Chapter 15
UA is… quiet.
It's nothing new. When the students are in class, it is pretty quiet, especially outside. When the students are in the dorm, it's even quieter to the point it's almost serene.
No, this is a different kind of quiet.
For once, 1-A is quiet.
Now, she realizes pretty late that if 1-A is quiet it's not good. Usually, it means they're hiding something and if they were to be found out they would be in big trouble. The kind of trouble that would bring out the Disappointed Dad Stare.
But… she can tell that today is different. None of them are in trouble.
It's… the lonely type of quietness. She knows that familiar feeling.
She's feeling it too, right now.
But the one who handled it the worst is the little lady. Eri is visibly sad, clinging onto a black cat plushy that's half her size. The students are trying their best cheering her up but even they are struggling to cheer themselves up.
There is a reason why everything is quiet.
Eraser is away, called out to work.
It was sudden, an emergency. The morning he announced his departure, he went away that afternoon. His kids didn't have time to see him away besides wishing for his safety and safe return. He did convey the news to Eri personally on a separate time. She thinks he also gave the little lady the black cat plushy because it looks new.
He said he'll be gone in a week, but promised he'll try to return as soon as possible.
It's only the second day.
The dorm is quiet, dull and inert.
And… she's lonely.
She hates to admit it but she is.
Stupid Quirk, making her feel emotions she had never felt before.
It's only the second day.
She chalks it up by convincing herself that it is normal. His kids are missing him too.
Just look at them. Everyone is in the common area, scattered all over the place. The TV is on but put on mute and no one's watching it. The students that are around the couch are scrolling through their phones aimlessly; one even opens and closes the same app three times without looking at it. Eri is with them, sitting between two students. There are some at the dining table too. Some are lazily munching on some snacks, some just poke their food before them.
The energy is extremely low.
The silence is deafening.
This longing feeling is expected. It shouldn't be a surprise that she is missing him… But she knows this longing feeling she is feeling is different from what his kids, especially Eri, are feeling.
It's something closer to want.
"Deku," Eri's timid voice gains her attention. The green haired boy sitting right beside the little lady turns towards her. "Can you grab Mrs. Bunny Hopkins from Shouta's room? I forgot to bring her with me."
"Alright, Eri. Do you have his room key?"
'His room key?'
"Yes." Eri then produces a single key that has a black cat metal keychain attached to it.
As she stares at the key, one single thought crosses her mind.
She sucks in her breath.
Her heartbeat increases.
If she can get her hand on it.
"I'll get her instead," she quickly interjects before Midoriya gets out of his seat. Both the kid and the little lady look up at her when she walks over to him. "I'm heading back down to grab some stuff I missed anyway."
"Okay," Midoriya nods before he hands out the key to her.
She looks down at the key in her hand.
The key to Eraser's apartment.
.
She stares at the door that has gotten familiar to her every time she goes out of her room. To think Eraser's own personal room is right across hers. It's locked, but she's never really tested it. Though, knowing Eraser, he'll make sure to lock it.
She looks down at her palm, where his room's key is lying on.
She swallows again.
She told Eri that she's here to grab Mrs. Bunny something, probably a stuffed rabbit.
But really, she has an ulterior motive to be here.
She takes a deep breath.
Then, she unlocks the door.
It clicks open.
She pushes the door open, not making any sound as it swings. She quietly pads down the hallway even though no one is here. She heads to one of the two bedroom doors and opens it.
Inside reveals colorful walls and vivid decorations, along with a good number of drawings plastered on the walls. Instantly, she knows this is Eri's room.
But there is no bunny.
Is it in the other room then?
In… Eraser's room…
She crosses the hallway and stands in front of the door. She takes a deep breath and pushes the door open.
The most fitting description is also the simplest: it's bare. There's barely any decoration. In fact, it's much more bare than hers, and she's been here not too long ago. It's also dark but that's to be expected.
She steps inside on quiet feet, almost sneaking.
It feels scandalous to be here.
Almost immediately, she finds a stuffed rabbit on the bed, placed right on the pillow as if it's lying in bed. Does that mean Eri had been sleeping in his bedroom?
Said bed looks like it's barely used, seamless and untouched. It wouldn't be a surprise if it is a fact; Eraser has been constantly seen in his gaudy yellow sleeping bag.
'Don't throw yourself onto it, Rumi. You're here with your own scandalous reason but have some self control.'
Mrs. Bunny Hopkins' location is now located, she has time to look around for a bit. She has time to see what kind of a person Eraser is by judging his room. Unfortunately there is not much to look at… yet it describes him well.
Then, her eyes land onto a basket that is placed right next to the bathroom door. It's full of what seems to be articles of clothing.
She turns her attention to the front door that is still left gaping open.
She pads over to it and slowly closes it, making a quiet click.
Then, she pads over to the basket.
She bites her lower lip, then gets down on her knees, taking a closer look. Her eyes spy a number of shirts, a pair of jumpsuit, a good number of pink sweatpants, and a few articles of clothing she is too embarrassed to say out loud.
It's his laundry basket. For someone like Eraser, it's a little weird of him to leave behind dirty clothes unwashed. Then again, he was in a rush. Then, hesitantly, slowly, she puts her hands in the basket, rummaging through it.
She feels naughty to do this.
