A Lost Creation

New Years Eve

"Uncle Giran!" You exclaim, running directly into the older man's arms.

"Darlin' girl!" Uncle Giran says, giving you a rare proper hug. "Ya brought a friend?"

You nod, backing out of the hug and gesturing to Zero, standing with a soft smile behind you.

"His name is Zero! He's a nomu like Kurogiri." You explain casually. "Zero this is Uncle Giran. He's my grandpaw."

"I'm familiar. Hello, Uncle Giran." Zero says, bowing his head, silver hair falling over his face.

"A nomu, huh?" Giran says, faintly amused. "One of them fancy ones too by the looks of it. Is your paw trying to threaten me?"

"No, why?" You ask, blinking in your confusion.

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it Star." Giran chuckles. "Come on in, Zero."

"I was told just to get her here..." Zero explains.

"Come in! Uncle Giran might show you how to paint!" You exclaim, grabbing Zeros stitched up hand carefully and using it to gently tug him into Giran's house.

Zero's face goes blank, but he takes a few uncertain steps into Giran's home. He follows your lead of taking your shoes off, standing awkwardly as you chat away to Uncle Giran about Christmas and Santa.

"Ah, tha' reminds me." Giran says. "I got a lil summin for you, lil' love."

"You do?" You ask eagerly.

"Yup!" He replies, leading you through to his living room by your hand, squeezing it gently. "Well, a coupla lil' summins. Yer paw said not to go mad, but yer my first granddaughter so I gotta spoil you a little."

He motions for you to sit on the couch, and then gestures for Zero to do the same. Zero sits down beside you slowly, still looking a little out of his depths. Giran places a small wrapped up present on your lap, sitting on a seperate armchair and lighting up a cigarette.
Within a blink, Zero has snatched it out of his hand and put it out in a nearby ashtray.

"What gives, Zero?" Uncle Giran asks with a dangerous edge in his voice that you haven't heard before.

"Dabi said to put out any cigarettes that are within three feet of Star." Zero replies matter-of-factly, sitting back down next to you.

"Jesus..." Giran sighs. "S' my house!"

"I cannot disobey orders. I apologise." Zero replies with one of his soft, friendly smiles.

You let the two bicker, opening your present. You strip back the paper and reveal a book called 'The Complete Book of Drawing'.
You 'ooh' at it, opening the pages and seeing that there's detailed instructions on how to draw all kinds of things from flowers to portraits. Zero's eyes even flick over the pages with you.

"S' got all manners of things in there, so when I can't be wi' ya, ya can figure it out yerself from the book." Giran explains. "Ya like it?"

You nod enthusiastically. "I'm going to try and use it today! Thank you Uncle Giran!"

"Of course darlin'. Now..." He pulls out a big present from behind the armchair. "Don't go lookin' like that, ain't nothin' excitin' littlest Star."

"What is it?" You ask, practically bouncing in your seat.

"Open it, little love." Giran encourages. "I'll hold it up for ya."

You don't need any more encouragement, getting onto the floor and beginning to tear open the paper. Within the first piece being ripped you can see it's a painting.
The more wrapping paper you tear away, the more of the painting you expose. A lake surrounded by grass, a bench with people sitting on it with their backs to you. Ducks.
You run your fingers over the dried paint in awe. It's almost like a photograph.