When Eri woke up, she was alone in her new room. She didn't like it, but the only times she could leave were when she was taken to the place where they hurt her.

Just the memory made her eyes wet.

She wanted to go and find her new caretaker, his warmth made her feel like they wouldn't be able to take her, but she wanted to make sure she didn't accidentally sneak up on him again, so she needed to wait until he came to wake her up. It shouldn't take long since she could hear his footsteps in the main room. They sounded like he was impatient, or was he mad?

"Finally awake. Huh, sleepy head?"

She jumped from the bed as her heart rate went up for a second. He hadn't been loud and there was no anger in his voice, but Eri still felt fear. He was kind, so why?

"Sorry" flew out of her mouth without thinking.

No, no, no! He said not to apologize.

"What are you even apologizing for?" he asked with a frown.

"I slept in and made you wait."

"Nah, it's actually pretty early, I think. I'm just an insomniac."

Eri didn't know what an 'insomniac' was, but she nodded.

"Anyways, I'm going out to get some stuff and it will take a while. I just wanted to make sure you were awake in case someone finds this place."

Right, those people must be searching for her. What would happen if they found her? She really didn't want that to happen.

"Can I go too?"

"No, you are too recognizable."

She felt a knot on her throat. If she went with him and they got caught, he would get hurt too. However, the young boss, as her caretakers called him, had seen him and he must be mad that this man attacked him and took her.

"You are recog-zable too," she said in an attempt to stop him.

The man chuckled.

"You are a smart girl, but don't worry, I know how to handle myself in a fight."

But it won't be a fight! They'll just hurt you and take me back! she thought, but she couldn't voice it, she'd already insisted too much.

She kept trying to find ways to get him to stay, but she couldn't find it in herself to try them out. When he left, the house felt cold.

Would he be alright? He had already left on his own once and it had been him who took her to this place, but she couldn't help it. He told her they could both go the last time too, so maybe he knew it would be dangerous this time.

Maybe she should go back and ask them not to hurt him, but she didn't trust they would listen to her plea. He –Mister, he said to call him Mister– would still be in danger. She cursed him the moment they met.

She hoped he'd realize and leave. But she didn't want him to leave! She couldn't remember the last time someone was kind to her before that day.

People like you make me sick, he had said before setting the young boss on fire.

His first act of kindness was hurting who hurt her. Could that be it? The reason why she was scared?

Mister wasn't afraid of hurting people. She could remember his smile. He even seemed to enjoy it. Yet, he said he wouldn't hurt her.

Not intentionally, at least, he'd told her.

He didn't want to, but he may if she made him mad, right? And he would surely get mad if she left.

Like that hero she hurt.

After running from the police, she had been afraid the heroes would be the same, so she avoided them. Yet, as she wandered around on the streets, the cracking of flames had made her think Mister was still around. She had been disappointed when she saw it wasn't him.

The man she had found was tall as a building, golden flames and spiky red hair making him seem even taller. He looked scary with his face in what seemed like a permanent frown, but flames had saved her and Mister looked pretty scary too, so she had given it a try.

"Sorry, uh, are you a hero?" she had asked.

"Yes, why?"

She should have suspected by the way the man was looking at her, as if searching for anything that could give her away, but she had ignored it, since Mister had done the same.

"I ran away from the bad guy," she repeated the words Mister had told her to say. "Can you help me?"

"I see. You are the brat I had to come here for."

Neither being called brat nor the low burning anger in his voice had rung the alarm. It had been the rough grabbing of her wrist that had made her realize this hero wasn't kind.

"Let's go. I've got to drop you to the police."

"But they are going to send me back home. I don't want to go back there!"

"Stop it! Your father is searching for you."

He had raised his voice and his flames accompanied it, but she was more scared at the perspective of going back to her tormentor. Now that she had tasted kindness and freedom, she didn't want to lose them.

"No, no, please. He hurts me," she begged, struggling to free her hand.

"Stop your tantrum already! Did the attacker tell you that?"

"No, he said you would help me! Please, don't make me go back!"

"I said stop!" the hero yelled firmly, warming up the hand on her wrist in warning.

She froze. Was he going to hurt her too?

