•Manipulation• [BNHA × Male!OC]

Chapter 94: Ctrl + Z

"You guys are back!" "Finally!" "We saw the news, it must have been tough!"

It seemed the whole of 1-A had ambushed us upon our return.

'So I guess it wasn't that much of a secret anymore...'

"Take a seat!" "No! Have some chocolate cake first!"

It was pretty endearing to see them be celebrated like the heroes they were.

'They deserved this...'

-

I step to the side and around the crowd slowly to allow the main events their space to shine.

Settling down at the dining table, I lean on my hands, glancing over at the crowd.

'That must be nice...'

It wasn't that I wanted the recognition or anything, after all I didn't do the bulk of the work like they did. They deserved this and I meant it with my whole heart.

But the fact that it was all over for them and they could celebrate so happily...

-

I was a bit jealous.

-

Jealous of how their achievements were so sparkly and perfectly hero-like.

How would the class react if they knew what I'd been doing.

Even if I said it was for the sake of taking down the LOV, would it make a difference to them?

I was still working with the enemy.

-

Besides, its not like I could tell them anyway.

And it was that fact alone was so utterly isolating.

-

-

Something cold touched my cheek.

I jumped.

Looking up I see a familiar pair before me.

"Someone keeps disappearing on us," the blonde huffs before setting the plate of chocolate cake he'd be holding on the table before me.

"You'd better be eating properly or I'll kill you," somehow his words lacked any bite at all.

"What Katsuki means is that he saved some of the cake Sato made for you," Shoto 'translated', causing the blonde boy to flare up in his face. The Icyhot boy simply looked away from the man's little tantrum.

I couldn't help but laugh.

Looking down at the slice of cake that even had cling wrap over it to keep it fresh, my chest felt very warm indeed.

"Thank you," I muttered as the two boys looked over to me.

-

"Both of you."

_____________________

The next day, as I walked the boys out for their training, Aizawa called me aside.

"Mr. Aizawa? Weren't you taking those two to their Hero License training?" I ask, point a thumb at the boys who had just left the building.

"All Might and Present Mic will be taking them in my stead," he answered. 

Sure enough, looking outside the two boys were greeted by the two pro-heroes.

"Ryo," Aizawa calls my attention back to him, "I assume you are aware of the child we rescued from the Shie Hassaikai?"

I quirk a brow, "yeah, Eri was her name right?"

He nods, beckoning me with a finger.

We walk through the halls of the dorm, passing through connecting hallways until we reached a small room on the edge of the UA building.

"Her quirk," he explained to me when we were a few paces shy of the door. "It has the power to reverse any living thing she touches. It can even revert them back to a previous state, such as one without quirks."

'oh, that would explain the quirk erasing bullets...!'

"The principal requested I assist with training her in using her quirk given my erasure," he looked up at me. 

"Calling upon you was a personal choice."

My eyes go wide. 

He was trusting me with Eri's quirk training?

"I believe your quirk, Manipulation, will be helpful in her learning to control her own." he explained. 

"You both have relatively similar conditions for quirk usage and both have quirks that can affect the human body in numerous ways."

"And," he paused, an unreadable look on his face as he looked at me, "I believe you have both undergone similar experiences."

'Ah-'

With that, Aizawa pulled the door open to reveal a fragile looking girl with long white hair. Her boney limbs were wrapped in bandages and a large horn grew out of the right side of her head.

"Her horn appears to grow as the power of her quirk accumulates within her," Aizawa explains as he shuts the door behind us. "I can stop her quirk from activating but I can't deplete the reserves inside of her."

He didn't say the quiet part out loud.

'it means that the more she avoids using her quirk, the more explosive it will be the next time she releases it...'

I walk over and settle down next to Eri on the bed.

All the while she is staring at me with wide, blood red eyes.

I give her a warm smile, "your eyes are beautiful, they remind me of someone I know."

She brings a hand over her eyes, "r-really?"

Her voice was small yet brimming with curiosity.

I nod, "but between you and me, I think you're much nicer than him." 

I grin and she giggles softly.

I reach out a hand.

"My name is Yamada Ryo, you can call me Ryo," I smile but she hesitates to take my hand.

"M-my name is Eri... I don't think I should touch you Ryo..." she looked down at her own tiny hands. "What if I...?"

I had heard of the guilt and fear tactics that Overhaul had used to keep Eri in check, but seeing the results of it first hand was... hard to watch.

"Don't worry, see?" I reach for her hand, placing it in mine.

"It's all okay."

She almost inspects the interaction, looking closely at her hand in mine before finally relaxing a little bit.

She nods hesitantly, placing her other hand on my palm.

'I don't think she quite knows what a handshake is...'

I look down at the girl who's firmly grasping my fingers within her hands and looking up at me with large round eyes.

'but I can teach her that another day.'

I smile at the girl.

"Nice to meet you Eri!"