Out of all the piles inside, she takes out a black T-shirt. She holds it up at arm's length, trying to imagine Eraser wearing it.
She can feel her cheeks burn as she bites her lips, contemplating.
Then, she slowly brings it to her nose.
She takes a big whiff.
Her spine tingles.
Her bobtail puffs up.
But her heart stutters.
She misses him.
She knows she has a good number of his clothes he lent to her; she still has them with her. But… this one is so much better than the one he gave her, because…
This one still has his scent on him, his smell, his… his.
.
That night, she sleeps in nothing but this specific shirt on, with the collar pulled up to her nose.
.
One weekend morning, she comes up to the common area a little earlier than usual. She expects the quietness to still be there and the energy on all time low. Much to her surprise, it's the exact opposite. As soon as the elevator doors slide open, the first thing she sees are the students rushing around the area, all chattering excitedly.
She enters, confused at their sudden shift in behavior. It was only yesterday when she found them all sleeping in the common area together. They even invited her but she had her own plan (with Eraser's used shirt that she only wore in her room and was forcefully departed whenever she goes out). So seeing them all bustling around really put her in a whiplash.
"What's going on?" she asks anyone who can hear her. It's Yaoyorozu who hears her question. She's wearing an apron and a pair of mittens and seems to be about to grab a boiling pot. She also has a wide, happy smile on her face.
"Mr. Aizawa is coming home today!"
Her heart skips a beat.
Eraser's coming back today? It's not even a week since his departure. That means he's returning early, like he promised.
That explains everyone's excitement.
She can feel her heart beating faster.
"Present Mic relayed the news to us!"
"We're throwing a welcome home party!"
"We got his favorite coffee brewing!"
"Don't tell Recovery Girl."
"Are his jelly pouches stocked up?"
"With extras!"
"Also don't tell Recovery Girl."
"Mic said he'll return this early afternoon!"
"Everything will be ready by then!"
She can feel her lips pull up into a smile. Their excitement is getting to her. So, she steps in.
"What can I do to help?" she asks everyone. She sees their wide smile get even wider.
The day couldn't go any faster.
.
They were excited, really excited. They couldn't contain it, even. But when the sky grew darker, she felt the excitement waned but they kept their optimism high. They kept reheating his coffee, making sure it was warm and steaming.
When the sky finally turned black, she saw their smiles disappear. One of them texted Present Mic about Eraser's whereabouts. When he replied "I don't know, I'm sorry" she saw their eyes casted downwards. They gave up heating his coffee.
It's midnight now.
All of his kids are already asleep, all piling in the common area, mainly around and on the couches. They are too tired to stay awake and wait anymore.
Eri is with them, all tuckered out.
She's the only one awake, still up, still waiting for him.
His coffee is already cold.
She can't bring herself to rest. The excitement for his return is long gone. Now, it is replaced with concern.
Has something happened to Eraser that caused him to delay his return? Even Present Mic doesn't know his whereabouts, but he did mention that Eraser doesn't update his location very often, even to his friends, even to his employer. He can be a pain in the ass to track down. She's contemplating on going out looking for him at his last updated location.
It's possible that he got called back to work and couldn't tell them about it.
Then, her hearing picks up the elevator moving.
She shoots up from the dining table, turning towards the elevator. When it moves up from the ground floor, she almost sprints towards the elevator doors. She stands in front of the door, waiting expectedly with her breath held.
Could it be…?
It feels like forever, waiting here.
The elevator stops on her floor, making a ding sound for its arrival. Then, the doors slide open.
There he stands, right in the middle of the elevator, all in his hobo-looking glory. He's still in that baggy costume. His hands are shoved deep in the pockets. His hair is even more unkempt.
And that gray scarf of his is still wrapped around his neck.
She releases her breath and feels her heart lightens significantly, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her being.
He's here. He's finally here. And he looks completely unharmed.
His eyes are wide with surprise, as if he didn't expect she would stand so near.
"Welcome home," she says in a quiet voice, almost using her entire breath just uttering those two words.
She sees him blinking, more surprised than before, before they soften.
"I'm home," he replies gruffly, with a hint of soft undertone.
For some reason, it makes her all happy inside hearing those words.
She totally feels like a wife welcoming her husband back home.
He also sounds tired, which is to be expected. He spent the entire day getting back, only to arrive after midnight.
"Everyone is here?" he asks in a quiet voice. She doesn't give an answer, merely leads him further into the area, towards the couches where all his kids are at.
"They had been waiting for you," she tells him quietly, not wanting to wake up any of the sleeping children. She turns her eyes to him. She watches in real time as his eyes soften and fill with affection.
She doesn't know what he is thinking most of the time. She can't tell what he is feeling from his stoic facade beside annoyance.
But what she does know is that he really does love these children. He never says it out loud, and rarely shows it through physical touches, but his affection for them is undoubted.
Then, his eyes turn sad. She can tell he knows that it was thanks to him being late that they're all here.
She helps him put blankets on each and every one of his kids. He lingers on Eri, who sleeps right in between Asui and Uraraka, running his hand over her silverish hair.
"They miss you," she whispers to him, standing next to him, closer than ever before. He doesn't give any reply, merely keeping his eyes on Eri.
She brushes the back of her hand against his pants, where she knows his hand is in the pocket.
'I miss you too.'