Note: Spoilers for manga chapter 136

Safe Hands

SevenRenny

His visits were a regular thing. She'd wait for him, always. She'd hear his light footsteps from the other side of the door, and as soon as he showed the camera his ID to open the door and let him in, she'd run for him. He'd kneel and hold out his arms, because he knew she'd come running into him for a hug. She always did, because nothing felt safer than having his protective, scarred hands around her. She remembered the days before.

She remembered, when she had tried to escape on her own and accidentally bumped into him. The way he held her then was so new, so unfamiliar, and so safe. The moment Eri had been forced to let him go, something within her died. What if she never got a second chance to escape? What if she'd never see him again? She'd cried her eyes out, sniffling and wiping at her wet face miserably because those safe hands were gone and she might never feel them again. The toys on the floor were untouched, unnoticed, unloved, and even with a permanent smile stitched to their faces, they always seemed sad.

She entertained herself in other ways, such as making and remaking the bed multiple times, even though the Bird People would do it later. She had the habit of circling her bedroom, like a merry-go-round, moving but not going anywhere. Pointless, but it was better than doing nothing. Those toys in their boxes did not look safe. She'd made her own game, raising her hand and seeing whatever shape she could make out of the shadow on the wall.

Lonely. Scared. Empty. Whatever that feeling in her heart was, it hurt. It made her cry. For no reason whatsoever, she'd be staring at the ceiling her at her food plate or doing absolutely nothing, then her vision would blur and eyes would sting. The dam would break and she would start sobbing uncontrollably, because she was lost in a maze with no way out and she wanted a hand to lead her out to safety.

But one day, with the sound of an explosion from above, followed by screaming and yelling and what sounded like a fight, hope glimmered.

He had returned for her, her green-haired hero. He hadn't forgotten about her. He came back, and he'd brought the cavalry with him. Everything else was a blur to her eyes. Moving pictures and yelling all around. But she held on to him as he carried her. He held her with such urgency as he ran full speed, huffing and panting and his shoes clapping loudly as he ran. She'd caught a glimpse of the side of his face, seeing the determination and fire burning in his eye.

When outside, the police had tried to pry her away from him, but the instant the officer's hands reached for her, she latched on to her hero, grabbing fistfuls of his costume in her tiny hands and burring her teary face into his shoulder, whimpering "No, no.." constantly and unwilling to listen to their words. Eventually, her still panting hero climbed into the back of a white van, still holding on to her because no one could get her to let go of him.

It was only when he sat down heavily and let the medics look at him did she see the blood on the other side of his face. He had the eye on that side of his face closed because of the blood that ran into it. He looked tired, exhausted. The adrenaline had run its course, leaving his body heavy and suddenly aware of pain. But even so, while strangers helped clean his face and stitch up his head wound, he still held on to her. The vehicle rumbled and started vibrating, moving. He exhaled in relief and looked down at her with a tired smile; half his face still a little red from dried blood.

"I won't let go this time," he whispered. "I promise." With that, he cupped the back of her head with that same scarred hand of his. It was so caring and kind and fresh tears flooded her eyes.

Because this was the kindness she had been longing for.

When placed into the new building – her temporary now home until the adult heroes figured out what to do – he visited almost daily. She had a new room and the door was always open. "Walk around. Explore. Just talk to us if you need anything." They had told her. They'd given her free range, but she was too scared to go farther than a few rooms away. She still didn't feel comfortable with the nurses and the child psychiatrist, but Big Brother Izuku assured her it was okay. If he said so, then she'll try.

He held her hands in his own and crouched to her level, something he usually did to not look intimidating and to look her straight in the eyes. "You're safe now, it's okay!" he told her with a wide smile. "It's perfectly safe here, Eri-chan. Everyone is here to protect you."

He leaned in, and she understood the gesture before it happened. She immediately shoved herself into his arms for a cuddle. That was another thing he did after realizing she craved friendly physical contact. He was always ready to give her a loving hug.

"It's okay. Everyone's here for you, Eri-chan," he told her confidently and placed that same hand on the back of her head. She was so thankful to have him as her new Big Brother.

