The numbness overtook the guilt.
It had been two days since her arrival at the precinct. Every corner was armed with security. She couldn't go anywhere without being monitored and looked after; even going to the bathroom there was a guard stationed outside waiting for her. She was grateful for the protection, but time was starting to blur and she couldn't remember the names of all the escorts.
Bakugou was stable for now, but still hadn't woken up. Seeing him covered in tubes and wires made her nauseous. Recovery Girl worked on his injury in increments; if she did it all at once, he would enter a coma or worse. The healing process had to be deliberate. This was her fault.
The gunshot wasn't the only wound he had acquired. There were burns and gashes spotted across his body, likely from his fight after causing the diversion for Y/N. This was all her fault.
Y/N didn't know what was happening outside. It was hard to think of anything other than him. The guilt was excruciating, an no amount of reassurance from her friends was helping. They had put their lives on the line for her. If Bakugou didn't make it out of here...
She couldn't let herself think about that, or the aching sensation in her chest would worsen and make her throw up.
"You have to eat, Y/N," Uraraka said softly. They were sitting in the department's cafeteria and Ochaco had brought her a bento box. "You need to take care of yourself."
"I'm not hungry," Y/N whispered. "I'm sick to my stomach, dude."
"I love you, but you're being dramatic," Mina sighed. "They already said, Bakugou is going to be fine. He just needs a few days to recover--"
"I know!" Y/N said, the words coming out much harsher than she meant. "I'm sorry. I know. I just-- he literally got shot, and it was completely my fault."
"Bakugou is responsible for himself. He's going to be pissed if you try and take blame for what happened. He'll be offended that you're taking credit."
Y/N looked down at the bento box, too drained to formulate a response.
"Listen, I get it. We've all been there. It sucks when people get hurt when they're looking out for you, but Bakugou is a hero. This is his life."
Ochaco handed her a small juice box. "Drink this at least. Please."
Y/N finally gave in, slipping the straw past her lips and tasting the sickly sweet liquid. It definitely tasted healthy, which was not a good thing. Uraraka tried to get her to eat from the bento box, and she could only eat a few bites before the aching in her gut came back.
"Y/N. A word."
Y/N turned around and was surprised to find Aizawa looking down at her. The intense look in his eyes urged her into moving, and she climbed up from her seat to follow him as he lead her down the hall. Y/N waved at the girls quickly before she disappeared from view.
She hadn't been down this hallway before. The heroes had been meeting in here, so naturally she wasn't allowed. Aside from seeing her classmates leave and enter this area she knew nothing about it. Where was he taking her? Was she in trouble? Was it about Bakugou?
"There's someone I'd like you to meet," he said lowly as they stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall. He knocked gently on the door before opening it.
"Eri, Mirio, you have a guest."
Inside the room was a young girl with silver hair sitting in the lap of a much bigger blonde man. He seemed to be reading her a story from a picture book. The man, presumably Mirio, looked up at Y/N with a bright smile. Eri seemed much more apprehensive, shrinking back into Mirio's lap slightly as her cheeks turned pink. "It's nice to finally meet you, Y/N! I'm Mirio. This here is Eri. Eri, would you like to say hi?"
The little one squirmed around a bit, but finally looked up at Y/N nervously. "Hello," she said softly.
Y/N could've burst into tears at how sweet Eri was. She got on her knees, beaming at the young girl. "It's nice to meet you, little lady! I love your braids! Did Mirio do them for you?"
Eri shook her head and smiled a bit, pointing behind Y/N at Shouta.
"Ah, I see. Mr. Aizawa, she looks very pretty," Y/N beamed.
Aizawa chuckled and knelt down next Y/N. "Eri, do you remember those photos I showed you yesterday?"
Eri nodded excitedly, coming out of her shell a bit.
"This is her."
The young girl seemed to connect the dots and she gasped in admiration. "You're Whirlwind! You have such a cool quirk!" she gushed, holding her fists tightly to her chest. "Shouta showed me pictures of you in your costume!"
