CHAPTER 175 EXPLANATIONS

CHAPTER 175 EXPLANATIONS

I was woken up by loud knocking at my door. Toru didn’t hardly stir as the door was knocked on louder and louder. Getting up I threw the blanket over her, though she was invisible again I still didn’t want her to be outed. Kicking her clothes under the bed I walked to the door. Cracking it I asked, “What?”

“Weston,” my dad said, almost desperate as he tried to push his way in. I glared at him, stopping him in his tracks.

“One second,” I whispered. Shutting the door I grabbed a shirt. Putting it on, Toru hadn’t stirred so I walked out into the hall. “What’s up, dad?”

“What’s up!? You were kidnapped!” He said, angry himself now.

“And I got out of it,” I said as if he was stupid. “Stop yelling, kids are sleeping.” I looked around as if the other rooms were full. “Come on,” I said walking down the hall. Going to one of the many study rooms it had a large table but also a glass wall that looked out onto the forested area of the UA Campus.

I moved to stand by the windows. Looking out onto the forest I forced myself to calm down. I had been thinking about too much lately. This was the last thing that I wanted to deal with. But now I knew that this was supposedly my dad. Not some figment of my imagination he was a living and breathing person that helped to make me. It was time to talk about a subject that we haven’t broached.

“Dad, I’m going to be a hero,” I said. The older man had gone quiet as he looked out the window. My words brought him out of his own thoughts. “This is not a come home safe everyday type of job. Bad things will happen. Before you start spouting off bullshit about me getting kidnapped and it not being worth it. This is what I’ve always wanted to do. Nothing you say is going to stop that.”

My father exhaled a long breath. Almost deflating as he studied the stern look on my face. The man had walked in with a mission, but now he had a lost look on his face. The look that had plagued him for all these years after his wife was killed. A man that didn’t know what to do was back in front of me. It was sad how quickly the look came back to him. No longer confident, he struggled with what to say.

“Say it,” I said, annoyed.

“What?”

“Say what you were going to say,” I said. “I’m sure you were preparing some big long speech for me. Might as well say it.” I knew what it was like to have kids. A dad always had a lecture.

My dad studied me for a long time. Struggling with that to do, but eventually he spoke. “You’re right. I didn’t think about it. I-I’ve been on autopilot for years,” he admitted. Tears coming to his eyes. “So long, after your mom died, I ignored you. Did what I had to provide for you. Just because I couldn’t be there for you emotionally. I stopped being your father a long time ago.” He was full on crying now. Tears dripping down his cheeks, it was sad to admit that I felt some sting my eyes as well. That part of me that went to bed crying because I felt like I wasn’t worth my dad’s time. That part that hated my father for how he ignored me was coming to the surface.

“Even now, now that I feel a little like the old me. I still wasn’t a part of your life,” he scoffed. “I’m a joke. I couldn’t protect your mom. Couldn’t be there as your dad. I didn’t really worry about you until I heard you were kidnapped. And the-the guilt,” he said pushing down on his chest. “My guilt for what I had done came crashing down. And,” he got out through struggling breath, “And I feared I wouldn’t get the chance to say I’m sorry.”

He grabbed my shoulders slowly. Unashamed about the tears in his eyes or snot dripping down his nose. “I am sorry, Weston. I am so sorry for not being the dad you deserve. I don’t deserve it, but please, let me be a part of your life. Any part. I don’t care. If you want to be a hero, I understand. But let me try to make it up to you a little. If you are going to try for this dangerous job. Let me live without regrets. Learn about all that I’ve missed in your life.”

It was sad how much this was affecting me. I could kill people and not lose any sleep. But like any child I was a sucker for my parents. I did the only thing I could. Drawing him in for a hug I didn’t trust myself to talk. All my anger slowly leaving me I let the embrace replace the hurtful words I prepared.

My father was full on crying now as he tried to crush me. Hugging me with all he had I actually felt it a little as he cried into my shoulder. It took time but eventually he stopped. Sniffing he wiped his nose as he said, “Jeez, you’re like hugging a brick.”

