"Um, Toga-chan? Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Izuku's voice trembled slightly, a small bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face as he and Toga exited the main entrance of the hospital, the young hero turning to check over his shoulder as the automatic doors slid closed behind them with a quite, ominous hiss. It felt like there was no turning back now.
Feeling a small tug from his hand, Izuku lowered his gaze to stare into a pair of crimson eyes that were looking up at him with curious wonder. Standing between the pair of U.A. students, a hand clasped between each of theirs, was a girl with snow-white hair, her bland scrubs from before replaced with an adorable, yellow sundress.
"Aww, what's wrong, Izu-kun? Has your faith in me wavered that much?"
Giggling merrily to herself, arms swinging back and forth with an air of carefree playfulness, which inadvertently caused the little girl to rock back and forth with her movements, Toga gave the boy a teasing grin, her golden eyes glinting with mirth and joy beneath the morning sun's bright rays.
'Faith has nothing to do with it.' Izuku thought ruefully as they continued down the long path leading away from the hospital, not a single one of the passing pedestrians sparing the two teenagers escorting a young child a second glance, their presence seemingly non-existent to the rest of the world. In a way, this didn't shock the young hero anymore, considering what they went through mere moments earlier.
Rousing the wielder of One For All early in the morning, the sun barely cresting the horizon, the haze of darkness still blanketing the land, Toga had pulled Izuku from his dreams and out of his room with one swift movement, the godlike schoolgirl practically carrying him through campus and toward the hospital. Apparently, Toga had been impatiently waiting for the day to begin, her improvised song about bringing a smile to a little, white-haired girl's face giving him a small hint. He was just lucky she took the time to conjure some clothes onto him.
He would have hated doing all of this in his pajamas.
Using the pretense of 'just visiting' Eri, the receptionist agreeing much too easily for the young hero's liking, the young girl supposedly meant to be kept under strict quarantine, Toga and Izuku sauntered into the silver-haired child's room without any problems, the guard stationed at her door even giving them a friendly wave as they walked passed him. With a loud cheer, that startled the crimson-eyed child greatly, Toga announced their presence by immediately rushing the unsuspecting girl and dragging her into the attached bathroom, the sounds of a small scuffle and the ruffling fabric emanating from within before exiting shortly after with Eri dressed in a little sundress that fit her to a tee.
Izuku was pretty sure Toga hadn't been carrying that around with her beforehand.
Grabbing Eri's hand, the godlike girl urging very strongly for Izuku to take the other, Toga led the two of them out of the room without a single care or worry for the hospital worker stationed right outside the door. Feeling the sweat run down his back, imagining what Aizawa would do once he found out that they tried to remove Eri from her quarantine, Izuku slammer his eyes shut, prepared for the guard's angry shouts and Toga's confrontational retort, but all he heard was the soft pattering and squeaks of their shoes upon the freshly polished floor.
Snapping his eyes open in surprise, Izuku could only watch in mute shock as they casually strolled through the hospital without a care in the world, no one making a single peep about the quite obvious kidnapping happening right in front of them. Instead, they just ignored them as if they were just an everyday group of children out for a stroll, some of them even giving them friendly waves that the godlike schoolgirl returned with gusto before having them phase through a nearby wall, blatantly ignoring any pretense of acting 'normal'.
And that's how they found themselves here now, with some trickery and reality manipulation from the godly blonde, the young girl, in her yellow sundress, took her first steps into freedom as they stepped out of the hospital grounds and onto the sidewalk, the sprawling city of Musutafu spread out before them like a playground of infinite choices.
Izuku inwardly winced at his own descriptor, painfully aware of just how accurate it was when describing the world from Toga's point of view. He had seen if first hand, in quite a terrifying manner too, and hoped Toga, in her bid to make Eri smile, could rein herself in enough to not mold the world into her own version of an elaborate amusement park.
With Toga, such hopes were like silent prayers from a fisherman lost within a raging storm.
