Erin arrived at her house, the lights on scaring her. It was no use trying to sneak in through her window, her parents were obviously awake still. She walked up the stairs, taking a deep breath before opening the door. She was immediately treated with shouting, causing her to flinch.
"Where were you? You know that you need to be home by eight." Her mother said with slight concern, anger still in her tone.
"I'm sorry, I was out with Todoroki. We got busy-and forgot about the time while training. It won't happen again." Erin squeaked out, her back straightened as she held her hands behind her back.
Her father came to the corner, which your mother didn't take unnoticed. "How could you let this happen? It never would've happened if you never picked the Todoroki family!" Tahlia yelled at her husband, completely facing him.
"This isn't my fucking fault! You wanted to pick them just as much as me! It's your fault, for wanting to make an arranged marriage! Otherwise, they wouldn't have left the room." He spat back at his wife, his ears turning a bright red.
The TV in the background was on the news channel, the voices echoing throughout the room.
"Child of pro hero endeavor's son and daughter of the Harper family found together earlier today. The children had been found in the Musutafu City's Arcade! Security cameras had caught audio of Harper exposing her parents."
"My parents-Mom especially make me act more Japanese than I really am. They think German accents are too deep and 'manly' for a woman to have."
Erin's voice echoed throughout the room, her anxiety spiking as her parents turned to the TV.
"You weren't even training? You just screwed around and did nothing all day?" Erik raised his voice at her daughter.
"Wait-What do you mean an arranged marriage?" Erin raised her tone towards her parents, extremely loud.
"Are you going to force me to marry Endeavor's son??" She shouted, accent fully leaking through.
Her parents ignored her, her father pressing the question again. "What the hell have you been doing all day? I can't believe your immaturity!" He shouted, pressing closer to Erin.
"No, answer my question, father. Are you guys going to force me to marry Todoroki?" Her voice raised, walking closer to her parents out of anger.
"Do not raise your voice at your father." Taliah said with a quiet yet poisonous tone. Everyone in the room angry at each other. Erin didn't care about the consequences at the moment.
"So what? I hung out with a kid my age like a normal fucking teenager. I went to an arcade with him, and we got some ice cream. Then we walked around town, and went to a park. God forbid I actually be a child for once in my life!" She shouted at her parents, pushing her father away as he got too close.
Erik's face scrunched up with anger after he was pushed back by his own daughter. His glare grew deadly, as he continued to press closer.
"I am the one who gave you what you have. Do NOT disobey me." He growled, pushing past his daughter and opening the door. He pushed her out, as she stumbled back outside. Erik followed, basically fuming with anger.
Erin's eyed widened as he approached her. It wasn't the first time, but it still terrified her. Taliah stood in the door with saddened eyes. She turned around, shutting the door with a sigh. She didn't want to watch what was going to happen.
"What are you going to do? Beat me up? Give me bruises? Another scar? Do it. My face is a living memory of how terrible of a person you are!" Erin shouted at her father, tears streaming down her face.
"I can't be a normal kid, because of you. I can't even have other people look at me without them looking away in disgust."
Erin's eyes welled up with tears, her eyes already getting puffy as she sobbed. Her father paid no attention, and walked closer to her, blue flames slightly alight.
"Touch me and I go to the police." Erin growled, her eyebrow quirked at her father as he stopped in his tracks.
"Don't come home tonight, go find somewhere else to stay." He hissed back, turning around and walking back to the stairs.
"Not that I'd want to stay in your house, fotze." She cussed at him in german. Tears still dripped from her eyes, nose running.
Her father snapped back in anger, shooting a small burst of flames at her. It didn't do much, but it did burn her right arm gently. However, it burnt like hell.
"Get lost, bitch."
—
Erin had covered her right arm in her extra fabric to conceal the burning pain, tears still streaming down her face as she walked. She had nobody else she knew, and no-where else to go. She was going to Todoroki's house.
She knocked on their door, for it to be opened by a girl, obviously his sister. She smiled gently, head tilted.
"I didn't expect a visitor this late. Are you here to see Shouto?" She asked, tilting her head.
Erin nodded, smiling weakly. The white haired girl let her in, pointing in the direction of Todoroki's room. It was late now, probably around midnight. Erin sheepishly knocked on his door, her arm still burning in pain.
A sleepy Shouto opened the door, a yawn escaping his lips. His eyes widened as he found out it was Erin, quickly opening the door more for her to come in.
"Hey-hey! I didn't expect you to come over-" His voice trailed off as he looked at her arm.
His hands gently touched at the thin fabric, watching as she winced slightly. His eyes darted up to hers, as he looked concerned.
"What happened, Erin?" He said with a serious tone, frowning.
She looked away, quickly taking her own homemade bandage off, looking down at the burn-mark. It wasn't bad compared to stuff she'd seen before, but it would definitely leave a scar.
"People saw us at the arcade today. They got audio of us through the stores system, and put it on the news. When my father found out that I-that I was being a normal kid-" She trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes again.
"I know-We just met, but-could I stay the night? He kicked me out for the night.. I have nowhere else to go." She asked quietly, looking at the ground.
"Yeah! Yeah, yeah-Of course. I can help take care of your wound too.. Not my first time." He laughed gently, referring to his own scar.
Erin laughed through her own tears. Nodding her head in response, letting Todoroki take care of her.
"You shouldn't have taken away it's air. It makes it worse, you know." He teased, taking bandages out from a medicine kit. Erin scoffed at him as he looked at her arm, making sure to be careful.
"Yeah, I know. I'm a huge idiot, if I weren't, I wouldn't have been burnt in the first place." She rolled her eyes at herself, trying her best to stand still.
"It's only a superficial dermal burn, my father has done it before." She said softly, pulling her hair to the side; showing him the small patch of discolored skin on her neck.
Shouto frowned, wrapping the bandages around her arm tightly. "I'm sorry you have to go through all of this. You can stay here as long as you'd like. Just, be careful around my father. If there's one thing I've found, is that all fire-wielders have anger issues."
Erin nodded in agreement; inhaling sharply at one point as he put bandages on her. "Hey, can't you control flames too?" She teased, looking at his scar with curiosity.
"I never said I didn't have anger issues. I just repress them, I'm not very vocal. Unless I'm with you, anyways." He admitted, finishing her bandages up.
Erin grinned at him, rolling her eyes. "Cause I totally didn't see that." She teased, thanking him for helping her bandage up.
"I'll leave and let you go to bed now- I can just sleep on the couch or something." She smiled, thanking him once again.
"Wait-no! Stay in here. I mean, obviously if you want to. It's nice having company, even if we're gonna sleep." He said nervously, anxiously rubbing hands together.
"Fine, but I'm sleeping on the ground and you cannot change my mind." Erin smiled, happy with her new friendship with Todoroki.
"Deal."
"Goodnight, Shouto."
"Goodnight, Erin."
