Chapter Text
“We believe it is time for Eri to go to school!” Principal Nezu spread his arms wide, standing on his desk chair for this announcement.
Shouta stood with his hands in his pockets in front of the small principal, absorbing this quietly.
Nezu, dramatics over, took a seat in his chair. The two of them looked together out the office’s floor-to-ceiling window, where Eri traced a stick through the dirt beside Hound Dog. “Her therapists and I agree: she has made remarkable progress and has stabilized significantly. She is responding very well to having a safe and supportive environment—in no small part due to your own going above and beyond in your duties as caretaker.” Nezu paused to sip his tea. “We have come to the conclusion that enrolling her in a half-day kindergarten will be an important step forward. Healthy socialization and interaction with children her own age would be beneficial for her.”
Shouta rolled his shoulders, watching Eri show Hound Dog a bug she’d discovered. “Principal, I don’t imagine you’re asking me for permission.”
“Always to the point, aren’t we, Aizawa? Your instincts are correct; you’re here because I have a proposal for you.” He set his teacup aside, gesturing to a plate of pastries on his desk. “Muffin?”
“No thanks.”
“Very well.” Nezu pressed his paws together, taking a breath. “Eri trusts you. Your presence would ease her nerves as she takes this step—would you be willing to bring her to and from school?”
Nezu watched him carefully as he considered his answer. “I have many responsibilities,” he said after a time. “How would walking her fit in with my teaching?” It was not an objection and the principal knew it.
Nezu’s eyes flashed with the glee of numbers already-run. “That brings us to the second part of my proposal.” As always, Nezu’s calculations were perfect; at that moment there was a knock on the door. Shouta hid a wry smile in his capture weapon at Nezu’s clear satisfaction with this. “Come in, please,” Nezu called before continuing: “You aren’t the only one Eri has taken a particular shine to.”
“You wanted to see me, Principal—? Oh! Hey, Eraser!”
Ah. So that was Nezu’s plan.
“Welcome, Mic. We were just discussing an arrangement. Muffin? Tea?”
Hizashi blinked, glancing between the two of them and trying to do the mental gymnastics to figure out what he’d walked into. “Nah, I’m good. We’re not in trouble are we?”
“Not at all,” Nezu assured. “This is about Eri.” Nezu settled back into his chair with his tea and platter. “From our discussions, she seems to have quite a fondness for our own Present Mic.”
Hizashi beamed, shooting up a pair of finger guns.
“I’m sure the feeling is mutual. Mic, Eri will soon embark on the adventure of beginning kindergarten. What would you say to becoming one of her chaperones to school? When possible for your busy schedule, of course. We will happily compensate you both for your troubles.” Nezu spread his paws between them. “You are both people Eri trusts. Eraser’s Quirk assures we have no accidents along the way—something that surely gives Eri peace of mind. And you, Mic, have an automobile. Besides! Two pros offer more protection than one and the two of you make such an excellent team already. I trust you will consider my proposal.”
Hizashi spluttered a bit. “Um, I mean, I—”
“—You are wondering about the time commitment and if it would be feasible for you to take on. It is something you two have in common!” Nezu smiled easily with his dark eyes. “There are morning and afternoon class options for children her age. If I'm correct, the morning sessions should work neatly most weeks for you both and the proximity of the school I have chosen assures a minimal amount of time for the commute, assuming of course we have Mic’s car, though I can certainly equip you with a subway pass as well if need be, Aizawa.”
Hizashi pushed his sunglasses up his nose. “Right. Well. Sure! We can take my car. You up for it, Eraser?”
Like it was even a question. Eri would have a good, safe life. He would see to that. “Of course.”
“ALRIGHT! Team Eraser and Mic: pro heroes, kindergarten chaperones. Not a bad ring to it, eh?”
“Keep working on it.”
“I’m glad we understand each other,” Nezu hummed. “And right on time too!”
A small knock announced Eri’s return.
“I’ll leave you two to tell her the news.”
Hizashi checked his wrist—Shouta knew he didn’t own a watch—and grinned apologetically as he ‘realized’ the time. “Well actually, I’ve gotta run. See you around, Eraser!” Shouta swallowed a sigh, knowing Hizashi wasn’t lying despite the pointless show. He was always running from one thing to another, even more than usual lately. “We’ve gotta catch up sometime, though! Food?”
Shouta could have rolled his eyes—as if their schedules ever lined up for that anymore. “Maybe,” he said. “Tomorrow?” he drawled, just to give him a hard time when he had to mutter about what radio show or hero work or faculty meeting or grading he had at any given time tomorrow.
“UM. Let’s text about it, yeah?”
“Sure.”
Shouta watched as his best friend scampered off, stopping to greet Eri with a high five and one Present Mic catchphrase or another. He doubted he’d get that text as much as he doubted they could find a ‘food’ time that would work within the next month. It would almost be comical, if Shouta didn’t also doubt that Hizashi’s break-neck pace was at all sustainable.