"Ah, umm, Toga-san?" A small voice coming from between them, the pair of students looking down to regard the young child with a questioning stare, pulled the young hero out of his worry-filled reminiscing, Eri looking up at Toga with wide-eyed wonder. "How did you do that? Do you have a special power too?"
"That's Toga-chan!" Toga playfully admonished, making sure to place extra emphasis on the 'chan' as she booped the crimson-eyed child's nose, Eri scrunching her face cutely as the older girl kneeled down to her height, leaning in close to whisper into her ear with a mischievous grin. "And it's because I'm god. I can do anything."
"Grah!" A strangled cry, a mix between a dying elephant and someone walking in on him in his All Might underwear, escaped Izuku's mouth as he looked about in a panic, his arms flailing wildly in a vain hope to pull any possible attention toward himself. How can she just tell Eri something like that so casually!?
Eri, for her part, stared at the blonde schoolgirl with wide, sparkling eyes, her mouth hanging open with surprise as she regarded Toga in a new light. God! She was saved by God herself! Eri had regarded the older girl as a savior or even a guardian angel. But God!? It was too good to be true!
"R-really?!" Bouncing on her the tips of feet, her tiny fists clenched in excitement, Eri felt a small bubble of…something…well up in her chest, a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. "Can you do stuff like stop time?"
Standing up straight, her hands proudly placed upon her hips, Toga gave the younger girl a cheeky wink, the world crawling to a halt in the very same moment her eye closed. The air grew still, not a single breeze to be felt, trees stuck in a bent shape with leaves stuck in mid-fall. A child, his face frozen in fear, was stuck in mid-air, his bike tilted at a dangerous angle as he braced himself for a very rough meeting with the concrete. Birds hung lifeless in the sky, cars stood motionless in the middle of the street, and two housewives were rooted to the spot during their morning stroll to the market.
Time was at a complete standstill, just like Eri had asked, only the odd trio remained unaffected from the godlike girl's power. Eri, with her red eyes shining with wonder, looked around herself in awe, her mouth shaped into a little o, her fists pushed tightly into her chest as she took in the frozen world around her. Izuku, meanwhile, was in a mild panic, the only thing keeping him from completely freaking out was that he had witnessed much crazier moments during his many months with the godly schoolgirl. She had dragged him to the future and back within the first couple of days of meeting after she got her powers. So this was, sadly, nothing new to the green-haired boy.
And with nary a flick of her wrist, Toga returned the time stream to its natural flow, Izuku feeling a strange jolt in his stomach as everything began moving around him again, everything feeling unnaturally sped up after being frozen for even such a short time. Eri, on the other hand, was practically dancing in excitement, twirling around in a circle as she tried to take in everything as much as possible, amazed at what she had just witnessed.
"Can you fly?!" Obviously not satisfied, her curiosity thoroughly spiked, the white-haired girl quickly made another request to the godlike girl, her mind racing with all the amazing things Toga could possibly do. A whole new world of possibilities was opened up to her, her young mind unable to process any of the dangers that might come with Toga using her powers in such a carefree manner as all she could think about was how much fun she was having.
Giggling softly at the little girl's excitement, happy that someone was enjoying her powers as much as she did, the golden-eyed schoolgirl slowly began floating off of the ground, Eri watching in amazement as Toga's feet left the ground bit by bit until she hovered over them with her hands clasped casually behind her back. Spreading her arms out wide, Toga took off with unexpected speed, the blonde schoolgirl twisting and flying around the stunned pair with expert grace and agility. The way she flipped and spun in the air, much to Eri's delight and amusement, Izuku could have sworn she had been doing this for years. It was as natural to her as using her quirk.
Turning away from the blonde's mesmerizing display of acrobatics, Izuku cast worried glances up and down the road, afraid of just how blatantly Toga was showing off her powers. While flight wasn't the most unexpected thing to witness in a world overflowing with quirks, a small part of him was worried that someone they knew might catch them in the act, that the question of where Toga procured another ability bound to be brought up. Luckily, through sheer luck or by Toga's own hand, her little flight was going completely unnoticed, the only people around not even sparing the trio a second glance.