Y/N's heart melted. "That's so sweet, Eri, thank you."
"Actually, Eri, Y/N doesn't have her quirk anymore," he said. Eri's smile fell and was replaced with a look of deep concern. "We've come to ask for your help. Would you be willing to help Whirlwind like you helped Mirio?"
Y/N stopped, turning to Aizawa. Her heart started pounding. What was he talking about?
Eri jumped up from Mirio's lap. "Yes, I can help!" She said, fiercely determined.
Y/N's mind was racing at a million miles a second. What was going on?
Aizawa noticed the confusion on her face, and turned back to her to elaborate. "Eri's quirk allows her to rewind individuals bodies to different states. She's been practicing very hard, and yesterday, she was able to bring Mirio's quirk back," he said. "If she does the same for you, we may be able to restore your abilities."
Y/N's world was spinning, and a new ember sparked in her stomach, spreading heat through her limbs. Energy and adrenaline began pumping through her bloodstream again, and for the first time in days, she felt hope.
She could be Whirlwind again.
"You... you can really do that?" Y/N breathed.
Eri nodded at her, reaching out and grabbing Mirio's hand (or his thumb, rather, because his hand was much bigger than hers). "I helped him yesterday. I can help you today," she said, and with her other hand she grabbed Y/N's.
Tears started welling in her eyes, and she couldn't help herself. She wrapped her arms around Eri, this young girl becoming her light at the end of the tunnel. Eri's timid hands hugged her back nervously as Y/N buried her face in her shoulder and cried. Mirio seemed to be holding back a few tears too at the wholesome scene in front of him.
When she pulled away, Eri looked a bit scared. "I'm sorry Eri, I just... I'm really happy," Y/N reassured. "I hope it's okay that I hugged you."
Eri nodded in understanding. "Oh, okay! I thought it was a sad cry." She shuffled back and forth between her feet. "And, I like hugs, so it's okay." Mirio laughed at that.
"So... how does this work?" Y/N asked. "It was a while back when I lost my quirk. Several months. Is that going to make it harder on her?"
Aizawa shook his head. "Eri can perform her abilities very quickly, despite however long ago she reverses you back to. Yesterday when she used her quirk on Mirio, it took only a couple of seconds."
Y/N nodded silently, thoughts spinning in her head. It was that easy? After months of grieving and suffering, it was going to be this... simple?
"However, in order to reverse you back to that state, your body will experience any injuries again in the reversal process. You had a stitch on your stomach, correct? You'll experience that wound opening and closing again as she reverses you closer and closer to that specific point in time."
It made sense, but Y/N didn't care. In only a few minutes, she was already willing to trust Eri with her life. "I'll do whatever I need to," she agreed.
"Eri, are you ready?" Aizawa asked.
Eri stepped away from Mirio gently, approaching Y/N. She raised her small hands, pressing them against Y/N's cheeks and closing her eyes softly, focusing hard.
Y/N couldn't believe what was happening. She had to be dreaming. Was she really going to get her quirk back? Could she be a hero again? It was all happening too quickly, and she was struggling to process it. Just this morning she was feeling powerless, but now... she let her body relax and excitement rushed through her.
An odd sensation started bubbling within her. Tingling jolts shot all through her body. She was too scared to open her eyes, but she could actually feel her body changing. There was a bright light coming from her, she could tell even with her eyes closed, and her heart raced with the reversal.
A sharp pain returned in her side, excruciating for only a few seconds before it stopped, and then a new sensation.
She felt it. She felt the difference in her body as her quirk became a part of her again. She had never noticed the difference until now, but it felt silly that she hadn't. It was such a strong switch that she almost fell backwards. Her quirk felt like it was radiating within her, providing a familiar sensation of power and energy that she hadn't realized how badly she'd depended on. Chills raced through her, then Eri's hands left her cheeks and it was done.
Y/N blinked her eyes a few times and held out her hand.
A small whirlwind sprouted in her palm.