Protecting You (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)

Chapter 71- Finding Faith

Eri was sitting in her little bed in her rehabilitation center as she watched the sun peak in the center of the sky. The clouds were round puffs of fluffy white cotton and the cerulean blue clear skies were something out of a picture book. She couldn't take her crimson eyes off of the wonder...

...but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't seem to smile at its beauty.

Birds chirped away with beautiful songs and early Autumn insects were buzzing by with no care in the world. For as long as she could remember, she ached for that same freedom...the freedom to be able to enjoy the grassy fields and floral patches that decorated the earth. She craved the moment where she could feel a feather-soft bed and stand on top of a tall building as if she were flying. Eri wanted to live the life that was stolen from her thanks to Overhaul and the nature of her quirk...she just wanted to be a normal kid.

Even though she was healing and resting with real doctors and trusted personnel, she couldn't help but think back to you as the first person who ever made a real effort to protect her. Eri would sleep in your arms, feel the warmth of your hands as you attempted to brush through her hair with your fingers, and she remembered the smile that seemed to rival the very sun she was currently observing. You were the first hero she ever met that showed her promise of an outside world...and thanks to your sacrifice, she would finally be able to walk freely. Deku and Mirio came to save her from her living nightmare...

...but did you make it out of there? Did you survive? 

"What's with the long face half-pint?" Eri looked in the doorway of her room to see a man with an all black outfit of a sweatshirt, skinny jeans, and skater shoes. His spikey black hair only emphasized his bright blue eyes more in comparison to his dark figure and deep violet scars. Eri just so subtly started to curl her lips upwards at seeing the man.

"You're the one that was with (y/n)! Is Big Sissy okay?! Have you seen her?" Eri called out to him. He chucked while scratching the back of his head and walking towards the end of her bed to sit down. A small brown bag was gripped lazily in his hand with the scent of fresh food emanating from it.

"She asked about you too. She sent me here to make sure you were okay. You're lucky I was already coming here to visit someone and just so happened to figure out you were here too." Dabi was quite familiar with this particular rehabilitation center due to the woman who had her own luxury suite on the opposite side of the facility in the psychiatric ward. With his regular visits to this location, the staff was familiar with him and never even questioned if he decided to wander the halls or talk with the receptionists. His snooping led him straight to Eri...and seeing her gave him the tiniest feeling of solace.

"She was worried about me?! So she's okay!" Eri's eyes watered in pure relief as her earlier thoughts that constantly plagued her could subside. 

"Hey, no crying kid. I'm supposed to be here on happy business." It was odd for Touya to speak with a child this way, or even with children at all. She reminded him of what it was like when Fuyumi was born...when she was little and she would look up to him with a sense of security and reassurance. It was odd for him to find that comfort again within the walls of a rehab center as he scared McDonalds with a little girl he barely knew...but he didn't run or shove away this opportunity to feel like himself again. "Literally happy business. Here's your happy meal that I promised." Dabi pulled out a little red box from the bag and inside was a small cheeseburger, fries, an extra order of chicken nuggets, and a girl toy that resembled a rainbow unicorn mini-stuffed animal.

"Wow! I've never had anything like this before! This is so awesome mister-..."

"Touya. You can call me Touya."