Eri returned to class and it had gone by like something had even happened. The rest of the school day only made Eri long to go home, and when it had ended, she was glad for it.

It was ridiculous how awful her first day had been so far. She hoped that after she finished her assignment with Todoroki, she could text Shigaraki or Toga and just go to sleep.

So when it became six o' clock, Eri entered the library, ready to get this over with. Todoroki was already there, waiting at a table with paper and pencils prepared.

"Hi," Eri said as she approached him.

Todoroki looked up at her. "Hi. Ready?"

"Mhm."

"Okay," Todoroki said while Eri took a seat across from him, "honestly, I can do most of this on my own. I'll just tell you what we need to say when we present our work tomorrow."

Eri shifted awkwardly. "Oh, are you sure? Is there no way I can help?" No, she didn't want to be here, but she would feel bad if she didn't assist somehow.

"I'm sure. In yesterday's training course, it went all wrong because some of our classmates were distracted, and others hadn't heard the instructions correctly. We failed to save the civilians because everyone wanted to do their own thing. For example, I had to keep telling Mineta to use his quirk on the rocky terrain, to keep the area safe, but he wanted to be the one to climb up to the civilians. We argued, and it wasted too much time."

"Hm. It sounds like everyone knew what they had to do. It seems more like you guys were bad at working together," Eri theorized.

A wrinkled formed between Todoroki's brows from thought. "That could true. We didn't communicate very well."

Eri perked up a bit from seeing that she was being helpful. "And to improve next time you do that course, you guys can negotiate something that makes you both happy while it being the most strategic plan with the civilians' safety in mind."

Todoroki took his pencil and scribbled her words down. "I like the way that sounds," he said. "I'll add in the extra details."

"Great."

"By the way, Eri," Todoroki mentioned, pausing his writing, "are you going to be a permanent member of this class?"

The horned-girl frowned at this question. "Um, well... I would think so. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious, since it's easy to guess why you were sent to Recovery Girl's office."

Those few words instantly ruined Eri's mood again. "Oh."

"Are you striving to be the number one hero?" Todoroki asked.

Eri shrugged. "Are you?"

Todoroki hesitated before answering. "I am."

"Yeah. I guess I am, too."

Todoroki's neutral expression turned the slightest bit skeptical. "You don't seem certain. Are you considering replacing Recovery Girl?"

"Of course not," Eri huffed, absentmindedly twirling a piece of her hair. "Why would I accept that?"

"It's an honor."

"Not for me."

Todoroki blinked at her, but proceeded to write his answers for the assignment. While doing so he said, "I understand."

Eri glanced at him. "Really?"

"Yes. We all have our own aspirations and reasons. In a way, it's similar to how people assume that because my dad is Endeavor, I want to be the number one hero for the same reasons as him. I don't."

Eri straightened up in an instant and threw the boy an incredulous look.

Todoroki appeared confused at her reaction.

"You're pro hero Endeavor's son!?" Eri exclaimed.

A librarian sharply hushed her.

"This is common knowledge," Todoroki grumbled, probably annoyed at her outburst. "Everyone knows."

Eri rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, I'm new here, so cut me some slack."

One of her classmates was the possible successor of All Might and the other was the son of Endeavor. Could this day get any weirder! Now Eri had even more reasons to be nervous.

But at the same time, Eri was greatly intrigued. Dabi had said that his own family was the reason he supported stain, so how did Todoroki feel about heroes when his own father was one? He couldn't possibly have bad opinions of them if he was here, wanting to be one himself.

"So... it must be interesting having a powerful hero as your dad," Eri noted.

"...That's one way to describe it," the heterochromatic boy answered. "I'm almost done writing, by the way."

"Good to know," Eri said. "Also, you must be pretty popular if your dad is Endeavor."

Todoroki quietly sighed through his nose. "I have my own personality, you know."

Eri waved her hands wildly. "Of course! I know that! Sorry! It's just that I've never met someone who knows a pro hero so personally!"

"SHH!" The librarian hissed at her.

"Sorry!" Eri whispered sheepishly.

"You're close to getting kicked out of here," Todoroki warned. "On your first day, too."

"I'll be quiet," Eri stated, folding her hands in her lap.

Todoroki rested his pencil on the table. "Okay, I'm done. You pretty much know what you need to say, right?"

