STRINGS // KATSUKI BAKUGO [2]

Chapter 20 // Family

At breakfast the next day, Aizawa didn't throw any questions at you relating about what had happened the night prior. Instead, he wondered about the party.

"You're going tonight, right?" he asked, and you averted your attention from poking at your fried eggs with your fork to the man that sat across from you.

"Was planning on it," you answered shortly. "I need to get a white elephant gift though, and I need to find something for Todoroki."

You immediately started planning in your head on gift ideas only to blank when you realized you didn't know much about Todoroki's likes and hobbies. In fact, you didn't know much about anyone in the class other than Bakugo.

"We can go shopping after I pick up Eri," he said, and the statement immediately peaked your interest.

"Speaking of Eri," you began, "I thought you were her guardian. Why is she not here?"

"Yamada has been watching over her while I've been trying to get you settled," he explained. "Now that you're, more or less, settled down, she's coming back here. I'm going to pick her up before we go shopping because she wants to go to the party."

"How is she doing?" you asked. "I haven't seen her in a while."

"She's doing better, a lot better than some months ago," Aizawa replied. "She's excited to see you."

"Why?" you wondered aloud. "The last time we saw each other, I was Era."

"Exactly," he started. "She wants to meet the real [L/N]."

The idea of Eri being idea excited to see you was pleasing, but it also pained you inside because it was just going to hurt that much more when you left, when you died.

"What should I get for Todoroki?" you asked, choosing to change the topic.

"That's a hard one," Aizawa noted, scooping up the last remains of his meal.

"What did you get him?" you asked, and Aizawa remained silent as he proceeded to finish his breakfast.

"You didn't get him anything, did you?" you continued, and the man shook his head before taking a sip of his drink.

"I was planning on getting that done today," he admitted. "We'll get train wreck gifts together."

You smiled at Aizawa's claim before averting your attention back to your own food.

The natural conversation almost made you forget about your demons, which were lurking in corners that currently remained dark to you.

¥¥¥

True to his word, Aizawa stopped by Yamada's house to pick up Eri, who the two of you found staring outside via the living room bay window as if she had been watching out for the two of you.

Upon the appearance of Aizawa's car in the driveway, the girl's lips curled up into a wide smile before she disappeared, most likely heading for the front door.

"I told you," Aizawa said, referring back to Eri's supposed excitement to see you.

Before you could retaliate, there was a small knocking sound coming from outside the passenger side door.

"I didn't even see her come out the front door," you stated, causing Aizawa to smile fondly.

"She gets an uproar of energy when she's excited," he replied before exiting the vehicle.

You slowly pushed open the door as to not startle or hurt the girl standing on the other side of it.

Eri soon poked her head around the corner of the door, and, before you could even push it all the way open, the child was clumsily climbing up onto your lap.

You stayed still as Eri situated herself on top of your thighs, her legs crossed and hands folded in her own lap, and, when she deemed herself comfortable, she tilted her head back to look up at you.

"Hi," she said quietly, her lips still pulled back into an innocent grin.

"Hi," you responded, managing a smile at the child's heartwarming behavior.

Aizawa appeared in your line of sight where he crouched down to be at eye level with Eri before holding out his arms as if to silently ask for a hug.

Eri, seemingly sensing his presence, glanced over her shoulder just as the man said, "no hug for me?"

You watched as Eri spun around in your lap before throwing herself into Aizawa's arms where she wrapped her own around his neck.

The girl was much more affectionate than you remembered, which was nothing but good. It meant she was comfortably adjusting to her lifestyle, and she wasn't afraid of the people around her.

"Well, we know who the favorite parent is."

At the sound of a familiar voice, you pushed yourself off your seat and stood to find Yamada standing in front of the hood of the car.

"Are you going to go shopping with us?" Aizawa asked as he stood, Eri still in his arms, who he settled on his hip.

"I wasn't planning on it," Yamada began, "but I suppose a little day out with my favorite people wouldn't hurt."

Eri began to squirm in Aizawa's arms, and her head fell to the side where she locked eyes with you. Her arms reached out toward you, her fingers curling in and out repeatedly.

You reached out to take her just as Aizawa sensed the girl's shift in mood and went to hand her off to you.

"What're we shopping for?" Yamada questioned as you settled Eri on your hip where she wrapped her arms as best she could around your torso.

"The party tonight," Aizawa answered. "We need to get some last minute gifts, and I promised Eri I'd get her a Christmas outfit."

"I need some new decorations anyway," Yamada replied.

"It's Christmas Eve," Aizawa began. "What decorations could you possibly need right now?"

"I have to prep for next year," the blond stated obviously, which only earned a deep exhale from Aizawa.

"Get in the car," Aizawa stated before rounding the vehicle and getting into the driver's seat.

You allowed Yamada to take the passenger seat as you climbed into the back with Eri where you secured a seatbelt around the girl to make sure she was safe for the drive.

It almost felt like you were part of a family, the family you chose, the family that chose you.

[EDITED]