Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Vongrak.
Aizawa Pov.
"How has Eri been?" I asked the doctor in front of me. After freeing her from Overhaul 's control, Eri had been transferred to a hospital in Musutafu for observation.
She had not been directly involved in the fight, even though it had gone to hell, Miyamura had protected her from within his shadows throughout the entire fight, so there were no aftereffects or damage caused by the fight itself.
But the damage inflicted by Overhaul went back months and years of abuse. Her body may have been completely healthy, except for some scars on her arms, but the mental damage was far worse.
Firstly, she couldn't control her quirk at all, so the doctors had to be careful when dealing with her, and secondly, she barely spoke or showed emotions, she really kept herself shut away.
She had already been assigned a psychologist, who stated that this was a common response among abused children; it simply required time, patience, and care. That left a bitter taste in my mouth, but there was nothing I could do.
"Mentally, unfortunately, she remains the same. Her assigned psychologist continues to see her, but as expected, progress is minimal." The doctor sighed as she reviewed her papers. I simply nodded. "Now, physically, she still doesn't have control of her quirk."
"We have discovered that their power accumulates in the small, horn-like protrusion that sticks out from their forehead; the larger the protrusion, the greater the amount of power accumulated and the greater the risk of losing control."
"All we've managed to do is contain it. When her quirk goes out of control, we bring her some insects and small animals so that her charge is consumed as quickly as possible, preventing any negative effects on her body."
"We were mostly successful; she's still a little fatigued and has slight discomfort each time it happens, but for now, it's enough until she learns to control it." The doctor sighed, and I nodded once more.
"That... that's good for now. I suppose it's best to wait until her mental condition improves before trying to control her quirk, right? " I sighed wearily. The doctor nodded seriously.
"Yes, that would be best. It's been shown that emotions can unbalance a quirk. Eri is definitely still afraid of her quirk, along with the abuse she suffered at Overhaul 's hands. Unless she shows improvement, it would be dangerous to even try to get Eri to control her quirk, both for her and for everyone else," the doctor said seriously. I nodded.
"Very well," I sighed wearily. "Anything else?" I asked gently. The doctor continued looking at her papers before grimacing and appearing uncertain.
"Yes, there were some... concerns, but we really don't know how it happens," the doctor said uncertainly. "Eri has refused to eat the hospital food, or she says she's already full, or that the food is too bland and tasteless, and she won't eat it."
"It's somewhat normal in children, but normally we would still be able to get them to eat something. The nurses noticed that she hadn't eaten for several meals in a row; we were about to put her on an IV to keep her fed."
"But... her body is in perfect condition. Her glucose levels remain stable, her iron has not decreased, her electrolytes are within normal values, and she shows no signs of malnutrition. Her weight has not changed either; in fact, she has gained weight."
"That's the strange thing. She should be hungry, tired, or at least showing some deficiency. However, her results are those of a healthy child. She looks healthier, and her skin and hair look better with each passing day," the doctor said, completely baffled. I frowned, even more confused.
"Any interaction with her quirk? Any changes Overhaul made to Eri's body? " I asked immediately, and the doctor grimaced.
"We ruled out the first possibility immediately; her quirk doesn't seem to affect her in any way other than causing fatigue from prolonged use. As for the second, we ran several tests and found nothing out of the ordinary," the doctor sighed. My frown deepened even further.
"And I suppose Eri hasn't said anything," I said more as a statement, but the doctor still shook her head.
"No," the doctor sighed. I frowned worriedly; we would have to find out what was happening.
"What about the invocations?" I asked, changing the subject. The doctor just sighed and nodded, putting down the file before smiling.
"The white wolf behaves almost like a domesticated therapy dog. It is always within Eri's reach, protecting her from any stranger who enters, noticing her mood swings and comforting her immediately, even trying to play with her despite Eri seeming confused most of the time, unsure of what to do. Eri, for her part, never leaves the wolf's side and constantly clings to it, seeking comfort."
"Eri's psychologist approves of the wolf and the comfort and companionship that Eri needs, although she fears that it may make her a little dependent, but for the moment there is no problem, especially since the wolf is the only one capable of being by Eri's side constantly without risk of being hurt by her quirk," the doctor said satisfiedly, I nodded.
"Alright, I'll make sure Miyamura maintains his summoning for as long as he can." I said without hesitation, and the doctor nodded while smiling.
"Please thank your student, Aizawa-sensei. It's truly as expected of UA, comforting a child even from so far away." The doctor said amusedly, and I simply nodded.
"Can Eri receive visitors?" I finally asked, and the doctor nodded.
"Yes, I think the nurses just sent her lunch. If you can get her to eat something, we'd be grateful," the doctor said with a tired smile.
"I'll see what I can do," I said easily, then waved one last time before turning and heading to Eri's room. I stopped in front of the door and knocked softly before entering. "Sorry to interrupt, Eri," I said as I stepped inside.
I looked around my room and yes, the lunch tray was sitting on the small table next to the bed, untouched. Then I looked at Eri, who was sitting tensely on the bed next to the white wolf, which was circling her from behind, letting Eri use it as a giant, furry pillow while it protected her like a jealous mother.
