A/N: I had to take a few days to recover from a fall I'd taken while at work but I'm back now! Here's last Thursday's update! Enjoy 6k! Also, trigger warning for non-con during the first part of this chapter.

"Do you love me?" 

It's a simple question, one devoid of the usual cryptical, nonsensical drivel that Mitsuki is usually on about when she's drunk and yet somehow it easily pulls the rug from beneath Masaru's feet. 

In over three decades of marriage, romanticism has never made an appearance. They didn't do physical affirmations and affections. There was never any chance of giving Katsuki a home with two parents who love and care for each other so long as he and Mitsuki were married. He doesn't understand why she's asking him a question that she already knows the answer to. 

"I used to think that I did." He answers honestly, eyes flickering up at her to watch for her reaction before they travel back down to the book in his hand. 

"Mmm." She hums, gaze fixated on the painting of them that hung above the fireplace. She'd had it commissioned right after Katsuki was born. A picture of happiness. 

A falsified fairy tale. 

"What changed?"

This question is even more confusing than the first. Are these supposed to be interpreted as a set of trick questions? Is she testing him for some reason or another? He doesn't quite have the energy to deal with being smacked around today so he wants to tell her whatever it is that she wants to hear. The issue with that is that...well, he's not quite sure what she wants him to do. Lie to her? Tell her that he loves her more than anything the world could give him? Or does she want an honest truth? 

"...is that question rhetorical?" 

"No. I want to know the very moment that your mind changed about loving me. About the very moment that made you, for even a moment, believe that you did." There's no drunken slurring, words oddly articulate for someone who's been drinking whiskey for the latter part of the evening. Masaru doesn't quite trust it. 

He slowly closes the book to turn his attention to her. 

"I...I suppose the moment you rescued me from the shelters was the first time that I'd looked at you with stars in my eyes, you know? You were giving me a second chance when I never had a choice in what to do with the first one." He begins, careful in his tone as he watches her, tipping towards the edge of his seat with anxiety. She hums again and nods, letting him know that she was listening. 

"And I assume the first time I had hit you was when it all started to fade, hm?" 

"...Yes. But then I got pregnant with Katsuki and for that brief moment of time, things were perfect. You treated me with a tender sort of kindness. After Katsuki was born, however, you gradually reverted to the way that things were." 

After Katsuki went missing, she became unbearably worse. 

"Things between us happened so quickly. Of course I didn't know who I was actually getting married to but I don't regret that part. I don't know if I'd ever have gotten the chance to get the hell out of that place otherwise." 

"Probably not. You were soiled. No alpha worth their salt would have wanted to wed a whore and you wouldn't have gotten work elsewhere." She says rather casually. She finally tears her eyes away from the painting to rake them over Masaru's form. They're distant---faraway but yet so incredibly invasive even as he's sat on the opposite end of the room. 

"For what it's worth, I didn't do it out of pity. You were beautiful. I knew I'd get beautiful children out of you. And since you were used to being treated like a right slut, I didn't have to worry about you fumbling about in bed. You would know how to please me." 

Ah, there it is. She's begun her inebriated rambling now. It will undoubtedly escalate to which Masaru assumes he'll be on the rather unfortunate end of a beating. Perhaps he could run fast enough to lock himself in the bathroom until she passes out drunk, screeching and banging at the door like some sort of feral beast. 

"...I see." Is all that he offers in a flat tone, flipping the book open once more but tensing up when he sees her stand from the corner of his eye. He can hear the tell-tale sound of her feet against the tile with every drag. 

"You lived up to every expectation I had for you and yet I still can't stand to look at you most days. I wonder why that is." 

"As do I. I'd remind you that you could very well let me go and spend your days fucking whoever you want but for some godforsaken reason, you refuse to let me leave." His voice is tight, heart nearly jumping out of his throat when he realizes that he may have just earned himself a trip to the emergency room. 

Red painted fingers tangle into his hair and tighten uncomfortably but she doesn't pull or tug him---she just laughs. 

"I guess I could. But then who would take care of me like you do, Masa?" 

"Your stupid maids and butlers seem to do quite a fine job." 

"But they don't suck a good cock like you." She chuckles, gently slapping him against his cheek as she holds him in place with the hand in his hair. "And their pussies don't get as wet as yours does whenever we fuck. They don't wiggle and squirm and cry and bitch about my dick being so big that it hurts like you do." She leans in close, lips ghosting against his ear. 

