Himiko can't believe this! They were watching some baking show and Eri mentioned she's never celebrated her birthday. That won't do! Even Himiko had little celebrations, fake friends with fake smiles offering pretty words and shallow tokens. Little lies of all the exciting things she would do, all the nice things her parents would do. This must be fixed! She immediately drapes herself across Shiggy's lap and gives him a big grin, eyes gleaming with excitement and mischief. "Shiggy..."
"No."
"But Shiggy it's awful!"
"I don't care." He visibly falters a little as Eri's face falls, she's got him.
"She's never had a birthday party Shiggy!"
"So? Neither have I?"
Himiko gasps and sits up to face him. "Never?"
"No? I mean Kurogiri made me a cake if Sensei wasn't around but that's it?"
Man, the more Himiko hears about this sensei guy the more she doesn't like him. "That's so not cute, we'll just have to do a joint party then."
"Toga, it's no ones birthday."
"That's not important, we have years of birthdays to catch up on!"
Dabi walks by with chips and as he offers some to Eri another thought enters her mind.
"Have you ever had a birthday party before Dabi?"
"Uh... Does your sister sneaking you a cupcake in the middle of the night count?"
"Of course not!" She's feeling a little exasperated at this point. "Compress! Have you had a birthday party?"
He peaks in from another room and says, "but of course my dear, I have attended many such auspicious occasions."
"Magic gigs don't count, even if it was your birthday too."
"Fine, then no."
God, this is getting depressing. Sure she hasn't had a "real" birthday party since she was little either but still! She needs a solid number on who all they're celebrating and goes to track down Spinner.
"Huh? Nah, my parents hated my guts, never would have wasted the money."
This is ridiculous! "Jin! Please tell me you've had a birthday party!"
"Oh yeah! No way! Wasn't much but my parents did their best. Never did anything."
Thank god! Himiko was starting to think she might have found the common denominator in predicting villainous activity. A serious lack of birthday celebrations would a weird thing to reveal leads people to villainy.
Alright, so, five lifetimes of birthday parties to make up for. Not to mention Jin and Himiko's less than stellar experiences. Himiko can manage it, this will be the best birthday party any of them have ever seen!
That might be a low bar.
-
Himiko doesn't let anyone help. This is her project and she's doing it for her family so it has to be done right! There's a suspicious number of robberies of party supplies and Himiko's heard the news call her "the birthday bandit." She's starting to wonder how many villain monikers she can collect before people get wise.
She's kicked everyone out of the bar area so she can decorate. Dabi just sighed and went off to wherever it is he lives these days, she gave him strict instructions to return with a cake, a nice big cake with frosting. Shiggy spent a bunch of time complaining about how he didn't see why he couldn't hang around but ultimately went on his way.
Jin begged to make candy apples in the kitchen that only kind of half works and who is Himiko to deny him? He's the only one allowed anywhere downstairs while she decorates.
She puts up a giant banner that reads HAPPY BIRTHDAY! with lots of colors up across the room. She adds her own handmade addition of EVERYONE!!!!!! to the end, there's glitter raining down from it but it doesn't hit the couch so it's probably fine.
She sets out the special party plates with their fun colors and throws up streamers and celebratory posters. All generic of course but she writes in one name next to each one so they're all included.
She drags a colorful carpet she found in a dumpster out and lays it out for some extra spice. It's pretty dirty but it's still fine. Kurogiri would know how to clean it. She misses him a lot. He probably would have sighed at her enthusiasm but she's certain he would have helped put everything together in the end. She wonders if he's ever had a birthday party, she hopes so, he deserves it.
-
Once all the decorating is done it's time for food. She already has presents all figured out. Jin is still in the kitchen, she sure hopes the oven doesn't decide today is the day to finally kick the bucket and die.
She grabs a random vial of blood from the fridge and orders a pizza. After a few threats to life and limb to make sure no one goes down early and ruin the surprise, she decides it's safe enough to leave everyone and pick them up.
On the way back from the pizza place she spots Dabi wandering the back alleys with plastic bags and rushes to catch up with him.
"Dabi! Just in time! Did you get the cake?"
