(You're 30 and Enji is 12)

Part 1

//3 years later: end of the school year\\

Ever since Enji turned 11 you've let him walk home on his own; he was very stubborn about it. Your neighbor still stops by and helps him with homework if he needs it (but he's also stubborn about getting help). She'll cook dinner for Enji and then head off for her nightshift.

Things have really been changing around the house over the past year and a half. A little more than 7 months ago your little boy had turned 12. He's been developing his quirk and can now control the temperature of the flames (although sometimes he ends up burning himself).

Things aren't like they use to be, and yet you can only keep looking towards to the future, for the day when your fiery and stubborn boy becomes a great Hero.

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It's 10 o'clock at night and you walk through the front door as quietly as possible. You knew Enji should be in bed but it was odd that the television was still going and the living room/dining room lights were still on. You sighed for the umpteenth time that day.

You slid off your shoes and walked into the bright room only to find Enji had fallen asleep with his homework scattered across the table. You gently patted his back and spoke softly.

"Enji, you need to sleep in your bed."

Enji sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, then yawned and looks up at you. A wide, bright and sleepy smile spread across his face. "Hi Mama, welcome home."

You smiled back, "I'm home. Now let's get you too bed."

Enji turned and slumped off the dining room chair; he dragged his feet to his room with you trailing close behind.

You realize he was probably studying and working on homework since he got home; he always keeps pushing himself and you're worried about his health. You've tried to tell him multiple times that he can't keep pushing himself because he's still to young for his body to take that. In the end your stubborn little boy says he's fine and that he doesn't need to go to sleep just yet (he'll then fall asleep 10-40 minutes later). There have been many occasions where you've yelled at him to go to bed; he'll run to his room and slide under his blankets (you'd then come in and tell him that you're not angry at him but you are worried).

You tuck in Enji and he looks up at you smiling with sleep in his eyes.

"Mama", he waits a little bit as you hum a response that you're listening. "When I grow up I'm going to be a Hero you'll be proud of."

You smile and kiss his forehead, brushing his wild hair out of the way, "I'll be watching."

Turning off the light and wishing him a goodnight, you leave his room and headed to the table. Picking up the assignments and putting them in their respective notebook; you stacked the notebooks in a nice, neat pile. Turning off the TV you realize just how exhausted you are from all the current hero work. Though, thanks to All Might the villian rate has begun to go down quiet a lot but...that means there will be less Hero work for you. You've started to think that maybe you could become a nurse or doctor if there's less villian attacks.

Slumping onto the couch you begin to let your mind wander (completely forgetting about getting yourself dinner). Would Enji be okay with you quitting being a Hero? Would Enji's dream become a reality? Would Enji end up following in his father's footsteps? Just the thought of that womanizer causes you to push these thoughts out of your head. Looking on the bright side, you knew All Might won't be able to save everyone (although that isn't really all that bright) and that having other Heroes is very important. There's Hope for your boy yet.

You push yourself off the couch and wobble a bit and then steady yourself. You head to the kitchen to grab a quick little snack and then get ready for bed. It didn't dawn on you that it was Friday until you were falling asleep at 11:48.

You dreamed of a world where Enji was a great Hero that had many fans but...his father's face was all you saw in your dream. In your dream you couldn't look your own son in the eyes; he resembled his father too much.

"Mama?"

Your eyes snap open and you see a scared child looking right at you by your bed. You look at the time, 2:38 am; your attention is turned to Enji.

"Bad dream?", you ask; Enji shook his head, "yes". You turn on the bed side lamp and scoot over patting the spot where you were sleeping. When Enji was settled in and comfortable you finally said the question that comforts and distresses any child, "What was the dream about?"

Enji began to tear up and hugged you, "You're not going to leave me Mama, right?" You didn't know why he suddenly did this but you immediately assumed it was because of the nightmare. You smile softly and ran your hand gently along his wild hair.

"Of course not; you're my little boy and that means you mean the world to me. If I had to pick between my job and you, I'd pick you any day."

Enji looked up and smiled as his tears slowly came to a end.

"So what exactly was the dream about?" Even though your son is already 12 years old, you hold him close to comfort him. For all you know this could be the last time he ever comes to you because of a bad dream.

"Well, I lost control of my quirk even though I've had lots of practice. You got fed up with me and left. The last thing you said to me was that you wished I was never born...I then woke up wondering if you hated me. You once said that I have the same face as Dad so I began thinking that you hated me for that... why did you get with Dad even though you hate him?"

You're shocked; you've avoided this to the best of your ability but now you can't avoid it anymore.

"W-well... it's, um, it's complicated...", you looked at your confused son's face. "I once did love your Papa but he tricked me. He...he was hanging around with other women even though he was engaged. You see the woman he was engaged to couldn't have kids so your Papa used his money and charm so that he could have children of his blood."

Enji was frowning, "What a jerk, he was just using people. My Dad isn't a Hero!"

You laughed a little. Enji then asked you another question, "How did you know that you loved him even though he was mean and tricked you?"

You stopped smiling and didn't know what to say, "Well, as I said it's complicated. Love is one of the hardest and most complicated things to understand. When you meet someone you love, you would do anything for them. When you fall in love, romantically, you want to be close to them, you don't know how to approach them, you can always pick them out even in a crowded room. You want to do everything with them, yet at the same time you want to do nothing with them, just sit in silence and enjoy their presence."

Enji seemed flustered for some reason.

"What's wrong Enji?"

"I-I um...", he spoke softly, "...I think I like a girl in my class. She's so nice and calm where I'm stubborn and angry..."

You laugh, he was pushing himself down thinking he wasn't good enough to be with his classmate, definitely a crush.

"Tell me more about her and how you feel whenever she's around."

Enji was even more embarrassed, "Well, um, she's pretty, she's the complete opposite of me. I want to impress her but whenever I do something really cool she's not looking...I think she hates me."

You laugh, "Yup, sounds like a crush to me."

Enji was so flustered he could have easily set your bed on fire then and there.

"W-what should I do Mom?!"

"I don't know, that's for you to figure out... it's difficult, trust me, but I'm not the right person to help, your friends are but... it's probably not a good idea to tell anyone till you're older."

Enji nodded and began to get off your bed to head back to his own room but you stop him. "Hey Enji...", he stops and turns around.

"Yeah Mom?"

"What's her quirk?" Your question caused him to freeze up and stare at you blankly, yet scared.

"Oh, um...", he looked at the ground, "she has an ice quirk."

You smiled and decided to tease him, "Aww, fire and ice, how cute."

Enji ran off to his room as you laugh...they grow up so fast.