“Been training,” I said, wiping my own nose. I took a steadying breath. “I...am hesitant to trust you, dad.” He gave me a confused look. “10 years you’ve been depressed and distant. I doubt that a few months is enough to fix everything.” I moved to the table. Sitting down I decided, “I will give you a chance. Tell me. What changed with you.”

He slowly understood what I was saying. Sitting opposite of me at the table he admitted, “It changed when I heard that the guy that killed your mom was dead.”

“Go on, there has to be more than that,” I said bluntly.

“Honestly? That was it,” he said, laughing at himself. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to not be able to do anything? Your mom and I had quirks, but we didn’t train with them. They couldn’t do much. We were normal people. So when she was killed, I wanted revenge. I wanted it so bad.” He gripped his hands together, both shaking with anger. “In the beginning I called daily if there was news. Then weekly. Then monthly. Then nothing. I forced myself not to think about it. Focused on work. I turned my mind off to everything. I interacted with people, but I haven’t felt my true self in years. Then I heard he was dead. It was like...this headache that had been plaguing me for years finally stopped hurting me. My eyes opened for the first time in, I don’t know how long.”

“And your girlfriend?” I asked, skeptical.

He chuckled. “She had been hitting on me for years apparently,” he admitted. “I didn’t register it. Always working late together. I didn’t see it until after I heard the news about that Landslide asshole. I actually asked her ‘are you flirting with me?’ and she said, ‘duh haven’t you been paying attention?’”

“Jeez, you’re hopeless,” I said, a wry smile on my lips.

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head. “What else do you want to know?”

I thought about it. “Where do you want to go from here?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t know how to be a dad. Hell, you’ve been raising yourself since your grandparents died. You’ve done so-”

“Let’s leave that out of the equation for now,” I said, cutting him off. “I have a life, dad. I have classes and training. A girlfriend of my own. This is my focus. I can’t move back home. It takes too much away from my goals.”

“I understand. Anything,” he said quickly. “I would be happy with anything you can give me. I want to know about your classes. Your girlfriend. Just tell me all about it. I want to hear it all. I want to know when you are on summer break. Hell, I didn't even know that.”

I chewed my lip. “Fine, tonight,” I said. “I will try to bring my girlfriend over. You can meet her. We can have dinner and talk.”

“Great,” he said, a big smile on his face. “Please, anything.”

“Don’t act so needy, dad,” I said, rolling my eyes. We studied one another, both chuckling at the same time. I got up and he followed. “Thank you. For saying all that. It’s...what I needed to hear.”

“I would like to say more, but I’m not the best at expressing how I feel. Instead, let me do better,” he said.

“I think I can give you the opportunity,” I said. We spoke a little more and he was soon on his way out of there. I shook my head. Going back to my room Toru threw the blanket off of her as I walked in. “Who did that?” I asked in a scared tone as I looked around.

“I don’t remember his name. He had this black mask-”

“Not him. Who from class was there?” He growled.

“I have been under a very traumatic experience,” I said. “My memory is fuzzy. I think I hit my head.”

“Weston, this isn’t a joking matter,” Aizawa said. “They could have been hurt.”

“As I could have been,” I said. “Sorry sensei. You’ll have to drag it out of them. Friends don’t narc.”

Aizawa grumbled but dropped it. “Anything else?” The detective asked.

“Uh I don’t think so?” I asked. “Anything you all want to know?” During an interrogation I didn’t want to talk more than I had to. I might accidentally slip something.

“What can we do for you?” All Might asked. I looked at him confused. “You were kidnapped under our watch, young Weston. I heard you warned everyone that the villains were coming. But still, you were taken. What can we do for you to regain your trust in us?”

“Oh that,” I said, waving my hand to dismiss it. “Don’t worry about it. They were going to kidnap someone. I thought it might as well be me.”

“What?!” Aizawa yelled, standing up he had more emotion on during this conversation than any others. “You let yourself be taken?”

“Sure. I mean I wasn’t compressed anymore. I pushed Bakugo out of the way. I figured if they were going to take anyone I couldn’t let it be the number 2 guy in class. If anyone could escape, it was me. I mean they left right after. No one died. Kind of wrapped itself up nicely. I appreciate you coming to save me and all. But we are training to become heroes. Would be kind of dumb if I needed saving, right?”

