MHA: GAMER PATH

Chapter 160: Unlikeliest Santas (1)

~Third POV~

[Nighttime, Heights Alliance – Outside, Japan]

As the Christmas Party ended with Eri and Aizawa leaving outside to the Faculty Dorm, Eri asked, staring with a furrowed brow at the absolute whopper of a sword in Aizawa's hands curiously, "Where do I put my big sword?"

They had just left class A's Christmas party, where she had randomly drawn Fumikage Tokoyami's contribution to the class gift exchange. Despite the look on her face, her voice was tinged with joy as Eri murmured childishly, "Too dangerous near the door, cuz it might get knocked over. Maybe near my bed? But that could be really scary if it falls over at night when I'm sleeping."

The sword was longer than Eri was tall, and she knew keeping it balanced and propped up would be hard. Aizawa decided to offer a suggestion, saying, "If you're not sure how to display it, I could hold on to it for you?"

Eri's jaw dropped for a second, but then she shook her head childishly replying, "Nuh-uh. It's my Christmas present."

Her apparent delight wasn't so much about the enormous sword itself but rather the fact that she had gotten a present. Through that lens, it was only natural that the gift had to be displayed somewhere in her room.

Aizawa instantly understood Eri's feelings based on the sparkle in her eyes and said, "Right."

Eri murmured, looking up at the night sky, "I dunno, though…"

Seeing her face in profile like that led Aizawa to cast his gaze upward, too. The winter sky was dotted with countless stars, all twinkling like little beads. This caused a chuckle burst from Eri as she mused, "Heh, heh. When Lemillion sees my big sword, he's gonna be so surprised."

Visions of a gobsmacked Mirio Togata danced through Eri's head, and there was no trace on her face of the cloud that had once hung over her. As the ones who had rescued her and then some, Togata and Ren had played a massive role in helping her get to this point emotionally.

In fact, after classes, Togata had spent nearly every day with the girl. His effortless cheeriness had a way of spreading to everyone around him, and for Eri, who'd spent many a day locked away in the cold and dark, Togata embodied comfort, warmth, and safety.

That sense of ease in the everyday was something every child needed. It was when Aizawa asked, noticing Eri's visible breath, "Feeling chilly?"

However, Eri shook her head as a bit of drool leaked from the corner of her mouth as she rattled off the list of delicacies from the party, "Naw. Still all warm and steamy inside. And so full. That chicken was yummy! And the corn dog, and takoyaki, and fries…"

When she realized, she hastily wiped the spit away. Eri, sounding bashful about it, said, "So full, but I guess I wanna eat more anyway."

She wasn't nearly as reserved as usual, perhaps owing to the excitement of her first-ever Christmas party. Eri was so talkative that she had even gotten the tight-lipped Aizawa into a chatty mood as he asked, "Which was the yummiest?"

Hearing his question, Eri went on to discuss which of the food was the yummiest, "Like number one? Hmm. Um … Everything was yummy … Oh, the big pretty cake too … But I liked the apple with chocolate best of all."

There had been a chocolate fondue setup that invited partygoers to plunge pieces of fruit and marshmallows under the mini chocolate waterfall as Eri added happily, "It made me remember the candy apple that Ren made for me that one time."

She was referring, of course, to the treat Ren had prepared for her during the School Festival, which was another variation on the 'apple coated with something sweet' theme. Seeing Eri's smile once again, Aizawa couldn't help but grin a little.

He knew that precious memories from childhood were sure to serve as protective shields later in life, so Eri would someday be all the better off with more such experiences backing her. Eri then said to Aizawa curiously, "Aizawa Sensei? Will Santa visit Ren too?"

Aizawa was taken aback by the out-of-the-blue question. He mulled over how to answer for a beat, then spoke, "That's up to Santa, I think."

Eri looked shocked for a second before seeming to accept in a distinctly childlike way that these matters were Santa's business and that was simply the way of things as she said, nodding, "I guess so…"

A subtle shadow seemed to descend over her face, and her mouth opened and closed a few times as she struggled to put thoughts into words. Seeing this Aizawa asked, "What is it?"

Eri asked innocently, looking up at Aizawa, "Will Santa visit me?"