"Sure as hell don't make me as much money as you do." She whispers, releasing him with a bit of a shove as she bubbles into giggling laughter. "Where the hell would you even go, Masaru? Nobody loves you. Hell, Fujiwara's kid only helped you because he felt sorry for you---" 

"Katsuki loves me." Masaru declares, jaw tight as he steels himself to Mitsuki's harsh words. He looks her in the eyes, brows set in firm disdain. "Katsuki loves me and Touya loves me, too. And his parents---Enji and Keigo? They care so much about me that they were willing to lock me there in that room just to keep me away from you. You spent all of these years trying to make me feel like no one would ever love me. Now you're just angry because I know that it's not true." 

He's unsure of where this sudden burst of courage has come from but something within him is absolutely seething. He's braced himself to be struck---he already feels the sting of it against his cheek---but ironically, it never comes. 

She's smiling. 

Or, rather, there's a sinisterly giddy grin spreading across her face. 

"Well, look at the balls that grew on you! Bein' around that Todoroki brat really gave you some fuckin' backbone, didn't it? Oh, that's fuckin' golden. " She cackles, hands on her knees as she stumbles back from the force of her own laughter. 

Masaru startles as she suddenly yanks him up from the sofa by his shirt. 

His breath catches in his throat, scent souring with fear as his feet leave ground and he's suddenly being dragged across their sitting room. 

"I give you a little bit of freedom and you come back acting as if you've lost your goddamn mind. Like you don't have proper training. You think I'm a fucking joke? Hah? Answer me you dumb fucking slut!" 

She's never done this before, take him to a different room just to beat the shit out of him. He can barely make sense of where they're going, head knocking against the stairs and railing as he flails behind her in an attempt to get loose. 

"That's okay, baby. You just need to be reminded, that's all. Reminded that you belong to me. Nobody's gonna take care of you like I do." She sighs, kicking open one of the many doors of the long hallway just to drag him through it and throw him in. He narrowly misses getting his head smacked against the large, oak frame of the bed. "It's a shame that we have to go back to doing this. Honestly, I thought I was done training you years ago but it would seem that being lax with your conditioning has made you a problem for me. Can't have that, now can I?"

He can hear the sound of her belt coming undone behind him. 

"W-What are you doing?" He scurries to right himself, eyes bucked and frantic as he turns just in time to watch her trousers fall to her ankles. 

She snorts. 

"Now you're scared? Oh, don't gimme that shit. I'll give you a reason to be scared if you want." She reaches out to grab him by the hair again, violently dragging him forward to shove his face against her shameless erection. He reaches up to try and push her away but it only serves to make her more aggressive, dragging him up onto his knees when he tries to pull away. 

"Don't fuckin' piss me off, Masaru, and don't make me tell you twice. Open up and relax that pretty throat. You're gonna let daddy fuck it and then you're gonna drink me all down like a good slut, aren't you?" 

Even if he complies, he knows that she's going to do everything she can to make it painful. 

He supposes, in this instance, it's a good thing that he's so used to being treated like a whore. 

#

"I can explain." 

Though, Toshinori honestly can't. He wants to say that he has a valid explanation for such horrible and completely untrue accusations. He doesn't know why Hizashi is accusing him of such a thing. He doesn't understand what he possibly could have done to give the other blonde the impression that he'd betray him that way. He thought that he and Hizashi were friends. 

Apparently, that was far from the truth. 

Inko doesn't even offer him the smallest glance, sitting at the edge of their bed to lotion her arms and legs. She'd just come from the shower and was getting ready for bed. She seemed so calm about all of this which, admittedly, confuses Toshinori just as much as it worries him. Did she not know what was going on? Was he going to have to tell her about said accusations before defending himself? He'd much rather eat a roll of sandpaper than have to do that. 

"That's not really necessary, dear." 

Guilt settles deep in Toshinori's gut even though he's done nothing to be guilty about. 

"B-But it is. I've never thought I'd be in a situation like this but nothing about those accusations---" 

"Is true. Yes, I'm very aware." She discloses, finally looking up at her husband whose feet seem to be glued to their spot at the threshold of their bedroom door. "Shota and I have a very long discussion about it. Though, I know you'd never do such a thing even without him vouching for you. Do you honestly think that I trust you so little? That I think so lowly of you that I'd hear something so ridiculous and then just run with it?" 

