Izuku looked up at the slightly taller girl in front of him. She stared back, clinging to Aizawa's leg.

"Hey, bean sprout," Aizawa said softly, squatting down to be level with him. "This is Eri. Can she play with you today?"

Izuku's eyes brightened. "Yeah!" He squealed happily. New friend!

Then he paused and remembered his manners. "Hi, Eri-chan. I'm Izuku." He smiled brightly and bowed to her.

Eri bowed slightly back. "Hi..." she answered quietly.

"Come on!" Izuku pulled Eri over to his corner in the currently empty classroom. He showed her all his toys. Then, he started teaching the four-year-old how to play heroes. She excitedly waved around an action figure of the American hero, Cow Lady. Izuku was playing with an All Might doll.

"Who's your favorite hero?" He asked her.

"L-lemillion." She answered, eyes brightening. "He saved me."

Izuku looked confused. "I don't know Le- Lemelon, is he new?" he muttered. "Or underground? Does Otou-san know him? Can I meet him? What's his-"

Aizawa cut into the three-year-old's muttering, which Eri had been watching, fascinated. "Lemillion is Mirio, bean sprout."

"OH!" Izuku smiled brightly again. "Cool! Mirio-san saved you? What did he save you from? When?"

Eri picked up a toy. "He saved me from my uncle, Chisaki. He was really cool! He came in like, 'Where's Eri-chan!?' and punched him. He gave me his cape!"

"Whoa!" Izuku's eyes sparkled. "Mirio-san is awesome!"

Eri nodded, but he smile faded. Tears came into her eyes. "He lost his quirk b-because of me…" she cried. Izuku's eyes widened.

"Nooooo, don't cry!" Izuku whined, tears pricking his own eyes. "It's okay! Mirio will get his quirk back! It's not your fault!" he hugged her, crying too.

Aizawa sighed and picked up both kids. They both cried into his shoulders, leaving tear-stains behind, but Aizawa couldn't bring himself to care. He sat at one of the desks and softly bounced them for a good while before Eri's tears finally dried. She hiccuped and clung tightly to Aizawa, who rubbed her back. Izuku also eventually faded out, immediately falling asleep. Aizawa tried to stand but found he couldn't.

"Hey, Eri?" He asked her quietly. She glanced at him with bright red eyes, sniffing. "I gotta put you down, okay? Izuku fell asleep."

Without anything more than that, Eri slid off his lap and stood quietly. Aizawa stood and walked out the door and down the hall a short ways, Eri following the whole time. He opened the door to the teacher's lounge and put Izuku down on the little mattress in Izuku's corner. Eri watched silently. Once Aizawa had detached the green koala from his body, he turned to Eri and held out his arms. She ran into them. Aizawa gave her trembling body a hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded and sniffed. "Do you want to stay here with Izuku-chan?" Another nod.

"Okay," he rubbed her back. "I'll be right back, okay? I'm going to go get some papers and another blanket. Can you watch Izuku for me?" Eri looked up at him and nodded again.

Aizawa walked to the doorway, glanced back and swiftly walked to his classroom. Eri looked down at Izuku. She sat down next to him.

The boy was a curious thing, she decided. And her friend.

Almost like what she imagined a little brother to be like.

A longer chapter! Finally! And now Izuku has a friend :)

Appreciate you all! ~BlackPolaris