It had been a few years since Eri's birthday part. The two kids were both around 12 years old. Kota and Eri both go to middle school together. Aizawa adopted Eri shortly after she turned 9, making him her legal guardian. It had been around 4-5 years. Deku was the symbol of peace, Bakugo being the second pro, Todoroki being third, which he didn't mind. Hawks was still in the top five, since he was still super young, Mirko following a few steps back. Jirou and Shinsou took Aizawa and Mic's place. Kaminari is a Tech and Communication Teacher, Jirou works as a music teacher, Momo is the modern arts and history, Deku, Bakugou, and Todoroki rotate for heroics class, Aizawa still teaches 1-A, Sato is the new chef, and Iida is a Math teacher. Kendo was the 1-B homeroom teacher. And Uraraka was a rescue specialist.
It was a nice spring afternoon. Eri was out in her backyard under the big tree, looking u at the clouds. She usually liked sitting under the tree on days like these. The air was cool, The sun shining, a few birds chirping, clouds floating around, the plants all lively and beautiful. It was days like these she found peaceful. Eri didn't mind socializing and got better at it. She was currently 12, Kota in the same grade as her. Eri sighed as she picked up her sketchbook and pencils. She started sketching some doodles which turned into full drawings. Soon enough, she had drawn a full page of beautiful drawings and doodles. She was content with it and thought it was a cute addition for her book. She then noticed it, someone was there with her. She heard their breathing. On instinct, she quickly looked and grabbed the person without a glance. The oh-so familiar face looked startled but immediately formed a small smirk, proud of the girl's reflexes.
Eri quickly let go and apologized to her dad, who just nodded. He sat down next to Eri, a few seconds of silence passing until he spoke up.
"You made some nice drawings. You're a good artist kid. I've gotta say, you have some nice talents," He praised, knowing Eri loved getting compliments, as they always made her feel better about herself and her insecurities. She smiled softly at her dad before speaking.
"Thank you. So, was there a specific reason you came here? You usually sit with me if you need to talk about something, but this time it might not be too serious, am I right?" She asked. Aizawa was taken aback from her before looking at her, smiling a little.
"You're right. Mandalay said you and Kota could hang out today, no adults. Just you two. She thought it would be a nice idea to have you two do whatever you guys want, just not go too far away." He explained. It wasn't new that Kota could hang out. They have scattered hang out days. Kota and Mandalay moved into a house a little more nearby for convenience reasons. So, it was much easier to hang out and such. Kota went to middle school, while Eri was being homeschooled. Kota was a bit upset that they couldn't got to school together, but got over it.
Eri squealed lightly before thanking her father for letting her know. He nodded, smiling at seeing his daughter so happy. He left to go back inside. She watched him leave before turning her attention down to her sketchbook. One of her sketches caught her attention. It was a poloroid picture of her and Kota as kids. The drawing was an actual picture she had in her room. The two were eating candied apples matching outfits. It was taken back when they were 9. She sighed at the drawing before closing the book and getting up. She stood up for a few seconds and stretched for a while before walking back inside, up to her room, packing a few things, getting dressed. and head out.
Eri always packed a few things whenever going out. This time, since it is a hangout day, she packed a little more. She packed a small first aid, extra shirt, shorts, a granola bar, water bottle, extra lip gloss, a mini brush/mirror, a travel sized watercolor set and her sketchbook, her phone, a charger, earbuds, and a small blanket, you never know if their going to sit down somewhere. She likes keeping some money with her as well, which she earned by the way. After packing a small bag, she got dressed. She didn't wear too much. Just a white crop top with a small cat, a light yellow skirt with white flowers, jean shorts, a yellow a black hat, and her sneakers.
She took one last look at herself before heading out. She walked for a while before realizing she didn't know where Kota wanted to meet up. She quickly texted him, asking where he was. He replied shortly after, letting her know that he was at the park. She walked there, humming a tune she used to sing when she was younger. She started skipping lightly, making it a little faster to get there. When she finally managed to reach the park, she looked around for the oh so iconic red hat Kota also wore. She didn't see it at first sight and thought that he was running a little late. But, that was proven wrong when Kota came up behind her saying a simple "Boo." It freaked her out for a minute, before immediately recognizing the voice. She turned around, embracing Kota into a hug. He was startled, but hugged back slowly. The two stayed like that for a few seconds before Eri pulled away, showing her signature eyes-closed smile. It made Kota blush lightly.
