-Shouta's POV-

After encouraging Shinobu to try and sleep through her last 6 or so hours of the poison being in her system, I was relieved when she managed to sleep somewhat peacefully and had even drifted off myself with her in my arms, that is until there were about 3 hours left. At around that point, Shinobu started to tremble and whimper nearly constantly. It had woken me up, and it had quickly escalated to the point where she was sobbing. After nearly half an hour of trying to wake her up, I had decided that it was more than likely just a side effect of the poison, and making her face that pain awake would probably be worse. Oh how wrong I was.

Suddenly, Shinobu woke up screaming. I managed to cancel her quirk almost immediately, stopping any damage to either of our ears as well as my apartment as I tightened my grip around her protectively. After a second, she looked at me, her chartreuse eyes manic and full of guilt and grief as they met my onyx eyes.

"What happened, Shinobu?" I asked, letting my voice show some worry about the silver haired heroine in my arms. Her response had me feeling even more concerned.

"I-I shouldn't be alive... I'm a... murderer!" Shinobu answered with a sob as she buried her face into my chest. My eyes widened at this, but I couldn't panic. It wouldn't help her. She kept calling herself a murderer over and over again in a hoarse whisper, and I tried to get her attention.

"Why are you calling yourself a murderer?" I asked gently, trying not to upset her more, but she just ignored and continued the sobbing that she was a murderer. My eyes darted over to the clock, and my heart sank. The poison should have worn off nearly an hour ago. Shit. Shinobu was mentally breaking, and I had no idea what to do. Stop. Shouta, you've been trained to handle this. Fall back on your trauma training. After calming myself down with that thought, I did just that.

"Who did you kill, Shinobu?" I asked, humoring her delusions. We were taught that sometimes asking questions about a manic persons delusions could help break them out of it on their own. Shinobu's red ringed and swollen bright green eyes shot up to me as she bit her lip to hold back another sob.

"M-my parents and Z-z-zashi-nii," she stuttered, her eyes full of guilt and tears as she looked at me, "I'm so sorry, Shouta... I killed your best friend. You shouldn't be with me." Not wanting to even begin to get into that complicated situation with her when she was like this, I felt my eyes widen at her claiming to have killed Hizashi; however, her confession gave me an idea on how to snap her out of this.

Shinobu started to pull away from me and ran towards the door, but I couldn't let her leave in this state. On instinct, I caught her with my capture weapon which I kept on the nightstand and pulled her to me, guilt trying to worm its way into my conscience when she looked at me with tear filled eyes. I pulled her back to my arms and released her from my weapon, causing confusion to show in her eyes.

"Wh-what are you doing, Shouta? Are you going to take me to the police?" she questioned, her quiet voice full of guilt and a bit of relief. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment to fight back the guilt I felt for what I was about to do.

"I'm sorry, Shinobu, but this is for your own safety," I replied softly before hitting a pressure point on her neck, successfully knocking her out and catching her as she fell and placing her on my bed. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead as I grabbed my phone and hit the 2 on my speed dial. It was a matter of one ring before a familiar loud voice answered as I walked into my living room.

"Hey, Shouta! Man, you've been working Nobu like a damn horse. I haven't seen her in almost two days now! You gotta give the poor girl a break!" Hizashi teased. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and braced myself and turned my phone down for his reaction to what I was about to tell him.

"Hizashi, listen... You need to come over. Right now," I told him.

"Man, you gotta quit saying that! I'm starting to get worried that something is wrong every time you say that!" he joked. I sighed loudly.

"This time... There is something wrong... Fuck, Hizashi... Shinobu... She was... She was injured on our patrol a little over 24 hours ago... She was stabbed by a villain, while protecting me," I admitted, my voice low and full of regret. I cared so deeply for her, and I know our job was dangerous so she was going to get hurt. It was part of being a hero, but dammit she wasn't supposed to get hurt protecting me.