Toshinori feels the tension in his shoulders dissipate all at once with a sharp sigh, dragging himself to sit next to her and wipe a hand over his face in exhaustion. He'd spent the last three hours sitting at his desk trying to figure out how he was going to explain this entire mess and Shota had already done him the favor of saving his sorry ass once again. 

Toshinori doesn't feel as though he deserves such an amazing friend. 

Shota didn't have to clean up Toshinori's mess---not when life at home is such a nightmare for him---but he did. The dark-haired man is surely going to drown himself in work just to keep himself occupied. It's not healthy coping but Toshinori knows there isn't anything he can do to talk him out of it. He's considered giving Hizashi a call to try and clear things up. Maybe it would simply be better to go by instead. 

"I'm much too old for my heart to be taking this kind of strain, you know." 

Inko's warm, beautiful voice is like bells in his ears when she laughs, leaning over to press a kiss to her husband's jaw. "With the line of work that you're in? I think you'll be fine."

"I don't know, Inko. I'm almost seventy years old. It's about time I should think about retirement. Maybe after this case...maybe once Katsuki is truly and honestly free...I should turn in my badge." 

In fact, recent events have led him closer to this revelation than any other moment in his career. It would seem that tragedy after tragedy befalls that young boy and his mother. Toshinori could handle it in moderation. Could desensitize himself to things when he'd had the time to decompress and move on from them. But this? 

He's just not strong enough to separate his feelings from his work anymore. 

"If that's what you want, dear, then I support you. Whatever you'd like to do." 

Toshinori smiles, reaching out to take her much smaller hand in his own and kiss the soft skin above her knuckles.

"I know. You're amazing." He says, standing up from the bed again. "Suppose I should talk to our boy about all of this. Touya told me that Izuku and Hitoshi got into it pretty badly today." 

"They did. I had to check and make sure Izuku's nose wasn't broken; he was a bloody mess when he came home. Shouto explained to me what happened and we spent...a considerable amount of time trying to get him to stop crying." Inko sighs, remembering how torn up Izuku was about the idea that his father would have cheated on her. He was terrified that their family would fall to ruin and that they'd get a divorce---that they'd be divided. He didn't want to live that way; he begged his mother to try and work things out with Toshinori and insisted that something must be wrong because his father wouldn't do something to hurt them like that on purpose, right? 

Inko had almost cried with him. It was almost like he was a small pup again, clinging to her. 

"I told him that it was all a misunderstanding and that everything between us was fine. I had to explain to him that what you and Shota were up to had everything to do with Katsuki's case and once he began to understand that everything was fine, he'd gone to shut himself up in his room with Shouto to steady his nerves." She continued, climbing up into the bed. "Hitoshi and Hizashi don't know about the case and Shota isn't allowed to tell them. Technically, we shouldn't even know. I hope he's able to work things out with Hitoshi. They were very good friends up until now." 

Toshinori couldn't agree more. Hitoshi, contrary to popular belief, isn't a boy who's violent by nature. Something must have really set him off for him to have attacked Izuku---especially since they've been incredibly good friends up until recently. He might even be inclined to say that they were best friends. 

"Don't worry. I'm going to try and do a bit of damage control. Hopefully the boys can talk things out soon, but I at least need to have a word with Hizashi. We're so close to breaking this case and getting these bastards put away once and for all but I can't leave Shota hanging like this simply for the sake of it." 

"I certainly hope you wouldn't. I happen to enjoy Shota very much. He'd the only one of your friends who is even remotely bearable." 

Toshinori smiles at that. One thing he loves the most about Inko is how confident she is in herself, certain that her role in his life is secured. No need for petty insecurities, especially when he's already given this woman his life. Not every is so lucky to have a partner that trusts them so wholeheartedly. 

"Really? I get that Kayama and Vlad are a little---" 

"Loud and obnoxious." 

"That's fair. What about Thirteen? She's not loud and obnoxious." 

"No, but she happens to be involved in their shenanigans most of the time instead of being the voice of reason." 

Which is also fair. Thirteen is neutral most of the time. 

"Well, what about Enji? You like him, don't you?" 

