For Her | Sequel to 'Number 7' | Aizawa x OC Fanfic

Three: Damage Dealt

Aizawa

Akiyasu was running late now, and from personal experience, that was always a bad thing. If there was one thing about her she strived for, it was to be punctual. Even getting to class on time was important enough for her to sprint, and she's not even a student.

Echiko began to cry where she was currently crawling across the living room carpet. Eri looked over to me for help, still unsure of what to do to calm the baby.

Striding over to the girls, I scooped my daughter into my arms and gently bounced her until her cries faltered. Meanwhile, Eri watched me closely.

"What's up, kiddo?" I asked her, taking a seat on the couch and giving the older girl my full attention as Echiko pulled my hair.

"Why does she always stop crying for you? I just make her cry all the time!"

"It's not your fault Eri, babies need stimulation and you're too little to do it as well as Mitsuko or I can."

"What's slimalation?" She asked, her red eyes widening.

"Stim-ulation." I enunciated. "It means to create interest or excitement."

"I don't get it."

I thought for a moment, trying to figure out a way to say it so she would understand. "Well, Echiko needs to be bounced, played with, fed, talked to, and cuddled constantly. Sometimes she only wants one of those things and you have to figure out which it is. And sometimes, she'll cry for other reasons too, like she's tired and wants to sleep, or she needs her diaper changed. Adults are better at figuring out what it is they want, but sometimes, even we don't know which it is they want. I took a guess that Echiko wanted to be bounced and it worked. For now at least. Does that make sense?"

Eri nodded and gave me a toothy smile. "Yup!" With that, she left my side and went back to her toys on the floor. "When is Mitsuko coming back?"

"She should be here soon, she's a little late."

This seemed to satisfy her, as she wasn't too much of an over thinker about certain details yet, and she focused back on whatever game she had fantasized in her head.

Meanwhile, I switched the TV on and the channel was already where I wanted it to be. On a toddler's program. Echiko was mesmerized by the puppets in one of the shows.

I tried not to watch, but ended up wasting twenty minutes of my life watching the characters of an animated cartoon practicing for their first grade ballet recital. When I looked at my watch, I realized just how late Akiyasu was and immediately reached for my phone, dialing her hero agency with ease. The younger receptionist answered on the second ring.

"Element Hero Agency, how may I direct your call?"

"It's Eraserhead." I informed her. "Has Element returned from patrol?"

"No, she called only a few minutes ago and told me she had had some trouble but that she's fine. I'm not sure when she'll be in."

"How many minutes ago exactly did she call?"

The receptionist hummed into the speaker. "Let me check the call log." A short pause, then, "7 minutes ago."

Relaxing a little, my body seemed to descend further into the couch cushions. "Okay, thank you." After short goodbyes, I hung up the phone and held Echiko a little tighter.

"Is Mitsuko okay?" Eri asked me and I turned my head to look at her only to see concerned red eyes.

"Yes, someone just spoke to her, she should be on her way back from wherever she is."