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“You’re sure about this?” Mirio asked for the hundredth time that train ride, Tamaki thought. And yes, Tamaki was sure. Terrified, anxious heart threatening to give out any second, but he was sure.
“Yeah,” he affirmed. “Besides, we can’t actually cancel now. That’d be cruel of us.”
Mirio leaned his head against Tamaki’s and hummed happily. Tamaki’s hand was clasped in Mirio’s larger one of the armrest between them. Neither cared if people saw, if they talked behind their backs. “We’re bringing her home,” he mumbled into dark hair before placing a kiss on the crown of his head.
Tamaki squeezed his hand. Sometimes nonverbal communication was easier than saying words, especially for him.
It took another half hour to reach Musutafu city, and from there, a shorter Metro ride to the station closest to Eri’s foster home. The sun shown brilliant and warm as they strolled hand in hand. Tamaki missed the hood of his hero uniform, but today (and for the next week that Fat Gum had generously forced him to take from work), he was just a civilian. Mirio had a skip in his step and Tamaki was glad. Eri would give him purpose, helping to raise her into the strong, confident young woman she could become. The paperwork was done. It hadn’t been easy, considering they were two unmarried men and Mirio was the one whose name would officially go on the paperwork, but people knew who they were. Tamaki hated to admit that their positions as heroes afforded them privilege, but in this case, he wasn’t afraid to use it. People didn’t know the specifics, but they knew about the raid of the Shie Hassaikai, knew what happened to the hero Nighteye and the student known as Lemillion. Tamaki was perfectly willing to use their sympathy, to pull strings, to fight if it meant Mirio would be happy.
Mr. Sato, Eri’s foster father, met them out front of their little home. He watered several pots of kitchen herbs and flowers. “Togata, Amajiki, welcome! She’s inside.” He gestured towards the front door with his head. “I’ll be inside in a second, just let me tidy up.”
“Thank you for everything, Mr. Sato.” Mirio held out his hand. Mr. Sato shook it firmly.
Mirio led the way into the house. As soon as the door opened, they heard quick, small footsteps approaching. Eri appeared from around the corner and almost ran into Mirio’s legs in her enthusiasm. Mrs. Sato, a tiny woman with graying hair, set Eri’s suitcase next to the door. Eri had so few belongings, most of them essentials and a few personal knickknacks, and yet compared to what she had before, they were riches.
Mirio and Tamaki had spent the entirety of their last day off setting up Eri’s new room. She had a bed, bookshelves, a desk, things Tamaki had taken for granted growing up but Eri never had. It was a humbling experience, and solidified Tamaki’s agreement that they needed to give her a home. They tried to decorate it with things they knew she liked, including a glass butterfly ornament that Tamaki’s mother had given him when he was younger, but they intended to take Eri shopping the upcoming week to let her pick out her own things. They wanted her to make it her own room.
“Are you ready?” Mrs. Sato asked. Eri nodded, her cheeks rosy.
Mr. Sato entered and kneeled to Eri’s level. “You’ll keep in touch, right?” When she nodded, he gave her a hug before joining his wife.
Eri stood next to Mirio and Tamaki, grinning up at them. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, her dress all layers and frills. She turned back to her foster parents and bowed low. “Thank you for taking care of me!”
Mirio and Tamaki bowed as well, grateful to this couple who took Eri in.
Eri sat between them on the train ride back to the Kansai region. She and Mirio both dozed off despite their excitement and Tamaki loathed to wake them when they approached the station.
“Wake up,” he murmured down to Eri.
Her eyes snapped open and she gaze darted, momentarily bewildered. When she saw Tamaki and Mirio on either side, her breathing calmed and she settled back into her seat. “I fell asleep.”
Tamaki tried to smile gently, but he wasn’t sure if he was good at it. He hoped he didn’t inadvertently scare her. He was trying to get better. “Both of you did.” He reached over her to push on Mirio’s shoulder, a far less gentle awakening than he’d given Eri.
Mirio murmured and caught Tamaki’s hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed his knuckled before opening his eyes fully.
Unperturbed, Tamaki reminded, “we’re almost there.”
Eri stared out the window as they got closer to home. They were going slow enough now that she could see people walking by.
When they reached the station, they pulled her case out from the luggage storage. Tamaki carried it while Mirio took her hand. She stayed glued to his side, glancing nervously around her.
“It’s alright.” Tamaki crouched down and put a hand on her little shoulder. She stared at him with wide eyes. He knew that nothing he said could assuage her fear, but he could still assure her that he cared. “We’re here with you, from now on. It’s okay to be scared but I promise that we will never let anything happen to you again.” He held out his pinky finger to her.
She mimicked his motion. She saw something like this in a TV show recently but had the chance to do it herself. They crossed their pinkies together.
“Yubikiri genman,” Tamaki recited as they dipped their hands three times. “Promise.”
They transferred to a more crowded local train. Mirio and Tamaki kept Eri boxed protectively between them. She refused to let go of Mirio’s hand, her tiny fingers wrapped around his.
“This is our stop,” Mirio announced. He repeated the station name to her, to get her started on remembering it. This would be her home stop for a long time.
She stared up at the buildings they passed, at colorful storefronts and flowerboxes occasionally dotting upstairs apartments. They walked slowly, letting her take it all in. Mirio waved at a few familiar faces as they passed but no one stopped them. Thanks to Mirio’s talkative nature, many of their closer neighbors knew they were bringing Eri home with them.
“This is our complex.” Mirio entered the code and the gate opened. They would have to teach it to her later, but one thing at a time. She was likely to get overwhelmed by all the new information being presented to her.
The fat, lazy tabby that treated apartment 1-F as its home base lay basking in the lingering sun. It flicked it ears at them.
Eri stopped to stare at it. “Cat?”
“You want to pet him?” Mirio asked. When she nodded, he led her over. The cat raised his head to check them out. He rolled to his feet and watched the new face curiously but didn’t run away. “His name is Totoro.” He looked over his shoulder to Tamaki. “We need to invest in those movies.”
Totoro silently stared as Eri reached a tentative hand out towards him. Feeling that she was taking too long, he butted his head into her palm. She gasped and gently ran her fingers over his head. He lifted his back to run under her fingers and flicked his tail.
“He’s so soft!” She giggled. She let go of Mirio’s hand to pet the cat better. It purred and basked in her attentions.
Eventually, the cat tired and walked away, likely for dinner. Tamaki’s stomach growled. He would need to start on dinner soon. Normally they might have gotten take out, but they wanted to cook for Eri.
Mirio took Eri’s hand again and led her to the second floor. “2-C,” he told her. “We’ll get you a key later.”
Tamaki set the suitcase down and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and allowed the other two to enter first. Mirio flicked on the light and Eri stared. It was a modest apartment without too many decorations. That would change soon.
They removed their shoes at the entrance and ventured further into the apartment. Mirio gave Eri the short tour of the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The bathroom was in the hall, across from Eri’s room. Their own bedroom sat at the end of the hall.
“This is your room.”
Tamaki held his breath as they opened the door of Eri’s room. Pastel lavender walls and a bed with a white, rounded wooden frame greeted them. Stuffed animals adorned the bed. Tamaki’s butterfly ornament glittered on the top of her bookshelf. She let go of Mirio’s fingers and stepped inside. “It’s m-mine? Really?” She stared up at them, tears welling in her eyes.
Mirio nodded. Tamaki wouldn’t bring up how his lover was on the verge of crying as well—not yet, anyway.
“Welcome home, Eri.”