He came to see her regularly, often still carrying his backpack with him. He looked different in his school clothes, calmer, but still the same Izuku. He'd told her to trust the other heroes, but almost everyone knew he was already her favorite. He wasn't intimidating like adults who looked so big and mighty and loud and capable of hurting if they wanted. Big Brother Izuku was bigger than her but not overwhelmingly so. He was also very gentle when picking her up and carrying her. Unlike how the Bird People used to only plucked her off the ground to get her somewhere else in a hurry, Izuku gave a quick hug when wanting to hold her up, and he held her and put her down with such care, not wanting any sudden movements to scare her.

He brought her puzzle games from time to time after noticing Eri had no interest in plush toys. She liked them. They were simple, yet, entertained her mind, and she liked the feeling of accomplishment after finishing a set. They provided the necessary mental stimulation she'd been missing, and she liked to see the final picture in the end. He wanted her to learn, but also enjoy learning. He gave her something to challenge her mind, but wasn't too difficult for her to solve. He wanted her to gain confidence, give her chances to make choices, even if it was simply having her pick a flavor of juice. Making her own choices was something new to her.

He held out his hand and she grabbed it right away, her small hand curled into his bigger one. He gave her a reassuring smile before he led her out of her bedroom and walked her around the building. He wanted her to get used to her new place and feel safe around the other heroes. Her attachment to him was flattering, but he couldn't always be around. He walked her to nearby offices and she grabbed his leg and hid half her face into his clothes when an adult smiled down at her and slowly reached to pet her head. Okay, maybe they weren't that scary after all. It felt wonderful and she leaned in slightly to feel the warmth from the hand. The big hero chuckled at her adorableness and patted Izuku on the shoulder before leaving.

"He was very nice, huh, Eri-chan?" he asked her brightly.

She gave a tiny nod, because, so far, all the adults here either didn't mind her presence or were extremely friendly and welcoming. He managed to show her most of the building before deciding to head back. The nurse would be looking for her by now. She needed to be fed soon. The first day the nurse tried to feed her hadn't gone well. It was a few weeks ago. The day they brought her here. Eri was in a new place, surrounded by new people and new places and new sounds. She felt frightened and tired and upset and just didn't feel like eating. The woman was bubbly and friendly and playful, but everything was so new and unfamiliar and it scared Eri.

A knock from outside the door got the nurse to leave her alone for a few minutes. She heard his voice. He was talking to the woman.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I'm fine, really. They let me go early. I know I'm not supposed to be here at this hour but I just wanted to check on her. How's she doing?"

"Well, can't get her to eat. Poor thing looks lost…"

They walked away and their voices faded. It was a few minutes before he stepped instead of the nurse. His head was wrapped in gauze and there was a Band-Aid on the lower side of his cheek.

"Hey," he greeted his smile as bright as the sunshine. "Sorry I couldn't come earlier. I didn't have my ID with me and they wouldn't let me in. I had to wait for a hero to open the doors for me." He came and sat down next to her on the bed, the plate of food on the nightstand nearby. He noticed her eyeing the white wrappings on his head.

"Ah it's nothing. Don't worry," he chuckled nervously, then held out his arm and flexed it as if to show his muscles. "I'm a lot tougher than I look. This is nothing."

He froze when she leaned into his side, seeking comfort. He held still, and then his brain started working again. He wrapped an arm around her and held her closer, keeping her in a safe hold because he was probably the only thing slightly familiar to her by now. His hand started to automatically rub her beck and shoulders, because the sniffling sounds she was making was too much.

"Eri-chan…" he whispered sadly. Seeing her like this tore his heart apart. "Is something hurting you, Eri-chan?" he asked and leaned his head down to gently rest his head atop hers, a tender gesture that showed just how gentle he could be. "It's okay. You can tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt?"

She shook her head no, and he pretended her little horn wasn't jabbing him in the ribs.

"Aren't you hungry? Nurse told me you hadn't eaten anything."

She didn't respond, pushing her face into his chest to hide from this new environment that seemed too much for her to take in all at once.

"Are you scared, Eri-chan?"