I looked at Eri, who looked back at me. I could see a hint of panic in her eyes before she visibly calmed down. I grimaced, but ignored it. Finally, I looked at her closely. Just as the doctor had said, I hadn't noticed. She came a couple of times a week, but now that she mentioned it, Eri had improved remarkably.
Her skin was healthier, even her cheeks looked fuller as if-
I blinked several times. That was it…
"Hi, Eri, how have you been?" I asked gently as I approached Eri, took the chair next to the bed and sat down.
"Good," Eri murmured, looking away. I glanced at Miyamura's wolf, who, upon seeing me, seemed foolishly pleased, his tail wagging excitedly. I reached out to pet him. It was truly unfair how soft the fur of that wolf made of shadows was.
"Have you eaten?" I asked softly in Eri's direction. She tensed, but didn't say anything, just stared at me. I raised an eyebrow. Taking advantage of her stillness, I let go of the wolf before placing my hand on Eri's chin. "Your face is dirty," I said easily, wiping the dirt with my finger.
A flash of panic appeared on Eri's face, and I simply brought my thumb to my mouth. The strong taste flooded my taste buds, and I finally understood. A pang of annoyance surged inside me. One that only one person could provoke lately.
"Get out." I said coldly as I stared at the shadows in the room, I kept staring at the shadows until finally the shadows themselves trembled slightly.
From them, first came a white rabbit that jumped towards Eri, then came a bird that flapped its wings slightly to position itself on top of Eri's head, then came the small snake and launched itself towards Eri, who did not even flinch, just let the snake encircle her body and settle on her shoulders.
And finally, a second wolf appeared, the black wolf. It had a handkerchief in its jaw, wrapped around an open and half-eaten bento box.
I closed my eyes and counted backwards.
Damn you, Miyamura.
Apparently, the troubled boy had decided it was a good idea to feed Eri behind the backs of the doctors and nurses, without telling anyone, while sending all his summons to keep the girl company.
I opened my eyes in annoyance and looked at Eri, who had a worried expression, but more importantly, Eri was practically surrounded and piled up around the animals. The rabbits had multiplied until they covered the lower part of her body, the snake was coiled around her neck, the white wolf on her back was circling them from behind, and the bird had settled lazily on top of Eri's head.
So, all you could see of Eri was her face. As someone who's had children, and something I wouldn't admit out loud, Eri looked adorable surrounded by animals.
Even so, that didn't change what was happening. I sighed, approached the black wolf still on the ground, picked up the half-eaten bento, and handed it to Eri. I couldn't help but quickly scan it.
More than just a bento box, it was a complete, perfectly balanced meal. At least Miyamura knew what he was doing when he cooked, especially for the recovery of a growing girl.
"Eat, you need the strength to get better," I said gently. Eri's eyes widened in surprise. "I'll let the doctors know you're eating well; you don't have to hide it anymore." Eri kept looking at me before glancing at her food. I could see a thin trickle of saliva trickling from the corner of her mouth. Eri finally stopped holding back, picked up the chopsticks she'd been using, and began eating quickly.
I was going to tell her to eat more slowly, but I knew from experience that it was practically impossible to restrain herself with Miyamura's food enriched with his quirk.
"Is there anything you want, Eri?" I asked gently once she finished eating. Eri looked at me, confused.
"Something... that I want?" she asked, confused. I nodded.
"Yes, something you might feel more comfortable with," I said gently. "I assume you've got the food sorted, do you need something to keep you entertained?" I asked once more. Eri seemed puzzled for a few seconds before looking down. Her hands stroked the shadow animals.
"Can I... can I meet him?" Eri asked hopefully.
"Meet him?" I asked curiously, Eri nodded.
"The one who saved me," Eri said timidly. "I don't know his name," Eri said sadly. I blinked.
"Do you want me to tell you, or do you want to ask him?" I asked gently, Eri quickly shook her head.
"I want to meet him," Eri said firmly. I smiled gently and nodded.
"Very well, I'll mention it." Eri nodded excitedly.
"The... the shadow animals, they're him, aren't they? " Eri asked as she stroked the animals around her.
"They are." I said without hesitation.
"Do they have... names?" she asked once more, I blinked as I thought carefully.
"No, they don't have any," I said after thinking about it. I didn't remember Izumi naming them, unless Rabbit Escape, Divine Dog, Orochi, and Nue were their names. "Why don't you think of some and tell him? Maybe you can name them together," I said with a smile. Eri's eyes widened.
"Give them... names?" Eri asked, surprised. I nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure he'll love them," I said honestly. Eri still looked surprised and finally nodded as she looked at the animals. "Then I'll leave you with them. I'll tell the nurses about the animals. You don't have to hide them in the shadows again," I said simply. Eri nodded quickly. I then looked at the summons. "Take care of her," I ordered. All the animals turned to me at the same time and nodded in unison before snuggling back up to Eri. "I'll come back another day, Eri, maybe with the hero who saved you," I said to Eri as I stood up.
