Rusted.

Chapter 1: One.

Metal was solid, heavy, self-assured. Yet nothing about this situation said anything about that. I raised my head, the handcuffs digging into my wrists, I looked down at my blood-soaked pants and I sighed.

They abandoned me. I looked back up at the cops and the detective that caught me. My eyes bleary, red and black and staring through the silver mop of hair I had.

"What do you know about the League of Villains?" the detective asked.

"Is Eri okay?" I asked.

"The little girl? She's been asking about you," he stated, his black eyes narrowed, "Still, why would you still plead innocent? You're covered in blood," he asked.

"Well… would you believe that it's mine?" I wondered, "Swab my pants, maybe take some blood, compare it," I raised my wrists.

"An' get these cuffs off, it's past Eri's bedtime…" I sighed. It started a few nights ago, where it was a normal night. Himiko and I were childhood friends. Still… childhood friends. I couldn't help but start to cry when the detective left.

I just wanted to be her hero...

"He's a kid, Endeavor…" the detective sighed, "The blood on him is his…"

"Tsukauchi, that 'kid' is a murderer…" Endeavor, the current number two hero, had never seen a kid so young kill twenty armed thugs by himself to get the little white-haired girl back. He had his flames on, seeing the 'kid' laying on the bunk by himself. He was compliant, never raised his voice or was threatening.

The little girl, Eri, was attached to him at the hip, she was a smart, adorable girl that loved her adoptive father unconditionally ever since she was saved by him. While her father was a dry, sometimes sarcastic individual with a strong sense of justice.

Eri laid her hands on the glass, "Daddy's in trouble, isn't he?" she asked, "Daddy was sad… but he left Himi to protect me…" she sniffled.

"Please don't hurt Daddy! He didn't do anything wrong!" she begged, "I'll do anything! I'll… I'll even give you my baby teeth!"

Endeavor's eyes widened as Eri said that, "Baby teeth?" he asked.

"Yuh-huh! If you let my Daddy go!" Eri decided.

The number two hero was painfully reminded of his kids when they were younger.

"Miss Eri, it doesn't work that way," Tsukauchi said.

"But… Daddy's a good guy…" Eri sighed, "I won't leave Daddy,"

Tsukauchi knelt and ruffled her hair, "You're a good daughter for him, huh?" he asked.

"Mm-hm! Is my daddy coming home now?" she asked.

"Well… your daddy did a lot of bad things, Eri…" Tsukauchi sighed.

"But Daddy does bad things to protect me…" she said, "I… I'll still believe he's a good guy!"

I laid on my bed, closing my eyes. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to be a villain anymore. I sighed and then… One of the guards came up to the bars and I glared at him.

*CLANG CLANG!*

"Sorikami! You have a visitor!" he called, opening the door. I rose emptily and walked out, I wonder if my mom was here. She'd probably give me a massive earful. When I got into the visiting room, seeing some of the other inmates. I went to my spot and saw an azure-eyed girl with periwinkle hair bouncing in her chair on the other side.

I picked up the receiver and she picked hers up, too.

"So… you here to sentence me or something?" I asked.

"You're Metallica, right? I'm Nejire! Nice to meet you!" she greeted, smiling. I covered the headset and made a 'kill me' face.

"What're you here for? I don't know you too well," I sighed.

"Well… Eri wanted to visit, but they wouldn't let her," Nejire segued, "So… well, Mr. Nezu was very impressed by your track record, despite the whole icky stuff!" she said brightly. God, she was kind of cute. I just couldn't believe that they sent this Nejire girl…

"Get to the point," I said. Nejire blinked.

"What point?" she asked, tilting her head. I gawked and sighed, it was worse than talking to Twice… then, she perked up.

"Oh yeah! Here's Mr. Nezu's offer, you tell us everything you know about the League, and you get to go free! You and Eri can live happily ever after with your name cleared! Don'tcha wanna be a hero this time?" she asked.

"You're kidding, right? You think it could be that simple?" I asked, "You gotta be mental…" I sighed. Nejire blinked.

"Mental? No, I'm not, I'm serious, Metallica," she said. I sighed.

"Fine, I'm all yours, Blue Angel, as long as I get to see my daughter," I growled. Nejire gave me a huge smile, and I just realized I backhandedly complimented her. I groaned as they finally let me out.

Nejire bobbed and walked next to me, "So, why do you have that brown stuff on you? Is it dirt? Poo? Something else?" she asked.

"Rust, and I need a shower," I stated.

"So why does Eri call you her Daddy? Also, what's with your eyes? They're red and black like Majin Buu! Also…" Nejire continued.

"Look, Blue's Clues, stop askin' me all these questions! Even if you're cute! I just wanna see my lil' Sandman again…" I sighed.

"I'll help by giving my intel on the League and then leave me alone," I huffed. Nejire pouted.

"Awww… but I was hopin' you could be a hero…" she sighed.

"What's so good about it?" I asked. Nejire grinned and grabbed my hand.

"Because it's fun! You beat up bad guys and have a ton of fun with movies and media!" she exclaimed.

