Going back to reality was pretty hard...

Being used to waking up with Dabi beside me, cuddling me close and waking me up with little butterfly kisses pressed across the whole length of my neck. Spending around an hour, snuggling close to each other and speaking about anything and everything, our hands intertwined, Dabi pressing kisses to each and every one of my knuckles as we spoke. Then Hiro would come darting in, his bright blue eyes sparkling with glee, and pounce onto the bed to join our cuddle. Then getting up to go to the kitchen, Hiro and Dabi making toast or sitting at the island talking about superheroes or Shoto while I stood at the stove making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

For the past week, I thought this had all been a dream. Somehow hoping that I'd be waking up with my baby daddy, snuggling into his chiselled chest and being surrounded by his soft charcoal and burnt wood smell. Instead, I woke up to an empty bed. Maybe Hiro would be joining me from time to time but it had been empty most of the time.

My heart yearned for him, with every passing day.

I couldn't look at any of the photos without tearing up. Knowing that he doesn't look like that anymore. That he's a changed man. That Toya Todoroki was still there under all those scars and staples. Feeling like, yet again, I've lost him. That I'll never see him again. That I've somehow failed him...

Through my distraction, I manage to slice my finger while cutting vegetables for our dinner, cursing under my breath when I finally realise what I've done, rushing to the sink to run it under a tap. Shaking my head to try and get rid of the thoughts of Dabi. Wincing gently whenever I move my finger. More blood seeping out when I gently bend it, my hand fumbling through the first aid kit in the cupboard to pull out some band aids.

"Are you alright, (Y/n)?" My father asks walking into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, his piercing blue eyes staring my way making me shrink in them a I wrap the band aid around my finger, "Darling, you're very distracted, what's going on?"

"Nothing dad," I reply, waving him and his worries away, shaking my head as I grab the knife and continue to cut, groaning as I manage to nick another finger, shaking it in the air to cease the stinging, ignoring my fathers offer to help, "I'm fine,"

"Sweetie, I know something's wrong," He sighs, taking a seat on the stool, leaning against the kitchen counter as he looks toward me, his eyes laced with concern as I sigh softly, "Please talk to me, I'm here for you,"

Of course he's worried, why wouldn't he be? I would be disappointed if he wasn't? What parent wouldn't be concerned about their recently kidnapped child? I've been in and out of it since I got back. Managing to hurt myself or slip up doing the most simple of tasks. Even managing to stub my toe on the wall after walking into the doorway, not looking where I was going. The elder, much weaker male, who should be resting and recovering, teetering after me and following me to make sure I was okay. The man refusing to rest himself when he had me to worry about.

"Please talk to me, a problem shared is a problem halved," he says with a small smile, patting the empty stool beside him, offering it to me with a friendly smile, "Come on, talk to your old man, I know I'm not much but at least it's something,"

"Dad, please, I'm okay, really," I reply, sighing softly as he shakes his head, not believing a single word I had said, as he pats the stool again, "Dad... please... I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Come on, you can worry about dinner another day, we'll order takeout," My father replies, patting the stool again and grinning in triumph as I slump in defeat and take a seat next to him, resting my head on his shoulder as he pulls me close, kissing my forehead, "Now talk to me, darling, what is it that's gotten you distracted? Is there a boy you like? Are you missing your ex?"

"I... I don't know... I just..." I begin but fizzle out as I try to get the words to come out. What exactly could I say? My ex boyfriend who is presumed dead and is now an arsonist who kidnapped me and my son because he wants me back? There would be no way in hell he'd even think about taking Dabi in...

"Is this the boy?" My father asks pointing toward the photo that laid on the kitchen counter, it must have been a couple of months before he left, of Toya and I. I was on his back, smiling the biggest smile you could imagine while Toya would send the camera an awkward smile, "He's Hiro's father?"

"Y — yeah..." I reply tucking a strand of hair behind my ear gulping gently, "That's Hiro's father..."

"God he looks like Enji," My father mutters with a small chuckle, looking toward the photo with a smile, "What was he like?"