Yep, definitely Toga's doing.
A squeak of shock jumped out from between Izuku's lips when he suddenly felt Toga's fingers softly stroking his hair, gliding and twisting through the mop of green curls as she slowly floated around him, her golden eyes alight with mischief and allure, her body rubbing much too intimately against his shoulder. Grinning with amusement, the godlike girl came to a stop before the flustered hero, her body stretched out with her legs floating up behind her, Toga placed her hands on either side of Izuku's burning face before planting a quick kiss upon his nose. Bursting out into raucous laughter at the poofy-haired boy's cute sputtering and flailing, her hand playfully tracing her lips before giving them a sensual lick, Toga turned her attention back to the wide-eyed child, performing complicated flips and tumbles for Eri's amusement.
"Umm, can you make those bushes into animal sculptures? And, and bring them to life?!"
Blinking slightly in confusion as she slowly landed back on the ground, her feet touching the floor without making a sound, Toga hesitated slightly, the godlike girl momentarily caught off guard by the crimson eyed child's request. But that didn't last long as she broke out in a mile-wide grin, the older girl excited to try something a little out of the ordinary, especially if it came from someone as precious as her.
'I knew I was going to like her.' Waving her hands in the air, like a sorcerer performing a spell, Toga made sure to play this one up a bit for the young child, making little sparkles fall from her fingers before shooting them at the row of bushes lining the hospital grounds. Covered in the sparkly bits of magic, making their green leaves shine bright beneath the sun's rays, the properly trimmed hedges, square and uniform, slowly began to morph and transform into animal-like shapes, ranging all the way from common dogs to exotic giraffes.
Pulling themselves free from their roots, the creatures made of leaves and branches began running and prancing about, much to the young girl's delight. A little shrub dog, no taller than the white-haired girl herself, happily trotted up to Eri, its stubby tail wagging excitedly as she tentatively began petting its head.
Toga felt a small, tender smile curl on her lips as she watched the crimson eyed child play with her topiary creations, the leafy animals nuzzling and prodding at the young girl for affection, something Eri was more than happy to provide. It was strange to her that she would gain so much happiness from seeing someone else enjoy her powers, that she would even think of using them for another, especially someone not named Izuku. It caused a warm sensation to bubble up in her chest, a feeling completely different from the one she got when Izuku would praise her or treat her kindly.
It was…nice.
"C-can…" Perking up at Eri's small voice, the young girl looking up at Toga with a small blush covering her cheeks, her fingers nervously pulling on her long white hair as the topiary animals returned to their place on the hospital's perimeter. "Can you turn yourself into a bunny?"
Toga had to bite down on her lip to keep herself from squealing, the godlike girl tasting a bit of blood as her canines roughly punctured her skin, an enormous smile breaking out on her face at how adorably cute Eri's request was. Spreading her arms wide with a grand flourish, a bright grin on her face, Toga performed a picture-perfect backflip, her body shrinking and sprouting two long ears midway through until she landed with a tiny plop, the two remaining members looking in both shock and amazement at what they were seeing.
Where once there stood a godly schoolgirl, there was now a small, snow-white bunny, with fierce golden eyes and blonde hair, two small buns sitting proudly atop her head.
"Tadaaaa~!" With her tiny arms still spread out wide, ears flicking playfully back and forth, Toga proudly displayed her handiwork to her two companions, her voice coming out a bit smaller and higher pitched than before. A small gasp of surprise passed Eri's lips as she rushed up to the small animal that used to be the older girl, the white-haired child clapping with delight as Bunny Toga began hopping around her, crimson eyes alight with joy.
Inwardly smirking to herself, a plan forming in her head, Toga quickly changed trajectory and rushed over to the stunned wielder of One For All, Izuku jumping slightly in surprise when the godlike girl, turned bunny, began hopping around and in between his feet. Izuku watched with wide eyes as the bunny Toga rubbed affectionately against his leg, the soft fur of her cheek tickling his bare skin as she circled his legs, her little fluffy tail wiggling with joy.
