Chapter Text
Chapter 1
--------
It was clear, that night, the sky was bright with the moon but he couldn't see the stars because of the city's light pollution. “EraserHead.” The handheld crackled to life at his hip and he stood from crouching at the edge of one of the taller buildings in this part of the city. “Edgeshot.” Eraser acknowledged, still watching the streets just in case. “Watching a kid on the edge of an apartment building on main right now, need you to come, you're the only child crisis certified hero in five miles.” His whole body went stiff and he nodded to himself as he said. “Affirmative, be there in two minutes. Don't approach, you might scare ‘em.” Eraser Head took off, wrapping his capture scarf around a nearby light pole and swinging.
True to his word, Eraser landed on the building right next to Edgeshot, the pair of them hiding in the shadows of the building next to where the kid was. “Brief.” Eraser said quietly, settling against the wall and watching the kid over the edge of the scarf as he tucked his face away from the cold. “She’s just been sitting there, sippin’ on a bottle of something she definitely shouldn’t have. They don't look drunk though and the bottle is still mostly full. "She took her shoes off about twenty minutes ago but hasn't moved since.” Edgeshot knew to keep things simple with Eraser, he had short patience on a good day and from working with the man on occasions like this before, it was even shorter when kids' lives were involved.
“Got it. Stay here and try to catch her if she decides to jump while I try to talk her down.” Eraser had said to try just because he didn't want to put such a heavy expectation of absolutely catching her on someone else, he’d jump after her to give him, more time anyways. It took him less than a minute to get around the back of the building and up onto the roof, making his presence evident as he gently scraped his feet in the gravel on the rooftop to keep from startling the kid too bad. “Go away.” In Eraser’s opinion, girl couldn't have been more than 14, much too young to be on a rooftop “You know I can't do that.” The tall man said with a shrug, watching as the girl took another swig and finally turned to look at him. “You some hero?” eraser nodded, easily suppressing the frown he felt at the distant, haunted look on her face. “Eraserhead.” He said simply, watching the girl closely as she nodded. “What about you kid? Got a name?” he asked.
“What do you care?” She was more defensive, though the flat tone in her voice didn't leave. The emptiness of it made his stomach flip, this wasn't Eraser’s first experience with kids this emotionally distant on a rooftop. “Want me to be honest?” The reason Eraser had such a high success rate in his cases was that he was as honest as possible. These kids usually didn't have a single adult in their lives that they could trust or talk to, much less one they felt told the truth, honesty tended to at least give him the opportunity to talk to them more. “Why the hell not.” Well, that was a score. “Because it's my job. And because I worry about kids like you.” It was Eraser’s usual answer when they asked why, they rarely expect it and this case was the same, the girl looked a little surprised for a moment before schooling her expression. “My name is Kanashi Hana.” She said before adding. “Most people call me Kana.” Eraser nodded.
“This isn't a good look for you up here, Kana-san” Eraser said, moving a few feet closer and trying to be casual as he added. “You're not wearing your shoes.” Kana just rolled her eyes. “No shit.” She said and Eraser huffed. “Can I sit? I’ve been on patrol for a few hours.” The hero asked, sighing when she nodded. “So, you gonna try and talk me down? Tell me everything's gonna be okay and it all gets better? To hold on a little longer?” Kana asked sardonically once Eraserhead had sat on the edge with her, looking as at ease as he could force himself in the situation.
“Absolutely not.” that got Kana to whip her head around so fast Eraser was worried she would wobble over the edge.
“What?”
That's what I was looking for. Eraser didn't dare let himself relax though, he wasn't anywhere near helping this kid yet. Just able to get her attention. “I said I wasn't gonna say any of that. It's all bullshit anyways, never helpful.” Eraser could see Edgeshot on the roof of the other building now, just out of sight and impossible to find if you didn't already know where he was. The man looked as tense as Eraser felt. “Well. I guess you're right. It’s always a lie anyway.” Kana muttered, taking another swig and scanning the lights of the city as she tried not to look at the darkly dressed hero sitting beside her. “I will tell you though, that alcohol is bad for teenagers. You're what, 12?”
