A/N: This is set after the current events of the manga (Chap. 355 as of writing). However, I will do my best not to spoil anything dramatic, and any references to the canon events will be vague. This time around, I reference the events of the Paranormal Liberation Arc. I've been vague, but you have been warned. :) I personally would rate spoilers at a level 2 out of 10 for this chapter.

Also, I'd love to hear any critique/advice you can give! I always strive to make my writing better. :)

Saturday, Aizawa brushed Eri's hair and pulled it up into two ponytails. He'd done his own hair enough to do some simple styles; his daughter's hair was only a little longer than his own. Eri kicked her legs as she perched on the stool in front of him.

"Can I wear this, Daddy?" Eri handed him a cute calico cat hair clip. He clasped it in place and patted her shoulders.

"There. Anything else?"

Eri stared at her red shoes. "Can you come with us?"

And spend a day—willingly—with Joke? "This is supposed to be just a fun day for you. You know… a girls' day out or something."

"I like it when you take me out." Eri sniffed and turned around in her seat. "What if a villain comes and breaks into our home and something bad happens to you? And what if I'm not here to help protect you?"

Aizawa wrapped her red scarf around her neck. Despite the summer heat, Eri insisted on wearing one. She said it made her feel like him, whatever that meant. "That's not your job. My job is to protect you. And today, that's Ms. Joke's job, too."

Tears welled in Eri's eyes, and she fumbled to wipe them with the edges of her scarf. "But I have to protect you so something bad doesn't happen."

Aizawa swallowed. "Nothing bad will happen."

Which felt like a lie. He knew that recent events had shaken Eri to her core. He'd worked hard to try and give her a steady home, but he couldn't protect her from witnessing everything.

He could see the logical cogs behind her thinking, which made it worse. She'd experienced an awful, traumatic life during her formative years. She'd been rescued, and though he wasn't the best father—by any means—he at least didn't experiment on her. He loved her, even. And she had friends.

And life could snatch him away from her at any moment.

"I'll tell you what." He picked her up and held her in his arms. "If you go with Ms. Joke and promise to have fun, I'll meet you for supper. I promise."

Eri's mouth twitched—like maybe she couldn't decide whether she wanted to smile or cry. Her red eyes searched his face, and his own gaze flickered to her horn once.

Good. Stable. Emi would more than likely be safe—it didn't look like Eri's quirk would explode in the next few hours.

Eri finally rested her head in the curve of his neck. "Okay. Promise me you'll meet us. Pinky promise." She'd become obsessed with pinky promises ever since Mirio taught her the concept.

Aizawa let out a puff of air. Thank goodness nobody else was there to witness the small gesture.

He linked his pinky around her. "Pinky promise."

"You can't break it, Daddy," Eri said solemnly.

"I know."

Eri finally smiled. "Okay. I'll go with Ms. Joke."

She scampered down and played with her dolls until Emi knocked on the door.

Aizawa shuffled over to let her in. If he didn't make eye contact, didn't glance at her, maybe she'd get in, get Eri, and go—

"Shouta!" Emi bounced from her toes to her heels. "Where's that little girl?"

Eri looked up from her toys. Her eyes flickered from Aizawa to Emi, and Aizawa almost laughed as he read the expression on her face: what have you done to me, Daddy?

He suddenly wished he could apologize to her.

"Hi, sweetie!" Emi entered the room—did Aizawa feel a cool breeze as she passed by?

"Hi." Eri clutched a doll.

"What's your name?" Emi crouched down beside Eri.

Eri whispered something, which Aizawa assumed was her name. When Emi questioned her further, Eri repeated it, a little louder.

"Eri! How cute. My name's Emi. That's not going to be confusing when your dad marries me, is it?" Emi cackled.

Eri paled. "Married?"

"Don't believe her." Aizawa glared at the back of Emi's head with the intensity he usually reserved for canceling villain quirks. "We're not getting married."

Eri's shoulders relaxed, but she still stared at Emi with wide-eyed curiosity—or perhaps horror.

"I know! Why don't you go pack a bag of all your favorite toys so we can take it to the park?" Emi poked Eri's nose. "As many as you want to bring."

Eri glanced up at Aizawa; he nodded his approval. She scampered off, and only once her little tmp-tmp-tmp footprints faded down the hallway did he realize…

He'd made a terrible mistake.

Emi stood up and crossed over to him. He backed away and tried to position the kitchen counter between them; she leaned on it.

"Are we going to talk about it?" she asked.

"It depends on the it in question. If you mean a date or wedding—no."

Emi's wide grin split her face. "Oh, look at who's trying to circumvent me. But for the record, that's not what I meant." Her voice dropped. "I mean about everything that happened. I saw the news. I witnessed some of it myself at the Paranormal Liberation Raid when I got called in. You could have clued me in yourself. Would have been nice to hear what was happening from you."

Aizawa stiffened. "That's not really my job. That's your agency's job. Or your own job."

Emi rolled her eyes. "You're my friend, Shouta. And, anyway, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's wrong with your kid. I was worried sick about you when everything went down. When I saw you…" Emi's voice trailed off, but the unspoken bit created a trail of memories that flashed through Aizawa's head. "…When I saw what happened, I was worried. Why do you think I rushed to the hospital, you idiot?"

"I just assumed you consider laughter the best medicine and wanted to heal me," Aizawa said dryly.

Emi cackled. "Did you just make a joke? Without me doing anything?"

"No. I was sarcastic. That happens all the time, whether or not you're here." Aizawa glared at her. "What's your point about Eri?"

"You're her dad. Sure, you're my future husband, but that kid has a special bond with you. She almost lost you. Doesn't take an idiot to figure out why she's upset now." Emi rolled her eyes. "You've upset the stability of her little world. You're going to have to build it back somehow."

"And how do you know so much about kids?" Aizawa stared at her, his face blank.

But inside, his stomach churned. Every single worry he'd fought since that battle came back: the stifling theory that he'd stripped Eri of some stability when he got injured.

"Because kids are just little people. And people have emotions, and I've read a lot of studies about them. Sometimes the funniest people you know are the only ones that realize laughter is the best medicine for emotional ailments." For a moment, Aizawa almost made the mistake of thinking Emi was trying to hold a serious conversation.

Then her eyes twinkled with that glimmer that never meant anything good.

"I know what you're thinking, with all this empathetic and psychological talk. Yes, it's true. I'd be a great mom. I'm thinking three kids? Maybe four? Or, heck, maybe you can't keep your paws off me, you filthy animal, and we just have enough kids to fill a UA classroom."

"Yeah… no."

"I heard a yes somewhere in that sentence. If we start now, maybe we can get a good make-out session in before the kid comes back—"

"Eri!" Aizawa leaned his head to peer down the hallway. "Eri, hurry up!"

Eri trundled back down the hallway. She lugged a huge backpack behind her—Aizawa spotted the heads of action figures and dolls that couldn't be contained by one measly piece of fabric.

"I couldn't pick." Eri grunted as she tugged it down the hallway. "I have my action figure of Daddy, and All-Might, and Best Jeanist…"

"Do you have one of me?" Emi flashed a thumbs-up.

Eri shook her head and gave Emi a blank look. "No."

Emi clutched her heart dramatically. "Oof! Your daughter, Shouta! So cold. Just like you!"

Aizawa rolled his eyes. Why did every interaction with Emi end with him needing a nap?

"Daddy pinky promised he'd come meet us with supper." Eri crept closer to Emi.

"Great!" Emi flashed a thumbs up. "We'll have lots of fun until then. Stick with me, little kiddo, and you'll never be bored again!"

Aizawa groaned.

Heaven help everyone make it through this day unscathed.