Enjoy.

(y/n)'s POV

I woke up alone, despite how I had napped with Kacchan until 2. He was gone from my room and a blanket was strewn around me. I felt as though he was still there because of the candy scented jacket and sheets around me. I stood up, realizing I didn't have my shoes anymore and they were placed neatly by the door. I tugged the sweatshirt down my arms, hanging it up and exchanging it for a different one. I didn't want to head out in search of Kacchan and run into someone wearing it. I slipped my shoes back on and headed out into the lounge. I could hear crazy shouting from the kitchen and I hurried my pace.

"I swear to All Might, I'm going to beat your ass IcyHot," Kacchan hissed and I poked my head in the kitchen slightly.

"Kacchan please!" Izuku said. What the hell were they fighting about now?

"It's just an invitation Bakugo, you don't have to come," Shoto ensured.

"As if I would go to your stupid ice skating bullshit!" Kacchan scoffed. My eyes widened, realizing that I was the one who had mentioned ice skating to Todoroki a while ago, when he had taken me for my heels.

"I was only suggesting that you take (y--"

"Shut up!" Kacchan growled.

"Bro come on," Kirishima said, trying to calm Kacchan. I hadn't realized Kirishima was even there. "It's Todoroki, he's not trying to make fun of you. It's just a suggestion."

"I don't give a shit!"

"If you don't want to come, I'll just invite (y/n) myself," Todoroki said. I watched Izuku's face lower slightly and Kacchan's face grew even angrier. It seemed as though he didn't want anyone to know about us so he was embarrassed that Todoroki had suggested that he ask me. That and he severely didn't want Todoroki to ask me either. "I'm inviting the whole class, I only thought--"

"Piss off, I'm not asking her," Kacchan pout and I rolled my eyes. I glanced over to Izuku who had spotted me peeking in. I poked my entire head in, clearing my throat.

"Asking who what?" I asked, playing dumb. I stepped into the kitchen, Kacchan subduing his anger now that I had arrived. He seemed relieved I was wearing a blue sweater and not his orange one. Todoroki looked to Kacchan for a moment.

"I'm taking the entire class ice skating now that it's cold," Todoroki expressed.

"Oh, like I suggested a while ago?" I asked, opening up the fridge and pulling out a water bottle. I didn't necessarily need one, but I couldn't look like I was in here spying.

"Yes," he replied.

"That sounds fun, is everyone coming?" I asked, sitting down beside Izuku. Kirishima had a big smirk on his face from his spot next to Kacchan. Todoroki looked to Kacchan who scowled and nodded reluctantly.

"Yes," Todoroki replied again.

"Cool," I replied, crossing my legs. It was obvious that Kacchan was staring at me. Only just earlier had I learned my mother was possibly lying to me about something pretty huge. "Hey, you free?" I looked to Izuku for his answer.

"Yeah, why?"

"I need someone to come with me to see Ai," I said.

"Your aunt is at my house," Kacchan interrupted. That was right, she was staying there. It would make the most sense to take Kacchan with me, but I couldn't. I suppose ice skating was alright because the entire class would be there. Us alone wasn't.

"Oh you're going to Bakugo's house?" Kaminari asked, entering the kitchen. "Can I come with? Bakugo's mom is ho--"

"Finish that sentence and I blast you into the fucking sun," Kacchan warned, his hand at the ready.

"Ho...awesome?" Kacchan narrowed his eyes at Kaminari and I stifled a smile.

"Yeah, I can come with you," Izuku replied and Kaminari pout.

"Why are you visiting your aunt?" Todoroki asked.

"I just have to ask her something," I replied. I felt Kacchan's gaze on me. He knew exactly what I was going to ask and once again I was going without him. I could tell he felt guilty, despite what I had told him. I watched Kaminari take the water bottle from the table, drinking from it. "Hey, what the fuck. Get your own!"

"I just did," he replied, strolling out with my water bottle. I let out a breath.

"I'll meet you out front in like 20?" I asked, turning my head to Izuku. He nodded in response. I stood up, patting the table with my hands. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to beat his ass."

"Wait I wanna watch!" Kirishima called, following me out.