"... You're joking right?... She literally just recovered less than a month ago from being attacked... She wouldn't be that careless on patrol," Hizashi muttered in disbelief, clearly in denial about the whole situation.

"I'm not joking, Hizashi... And that's not all... The villain's weapon had a poison on it that he created using his quirk. It causes the person infected with it to be hit with excruciating pain in waves for 24 hours. Everyone who has been infected with this poison has ended up having a mental breakdown and being admitted to insane asylums," I stated, switching to the matter-of-fact tone I use in mission reports so he knew I was not joking. There was radio silence for a couple of seconds.

"Eraser, where the hell is Shinobu right now?" he asked, his voice deadly calm for the information I just gave him, "And why the hell am I just being notified when this happened over 24 hours ago?" I took a deep breath and braced myself.

"She's at my apartment right now, and I made that call," I state bluntly and then continued before he could cut me off, "And I did so because the last thing she needed was you yelling and doting over her about everything. It would just make her feel guilty for taking up your time when she was already in such a mentally and physically fragile state. I made the most rational decision given the information that I had."

"And what the fuck do you think gives you the right to make that call, Shouta? That is my little sister!" Hizashi immediately snapped back, clearly trying to reign in his quirk with how pissed he was. My mouth was moving before I even had time to process what I was admitting to him.

"Because I'm in love with her, you idiot!" Time froze at that point for me. The thought had briefly entered my mind over the time I had gotten to spend with her, but I had always immediately dismissed it, not wanting to get too attached, especially with her not being comfortable even with any kind of official relationship. And the first person I admit it to isn't Shinobu or even myself, but to Hizashi, her overprotective big brother figure and my best friend?... Fuck.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't even realized Hizashi had stayed silent before I heard the call cut, and I let out a long sigh. I walked back to my room and checked on Shinobu, as I tucked a stray hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek gently and resting my forehead on hers for a second.

"Dammit, Shinobu. What are you doing to me?" I muttered quietly as I heard a banging on my door, letting me know that this shit show was just getting ready to begin. Making my way quickly to the front door, I had barely gotten the lock unlatched before Hizashi was shoving the door open and walking past me, his eyes darting around my living room before turning to glare at me as I closed and relocked the door.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"In bed. I had to hit a pressure point to knock her out to stop her from running to God knows where," I replied bluntly. At the word "bed", the blonde's glare intensified as he ran back to my room and quickly opened the door to see Shinobu in bed passed out in my long sleeved t-shirt and sweatpants. Part of me hoped Hizashi wouldn't notice that fact because given how he's acting, he would definitely assume the wrong thing.

"Why the hell is she in your clothes, Aizawa?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically low and quiet. Last name huh? He's really pissed. I glared back at his unsaid accusation.

"She was in her hero costume when she got injured. I offered her those to change into so she could be more comfortable. Whatever the hell you're assuming we did, didn't happen, so back off with the pissed off attitude about it. There clothes, Mic. We have bigger issues to do deal with right now," I snapped back angrily, before turning to Shinobu with a worried expression. I saw Hizashi open his mouth to no doubt tear me a new one but our argument was interrupted by Shinobu whimpering a single word, er well name.

"Shouta," she whimpered, curling herself into a ball. The glare I received from Hizashi at that could have killed someone as he darted to her side and started shaking her awake. Her eyes shot open in panic at how roughly he was shaking her, and when she saw who it was, she looked like she was going to go hysterical.

"Uncle, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kill them! Please! Don't punish me anymore!" she cried out in anguish and fear of Hizashi. As her eyes darted around the room, they fell on me, and in seconds, she was up and hiding behind me while gripping my hand and trembling.

"Sho... It was an accident I swear. Please don't let Uncle hurt me again!" Shinobu sobbed from behind me causing Hizashi's eyes to widen as an expression mixed with shock, anger, and heartbreak contorted his usually relaxed face.