"Goodbye... thank you," Eri finally said. I nodded in her direction before leaving the room. After speaking with the doctor for a few minutes, I left the hospital and approached the two people waiting under a tree.
"Shota!" Nemuri said cheerfully. "So, how did it go?" she asked excitedly. I just stared at her before looking at Oboro. She was still under house arrest; she shouldn't leave UA without Principal Nezu's permission and only in the company of a few select escorts, and certainly not for something as... trivial as using her quirk to come to the hospital, which wasn't that far from UA.
"Aizawa-san." Oboro said, nodding in my direction.
"Thank you for waiting for me," I said to both of them, ignoring the question. "Let's go home," I said mainly to Oboro.
"Shotaaa, don't ignore me." Nemuri complained while shaking me from side to side.
"I'll tell you in a moment, just wait." I said, slightly irritated. Nemuri just pouted as Oboro extended her smoke and teleported the three of us. We quickly appeared on the grounds inside UA, but in front of us was a large building.
The students had dormitories, but so did the teachers; it was a fairly large apartment building, enough for an entire family to live in each one.
The three of us went to one of the apartments in particular and I opened the door.
"Welcome!!" Hizashi shouted from the other side of the house before appearing lazily dressed with a huge smile and grandiloquent manner. "So, Shota? How did the visit to little Eri go? " Hizashi asked with a grin.
"Speak up, Shota! Are we adopting her?" Nemuri asked, curious and eager. I sighed before shaking my head.
"No, it doesn't seem so," I said, shrugging before smiling slightly. "Someone beat us to it," I said playfully. Nemuri and Hizashi's eyes widened.
"How did they beat us?" they asked simultaneously, confused. I just sighed, pulled out my scroll wheel, and showed them a photograph I had discreetly taken. I had mastered the art of secretly taking pictures, whether for my work as a hero or as a father.
"Those are... Miyamura's summons?" Hizashi asked in shock.
"Aww, how cute," Nemuri said, completely smitten.
"Yes, apparently the troublemaker has been sending his summons to the hospital to keep Eri company, and he was even bringing her food without the nurses noticing." I snorted amusedly, and they both stopped and pouted.
"We can't compete against Miyamura's cooking," Hizashi groaned in pain.
"So, should we prepare ourselves for one of our students to have a child soon?" Nemuri asked. She seemed a little sad about Eri, but that feeling vanished quickly before she could look equally excited. I just sighed.
"Maybe. I have no idea if Miyamura will adopt Eri, maybe he was just trying to comfort her in his own way. We'll see how things go and let Eri decide if Miyamura really wants to adopt her." I said easily.
"Um... I don't mean to be mean, but can we really entrust a child to Miyamura?" Hizashi asked worriedly.
"To everyone's surprise, yes, he's really good with kids, maybe because he has a childlike personality." I teased. "He'll have a lot to learn, but he'll do fine, and he has Taylor, Azula, and his mother to help him." I said honestly. Hizashi nodded.
"Not Miss Rose?" Nemuri asked playfully. I snorted loudly.
"She shares the same brain cell as Miyamura; she needs more care than Eri." I slurred the words. They both laughed heartily.
"It's not funny to make fun of your students, Shota." Nemuri tried to reprimand me, but the smile on her face made it impossible to take her seriously.
"Very well then, let's eat, we were waiting for you," Hizashi said playfully. Nemuri's eyes immediately sparkled.
"My little boy!! Mommy's home! " Nemuri exclaimed as she ran towards the table. I heard a boy's voice whine and I just sighed as I heard Nemuri pounce on our son. It was a shame Hitomi was with her classmates right now. Hizashi laughed loudly as she followed.
"If that's all, I'll leave-"
"You're coming," I said directly to Oboro, who seemed surprised. I just gestured to her. "Hizashi cooked, so the food is edible. Let's go," I said easily. I didn't even expect her to agree; I just walked toward the dining room. Then I heard Oboro's footsteps following me, and I couldn't help but smile.
Author's Notes: Eri with Izumi's animals!
https://imgur.com/a/BEWx6u8
The AI performed well enough to generate that image with only a few minor errors!
Now, as I mentioned, Shinso is female and is Aizawa's daughter. I don't remember if I mentioned it, but she is the biological daughter of Aizawa and Present Mic, mainly because of the whole voice-based quirk thing.
But Aizawa and Kayama also have a son, so the law applies to Aizawa too! Should he be around 10-13 years old? I haven't decided yet, or even if he'll actually appear. If he does appear, who will it be? Should it be another Expy? Something about nullifying quirks like Aizawa? Asta? Or something based on eyes? Itachi?! Or should we go big and go for Satoru Gojo!? What if Aizawa has the misfortune of his son and Izumi meeting, and Izumi infects Gojo with his personality! (I should stop throwing out random ideas. For now, Aizawa's son will remain nameless!)
A/N: If you liked the story, join my patreon, patreon.com/Camellya_Addams, there are up to 10 chapters in advance, thank you. Or you can also visit my Ko-Fi, ko-fi.com/camellya_addams.