The Edge [Tododeku BNHA AU]

1. Anniversary

Warning: Mentions of Self-Harm, Domestic Abuse.

Inko Midoriya sat at the kitchen table with a worn-out shoe box next to her, its lid was next to it and papers were scatter over the table. There was a yellowing old newspaper in her hand, a small tear ran down her face as her son walked out of his room and over to the fridge. Taking a glance over at him, he was wearing his normal green sweater and jeans. He had such a small frame from barely eating and his cheeks were sunken in. His pale skin made the bags under his eyes more prominent than they usually were.

She feared for her child's health, over the past few years she had noticed the decline. Especially in the past few days as it got closer to the day that her husband had escaped his incarceration. She looked back down at the newspaper clipping in her hand and stared down at the date that was labeled in the corner. August 15th, 2006. The newspaper was titled "THE SERIAL KILLER MIDORYIA HISASHI ESCAPED WHILE BEING MOVED TO THE EXECUTION SITE DURING THE EARLY MORNING."

Her son sat across from her with a bottle of water in his hand, his eyes fell on the newspaper article in her hand. He noted that she only took those out once a year, was it that time of year already? Time was just an illusion for him, he didn't know what day, what month, and half of the time he didn't know if it was night or day. The paper had crease marks from years of being folded repeatedly. He wondered how it was still intact from all the abuse his mother gave it. Their eyes met as Inko set down the newspaper article, tears were running down her face. It was rare for Izuku to see his mother cry; she usually hid it so well. It made his stomach tighten and do flips.

He couldn't even imagine what she was going through alone when he was busy at school or in his own little world. He looked down at his bottle of water and bit his lip, "Are you doing okay, Ma?" he asked softly barely audible. He was worried that she didn't even hear him, but the thought was washed away when his mother had grabbed his hands into hers and squeezed.

"I'm alright, son. How are you doing? Is everything okay? Did you sleep well?" The questions flooded him with overwhelming thoughts. How was he supposed to answer her? Should he lie like every time she had asked him these questions? Should he tell her the truth? The truth was he wasn't doing well, and everything wasn't okay. His text messages were flooded with insults from his so "called" friends. There were also threats from his boyfriend Yamazaki Kiyoshi, he wanted him to stay away from Kacchan. But how could he do that? Kacchan ... Kacchan was a bully, but he was his only friend. Kacchan and him had been friends for as long as he could even remember. Their mothers were friends before the two boys were even thought of.

He could already see his mother and Auntie Mitsuki asking questions, wondering why they don't see the two together anymore. He realized that he hasn't answered his mother yet, he gave her one of his fake smiles, "I am doing alright, everything is fine, and yes I did sleep well." He could see in his mother's eyes that she didn't believe him. At least not all the way liked he wished she would. She knew about the night terrors that he had almost every night since the age of four. It was only recently that he would lock his door at night, so she wasn't able to check up on him like she used too. It wasn't like he didn't want her to check up on him because he loves every bit of affection his mother would give him. It was the fact that he would sit in the corner after the night terrors ended with a flask in his hand and his journal in the other.

His journal was like a dream book, where he would right down every night of the terrors he experienced. It was also a handbook of all his favourite martial artists. Looking back down at his phone, he had to start getting ready for school, today was the day where they would be discussing the different high schools they want to get into. His dream was to go to U.A High for Prodigies, he was in the top of his class alongside Kacchan, so either one of them would be able to go to that school if they tried hard enough for the entrance exam. But usually only one can enter, you never heard about two students from the same middle school going to a school like that.