STRANGER - ERASERJOKE

twenty-nine

"Aizawa-sensei was training me his binding-cloth tricks and I messed up and hit the window," Ryouta replied, awkwardly grinning while rubbing the back of his neck. Aizawa stared at him for a moment rather confused before joining the play. "Uh, yes, right," he uttered, "Sorry, I should've reminded him." 

Emi hummed, "and the eye patch?" Emi uttered as she realized. Come to think of it, Ryouta didn't even notice that earlier, so he too was curious. "Nothing serious, cigarette ash." Emi chuckled, taking the seat next to Ryouta, "let me guess, you were lying in bed while smoking for too long and it landed in your eyes?" Aizawa shrugged, squinting his eyes, annoyed at how Emi got that one right. 

"I...got homework to do, have a good night, parents," Ryouta teased while slowly standing up, making his way to his room." Emi blushed while yelling, "Ryouta!" while the boy ran as fast as he could, laughing while keeping himself from being smashed like a potato. Aizawa, like the person he is, simply chuckled-it's a miracle that he smiled at all. 

The next few minutes seemed to be quiet. The TV was on from when Ryouta was there, but other than that none of them seem to be starting a conversation. Now that he thinks of it, Aizawa didn't even know why did he decide to stay when he could be leaving. 

"I might be blindsided, still it's bold of you to think I didn't notice you staring," Aizawa uttered quite teasingly. Emi chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck, "I suppose you noticed." 

"So, what is it you want to ask?" The raven-haired hero uttered, turning his face to Emi. 

"I might be overthinking this...but Ryouta's a bad liar, so if there's anything you know about him, please tell me," she uttered in a serious tone. Aizawa sighed in defeat, staring down. He unbandaged his palm, revealing the fresh scratch in it as he said, "Someone broke into my apartment." Which caught Emi concerned. 

But that wasn't the point. "It was Shigaraki, and you should know how he's after Ryouta. It's my fault that he's after the kid, I'm sorry. So if anything happens to him, I'm to blame. But there's no need to worry, I'll do anything to keep him safe now, I promise you on my life," Aizawa turned a soft smile at the smile-hero. 

Emi tucked her hand in Aizawa's arm which caught the raven-haired hero off-guard, staring at it, internally blushing. Emi slowly rested her head on his shoulder, and took a deep breath, thinking it was the right thing to do, while Aizawa cleared his throat awkwardly-staring at her with the corner of his eyes. 

For some reason Aizawa wrapped her in his arms, patting her shoulder reassuringly. 

"You just came home, you should get some rest, I'll call someone to repair the window," He uttered in a calming tone, but before he knew it Emi was asleep. 

So he stared at her for quite some time, like he wished he could for the past years before he slowly picked her head up and carried her somewhere he assume was her room, making zero noise like the trained hero he is. 

Tucked her in, softly rubbing the stray hair off of her face. Aizawa sighed as he continue to stare at her, whether of fear, love, or madness. He had his hands tucked into his pocket as he walked away, his face tensed, his fingers clenched, but still, he said in a quiet tone, "Goodbye, Emi."

...