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Things around UA had been… quiet since the school festival. It felt a bit like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something. It was peaceful, like the metaphorical calm before the storm. The days were filled with learning and training for Class 1A as the weather grew ever colder.
Shota knew that everything was going to hit the fan soon, and knowing his problem class, they would probably be right in the middle of it. The least he could do was train them hard and teach them what they needed to know.
At the moment though, the kids could relax in the safety of the UA dorms, watched over by their teachers. The dorms were put in with the safety of the students in mind. After first-year students had four separate encounters with the league of villains, and confirmation that the league was targeting them, the school needed a more efficient way to protect their students. Switching to a dorm system enabled them to keep a close eye on the students and keep them protected from the league.
Something that really boosted the morale of his students, especially Midoriya, was Eri’s move to the UA dorms as his ward. The little white-haired girl had been rescued from the Shie Hassaikai Yakuza. The criminal organization had been using her blood to create quirk erasing bullets in a plan to bring down hero society by controlling the only antidote to the bullets.
With the help of many pro-heroes, they launched a successful raid on the Yakuza and rescued her. Somehow even after he had promised to watch over him, Midoriya had to face off against Overhaul, the Yakuza leader alone, breaking his body over and over.
He’d only been able to defeat him thanks to Eri’s out of control quirk rewinding his injuries almost instantaneously. The sixteen-year-old hero in training managed to defeat a villain that could have easily defeated even a pro-hero.
At the current moment, Shota was heading back to the teachers’ dorm where Midoriya was spending time with Eri. The little girl seemed to trust him on a level higher than anyone else, even Mirio Togata who was just as involved in the raid to free her as Midoriya was.
It would do good for Eri and Midoriya to spend time together. Especially now. Just a few days prior during a joint training session with Class 1B, Midoriya’s quirk had shot out of control into a writing mass of black energy that had flung him around the training ground and left him shaken.
The kid had insisted he was fine, albeit trembling with quirk exhaustion and voice hoarse from screaming in pain. He’d definitely looked rough since, even falling asleep during English that morning if Mic was to be believed.
So when Ashido, Uraraka, and Jiro needed a teacher escort to go shopping for clothing suited for the colder weather, he’d asked Midoriya rather than Togata, Amajiki, or Hado to look after Eri while he was gone.
The Problem Child had lit up when asked. Shota left him with instructions to heat up some leftovers in the fridge for their dinner and to have her in bed by seven-thirty if he wasn’t back. The teen assured him that he’d take good care of Eri while he was away.
So, after three hours of following behind his students as they walked around the mall closest to campus, he walked the girls back to their dorm and set off to relieve Midoriya of babysitting duty.
He walked along the path to the teachers dorm, his presence hurrying along any stragglers on their way to their dorms. The stone pathways lighted by street lights may have seemed eerie to anyone else, but as an Underground hero, he was used to walking around after sunset.
Coming up to the teachers dorm, he paused for a moment on the porch to pull off his boots under the flickering porch light. He slipped his slippers on as he stepped inside and walked past Nemuri and Anan chatting in the common room.
The teachers dorms were built differently than the student dorms, the bottom floor consisting of a common lounge room and offices for the teachers living in the dorm. Each floor above that was split into two apartments.
The hallway was quiet as he arrived on his floor. As he pushed open his apartment door, he went to call out that he had returned, but fell silent listening to a soft voice quietly singing aloud.
Taking a few quiet steps into the apartment, he silently shut the door behind him listening as the two continued to sing. He paused in the entryway and looking out at the living room where Midoriya was holding Eri in his arms slowly rocking side to side as she sang along with him.
"I see your monsters; I see your pain.” Eri sang the beginning of the chorus in her small, slightly off-key voice.
“Tell me your problems, I’ll chase them away.” Midoriya dipped her down causing Eri to burst out into giggles. “I’ll be your lighthouse; I’ll make it okay.”
“When I see your monsters, I’ll stand there so brave, and chase them all away.” As the two of them sang the last part, Eri threw her arms around Midoriya’s neck.
Shota leaned against the entryway wall hiding a small smile in his capture weapon as he watched them.
“Deku-San?” Eri asked quietly.
“Yeah Eri?” The greenette murmured in response still rocking her side to side.
“You have monsters too, don’t you?” There was a sleepy slur to her voice as she voiced her innocent question.
The teen holding stopped rocking her looking down at her. “…A few.” He admitted.
“You chased my monsters away… I wanna chase yours away.” Eri stated.
Shota heard the hitch of his breath and watched as the teen sat down on the couch. “You already do, Eri.” Midoriya’s voice cracked as he spoke.
“Deku? Don’t cry.” Eri startled from her sleepy state reaching up to place her small hands on his cheeks.
In the past, Shota made it a point not to get attached to his students, but this class had always gone above and beyond. He’d slowly found himself caring more and more about his students, not just their wellbeing but their happiness.
His class already knew how hard and unfair the world was for heroes. They knew firsthand not everyone could be saved and some had already witnessed that fact in person.
It was precisely this fact that had him growing attached to these quickly growing heroes. They were still young but had seen so much.
“Deku?” Eri gently poked her cheek with his finger. “I’m sorry I made you cry…”
“No, no you didn’t.” The greenette said trying to recollect his composure but failing. “I cry all the time Eri, besides, these are happy tears.”
“H- Happy tears?” Eri asked like it was a new unfamiliar concept for her.
“Yeah. Happy tears, not sad tears or hurt tears.” Midoriya explained. “Most people cry when they’re really sad or hurt, but some people cry when they’re really happy too. ”
“So… you cry when you’re happy?” Eri tilted her head in thought. Shota saw Midoriya nod in response. Eri threw her arms up in the air. “I’m gonna chase away more of your monsters so you can be happy all the time!”
Midoriya let out a splutter. “But if I’m always happy, I’ll flood UA.”
“I’m sure Aizawa-San and Lemillion will help you clean it up.” Eri said thoughtfully.
“…I don’t know, I don’t want to make a big mess for everyone.”
Eri seemed to think about that. “Fine, I’ll chase away a few, and then you’ll only have a little mess.”
Midoriya let out a laugh. “That’s a better idea.”