It was a huge surprise Toji still kept you around even after your mom died. It made no sense. He was always distant as a stepfather, and nothing much has changed even now. But no matter how many times you told him you were just going to find your own place, he insisted you stayed with him. And continued to not pay much attention to you.

You were so used to this kind of behavior that you didn’t even bat an eye when Toji came home one day. He hadn’t been back in weeks, and he would never contact you while out working odd jobs to make money. He was never much of father figure in your eyes, anyway. He felt more like a roommate you barely saw yet also paid for all the rent.

But this time, his arrival was slightly different. “Eat.” Toji grunted, placing some takeout he bought on the table. Him providing such a basic necessity was quite uncharacteristic of him. Especially toward someone who wasn't even technically his stepchild anymore. Even if he was emotionally unavailable and never around, it was the little things that showed he cared for you.