Halfway to the Moon

Dawn (Pt. 1)

 Letting a small grunt slip past his lips as he stretched his arms above his head, Izuku strolled out of his bedroom lazily. He’d woken up a little earlier than usual and couldn’t fall back asleep, and he’d stayed up late the night before to spend some well-deserved quality-time with his mother, so he was exhausted. Even so, though, he couldn’t help the smile etched into his freckled cheeks.

 

 The day before had just been so amazing!

 

 First, Kacchan had taken him to get dinner, where the food had been great and the company even greater. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so genuinely comfortable around his childhood friend. They’d bantered! Like friends! Izuku had been half worried he’d wake up at any moment and discover it had all been one crazy fever dream.

 

 Then, of course, Kacchan had walked him home- and offered his jacket to boot, something Izuku never would have imagined he’d do in a million years- and instead of Hisashi’s less-than-warm welcome, he was greeted by his mother! Seeing his mom was a rarity as they were both overworked and frequently gone from the house, so seeing her home and awake before him for once was like the icing on a cake.

 

 He and his mother were up well past both of their bedtimes, but the few hours he spent in her company were well worth the little bit of added fatigue. He had just missed her so much; it seemed like a lifetime since he’d seen her last. He supposed he took after his mom in that regard- overly affectionate and a worrywart, just like her.

 

 Thus, he made his way down the hallway and into the kitchen with a pep in his step. He grabbed a skillet from the cupboard and got to work making some slightly charred toast and over medium eggs (that ended up scrambled). He worked as quietly and quickly as he could. No need to wake the beast.

 

He ate right there in the kitchen, listening to his father’s ragged breaths and snores. The sound brought forth a breath of relief but also a twist of sadness.

 

 As hard as he worked at his part-time job, he was never able to provide his mother with the relaxation she was overdue for. When he first got the job, and was slowly able to provide more and more, he’d thought perhaps his mom could take some time off, but then Hisashi came.

 

 Whatever cash his father had brought with him was gone in a flash, all spent on beer and liquor, and it didn’t take long for Izuku to find out just how savage the man could be sober. Without drunkenness impairing his motor skills, Hisashi could hit a lot harder for a lot longer. So Izuku started leaving money on the living room table for him to collect when he awoke at night.

 

 It really cut into his paycheck- alcohol was pretty damn expensive- but it gave him a modicum of repose, and it saved his mother from the possibility of seeing her son bloody and broken on the rough, scratchy carpet of their living room floor. Or decreased the possibility, at least.