Me and Eri left the mall with a few bags in hand and sat down on a bench to the left of the entrance to wait for Aizawa. I folded what was left of the money he had given us neatly in half and tucked it into my pocket after setting the bags down. I had made sure not to use it all, but I was still a little worried about having him pay for everything. It's not like I had much of a choice though, I didn't exactly have any other source of money.

I was about to ask Eri about the boy we'd met inside, but before I had the chance I was interrupted by a large gust of air and dust nearly knocking me over. I grabbed the bags before they could be blown away and then covered Eri's ears to protect them from the awful screeching sound accompanying the sudden squall. She closed her eyes shut and I shielded my face as a sleek yellow sports car pulled up violently in front of us, halting just over the curb and drawing some odd looks from the people leaving and entering the mall.

"HEY HEYYYY" I flinched as a loud voice yelled from the car as the drivers door flung open.

"Oh, it's uncle Mic!" Eri's soft voice was nearly impossible for me to hear after the abuse my poor ears just had to endure.

"HEY LITTLE ERI, AND YOU MUST BE (Y/N)!! YOU CAN CALL ME MIC OR 'THAT HIP GUY' NICE TO MEET YA'!!" the owner of the booming voice came into view. He had tall, spiky blonde hair, sunglasses, and a tiny mustache. I wonder if that's a choice, or if he just can't grow a mustache. Probably better not to bring that up.

"Um, n-nice to meet you too, sir?" I said unsurely, trying to recover from the ringing in my ears, slightly shaking. I've never been one for loud noises.

The man seemed to notice my discomfort and lowered his volume a little, I offered him a small grateful smile in return, "Something came up with work, so my man Shota asked if I could come pick you up instead, which is lucky for you, since I'm a totally RAD driver!!" He put his hands on his hips and leaned forward, his teeth blinding me.

"Oh, um, okay." I said quietly in response, removing my hands from Eri's ears and grabbing the bags before climbing into the back of the showy car. Eri quickly followed and sat in the seat beside me, using both hands to pull the door shut behind her.

Mr. Mic stood frozen outside the car for a moment, confused at the lack of enthusiasm. After a few seconds he climbed back into the drivers seat, pouting dramatically. Then he turned to me,

"Wow, you're really just going to believe me?! What if I was some villain just saying that to get you in my car?!"

I tilted my head, slightly confused, at him,

"Oh. Uh I didn't know that was something I should've been worried about," I trailed off a little sadly, fiddling with my thumbs, "Do you want me to get out, or-" Eri put her small hands over mine and smiled up at me,

"Don't be sad, (n/n)."

"Yeah kid, I didn't mean to confuse you or anything, just be more careful in the future. And plus, as long as you don't walk straight into some villain's arms, that stupid trust is going to really get you places in life!!" He grinned at me.

I offered him a quick smile before looking back down. The truth of the matter was that I hardly trusted anyone anymore, I guess there are just some things about this new world that I don't quite understand yet.

"Come on out Jirou, I wanna see!"

"H-hold on." I mumbled, using one hand to grasp the curtains of the changing room, keeping them closed, as I was afraid otherwise Mina might come busting in in excitement. "I don't understand why you had to pick something so complicated." I whined as I ruffled the clothes in my free hand about, pretending to be trying on the dress when in reality I'd never had any intention of putting on that short, blue monstrosity.

"It's just clothes. What could be so complicated." I heard Mina grumble from the outside before being called by Hagakure from the other side of the store. As I heard her footsteps retreating I sighed in relief, grateful for the fact that she was so easily distracted.

I released my clutch on the curtain as soon as I was sure Mina was gone and sat down on the small bench behind me. Usually I wasn't one for shopping, in fact I'd been very annoyed when the girls- accompanied by Midoriya which I was still a little confused about- had dragged me out here, but I guess today hasn't been all that bad. In fact, I'd even found that new album I'd been looking for. And then there was that girl...

Urgh wait why am I thinking about her? I put my hands up to the warmth of my cheeks, trying to forget about the beautiful stranger. I wondered what she was doing with that little girl that Midoriya and the others saved from the Shie Hassaikai. Who was she?

"Alright that's it I'm comin' in!!!"

"AHHGH MINA!"

"ALRIGGGHTT HOME AT LASTT!!" Mr. Mic whisper screamed. I couldn't help but giggle a little. Ever since I'd flinched at his first loud greetings, the strange man had resorted to whisper screaming all of his excited exclamations, for which I was very grateful, and frankly little weirded out.

"Thank you for the ride, uncle Mic." Eri's sweet voice sounded from the seat next to me, causing Mr. Mic's eyes to water from the cuteness. I nodded my head in thanks and reached over to help Eri open her door, ushering her out of the car before Mr. Mic exploded from wholesome child syndrome.

I held the bags in one hand and Eri's hand in the other as we climbed the steps to Aizawa's apartment.

"We're home Zaza!"

"Eri. Don't ever call me that again."

Eri giggled as we removed our shoes and set them aside. Aizawa's threatening expression softened as he walked back into the kitchen.

"I'm assuming you two missed lunch, so I cut up a few apples for you to snack on until dinner." He spoke from the other room.

"Yay apples!" Eri smiled and left to join Aizawa in the kitchen. Apples, huh?

"Eri." the small girl whispered hoarsely, pulling open the heavy metal door with a skinny, weak arm, clutching a small burlap sack to her chest. She peeked into the dark room warily and was met with a pair of terrified eyes of bright scarlet. A trembling figure. "Eri, it's okay it's just me." The girl walked into the room with an uneven gait, a useless foot dragging as she closed the door behind her silently.

