Masami carefully sliced apples in her hand as she observed her daughter who was quietly sitting in her hospital bed, just staring at the baby pink cherry blossoms outside her window. Her sketchbook had been opened on her lap on a fresh page, but she'd been stationary for an hour.
Her hair had been cut to her shoulders due to how singed it had gotten from Dabi's quirk, the curls caressing her face and sticking out in odd directions. She sat in pyjamas, the girl being forced to stay in the hospital for a reason unknown to Masami beyond the doctors needing to 'monitor her injuries' until further notice.
It was truly a scary time for Masami; she hated hospitals after visiting them so often for Akihito's lung check-ups and emergencies. But, she had to stay resilient for Yui, who was definitely having a harder time herself.
"Here, eat something." Masami held the plate of chopped apples to the stagnant girl. "Yui?"
She jumped, a sweet smile appeared on her face as she took the plate from her mother. "Thanks, Mum."
Masami softly exhaled, watching as Yui meticulously ate the slices, chewing slowly as she turned her attention back to the cherry blossoms.
"Yui, dear, what's on your mind?" Masami asked quietly, soothingly taming Yui's curls.
Her daughter frowned, "I have a question... about Dad, but I don't want to ask you."
Masami's brow furrowed. That was an odd thing to be thinking of. Perhaps, like Masami, Yui was reminiscing about the times she had to accompany her to the hospital to visit Akihito.
"Well, just this once, I'll answer your question." Masami pulled her chair closer to Yui's bed. "Just one question though."
Yui swallowed, putting the plate on the bedside table before she turned her body to face Masami.
"Why did you fall out of love with Dad?"
Masami's eyes widened.
Unknown to Masami, Yui already knew the reason. But she needed to hear it from her mother herself.
"Who told you I fell out of love with your Dad?"
Well, technically Yui would know given that her father died of Hanahaki, but she couldn't quite tell her mother that.
"Uncle Shinji," Yui responded.
Her mother exhaled, leaning back in her chair as she too now admired the cherry blossoms outside the hospital window.
"We loved each other a lot, don't get me wrong. It was just... your father and I wanted different things; he wanted a family and I had my dream career that was skyrocketing." Masami glanced at Yui who attentively listened. "In other words, he wanted to settle and I wanted to keep progressing. Neither were bad life choices, but I'm sure you know now that when two people in a relationship want different things, it can lead to problems."
Yui nodded solemnly.
"When we had you, initially I was so delighted." Masami shuffled closer. "But motherhood chains you down, it's not easy for women who are dedicated to her career to have children. So I resented my life, and began to resent your father too."
Everything Kamui Woods had told her aligned with Masami's words. So, there really was nothing more to the story.
"But when your father died, I had to quit my dream job to be with you." Masami grabbed Yui's face before she could look down at her lap, their eyes meeting. "Being with you... ah geez, I didn't even miss my job. You were, and still are, my new dream. Seeing you grow up into a beautiful young lady is rewarding enough. And I'm so thankful I can work a job I love and still be with you."
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𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 | 𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙭 𝙤𝙘
Fanfiction"Izuku. I love you." She trembled as the empty shell of the boy she'd fallen in love with turned around to face her, his hair matted to his head from the rain. His eyes were unexplainably empty. "You can't." She shakily smiled, "but I have to." ...