Inko pauses to give him a pointed look. "You mean your ex." She corrects him and Toshinori rolls his eyes. "We were friends before that and we promised we'd remain friends afterwards! Come now, don't be that way." 

"I don't have anything against Enji. He's lovely---a darling little sweetheart, actually. However, it's a little difficult to concentrate around you both when you still make googly eyes at one another." 

Toshinori's jaw drops in disbelief. 

"We do not make 'googly eyes' at each other---that's absurd!" 

"What's absurd is that you two are so oblivious to your own feelings." She near cackles, trying and failing to stifle it with her hand. 

"Honestly. You two have gone and moved on with your lives---have fallen in love with other people to start families and you still gush over each other like smitten teenagers. You're going to tell me that you don't notice the way that he looks at you? Or that you haven't any knowledge on your obvious soft spot for him? Are you going to at least admit that you'd only built such a relationship with Touya because he's Enji's son? Any other little degenerate and you'd have let the jail have him by now." 

Toshinori is at a loss for words, Inko's slowly sinking into his skin as begins to second guess himself. Has he honestly been blatantly fawning over Enji? Especially in front of his wife ? 

He has to atone for his sins. 

"Don't look so dejected. And don't you dare apologize, either." 

"But---" 

"Nori. I'm not angry." She reiterates more clearly. "The only people who don't feel anything at all for their first loves are the ones who never had them to begin with. I don't blame you for that. I couldn't." 

Right. Inko has a habit of going on about her late husband---Izuku's biological father who died before Inko even knew that she was pregnant. He knows that she could never stop feeling things for him but it feels so different. Hisashi was dead and all that Inko had left of him was Izuku and the memories of the love they shared. Enji was…

Well. Let's not get into the complications of his past relationship with Enji. 

It didn't feel right to compare the two. Toshinori still feels that he should at least apologize. Does she not count that as a betrayal? 

"It's different." 

"It isn't." She replies casually, stretching her limbs as a yawn overcomes her. "Forget that I even mentioned it, dear. I didn't think you'd go into a crisis about it. It's harmless. Just because you still have love for Enji doesn't mean that you love me any less. 

And that's...true. 

"I...I suppose." He relents. He feels more confusion than clarity. There's an urge to talk with Enji---to find if there's any real truth to this or if Inko is simply teasing him and messing with his head but nothing screams 'BAD FUCKING IDEA' quite like that one does so he decides against it. 

"I'm gonna get going. Don't wait up for me; I'm not quite sure how long this is going to take. Hopefully Hitoshi is home as well and I can talk to them both at once. I'd like to get this whole mess cleared up sooner rather than later. To get things back to normal." 

As normal as they could be, at least. 

"Good luck, dear." 

"Thank you. I've a feeling I might need it."

#

"Thanks for babysitting, Nejire." 

Hado offers Hitoshi a smile even though the alpha looks as if he's about to crumple to the floor at any moment. It's difficult to tell whether his exhaustion is physical or emotional. 

"Totally, anytime! We had a lot of fun today, huh, Eri?" She prompts and the little girl nods, although she lacks the same enthusiasm Nejire seems to have. She releases the older woman's hand, reaching out to take her brother's instead. Hitoshi manages a smile at that, at least. As much of a nightmare as this whole ordeal has been, he doesn't want his little sister to suffer for it. "Come on, little lady. How about we go home and get comfortable so we can make cinnamon rolls and watch that show you like so much?" 

Eri gasps in both shock and excitement. 

"Y-You'll watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with me?"

"Yup."

"B-But you hate it…" 

"Mm. I love you though. And if it makes my little ladybug happy then it doesn't matter how much I don't like it." He declares and Eri giggles, hugging him tightly. Nejire's smile broadens. "I can always keep her for another night if you need some time. I know things are tough at home right now with your mom and uncle 'Zashi." 

"No, it's fine. I couldn't impose on you and Togata like that. Besides, I don't trust leaving dad alone while he's such a nervous wreck. I was hoping mom would come home tonight but...I don't think that's gonna happen." 

A sympathetic expression crosses the beta's features. "I understand. Just call if you need me though, okay? We're family, Toshi. And I know you think Mirio doesn't like you but he thinks of you as family too. We care about you guys, okay?" 