"(n/n)?"

"Mmhm." The little figure alone in the room relaxed at the voice, "I noticed you didn't get anything to eat today, but I managed to grab another apple from the kitchen for you." She approached the younger girl, holding out the small offering with a weak smile. The child took it in bandaged hands,

"Thank you, (n/n)." She spoke softly, a small sob choking from her throat after she took a bit of the red fruit. The older girl reached up a gentle hand to wipe away at the incoming tears.

"Eri, what is it?"

"If you keep stealing food for me they're going to hurt you again. It'll be my fault. I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh Eri, don't worry about me. And I swear, none of this is your fault."

I smiled sadly at the memory. Things were different now. This wasn't stale food exchanging weak, dirty hands in a dark room anymore. It was sweet apples, sliced with care, plated in a bright home.

"(y/n), you coming? You're still recovering you know, you need to eat." Aizawa called tiredly from the kitchen.

"Yeah. I'm coming Aizawa."

"Call me Shota."

I reached the kitchen a peaked my head around the corner warily, "really?"

"Yeah, I mean I am something like your legal guardian now and all."

"Mm." I thought for a moment, "Okay!" I smiled sweetly at him, to which he looked taken aback.

"R-right."

I took a seat at the table next to Eri and she offered me an apple slice. I took it gratefully and took a small bite out of the fruit.

"Oh. It's sweet."

"Hahah well what did you expect, kid? It's an apple." Shota laughed.

"I-I hadn't realized I said that out loud." I mumbled, to which he laughed again, ruffling my hair.

"Here, have another, (n/n)!" Eri smiled brightly beside me, shoving another slice into my mouth.

"Mmph!"

She giggled, and though all this joy that was radiating from the two was still so new and foreign to me, I couldn't help but smile.

But how foolish was I to think that I could just forget.

It was late at night. How late, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that the sky outside was dark and Eri had long ago drifted off, tucked into the bed across from mine.

A little while after she'd first fallen asleep I'd been tossing and turning and had nearly knocked over the bedside table. Caught it just in time and gently guided it back to its place as quietly as possible so as not to wake her. However, when it moved I'd heard something rattling around inside it, so I'd opened the drawer out of curiosity.

A lighter.

It lay alone in the barren drawer, small, solid black, simple. I'd stared at it for a few moments before picking it up and gingerly flicking open the cap. I'd only ever seen one lighter before, it looked strange in my cold hands, felt strange too.

I'd closed my eyes and shut the cap, the sound was satisfying. Then I flicked it open again. And shut. And open.

That was three hours ago. Or four, five, I wasn't really sure. Now I sat on top of the sheets, continuing the mind-numbing pattern. Click, whish. Click. Click, whish. Click. Click, whish. Click. Maybe I was trying to distract myself. Click, whish. Click. I'd always been plagued with troublesome thoughts whenever I had a hard time sleeping. Click, whish.

My finger froze. I sighed in irritation, it must've cramped up. Breaking up the pattern so suddenly, and without even getting to finish the sequence, bothered me. A lot. I groaned, bothersome thoughts and memories already beginning to flood my brain as I stared down the small flickering flame.

It must've been really hot, because the base of the little fire was blue. Blue fire, huh?

"Hurry up kid, we're finished here." A dark parking lot, blood pooling on the floor. Eight figures curled up on the ground. One of them moved, likely the only of the eight to ever move again,

"I-i can't just leave them." Red. On the concrete, seeping through cracks, through clothes, drying and cracking in her hair.

"They're dead. It's your fault. We killed them, you know that. Now stop your crying and get up or Kurogiri'll close the portal and leave you behind to join these unlucky bastards." In his too.

"Maybe that's the best o-option-"

"Urgh, shut up. Don't forget you're of still some use to us. Now come with me."

"Or what?" Such a big space, so little movement. Everything, so lifeless. Even the alive. Red.

"I'll burn you." And blue too.

He had. That day, and a few others too. Because burns didn't draw blood if you were careful, and mine was fatal, so it was safe. For them.

I flexed my hands, recalling the way it felt, the searing hot, then the cold, and the numb. I returned my attention to the lighter.

"I wonder. If it feels the same." I whispered hoarsely to myself in the dark, slowly bringing to flame closer to the tips of my fingers. Slowly, slowly-

"What do you think you're doing?" A deep, almost angry sounding voice. I looked up, my eyes widened in fear, to see Shota leaning against the doorframe, glaring. How could I not notice him open the door?

My fingers finally unfroze and in one quick motion I shut the cap and tucked the lighter beneath my pillow.

"Nothing." I knew the action was futile, but I didn't know what else to do, not when he was looking at me like that. He seemed so angry.

"Hand it over," He glanced toward Eri's sleeping form, "and come with me. Now."

Quietly, I obeyed his demands, fearing what he would do otherwise. I followed him, and he told me to sit down on the couch. I did as I was told, keeping my head down, I wasn't exactly sure what I'd done wrong, but I felt like it was bad.

I didn't look up, wouldn't. Just waited for the blow, the strike, for him to hit me. Because he was angry, and that's what angry people do.

I heard a heavy sigh,

"Are you hurt anywhere?" His voice was soft.

"Huh?" My brows furrowed and I raised my head as he slumped down on the couch beside me.

"I asked if you were hurt."

"Oh, no." I responded quietly, still confused to why he wasn't lashing out.

"Good." He smiled. "I didn't want to bring it up before, because I know it's all still fresh, but after all I am a teacher at heart, and you're just a child who needs some guidance. I think it's time we talk. About everything."

"Okay."