Eri had learned so many things since coming to U.A. High among them was the idea of seasonal holidays. Each came with events and customs of its own, which inevitably colored everyone's lives.

Prepping for class A's Christmas party, for instance, had taught Eri about Santa Claus, the saintly figure who gave out gifts to children around the world. Ever since learning this delightful fact, she'd been wondering whether Santa would visit her.

Still holding the sword, Aizawa crouched down to Eri's eye level, stating, "He absolutely will."

Eri swallowed down any doubt she might have harbored with a nod and a gulp and said, "Okay…"

Aizawa, extending his hand, said, "Shall we?"

Eri gripped his hand, and the pair walked into the teachers' dorm building, saying, "Uh-huh."

For a moment, the stars seemed to sparkle just a little brighter. Unaware of two, one of Ren's clones saw this as he grinned, thinking, 'I was right! Time for old Saint Nick to make a scene!'

/////

[Nighttime, UA Highschool, Heights Alliance (Faculty Dorm), Japan]

'Twas the middle of the night before Christmas, and not a creature was stirring, least of all Eri. Just outside her door, Aizawa approached Present Mic, who was already in position for this planned rendezvous.

Aizawa hissed, already looking exasperated at Present Mic, "What on earth are you wearing?"

Present Mic was decked out in a red hat with white fur trim, a red coat and pants, black boots, and a fluffy white beard and mustache. Completing the costume was a white sack slung over his shoulder as Mic, pointing at Aizawa's usual black utilitarian garb, whispered silently, "I'm Santa Claus! Who else? Good of you to show up looking like you always do, though!"

The plan, of course, was to make a delivery to Eri from 'Santa Claus.' Mic had brought the idea to Aizawa, pointing out how tragic it would be if the excited girl didn't end up with a gift from Santa.

Aizawa had been an overly rational child, so he'd stopped believing in Santa at a young age, but he saw no benefit in shattering the innocent fantasies of a little girl. Besides, even if Santa were real, he'd be bound to forget a few homes during his busy night, so why not take precautions?

In that sense, it was only rational for the adults in Eri's life to bring her a present on behalf of Santa. After all, any good hero was duty-bound to safeguard the dreams of children.

Aizawa suggested that just one of them sneak into the room to place the gift by her pillow, but his companion immediately rejected that idea as Mic said offended, "What if her eyes pop open and she just sees you? Then suddenly Santa's not real, and it's just some trinket from cruddy old Aizawa!"

Aizawa, casting a suspicious glare at Mic, scowled lightly as he said, "You'd better not be planning to wake her."

Although Aizawa said that he was confused about the reason Mic wore the outfit at all in a confused tone, 'Why would he do the whole outfit if he wasn't planning to show it to Eri?'

As if to get his answer Mic said doing his usual poses in an excited tone, "Hell naw! I'm talking 'bout keeping up the fantasy!"

Aizawa rolling his eyes took a glance at the white sack as he asked Mic silently, "Fine. What did you get her, anyway?"

He'd been mocked for his awful fashion sense the last time he'd bought clothes for Eri, so he'd agreed to let Mic make this particular gift selection. Mic opened the sack and proudly revealed a box wrapped with a festive ribbon and topped with a bow in a proud tone, "A deejaying set for kids!"

Aizawa's eyes turned blank with a skeptical expression muttering, "Huh?"

Noticing his friend's expression Mic explained showing off his gift to Eri proudly, "Don't gimme that skeptical look! This thing's way cooler than you'd think!"

The set looked simple enough to control but was otherwise the genuine article. Mic explained how allowing kids to have fun with music from a young age seemed important to him.

Aizawa wasn't sure if this was up Eri's alley or not, but since he'd left the decision in Mic's hands, he gave a grunt of approval and reached for the doorknob, whispering to him, "Come on. When I open the door, get in there quick and stay hidden."

Mic, shaking in excitement, exclaimed, seeing the door, "Let's go! Present time!"

Aizawa made eye contact with Mic and turned the knob, allowing the two men to slip inside the room. No sooner had they done so than they heard the window clack and the closet slide open.

*Clack*

This startled the heroes as they hummed, "Huhh?"

