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The night before Hitoshi’s first patrol Hizashi and I helped him get his overnight bag together. Hizashi thought it would be a good idea for his first patrol to be an immersive 12-hour patrol.
“He doesn’t need a sleeping bag,” Hizashi said to me.
I shrugged, “You never know when a nap will do you well.”
Hitoshi shook his head, “I don’t plan on sleeping.” He pulled a can from his bottom desk drawer. “Denki gave these to us for midterms last trimester. Really helped keep us up during late study nights.”
I took the can from him and saw it was one of Fatgum’s high intensity energy drinks. Hizashi was leaning over my shoulder to read the can when he said, “that stuff will kill you.”
“No,” Hitoshi took the can and stuffed it in his small cross chest bag. “It’ll kill you.”
Hizashi rolled his eyes and muttered, “it’ll kill you,” mocking our son.
“Okay, let’s go through the list one more time,” I said.
Hitoshi and Hizashi signed.
I pulled the U.A. recommended list out of my back pocket, “Do you want him to do well or not?”
“Fine,” Hitoshi took the backpack off and placed everything in a row on the bed.
“U.A. issues Internship packet,” Hitoshi began repacking the bag as I listed everything off. “Extra pens and highlighters. Hero Contact Cards, Emergency contact card- that should be in your wallet, Shinzo.”
Hitoshi looked at me, “don’t call me that, we aren’t in school. What’s next?”
I took in a deep breath, “Force of habit. Hero support items.”
Hitoshi placed his voice modifier next to his uniform.
“Granola bar, energy packet, portable charger, hand-cuffs, citation book, and utility knife.”
As he placed the last things in the bag Hizashi pulled out a list.
“Now, since you’re interning with me, this will look a bit different. You won’t need most of that stuff until the second day or so.” Hizashi hands Hitoshi a small gift bag. “This is what you’ll need with me.”
Hitoshi opened the bag a revealed a set of wireless headphones, a microphone that clipped to his clothing, and a speaker which did the same.
“Consider them your hero support items as well.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay,” Hizashi said. “Get some shut-eye before Eri comes crawling in here like usual.”
I folded the paper and put it in my back pocket, “One day she’ll sleep in her own bed. I’ll go check on her.”
I left the room and peeked into her bedroom next door, she was sprawled out on the floor, holding a purple stuffed narwhal Hitoshi gave to her when they first met. She’s slept with it every night. Claims it looks just like her and wants her horn to be that big one day. I scooped her into my arms and laid with her in bed, she stirred quite a bit so I stroked the bridge of her nose until she was asleep.
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The following morning, I left Hizashi some extra breathing room so he could talk to Hitoshi if he needed to. I took the time to have breakfast with Eri and to remind her that Hitoshi was working with Papa today.
“Just like school,” Eri said. “Right?”
“Right, but for longer.”
She looked at me, her big blue eyes confused. “Longer?”
“Yes. You know how Papa and Daddy go on patrol for sometimes a whole day or more?”
She nodded.
“That’s what Hitoshi is going to go do. He and Papa are going on patrol.”
She turned away from me and investigated her bowl of cereal thoughtfully. Eri took a big gulp of orange juice before excusing herself.
I started cleaning her mess when Hizashi came into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I dried the dishes.
I kissed his cheek, “Heading out?”
He nuzzled his face into my neck, “Yeah,” he rested his against my neck and spoke softly. “I think Hitoshi will do well.”
I nodded, “don’t go easy on him,” I said. “He can take whatever you throw at him.” I dried my hands off and turned towards my partner, “I’m serious.”
“I know, Shota,” he rested his forehead against mine. “I don’t go easy on any of the vocally gifted students. Many of them return to their classes on medical vocal leave due to the overuse of their quirks. I won’t treat Hitoshi any differently,” he kissed my forehead then headed towards the refrigerator. Grabbing his lunch then keys off the kitchen counter.
Soon after, Hitoshi came down the stairs with Eri right in his heels with her backpack.
“I’m going too,” she yelled into her toy microphone as Hitoshi walked towards the front door.
“No, you’re not.” He yelled for me and Hizashi. “I’m leaving.”
We entered the foyer and saw Eri was in her Mirko costume, bunny ears and a fluffy white tutu to match.
“Yes, I am. You promised we would stick together.”
I picked her up and Hitoshi tapped her nose, “We will stick together, always. Remember?”
“This isn’t together,” she yelled and began to cry. “You’re leaving!”