Without any warning, Toga suddenly jumped up into the surprised boy's arms, Izuku yelping slightly as he instinctively caught her with his trained reflexes, wrapping her tiny body up in his arms. Holding the bunny securely against his chest, Toga began squirming and rubbing up against him in delight, Izuku able to hear little chirps of happiness escaping the godlike girl's mouth.
'Wow…she's really cute.' Izuku's cheeks glowed a gentle hue of pink as he stared at the adorable creature happily resting against his chest, her lower body dangling slightly from beneath his folded arms, the sight of a small creature with Toga's features somehow amplifying its cuteness. He had the strange urge to pet her, to gently stroke her ears, and nuzzle his nose into her hair, the feeling of her small, fuzzy body feeling oddly comforting to the green-haired boy.
"Mmm, this is nice~" Blinking in surprise, Izuku's mind was pulled out of its affection riddled state by Toga's sensual purr, the high pitched tone of voice from before completely absent, sounding closer to her usual alluring tone. She also felt heavier, bigger, her body taking more space in his arms. And, to his dismay, he also noticed that there was a severe lack of fur covering her body.
"GAH!" Tearing himself away with a startled cry, his arms flinging away from around Toga's waist, her very human waist, Izuku jumped several feet away, a blazing fire engulfing his cheeks as he buried his face in his hands. Why does he keep falling for her tricks?! And why did holding her feel so nice?!
Breaking down into a raging fit of giggles, her hands digging roughly into her side as they ached from her heavy laughter, Toga mentally thanked Izuku for always being such an adorable source of entertainment for her before turning to the white-haired girl watching them with her glowing eyes of crimson. To Toga's dismay, despite the clear energy of excitement radiating off of her small frame, Eri was still not smiling.
Rushing to their side, small feet pattering softly against the sidewalk, Eri bounced and danced around the pair of teenagers, clearly amused and entertained by their silly antics. But, she wasn't smiling. Toga could feel how happy she was, that a smile was practically brewing beneath the surface, but something was holding it back, like an evil specter haunting her mind.
'I guess, I'll just have to try harder!' Toga thought with fierce determination, a sharp glint glowing in her golden gaze as she softly pet the top of Eri's head, the young child closing her eyes, greatly enjoying the older girl's kind display of affection.
"Toga-chan." Perking up slightly, feeling Izuku lean in to whisper into her ear, Toga leaning back slightly so Eri couldn't hear and partially to get closer to his delectably warm body. "Was it really ok to tell her? You know, about your powers?"
"Of course!" Toga shouted loudly, causing Izuku and Eri to jump backward in fright, a couple of people turning to stare at the blonde girl's boisterous outburst, having previously ignored all of the crazy events happening around the trio. Waving over to the group of strangers, who simply shook their heads at how brazen teenagers have gotten, Toga let out a couple of manic giggles as Izuku averted his gaze in embarrassment.
"She's just a kid so it's fine, right? Besides," kneeling down to Eri's height, her hand gently running through her long silver tresses, Toga gave the younger girl a playful wink and toothy grin as she placed her finger over her lips, "Eri can keep a secret. Can't you, Eri?"
Nodding her head rapidly up and down in affirmation, Eri copied the older girl's gesture by placing her own finger over her lips, making a small shushing sound to let her know she understood. Laughing softly at the white-haired girl, her hand giving Eri's cheek a quick, loving caress, Toga suddenly picked her up and placed her on her shoulders in one swift motion.
Jumping to her feet, Eri holding on to the blonde girl's head to steady herself with a tiny cry of shock, Toga quickly began running down the street, laughing uproariously the whole way as the child sitting on her shoulders let out small yips and cries of surprise and, most importantly, joy.
Shaking his head at the godly schoolgirl's childish behavior, her sheer enthusiasm and unpredictable nature still something he failed to get a hang of, Izuku couldn't help the small smile that curled on his lips as he rushed after them. Izuku thought how Toga, in her own way, was actually quite good with Eri.