Kota wasn't wearing much either. Just a simple red shirt, a sweater wrapped around his waist, some jeans, his signature hat, and red Converse
The two walked through for a while, talking about things. Eri had to go to a special school for small beans who need to be protected. It even had relations to U.A so all was good. She enjoyed her time there, but always wanted to go to an actual school. She always heard Kota's stories about school. He knew the importance of the place, but couldn't help but have an odd hatred towards the people there. The kids there wanted to become heroes to either- A: Show off and look better than everyone else- B: Fame and money- C: Personal problems- Or D: Good reasons. That's why he never fit in and like others. They always boasted about quirks, power, fame, money, and overall just snobby brats who won't understand what heroes are and what they do even if it smacked them in the face. That's why he liked Eri. She was brave, has good reasons and goals, and is overall a good friend and person to society, such a shame with everything in her past honestly. She didn't deserve all of that, the scars and shit Overhaul has put her through and gave. She needed Therapy for so long. A kid her age that young, it was sickening. He sighed before focusing on Eri.
There was one thing that definitely did change about Kota. His relation to Deku. Deku thought the kid would be a good choice for his successor. But, Kota will have to wait a while since the alumni of U.A was still young and had a long way to go. In the meantime, the black-haired kid will have to train his current quirk and body. Nowadays, Kota sees Deku as a somewhat father- figure. He was there for him and showed what true heroes are, not to mention he saved Kota's LIFE.
Eri and Kota ended up going to a restaurant. It was rather aesthetically pleasing to Eri, so she chose it. Inside had a cool, chill atmosphere. The walls were a muted pastel pick with some black lines bordering a few inches above the floor, which had a nice dreamy, marble look. The counter was white with a nice lady taking an order from two teens. She had a cute outfit, which was most likely the uniform
Kinda like this, but more cutesy. Eri loved the outfit and thought it was cute. Kota seemed a little interested in the place but didn't show it that much. The tables had a plaid design, each table having a color. Like some tables had a pastel pink, others have blue themes, purple, mint green, etc. There were some cute garlands around as well with some fairy lights. The two walked to the counter as the people got their orders and left, the female making eye contact with Eri, smiling at her, which Eri kindly returned. She could hear the women squeal at how cute she is. She didn't hear it, but the teen also told her friend how the two kids looked cute together, only earning a sigh and small smile from her friend, then walking out, continuing on whatever they had.
The two tweens walked up to the cashier. They had some time to see what the menu had to offer, which was a lot. Eri had a nice sweet tooth, so her eyes caught a butt load of desserts. Her eyes lit up seeing it all.
"Hi, Welcome to Star Sweets Delight, how can I help you?" She asked, sweetly at the two. Eri piped in, already knowing what to order.
"Hiya! Uhm, I'll take a box of panda sushi, a light pink cat donut, two bunny breads, and a small strawberry boba drink please?" Eri asked politely. The cashier smiled and nodded before turning to Kota, "And You sir?" She asked.
Kota thought for a second before replying.
"I think I'll have the Totoro Sandwich and Bento boxes, two matcha mochies, and a water please." He said, earning another nod from the Cashier.
"Dine in or to go?" She asked, the two responding with "To go".
She calculated their total, the two paying for their own foods, and prepared the food, brought it over, and with that said, they left saying goodbyes and paying a tip.
The two walked through, talking. The food was safely put into their bag, nice and fresh. Kota was the first one to talk.
"Uhm, I found this place that I think you would like to see." He said.
"Sure!" She smiled. Kota didn't know why, but her smile always made his stomach feel weird, and he couldn't help but feel his face get warm.
He led the way towards a much more secluded area. He reached a small tree area, They hit a dead-end, blocked by some bushes. Eri raised her eyebrow, confused.
"Kota, this is a dead-end. Did we take a wrong turn?" She asked, her confused tone so cute. Kota chuckled.
"Nah, we didn't. This is the right place." He said, a smirk plastered on his face as he moved the bushes, revealing a beautiful clearing. Eri gasped, tearing up a little.
The place was gorgeous. It was a bit hilly. There was this one hill with a beautiful tree on it. It had a bunch of yellow buds and flowers, a few falling down and floating around. There was a small river with a few willow trees near it. There were flowers and blossoms everywhere. There were lavenders and purple flowers near the river, and Eri could spot some shiny and cute rocks scattered as well. The hills and grass had different colors and kinds of flowers. Some yellow buttercups, orange poppies, red roses, daisies, blue periwinkles, etc.