Eri nodded. "Yes. Also, do you know if I'll be participating in the retaking of that training course?"

"Most likely," Todoroki informed. "Aizawa doesn't give any of his students any slack. Speaking of, how do you plan to succeed in this school if your powers mostly consist of healing? That won't help you in a fight."

"My quirk is rewind, not healing," Eri corrected. She was getting annoyed with the terms being used interchangeably. She wished it were that simple. "And I know combat. I'll be fine."

"Combat is typically never enough."

A taping noise was emitted around the area from Eri anxiously tapping on the table. "Todoroki, I'll figure something out."

"I only brought it up because I don't understand how you got accepted into this class without the use of an offensive quirk," Todoroki replied.

Eri swallowed thickly. "I got good scores in my old school in America. I guess this school saw potential in me."

Todoroki collected his belongings and stood up. "I don't buy that, but I don't care enough to pester you further. Thanks for helping on the assignment. I'll see you tomorrow."

He began walking away, and Eri just watched him go, frozen.

Todoroki had a lot of power from his association to Endeavor. If he spoke of his suspicions to the school, Eri was done for. They would interrogate her—maybe by torture, and then, discard her and throw her in jail along with the League.

Eri chased after the hero in training.  "Todoroki, wait!"

She caught him in the halls, heading to his dorm.

"You're not allowed around the boys' dorms," Todoroki scolded.

"I don't care," Eri said. Then, lowering her voice, and looking around, she whispered, "I don't know what you think of me, but I entered this class through my hard work. So why do you seem to be trying to accuse me of something?"

"You tell a lot through your body language," Todoroki said. "And I'm not accusing you of anything. I just think you don't deserve to be in this class, quite frankly."

Eri slouched at that comment from relief, but it probably came off as her feelings being hurt, because Todoroki added, "Eri, I don't harbor any negative feelings towards you. I just think that you'd be better off accepting Recovery Girl's offer. It could be the biggest opportunity of your life."

Eri shook her head, her gaze falling downwards shamefully. "As I've said already, Todoroki, my quirk isn't a healing quirk. It's rewind, and it's too dangerous to be used on humans."

"Dangerous?" Todoroki questioned. "It seemed perfectly safe when you were using it on the plant. I think you're overthinking it too much. With some training you'll be fine."

"It's not only the literal quirk that's the problem. It's my control over it," Eri explained, her temper and voice rising. "If I loose control, even the slightest bit, when using it, it'll do much worse than just hurt someone. You're lucky that you've never had to think of your quirk as a curse and the reason for your suffering and... and..." Eri faltered when she noticed that Todoroki was staring at her in surprise.

She ran her hands over her face. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to say all of that."

How could she reveal all of that! Now Todoroki really had something to use against her!

"You know nothing about me," Todoroki said coldly, his eyes narrowing. His tone was so low that Eri had trouble hearing him. "I know exactly what it feels like to suffer because of your quirk. My quirk is the reason for this damn scar!"

This time it was Todoroki's turn to realize that he had said something too personal. He blinked rapidly and stepped away from Eri.

But it was too late for him to bail out now, because Eri was devastated at how terribly similar this sounded to Dabi's story.

"Todoroki... Did... did a hero do this to you?" She asked, her voice cracking.

Todoroki's eyes bulged. Stiffly, he said, "I'm going to sleep now. Don't tell anyone about my business, and I won't tell anyone about yours," and stormed to his dorm.

Before he could slam the door, though, Eri stuck her foot between the crack.

"Leave," Todoroki hissed.

"No!" Eri shouted. "Please, Todoroki! Let me help!"

"I don't need help. At least not anymore."

"But—but—"

Todoroki's hard expression softened. He muttered, "if anything, you're the one who needs help..."

And, then, to Eri's surprise, he opened the door. "Come in," he said.

"...Really?" Eri looked around nervously. "Aren't girls not allowed in the boys' dorms?"

Todoroki squinted at her. "You're the one who didn't care earlier—"

"You know what? It doesn't matter!" Eri declared before entering the room. She had a few critiques for Todoroki's rather eccentric taste in decor, but that was besides the point. "So... who hurt you, Todoroki?"

Todoroki closed the door. "This isn't about me anymore. This is about you. You said that your quirk is a... curse? And the reason for your suffering. What does that mean?"