"Eri, Eri, look! Tamagoyaki!" Toga's exuberant cry rang out loudly above the din of noise and chatter permeating through the busy streets of Musutafu's food district, stalls of all kinds lined up down the road, like a never-ending parade of delectable treats, just waiting to be explored. Pushing her way through the crowd of people surrounding the new popular stand, many of them giving the blonde teenager an annoyed glare, one the godlike girl ignored completely, way too focused on the tasty assortment of egg dishes sizzling deliciously on the grill in front of her.
Eri's crimson eye's lit up brightly as she watched the vendor expertly twist and swirl the eggs until they became soft and fluffy, her stomach grumbling slightly as the smell reached her nose, the young child leaning forward to get a better view from behind the errant strands of hair sprouting out from Toga's buns. Smiling brightly, Toga hefted the white-haired girl off of her shoulders, Eri letting out a tiny squeak before gasping in surprise as she got a closer look at the meal being prepared, the blonde schoolgirl holding her safely within her arms to help her see better.
Izuku simply watched the two girls from a safe distance at the edge of the crowd, smiling softly at much fun Eri, and even Toga seemed to be having. This little outing seemed to be as much for Toga as it was for Eri, the godlike girl having already dragged them to six different stalls, her excitement just as palpable as the child that was snuggled comfortably in her arms. Every new type of finely sliced meat or expertly crafted sweet made their eyes light up, crimson and gold practically sparkling with delight as they tried meal after meal, cheeks puffing up with joy as they munched happily on their food.
"Eri-chan? What's your favorite food?" Izuku questioned the young girl as they made their way to another one of the countless stalls, Toga, who was walking several paces ahead of them, turning to stare at them as she idly nibbled on the edge of her chopstick, a look of curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
"Umm…" looking down at her feet, her hand holding Izuku's clenching slightly as she fell deep in thought, trying to remember any of the small amounts of food she was allowed to have while she was held within 'that' place, "apples."
Perking up slightly at the little girl's answer, a small light began to sparkle in Izuku's eyes as an idea began forming in his head. As Toga took Eri to show her how cotton candy was made, their noses practically pressed against the store's window, Izuku cast a quick glance around himself, a smile curling on his lips as he caught sight of just what he was looking for.
"Aaaaah, thish ish sho delishus!" Toga moaned with delight as she took another bite of her Yakisoba pan, while simultaneously slurping on her cherry bubble tea, tiny squeals of delight reverberating through her chest at the amazing mix of sweet and savory, her feet happily kicking back and forth over the edge of the park bench. Eri merely watched the older girl devour a multitude of meals with what seemed like relentless gusto, idly nibbling on her own shrimp skewer as Toga plopped a piece of Takoyaki into her mouth, a wide grin on the older girls face as she turned to smile at the younger girl.
After walking through the entire food district, jumping from stall to stall, purchasing meal after meal, the trio had finally decided to take a break at a nearby park, so that they could enjoy the multitude of dishes Toga had bought. From Wagyu to Okonomiyaki, Toga had bought a little bit of everything, letting the white-haired girl have a taste before starting to snack on it herself, the godlike girl managing to finish half of what they bought before they even arrived at the park.
Eri had taken all of the new sights and smells in with a sense of wonder and awe, her crimson eyes constantly darting back and forth, little gasps of surprise passing her lips as she tugged on their arms, pointing excitedly toward the next thing she wanted to try. Toga's enthusiasm seemed to have slowly rubbed off on her over the course of the day.
And yet, a smile failed to appear on her lips.
"Puaaah! That was so good!" Releasing a heavy sigh of contentment, Toga happily patting her trim stomach after finishing her last bite, a mountain of empty containers and used chopsticks piled up next to her. Despite having devoured a full week's worth of food, Toga still looked the same as ever, her godly powers allowing her to indulge herself without any consequences of possible weight gain or sluggishness.