Hitoshi sighs, fingers tugging through his hair. "Alright, sure. And I don't dislike your boyfriend; his jokes are just corny." 

He also happens to know that Nejire thinks so too, but she thinks that it's part of his attractiveness. 

Go figure. 

He stands still and allows her to hug him, patting her on the back as not to make her feel weird about him feeling weird about physical contact. He's still very uncomfortable about physical affections that don't come from his mother, his sister, and his boyfriend. His father was never really the super touchy, feely type unless it was with Eri and, until several years ago, his mom. He was a firm believer in alphas needing to grow up with tough skin. His mother had argued that Hizashi was simply raising traits of toxic masculinity into their son but Hizashi never changed. 

Old habits die hard, he supposed. 

"Goodnight, Eri! Bye, sweetie!" Nejire adds, pressing a kiss to Eri's temple. Eri offers a soft farewell just as Hitoshi turns to carry her and her car seat back to his truck. It takes longer than he's willing to admit to get her all strapped in but eventually they make it onto the road and begin the journey home. It's quiet, save for the noise of some catchy pop tune playing on the radio. 

"...H-Hey, Toshi?" 

"Mm? Yeah, baby?" 

"..." 

A moment goes by and Eri doesn't follow up. Hitoshi just assumes that she needs a moment to find her words but a few more pass when she still doesn't respond and he takes his eyes off of the road for a split second just to see her face stained with tears. 

"Whoa---hey. Hey, what's the matter? You need me to stop? Did you have another accident again?" He tries gently, eyes flickering back and forth between his sister and the road. She reaches up to wipe her face with a sniffle and a tiny sob. 

"N-No, I just…really miss mommy."

Oh. 

Oh, shit. 

"It's okay, baby. If you want, I can call mom when we make it home so you can talk to him---won't that make your feel better?" He offers. It usually does the trick when their mother is gone away from home longer than usual due to work but Eri shakes her head in denial this time and it confuses Hitoshi for a moment. 

"You don't want me to call mum?" 

She shakes her head again. 

"I don't wanna get in t-trouble." 

"Why would you get in trouble for talking to mom, baby girl?" He asks, brows pinched in a cocktail of visible confusion and frustration. What a fuckin' mess this turned out to be. 

She shakes her head again, more frantically this time. 

"I-I don't wanna tell! I don't want to get daddy in trouble!" 

Hitoshi hits the breaks a bit harsher than intended, startling Eri and earning a loud honk from several cars behind him. He manages to gather himself enough to pull over onto the shoulder of the road. 

He parks the truck, turns it off and turns to face his sister so that he can look her in the eyes. 

"Why would dad get in trouble, Eri? You can tell me. You know you can trust nii-san, always. I promise you won't get in trouble." He encourages her, fully expecting the doubt that crosses her face and the nervous way that she wrings her hands. 

"U-Um. C-Cause I asked daddy when mommy was coming back a-a-and he yelled at me and h-he said...he said a bad thing." 

Hitoshi's jaw clenches in an effort to keep his temper in check. It's one thing for his father to be upset or depressed or whatever but what he's not going to do is take it out on his sensitive, three year old daughter. 

"And what was the bad thing, Eri? You won't get in trouble for telling me." He assures her, anger rising by the second as he watches Eri deteriorate into a mess of tears. 

"He called mommy mean words and said mommy didn't want us anymore…" 

Hitoshi releases a heavy breath through his nose to try and rid himself of some of the rage simmering inside of him. What kind of shit for brains father says something like that to a fucking toddler?!

This just won't do. 

Hitoshi fishes through his pockets for his phone, quickly dialing his mother's number and putting it on speaker. 

It picks up on the second ring. 

"Toshi---hey." 

"Hey, mom. You busy?" He asks, keeping his tone as even as he can. Eri's face lights up, sobs reducing themselves to sniffles and tiny little hiccups upon hearing her mother's voice. 

"Never too busy for you, baby boy. Is everything okay? Is my baby girl doing alright?" He breathes---he sounds so happy that Hitoshi has called. So relieved. "I miss you guys so much; you have no idea." 

"Ironic you should say that. Eri is under the impression that you don't want us anymore." Hitoshi says dryly, listening to the odd shuffling on the other end before their mother's voice comes in clear again. 

"What? Why would she think that?" 

"Ask your husband." 