Shouta wasn't one to talk, though.
He took Eri’s hand when it was offered to him and together they walked the empty UA halls, Hizashi’s heavy boots already faded into the distance. Eri strode with great purpose, her concentration set on diligently avoiding the cracks in the tiles with each measured step to see her sneakers light up—a treasured gift from Class 1-A. He almost hated to interrupt.
“Principal Nezu wanted me to get your thoughts on something,” he told her. “We think it would be good for you to begin school.” Shouta gave her a moment to process this. “How does that sound to you?”
Eri was quiet, her free hand coming up to squeeze her arm. It made her nervous. Naturally. She had no clue what to expect.
“You would go in the mornings. Me and Present Mic would drive you. At school you would learn new things, make friends. You would have lunch there, and after lunch we would bring you back to UA.”
“... Are you going to stay?” she asked, just loud enough to hear.
“I can’t. I have duties here.” He looked down to meet wide eyes. “But you can call if you need me at any time, like now.”
This, at least, gave her pause to consider it. She chewed the inside of her cheek, brows drawing together with a child’s fierce determination. She gripped Shouta’s hand tightly before nodding. “I can do it,” she decided.
Shouta could appreciate her surge of bravery. “It might seem intimidating, but it’ll be good to meet new people.”
She was silent again, thinking hard. “Mr. Aizawa?”
“Mm?”
“... Do you think they’ll like my light-up shoes?”
“I don’t know that they’ll fit the uniform dress code,” Shouta admitted.
“Oh.”
“But when you make some new friends, you can always wear them to the park. They will love them.”
Last he’d checked, the clock read 2 AM. Shouta stared at the ceiling in the dark as the hours ticked excruciatingly by. His teacher’s dorm was too quiet, his head too restless. He’d never slept well here. More often than not it became a matter of being more stubborn to rest than his body was to stay awake. His body always blinked first and sleep would overtake him.
Eventually.
He pressed his eyes closed, finding only more darkness behind his eyelids.
The small, quick knock came several minutes later, startling him upright. For a long moment he was unsure if he had started to drift off—the knock a dream from the slippery space between awake and asleep. Then it came again, louder. More urgent.
Shouta was at the door in seconds, releasing the deadbolt and pulling it open.
Eri stood quaking in the hallway, tiny arms hugging herself as she looked up at him with wide eyes that were clearly fighting back tears. “Nightmare?” he asked.
She averted her eyes, nodding down at her house slippers.
“How can I help?”
Eri hugged herself tighter.
“Would you like me to read to you?”
Another nod.
“Let me get my tablet.”
Shouta slipped back into his dorm to grab the tablet from his nightstand. He then offered his hand, Eri taking it gratefully as they walked together to the commons area and its couches and adjoined kitchen: comfortable, quiet, the perfect place to put on some tea and—
“—WELL LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN!”
But it seemed someone had already beaten him to it. Eri rubbed at her eye. “Mr. Mic? What are you doing up?”
Hizashi spun on his heel and struck a pose. “Whoa, right outta the gate with the good questions, little listener; you’re sharp! Truth is your favorite DJ got home from slinging some sweet tunes and couldn’t quite catch the train to Snoozeville.” Hizashi shot them both a wide grin and brandished the teapot on the stove like a prize. “What brings you two cool cats out so late?”
Eri looked to Shouta to answer that.
“A nightmare.”
“OOF, nightmares, huh? That’s no fun. It’s sure nice of you to come to Aizawa’s rescue there, Eri; I bet he’s feeling better already with you around.”
Hizashi’s humor fell flat with them both as Eri swiveled to stare up at Shouta. She liked Mic, but she was never wholly sure what to do with him. “We’re going to read a story and get her back to bed, Mic. Sorry to disturb you.”
“NOT AT ALL, BUDDY! It’s good to see another face at this hour. Tea?”
Shouta hesitated, and that was enough.
“COMING RIGHT UP, ERASER! And what about for the lady? We’ve got some milk, some hot chocolate—”
“—Mic we’re trying to get her back to bed.” Shouta realized his mistake only after it was out of his mouth: he’d said ‘we.’ He’d made it a team effort. Hizashi’s grin stretched impossibly wider.
“... Mr. Aizawa? Would it be okay if I had some hot chocolate?” Eri asked.
“Well...”
“OF COURSE IT IS! We’re treatin’ nightmares here, baby! That’s serious business!” Mic’s antics coaxed a smile out of Eri, so Shouta stayed silent as he gestured grandly to the kitchen as if there was anything to see. “I can even put a little vanilla cream in it to spice things up if you want. What sounds best to you: the classic, chocolatey delight of Hot Chocolate or the NEW—and dare I say improved—Present Mic edition ROCKIN’ Hot Chocolate?”
