Hawks shortly left the way he came, but not before giving her a sly wink as he jumped out the window. Aylee's face immediately flamed and she pressed her cool hands to her cheeks. She placed her palm flat against her chest, trying to calm down her racing heart. The woman kept telling herself that he is just a naturally flirty person, that it doesn't really mean anything. And when that didn't work, Aylee repeated one sentence over and over in her head.
"He is your client, BE PROFESSIONAL!"
Shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts, she grabbed her phone and headed out to check on how Shoto's doing. She closed the door, locking up her studio, and then hurried into her living room. Aylee found the 5-year-old napping on the couch and surrounded by soft plushies who form a circle of protection around him. The brunette smiled and snapped a quick picture to send to Fuyumi to update her in a text later. Not wanting to wake him just yet, she carefully picked him up and set the sleeping boy comfortably on her hip. His red and white covered head lolled onto her shoulder, his soft breaths tickled her neck.
Shoto let out a small grumble from the new sleeping position, but his eyes stayed closed. Aylee wondered how well he really slept last night if he's this tired. Walking out of her apartment, she began the small trek back to UA. Keeping in mind that Shoto needed more sleep, Aylee decided to not take the train and instead go the long way to the hero school. It wasn't raining so there was nothing wrong with adding an extra 15 minutes.
Aylee's hazel eyes flicked down and examined Shoto's sleeping face. The woman almost forgot how peaceful children looked in their sleep. Even with his scar, it doesn't detract from his innocence. She leaned her head down slightly and pressed a light kiss to the red burn mark. Shoto's lips upturned a little at the action in his sleep. Aylee's smile widened from seeing that minuscule movement.
'He's growing so fast,' she thought absentmindedly as she walks them peacefully on the practically empty street. Based on how much he's grown in the past week, he should be back to normal within 4 weeks. Aylee can't help but be saddened by the short time frame they have left together. But, she's done this plenty of times before. Cared for the child and then left when no longer needed. That's literally in the job description when becoming a nanny.
So why does her heart clench at the thought of leaving this time?
Caught up in her troubling thoughts, Aylee unknowingly let her guard down. She really should have taken the train today.
A dirty hand reached out of the alley they were passing and roughly grabbed onto the back of Aylee's coat. The unknown assailant slammed the pair against a brick wall and placed a blade against Aylee's throat. Her head was pounding and her vision began to blur at the edges. She became slightly disoriented from the blow the back of her head took.
"Look at me BITCH!"
The man threatening her was shaking and looking very crazed, almost paranoid or even afraid. Aylee felt movement in her arms and her eyes widened in remembrance. Shoto blearily opened his mismatched eyes and took in the situation with a confused and furrowed brow. Aylee couldn't move her head without cutting herself on the sharpened knife. But she couldn't put Shoto in any more danger.
No matter the cost to her own well being.
"GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY, BITCH! DON'T MAKE ME DO SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET!"
She needs to protect him from any more pain.
Aylee moved her trembling hand and placed her fingers to cover Shoto's fearful eyes. The boy didn't verbally protest, but his body shook in her arms. He could practically sense the tension and danger in the air. It made him wary.
"You're scaring him," Aylee told her mugger with clenched teeth. The man definitely heard her but he missed the threat in her voice.
"YOU THINK I CARE BITCH, I-"
He got closer and was within spitting distance of Aylee's face. Obviously he was trying to scare her into submission. He made one fatal mistake though. The idiot met her stoic gaze. Red eyes glared with righteous fury and suddenly his face contorted into a pained expression. The knife drops from his hand, clattering to the ground. The noise was overshadowed by his frightening screams.
Aylee harshly kicked the distracted mugger to the side while still covering Shoto's eyes from the horrifying scene. Before she could get out of there and check on her charge, slow clapping reached her ears.
"Nice work."A large figure stepped out of the back alley's shadows. A sarcastic smirk spread on his patchwork face. The way he stared at her was unnerving, like he was dissecting every part of her body with his cold blue stare. Something about him raised several red flags to Aylee. And, it wasn't the staples holding his damaged skin together.
She slowly started to back away from the creepy stranger.
"No thanks to you," she bit out with a pointed glare in his direction.
Aylee's not stupid, he was definitely watching them the whole time. He chose to do nothing to help her and Shoto. That could be attributed to fear, but revealing himself to her now made her even more suspicious of his intentions.
Shoto shifted slightly and tried to move his head out from underneath her hand, wanting to see who she is talking to. Aylee removed her hand from his eyes but kept her other hand on the back of his neck, preventing him from looking at the stranger.
A small whimper from the boy captured the black-haired man's attention. Aylee didn't like the look in the guy's eyes. It was sinister like and raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She needed to get them away from him.
NOW!
Aylee made a mad dash towards the entrance of the alley. She didn't make it far before a wall of blue flames blocked her only exit. She turned around to see the man chuckling, amused by his prey's desperate escape attempt.
"Did you think it'd be that easy, princess?"
The woman didn't dignify that condescending taunt with a response. She tried to make eye contact but the villain must have paid attention earlier and avoided meeting her eyes. Shoto fidgeted nervously in her arms and pulled her back to their current predicament. Out of options, Aylee then tried to appeal to the villain's morals. She hoped he had some.