A pause. This---Hizashi---seems to be a topic that Shota is not willing to talk about. Especially not over the phone.

"Where's my baby? Can I talk to her?" 

"I-I'm here, mommy!" Eri calls, reaching for the phone even as Hitoshi holds it out for her. She can barely hold it upright in her tiny little hands. 

"Hi, love bug. How's mommy's princess?" 

"I-I-I'm...sad. I-It's not true, right, mommy? Y-You still want us, don't you?"

Shota doesn't sound like he's holding it together very well. 

"Of course I do, baby. You and Toshi and Daddy are the most important thing in the world to me. Don't ever think that mommy doesn't love you." 

He doesn't seem to be interested in asking where she got an idea like that. Hitoshi had a feeling that his mother already knows. 

This answer seems to be enough to put Eri a little more at ease, at least. 

"Are you---are you coming home, mommy?" 

"I am, honey, I promise. Mommy's working tonight but I'll be home very soon and I'll spend the whole day with you. We can do whatever you want." 

"Anything?" 

"Anything, baby girl. Mommy loves you so much, okay?" 

"I-I love you too!" 

"Let mommy talk to Toshi for a second, okay, honey?" 

Eri hands her brother the phone and he's sure to take it off of speaker again before he speaks. 

"Yes?" 

"Look. I know this is a mess but I swear to you that I didn't do what your father accused me of. I wouldn't do that to him. I wouldn't do that to you kids." 

"...I know." And, honestly, he's disappointed in himself for letting his father fill him up with such nasty doubts and insecurities. 

For trying to turn Hitoshi into himself. 

"Gonna be honest, I knew from the moment he'd accused you that you were innocent. He just seemed so convinced---it really fucked with my head. I know better now." He added, relaxing against his seat. He hears his mother release a sigh of relief and something about it makes him feel so much lighter. 

"You don't know how much that means to me. When you looked at me that night, I felt...like I failed you." 

"You could never fail me, mom. I understand shits rough sometimes." 

"You're a good boy. Look after Eri for me until I can make it home to talk to your dad, okay?" 

"Yeah, of course." 

"And you'll apologize to Midoriya Izuku for almost breaking his nose." 

"Absolutely the fuck not---I told him to fuck off and he kept bothering me. He earned that one." 

Besides, Hitoshi thinks it's about time someone put Izuku in his place. He's been going unchecked for far too long. 

Shota sighs. "Alright. We can hash that out later. Be good , Hitoshi." 

"Yeah, mum, I hear you. Hurry up and get home already." 

"I'm trying. Love you, kiddo." 

"Love you, back." 

The phone call ends with a faint click and Hitoshi sinks down into his seat. He can breathe a bit easier now and although he still wants to go home and punch his father right between the fuckin' eyes, he promised Eri they'd have a good time. 

"Feel better, baby?" He asks, turning to look down at Eri who nods, smiling even though her cheeks are still wet. He returns the smile in kind, reaching up to start the truck again. 

"Me too. Let's get home to those cinnamon rolls." 

#

Toshinori has been sitting outside of the Yamada household for at least twenty minutes, fingers tapping at the steering wheel in nervous anticipation. What is he supposed to say? And how does he know that Hizashi would even want to talk to him? Would he even answer the door if he knew that it was him? 

"In all my years, I've never had to do something like this. Jumping from a fire escape to catch rapists? Easy. Evading rapid gunfire? No problem. But why is it so goddamn to walk up to another man and explain to him that I'm not sleeping with his wife?" 

A knock at his window startles him, head snapping over only to see that it's Shota's son. He's carrying his sister on his hip, looking rather confused as to why Toshinori is just sitting at their house in the dark. 

Toshinori opens his door and Hitoshi steps back, watching as the tall, lanky man unfolds himself from the car to stand tall. 

"This...looks suspicious, I know." He admits, sheepishly rubbing at the back of his head. Hitoshi slants curiously, raising a brow at the older alpha as he considers him. 

"You're here to talk to my dad." 

"Ah, yes." 

"But you're nervous because you think he's gonna wanna fight you." 

"...maybe." 

Hitoshi hums, turning to continue on to their front door. "Don't worry. My dad's a naggy bitch but he's not gonna square up with an alpha twice his size. Come in, I'll make him come down and talk." He insists, unlocking the door and letting Toshinori in. 

