Eraserhead and Scribe II

Eraserhead and Scribe II Chapter 5

Aizawa woke abruptly in the dark, so certain she'd called his name he had to touch the empty side of the bed to be sure she wasn't there. He lay back, his heart pounding in his chest. He tried to recapture whatever the dream had been. Was it possible she was reaching out to him now? Maybe she was too weak to do it in her waking hours. Maybe wherever she was trapped, she could only reach him when she wasn't really trying.

He knew what the doctors would say. He even knew what All Might and Mic would say. Don't get your hopes up. She's still healing.

What would Shigaraki say?

But he had a pretty good idea there, too. Shigaraki would snatch at this, too. To the leader of the League of Villains, this would represent hope where actual heroes wouldn't want to offer false hope.

What if it's not false? What if she's reaching out to me for help? And how the hell is it that Shigaraki is my only ally in this?

He spent the rest of the night trying to achieve a level of meditation that would allow him to consciously search through his own mind for any further sign that she had been there. He only managed to awaken enough memories of her to be certain sleep would not come soon. He remembered plucking feathers from her hair after their first hero battle with Best Jeanist, kissing her for the cameras, kissing her after she completed her training on the obstacle course, holding her on their wedding night, knowing no one could ever take her away again—

Jesus, how could I have been so wrong?

He pulled himself out of the meditation, the loneliness overwhelming him. Outside, the dark sky had turned grey. The kids would be up soon. He got up and went to the bathroom, and the reflection in the mirror made him start in surprise. His eyes looked sunken, the scar under his right eye the most prominent feature of his face. Stubble covered his chin, and his cheeks looked hollow. No wonder Mic's been so worried.

I'm exhausted and I'm only half here. I shouldn't be teaching these kids like this. He knew it was true. He was taking far more from them than he was able to give right now. Just being around them gave him hope... just like that first night after All Might finally convinced him to go home for a while.

Class 1-A was gathered in the common room when he arrived. They all turned at his entrance, but no one asked questions. Midoriya and Bakugo took his and Scribe's bags to his room for him. Todoroki stood and offered him his chair. Yaoyarozu made him tea. The rest returned to studying quietly while he sat. He didn't normally hang out in the common room with the kids, but somehow he couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Just being there with them made him feel a little stronger.

Two days later, he returned to teaching, visiting Scribe in the evenings. But every day wore on him. She should have recovered. Every test they ran indicated her body had recovered as much as it could. The poison was gone from her system. Nothing should be holding her back now.

But something was. Something is.

What did he know about Murder Hornet? He took out his razor and shaved while he thought. Just a thug, really. He'd been organizing poison quirks, though, and that had attracted enough attention for the police to call in Kamui Woods. He'd asked Eraser for assistance.

And the rest is history.

Eraser finished shaving almost absentmindedly and got into the shower. The warm water was soothing and he realized he honestly wasn't sure if he'd showered the day before. Or the day before that. He got out, toweled off, and looked at himself in the mirror again. But this time it was Scribe who looked back at him. He started back in surprise, then surged forward. She looked frightened but determined. She was trying to tell him something, but then a look of horror crossed her face and she stumbled backward and disappeared.

"Scribe!" He leapt at the mirror, both palms smacking against the glass with enough force to cause a crack to stretch from one hand to the other. He drew his hands back slowly. She wasn't there. He knew that. Breaking the mirror would serve no purpose other than to bloody his own hands.

She wasn't there anymore.

But she's definitely somewhere. And she's trying to reach me.

***

Scribe dropped to her knees in the bathroom, covering her face and sobbing. He would come find her soon and the things would go away, but she couldn't help feeling something else...something infinitely more precious...would disappear too.

She'd seen it...him...for just a moment before the black things crawled out from behind the mirror. She'd even known his name. But it was gone now, swallowed by the horror of the things that were coming toward her, stealthily sneaking, climbing over her toes, up her legs...she swiped ineffectually at them. Oh God, would they make it to her nose, her mouth, her ears...

"Scribe!" And then he was there, catching her up in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom. "Baby, why did you leave?"

"I..."

He stroked her hair back from her face, using his own sleeve to wipe the tears from her face. "Baby. I can't take care of you if you leave me."

His voice was so full of love and tenderness. And the black things were gone. Why had she left him? She couldn't remember now. A dream. She'd had a dream. But it was just a dream. It didn't mean anything at all. When he pulled her into his arms, she relaxed against his chest, grateful for his strength. He kissed the top of her head. "Don't run away like that again. I hate worrying about you."

"I'm sorry, Tomura." She tilted her head back for his kiss, then moved closer to him again. "I love you."

That was close. Do you think she made contact with Eraser?

It's impossible to tell.

Is she getting stronger? Is this even going to work?

I need time, that's all. Of course it will work. My methods—

Your methods have never been tried on someone as strong as Scribe. Maybe we should have just killed her when we had the chance. If she gets out now...

She'll never know who did this. No one will. We're safe.

Safe from the authorities, maybe, Doctor. But what about Shigaraki?