"It's just a bug."
"No!"
A young girl stood in a dimly lit room, with only one bright light over a glass-walled enclosure. Inside, a large beetle scuttled around aimlessly. The girl held an instrument in her hand, one that was shaped like a small knife which would easily kill the little beetle. She refused to do it, though, despite the prodding of the tired man behind her.
"Come on, maybe we can let this one slide for now?"
"Not now, bird-boy," the tired older man snapped at the other young man in the room. The girl looked over at him with pleading eyes. Eyes overflowing with tears at the prospect before her.
"Here, I'll show you," the older man grabbed her wrist, and before she could resist slammed the blade down into the bug. It died with a horrid, gurgling screech that sent the girl into hysterics. She stared at it, and at her hand, tumbling backward and dissolving the makeshift weapon. She fell hard on her backside, trembling and staring up at the enclosure's walls.
"Oh come on-"
"That's way to far!"
The younger man rushed forward, toward the girl. He pulled her into his arms, where she sobbed into his fleece-lined jacket. He glared up at the other with fierce golden eyes, cold and unfeeling except for a never before witnessed rage. He shielded the girl with one of his large red wings, the other losing some of its form as several feathers broke free and surrounded the man responsible for the girl's shaking sobs.
"Tch! Really now?," the man glared back at the overprotective bird and the pathetic little girl he was meant to be training into a hardened assassin and spy.
"This isn't right. She clearly isn't cut out to kill, no matter how little others value something's life. Why not take a different approach, that works with her skills and interests? Surely you guys are smart enough to see the other potential here?," the winged man challenged the other, who was backing toward the door to leave the pair alone.
"Fine. Whatever. You're gonna get it from the Commissioner for this one, boy."
With that final sting, the man slipped through the door into the bland hallway. They were in a private facility, one kept far from the public eye. He was met with an even worse staredown outside the room, by a scruffy man with dark hair and now gleaming red eyes.
"Hyeuh!"
The man let out a squeal of astonishment, then hurried away. He looked over his shoulder, hardly relieved at all to see the other man's hair lowered and eyes gone dark.
"You can take her for today. She's done."
"I wasn't gonna ask," the scruffy man retorted coldly. He opened the door, scowling at the man carrying the girl he was responsible for looking after. Her sobs had calmed down now, her eyes drier than earlier . She clung to the yellow jacket of the other man, until he lowered her down gently in front of the pro hero.
"Let's go, Senji. And you," Eraser looked at the boy, his expression softening ever so slightly. "Thanks."
"Huh?"
The pro hero took the girl's hand in his own and lead her out before the other could even process what he'd said. She glanced back over her shoulder as she left, her striking pink eyes piercing right through him. Then there was a knock, before a stern older woman entered the room. Her jaw was clenched tight, and he knew he was in for the lecture of a lifetime.
…
Eraser and the girl rode in the car in relative silence as rain trailed down the windshield. The hero tried and failed several times to initiate small talk, eventually giving up for a long stretch of the drive. They were headed a different direction today, toward a new home for the two of them. One supplied by the same people who routinely pushed her mental health's limits, but a home nonetheless. Eraser slowed down and eased the car into the driveway, pulling as close as he could to the front door.
"Alright, ready to see your new home?"
The girl nodded, but stayed silent and kept her head down. The man sighed, then stepped out of the car into the drizzling rain. He opened the door for her, and she slowly slid out of her seat. He closed it, then walked to the door with her trailing just behind his heels. He turned the key, then pushed the door open. A light was on in the sitting room, which was littered with several boxes of furniture yet to be assembled. He stepped in and removed his shoes, followed by the girl.
"Let's go see your room."
He turned toward a hallway, but was stopped in his tracks by a tiny hand gripping his shirt hem. He looked back down at her, but couldn't see her face under the mop of frizzy, damp hair. He scratched at his own messy hair, letting out a deep sigh. He knelt down in front of her, meaning only to get to eye level. That's when he noticed finally that she hadn't stopped crying. Her tears fell silently, sliding down the tip of her nose and dripping onto the tatami floor below.
"Senji, it's alright. We're home now," he whispered softly to her. He ruffled her hair, a habit he had developed rather quickly with the child. She didn't respond at all this time, so he knew it was really bad.
"Come on, let's go sit down at least."
He scooped her up and headed to the sitting room, where he eased down onto a couch against the wall. The girl, normally resistant to close quarters or affection of any level, clung tightly to his shirt and stayed planted firmly in his lap. He pulled her head into his shoulder, taking her hand in his other one and squeezing it lightly.
"It…wasn't even doing anything bad.."
The girl finally choked out those words, referring to the hapless beetle that had lost it's life for some twisted lesson earlier. She choked on another wave of sobs, biting her quivering bottom lip and trying to hold back the tears.
"I know. It's not your fault, though. Okay?," Eraser murmured gently, meaning each and every word he said. The girl let loose her tears finally, body wracked with sobs and sniffles until she finally passed out asleep. Eraser tried to get up, to put her to bed, but she held on tight and he didn't want to wake her. He sighed again, a breathy exhale, and resigned himself to his fate for the night. Leaning his forward, he rested his face against her tousled hair and drifted off to sleep.
The girl woke up early in the morning, squinting around the room and startled by the rustlings from down the hall. A blanket slid off of her as she eased out of her guardian's lap, which she pulled back over him. She studied his face, his breath making his chest rise and fall in rhythmic time. Then another crash from elsewhere in the house caught her attention, and she crept down the hallway toward a kitchen. She slowed her breath, peeking around the corner of the doorway and spotting a tall and slim figure. They had long blonde hair, and hummed a tune as they shimmied around the kitchen.
Senji conjured up a long, blunt weapon and crept slowly into the kitchen. She ducked behind the table when the figure spun around, lost in their own world while fiddling with the stove. She remained undetected, and crept back around to position herself behind the man. She launched her assault in an instant, taking the man down with a loud crash that shook the whole house.
CLANG-BAM!
Eraser woke with a start, jumping up and stumbling over the blanket. Senji was gone, and there was a loud sound from down the hall. He rushed into the kitchen in a panic, groggy and confused. The scene before him was within expectations, to a degree, but still gave him a shock.
"Yo, Shota. What gives!"
"Hizashi.."
"[Bastard! What're you doin' in here!]," Senji shouted in english. The blonde recoiled and held up his hands as she raised hers, bat-like weapon in hand.
"Senji! Stop, it's fine!," Eraser rushed forward, grabbing hold of the weapon and pulling the child off by her collar. She looked at him confused, and a little irritated by how easily he lifted her up.
"Yo! What kind of wildcat did you drag home?," the blonde shouted back, his voice loud and piercing Senji's ears. She covered her ears, wincing at the sound and practically hissing obscenities at the intruder.
"You did show up without warning, Hizashi," Eraser chided. He lowered the girl to the floor, and she clung to his pants leg with a tail that flicked about with agitation.
"Some thanks for the breakfast I made you two," the blonde pouted.
