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Eri was nervous, more than she should be. On her hand, she clutched a piece of paper, feeling how it scrunched up due to the pressure she was unknowingly putting, her anxiety protruding onto the piece of paper.
“Breathe, Eri. It’s okay,” She whispered to herself, quickening her pace, her urgency growing with each step she took, “I’m sure he’ll be happy about it; there is nothing to worry about.”
She walked the hallways of UA, hearing the various sounds of her classmates, each merging into a mismatch of noises. She was positive about her decision, this is what she wanted. This is who she wanted to do her work study with…she just hoped he was okay with it.
But he should be. So why is she so nervous about it!?
Before she knew it, she arrived at the tall double set doors where the words “Teachers Lounge” were written high above. Eri took a deep breath and grasped the handle, then with one swift motion, she opened the door.
The lounge was large. This one specifically was for all hero course teachers, but even for it being for one department, it’s almost as if it was housing all of the teachers in UA. She carefully walked across the room, each step measured and deliberate. She could feel how the eyes of her teachers bore on her, the weight of those stares making her hyper-aware of her actions. Thankfully, one by one, the teachers went back to their duties, except for one.
“Eri?” Eri quickly turned toward the sound of the voice, “Oh hey, Eri. What are you doing here?”
There he was, her teacher, Izuku Midoriya, standing before her. He was wearing his hero outfit, the same one from when he was a teenager but with some modifications. The yellow scarf was now replaced with a longer yellow cape and the black strips he once wore were replaced with yellow-orange strips, similar to what he wore back in the big war with All for One.
Eri gazed at him, not expecting him to surprise her like this.
“I um–well, I–” Eri hesitated, clutching the piece of paper tighter. Izuku's eyes caught the tremor in her hand and the rigid tension in her stance, sensing her radiating anxiety.
“Is that your work-study application?” Izuku asked.
Eri swallowed her incoming words and nodded, “Yeah–I um made my decision–I came to get your approval.”
Izuku smiled brightly, “That’s wonderful! Here, let’s go to my desk.”
Eri followed Izuku as he walked over to his desk. Upon reaching it, he took a seat and motioned for her to do the same, “So who did you choose? I heard you got a ton of recommendations after your wonderful performance at the sports festival a few months ago.”
The young woman blushed at that comment. She remembered the sports festival.
She didn’t get first but she did get third, but what mattered the most was seeing Deku there, presenting her metal. He smiled, his joy radiating. She remembered it so clearly. The crowds cheering and him there, her savior. She was here because of him because he saved her. So when he wrapped that medal over her, she felt nothing but joy. Naturally, she began to tear up and Deku did the same. But one sentence made it all worth it:
“I’m so proud of you, Eri.”
So as she shakingly unraveled the piece of paper, she remembered those words, hoping he was still proud of her for the decision she made, “I have–he um, was my top choice from the beginning.”
“Oh, who?” Izuku wondered.
Eri gulped, “The-the number one hero, Dynamight!” She spat as she extended the piece of paper to Izuku.
“Kacchan?” Izuku voiced in disbelief.
“I know Dynamight is kinda of a handful after what you told me about him, but I want to learn from him! If you weren’t my teacher, Deku, I would’ve gone to you in a heartbeat, but Dynamight seems like a great choice and he did scout me. He was part of my list.” Eri explained, rapidly speaking through her words, “I don’t want anyone else, I want to learn from him, Deku. I–I hope that is okay.”
Izuku was at a loss for words, but he quickly smiled, “Eri, I think Kacchan is a wonderful choice. He is an amazing hero and if he scouted you then that means that he sees lots of potential in you,” Izuku grabbed a pen from nearby and signed his name on Eri’s work-study application, “Just don’t let him get too overboard, you know how he is sometimes.”
“Thank you!” Eri said as she beamed back at him, her heart close to bursting. “I definitely do know how he can get, so I’ll keep him in check,” she joked, both of them well aware that Katsuki, having known Eri ever since she became a ward of UA, would surely push her to her limits but also take wonderful care of her.
Izuku chuckled. “You’re going to have a great time. Kacchan has loads to teach you, and if I’m being honest, these past few days he’s been telling me all about how much he hoped you’d pick his agency to do your work-study with.” His voice dropped and he leaned in conspiratorially. “I hear he’s got big plans. Actual plans, written down in a document so he won’t forget.”
