Inmate

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

"Daddy Daddy!!"

I groaned, feeling something small jump on me.

"Up up up!!"

I rubbed my eyes, only opening them a little bit to look at my darling.

"Haha.. Goodmorning, my sunshine."

I kissed my daughter's forehead, sitting up with her in my lap.

"Are you excited for your first day of school, Hiromi?"

She nodded and climbed off the bed.

I yawned, getting up behind her.

She'd just recently turned 6.  It's hard without Katsuki, and I'm just barely getting by, but I'm doing better.

She keeps me going.

I opened her closet, picking out a simple pink dress. 

"How about this?" I showed it to her, receiving a wide smile and two thumbs up in response.

I helped her put her dress on, then brushed her teeth. 

I dressed myself shortly after into some black jeans and a gray sweater.

"How do you want your hair today?" I picked her up, sitting her in my lap in the living room. 

"Tails tails!" She threw her arms up and kicked her legs.

"Ponytails it is." I brushed away her bed-head, carefully tying them into two ponytails.

Her hair was just like Katsuki's.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, princess?" I clipped a kitty shaped hair-clip into her hair.

"Who's that?" She pointed to the photo of Katsuki and I.  I looked up at it and smiled.

"Someone Daddy was very close with.." I kissed her head, then helped her put her shoes on.

"Do I have someone I'm close with?" She grabbed her Hello Kitty backpack, putting it on.

"Maybe one day you will.  I'm sure you'll meet some close friends at school."

"Can you stay with me at school?"

"Unfortunately, I can't.  I will walk you to your class though." I held her hand, walking her to the car and buckling her into her car seat. 

"You have your lunch, right?"

She checked her bag.

"Daddy forgot."

"Ah shit.." I unbuckled her from her car seat.

"Shit!" She giggled and hopped out of the car. 

"Hiromi. You can't say that."

"But you said it.." She pouted as I walked her back inside, quickly making her a bento filled with healthy things, along with one cookie.

"Well I'm older than you, Missy." I put it in her bag, then brought her to the car again.

Her attitude was just like Katsuki's.

The school wasn't far, but it was still easier to drive.

As soon as I pulled up, she pressed her face into the window.

"Why is everyone crying?"

"They must not want to leave their parents, but you're a big girl, right Hiromi?  You don't cry about things like that." I laughed and took her out of the car again.

"Yeah!" She stomped her foot on the ground and giggled.

I held her hand, walking her into her classroom.  I greeted her teacher then sent her off, watching her sit down.

"Have a good day, Hiromi." I waved her goodbye before leaving.

I burst into tears as soon as I got into the car.

Every child was accompanied by both of their parents. 

I couldn't help but think about what everyone else must of thought, seeing me walk Hiromi in on my own.

Did she even notice everyone had two parents?

I quickly lit a cigarette, worried that the kids might pick on her for not having another parent. 

I relaxed the second I inhaled the smoke.

I can't keep going on like this.

My knuckles whitened at how hard I was gripping the steering wheel as I drove.

I pulled up to work, which was at a flower shop not too far from home. 

Usually I would take Hiromi to work with me, since I couldn't afford a babysitter.  It's much easier now that she's started school.

"Morning." I greeted my coworker, quickly signing myself in on the register.

I just want to go home already.