She slowly looked up at him, face flushed and wet and teeth clinching to stop a wail from slipping through. Something tugged at his heart, and his scarred hand cupped her cheek, thumb brushing away a tear.

"It's okay… it'll be okay," he promised. Scooping her up, he placed her on his lap and hugged her close, allowing her to cry and release her built up sadness and frustration. She sobbed loudly into his chest and he rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It's okay to be scared. Everyone feels scared sometimes, and it's okay. Just breathe. Breathe with me, it's alright."

He was pretty sure he had no idea what he was doing. He was only mimicking how his mother handled these kinds of situations.

It took some time, but her sniffling tuned down eventually and he sat her back down on the bed, placing her head carefully on a pillow to allow her to rest. She must have felt exhausted – both physically and mentally – after that breakdown. He held her hand as she took a short nap. It was very short, and she woke up to find him still there, her hand in his protective one, feeling the bumps of uneven skin covering his hand. His hand, it was slightly deformed and decorated with scars, yet, she'd never felt safer holding any other hand.

"Feeling any better?" he asked with a hopeful look on his face and reached to pet her head. "Do you think you can eat? Just a little?"

Even though a part of her said no, the encouraging and hopeful look on his face was hard to ignore. He wanted her to feel better, she knew, by the look in his eyes. He truly cared.

"I…" she swallowed nervously. It had been a while since she'd spoken. "Don't know…"

His smile widened, proud she actually communicated verbally. "How about we give it a try?" he asked with a head tilt.

Looking down, she gave a tiny node, still not so sure. He picked up the spoon and brought it to her mouth, keeping his other hand beneath to prevent a mess on the bed. It was only when she took a bite that she realized just how hungry she had been. And with the fifth bite, she was crying awkwardly, mouth still full. Feeling relieved and safe and cared for and loved and it was all too much. Izuku stretched his sleeve and wiped her face. He was proud, because he knew she was going through a lot, yet she was still trying her best for him.

He leaned and gave her a firm hug, rewarding her for her cooperativeness and letting her know I'm here, I'll protect you. He tucked her in and gave her a quick peck in the head.

"Don't go…" she begged him.

"I won't." he promised, holding her hand, and not letting go as she closed her eyes.

She heard him talk with the nurse, both speaking in low voices, but she didn't care much.

"She's asleep?"

"Yeah. She's really tired. I got her to eat a little. It wasn't much, though."

"Better than nothing. I've been trying with her with no luck."

She wasn't sure what part of the conversation she'd missed, but he started being present at her meal times, bringing his own bento box along. He hoped seeing him eat would encourage her to copy him. Well, she ate more, and on her own, this time, so maybe it was actually working? He wasn't sure, Izuku was just glad she was eating. At some point, other familiar people came to see her. Big Sisters Ochako and Tsuyu dropped by a few times. It felt unusual to be hugged by other girls, probably due to her lack of interaction with them. It felt almost motherly, in a way. She remembered how helped give her a bubbly bath. It was very different from when the Bird People bathed her. There, it had been a necessity to be kept clean and germ-free. Here, with her new sisters, it was more playful. With giggling and a rubber frog flouting in the tub and having Big Sister Ochako give her a wet smooch on the cheek because Eri had tiny bubbles on her head that made it seem like she had a sparkling tiara on. Ochako just couldn't help herself.

There was also Big Brother Eijiro, who let her ride on his shoulders a few times. He was louder than Izuku, and his teeth frightened her at first. But, as it turned out, he was a kind, fun, and an amazing big brother to have. And she couldn't forget Big Brother Mirio; big, goofy, and always full of energy.

Her heroes were there for her. Her new family had taken her in with open arms, surrounding her in a warm, protective embrace. And when Big Brother Izuku and Big Sister Ochako came to see her the next day, she ran to him. He picked her easily, just like always, and she hugged his neck, both laughing, her cheek pressed against his, ignoring the click sound as Ochako snapped a picture with her phone, because there was no way she'd leave without capturing that tender moment.

Feeling those arms around her, holding her close, Eri knew she was in safe hands.

Note: I know I should've waited for the manga to release a few more chapters so I could have more materiel to work with, but, as you can see, I have no patience.