Eri stared in pleased surprise. “Really?”
Izuku nodded. “Beneath all the grumpiness, he’s super excited, and you should be too. It’s going to be great.”
And that it most definitely was. When Eri stepped off the train and onto the station, she was immediately greeted with the sight of one Bakugo Katsuki standing there on the platform with grocery bags in his hands and a “Welcome to Naruhata!” sign around his neck. Upon catching his eyes, Eri waved quickly, running towards her longtime friend and mentor for the next few weeks.
He met her excitement with a feral grin of his own. “Ready to beat some villains, Eri?” he asked. “Show them who’s boss?”
“Of course!” Eri replied, feeling pumped up. “Did you come here just for me?” she questioned cheekily as she followed him to the car.
Bakugo rolled his eyes, but the fondness was clearly there. “Of course not,” he answered. “I had to pick up groceries. And the sign wasn’t my idea, either — stupid Deku forced me to wear it.”
Eri bit back a laugh as she matched his fast stride. Izuku was still at UA, where he had been for the last few weeks. He might have texted or called to suggest the idea and prod Bakugo about it, but ultimately the choice would have been Bakugo’s own.
The first week was intense yet chill. After her initial day off to get settled in her room, her mornings became filled with training, both physical and legal. There were so many laws that needed to be considered… so many obscure loopholes that she had to make sure to steer clear of. Meanwhile, her one-on-one combat simulation sessions with Bakugo were fast, furious, and exhilarating. Eri’s quirk wasn’t too suited for this kind of practice combat, but her martial arts and acrobatic gymnastics skills more than made up for it. And Bakugo was an incredible hero and teacher.
“Faster! Move your feet!” he shouted as she narrowly dodged another one of his feint attacks.
“Be pettier! Do you think your opponents are going to be as nice as you are?” he asked, accompanying his question with a painful two-finger stab to her side.
“Show them you’re in charge! Let that attitude show when you’re tying them up!” he told her, managing to smirk even as she cuffed his wrists after one particularly intense round.
And she loved their patrols, too. Walking the streets, taking in everything from the food cart aromas to the woman sneakily pulling a knife out from her back pocket. As she gained confidence and familiarity with the city, Bakugo began to let her go farther and farther by herself, until she was practically tracing her own unofficial patrol routes.
It felt incredible.
One afternoon, as she was walking her usual route, Eri found that something felt off.
The sun was shining, the sky was a pleasant shade of pale blue, the birds were chirping… And then they weren’t.
Trying to hide her unease, Eri picked up her pace ever so slightly, the shift so minuscule that only seasoned eyes could see it.
And yet… she felt like she wasn’t following anyone, not least of all the person (people?) that she desperately needed to fool. Reaching for her watch, she began tapping out the ‘call for help’ pattern into the still-dark screen as inconspicuously as possible.
By the time Bakugo was speaking into her comms, telling her he was on his way, Eri’s feeling had gone from unease to dread.
She picked up her pace, needing to gain distance away from whoever was approaching her, from whoever was following her. She couldn’t see them, but they were there. Someone was there, ready to pounce as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
Panicked, she feverishly tapped her watch with shaking hands, urging Bakugo to get to her location before it was too late.
Unfortunately, her hopes went quickly down the drain.
“Well, hello there Miss Eri.” The young heroine turned toward the location of the voice, her heart pounding. But before she could see the owner of the voice or even react to the sudden comments, she felt something prick her neck.
Immediately, Eri stumbled back, taken back by what just happened. She fearfully moved her hand to touch her neck, hoping for dear god that it was simply a bee sting and not what she suspected.
However, that hope quickly crumbled.
Her world immediately began to sway. She could feel how whatever she was unknowingly given was venomously coursing her veins, affecting every inch of her body. Her vision began to fuzz over. A heavy numbness spread through her limbs, growing more intense with each passing moment. She tried to run, to stumble to someone, to ask for help. Instead, she felt someone grab her arm and wrap it around the shoulders of someone. Hazily, she looked at the individual, hoping it was simply Bakugo saving her from this ordeal.
But it wasn’t.
“You don’t look to go there, come on, let’s take you somewhere so you can rest.” The mysterious person said.
She tried to focus on him, but her eyes were blurring dangerously on her.
“No — get —’way.” She slurred.
