It had to happen on a day like this. Of course it did. It's just Tomura's luck.
It's been quiet lately. After Himiko threw together that birthday party for everyone. He's been thinking a lot, about what he wants to do. Part of that has been brooding on the couch and watching mindless television while his mind wanders. He feels static, stuck in place. He isn't sure how to move forward. He could go to the Doctor, he probably should, but that guy always freaked him out and he doesn't want to deal with it.
So he thinks, staring unseeing at the baking competition Himiko put on for Eri. She's sitting next to him sitting forward with rapt attention, clearly loving every minute of the contestants desperately running around trying to frost their cakes. As long as it isn't his problem when she inevitably wants to try it herself he supposes. Is he going soft? Shigaraki Tomura is supposed to be the terror of society but honestly the league hasn't done much villainy outside some mild arson and slightly less mild robbery since they fucked Overhaul up.
He doesn't really feel like staging some coup or massacre. Just thinking about planning an attack on U.A. gives him a headache. All Might's gone and retired and quite frankly he has bigger fish to fry right now. Teaching Eri to read is a project in and of itself, especially now that he's realizing his lack of formal education might have left some unfortunate gaps.
His attention is drawn back to the television when a breaking news bulletin flashes across the screen and an unfortunately familiar mugshot flashes across the screen.
"We interrupt this broadcast with a breaking news bulletin, earlier today several members of the Shie Hassaikai including..."
He tunes whatever else is said out as he turns to Eri, prepared to comfort her as best he can.
Her previous joy has been replaced with an expression of sheer terror. She's staring unseeing at the screen and he's not sure she even knows where she is anymore.
She starts to shake and he reaches out hesitantly, not sure if it will make it worse or better. She's crying silently and before he can fully form a plan of action she starts glowing.
That's new.
Not good.
She's never started glowing before but Tomura knows better than to physically interfere now. She's completely out of control and he doesn't know what she's capable of. He takes a step back.
"Eri," she startles but no new awareness enters her eyes. She moves off the couch at his voice and blindly stumbles into a corner, curling up and covering her head with her arms. Tomura lets himself move a little closer and in her haste to get away she touches the plant she's sitting next to. It's a fairly tall one Kurogiri brought home to liven up the place, not that they ever discussed it. Kurogiri was just always kinda like that, caring about little things that shouldn't matter. Tomura watches it get smaller and smaller before disappearing completely, most likely living its life backwards.
She's still crying, panicking and more upset than he's ever seen her. Maybe Dabi would like to burn some prison cells to the ground, might be cathartic or something. He forces himself to still his nervous scratching, he can't call Himiko, she might know better how to calm her down but he's not sure he'd be able to stop her from running in without thinking. For all her quirk is blood-based it isn't very destructive by itself, she wouldn't understand the danger. Tomura on the other hand, knows intimately that it only takes one mistake to kill.
He suspects it's the same for Eri. He won't let her live with that guilt and torment so he settles himself on the floor leaning back against the couch and rambles. Mostly about the video game coming out next week he's been looking forward to, how the mechanics look really good and how intriguing the story sounds.
It takes a long time, it feels like forever with how off-kilter Tomura is. He wonders if her quirk stores energy, he's never been one for quirk analysis but Sensei made sure he knew a few things. He hopes she doesn't actually need to rewind things for it to stabilize, that would be very inconvenient. Finally, the glowing stops and she collapses completely.
Tomura approaches cautiously, he would really rather stay as he is, thank you very much. No need to relive puberty again. But she's completely out, having exhausted herself with panic and tears. He lifts her up and sets her down on the couch. He doesn't want her to wake up on the floor. He tucks the blanket they keep on the couch around her and sits, not touching, in case she wakes in a panic, but close.
What a mess.
Tomura is not equipped to deal with traumatized children with powerful, dangerous quirks. He can barely handle his own powerful, dangerous quirk sometimes. No one else in the league is likely to be much better either. Spinner's quirk isn't inherently very dangerous, neither is Toga's. Their trauma is certainly similar but they aren't going to have the healthy coping mechanisms in place to control themselves. Twice is out too, he may be getting better but it wouldn't help his progress to put Eri's issues in his hands. He can't imagine Mr. Compress has any experience either. Dabi has a self-destructive and dangerous quirk and some obvious experience with children but Tomura knows there's a reason it took him so long to look Eri in the eye.
The idea of going to the Doctor sends shivers up his spine, he could never do that to Eri. He thinks back to his own childhood. Sensei and Kurogiri certainly seemed to handle his traumatized, dangerous child self all right.
Well, depending on your definition of "all right," of course.
He thinks of Eri with Sensei and can't help the visceral reaction of fear and horror it evokes. He can imagine Sensei's vaguely intrigued and detached voice asking about her quirk, coaxing her into hatred and fury. He can see her twisted into something the sweet little girl beside him should never be. Tomura can't let that happen. He can't let Eri anywhere near him. She doesn't deserve it.
That leaves Kurogiri. He could trust Eri with him. He can't imagine Kurogiri would screw her up, not like Sensei or Tomura no doubt would.
But he remembers how tired Kurogiri would look sometimes, how world-weary. Looking back, Tomura can see how hard he tried even with how demanding and mean Tomura could be. He can see how he tried to reduce Sensei's influence in tiny little ways whereever he could. He remembers homemade cakes when Sensei was too injured or busy to watch over him in person.
Tomura isn't sure it would be fair to Kurogiri to ask him to help take care of Eri, he isn't sure Kurogiri would want to, he isn't even sure he could say no to him. But Eri needs help, help the current league isn't equipped to give her. Kurogiri is the only one he really trusts.
Tomura stands, feeling more grounded than he has in weeks. He can move forward now, he knows this is the right choice, the only real choice really.
It's time for a prison break.