"Where is he?" he asked without missing a beat.

"I don't know, he left. Please, let me go. Please, please."

"Don't lie to me. He's using you as a distraction, isn't he?"

She felt like crying but it was as if the fear itself didn't let her cry. Why didn't he believe her? He kept looking around for the man that had helped her. Did he want to hurt him? Had she gotten him in trouble? Eri looked around hoping he or another nice person would help her, but everyone looked away.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

When she noticed the shine coming from her horn, he was already applying heat on her wrist to try and force her to stop her quirk's activation. He didn't know she had no control over it at all.

"Please, let me go! Stay away!"

He only released his grip when the pain caused by her made him. Eri ran as fast as she could with the hero's screams resounding in her ears. She didn't have to see the results. She didn't want to. In her mind, he was already someone else she had made disappear.

Only the young boss could stop her when her quirk got out of control. It hurt really bad, but it was still better than hurting others. If he had been there, she wouldn't have hurt anyone. If she hadn't run away, she wouldn't have hurt anyone. If she hadn't asked for help, she wouldn't…

Maybe she really should go, she didn't want to hurt Mister too.

But what if he caught her trying to leave and got mad?

Eri went back to her room to hide under the blankets. They were dirty, there were yellow and brownish stains all over it. It was very different to what she was used to, her old room was always clean, but she didn't miss it.

She really really didn't want to go back.

She wished she could sleep to make time pass faster, but she had to stay awake so she could run if they came looking for her. Maybe if she hid there and was quiet enough they wouldn't catch her. They may even not check the rooms at all and just assume the house was empty and leave.

The house did look like no one was living there, after all, since neither of them had many things. Mister had given her his jacket, though. It was all damaged so he must have had it for a long time, yet he gave it to her.

Could someone be both? Kind and scary?

How long would it take for him to come back? Without him, every little noise made her curl into herself. No one was hurting her now, but her wounds still hurt every time her body flinched.

Would he come back even? Was what he said just a lie? Like that they would help her?

She started crying silently, wrapping the precious gift from her savior tight around herself.

As soon as he entered the residential area of the city, Touya realized it was one of those cloth collecting days. People had left clothes out for recycling, mostly in clear plastic bags, so it was easy to get them.

It was almost too good.

Of course he had to avoid people in case someone would call the police on him. He didn't get it, they were giving them away, so why did they care?

However, now there was the increased risk that they could tell he was the kidnapper of the girl that rejuvenated Endeavor. It didn't scare him, though. The police were no rival to him and he didn't mind getting a body count if heroes showed up too. All those would be on Endeavor in the end.

He wasn't a villain, he made him one.

First in the eyes of his family, now in the eyes of the whole country.

At least the little girl knew the truth about that last one. Not like anyone would believe he didn't gaslight her when the child kept acting like she genuinely worried about him as much as she feared him. It reminded him of his mother.

No, don't think about her, that's a rabbit hole, he told himself.

After all, that was the woman that hurt her child for looking too much like his father. It was the day of the accident that he realized that was also the reason she wouldn't look at him. She just couldn't. She only saw his father.

Seriously, stop.

He didn't even start today's task and the fire in his veins was already raging, begging to be left out. He better find the way to calm down before he went back to the house. The last thing he wanted was to snap at Eri like his mother did with Shouto.

Touya-kun, you are a horrible person.

His past self kept trying to find reminders of his family on everything. Wasn't he annoying? He couldn't sleep all night because he wouldn't stop thinking about them.

It's Eri, she is a lot like them.

It was just the shitty parents! That was the only thing they had in common!

His breath was starting to come out as smoke. Then again, his fire was ravenous, even with his own body. He'd have to deal with that sooner than he thought.

And he knew the best place to do so: 'home'.

He just wanted to sit there for a while and maybe recover his missing sleep, but his old shelter was now filled with police equipment. They really were hot on his trail.

He burned it all down without a second thought and watched how the cameras and other tools melt onto the floor, whatever proof they got gone in the wake of his flames. A sensation of relief washed over him as his quirk started eating at the walls. He wished his hell of a home would burn too.

"Your laying low needs some work."