“It’s okay, I got you.” The man then led her to the alleyway. Eri felt so numb. She wasn’t sure if she was walking or floating.
“No — somebody —’elp me.” She tried to scream but it simply came out as a slurred set of pleas.
“You're in safe hands,” She heard something open, a car? “So just rest.”
Eri was gently, yet forcefully led to the back of what looked like a van. Unable to move even her fingers, she let herself be handled and then plopped onto the backseat.
“Bakugo — please.” She pleaded, “‘elp me—”
Soon her world went black with the sounds of the car starting being the last thing she heard.
Eri woke up slowly. She felt heavy and extraordinarily sluggish. Her eyes felt like lead and her limbs were heavy as bricks. There was a bright light, she could see through her closed lids. She needed to see what was happening. Even through her clouded mind, she knew that this was not normal. How she was feeling was not ordinary.
Eri squinted her eyes open, ignoring the searing pain between her eye sockets. She analyzed her surroundings, slowly moving her head to survey her new location. The place looked like a basement and as for her…she looked down. She was seated with her arms and legs bound.
Immediately, her breathing picked up and her heart rate began to race.
The way she was seated, the way she was tied up, the way the skin of her arms was exposed — it was exactly how it was back when she was a kid…back when she was with him .
“No…” She gasped in panic, “No, no, no!” She tried to yell but her mouth wouldn’t cooperate with her.
She tried to pull, to yank, to get away from whatever hell she got herself into. But she couldn’t, her limbs simply wouldn’t cooperate.
“Don’t do that, Eri. You’ll get yourself hurt.” Eri stopped. That was the same voice as before.
“W-Who are you!? Where a-am I?” Eri asked, trying not to show her blatant fear.
“It’s been a while, well 10 years to be exact, but you must remember me.” Eri watched as the shadowed man came into view, immediately her eyes widened in shock.
“K-Kurono?” She voiced in shock.
“So you do remember me, good to hear,” Kurono said. He walked over to a table and picked up a small knife from a metal tray, he watched the blade as it glistened in the light, “You must have a lot of questions, like why I kidnapped you. Well, little Eri, I never lost my interest in you — in what you can provide. In what your quirk can offer.”
Eri flinched in fear.
That knife…it all came pouring back to her…all those horrible memories.
“Stay back!” She shouted, “Please!”
“Don’t worry, Eri. I am not as barbaric as Overhaul,” Then, suddenly something pierced her arm. She squealed. She looked at it as it retracted. It was an arrow, Kurono’s hair, “I’ll make sure to numb your senses as well. But my quirk is to help me heal your body since my quirk also slows the progression of wounds.”
Eri wanted to scream, to move, to do anything. But her movements were reduced to a crawl. Then, she felt something be placed over her nose and mouth. A mask. Immediately, as it was placed, forceful gushes of air forced themselves into her nostrils.
“Now let’s begin.”
There was something about being able to see but not feel Kurono’s knife cutting into her skin. The blade, inserted at an angle and being dragged down the length of her forearm, should have had her crying out in excruciating pain had she been able to move, speak, or feel.
But all she could do was watch.
“Eri,” Kurono’s deceptively quiet voice sound reached her ears — when had he moved? Why was he behind her, with access to her weakest spots?
She recalled Aizawa-sensei’s words with dread. Never turn your back on your enemy.
I didn’t have a choice.
“Eri, my dear, I do hope this is painless for you. After all, I know I can’t Overhaul you and your injuries, so I must make sure that I’m being careful.”
She wanted to scream, hiss, snap back at him, tell him that no part of his equation involved her wellbeing. Yet her mouth wouldn’t cooperate.
Kurono moved from her arms to her torso, all the while smiling as if he wasn’t a madman. It was clear he’d only gotten worse after his boss had been killed and the Shie Hassaikai had been demolished.
As she accepted that there would be no escape until his quirk wore off, only one thought occupied her mind. Make it stop. Please.
Cut. Cut. Cut.
The torture became almost rhythmic, just like the ticking of a clock’s minute hand.
He can’t hold this forever. What happens when the numbness is gone and my senses return?
She found out soon enough.
It started with a tingling that would have been barely noticeable to anyone else. But Eri, with her years of honed senses, was instantly on full alert. As much as she could, she readied herself to jump away and escape the moment she regained full mobility, her body tensing minutely. Kurono was still leisurely cutting away, seemingly unaware. Maybe, just maybe…
The quirk’s effects broke.
