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”All right! Ten minutes break!” Aizawa announced and Hitoshi sprawled out on his back on the ground of their training area. He never would have thought that he was lacking so much on the field of stamina – it turned out he was wrong. ”Rest a bit while I bring some drinks,” his teacher said and in the next moment, he was gone.
Hitoshi would’ve fallen asleep right then and there, if he hadn’t felt a presence right behind him. He was too exhausted to open his eyes, tho.
”Toshi, are you all right?” A small voice asked and Hitoshi cracked one of his eyes open slightly. Eri was crouching behind him, looking down at him worriedly.
”I feel as if a truck had just run over me,” Hitoshi said the truth, then pushed himself into a sitting position with a groan.
”But you are doing so good! Shouta-san says so too!” Eri said, then crawled next to him and reached her small box of apple juice out.
”Thanks, kid!” Shinsou said, ruffling her hair.
Eri watched as the older boy slipped from the box and the question which she had wanted to ask since she had heard about Shouta-san starting to coach Hitoshi for the first time popped up in her head once again.
”Toshi, why do you want to transfer to the Hero Course?” She asked and from the tone of the question Hitoshi knew it was one hundred percent genuine and innocent.
”Eri-chan, you know what my quirk is, right?” He asked and Eri nodded.
”You can make others do what you want by controlling their minds.”
”That’s right and do you know what kind of behavior people associates a kind of quirk like mine with?”
For a moment, Eri frowned, but then her eyes widened and she clenched her little hands in fists.
”But Toshi is not like that!” She said with more anger in her voice Hitoshi had ever heard. ”I know what kinds of people they are…”
Hitoshi saw as a shudder ran through her body and as her bottom lip quivered. Without a second thought, he pulled her in his lap, pulling her close to his chest. Eri grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt, burrowing her head in the crook of his neck.
”Don’t worry. You’re safe with me,” he murmured and kissed her on the top of her head.
Eri peaked up at him, then lifted her pinky finger.
”Pinky promise?” She asked and Shinsou chuckled before linking their pinkies.
”Pinky promise!” He said and Eri gifted him with one of the brightest smiles he had ever seen, then her expression turned serious.
”Toshi will become the best hero!” She declared and Hitoshi smirked slightly.
”Really? I thought ’Deku-san’ will be the best hero.” He only teased her, but Eri’s little brows knitted together in thinking.
”Then Toshi will become the bestest hero and when I grow up, I will be his sidekick!” Hitoshi laughed, then rubbed their noses together which made Eri giggle.
”I can’t wait for it to happen.”