight that loneliness. I wasn't here to help you fight that emptiness. I wasn't there for you at all when you needed me the most and that kills me because I had the ability to be there! I don't understand why you don't hate me. Aren't I the one who abandoned you in your time of need? Some hero I am." He said in a shakey tone. I was in shock. How long has he had that guilty conscience? Has the dips in my life been eating away at him? I wondered. It hurt me to see him on the brink of tears. Before I knew it, I was hugging his torso. "Why are you blaming yourself? If you live your life blaming yourself for things you can't control, you might as well be living for someone else!" I exclaimed, squeezing my eyes shut to avoid letting tears spill. I hugged his torso a little tighter, refusing to let go. I felt him put his hand on my head and pat it a few times. "Your really are your mother's daughter. She said the exact same thing to me before, you know that? It was while we were still going to UA. All the guys were head over heels for her... Even me. But nobody had bigger crushes on her than Endeavor and my brother, which was your dad. Endeavor was well off, so he would always buy her gifts and presents that she always turned down since they were too expensive for her taste. Your father on the other hand, growing up we weren't as fortunate. So what he did was write her letters every day and left a simple piece of chocolate in her locker. She was the strongest in her class. On top of being powerful, she was extroverted, extremely kind and humble. But overall, she was extremely beautiful. She could order even me to kill the prime minister with a simple smile and I'd go without question. So how could I blame either of the two for going through so much to get her attention." He swooned. I listened in awe. Ever since that accident, he didn't dare speak of my mother. But now here he was, telling me how infatuated he was with her. I didn't even know they went to the same school. So Endeavor knew her after all... I thought, watching the lovestruck look on my uncle's face. "She was also really clever. Your mother was just the full package. Everyone adored her. She spent a lot of time with me, Endeavor, Present Mic, and Aizawa. We would always be in a group together. Everywhere we went. She actually had quiet the crush on Aizawa though. She thought he was so cool. And when she read the letters, it was very much like Aizawa's writing. That only made her fall even more for Aizawa. She didn't know it was actually my brother writing for her and giving her chocolate everyday. When my brother found that out, he was crushed. I blamed myself of course and that's when she said those exact same words. I didn't tell her my brother was the one giving her the love letters, but she knew I was blaming myself for something that couldn't be controlled. Soon, she found out that Aizawa wasn't the one giving her the letters and she was determined to find out who it was. My brother was a grade above us, so of course he was the first one she suspected. But the moment she found out who it was, she instantly fell for him. I stopped pursuing her and let my brother have her. They were one of the happiest couples alive; and I was thrilled to have a niece to care for like my own child." He finished, touseling my hair in the process. I smiled up at him. "Thank you." I said quietly. He smiled back down at me, pulling my head to his chest. "No problem kiddo."