And her world exploded with pain. She’d severely underestimated how much Kurono had done to her — of course, there had been her back, where she had no way of knowing.
She couldn’t even think, much less move. Every cut across her body screamed out, mingling into a chorus of agony. And yet it was so bad that she herself couldn’t scream. All she could do was whimper.
And then suddenly, her whimpers were joined by something else.
Kurono spun her around.
And in the doorway, through fading vision and failing ears, she saw a figure staring back at her. She heard a pained intake of air.
And then she passed out.
When she came to, she found that she was in a different but equally sterilized and depressing room. She was lying on a reclining dentist-like chair. The mask that was feeding her the numbing medicine was no longer placed on her face. She glanced at her body. She was bandaged from head to toe. The sting that traveled through her extremities was intense. Every move she attempted just amplified the encompassing pain.
Suddenly, she heard something. She wasn’t alone.
As she attempted to push herself into a sitting position, her eyes locked on a familiar head of blond hair.
Bakugo caught her eyes. “Hey, Eri.” The hero said. Unlike her, he was seated a few feet in front of her with cuffs covering his hands and his arms and legs bound.
Her heart dropped in dread upon witnessing his mentor’s state. “No…you… they took you too?”
Bakugo shrugged. “It’s my duty as your mentor to follow you here. At least you’re not alone.”
“But…” she was filled with guilt at the realization. “If I hadn’t called you, you wouldn’t be here.”
“You did the right thing calling for help,” Bakugo told her. “If I hadn’t let you go out and patrol alone, you probably wouldn’t be here either.”
They’re silent for a long moment, each drawing in the weight of their own guilt.
Suddenly a terrible thought struck Eri. “You… you saw. Didn’t you? You were there when the quirk wore off?”
Bakugo nodded solemnly. “I’ll kill them for what they did to you.” There was anger like she’d never seen before blazing in his eyes.
It was then that the door opened to reveal a smiling Kurono. “Now, now, Dynamight,” he said. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here. After all, your turn got cut short.”
Eri stared at Bakugo in horror, taking in the various cuts and bruises littering his body.
“No… Bakugo. He did — what did you do to him!?” Eri shouted, her voice coming out horsed. Has she been screaming?
“Well, Dynamight came here thinking he could outsmart me and get you out of here. But of course I was one step ahead. My quirk was able to stop him and well now he is here. I’m not as interested in him as I am in you, but his nitroglycerin-like sweat has been quite perplexing.” Kurono voiced, “Now, little Eri,” The villain grabbed a scalpel and approached the hero, “You get the pleasure of watching him just like he had the pleasure of watching you as I performed my work.”
Eri pulled on her restraints as she watched the crazed maniac approach her mentor. Bakugo remained brave and undisturbed, Eri knew he wanted to ensure he remained strong for her. But she couldn’t witness this…she couldn’t allow him to experience the pain she lived through most of her childhood.
Even through that bravery, Eri knew. Bakugo was scared.
Run, she wanted to scream at him. Just run!
But there was nowhere to run to.
“I care for you, Eri. So I made sure I made this experience as painless as possible.”
Lies.
Once Kurono’s quirk wore off, she could feel it. Not even the numbing drug could mask the overwhelming pain she felt.
“But as for this hero here, I don’t give a crap about him.” With Bakugo spewing a variety of cusses his way, Kurono’s knife dug into Bakugo’s skin and sliced cleanly along his forearm, “He came here and decided to disturb our time together, so now he’ll pay and you get to bear witness of it.”
Bakugo hissed as Kurono cut deeper and deeper. Blood spewed, dripping onto the concrete floor beneath him and creating a pool of his own life-sustaining substance. Kurono removed the scalpel and dug once more on a new batch of skin. This time, a scream escaped Bakugo’s mouth, unable to hold in the anguish.
“Stop! Stop it!!” Eri wailed, flailing among her restraints, “Just stop! You only want me, not him! Please, just stop!!”
Kurono didn’t listen.
Another cut and another scream.
Another one and yet another scream.
It was a constant pattern and Eri simply lay there, her eyes watering and her screams bouncing off the walls begging for him to stop. But her words did nothing to stop the villain’s actions.