“Only for a little while, it’ll be like school but for longer.”
“No,” she said. “You can’t leave me.” She flailed in my arms until I put her down and latched on to Hitoshi.
Hitoshi knelt to her, “You’re a big kid, right?”
At those words, she held him tighter.
“You can’t leave me,” she grabbed Hitoshi’s scarf as he knelt to her again. “You promised.”
“I will never leave you,” I picked her up again, but she went limp, slumped in my arms, face pink and eyes red, begging Hitoshi to stay. He spoke over her, “and we will be back later tonight, I promise. I would never leave you,” he holds her face in his hands.
I tried my best to keep her from slipping out of my arms so I just sat her down.
Hizashi whispered in my ear as Hitoshi spoke with his sister, cleaning tears from her face. “I thought you spoke with her about his internship.”
“I did,” I whispered back. “This morning and throughout the week. We talked. She never said anything.”
“Hm,” is all Hizashi said when Eri began to pull Hitoshi into the Livingroom.
“Play with me,” she cried. “Please?”
“Eri,” Hitoshi said gently. “I have to leave; do you want me to be late?”
“I want you to play,” she screamed. “You can’t leave me. You promised,” she screamed again.
“Eri,” Hitoshi was very patient with her when Hizashi pulled me aside.
“I don’t have to go in today. I can pass Hitoshi off to someone else if that’ll help you with-“Eri screamed and we both leaned around the corner to see Hitoshi rubbing her back.
“No, I’ve dealt with a tantrum of hers before. Go, it’ll be fine. But you need to go, get ready for your interns to arrive.”
“I’ll hang out here a bit longer. See if I can get her to calm down.”
I nodded and went back into the Livingroom. Eri and Hitoshi were on the stairs, just a few steps up so Eri was at his eye level.
“Eri,” he said sternly. “I will be back.” He started for the door again.
Eri threw herself from the stairs to the floor, slamming her head on the ground. Before Hizashi or I could get to her she started pulling her hair, face still on the hardwood floor.
“Kiddo,” Hizashi said as Hitoshi sat her up. He knelt in front of her and grazed her cheek with his hand. Ordinarily, she would take hold of his wrist and cup his hand onto her face. This time she pushed him away.
“You can’t leave me with them,” Eri placed her hand on the wall then slammed her head so hard her horn made a dent. “I don’t want them,” She managed to do this two more times before Hizashi placed his hand against the wall and she hit that instead. She quickly got up and began to wreck the Livingroom. Knocking over plants and pulling the curtains down.
I didn’t try to stop her for two reasons. Her quark wasn’t activated, and she never let me touch her during fits, just Papa or Hitoshi.
“Dad,” Hitoshi said to me. “What is she doing.”
I was too stunned to say anything to him. Hitoshi was clutching his voice modifier with wide eyes.
Hizashi spoke as he rubbed his hand, “We will give you some space honey,” and backed into the kitchen doorway, Hitoshi at the front door and I into the Livingroom, all of us lowering ourselves to her height and exposing our hands to her.
Eri grabbed the ceramic vase off the coffee table. I lunged for her, but she smashed it over her head before I could get to her. When it connected with her horn it shattered almost immediately. Seeing me coming towards her she ran from me and towards Hitoshi. Hizashi intercepted her.
Hizashi amplified his voice just enough for her to hear him, “Kiddo,” She stopped just shy of him and let out a bellowing scream. “You’re safe, Hitoshi is coming back later,” he continued.
Eri sounded like a pig being taken to slaughter. Her face was a shade of red I thought only possible in paintings. I noticed Hitoshi’s hands were trembling around his voice modifier, his eyes were completely trained on his little sister.
Hizashi reached out for Eri’s face again as she screamed. I’m not sure if he touched her or not, but suddenly he yelled and Eri stopped. “Eri,” Hizashi reeled back, and I saw she had the base of his thumb and hand in her mouth and was drawing blood. Hizashi tried pulling away from her but only managed to drag her with him.
I spoke, “Eri, Let go,” I grabbed onto our daughter’s mouth trying to pry her mouth open, she just bit down harder. Finally, she released him and screamed at us not to touch her. I’d already grabbed her arm as she tried to run away. She repeatedly kicked me in the shin until I let her go.
Eri dropped to her knees and she turned her attention to Hitoshi, “You promised,” she said.
As Eri grabbed onto Hitoshi’s ankle I heard my own voice.
“Eri, quiet.”
I looked to Hitoshi and saw he was using his voice modifier, Eri was instantly quiet.