Eri bit her lip, where it was already raw from biting it earlier. "Just forget that. Please. I was just angry. I was... I was being dramatic."

"I don't believe you."

"Todoroki!" Eri whined. "The real issue is about you! I know a hero gave you that scar! Are you safe?!"

"Why would you think that a hero did this me?" Todoroki asked as he brought a hand up to his scar.

"Because heroes can be just as bad as villains, if not worse."

A jolt ran through Todoroki's body. His eyes bore into Eri's, and with knitted brows, he muttered, "you're right."

Goosebumps littered the skin of Eri's arms.

Todoroki defeatedly sat on his bed. "Some heroes can be villains in their own way. That's the case with my dad."

Slowly, Eri walked up to Todoroki and sat besides him gently.

"I was born to become the number one hero. My mom had an ice quirk and my dad fire. They wanted a child who had both, and I did. My dad would force me to train constantly the moment I got my quirk, and I never could play with my siblings. I was isolated for the majority of my life, and eventually, my father had created such a dysfunctional household that it drove my mother to hate the sight of my left side. So she had a breakdown and poured boiling water over my face."

Eri slapped a hand over her mouth as she let out a gasp.

"So, no. It wasn't a hero that directly cause my scar. But it was Endeavor who brought my mom to that point. Because of this, I hated my left side, too. I thought: 'if it weren't for Endeavor, this would've never happened,' so I refused to use my fire."

Like me... Eri thought, since she, too, had refused to use her quirk for years until meeting Dabi.

"I was a cold person back then who mostly wanted to become number one to prove to my dad that I could do it without my fire." Todoroki's eyes gleamed. "But then I met Midoriya."

Midoriya? What did her classmate—or rather, her target—have anything to do with this?

"He reminded me of something I forgot long ago. That my quirk was my power. It sounds like common sense to say out loud now, but it changed my world."

"Changed... your world?" Eri asked, tears forming in her eyes.

Todoroki nodded slowly.

Oh, no. How could Eri continue to spy on Midoriya when he seemed like—like a hero? A real one.

"So, yes. I do understand what it feels like to suffer because of my quirk," Todoroki stated softly, gazing sympathetically at the horned-girl. "But I had good people to help me through it."

Eri let out a sob, and with that, the dam broke. She burst into tears.

Todoroki tensed. "Eri..."

"I-I'm really happy for you," Eri babbled. Then, on impulse, she distanced the space between her and Todoroki and enveloped him in a tight hug.

Todoroki was baffled for a moment, but he recovered and awkwardly brought his arms around Eri to return the hug. He didn't push her away when she got his uniform wet with tears.

"I want to accept my quirk, too," Eri said through more sobs, "but it's terrible. I can't control it because I think about how I've hurt people with it—and even worse things, Todoroki! My quirk—and my very blood—keeps me in constant fear. It makes me feel trapped in my own body! It does no good at all!"

Todoroki slowly pulled away from the hug and gazed at Eri intensely, both of his hands on her shoulders. "Eri, I really don't know what you're talking about, but one thing that I know for sure is that there is good in you and your quirk. Don't call it a curse."

The girl looked at him in hopeless confusion.

"Do you know what Midoriya said to me when you left to go to the nurse's office?"

Eri hesitantly shook her head.

Todoroki, then, smiled at her sadly. He was the only classmate Eri had not yet seen smile until now. "He said, 'her quirk is beautiful.' And I agree."

For a moment, Eri only stared at her classmate, his words slowly processing in her mind. But then it sunk in, and Eri's eyes widened, and everything became blurry with her tears and yet she could see a beacon of light radiate from the boy beside her, and—Eri wailed.

"You—you have to stop this!" She shouted, shoving Todoroki's warm, comforting hands away from her. "You have to stop being nice to me! You're a hero...! Heroes aren't supposed to be nice!"

"Why do you feel this way towards heroes?" Todoroki questioned. "Has a hero hurt you, as well?"

Eri wildly shook her head, because damn it! Here he was again, caring about her.

"Not directly," she answered a little more calmly, but just as upset. "I met people who helped me, too, Todoroki. But you wouldn't like them. Most people d-don't. They helped me so much. He took me in when I needed him most. Then we grew and became a—a family? They warned me about heroes. But... but maybe they were... wrong. Maybe there are good heroes."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," Todoroki said.