As much as I wanted to help my friend, I had someone who needed me more at that moment. In response to her desperate pleas, I pulled Shinobu gently from behind me and pulled her into a protective hug to calm her down as I started running my fingers through her silver hair. I had learned during these past 24 hours that this always seemed to help her relax a bit.

"Shhh," I comforted quietly, my voice softer than anyone else had heard it before, "Shinobu, that's not your uncle. I need you to listen to me. That poison you were infected with seems to have altered your memories." Shinobu's only response was to look up at me in fear and confusion so I elaborated, as I turned her to where she could see Hizashi, causing her to freeze up.

"That's Hizashi right there. He's not dead. Neither are you parents. You're not a murderer, Shinobu. You've never killed anyone," I stated firmly, not wanting to give her any room for doubt in my voice. At this, her eyes shoot open even wider as she looked back to me and then backed to Hizashi who by now looks completely lost. It's silent for a couple of minutes as I hold my breath waiting for the silver haired heroine's reaction. This could tell me whether she's completely gone or if we can still bring her back.

"Sorry, Hizashi-nii-san. Please don't call me a villain... I've been training really hard I promise. You don't have to love me, but please... If what Shouta says is true, then please, please don't hate me," her soft, sweet voice is still full of nerves and fear, but her words and the lack of trembling in her body gives me hope that maybe just maybe, we can bring her back to reality.

I release Shinobu from the tight hug I had her in as she takes a hesitant step towards the blonde voice hero who looks absolutely devastated and shocked at her words and fearful tone. It's only a minute before Hizashi snapped out of his shock and tackled Shinobu into a tight hug.

"I don't hate you! I could never hate you Nobu-chan!" he exclaimed, tears falling from his eyes as he pulls her into his chest in a bone crushing hug.

"R-really?" Shinobu asks in shock, her eyes beginning to reflect that spark of light that had been fading ever since she had been infected by that bastard villain's poison.

"Of course! Nobu-chan, you're my baby sister! I love you!... And I'll help you fix your memories, I promise! Now, let's go home!" Hizashi responded enthusiastically as he gave her a big grin through the tears falling from his eyes. At his last statement, Shinobu froze and her chartreuse eyes darted to me with a pleading expression. Before I can say anything, I see the hurt and angered look on Hizashi's face. He hadn't missed the look she gave me.

"You want to stay here with him..." Hizashi states. It's not a question. It's a statement that holds a certain level of begrudging acceptance to it that doesn't go unnoticed, but Shinobu nods anyway. My heart seized a bit at her wanting to stay with me as my blonde friend sighs but gives her a tense smile.

"Alright, my number 1 listener. How about you go freshen up? I'm gonna have a chat with Shouta and grab you some extra clothes and stuff from home," he suggested, though it was clear that he was insistent that she go.

At his agreement, Shinobu smiles a shy and true smile before looking at me questioningly as if to ask if the arrangement was okay with me. I couldn't help but give her a small smile and nod letting her know that I was perfectly fine with it. With that, Shinobu turned back to Hizashi giving him a huge hug before running over to me and standing on her tiptoes and giving me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much, Shouta," she said softly, a small, sweet smile on her pale pink lips. I couldn't help but give her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Anytime," I replied with a tiny smile as she pulled away with a blush, "By the way towels are in the bathroom cabinet." She nodded shyly before running off to the restroom. I chuckled a bit to myself, nearly giddy with relief at seeing signs of her going back to her normal self. However, that relief was dampened by a clearly irritated throat clearing causing me to turn to meet the pissed off glare of my best friend who was sitting on my bed with his arms crossed.

"Now, care to explain to me what the fuck is going on here?"

Song: The Monster/Wake Me Up (Nightcore Version)

A/N:

Whatttt? Double update?! I apologize for any grammar errors on this one. I just was on a roll for writing today, and I like to post almost as soon as I finish a chapter especially since I hadn't posted in a while. Hope y'all enjoy :) 3