"You're dead meat Kaminari!" I called after him, seeing him at the opposite end of the room take off into a sprint down the hall.

~~~

There was a knock on my door and I glanced up, already holding my purse around my shoulder. I had told Izuku to meet me out front, so it was probably someone else. When I opened the door, I wasn't surprised to see Kacchan.

"What's up Kacchan?"

"Going to my house without me?" he asked. I let out a breath, letting him in. "Watch out for my mom, since she knows now."

"I will."

"No really."

"I'll make sure she only shows me one or two baby pictures," I said.

"What?! Ugh, just--"

"I know, it's so silly going to your house without you. I just have to talk to Ai about this," I said.

"Why?"

"Well it's pretty big and upsetting. I'd like an explanation."

"I know, but can't you call her?"

"And say what? Hey what's up. Got your most recent care package oh and by the way I found out that you and mon have been lying to my face since I was born?" I asked. "Kacchan I promise you, with all my heart, that I don't need you for this. I need you a lot, probably way too much, but right now I can do this alone. That doesn't mean you're not there for me."

"You don't get it."

"Yes I do!" I replied. "Don't you think it's upsetting for me, when I can't be with you?"

"Well sure, but you have to go do all these things. I never go out, you're always here," he scoffed.

"Sometimes, even when I'm here physically, I feel like you don't feel like I'm there for you," I said and his face lowered.

"Yes I do."

"So why is it different? I'm telling you, I don't need you to be with me all the time. I can handle myself and if I need you then I'll ask. You were there for me earlier, so why--"

"I want to be there for everything, you idiot." I felt my stomach drop. I was going to be keeping Izuku waiting, but I didn't want to leave now that we were disagreeing.

"I know! And you are! Just because you're not there physically doesn't mean--"

"I'm not there, I get it, you've said that a million times," he scoffed.

"Well it's true Kacchan."

"If you don't need me, then just go," he scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You know I don't mean that. I just mean it's not necessary that you be with me, physically, all the time because you're with me metaphorically," I said. It was clear that my choice of words was not the best in this situation, and now I could see I had hurt his feelings. "I have to go now."

"Yeah whatever," he muttered, brushing past me and out my door.

"Kacchan--"

"See you whenever water bitch," he said, walking roughly down the hall. He hadn't really addressed me like that in a while. I felt it hit hard, but not as hard as it should've. I couldn't help but feel like I was right. He was just overreacting, right? But he had never done this kind of thing before, of course he was struggling. I watched him leave, wondering if he wanted me to go after him. Not see Ai. It remained that the choice was between my own problems and his. Wasn't it Joue that had told me I don't think about myself? I shut my door and walked the opposite direction to Kacchan. As much as I hated to know he was angry or upset with me, I had to at least straighten myself a little more before I can before I get into someone else's problems.

"Hey, what took you so long?" Izuku asked. I opened my mouth, debating whether I should tell Izuku about all of this. Maybe I should talk to Mina. Damn, I still had to ask about the phone calls. I looked at Izuku, shrugging as I shut my mouth. I remained afraid that he would take us not getting along as a sign to push against us being together. He may have agreed for now, but if Izuku caught a whiff of any foul play, he might change his mind again.

"Nothing, I just couldn't find my purse," I lied.

"Oh well Todoroki is really excited about this whole ice skating thing. It's weird, he's usually not this emotive about stuff, but he's really into it. I think it reminds him of his mom and his ice side," Izuku hummed, a gleaming look in his eyes.

"That's good."

"I know! Oh why are we visiting Ai?"

"You know how I met with Tsukauchi  earlier?" I asked. Izuku nodded. "Well he seemed to recall that my dad disappeared when I was 6 years old."

"6? Weren't you 3?" he asked. "We met and you got your quirk at my house before that, you remember that don't you?" I hadn't even considered that. I clearly remembered that, playing heroes with Izuku and getting my quirk. I remember meeting Izuku and saving him from Kacchan. I even remember having to sit with my mother through meetings with the principal about my injuries due to his quirk. My father was not there at those meetings. I remember he wasn't.

"Exactly. I have to ask her if they've been lying. I need an explanation."

"Your mom said 3 yesterday. Why would she be lying?"

"I don't know, but I genuinely have no recollection of my father. I just...need to know what the hell is going on," I sighed. "My mom is clearly not going to tell me, you saw how she acted yesterday. I've got to ask Ai first."

"This is crazy."

"Tell me something I don't know."