"I'm not a good person," Eri croaked, turning her head to avoid looking at him. At this point, her mission had gone up in flames, and she would probably be turned in the heroes after all the things she had said, so what was the point in hiding the facts about herself now? "In fact, I don't deserve your help. I'm s-sorry for deceiving you."

"Eri!" Todoroki scolded suddenly, causing her to flinch. "Don't say such stupid things! Everyone deserves help when they need it. A real hero will help someone in need. They'll work as hard as they can to do so! And I want to be a hero that helps people in need, so that's why I won't stop until I hear an explanation of your situation!"

Eri was shocked at Todoroki's passionate outburst. "Do you... do you really care that much?"

"Of course."

A whimper escaped the horned-girl's lips.

No one had shown Eri this much kindness since Shigaraki took Eri in. The whole league was practically her family, and she loved them, but they weren't perfect. There were days they did things she didn't agree with, but at the end of the day, it always worked out because at least it was in defiance of the heroes. But now that Eri could see that not all heroes were bad, her perspective had shifted.

Eri didn't want to be a outcast anymore. She didn't want to be villain that hid away from the world everyday in fear. If Todoroki could actually help her, things could change...

But even if she confessed, she was still a criminal that had done illegal things as a spy for the League. She didn't want to go to jail, nor did she want to rat out the League. She couldn't watch Toga, who had somehow managed to convince Shigaraki to let her paint his nails pink, suffer because of Eri. Or Kurogiri, who had always settled disputes with composure and professionalism. Or even Twice, who could always lighten up the mood when things got rough. Eri couldn't return the favor Dabi had done for her when he helped her muster up the courage to use her quirk on plants and animals by making him face the heroes that had hurt him.

"Eri, what's holding you back?" Todoroki asked, seeing that she looked conflicted.

Eri gulped. "If I tell you everything you need to know, I'd be putting my family in danger."

The silence between them was loud.

Todoroki curled a finger towards his lips as he wore a thoughtful expression. "Okay, so let's negotiate. If you tell me everything: what happened to you; who your family is; why you're here, I won't tell anyone unless you allow me to."

"I don't know." Eri grimace. "What if you're lying?"

"Look at me, and tell me I'm lying," Todoroki ordered. His face was firm and a storm lied within those heterochromatic eyes that had Eri mesmerized.

No, he wasn't lying. Eri hadn't really think so from the start. Todoroki was the type of person to talk to you frankly, even if it came off as rude. It was just that...

"I don't want you to hate me," Eri whispered.

"What?"

Eri pursed her trembling lips. "You'll hate me after I tell you, because I'm... I'm your enemy."

Todoroki sighed, and reached for Eri's hand. He held it gently, and squeezed. "I won't hate you, Eri. Even though we only met today, you have shown multiple times that you care for people deeply. When you found out about my scar, the first thing you wanted to know was if a hero did it to me and if I was safe. You wanted to help me. Even though you don't like heroes, you acted in the way a hero would. Whatever you tell me... I know it won't make me hate you, because I can't hate a person like you."

Eri's became breathless after hearing Todoroki's profound words. How was it possible for someone to give such a perfect, impactful response? She gripped the heterochromatic boy's hand. "Okay," she said weakly. "I'll tell you everything."

I trust you, Todoroki.

So she explained the first, worst portion of her life when she was in Overhaul's captivity. She told him about what she did to her father and went over the excruciating process that Overhaul did to get her blood. It all brought back terrible memories, and the only thing keeping her from panicking was the comfort of Todoroki's warm presence.

"It went on like that for years. Like you, I was very isolated, so I had no source of happiness in any shape or form. I had toys, but no one to play them with. I was unbearably miserable and scared of my own shadow. I... I didn't learn how to smile until I finally escaped."

Todoroki's eyes became glossy with forming tears, and Eri didn't want to see him cry, too, so she quickly said, "but that's the worst of my story. It gets better, because when I escaped, I ran into someone. And then that person brought me somewhere, and met someone who was hard on the outside, but actually quite kind on the inside. At least to me. Sort of like you, I guess. But... you probably know who he is..."

"Is this one of the people that you said I wouldn't like?" Todoroki inquired, rubbing his watery eye with his free hand.

Eri nodded.

"Them go ahead. Tell me his name. I told you that I wouldn't hate you, remember?"

