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The crowd had cheered loudly in their uproar, the lights and music blended in a beautiful harmony which could only do what the class promised, blow them away. The breeze of ice and the notes of the melody blew through their faces, the main stage was indeed catching everyone's attention, with the lights, the dancing, the song, the effects. The performance screamed for the attention of the audience, and the audience's attention it got ever quickly.
But Mirio found himself enraptured in something else, looking away from the lights, the dancing, everything, he trained his blue orbs onto the girl he was holding oh so warmly. He felt his cheeks stretch as his smile grew the largest they had been in so long. His chest rose as the climax of the show carved a place in the memories of it's watchers, his eyes and heart alike swelled with joy.
The girl in his arms knew pain, she knew torture and violence, she was stripped of her childhood and never shown what love was. The blonde still asked himself, who could do something like that to such a sweet little girl.
As the moment played, he was reminded of the raid. Instead of frowning upon its arrival, the blonde almost welcomed it. He remembered fighting, protecting, hurting. It was all for the girl.
On that day, I swore I would protect you.
The fateful day of the raid and before took away so much from him. His mentor, lost to the villain he fought. His quirk, lost the the villain he fought. The meeting before the raid discussed the malicious intentions of Chisaki, yet Mirio still asked himself who could do something so cruel to a girl so small.
The day he let the girl run back to the villain from his arms in that alleyway. His nobility. Lost to the villain he fought.
Despite all. In that very moment, seeing the girl he fought to protect spread her arms to let in the same warmth everyone was feeling, her eyes bright and her expression even brighter. Mirio didn’t care about what he lost.
It's a promise I’ll make sure I’ll see through.
He didn’t care if he could never get back what he started, what he built up, what he learned, what he did. It didn’t matter, he could restart, he would restart. The past was tucked away, all he could do was look forwards, to whatever life threw at him.
He knew he could never free Eri completely. Despite his efforts, despite everyone's efforts, the ghost of Overhaul would forever loom over her, all they could do was make it as transparent as could be.
Eri. Recovered from the villain he fought. That was what mattered.
If there are lives that maybe I could save. Right now - Only just by losing everything that's dear to me.
He was determined, his eyes soft and wet with tears. *I’m so proud of you.*
So what if he had to restart? He had Nighteyes words, and Eri’s support. That was all he needed. His motives were clumsy, his quirk was gone, he was lost, but he was still determined.
”I’ll never make you sad again!”
They still had to save her, no matter the cost.
He may have been her hero, but Eri was his as well.
I would give them everything I have to my name, ‘Cuz this feeling is the one thing that I need - My reason to live
The blondes grasp tightened around the girl, with how excited she looked, he didn’t want the girl falling over. He hadn’t seen any of the performances end, the crowd cheered, the music got louder, and the lights shone brighter. The blonde still looked up at the girl. He knew where the light was, but he chose to look at something brighter.
He may not be able to free the girl of her past. Nobody would be able to do that, but he’d make sure the rest of her life is filled with wonder. She was theirs now, no longer in the hands of evil, and Mirio hoped she now knew.
- I’ve decided to live from this moment on, with my scars out on display.
They both were growing. Slowly, as everyone did. They’d grow big and strong, stronger than ever. With no regrets, just smiles and warmth.
”Waaaaaah!!” The girl cheered.
She’s come so far! Mirio remembered how mute and reserved she was, when they first met at the alley, when they met again on the battlefield, and at the hospital, and even when he showed her around. Her expression was always blank, though he knew her eyes shone in curiosity.
“Waaahhhh!!!” The blonde mimicked, his own face littered with wrinkles, his face scrunched in joy, his smile creating new creases as his cheeks began to hurt. He kept smiling, because now she was.
Wow.. The dreamlike situation came to the blonde in full force, as if placing all of the past thoughts into a giant puzzle, the outcome coming to fruition in the form of a large, amazing, beautiful smile placed on Eri’s lips.
She's smiling!!! The wetness in his eyes finally broke free of their prison and rolled down his cheeks. He made efforts to wipe them, but only found more rolling down to meet with the finger he used to clean them.
And turn all my despair into my strength!~
In that very moment, they knew no fear.
As the girl looked over to him, eyes wide and ready to share what she had seen, the blonde could only nod. His joy only brought him to laugh even more, alongside the girl.
He laughed Alongside Eri.
I will push all my tears away and give all I’ve got.
He moved his vacant arm to wipe the tears once and for all, drenching his sleeve with the same wetness of joy that had stained his cheeks. His eyes shedding no more, he didn’t want to ruin the moment and get the girl worried.
I will give everything I have to keep you close.
I will beg - please don’t disappear or tear us apart.
He may have lost everything that fateful day. But it was all in exchange for something irreplaceable. And he’d be reminded every time he saw the girl in his hands. Mirio didn’t notice, and Eri didn’t either. But the blonde pulled her in just a little bit closer, he moved his arm to sweep the hair out of her eyes, his laugh reducing to a simple, large, smile.
On that day I swore I would protect you.
It's a promise I’ll make sure I’ll see through.
He’d protect her. As a young hero once said. A hero's job is to make his lip service into a reality.
Even if the light we have is fading I will not let go!~
He’d never let go.
“She finally smiled..”