"C'mon, Eri! Let's go play!" Hopping off of the bench with a cheerful cry, the pile of garbage poofing away without a trace, Toga quickly scooped up the tiny child before rushing over to the playground at the other end of the park, the excitable blonde eager to show Eri a good time by any means necessary. While Toga didn't remember her childhood fondly, her mind wandering back to a face she'd rather forget, one distorted into a grimace of fear and disgust, she enjoyed any time she was allowed to play in the park. When she was allowed to just run around and enjoy herself.
When she was allowed to be happy.
Deciding to start with something small, to help ease her into the concept of play, Toga brought Eri to the swing set and placed her gently upon one of the seats, the white-haired child looking down at her dangling legs hovering over the ground with a slight hint of nervousness. Giving the girl a comforting smile, the gentle light shining in her golden eyes helping Eri relax, Toga skipped behind the seated girl, gently placing her palms against her back.
As Toga and Eri prepared to have fun on the swings, or at least the blonde schoolgirl was anyway, Izuku took the chance to sneak away, leaving the two girls on their own. There was something he had to get. Hopefully, it can bring a small bit of joy to the tortured girl.
"Don't worry, I gotcha." Giving her head a quick pet, Toga slowly began pushing the small girl back and forth, Eri's hands momentarily clenching the chains in fear as she started swinging, her eyes quickly slamming shut. As the rocking continued without any signs of danger, the white-haired girl dared to peek one eye open, Eri letting out a gasp of surprise and awe, her heart racing a mile a minute as she looked at the impossible scenery spread out before her.
Stars, bright and sparkling, surrounded her as she flew back and forth between them, the swirling depths of space replacing what had once been a completely ordinary playground. Looking down between her feet, the white-haired girl felt a feeling of joy well up in her chest as she gazed upon a luminescent ball of sparkling blue, one that she called home.
She was dancing amongst the stars far above planet earth.
"Ready to fly?" Turning her head at the older girl's soft whisper, Toga smiling back at her with a gleam in her eyes, Eri could only nod rapidly in response, the sight of which made the older girl giggle happily. "Ok. Let's go!"
Giving Eri another quick shove, one harder than the one's before, Toga took a running leap forward, pulling the white-haired girl into her arms as she flew by, sending the two of them hurtling through space. Something, almost akin to a giggle, soft and subdued, reverberated through Eri's chest as she watched the stars fly by, glittering in the most dazzling array of colors, her hands reaching out to try and touch the little balls of light as they floated past her face.
Smiling brightly at her, Toga deftly plucked a star from the inky tapestry around them and handed it to the younger girl, Eri's crimson eyes wide with wonder as she stared into the soft glowing ball of light floating in her palm. A small universe, swirling with countless planets and galaxies, so small yet vast, was floating within this little orb of light, one Eri was holding so gingerly within her hands.
Was this how the older girl by her side felt all the time? Countless lives and existences resting in her hands? Feeling all the warmth and care of an entire universe? It must be so wonderful.
With an audible pop, like a bubble bursting beneath a probing finger, the star in her hand exploded in a shower of color, swirling around and washing over her body like a wave before transporting her back to the playground, her feet touching down upon the ground with a gentle thump.
"Did you have fun?" Toga asked as she popped into view from her side, Eri jumping slightly in surprise at her sudden appearance before quickly nodding her head, her hands, clenched into tiny fists, bouncing up and down in tandem with her head's movements. Swiveling her head back and forth at a rapid speed, her crimson eyes searched for a certain green-haired boy, excited to tell him about what she had just witnessed. Except, he was nowhere to be seen.
"Umm...Toga-ch-chan? Where's Izuku?" Blinking a couple of times in surprise, her own golden eyes quickly sweeping the park for any sign of the young hero, his shock of green hair conspicuously absent. Well, that wasn't like her Izu-kun at all. Usually, he would let someone know if he was leaving, even if it was something simple like getting something to drink or going to the bathroom. So…where was he?
Tapping into her powers, pinpointing the one soul she knew better than any in all the universe, Toga felt a grin pull on her lips as she saw just what her little lover boy was up to. He truly was the best!