Eri tilted her head, intrigued. “Rocking,” she decided, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Shouta felt more tired than ever, but he left Hizashi to it as he flicked away tabs of grading on his tablet to get to the children’s books he’d downloaded. He passed it to Eri for her to pick whichever she liked.
Hizashi burst back in the moment she’d made her selection, gifting them both their drinks, tossing himself on the couch, kicking his feet up, and leaning to look over Shouta’s shoulder. “So what’re we reading tonight, Eraser?” Again with the ‘we.’
“I’m not sure reading is a two-person job.”
“I’ll do it, then! Take the load off, Eraser!” Hizashi snatched the tablet, Shouta allowing it. Eri was far more focused on her hot chocolate than who read her story anyway.
Shouta held the cup of tea close as Hizashi cleared his throat and began a story Shouta nearly had memorized from reading to Eri with a deep, dramatic narration. He was perfect for this, ever the entertainer. His wide gestures and voices had Eri in ceaseless giggles within seconds. Shouta wondered idly if this would actually help her fall asleep.
But when Hizashi turned off the tablet with one final flourish, Eri yawned. “Ready for bed?” Hizashi asked.
She nodded. “Thanks, Mr. Mic.”
Hizashi snapped up some finger guns. “Hey, anytime! If the nightmares come a-knockin’ again, know you can always come to the pros.”
Eri raised her arms to Hizashi, a request for him to carry her back to bed. Shouta smirked into his tea as Hizashi’s eyes went almost comically wide. The surprise was quashed from his expression in an instant. “Alright, gumdrop, let’s get you tucked back in.”
Shouta was left alone in the silence of the commons area, sipping tea that was prepared exactly as he liked it as his best friend carried his ward to her room, Eri’s head already drooping onto his shoulder. Hizashi jogged back to him a not a minute later, scooping up his own cup of tea as he plopped onto the couch beside him. “Man am I glad I decided not to spike the tea with Nyquil.”
Shouta snorted, deciding he was tired enough to find Hizashi funny. “I think that might’ve helped both of us.”
Hizashi slouched back into the cushions, head rolling lazily to look at him. “You too, huh?”
“I’ve never slept well here.”
They drank their tea in silence for a moment. “Nothing stopping us from blowing this popsicle stand and seeing if we can get our old place back.”
Shouta grunted.
“Or we can start fresh. Somewhere new. Somewhere between here and the radio station.” It sounded like he was still narrating a fantasy.
“You might even talk me into it if you keep making me tea.”
Hizashi scoffed. “Oh you miss my cooking too and you know it.”
“Not at all. Lunch Rush puts you to shame.”
Hizashi waved his words out of the air, his grin wide but genuine—an expression that to Shouta couldn’t be farther removed from Present Mic’s. “Okay, okay, FINE he’s got me beat in the food department, but he’s got nothing on my mad tea skills. That right there is years of practice finding the best remedies for sore throats.”
“And for staving off the inevitable caffeine heart attack.”
“Yeah I really shouldn’t have had another pot of coffee at the station, but hey! I was dragging, yo! Present Mic’s gotta keep the energy up!”
Shouta rolled his eyes. “How exhausting.”
“Sometimes.” Hizashi’s voice was uncharacteristically small, making Shouta glance over to him, but he’d already plastered another smile across his face. “But that’s show-biz, baby!”
Shouta sipped his tea, thoughtful. “It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten food.”
“Aww, missing my sweet company, Shou?” Hizashi pouted his lip.
It’s too quiet here, Shouta was almost tired enough to say. “You were the one who brought it up earlier. It’s been a long time.”
“Nah, you’re definitely missing my company.” Hizashi tilted his head, thinking on that for a second. “That, or you’re trying to get a free meal outta me.”
“That would be very logical.”
Hizashi snorted and Shouta grinned into his tea. “I do wish our schedules aligned more.” Hizashi’s mouth was poised to say more, but he closed it again.
Shouta watched the steam roll off the surface of his drink. “We’ll probably see more of each other than we can stand when we start chaperoning Eri.”
Hizashi smiled. “Honestly? I’m pumped for it. Bet it’ll be a blast—just me, you, and my favorite little listener. I’m surprised Nezu asked me.”
“Eri likes you. She doesn’t understand you. But she likes you. Thinks you’re funny, or something.”
“Hey, I’ll take it, man. It’s a big compliment coming from her; poor kid’s been through so much.”
“Too much,” Shouta agreed.
Hizashi hummed, then downed the rest of his tea. “I gotta try to get to bed, yo. Big day for us tomorrow! It’s our team debut—Mic and Eraser: drivers and defenders!" His hands framed it in the air in front of them. "How’s that one sound, Shou?”
“Keep working on it. Goodnight, Hizashi.”