Four overlapping voices. Standing in the doorway, Aizawa and Mic saw Midnight crawling through the window and Thirteen emerging from the closet.

Both women were decked out in their own Santa costumes. They all pointed at each other as if to say, 'What are you doing here?'

A weak mumbling came from the bed as Eri stirred, "Hrm…"

The four educators scrambled to hide themselves in the darkness, stifling their breathing and masking their presence, like a quartet of ninjas. They could imagine how the sight of three Santas and an Aizawa might confuse and fluster Eri, so they were determined not to get caught.

Eri's undisturbed breathing resumed, and the teachers made eye contact. Escaping into the hallway would let in the light, which might wake up Eri, so instead, they snuck into the bathroom.

Midnight Claus, with her sexy Santa miniskirt, was the last to squeeze into the bathroom since she'd taken a moment to close the window behind her as she muttered quietly, "Scuse me!"

Thirteen, who, with a Santa costume over her usual space suit and a white sack in her arms, took up more space than any of them, uncomfortably said, "We're… a bit… cramped…"

While they were inside Eri's bathroom, Mic gazed at Thirteen, asking, confused, "Space Claus? Kind of a mishmash there, Thirteen!"

However, Thirteen quipped back at Mic as she said sarcastically, "Actually, I think I resemble Santa Claus more than any of you."

Midnight nodded her head, agreeing, gazing at her as she said bluntly, "True. She's got the 'plump and wide' angle down pat."

Mic, on the other hand, scoffed as he muttered, lacking the fat belly aesthetic, "I should've stuffed a pillow under my top, huh!"

Unwilling to indulge the others' nonsense, Aizawa hissed to them, "Enough. Let's figure this out."

Midnight, surveying the other three, lightly nodded, agreeing as she said curiously, "Fair enough. Seems to me that we all came to give Eri gifts from 'Santa,' right?"

Thirteen nodded as she explained, getting some attention to her words, "Yes, I planned this with some of our colleagues."

Listening to her words, Mic paused as he asked in a confused tone, "Hang on, you mean everyone came up with the same idea?"

Thirteen, grinning under her helmet, nodded her head as she happily said, "We all wanted to put a smile on Eri's face, yes."

Eri brought wholesome, healing energy to the teachers' dorm, so it was only natural that her new neighbors would want to keep her healthy, happy, and safe. Thirteen had been looking after Eri each morning and at bath time.

Initially, the girl had been reticent to ask for and accept help, but more recently she'd acclimated and gotten comfortable enough to even yawn loudly in Thirteen's presence. The way she immediately grew bashful in such moments was adorable enough to make Thirteen want to squeeze the girl and hold her tight.

Midnight with a fond smile agreed with a nod, "Exactly."

In recent times, she had drawn pictures with Eri and read books to the girl when she couldn't sleep. When Eri called Midnight "Miss Art," the other teachers would poke fun at the goofy grin that arose on Midnight's face. Remembering those moments now had the same effect on her.

Mic added with a fond smile, agreeing happily, "Makes sense to me!"

He'd been teaching Eri the English alphabet the past few weeks and hearing her sing the ABC song reminded Present Mic of why he'd become a pro hero and English teacher to start with.

When Aizawa had told him that Eri was wavering between calling him "Mister English" and "Mister Mustache," Mic thought it was so cute that he'd broken out into an impromptu rap performance for Eri (which had only served to confuse her).

Aizawa agreed and nodded at his colleagues, who all turned to him and glared a bit. Confused he asked, "What did I do?"

When he said that, it only prompted deeper scowls as Thirteen said bluntly, "You're closest to Eri out of all of us."

Adding onto the conversation Midnight said equally bitter, "Aren't you so special, Mr. Parental Figure!"

Adding again, Mic said with a scoff, arms crossed, "S'not fair, man!"

People, by nature, are bundles of desire. When someone else receives affection, they are inclined to desire that same affection.

Aizawa's colleagues were jealous of Eri's fondness for him. Of course, given Eri's unfortunate circumstances, they never would've dreamed of pushing the issue in even a remotely aggressive way.

They had to be the adults in the room, even if the situation irked their childish sides. Alas, even heroes were human.