"Don't worry, I'm sure he will be back in just a bit." Toga reassured the white-haired girl with a playful wink and a sly grin, the blonde schoolgirl wanting nothing more than to spill the beans right now, but did her best to hold it in. This was Izuku's surprise after all. He deserved to see the results of his efforts.
"Why don't we take a break, huh?" Nodding at the older girl, a bit of relief washing over her knowing that the boy who had saved her was ok, Eri gently took Toga's hand as she led them back to the bench they had been seated on before. Hopping onto the bench all on her own as Toga clapped wildly in applause, causing Eri to avert her gaze with a small blush on her cheeks, the godlike girl quickly took a seat next to her, pulling a knife from the holster hidden underneath her skirt.
"Ah!" Crying out in fear, her crimson eyes watching the light bounce menacingly off of its razor-sharp edge, Eri felt a cold chill run down her spine as memories of a dark room, of a red-haired man with golden eyes, flashed in her mind. Curling up slightly, her fingers rubbing over the healed flesh on her arms, tracing the invisible scars that once covered her skin, Eri felt a deep fear clench her heart.
What was she going to do to her?!
Noticing the girl's distress, Toga opened her palms, knife tucked securely under her thumb, to show her that she meant no harm, Eri slowly calming down, her eyes still warily watching the sharp blade in the godlike girl's hands. Giving the young girl a quick smile, Toga began expertly flipping the knife between her fingers, rolling it back and forth without once cutting herself.
Eri, eyes growing wide, watched as Toga performed a series of tricks and acrobatic displays with her knife, her previous fear pushed to the back of her mind, too amazed by the blonde schoolgirls expert skills to be scared. Seeing she got the girl's attention, the godlike girl began throwing a bit of extra flair into her tricks, throwing the knife high into the air and sticking her palm flat out in front of her, the tip of the blade hurtling straight toward it in its downward trajectory.
With a small shriek, afraid that she was just about to watch her get hurt, Eri could only gasp in amazement as the knife simply phased into the blonde's palm, vanishing without a single trace. Lifting her other hand, palm facing upward, Toga made a comical popping sound as, at the same time, her knife reappeared from her other hand, the godly schoolgirl expertly catching it on the tip of her finger.
Clapping wildly in awe, thoroughly hooked by the older girls theatrics, Eri watched as Toga pinched the tip of the knife and began pulling and stretching it as if it was made of clay, each twist and bend of the blade causing it to shimmer like a rainbow. Letting go of the tip, the blade reformed with an exaggerated snap, causing it to fly into the air once more.
Watching the knife spin wildly in the air, mouth agape in mock surprise, Toga pretended to accidentally swallow the deadly weapon, the godlike girl grabbing at her throat as she let out an audible gulp, Eri watching on in mute horror. Patting her stomach a couple of times, cheeks bulging slightly, the blonde schoolgirl let out an audible burp, causing the knife to fly out of her mouth and back into her hand, Toga giving the enraptured child a teasing smile as she made it disappear in a shower of light.
Rapid claps echoed through the small park as Eri applauded wildly at the older girl's amazing display, Toga bowing graciously before pulling a juice box from out of nowhere and handing it to her with a soft smile. Taking it with a tiny 'thank you', Eri placed the straw in her mouth and began drinking from it, subconsciously nestling herself into the older girl's side as she lifted her gaze to the sky above. Blinking in surprise at the unexpectedly tender gesture, Toga gently pulled Eri closer, turning her own head skyward, entertaining the white-haired girl by making the clouds change shape and occasionally writing small messages to her with them.
"I thought you were scary when I first saw you." Looking down at the girl in her arms, stopped in the middle of her newest Izuku cloud creation, curiosity sparkling in her golden eyes, Toga felt Eri push a little closer into her side, her small hand clenching her cardigan tightly between her fingers. "But, you are actually really nice."
"Hmm…what makes you think that?" A genuine look of surprise crossed Toga's features at the smaller girl's words, having not expected her to say something like that. The first part, yes, she had heard that many times before... From family to friends and even from strangers on the street. Even Izuku had been scared of her at one point. But…nice?
