The Hope Barely Found

The Great Escape

Everyone knew the festival was coming up. It had been the one thing they were actually looking forward to, even getting Shinso into it.

Todoroki wasn't into anything other then Izuku.

They decided as a class that they'd be doing a dance routine. The best dance routine they could, to help give other classes a break. To let themselves cut loose and blow off some steam. To help make Eri smile again. With Izuku gone, the little girl hasn't done anything without prompting, never mind smile. She needed Izuku. They all needed Izuku.

With the boy heavy in their minds they put everything they had into their dance. It would be for Izuku, a call for him to return home. A reminder that they needed him.

***

Katsuki found Eri, well not really 'found' since he knew exactly where she would be, outside per usual. Mirio had been sitting with her and they both looked up at his arrival though when seeing who it was Eri went back to staring numbly at the street.

Katsuki cleared his throat. "Can we talk?"

Eri hesitated, giving the street a worried look as though Izuku would come home when she wasn't looking.

"Come on," Mirio coaxed. "I'll let you know if anything changes."

Eri gave a single nod and stood up, grabbing Katsuki's outreached hand and letting him guide her to the back of the house and into the garden.

"Yes Kaccha?"

Katsuki winced. Eri sounded so... tired. So numb. Like nothing mattered anymore. It made his heart ache.

"I think I remember," he whispered, voice cracking. "You and Izuku. We were neighbors at one point, right?"

"Mhm." Eri's eyes brightened for only a second at the memory of Izuku bringing her along on a play date with Katsuki. They had played hero's and visited a small river with a big bridge. Katsuki had fallen down it and then gotten mad when Izuku went down to help. It ended in a splash fight.

Katsuki's heart clenched painfully. "And I remember how... bad... your parents were." Katsuki hesitated. "Can you..." he trailed off helplessly, trying to gently ease into the topic.

"Yeah, I can answer your questions." Eri's monotone voice and dulled eyes frightened Katsuki, but he listened to what she was willing to share intently. "Mother and father were really mean. They hurt Izu a lot and let really bad people over." She paused. "Izuku always said to stay in the room so they couldn't get to me. He would protect me." Her voice cracked and a few tears escaped her eyes.

Katsuki waited for more but she had stopped talking. He took a deep determined breath. "Can you tell me what they did to him?" Katsuki needed to know. Needed to know what he had left Izuku and Eri with.

"They'd chain him up a lot. Izu never ate much, he always saved it for me. Sometimes he'd come back with weird lines all over his back or really red feet."

Katsuki shivered. He'd left them with a monster. "They didn't hurt you, did they?" His voice came out much meeker then he'd meant.

"No, only hit me around a bit but Izu always stopped them," Eri explained as though it was an everyday thing. Her voice sounded broken.

"You know, we are going to get Izuku back. Okay?"

She blinked up at him. "Of course we will. I never had that doubt, it's Izu after all. He promised." This time she couldn't stop her tears from pouring out and a small sob from shaking her body.

Katsuki gently but firmly wrapped his arms around her, pulling in the small girl tightly. His own tear escaped down his face. "Your right. Of course he will."