He turned, already shooting fire at the man who talked. He dodged and punched him in the stomach so hard he nearly blacked out. This wasn't a random citizen nor police.

"Hey, I thought you were looking for me, Dabi."

"Who the hell are you?" he said as he struggled to get up.

"Knuckleduster, but you can start calling me Master," he answered showing off his brass knuckles with a good-natured smile.

Oh, he wanted to curse and yell at Giran so much right now. He thought the broker would send him a warning at least.

He took a look at the vigilante from his position on the floor: he was a tall and corpulent old man dressed in mostly dark colors, his dark green coat being the most colorful piece of it. He wore a wrap-around black mask covering the upper portion of his face, hiding part of the cut scars going towards his eyes. The cane he used to support himself didn't take away his intimidating presence.

"No way I'm calling you that, old man," he huffed, trying not to show how he made his stomach turn. "And you could have introduced yourself sooner. It's like the whole of Japan is searching for me."

"I know. S'why I had to get to you first. Anyways, we can keep chattin' after we get outta here."

Knuckleduster offered him his hand. However, Touya looked away and got up on his own.

"You are the one that needs help standing, not me," he said, putting his hands in his pockets as he started walking away from the burning building. "Where do we go?"

"You tell me. I don't live here."

He seemed to be enjoying himself all too much. The roar of the fire was making him want to ditch him and the whole vigilante thing.

"Neither do I. I just go from one place to another. And I'm not taking you where I'm staying."

"Cuz the girl is there and you don't trust me."

He didn't seem bothered by it at all.

"Didn't you say we'll keep talking after we 'get outta here'?"

"Yeah, so where do we go?"

Are you kidding me?

"Fine, we'll go there," he conceded. "But try anything funny and I'll turn you to ash."

"Sure, you can try," the old man chuckled.

He already hated this asshole grandpa.

He would lie if he said his heart didn't skip a beat upon seeing the empty main room.

"S'too quiet for a toddler living here."

"The kid's quiet. Must have hid if she heard both of us," he thought aloud as he left the bag of just collected clothes on the table. "I'll go check on her. Don't follow me."

"Sure."

The man was making himself at home, taking his mask off, even before Touya exited the main room. He sighed, heading straight to Eri's room.

"Eri? I'm back."

The girl lifted the blankets just enough to see him. There were red marks around her eyes. He got into fight mode instantly, rushing to her as he checked their surroundings for any intruders, ready to attack.

"What happened?"

"I-I just missed you," she answered shyly.

Ironic, right? He disappears for years and no one misses him, but he goes out a few hours and this child he's only known for days does.

"I wasn't gone for that long," he said as he patted the girl's head over the covers.

She flinched slightly and then hid again. Jeez, he really hated sobbing brats.

"C'mon, it's time for lunch. Our visitor bought it for us."

"I'm not hungry."

"Tell that to the guy," he insisted.

That had been weird. He just mentioned they had skipped breakfast while they were getting the clothes and the man offered to pay for their lunch. He said something about knowing kids shouldn't skip meals, and the way he said it implied Touya was a kid too, which he was NOT. He had just turned 22, he was a full adult.

Eri, however, was a little child. She had no excuse, she was just avoiding speaking her mind once again.

"Listen, kid. You haven't eaten all day, so don't come at me with that crap."

"Sorry!"

He rolled his eyes. Why did he even care? She could just eat later, she wasn't going to starve.

But back at home, the meals were the only moment the whole family was together. At least, until little Shouto was born.

What does it matter now?! I'm not even related to anyone here!

"You know what? Stay here, you can try on the clothes I brought in the meanwhile."

He was out of the room before she could answer.

Back in the main room, the vigilante was working on their meal. It was just some random pre-cooked food, but why? And how? They didn't have electricity, but he was microwaving a dish.

"You should get a better house. I had to use some tricks to get this to work," he greeted.

"Don't need it," Touya said, showing a flame.

Knuckleduster smirked.

"That's a very convenient quirk."

He put out the flame. He was not going to dwell on how he would be dead by now if it wasn't for his quirk. Instead, he took a look at the cold food and drinks placed on the coffee table they used to eat.

