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Emi Fukukado sat in the bench of the mostly quiet park, save for a family over at the swing set. Emi took a deep breath, remembering her promise to her Erasure-using friend and now that Shigaraki and All-For-One were taken care of, Emi had no way to avoid that promise. So, here she stood, having set-up this little….was it a date? An afternoon out with a friend? She wasn’t sure what the proper term was.
The truth about Emi was that while she was a carefree person and a jokester to a fault, there was also a negativity to that. She was also very witty and looking to make a quick joke, but she didn’t use to depend on them like they were a mask. She didn’t used to push everyone away when they had gotten close. That all changed after what happened to her friend, Akemi.
Emi heard the familiar sound of a groan, looking to her right to see Shouta Aizawa with his up in a bun and sporting a black jacket and overwon black jeans. He still had an eye patch on one of his eyes however, something that would likely always be there as a reminder of the War. Seeing his hair up in a bun like that showed off the hero’s strong jaw and handsome features. She felt herself blush a little. She had only seen him with his hair up once and it had been just as much of a reaction the first time as well.
“Got yourself all pretty for me, Shota? You shouldn’t have”, she quipped.
Shouta grunted in response, giving her a look over. Emi hadn’t really dressed for any occasion, sporting a simple red turtleneck sweater and light blue jeans. She suddenly felt a bit insecure, wondering if he had been expecting something more. He sat down beside her, his gaze looking ahead.
“How’s your arm?”, he asked.
Emi blushed, remembering that yeah, it had been broken during the fight over a month ago during the final battle with the villains. It was still sore, and the recovery girl said that whatever villain had done to it, was permanent. So, she was likely to feel soreness and discomfort for the rest of her life.
“It’s been better, but I can’t complain. You seem to be walking a bit better, though. Did Eri use her quirk on you?”
The black-haired man shook his head, “I haven’t asked.”
“Why?”
“When she uses her quirk, it’s a reminder of all the bad things she went through. All the pain she was forced to bear and all the trauma she still is working through. When she used her quirk to bring back Miro Togata’s quirk, I saw the effect it had on her. The only time I’ll ask her to use her quirk is during an emergency.”
Emi smiles once again, reminded that behind all the gruff and broody-ness, Shouta Aizawa was truly one of the most selfless people one could ever meet. She often wondered what part of his life was actually about him or his needs, but she could assume very little of it was. Instead of asking the young girl he had adopted to restore his leg, Shota lived through pain everyday by using a prosthetic leg to get around.
“Is that why Kendo said you had retired?”, she asks, changing the subject.
Shouta gave her a look, “I haven’t retired. I’m just working to figure out how to best support the hero world. I’m not as much use physically as I used to be. Regardless, that’s not why you invited me here, Emi.”
Emi took a deep breath, “I guess I did promise you, didn’t I?”
Shouta raises an eyebrow at her in response. He really was never much help, was he? Never let her off the hook for anything. Time to face up. Face the music. She had been meaning to say these words for years, but now here it was…this was the moment.
“All the jokes I’ve been using you for…all the teasing…well, I’m the punchline, Eraser”, she said, her voice getting smaller as she spoke.
Shouta frowned, “Go on.”
Emi closed her eyes, “I like you. A lot. I have since I was sixteen and we met at our classes joint training exercise when you and your classmates were against me and mine, and you knocked your own teammate out of contention for how he treated me and my classmates.”
Shouta grunted, “I wasn’t outright defending you. I was just taking issue with how Vlad acted. Why would that have made you….”like” me?”
Emi shrugs, “I was also sixteen and you had that whole “brooding angsty boy” thing going for you.”
Shouta rolls his eyes, “Teenage crushes fade, Emi. Why has yours stuck with you?”
Emi took a deep breath, “I don’t know. We’re opposites, but that works. You always kept me grounded in the field and I always liked to think that I kept you from descending too deeply into your broody ways. You're also pretty much the most selfless man I know. I mean, when was the last time you actually did something for selfish reasons? I mean, just think about all you do for Eri? I just always found that so appealing.”
Shouta looks at her for a moment, his gaze focusing on the sky up above. Suddenly, he turned towards her. He looks at her intently, his eyes showing an intensity she had rarely seen in his gaze, at least when pointed at her.
“Then why did you run from me?”
Emi swallowed roughly, the part that she hoped she wouldn’t have to explain. She should have known that her hopes would be in vain, this was Shouta Aizawa. He always searched for answers.
“Because of Akemi”, she said, taking a deep breath, “After she was killed by that villain with the tremors quirk, I couldn’t…she was my best friend, Eraser. It hurt worse than any injury ever could. I couldn’t find any reason to….to smile. It was like all the joy was sucked out of me. I didn’t even think I could continue being a hero, but then my agency teamed up with you and they paired us up to work together.”
Shouta raises his eyebrow, “The 3-symbol crime family? That was a long case. We were on that for four months.”
Emi nods, “Then we teamed up again to take down the Nakamura family. I felt myself getting closer to you and then we worked together on another long mission, which took my poorly hidden feelings to another level. I had to make a decision.”
Shouta nodded, “Take a leap of faith or protect yourself from being hurt again. You chose the former.”
There was a silence that brew between them, both staring straight ahead until Aizawa turned his body to face hers, as she turned to follow suit, noticing how Shouta’s hands were clenched.
“My friend, Oboro Shirakumo, was killed by a villain or at least I thought he was. So, I do understand that pain you’re describing. I don’t judge you for your decisions. Not anymore. It seems you have another decision to make, though. What do you want now, Emi?”
Emi stared at him, her gaze focusing on his eyes, the intensity still present, but now possessing a softer stare. She knew what he was doing. He was putting the ball in her court. Letting her make the decision. He wasn’t assuming anything. He left the future of their relationship up to her. A true gentleman move, which made her laugh slightly.
“I want to know what you want, Shouta.”
Shouta exercised his hands, “I’ve never had a girlfriend, Emi. I’ve only ever kissed one girl. I don’t understand how this works, but I would like to...go there with you. See where this leads. Maybe finally understand why our paths seem to always converge.”
Emi smiled, feeling her cheeks redden. I would like to go there with you. Why did those words feel like they had so much more meaning coming from him than if he had told her that he had always loved her or something like that? Because it was Shouta, she realized. He didn’t open himself up like that. Everything he said had a purpose.
“I was your first kiss?”
Shouta groaned, “Emi, I’m being serio-“
She nodded, “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just nice to know that too and yes”, she started, grasping his tightly claps fist.
“I would like to go there with you, Shouta Aizawa. Wherever there is. I’m ready to take that leap with you.”
Emi felt Shouta’s fist unclasp as his fingers interlocked with hers. He shook his head, as small grin appearing on his lips. Emi almost made a joke about how nice it was to see him actually smile, but she decided against it. She decided that this quiet moment was too nice to end.