She squealed, hugging him tightly. Kota couldn't say he didn't expect the contact, so he hugged back, his blush dusting his face again. She let go, looking at him. The bluenette was close to Kota's height, she was only a few centimeters shorter. As if he read her mind, he nodded, knowing she wanted to roam and explore. She threw her hands in the air, running around freely. He laughed lightly, seeing the girl running like when she was younger amused him a lot.
He walked over to the hilltop, sitting down under the tree, a flower landing on his head without him knowing. Eri ran around for a while until she got tired and hungry. She ran back up to the hill, noticing Kota. He peacefully sat there, his back against the tree, his eyes closed. He looked so... soft. It warmed Eri's heart, seeing him so peaceful. He opened one of his eyes, spotting Eri staring down at him. He smirked before pulling her down so that she sat beside him. She made a little "Wah!" as he pulled her down. She surfaced, sitting up properly, giving a shy smile, Kota returning. They sat for a while, enjoying the view and silence. It was nice and peaceful, away from other people. Soon, they decided it would be best to start eating. Eri placed down her blanket so that they didn't have to worry about bugs. They dug into their foods, enjoying the pieces of heaven.
"This is so good! We should totally go back there sometime!" Eri remarked, Kota nodding, chewing on his food. They finished their food, both full. They saved some for later.
After that, they talked a little. Eri ended up thinking of a nice idea. She sat up against the tree and put Kota's head on her lap. He blushed furiously but soon relaxed. Eri's small hands played with his hair for a while. She decided it would be nice to sing for a little while, to which Kota quickly agreed. Eri's voice had gotten a little different but in a good way. It was still smooth, soft, and peaceful, but when she sang, she sounded like an angel. She thought of a song that would fit with the soothing atmosphere, so she chose the song "Welcome to Wonderland".
Her voice was soft and sweet. Kota loved hearing her sing. It made him feel special since the only people she sang to were her parents, Shinsou, Deku, Mirio, and himself. So he always felt like he belonged whenever she sang. Her voice was smooth, the words flowing. It was truly a great feeling. Kota almost fell asleep but didn't. They stayed like that for a while until Eri had a good idea.
She thought it would be fun to make flower crowns. She had learned from Uraraka and Momo when she stayed at U.A. There were a lot of flowers to use, so it worked out. She picked a bunch of flowers and leaves and helped make them. She made sure that they matched. Her skill left two beautiful flower crowns.
They looked something like this:
She giggled, putting one on Kota, who chuckled lightly along with her. They made a few small things with each other. Soon, they got a little tired and wanted to just relax and preserve the silence. Eri started sketching some characters. Kota put on his headphones and listened to some music. Soon enough, Kota had noticed her drawing. His eyes widened at his friend's skills. This is what her drawing looked like, but without color, is inked, and has a little less detail.
"Woah, Eri, that's a great drawing!" Kota praised, his eyes glued to her paper. She looked over to him, then at her drawing, she showed a small shy small, a small blush dusted her cheeks from the compliment. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, mumbling a small "Thank you". Kota thought it was adorable. She continued her drawing as Kota kept on glancing at her drawing, still amazed. She started humming a tune as she started coloring. They stayed for a while until is was just a few minutes before sunset. They could see the light changing and used it as a sign that they should start packing. They packed up their food and blanket, and started walking back.
Kota liked walking Eri back to her house. It made him much more relieved to know that she was safe with him and away from harm. It also meant that they could spend a little more time together. The walk back to Eri's house, which didn't take that long since Eri's neighborhood was nearby. They talked a little, but it was mostly a comfortable silence. Soon enough, they made it to Eri's house. She walked up to the door before turning around to see Kota, who had a nice smile on his face. Usually, Kota didn't smile, only to Eri, the Wild Pussycats, Deku and Bakugo. So, it was always pleasing to see him give such a genuine smile. Eri returned one herself, making Kota's heart flutter.
"So, see you next week?" She asked, softly.
"Yeah, sure." He replied back, a small blush rising, but not too much. Eri giggled, embracing him for a hug, where he hugged back of course. Eri giggled lightly before speaking up again.
"You should get going. I don't want your aunt worrying." She said, her eyes closed.
Kota just nodded. He turned to leave. As he walked through the gate, he waved at Eri before walking away, back to his house. The sun had set fully, stars showing up lightly. Eri smiled to herself. She unlocked and stepped inside her house, giggling from remembering her day. It was a fun day.