"Yes, Toga I got the cake." He rolls his eyes at her and smirks. "I also have homemade cupcakes if you're interested."
"No way! Dabi did you make us cupcakes!? I knew you had a heart!"
He sighs at the comment and clarifies, "No, I didn't make them and I wasn't watching so eat at your own risk, my... roommate did." Did he hesitate just now? Oh, Himiko needs answers right this instant. She slides closer and looks up at him with the biggest, most innocent eyes she can muster.
"Why'd ya hesitate?" Himiko tilts her head in feigned confusion.
"What?"
"Before you said roommate, oh my god Dabi is there something you wanna share?"
She wriggles her eyebrows just to get him to squint in annoyance. Is it just the scar tissue talking or are his ears a little red?
"fuck off Toga."
"No way! Are you pining!? Who's the roommate? Please tell me it's some hero."
"Why would you want it to be a hero?" Aw, he looks all confused, adorable.
"Because, dummy, it's the perfect romantic narrative! Dramatically opposed enemies fighting and finding love in unexpected places!" She clasps a hand over her heart. "Some random civilian with a normal job just doesn't have as much drama! Unless you're hiding your identity of course! Lots of betrayal potential then though I'm not sure you could pull it off, no offense." He's giving her an odd look. "I don't just like Izuku and Ochako for their blood you know."
"I didn't, but to be fair I tune out most of your rants."
"Rude! Now you have to tell me about your boyfriend."
"How do you know it's a guy?"
"'Course it is, you have gay energy." He looks slightly baffled at this revelation. "So, who is it! Tell me! Tell me!"
"What the fuck does gay energy mean?"
"Stop dodging the question Dabi! I'll be your wing-woman if you want, I'm great at getting people dates!"
"Somehow I doubt that." He speeds up and she hurries to catch up, grinning all the way, completely unconcerned with how her fangs peak out, he won't judge. She'll get her answers, one way or another. After all, what are little sisters for?
She leaves him alone the rest of the way home but he's eyeing her like she's holding a grenade and he isn't sure if she'll pull the pin.
Good, he knows she's being merciful.
-
Eri loves her new home. She can't remember the last time she called a place "home," but in her heart she knows this is the best one she could want. The weird collection of rooms above a bar that never opens. It's dirty and covered in dust in the corners. It's weird and patched together with haphazard repairs. The floorboards creak and the wallpaper peals. Eri didn't even know they put wallpaper on things anymore. The couch was picked up off a street corner. She couldn't ask for anything better.
More than her new home, she loves her new family. She loves it when Himiko tries out a new hair style on her. She loves it when Jin makes muffins in the oven she isn't allowed near in case it explodes. She adores every new trick Mr. Compress shows her. She loves playing video games with Shiggy and Spinner. They never yell at her when she's bad at something and they awkwardly compliment all her creations. She loves Dabi's small smiles when he thinks no one's looking and how he remembers the little things like how she needs help reaching up high.
Eri doesn't have much experience with joy, she's still really little and can't remember much from before her mom gave her away. She thinks, looking at all the decorations and the treats, that she might be happy now.
She eats so much food and Jin lets her have a candy apple! Himiko gives her a little glass figurine in the shape of a rhinoceros. Shiggy and Spinner give her a new game mumbling something to Dabi about it being child appropriate, please chill out. Jin gives her coupons for more candy apples. Mr. Compress gives her cards and Dabi hands her a boardgame with a comment about his roommate wanting her to have something, Eri wonders why Himiko keeps looking at him like that and grinning before deciding not to worry about it. Himiko's nice, she won't do anything mean!
They decide to try the boardgame out and Eri's a little confused about the rules but it's ok! Her family won't let her stay that way! She munches on her second candy apple and basks in how warm and safe she feels. She forgets for a moment the fears that still haunt her and revels in her family.
Himiko grins at her from across the board and fake whispers her plan to beat Shiggy and Eri giggles. It startles more than just Eri, the whole room focusing on her now. Then all of Eri's family smiles at her, some of their smiles are gentle, some of them sharp and some of them a little vicious, but they all smile in their own way...
and Eri smiles back.