~~~

"Did you even tell anyone we were coming?" Izuku asked, knocking on the door. I paused, realizing I hadn't and that this would be a big surprise. Hopefully Kacchan's mom wouldn't mind me barging in her house. The door swung open and I watched Mitsuki's face light up when seh spotted us.

"Oh (y/n)!" she called, tugging me inside by my forearm. "Izuku you look so much bigger than when I last saw you!!"

"Yes ma'am. What are you two doing here? Where's Katsuki?" she asked.

"Uh, well I need to talk to Ai? And I'm not allowed to leave alone or with Kacchan because--"

"Right, right, the whole--right," she said. She took me up in a much needed hug, squeezing me round the shoulder. "It's so good to see you honey."

"Good to see you too," I said.

"Here, come on in. I'll get Ai," she said, bustling up the stairs to find her. I glanced to Izuku who was wearing a soft smile. He must remember hanging around here when he was a kid, at least until Kacchan turned on him. Mitsuki didn't seem all that insistent on talking about my new relationship with Kacchan, but perhaps that was because Izuku was here.

"(y/n)! What's up?" Ai called from the top of the stairs.

"I'll come to you," I said, placing a soft hand on Izuku's shoulders before swapping places with Mitsuki.

"Come on Izuku, I'll get you something to drink. Or are you hungry?"

"Water would be great," he replied, following her into the kitchen. Ai hugged me briefly before immediately questioning why I had come.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had to ask you something," I replied. She nodded, leading me to the guest room, which had been turned into her room for the time being. It was pretty disorganized, but she probably moved in not long ago. She wasn't quite all set up, some of her clothes still in her suitcase. She sank into the bed, patting beside her.

"What's up?"

"Well...I met with a detective yesterday about the case," I said, "One of the best in the country. He said he's met mom a few times before. Tsukauchi."

"Oh him? I saw him working once, what a guy," Ai hummed and for the moment, I was a little distracted by the sudden crush my aunt had on the detective.

"Ai when did my dad leave?" I asked. She paused for a moment, appearing to be counting it in her brain.

"When you were 3."

"So Tsukauchi is just crazy? Dad didn't leave when I was 6?" I asked. I watched her face soften to reveal that she had in fact been caught. "Why are you and mom lying to me?"

"Hon--"

"No bullshit Ai." She stopped and looked at me solemnly.

"Alright. For the record, it was your mother that didn't want to tell you. I had to respect her wishes. I mean...you're her kid, not mine." I suddenly grew nauseatingly nervous by the way she was treating this situation. She looked nervous and guilty, quickly confirming that she had been lying. "Your father did leave when you were 3. The first time."

"What?" I asked.

"Yoru Hatanaka. He was a strange guy. I admit, I never liked him. Your grandmother never did either. Actually, she forbid them to marry, but died before she could stop them. Grandfather died soon after the wedding too. He was a little less vocal about it, but still more vocal than I was. I wish I was, but he became a part of the family despite what anyone said about him. There was nothing really wrong with him, he was just a little off, and what was I to say to your mother? She was in love, that was obvious, and after getting pregnant he seemed like a really good guy. I couldn't say anything and I didn't. I guess I just got the feeling that he would leave her, that's why."

I sat stone-faced. Silent. She had yet to explain the "The first time" part of her confession, so I just let her talk.

"We weren't the best of buddies, not my kind of person really," she said with a sigh. She was struggling to speak, and because of it I could tell her throat was tight. "I remember a few weeks after you were born, your mother had me over to see you. He seemed pretty hesitant to let me hold you. I always figured he thought I was irresponsible, considering he was a scientist and I'm just some food blogger. He always had something to say about that. Don't know how to hold a baby. Whatever. He never liked me and I never liked him. I really wish I had said something. Then again you wouldn't have been born if Mizuko listened to me about Yoru. But being your mother's sister and your babysitter, I saw a few things."

"What things?" She paused. She placed a hand on mine, as if she were going to hurt me with what she was about to say. She probably was.