“Deep breaths with me.” He took a moment to get her heart rate down. His eyes were glossy. He looked hurt. “I’m so sorry,” Hitoshi looked to Hizashi and I as Eri sat calmly on the floor. “How else were we supposed to get her to calm down. Are you okay?”
Hizashi was holding his hand, it was wrapped in his jacket.
“I’m fine, Shota. I think I should stay.”
I shook my head, “No. I’ve got her. If worse comes, I’ll call Midnight. That’s all I can think of to help her right now.”
“Shouta,” Hizashi said. “I will stay, I’m late anyway I can just-
I cut in, “No, I’ve got her. Now, Hizashi you should leave first. Hitoshi, do you know the range of your quark? Like 50 feet?”
Hitoshi shrugged as Hizashi left out the front door. I saw Tokoyami standing in the hall as the door shut behind him.
“Tokoyami has been waiting for me.” He was still looking at Eri, “tell her I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Eri, I’m sorry. I’ll see you tonight.”
Hitoshi left out the front door and for a moment Eri continued staring. I crouched Infront of her counting the seconds before she came back. I scanned her face for injuries but she was perfectly fine. At some point, she must have activated her quirk without me realizing it. As my eyes met Eri’s, her eyebrows furrowed, and she began to look around. There was betray in her eyes.
“Big brother went on patrol, remember what patrol is?”
Her eyes widened, “No, no, Hitoshi!” she got to her feet and bolted towards the door. “Hitoshi,” she tried opening the door, but the child proof lock just kept spinning as she yelled his name.
I picked her up by placing an arm around her waist, her back against my side so she would cause me minimal damage. She began kicking and screaming.
“You can’t leave me alone,” she was drooling all over my arm by the time I got her into the kitchen, still reaching for the door. “Hitoshi, your promised. You promised.” Anything in her reach she knocked and kicked off the counter as I carried her.
I began lightly bouncing her on my hip as I walked down to the basement, remembering this worked with some other civilian kids. “It’s okay, Eri.”
Her body fell limp against me as she screamed. we entered the sensory space Hizashi, and I made for the kids for moments like this. As I knelt to the ground she rolled out of my arms and onto a pile of blankets and began flailing and screaming. Soon, Eri got to her feet and I noticed her horn was growing. When she made eye contact with me I deactivated her quirk and her rampage began. She went to the bookshelf and started taking things out and ripping pages. She moved to the paint set and threw the bottles at the wall, thankfully none of them busted. Eri then went to the toybox pulled everything out, ripping heads off her dolls, throwing her bears, and slamming blocks into the wall.
She soon went to the back corner where Hitoshi’s instruments were. She picked up his guitar as if to slam it, so I let her have control of her quark again. “You,” she slammed it on the ground, “left me,” she kept slamming it onto the ground and jumping on it. Breaking it and fixing it over and over until she dropped it and moved on. After almost an hour she started to get tired, and her voice was horse. I spoke to her softly between her screams the entire time. Reminding her how to take deep breaths, asking if she wanted to be touched. Her responses were to scream in my direction as if to tell me to stop talking to her.
Eri rounded her destruction around the room many times, on and off I deactivated and activated her quirk. Partially for her protection, and partially because her quirk sort of cleaned and fixed what she broke as she rampaged. Eri ended her tantrum on the paint set again. This time sitting on the floor and squirting paint all a canvas the wall. I listened as she coached herself through deep breaths and painted what looked to be an abstract piece of Overhaul’s mask. I didn’t dare ask her though. After the fit she just went through, if there was any more energy left in her the last thing, I didn’t want her to relive the trauma.
When she stopped painting Eri walked around the room, searching for something.
“Hey,” I said softly. “Are you better now?”
“No, I want Hitoshi. I want Hitoshi.” She looked at me with these same big blue eyes that were flooding with tears again.
“Can I hug you?” I opened my arms to her. With a moment of hesitation, she walked towards me, and we embraced. “He’ll be back. I promise.” I held her in my arms and headed up the stairs to her bedroom to get the next best thing. “Your big brother is a hero. He has to train to save people.”
Eri rubbed her snotty face into my scarf as we entered her bedroom. I picked up her narwhal gave it to her.
“Will you cuddle with me,” she asked as I laid in her bed.
“Of course,” it’s only been recent that she’s even allowed me to touch her, let alone cuddle with her. Days like this make me thing we aren’t getting anywhere with her recovery, and then she surprises me by requesting affection.