She walked into the hallway. She didn't see her dad at first sight until he announced his existence with a cough. He was sitting at the couch with a cup of coffee, looking at his daughter. He immediately noticed her new flower crown. He made eye contact with his daughter, giving a 'Explain your day' look. Eri sheepishly smiled, sitting down next to her father. She started explaining everything that happened. The good restaurant, the beautiful scenery and trees, the flower crowns, her singing, everything. Aizawa nodded along, happy to see his daughter so happy. He was enjoying how thrilled she looked. It warmed his heart to know she had made a real, true friend. He needed to tell Mic, but couldn't since he was out with Nemuri.
Eri went up stairs to her room. She closed the door and slid down to the floor, her back against the door. She closed her eyes, sighing, she thought about her day. She thought back to the tree, her singing, Kota's head on her lap, the flower crowns. She stayed like that for awhile, looking through her phone. She had gotten a text from Kota a few minutes later. She hummed, looking into it. Kota just wanted to talk a little. They texted for a little until Kota needed to go. Eri put down her phone and decided it would be good to change and go downstairs.
Eri changed into a nightgown and some bunny slippers. She headed downstairs as her dad made dinner.
"Hey dad." She called out simply. Aizawa just looked down at her and mumbled a "Hey".
Eri sat on the couch, looking through some channels and shows until she heard the door unlock. She jumped off the couch, running over to the door. It opened and showed Mic and Midnight in all their glory.
"Papa! Auntie!" Eri jumped into their arms, giggling. Mic picked her up lightly.
"Hey sugar! How was your day, hm?" He asked putting his hand on her head. Eri's eyes lit up, excited to tell him and Nemuri about her day.
"It was great! I can't wait to tell you all about it!" She happily waved her arms. Nemuri laughed at seeing the girl so cute. She and Mic took off their shoes, walking inside. Mic went into the kitchen and hugged his husband tightly, kissing him on the cheek. Aizawa blushed slightly, turning to his cooking. Mic chuckled before walking to the couch where Eri and Nemuri were sitting, Nemuri's hands wrapped around Eri. Mic sat down next to his daughter.
"So, Aizawa told me you headed out to hang with Kota. What did you guys do?" He asked, curious on what the two did without any adults. Eri's ruby orbs sparkled, remembering the day. She took out her phone, showing a few pictures she took during her time at the forest. Mic and Nemuri looked down to see the gorgeous place. Nemuri gasped at the picture. It was beautiful, like a secret garden. Mic grinned widely at the sight. The tree, the river, the flowers. It all looked like a fairytale.
"Babe, come here, look at the pictures Eri took during her time with Kota!" He gushed. Aizawa rolled his eyes.
"I'll be there soon, 'Zashi, I just need to finish the food." He said in his iconic monotone, bored, voice. Mic rolled his eyes playfully, before nudging Eri to talk about everything. She spoke about the day. Mic looked over to Nemuri, who probably had the same idea he did. She listened intently, most likely thinking of ways to get them together or something. Soon enough, Aizawa finished making dinner. Luckily, he was smart enough to know Nemuri would most likely come with Mic to see Eri. So, he made more than he usually did.He presented the food at the table, Eri, Mic and Midnight sitting there. They ate all their food. Aizawa was silent for the majority of the time while Mic and Midnight chatted with Eri, bringing up conversations on random topics. They all finished up. Nemuri decided it would be nice to stay over the night. She came by to see her best friends and Eri all the time, so they made her a room, which she decorated herself. She decided it would be nice to stay with Eri in her room for a while, she did want to hang out with he niece after all.
The two headed over to Eri's bedroom after washing dishes and left Aizawa and Mic to cuddle up on the couch. Midnight liked hanging out with Eri. She was polite, sweet, fun, and honestly considered her as a daughter. Eri also liked hanging with Nemuri as well, when she wasn't trying to get her to speak about relationships. They walked into the room, a cold breeze hitting their faces.
Nemuri walked around a little. It was still the same as when she came over not too long ago. Eri sat on her bed, waving for her aunt to sit as well, which she did. The two talked about things. Nemuri's days of hero work, Eri's training and work, etc. The older woman brought up the secret garden at one point, which Eri immediately started talking about when brought up. She explained everything she told Aizawa.
Nemuri listened intently, taking notice of the girl's bond with Kota. She met the boy before. He was a little bit colder towards people who aren't familiar enough, but, whenever around Eri, he always had a different aura. It was soft, and playful, sweet, and had a little bit of... Protectiveness? It felt like he wanted to keep the girl safe, away from harm and bad people. She recognized it well. Love. But, not fully romance. Their friendship represented a mix of red, yellow, and white flowers. (look up flower language to understand better.) She thought it was beautiful and truly perfect. She couldn't wait for Eri to get older to actually be able to date someone and understand.
It would only be a matter of years for that to happen.....