He lowballed because kids were always a little more likely to correct you if they thought that you thought they were younger than they were. “I'm 14, Mister dark and gloomy.” Kana snarked before adding. “It’s to dampen my quirk before...” The teenager gestured over the edge of the roof like it was obvious. It was. “Look whos talking.” He said with a shrug at the insult, it made Kana crack a barely perceptible smile and Eraser counted that as a win. “What's your quirk then? Never heard of one that can only be dampened by alcohol.” Eraser asked, trying to make everything seem casual while actively distracting Kana. “It's not only alcohol. Pretty much anything drug-related will work. Alcohol was just the easiest to steal from my mom.” Eraser didn't comment on how the girl didn't technically answer his question, instead choosing to follow her topic and try and bring it back again later. “Folks don't know you're out here?” He asked, adjusting his capture scarf ao it’d be easier to use quickly if he had to even if this conversation seemed to be working for the moment.
“Don't know, don't care. My Mom’s been the only one around since I was little because my deadbeat old man didn't wanna have to keep reimbursing people for the damages my accidental quirk usage caused.” Eraser nodded. “What an ass.” That got an audible laugh out of Kana. “Right? Old fart couldn't handle an extra job or a few accidental chunks of disintegrated wall.” Eraser just made an inquisitive sound and Kana signed before explaining. “Mom called it frequency manipulation. Basically, I can vibrate to the same frequency as other things and it tears the structure apart, like at the atomic level.” Eraser nodded, it seemed like every generation the quirks were getting more volatile, maybe that stupid quirk theory had some worth to it after all.
“So, dirtbag dad left, mom doesn’t seem to care where you are, that sounds rough, but it wouldn't put you on a roof, What's got you up here?” Now was the hard part, trying to pick apart the kid's reasoning and being gentle but honest about why what they were thinking was illogical. “Why should I bother talking about it? You’re not gonna let me jump anyways.” Great. Defensive again. “You can try if you want, but even if you don't you’ll just find some other way to kill yourself later.” Eraser’s bluntness was starting to get to Kana, he could see it in her posture and the way she was fidgeting. “Just - Just don’t judge me okay?” She sort of asked, Eraser just shrugged. “That is not part of this job description. Wouldn’t be logical.”
Kana let out a shuddering breath, and nodded, starting slow with a. “I bet you’ve got a hero’s quirk. Huh?” Eraser immediately understood where this was going, but just shrugged, he didn't want to interrupt Kana now that she’d started. “Everyone I’ve ever met has labeled me as a villain because of the potential for me to tear someone apart by the atoms. They all shun me and tell me I'm evil and deserve to die. That my dad was right for leaving because he could have been killed at any time.” Eraser just nodded, he had the understanding of being singled out for his power but not to that level. “Today, in class,” Kana began again, starting to get choked up, “I had a teacher tell me I would have been better off quirkless, that being useless would be better than being a villain. It felt like all of the things I’d been ignoring and the last of my emotions just snapped.” Kana looked ready to disappear, curling in on herself as she spoke.
Eraser said a soft. “It’s numb.” at that, he didn't want her to spiral while she was still sitting at the edge of the building and he wanted her to see that someone, even an untrustworthy adult, understood her to some degree. Kana turned away from the city, towards the dark roof, and planted her feet in the gravel. “I’ve never had someone put such an accurate word to it, but that’s exactly it. Like I’m hollow because there's nothing there to make me even upset anymore.” Eraser nodded, turning himself and moving to stand, holding a hand out to Kana. “Mind sharing? As I said, I’ve been patrolling all night.” Kana looked surprised and hesitantly handed the bottle over. Of course, he wasn't going to drink in this situation, but this little logical lie might make more trust between them.