"I'm no hero, I'm just a lousy dad to a girl that doesn't even know how to smile…" I huffed. Nejire and I came out before the H-shaped building. Nejire slowed down a little and I stopped, was she…

Nejire caught up with a fake smile. I could tell, but she led me inside, seeing a small white mouse and Eri, Eri was talking to the mouse with a shine in her eyes. I sighed and Eri looked up, seeing me.

"DADDY!" she yelled, running into my arms, I smiled and squeezed her tightly, I was so relieved. She seemed to be well taken care of. I held her and she hugged me again.

"Are you out now?" she asked.

"I guess… Daddy's gotta tell Mr. Nezu everything, then we… we can go…" I mumbled.

"We don't have a home, do we Daddy?" she asked.

"Well, Daddy will find one somewhere, I'll see ya, Lil' Sandman, Miss Nejire's gonna keep an eye on ya," I stated.

Nezu was the mouse and he looked up at me with a smile. I smirked back and we went into his office, he pulled out a thick file.

"Mr. Tenkara Sorikami, Alias Metallica, seventeen years old and already having blood on your hands… why is that?" he asked.

"Well. I didn't have the best time growing up. My mom didn't like my quirk and I was a violent kid, it was so easy to become a 'villain'. Forcing my ideals on others felt so good, power felt good… then I came to the League after Stain got put away," I stated, "Then I ran into an old friend there and… they became like family to me…" I sighed.

"What were their plans?" Nezu asked.

"They wanted to kill All Might, while I just wanted to save my friend… God, I'm such a damn idiot… thinking I could save someone that crazy," I sighed.

"Still, our leader was known as Sensei. He was uber-powerful, I removed some metal from his body and… well… they planned on takin' some kid named Bakugo, that's when I bowed out, we found Eri before that and I took 'er with me, and then some gang tried to take her… and I killed them," I huffed, "I ain't giving out names, all I'm here to do is warn you guys,"

I stood and raked my hand through my hair, Nezu stopped me.

"Hold a moment," he said, "Here we are!" He took out a key and put it into my hand.

"What the hell is this?" I asked.

"There's a house on the grounds, you and Miss Eri can stay there," Nezu said. I was shocked.

"Wait… why ME?" I asked, "Why're you givin' me some house on the grounds? I didn't do shit," I stated.

"Well, you need it, Mr. Sorikami, maybe you'll reconsider your stance on heroes," Nezu stated.

"Yeah, MAYBE…" I sighed.

Eri and Nejire were playing hide-and-seek, "One… Two… Three… Four…" Nejire called. Eri giggled and ran into my coat.

"Hide me, Daddy!" she whispered. I smirked and she hid in my coat as I refracted. Nejire counted up to twenty.

"Ready or not, here I come!" she called as I scooched us into the shadows. Nejire looked around.

"Eri? Eeeerrrriiiiii? Where are youuuu?" she called, "I'm gonna getcha!" I smiled widely.

"Shh… I got a plan, Eri…" I whispered. She nodded.

"Tenkaaaarrrrraaaa? Where are yooouuuuu?" Nejire asked, reaching right for us, I smiled. Three… two… one… and…

"HEY!" I yelled, grabbing her.

"KYAHHHHH! Oh… oh, Tenkara, don't scare me like that, you meanie!" she snapped at me. I ignored my odd feeling when I saw her pout.

"Meanie? Aw come ON, Blue Angel, you're lettin' the real target getaway!" I exclaimed, like a small white bullet, Eri ran down the way and Nejire tried to move, I squeezed her.

"Nuh-uh! How do ya get outta the Chains of Metallica?! YA DON'T!" I yelled, remembering that I did the same thing for Eri. Nejire wiggled and she smiled. She turned to face me.

"Hugs're nice…" she sighed, squeezing me. I vanished to hide my blush. I slid out of her arms, I wasn't too good with touch. Plus… she was cute. I liked her eyes. They were wide, and her soul-searching gazes made me shudder.

Still, she looked around a little bit in shock, "Where'd you go?" she asked, looking around still as Eri giggled and hugged me from behind, "Found ya, Daddy!" she said.

I reappeared, "Aw, Eri… I was gonna wait…" I sighed.

"Why? Do you like Miss Nejire?" Eri asked and I coughed.

"Uhh, no… what are you talking about? We just m-met… you got rocks in yer noggin…?" I mumbled and Eri seemed to get a little more giggly.

"You like Miss Nejire!" she exclaimed.

Nejire smiled, overhearing that. I gulped and blushed, almost forcing myself to vanish. I didn't like showing my emotions too much either. Especially when I was in front of a girl. A cute, wide-eyed, periwinkle haired beauty. God, I was blushing just as much as Himiko… Nejire grinned and Eri clung to me.

"Well… let's go home…" I sighed. I never thought I could have a home after being abandoned by my old one so callously. Still, I was glad I had one. We went to the house, it was a nice one, it was a three-bedroom house that looked a little modern, but it's just a place to lay my head.

The terrible silence stops with me...