"Yeah," Eri said. Her gaze fell to the floor as she summoned courage within herself before returning to Todoroki. "Okay. His name is Shigaraki."

Todoroki raised his eyebrows, his breath hitching.

Before he could say something that would ruin the momentum Eri had, she continued her story. "Shigaraki said that he would protect me and provide everything I needed if I joined the League of Villains. H—"

"That's insane," Todoroki stated. "You were, what? Six years old?"

"I know," Eri said, "but when I got older, Shiggy explained to me that I had reminded him of himself when he was a kid. So that's why he had taken pity on me. And I only actually started working for them when I became thirteen. I...I'm the spy, Todoroki."

Todoroki frowned deeply, but he nodded, to Eri's relief. "That makes sense. You were quiet and small, so they saw potential in that."

"Yes. But, Todoroki, the League might be bad people to you, but to me, they're my family. Now you see why, right?"

"I do," he answered, "but it's not right, Eri. Unlike you, those people chose to be bad guys. I'm not saying that their reasons are invalid, but they still did terrible things. You, on the other hand, grew up in that unhealthy environment and was taught to share their same way of thinking. Specifically, that heroes were bad. It's a miracle that you're so kind and conscientious, with good morals. Maybe because you know what it's like to suffer tremendously..."

Eri pleaded with her eyes. "They're just lost and hurt. Society cast them out like garbage, so they just want what they think is justice. I thought it was justice myself until now! I thought that the heroes left me to die because they weren't there when I needed them."

"I'm sorry you felt that way," Todoroki said. "Heroes do their best to save everyone, but it's just not possible to always know when someone needs them. Believe me, if they would have known about your situation, they would have rescued you, no matter how dangerous Overhaul was. There's definitely bad heroes, but there's so many more good ones. You just need to ask. It's just like with my dad. A hero could have helped me if I had asked for help, but I didn't want it because I was stubborn and angry."

"I see," Eri mused. "So, now what? What's going to happen to me and the League?"

"It's up to you," Todoroki reminded. "I won't tell anyone if you want, since it seems like the League hasn't hurt you, but I would highly encourage you to contact the pro heroes and tell them about your situation. They wouldn't punish you after everything you've been through. What do you want to do?"

After all this time, Eri and Todoroki were still holding hands.

"Toga is the only friend I've ever had," Eri said, rather randomly. "I want to become your friend, too."

Todoroki blinked. "Oh... okay. Sure. You can be my friend."

Eri broke out into a grin. "Really!?"

"I don't see why not."

"So, then, can I hug you again?"

Todoroki smiled softly. "Yes."

Eri went straight for it. She really liked hugging Todoroki. He was so warm and cuddly against her goosebump-covered skin. She wondered if Todoroki was warming himself up in purpose for her.

"Has anyone in the League ever hugged you before?" Todoroki asked.

"Mhm. Toga has one time. How about you? Have you ever been hugged?"

"A few times, yes. Mostly by my mom."

"Has Midoriya ever hugged you?"

There was a pause. "No, I don't think so."

Eri chuckled silently. "Yay! I got to hug you before Midoriya did!"

"Midoriya would be very surprised to hear that."

Oh, Midoriya.

Eri rested her forehead on Todoroki's shoulder, guilt swarming around her chest. "...Remember when I said I was a spy?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's why I'm at this school. All for One ordered me to come here and spy on... on Midoriya."

Eri expected Todoroki to push her away, but instead he tightened his hold on her.

"All for One is a serious villain," Todoroki said seriously.

"I—yeah. I don't like him. He scares me."

"Why was he after Midoriya?"

"He was suspicious of him. It had something to do with All Might."

"Oh."

There was a brief silence.

"Todoroki?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for everything. I haven't felt this comfortable near someone in... maybe ever. I feel really safe here."

Eri felt Todoroki rest his chin on her shoulder. "I feel the same way, Eri. I haven't felt this vulnerable with someone in a long time, but... I mean that in a good way."

The horned-girl smiled contently, her eyes closed. "Can we decide what we'll do about me and the villains tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

The two students stayed in each other's embrace for a long time in peaceful silence. In fact, they stayed that way for so long that they unknowingly fell asleep that way, the both of them in each other's arms as they slept harmoniously in Todoroki's comfortable bed.