She wanted to use her quirk but she couldn’t. She couldn’t feel her Rewind. But what could she do with her quirk? She could fix her wounds but the only way she could heal Bakugo was if she touched him, but Kurono ensured she had no way of getting near him. So instead she watched, helplessly, wondering why. Why was her life filled with such misfortune? Why is she cursed just as Overhaul said?
Whoever got near her got hurt and this right here, was an example of that.
She cried…she couldn’t do this. She needed help — someone needed to help her — to help him! She needed a miracle, a way out of this hell.
BAM!!
Suddenly, the walls burst open, sending debris and dust flying along her surroundings.
“They are over here!”
“No…I’m — Ah!” Kurono shouted as somebody grabbed and restrained him.
“The villain has been captured!”
Eri watched, dumbfounded. These were heroes…but no other heroes. She knew them.
“Eri!” It was Ochaco, “I’m so glad you're okay!” She worked on taking off the bindings, “Tsuyu is also here, as well as Kirishima and a few other heroes. They are with Bakugo.”
Eri watched as they worked on freeing Bakugo from his bindings. She looked at the heroine, unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events, “O-Ochaco…”
“You are going to be okay,” Ochaco comforted.
She didn’t say anything, instead she stared at her. She was feeling lightheaded, her vision was tunneling. But they were here, she was safe. Bakugo was safe. Maybe now, she could rest.
“Thank you…” She whispered.
Before she knew it, her vision darkened and the noises around her became muffled.
“Hey, Ochaco,” the young woman looked at her, “Can I — rest?” Eri asked, her eyes fluttering with the heavy film of sleep.
“Of course, Eri. We’ll take it from here.” Ochaco smiled.
Then, her world went black. She fell into the warm embrace of unconsciousness, happy that they were safe. Happy that this hell was over.
“Eri! Kacchan!”
The hospital room door swung open as Izuku and Aizawa charged inside. “Oh, I heard what happened,” Izuku whispered in a broken voice, stopping in front of Eri’s bed, scanning her bandaged body. His red-rimmed eyes were welling up with tears that were clearly not his first today. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry for what, Deku?” Bakugo snapped from the other bed. “If anything, I’m to blame for letting her patrol on her own.”
“But-”
“Stop,” Aizawa cut in. “Quit the self-blaming. It’s nobody’s fault. These things happen, and you all know it full well. What matters is that you’re both safe now.”
“I’m so glad we got to you in time,” Izuku murmured, his voice wavering. “As soon as we got the distress call from Kacchan’s agency, Aizawa and I literally commandeered All Might’s private jet to get to you. By the time we got there, the search and rescue mission had already started, but we were just in time for the raid.”
“It was mostly Midoriya,” Aizawa said. “He’s the one who led the raid team. He was attending the strategy meeting on our way there — the final plan was actually largely his ideas. I just helped out a little.” After the war ended, Aizawa had remained in active hero work for many years, but just a few months ago, he’d finally retired. “Time to make room for the next generation of heroes that I’ve trained,” he’d said back then.
But for his students, his family, he’d donned his costume and stepped up again to save them.
Eri’s heart swelled. “Thank you, Aizawa,” she told him, her voice thick with emotion.
“We were all worried,” Aizawa said. “Even now, the nurses aren’t completely sure you’ll make a full recovery. Both of you sustained some pretty deep wounds throughout your body. ” There was a furrow between his brows that looked like it had been there for days.
The room took on a solemn air. Bakugo nodded. “That- that stuff happens. Nothing we can do, right?”
“But we’re working on getting you the best care possible,” Aizawa added. “We’re going to do whatever we can. Recovery Girl’s being flown in as we speak. We’re not going to let you guys suffer like this. And Monoma’s already training with Eri’s quirk — once we’re sure he’s ready, you’ll be fine.”
Bakugo scoffed, but there was none of the bite. “Whatever, old man,” he said. “I’ll still be the best — just you wait till I get back out there. No way are me and Eri getting taken out of commission by some stupid maniac.”
The corners of Aizawa’s lips twitched upward. “Watch who you’re calling old, Bakugo,” he replied. “I can still beat you in a fair fight.”
Bakugo’s eyes narrowed as his smirk took on a competitive edge. “Wanna prove that?”
Aizawa grinned. “Recover first, Bakugo.”
“You bet I will,” Bakugo declared.
As the four of them laughed together in that room, it was easy to momentarily forget the horror of what had just happened.
For once it was possible to believe that things would turn out all right.