Behind the Laugh (EraserJoke fan-fiction)

Chapter 5

Shota Aizawa, he never really liked the Smile Hero for a number of reasons. One, she was extremely annoying, it shouldn't be humanly possible for someone to have that much energy to smile twenty-four seven. Two, she takes everything and turns it something to laugh at, the woman could have lost a loved one and she'd be laughing about something.

So when Shota walked down those stairs at the steak house, and he saw her sitting on the couch watching tv and crying, something felt off.

Then when the woman snapped at him and ran outside he was in shock, to him it seemed impossible for her to cry, he was so used to seeing her smiling and laughing, that watching her in a vulnerable position made something in his heart stir.

But he watched on as the woman flew higher and higher on the swing he thought, maybe she was okay. That it was just a misinterpretation.

Then she fell, and she didn't even reach for anything, nothing. He rushed to catch her, but he underestimated his timing in catching her, they fell, entangling in the dirt.

"What is wrong with you!" He hissed as she turned and sat up in his hips. He rearranged himself onto his elbows as he looked at the woman. He hooked his feet into hers and flipped her over.

Pinning her to the ground he reached and pulled her shirt over her stomach, as he had seen her holding her sides on the way to the farm house earlier.

In the dim light of the porch he saw something that made his blood boil. On her side where dark bruises, and she winced as he touched them lightly.

It was natural for hero's to get banged up, he knew that, but something about the bruises on her was more wrong than the normal beat up a hero went through.

"Who did this to you?" He growled lowly, eyes still fixed on her stomach and sides, carefully touching the bruises as he examined them.

She let out a small cry of protest, "Leave me alone."

He ignored her. And did something he'd never thought he'd do, he pulled the woman into a soft hug. Wrapping his arms around her back, and placing his head into the crook of her neck.

"Who did this Emi?" He asked.

He felt tears hit his shoulders as she mumbled a name.

"Kaito. Kaito Suiiki."
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After those words left her mouth, Emi felt a wave of overwhelming exhaustion run over her. Aizawa however let go of her and the sat, in the dirt, and just stared at each other.

"Let's go, you'll need your rest." The man spoke rising to his feet and placed a hand on the back of his neck. The other hand was lent in order to help her up. Together they made their way into the house.

"Listen, uh Emi, I don't know what happened between you too, but look, don't let that hold you back. I'm not saying that you need to hide behind that smile of yours, but maybe if you find time just let out the emotion." He said turning away from her.

Emi looked up at him but remained silent.

"Besides, while I absolutely hate you, you have a nice smile." He then promptly went up stairs leaving the woman down stairs, head spinning.

Emi stared at the dark stair case the man had walked up, he said he liked her smile?! He said he liked her smile!

She returned to the couch thinking about what her long-time crush had said. Every word, hit her and made her think, then when she had least expected it he had complemented her smile.

She turned on the television and aimlessly watch a cooking show before she drifted off to sleep, sleep that was filled with Aizawa complementing her smile and a angry American chief screaming at them to get married and get out of his kitchen.
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When Emi woke she felt something in her chest that she hadn't felt since meeting her ex, love. Aizawa, her long time crush had wormed his way back into her heart.

She felt the desire to chase him flare up again, the desire - no the need for him to be by her side arise.

"Emi!!" A small voice echoed from the stairs. She looked over and their was Eri, in cat pajamas, smiling wildly at her.

"Eri! How did you sleep, I love your pajamas!" She said hanging on to the back of the couch. The little girl barreled around the couch and tackled Emi. Giving her a big hug.

"I had a dream about you and daddy! You became my mommy!" She said into the woman's stomach.

Fighting a wince, Emi laughed, "I've been trying to marry that man forever."

A growl came from the stairs and Aizawa stood in matching pajamas as his daughter.

Emi laughed, "Aww, so cute!"

"Not another word."

"But -" she started and he glared, eyes flashing.

"Not another word."

In the kitchen the three of them, at Eri's request started on pancakes. They worked quietly, and Eri sat at the small table, coloring on a paper.

Emi reached for the flour, but as the drew the package back the bottom gave out and she was cover in the powdery substance. She let out a gasp of surprise and next to her she heard a chuckle.

She looked to see Aizawa smiling and giving a small gruff laugh. She glared at him, fighting down the joy that it gave her to see the stoic man laugh.

"Think that's funny huh?" She said as she stuck a finger in the batter, and as the man turned to her a smile still permeating his features she wiped her finger along his nose.

It was his turn to look at her with a glare. She began laughing at him until a sopping wet hand landed on her head.

She froze as pancake batter rolled down her face from the top of her head. She glanced at the smug, cocky face of the man who had assaulted her already messy hair. His eyes held a bemused challenge and the way he looked at her made butterflies swarm in her stomach.

"Oh it's on." She said throwing an egg at him, it cracked on his chest and soaped through his shirt. He raised an eyebrow and gave a annoyed smile his head tilting slightly. She laughed, doubled over, laughing genuinely. Throughout her fit she snorted and laughed harder cause of it.

He walked slowly towards her and backed her against one of the kitchen walls, "Oh, we're laughing are we?"

Suddenly, something incredibly cold poured onto her head, Aizawa, the smug bastard had poured milk over her battered covered head, "I think.. you need some milk with that pancake."

She grabbed what ever she could, ending up with the whole bowl, and poured the sticky batter on his head. Smiling she said, blinking milk out of her eyes, "Oh, I don't want to take all the pancakes."

A small laugh took their attention, Eri sat laughing at them, Emi looked at Aizawa and together they grabbed handfuls of flour and pancake batter and together tore after the now screaming little girl.

They chased her out side and gently tackled her and soon they walked back inside the house completely covered with a mix of pancake, milk, flour, eggs, grass, and dirt.

Eri on Aizawa's shoulders laughing as she threw the remaining things on his head at the laughing woman.