“Everyone needs saving in one way or another, young Weston,” All Might said. Spouting some wisdom as always. “We appreciate how well you are taking this.”

“Yeah, no problem,” I said. “We uh done here?”

“We don’t know where the League of Villains have disappeared to,” Aizawa admitted. “It would be best if you stayed close to the school over the rest of your break. They may try to kidnap you again.”

“Oh right, sure,” I lied. There was no way I was hanging there for summer break. What were they going to do? Kick me out? Then I could get kidnapped more easily.

“Thanks again y’all. Appreciate the hard work.” I gave them a double thumbs up and headed out. Unfortunately my day of explaining things wasn’t done though. Going through the main lobby to disregard Aizawa’s words I came upon a crying Tsuyu.

“Froppy girl, what’s wrong?” I asked. She jolted, hearing my voice she hopped up then jumped to me. Hitting my chest hard as she cried into me. “What’s the matter? Did someone steal your favorite lily pad?”

She scoffed, trying not to laugh as she cried into my chest. I patted her back letting her cry it out. It took time but she eventually mumbled out. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Bopping her on the head I asked, “For what?”

“We discussed it!” She cried out, still muffled by my chest. “We talked about going to save you. The whole class. I-I was the only one that said we shouldn’t try to get you. It’s against the rules to use our quirks. And I didn’t want anyone else to-”

I stopped her yammering by picking her up from under her arms. Lifting her off she unlatched reluctantly. Staring her in the eyes I put my best stern face on. “You did nothing wrong,” I said. “You were right to tell them not to go.” She sniffed trying to pull snot back in. Her big eyes still watery as she fought tears. “You understand? I am not angry with you. I couldn’t be if I wanted to. You were the voice of reason for those idiots. Okay?”

She wiped her eyes but nodded. “Good, but you need to know. Nothing could stop me from coming to save you,” I told her with all the seriousness I could muster.

“That makes me feel even worse,” she said, tears coming to her eyes again. I rolled my eyes and pulled her closer kissing her to shut her up. She froze up, unsure how to respond. No tongue, I was afraid she would stick her long one in my mouth. Luckily, it was all lips. Simple and to the point to shut her up.

As she slowly relaxed I began to move my lips and she responded in kind. Moaning in my mouth as my hands moved to her ass. The much smaller girl wrapped her legs around my torso as the kiss became more heated. Tsuyu soon initiating the movement of our lips as we kissed over and over. Her body reacting to my hand movements I didn’t use any chakra to take her first kiss. Simply letting 2 normal people enjoy the caress of one another.

Eventually she caught herself. Pushing away a little she asked, “Toru’s your girlfriend.” Saying the words to herself and me.

I nodded slowly. “She is,” I admitted, making her frown. “Toru and I have an unconventional relationship. She won’t care.”

“What?” Tsuyu asked, not understanding.

“Sorry can’t say more without her sayso,” I said. “But trust me, she won’t care if we kissed.” I could tell the moment was gone though. Releasing her very muscular rear I set her back down on the ground. She was in a daze for a bit. “Are you good now?” I asked.

Lost it took her a moment. “Um yeah.” Trying to move on she clarified, “You’re really not mad?”

“No, you’re my Tsuyu. I couldn’t get mad at you,” I said, rustling her hair. She smiled slightly. “Besides, you were right. I escaped on my own.”

“That’s what I heard,” she said with a giggle. “Momo told me.”

“Yeah, Bakugo was really sad. I think he wanted to be the white knight so I would swoon for him,” I admitted. She giggled again.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” she said.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” I said. “I heard you fought that vampire girl.”

“Oh right, she was crazy,” Tsuyu said. I rested my hand on her shoulder as she told me about it. Toga had stolen a lot of Uraraka’s blood during the camping trip. I would have to watch to make sure she didn’t turn into Uraraka. With luck, my Roronoa clone would end himself soon to catch me up on the League’s plans. Then I could send a new clone to replace him.