"He was sweet, kind and overall a good person," I reply with a soft smile, giggling gently as I recall every moment of Toya being the most clumsy man alive, "He was very awkward and clumsy at times too, but that made him even more cuter and attractive in my opinion... you would have liked him,"

"All of Enji's children are wonderful people," He replies with a smile, rubbing my back as I snuggle into him, close to tears myself, "I bet you miss him like crazy,"

"Of course I do," I reply rubbing the back of my neck with a small sigh, biting my lip as I internally debate whether or not I should just tell him, my mind playing tennis with the thought, "There isn't a day I go without thinking about him..."

"Sweetie, can I ask you something? About the kidnapping." My father enquires, looking toward with a small sigh, my heart caught in my throat as I look toward him with pure shock

I hadn't spoken about the kidnapping at all. We kept it on the down low, trying to speak about it as little as possible. Unfortunately, I could only lie about so much for so long. I couldn't trust myself to lie forever, my father deserves the truth...

Unfortunately, the truth isn't always what people want to hear.

"What do you want to know?" I ask cautiously, looking up at him and pushing a blonde strand out of his face with a small sigh, biting my lip in anticipation as he clears his throat.

"Hiro told me that the guy that kidnapped you was his daddy," he says, my heart sinking to my stomach as my face falls, my mouth hanging open and my eyes watering, "Sweetie, who kidnapped you?"

Of course we couldn't trust a five year old to keep a secret that big. If it were me, I would have been screaming it across the rooftop that my daddy was alive... a small sigh leaves my lips as I look down at my lap, picking at my sweatpants.

"The villain Dabi..." I reply, sniffling gently as I wipe my eyes to avoid tears spilling from them, taking a shaky, laboured breath, "Dabi is the father of my child..."

"I see..." he hums and clears his throat, pushing himself to his feet as he takes a deep breath, heading out of the kitchen, "I'll let Hawks know,"

"What?... No! Dad!" I shriek, scrambling after him, almost tripping over my own feet as I rush toward him, falling to my knees as I look up at him, tripping over one of Hiro's toys lying around on the floor, "What are you doing?!"

"Sweetie, he kidnapped you, father of your child or not he should be held accountable," he says, my heart shattering at his words as I look down at the floor, my hands shaking by my sides as he releases a small sigh, "He shouldn't have done that to you, he's a stupid boy thinking that kidnapping you was okay,"

"What if it was mom?" I ask softly, looking down at my lap, my hair covering my face to avoid him from seeing anything, knowing that mom was his weakness, speaking up a bit louder, "What if mom kidnapped you because she thought that was the only way she could see you?"

"Darling; this has nothing to do with your mother," He says rubbing his temple and shaking his head, "He's not the father of your child, he hurt you!"

"Because he has no other choice!" I shoot back staring at him, close to tears, pushing myself to my feet as I square up to him, "Toya was abused by his father! He had no other choice but to run away!"

"He could have went to yo —" he says but instantly stops as I cut him off, holding a hand up to stop him.

"What could I do against Endeavor, dad? I'm one tiny person and he's a huge ass piece of flaming crap," I reply, my hands curling into fists as I take deep breaths, trying to stop the shaking desperately but know it's in-futile, "Dad, the father of my baby is alive! He wants to be a part of his life... I want him there with us... I love him, dad... I love him so much that I don't think I can bear losing him again! Please, dad! What if it were mom? You'd want her back, right? You'd do whatever it takes to have her back because she was the world to you... please dad, please understand... I can't have my son growing up fatherless... please..."

"(Y/n)... I..." he begins before turning toward the bottom of the stairs, small feet pattering against the floor as Hiro comes teetering in, his bright blue eyes thick with tears, going to break into tears in a matter of seconds.

"Please don't take daddy away, Papa..." Hiro whimpers, wiping his eyes as he looks up toward the retired hero, sniffling and crying softly, his cheeks bright red, "I just got him back..."

Sighing softly, my father looks toward us and rubs the bridge of his nose. The small ray of hope that maybe he is considering bringing him home to help Dabi become a better person.  Hiro rushes into my arms which makes me scoop him into my home immediately, holding him to my chest as he gently cries into my shoulder.

"Please dad..." I beg softly, looking up at him, "Enji took me in when I needed help... albeit it wasn't the best help but it was something... Toya needs help... please, daddy..."

"I'll see what I can do,"...