"When you were 3, a few months after your birthday, it was clear that you were expected to have at least your mother's quirk. Yoru wanted you to have his quirk too, and Mizuko didn't want so much pressure on you growing up because of it. So they got in a huge fight and he left," Ai explained. "It stressed your mother out so bad. I remember driving in to watch you and take care of her. So for 2 weeks, he was completely gone and she didn't know whether to file a missing person's report or not. He just... completely disappeared. You, meanwhile, were asking where he was and she didn't know what to tell you. You weren't that close to him anyways. So when he came back after 2 weeks, she decided to just tell you it was a business trip."

He...came back? My father had come back and for what? Me? My mother? How could they not tell me he returned? Why didn't I remember?

"It went on like that for years. He'd disappear for weeks...maybe even months at a time. Every time I'd come to watch over you while your mother worked. You didn't quite like him at the time, I think because he was gone so much. He didn't connect with you like he wanted because he was dealing with his own...whatever. I told your mother so many times to just end it with him, but she kept letting him leave and amongst the wreckage she had the hopes he'd come back each time."

He left multiple times??

"Why don't I reme--"

"Remember him?" she asked.

"It makes no sense."

"Around the 3rd time he left, he seemed pretty frustrated with whatever was going on. He came back and you were still adamantly against him, to a point where you refuse to talk to him, be near him, anything. So he took you to therapy. Every time he would come back, he'd take you to a therapist to try and strengthen your relationship. Every time it failed. So he would leave again, come back and do the same thing. You have no idea how much it hurt me to see him put you through that, but you're not my kid. I couldn't say anything. You were about a month away from turning 5, and I remember this vividly. Your father was gone again and your mother had to work. She told you that 'Ai will be watching over you while I'm gone. Dad can't, he's on a business trip'. You said 'who?' and your mother told you about me again." Ai stopped, her face pale and her hands nervously gripping at each other. She had slowed her speech and I could see her eyes were glossy.

"What?" She met eyes with me.

"You said 'who's dad?'," Ai replied, her voice hushed. "So all we could do was take you to some neurologists and child psychologists. They all said the same thing, that trauma caused you to block out or forget the things that made you uncomfortable. One of those things being your father's absence. But, the one thing they could never explain was why your brain was developing that way. Why was it happening? Your brain looked perfectly normal, and yet you couldn't remember your father, the therapy, all that. They said injury was certainly something that could cause it."

"Physical injury?" I asked, my voice ever so quiet. She nodded. My heart was pounding out of my chest.

"Now I don't know, but I always thought something else was going on in that house while I wasn't there," she said, her teeth chattering. She sucked in a breath through her teeth. "I was afraid to ask, but I thought he might be hurting you and your mother. That's why I was so relieved he was finally gone. After a wake up call, apparently, you clearly didn't remember him and the therapy to bring you closer so he just...gave up. Each time he'd come back, you'd treat him like a stranger that was there to hurt you. He was a stranger to you," she said. I watched a glassy tear roll down her cheek and she wiped it away. "Mizuko didn't want any of this weighing your down during your childhood, so she told you he left when you were young. That was why you didn't remember."

I let out a heavy breath, not knowing what to say.

"I really thought you should know, at least later on when you're older and will understand, but it seemed like she would never tell you. Now with all that's going on and you're growing...I just...it wasn't my place to tell you, but you deserved to know (y/n)." Her hand reached up for my hair, resting on my head. I just glared, glassy-eyed and betrayed, at the floor. "(y/n), talk to me."

"What am I supposed to say, Ai?" I asked, my eyes watering. "I've been lied to my whole life about the shit I went through. I--you had no right to keep this from me."

"Honey, we thought if we told you, you would forget it. We wanted to make sure that--"

"So there's something wrong with me?!" I asked, standing up abruptly. "I'm so messed up in the head that I forgot a whole entire person?! I lived my life thinking he was just some deadbeat, but he was trying to be good for me. I was the screw up."

"(y/n), no. Your father was not a good man. I could feel it. His actions were not your fault and it's not your fault that you forgot. You couldn't help it, and I promise you, your mother tried to keep you safe from all this. You forgetting was a chance for her to give you a more normal childhood that you deserved," Ai said, grasping my face. "You are such a good person and just because this is the