"Please let him go. He's only a child."
The villain began to approach the pair while keeping his eyes still trained onto the ground. The blue flames corralled them towards him and pushed her to either walk to the man or be burned to ash. They were so close to each other now that he reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear with his burning fingertips. Aylee fought an instinctual flinch from the unwanted touch.
"Who said anything about wanting you," he whispered in her ear.
He smiled at the look of realization and then the horror he spotted from the corner of his eye. Before Aylee could think of anything to do she felt a sharp pinch in her neck.
"What?"
A numbing sensation immediately took hold of her limbs and her arms fell limp at her side. Shoto slipped from her grasp and fell onto the ground. The boy watched as his caretaker became unsteady on her feet. Swaying dangerously side to side in a disturbing waltz. He was so intently focused on Aylee that he didn't notice the villain now approaching him.
After 30 seconds of the drug passing through her veins, Aylee became paralyzed and her legs gave out from underneath her. Her body was no longer listening to her brain's frantic commands. She couldn't even move her eyes. If it weren't for her moving chest, Aylee would appear dead to onlookers. She's never felt more useless in her entire life than in this moment. The woman watched helpless as the villain stalked towards Shoto with that infernal smirk on his scarred face.
She'd give anything to smack that cocky look off of his crinkled face.
Aylee desperately tried to move her mouth to warn Shoto of the danger behind him. But, her mouth wouldn't open. Tears began to leak out of her eyes and dripped onto the cold concrete she was laying on. Shoto saw her tears and started to walk to her, to comfort her. He never got the chance.
"Not so fast, shortie," the black-haired man said before grabbing Shoto by the back of his neck.
Shoto screamed at the mistreatment and struggled to get out of the villain's hands. Shoto couldn't figure out why Aylee wasn't standing up or moving. He could clearly see her eyes open and trained onto him.
Why wasn't she helping him?
Shoto continued to struggle but looked back at Aylee after hearing her grunt. They locked eyes and he saw hers flash a faded orange almost amber color.
Suddenly Aylee appeared standing in front of him and the villain was nowhere to be seen. Aylee quickly knelt before the 5 year old and grabbed his arms firmly in her hands. He's never seen her look so panicked before.
"Shoto listen to me, we don't have much time. I can't help you get out of this. I'm so sorry but I need you to run to safety."
He tilted his head and opened his mouth to interrupt but she beat him to the punch.
"That villain drugged me and I can't move. I need you to use your powers to get away from him. He's dangerous and could hurt you if you don't escape now."
She hugged him tightly to her chest and he could feel her tears land on his shirt. The boy was shocked and his mind couldn't process everything his caretaker was telling him.
"Promise me."
Shoto came out of the illusion only to see a new female villain beating up Aylee with ruthless abandon. Aylee remained completely silent and continued to take the harsh blows. Shoto screamed and tried to defend Aylee, but he was still held in the guy's tight grasp.
The man watched as Shoto desperately tried to reach his caretaker with tears overflowing onto the kid's cheeks. Shoto was so panicked he couldn't even use his quirk to defend himself. He was too worried about this nameless woman.
"Oooo she's so pretty Dabi. What do you think her blood tastes like?" The blonde villain asks with a little giggle.
Dabi rolled his eyes at the girl with a sharp, "Shut up Toga."
Dabi approached the paralyzed woman and made eye contact with her. The beaten woman's eyes began to switch multiple colors rapidly. It was like an iridescent rainbow was passing over her irises. The villain recognized that she was trying to use her quirk on him but that she couldn't seem to get enough control. The pain and exhaustion took its toll on her. Dabi tutted and swiftly kicked her in the side of the head knocking her out cold. Eliminating the threat for now.
"Take the brat and let's get out of here." Dabi handed Toga a squirming Shoto and texted Kurogiri to come pick them up. Toga immediately placed a knife against the boy's throat. Even at his young age, Shoto could interpret the silent command.
Behave or else.
Shoto stopped struggling in Toga's but continued to sob uncontrollably. He couldn't stop looking at Aylee's bloody body.
"What do we do with her?"
Dabi hovered over Aylee's unconscious body and gathered her into his arms, carrying her bridal style. He turned to face his accomplice and smirked.
"We're bringing her too. I have a feeling the little squirt is attached to her."
Toga grinned evilly at Shoto, "Did you hear that gumdrop! Your friend's coming with us."
Shoto's eyes widened in fear and he spotted blood dripping down from Aylee's injuries. Splattering the concrete with red. A large purple and black spot appeared out of nowhere in front of the group. Dabi turned towards the ominous hole and jumped in without hesitation. Toga followed quickly after with Shoto restrained in her arms.
Then everything faded to black.
Author's Note: Okay I was a little excited and decided to post another chapter. I couldn't finish it because I had homework I needed to do. ugh, school. So expect the next chapter to be a bit longer than normal. A special Thank you to everyone who commented and saved this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the My Hero Academia universe, manga, characters, tv show, movies, etc. This is just for fun.