Is he trying to buy my trust with this? Not gonna work, but I better take advantage.

"Eri won't be joining us. Didn't feel like it."

"I heard."

"There's just no privacy in this house," Touya complained, gaining a snort from the old man.

"You sound like a grumpy teen."

He ignored him and took the bag, now placed on the floor, to Eri's room. The girl didn't say a word, so he didn't either, but he couldn't help thinking that, if she really missed him, she would jump at the chance to spend time with him. So, either she was lying or her fear was stronger than anything else.

Stop comparing her to the useless women of our family.

He needed to do something about her hair. It was final.

The beep of the microwave brought him back to reality. He had no idea when he had sat at the table. Not like it was an uncommon occurrence.

"Now, let's get serious," the old man told him as he sat in front of him. "I did a quick background check on you and got nothin'. How'd you do it? Cuz your hiding skills are lacking."

"Guess no one paid attention to me before this," he answered dryly.

The guy didn't seem to buy it, but it was the truth. If someone had actively looked for him, they would have found him. And got themselves burned, but that was beside the point.

"If that's so, why'd you take the girl?" the man questioned.

"I didn't. She came to me. Those yakuza must have put her through hell."

"And the Endeavor thing?"

"He's an asshole that doesn't know how to deal with children. I had nothing to do with that."

He tried his best to hide the anger that surged in him every time his father was the topic. He took a bite of his rice to distract himself, finding that it was warm. He must have missed the first beep.

"So, you are just a low-life that did a good deed and it backfired badly," the vigilante concluded.

"Pretty much, yeah."

The old man laughed, he actually laughed at him! This geezer was surely getting on his nerves.

"Well, you're on the right track then. True justice is all 'bout doing what needs to be done, no matter the consequences."

"Very heroic," he spat.

"Yeah, so wanna come with me to Naruhata?"

That was a good question. He should get out of the city since the burning of that building just confirmed to the police he was still there, but going with him… Something inside was screaming at him to get away from this man.

"I'll go, but not with you."

"I'll prepare a house tour then."

He took another bite. He didn't know why he felt so uneasy around him. His willingness to help him was something Touya wasn't used to, but that wasn't it. Much less the scar where his left eye should be, though that made him wonder how someone like him, who needed a cane to walk and was half blind, could move so fast and hit so hard in a fight.

"Alright, my turn for the questions. What's your quirk?" Touya asked.

"Lost it."

"You lost it?"

What was he even talking about? You either had a quirk or didn't. Was he avoiding the question?

"Yeah, there is someone out there with a quirk-stealing quirk. That's one reason I wanna helpcha. If he gets the kid's quirk, the world will be done for."

Well, that was problematic. He didn't care about the world, yet the thought of losing his quirk made everything feel cold. Without it, he wouldn't be able to get his revenge and he was not going to make Eri get it for him. It was his own thing, why he'd kept himself alive for so long.

On the other hand, she didn't seem to like her quirk all that much, so the quirk thief would be doing her a favor. Although, he betted she'd rather die than have someone using her quirk to 'hurt people', so if bad came to worse...

No, just no. I'll kill that guy or die trying, that's what I'm gonna do.

"That brat is gonna be the end of me," he muttered, drawing a hand to his face.

"Seems like you got attached," the man commented with a sympathetic smile.

"I didn't, I don't care about her."

However, he couldn't bring himself to say it above a whisper.

Touya kept eating, mindlessly conversing with the old man. He wasn't all that sure about this anymore. He didn't really need Knuckleduster, he had Eri now and, even if they hadn't met, he could be a vigilante on his own or find other allies. It didn't have to be them! It didn't, but...

He couldn't let go.

Help, they keep taking control of the fic. That is not how Duster and Touya were going to met and Eri wasn't supposed to be having flashbacks while Touya was gone.

Also, because there was some controversy about Touya talking like that about the "women of his house". I don't think Touya has anything against women in general, he was just mad at his mother and Fuyumi because they were enablers of Endeavor's treatment (aka not only didn't help him but in his eyes they sided with his father).

Disclaimer: My Hero Academia and its characters are property of Kōhei Horikoshi and Studio Bones.