𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 | 𝐣𝐣𝐤

vii - insecure

"Welcome home," (Y/N) said, lethargy evident in her tone.

The eldest Fushiguro hummed in response and took off her shoes. (Y/N) asked her about her day but she had blocked out her voice, so she called out again.

"Tsukimi? Are you ignoring me?" her voice was soft, careful not to stir the sleeping child resting on her legs.

The said girl was unresponsive, anxiety coursed through her mother.

"What's wrong? Something happened at school?" (Y/N) playfully added, "More kindergarten scandalous drama?"

The girl didn't reply, she walked past her mother and set her school bag in her bedroom. As she went back into the dining room to finish what was left of her lunch, which consisted of white rice with teriyaki leftovers bathed in chilled soy sauce. She consumed it with chopsticks next to her mother, who successfully stole a slice of chicken with her bare fingers.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?"

Tsukimi had never thought selfishly before, never even thought of comparing herself to her younger brother and their attention differences.

(Y/N)'s brows furrowed in confusion, "Of course I do, and I always will. No matter what."

"Then why do you pay so much more attention to Megumi than me?"

"Megumi requires more care, he's still so little. You're a big girl who doesn't need me all the time, but Megumi is still so little."

Sometimes (Y/N) forgets that Tsukimi is still 6 years old. She acts so mature, putting herself to bed and taking care of herself without any help. (Y/N) never encouraged these behaviors, she actually told the girl to be more dependent on her mother. There was a growing gap between the two, but that didn't change the fact that Tsukimi was still so young and could only handle so much stress.

The girl was unsatisfied, "I'm not your real kid. I'm just staying here until I can move out. You're not my real mother, you're just a guardian."

(Y/N)'s heart seemed to sink into her stomach in raw despair, her eyes wide with desperation, pain.

"Is that really all you think of me? Just someone that looks after you?" her voice was hushed, she wasn't sure how to react.

Tsukimi clenched her jaw, "It's the truth."

"No it's not. Don't tell me what you are to me, especially if you're going to give me something like that bullshit." This was the first time Tsukimi had ever heard her mother swear, "You're my daughter, I legally adopted you and I'm going to raise you to be a good person, just because we don't share the same blood doesn't mean that I'm not your mother any less."

Silence filled the room as (Y/N) had paused to collect her thoughts.

"What I think... A mother isn't the woman who is related to you, the woman who gave birth to you, it's the woman who nurtures you and raises you to be a good person. That person that left you on your doorstep is not your mother. No mother would leave her child behind like that, mothers do not do that."

Tsukimi's eyes were glossy as she remembered the countless beatings her previous guardian would give her if she had done anything remotely inconvenient, the years of neglect. (Y/N)'s touch was so soft, as if Tsukimi was a china doll that could shatter if held too tight.

"I know I can't provide for you as other parents can. I'm sorry you can't experience that life you deserve, but I love you nonetheless. I always will, not more or any less than your little brother."