“Just don't tell anyone, they'd have my head for drinking on duty.” He said before faking a swig, really only licking the bit off his lips and huffing a. “Well, that's shit.” The look on Kana’s face told Eraser everything he needed to know. “Listen, kid, I know this is probably one of the more irritating things I’m gonna say, but this is a really stupid way to let your life go.” Eraser crouched in front of Kana as he spoke. She did frown but said. “I know it's stupid, and it scares me a little, but it feels like the only answer.” Eraser grinned a version of his smile usually reserved for students he was going to expel. “Then how about spite?’ he asked, handing the bottle back to the confused and slightly startled teenager.
“Spite? You mean like... Like, live because they don't want me to?” Eraser nodded. “If that’s how you take it kiddo, you could also live out of spite to prove them wrong. Prove to them that it’s not a villain's quirk if you train it right and use it the right way.” Kana stood abruptly, moving to shove her feet into her shoes. “You mean to tell me, the angry suicidal, villanized kid, that I can become a hero? Or at least a sidekick? You mean it?” Eraser nodded, watching as a spiteful grin of her own spread across her face as she wiped away the mist in her eye from when she was explaining herself. “Your right. If nothing else I can show those bastards that they’re not gonna get to me. Even If I don't become a hero I’ll at least show them I’m stronger.” Eraser was taken aback by how quickly Kana had turned herself around with his limited encouragement, it honestly showed some potential in her resilience. She had hesitated for just a moment before she said. “Thanks for stopping me.” “As I said, It’s my job.” Eraser was a little fonder this time he’d said it, though he'd deny it to hell and back when Edgeshot tried to say he had a soft spot for broken children.
“Want me to walk you home, Kana-san?” He asked, and almost huffed a laugh when she said. “We’re standing above it.” “Go inside then, I'm gonna wait up here for a while for a coworker to come to take over my shift.” Eraser watched as Kana headed inside and he waited for about 45 minutes to make sure she wouldn't come back out, Edgeshot making his radio hum again as he said. “You know, I see why the school keeps rehiring you as a teacher.” “Shut the hell up." Eraser quipped before adding "Come with me to the station, we’ve gotta put in a report about Kana, good thing I got her quirk name outta her, that thing sounded incredibly unique.” Edgeshot laughed at Eraser's short fuse, jumping across the buildings to stand next to him and saying. “I'll never understand why kids like your sour personality and almost rude bluntness so much.” It just earned the hero a glare and Eraser took off, leaving Edgeshot to follow with barely concealed laughter as the witness to what happened. Witnesses made the reports stronger and the police more likely to properly investigate.
-------
“I fucking hate paperwork.” Eraser complained. “Well you’re gonna have a pretty shitty time soon Eraser, U.A. is starting classes.” Detective Tsukauchi joked as he walked into the office about a week after the incident with Kana. Eraser was in the middle of doing paperwork for the end of another night shift at the police station he usually cooperated with, and Tsukauchi was just coming in for his shift to start the day. “Don’t remind me please, those first years always come in with way too much gusto, heads are all inflated from passing the exam. And I told you to call me Aizawa when I’m not on the clock.” Aizawa said, throwing the pen down and standing with a stretch when he finally finished, making a surprised sound when Tsukauchi shoved an extra cup of coffee into his hands.
“Just don't overwork yourself okay? I heard from a few sidekick friends that some real handfuls were applying this year.” Aizawa rolled his eyes“You are the least reliable source of information when it comes to those sidekicks, I’m almost certain they feed you information just to make you look silly after bragging.” Aizawa said as he gathered his things. “I'll tell you how it goes after the classes are assigned, For now, I’m going to sleep for like 12 hours.” Tsukauchi laughed and waved him off, he was well used to Aizawa's crass behavior when he was exhausted at the end of his shifts here in the precinct.
“Rest well Eraser-san.” All Tsukauchi got in return was a dismissive wave as the underground hero left to return home.