"Y-you're very funny, and-and very sweet and kind." A small smile curled on Eri's lips as she continued to think about the older girl, about how she had saved her, how happy her laugh sounded, how she seemed to always exude an air of warmth and cheer. "Your smile is very pretty whenever you look at Izuku too."
Toga's eyes widened, her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears as she looked at the little girl snuggled up to her side in shock, momentarily stunned into silence. With an almost ear-splitting squeal, which Eri was surprisingly getting used to, the godlike girl pulled the white-haired child into a bone-crushing hug, repeatedly cooing about how adorable and sweet a girl she was.
As Toga nuzzled and snuggled her affectionately, Eri gently returned the older girl's affection with a small hug of her own, pressing her face into the girl's chest with a content sigh. She enjoyed this feeling. This warmth. This feeling of safety. It was the nicest thing she had ever felt.
"I'll tell you a little secret. Promise not to tell?" Pulling away slightly, finger pressed over her lips, Toga could only smile as Eri vigorously nodded her head, crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation. Leaning down, hand cupped over her mouth to make sure no one but the white-haired girl could hear, Toga softly whispered into her ear.
"I love Izuku with all my heart."
Jumping back with a large gasp, eyes sparkling with immense joy and amazement, Eri waved her arms frantically back and forth, her lips quivering slightly, the edges twitching minutely as they tried to try and convey just how happy and excited she was for the blonde schoolgirl. She loved him! The kind lady loved her hero! It was just so perfect!
"Toga-chan! Eri-chan!" Twin sets of ears perked up, gold and red turning to look down the street as a boy with green-hair, his arm raised into the air called out to them, a plastic bag clutched tightly between his fingers. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long."
"Where did you go?" Eri asked as Toga lifted her off of the bench and placed her gently on the ground, the white-haired girl looking up as Izuku came to a stop before her. Toga simply stayed quiet, an eager smile plastered on her face as she watched her beloved approach them, her heart swelling proudly in her chest. This was going to be so cute!
"There was something I wanted to get for you." Kneeling down to her height, Izuku began rummaging in the plastic bag, before pulling a small, red object attached to a stick out of it. "Ta-da."
Eri's eyes widened, her mouth gape as she stared at the apple the green-haired boy was holding out to her, its surface coated in some kind of shiny, sweet-smelling substance. It looked…delicious.
"Since you said you liked apples I thought you might want to try a candied apple." Izuku smiled as he held it out to her, gently gesturing for her to take it. "Here. Try it."
Holding out her hands, almost eagerly, Eri grabbed ahold of the offered treat, holding onto the stick with both hands, her eyes staring, practically mesmerized at the apple before her. Bringing it up to her mouth, opening it as wide as possible, the white-haired girl took a big bite out of the apple, tearing off a piece with a satisfying crunch.
Eri's eyes flew wide open as soon as the sweetness hit her tongue, the younger girl tentatively chewing on the piece of candy-coated apple, trying to savor it for as long as possible. Toga and Izuku's faces were covered in a momentary look of shock, before breaking out into wide, joyous grins as they saw Eri's lips curl up at the ends in an enormous smile, a small fleck of sugar messily staining her cheek, a faint hint of tears pooling at the corner of her crimson eyes.
"It's sweet."
A/N: Mission: Successful!
Toga and Izuku have successfully got Eri to smile, their combined efforts managing to push through her pain and bring out her joy and happiness. Eri can finally begin to heal from Overhaul's influence.
All in all a very fluff filled chapter as the trio enjoyed their day out, Toga enjoying it just as much as Eri herself. Toga gets to play around with her powers some more and Eri gets to have some fun. Overall it's a win for everyone.
Next chapter: Time to plan!
A big, loving thank you to each and every one of you. As Christmas approaches and this long, long year comes to an end, I can't hope to convey just how much I appreciate each and every one of you for reading and reviewing this story. Writing this story and hearing from all of you has made this year so much better, bringing me an immense amount of joy. So I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday season and that you all are keeping safe. I love you all!