There's the sound of heated chatter coming from the living room that comes to an abrupt halt the moment Hitoshi closes and locks the door behind him. The lilac-haired man seems to be struck with confusion and curiosity, craning his neck as if to try and see if he can tell who else is in their house from the hallway without having to enter the living room at all but eventually he begins to make his way down the corridor in brisk steps. 

"Dad?" 

"U-Uh---wait a second, Hitoshi!" Hizashi calls but Hitoshi ignores him, rounding the corner with Eri still held up on his hip. His father is standing in the middle of the room. 

With him is Shota's sister, Emi. 

Hitoshi's face pinches as he sets Eri down on her feet. 

"Aunt Emi? What are you doing here? Nejire said you were working and that's why you couldn't watch Eri." He questions, noting the nervous way she averts her gaze as Hizashi turns to face his son. His frown deepens upon seeing Toshinori at his son's heels. 

"Yagi…what are you doing here?" 

"He came to talk to you so you could stop acting like a goddamn nutcase." Hitoshi responds in his stead and Toshinori heaves a heavy sigh, shifting on his feet uncomfortably. 

God, this is awkward. 

"Listen, I just wanted to assure you that Shota and I---whatever affair that you think we're having? We aren't. I've always seen you as a friend, Hizashi, and I respect the both of you very much. I wouldn't ever disrespect you in such a way." He rushes, trying to get a proper handle on his words but to no avail. Hizashi does little more than gape at him before he averts his gaze once more. 

"Please leave." 

Toshinori's arms fall limp at his side in defeat. 

"Hizashi---" 

"That's enough, dad." Hitoshi is absolutely seething, annoyance quickly skyrocketing into something more volatile. "You want to continue to punish the rest of us because of your insecurities? You know that mom isn't cheating on you. I can tell from the look in your eyes that you do, so why the hell do you keep doing this? Is it drugs? Are you on something?" 

The situation escalates quite quickly and Toshinori thinks that maybe he should get Eri somewhere that she doesn't have to hear such things but it's far too late as Hizashi turns on Hitoshi incredulously. 

"Do I look like a junky to you, Hitoshi?" 

"I don't know, but I also don't seem to know who you are anymore! You've been acting crazy, dad, we don't even recognize you anymore!" Hitoshi accuses him and Eri ducks behind him when their father advances on him like a freight train. He comes to a halt, limbs jerking with uncertainty as he forces himself still. Even so, Hitoshi does not falter. 

He looks right into his father's eyes.

"Tell me the truth, dad. I want to help you. But I can't do that if you're gonna continue to tear this family apart. Do you want to leave? Is that it? Is that why you keep starting these stupid fights with mom?" 

Silence. 

It lasts more than a moment passing and Hitoshi, impatient, feels the unbridled urge to deck his father right in the fucking jaw.

"If you don't love him anymore then just say that, pack your shit and go." 

"I love the hell out of your mother." Hizashi finally responds, voice little more than a pitiful whisper compared to what it was just moments ago. "Just like I love the hell out of you kids. I...I'm not on drugs, Hitoshi." 

"Then what's happening, dad? 

Hizashi's tense exterior softens, shoulders sagging and expression softening just before he falls back to plop down onto the sofa. 

"Guilt." 

Guilt? 

"It's been eating away at me for years---so much that it's started to drive me mad. I thought I could live with it---it was just one time, right? I can't...I can't do this anymore." 

Emi's anxiety spikes, scent souring and swirling about in a way that has Toshinori pinching his nose shut. 

"I-I should go---" 

"Even if you leave, I'm gonna tell him. It has to end. I can't keep lying to them, Emi." 

Hitoshi's own scent reeks of fear and anticipation. 

"...Lying? Lying about what?" 

"Think about what you're about to do, Hizashi---" Emi begins to panic but Hizashi doesn't seem to be moved by her pleas. 

"I already have. Every single day for the last twenty-five years." He replies, looking Hitoshi in the eyes. 

A cold feeling settles within the youngest alpha's gut at the pained look on his father's face.

"Nejire isn't your cousin. She's your sister." 

A/N: for those of you who may be confused, Hizashi was acting so problematic because he was the one who cheated on Shota years ago with his sister and had a baby. He's so insecure because he's been scared that Shota would do the same to him. Fucked up, huh?