Chapter Text
So far, it has been three days. Three days since Izuku had gotten to the past, three days since she'd come to the Hatsume household, and three days since she decided not to go see her mom. In those three days, Mei had disappeared into the inner part of the house, emerging only when Mazarikea made her. A guilty conscience about not seeing her mom, no matter how desperately she wishes she could and still act the same, had led her to now.
Now, where she was holding a phone with a number that was etched into her heart. Her mother's phone number stared back at her. The more logical part of her brain told her she couldn't just disappear from her mom without leaving anything behind. It was Mei who had told her a solution to her problem about an hour ago when she's given it.
"If you really don't wanna worry your mama bear, why don't you just call her?" Mei told her as she casually extinguished the fire her work station had devolved into. "You don't have to tell her anything about your time travel shenanigans - just make something up about staying at a friend's house. It wouldn't even really be a lie, you did say you were my future friend and as of three seconds ago, it has now become the future since I just said that. So," Mei looked at her, grease on her cheeks and a half-crazed smile on her face. "It would just be the truth without the bits and pieces that would mentally scar her!"
Taking a breath, Izuku finally clicked the dial button. A few rings in, it picked up, and tears beaded her eyes as an oh so familiar voice spoke from the other end. "Hello, who is this?"
"M-om," Izuku said, her voice breaking slightly as she said it.
"Oh! Izuku, baby, is that you?! Where are you?! Why haven't you been home?!" Inko Midoriya frantically asked from the other side of the call. Worry was coating her voice, and Izuku could picture vividly how her eyes were tearing up from the force of her worry. Midoriya's were criers, after all.
"It's okay, Mom, I'm okay," Izuku finally got up the strength to say. She wasn't, not in the slightest with her severely underweight form and eyebag-ridden eyes after to long with no proper sleep. Still, that wasn't what this call was about. "I've just been staying over at a friend's house, is all."
"A friend?" Mom asked, and the hope lining her voice made it clear what she thought of that. "My baby girl has a friend! Oh, I'm so happy for you, Izuku! What's this friend's name, what are they like? And why didn't you just call me earlier to tell me you were at a friend's house - I would've brought you snacks and sleepover supplies!"
Despite herself, Izuku found herself laughing. A small one but it was a genuine laugh. Stars, she loved her mother so much! "Yes, Mom, I've got a friend. Her name's Mei, and she's a bit eccentric and loves inventing things. And I sort of lost my backpack a few days ago, and my phone was in it, so I wasn't able to get a hold of you until now."
Izuku smiled slightly. She missed talking to her mother. The world ended when she was 25, but Inko had gotten caught up in a major building collapse three years prior. Actually, the first time she'd met Katsuki after middle school was the day of the funeral, in the park a block down from the church her service was held in. That was one of the things Izuku hoped to change - she didn't want to have to attend her Mother's pre-mature funeral twice.
"Yes, well, you got a hold of me in the end - that's what matters. We'll just have to get you a new backpack and phone later," Mom told her, understanding as always. Stars, she loved her mother! "Do you know how much longer you'll be staying over with this 'Mei' girl? I can bring you a change of clothes if you want to extend that sleepover - you haven't had one since you were four, there's a decade of sleepovers to catch up on!"
Izuku shook her head before remembering how phone calls work and speaking. "No, that won't be necessary, Mom. Mei has a bunch of extra clothes that don't fit her anymore so she's been letting me use them. As for how long I'll be here," Izuku couldn't go back for a while. At least not until she didn't look like a breeze could knock her over.
"Her family is kinda rich, but her parents are on a business trip way out in Canada and won't be back for a few months. The house is big, and Mei ends up alone most of the time when her parents are away. I might stay until they're back - to keep her company and make sure she's doing alright. She'll starve herself working on projects if no one drags her away from her workshop."
A loud offended gasp sounded from the door, and Izuku turned to see Mei with her hand held dramatically to her chest. "Lies! Lies and slander! I won't stand for you slandering my oh so amazing reputation with Mama Green!"
Izuku furrowed her eyes in confusion and a questioning "Mama Green?" came from the phone. Seems Mom had heard Mei's rather loud exclamation. "I take it this is your friend Mei, Izuku?"
Izuku blinked, and Mei was now holding the phone, poking the speaker button. "Yup, Mei's my name, inventing is my game! Nice to meet you Mama Green!" Mei paused. "Or, well, speak to you, I guess. Haven't actually met you face to face."
"Why are you calling her 'Mama Green', Mei?"
Mei whipped around to look at Izuku. "Isn't it obvious? You're green, and she's your Mama, so she's Mama Green!" Then Mei's eyes widened. "Wait, I didn't ask to call her that."
She looked at the phone, tone now frantic as she spoke. "Sorry ma'am, I won't call you Mama Green if you don't want me to! It was just the first thing I thought of!"
An amused chuckle flowed from the phone. "It's alright, dear, I don't mind. You can call me Mama Green if you want."
Izuku suddenly sniffed and looked at Mei. "Are you burning plastic?"
Mei gasped and her eyes widened before she chucked the phone at Izuku - who fumbled to catch it - before darting out of the room yelling, "my baby!"
"She means her inventions, right?" Mom said, a twinkle of laughter threatening to surface in her voice. Izuku hummed in confirmation and Mom gave a little giggle. "I see what you meant by eccentric. She certainly sounds like an energetic friend... Are you sure you'll be okay staying there with just Mei? The both of you could stay here, you know."
"Yeah, I'm sure Mom. I don't think our apartment could withstand Mei. I'll be fine here," Izuku reassured her mother. Really, she would. Mei wasn't nearly as dangerous as what Izuku had been through. Mazarikea had already started tailoring the meals Izuku ate to be both filling and healthy enough to bring her weight back up to where it should be while balancing her personal physical needs and body type. If she kept it up, Izuku would likely end up at a healthy weight in four months, maybe a little less.
"Alright, baby, if you're sure," Mom conceded. "Just make sure to get to school on time and keep up your good work. And if anyone tries picking on you, know that I'll back you up and treat you to ice cream if you don't start it. Okay?"
Shit. Izuku forgot school was a thing. The closest they got to school after the end was combat training, stealth, medical practice - which was usually spontaneous and done during active Nomu situations - and teaching how to write and read messages on various Earthen surfaces. Anything else was either self taught, learned before the end, or learned through someone willing to pass on their knowledge.
"I will, Mom, don't worry," Izuku assured her Mom. She'd need to get into UA this time around anyway, and it would be far easier with a middle school name than being listed as home schooled.
The closest she got last time was when Fatgum accepted her into the 'Fatpport' internship to work as a support intern in his agency. Which he only did because she gave him an emergency pie when he was chasing a villain with a crystal projectile quirk. Considering that led to her first boyfriend and the rest of her career onwards before meeting Katsuki again and then surviving the end, it was definitely a work experience she'll miss this go around. Maybe she could get a heroics internship with him this time? Just for the nostalgia of interning with Fatgum, if nothing else.
"Okay," Mom said. "I love you, baby."
"I love you too, Mom." Izuku smiled. Yeah, she really did love her mother! Has she mentioned that?
"Bye bye."
"Bye." The dial tone sounded, and Izuku put down the phone with a content smile on her face. She missed her mother, and even just hearing her voice again after so long was refreshing in a way that seeing Mei was. Odd after all these years, but a welcomed oddity to be sure.
Izuku sighed before standing up with a stretch. Mei's house was very climbable, so Izuku walked off, deciding to sit on the roof for now. She could think about other things later.