Chapter 9

Eri glumly sighed as she stared out the window, the vibrant world outside contrasting sharply with her inner restlessness. She'd been waiting for Accelerator for more than 35 minutes, Saki had told her, and the anticipation gnawed at her insides. She clutched the new picture she'd drawn for him, the crayon lines smudging slightly under her anxious fingers.

Ever since Accelerator had brought her back, he'd changed his attitude toward her in subtle yet significant ways. While most people, other than Saki, wouldn't be able to tell the difference, Eri had become adept at reading the nuances in his behavior. She noticed the lack of malice when he called her a "brat" or when he complained about her. She knew he never meant what he said; his heart wasn't in it. Accelerator was rough and vulgar, but Eri never once felt like she was in danger around him. On the contrary, his presence made her feel safer than she had ever felt before.

Accelerator was strong, kind, and gentle. Even if he tried not to show anyone the latter two, Eri's keen eyes could see it. Having never experienced much kindness or care in her life, Accelerator's actions, though he might have thought he was being subtle, stood out to Eri. She could sense the sincerity in his gestures, the way he would ruffle her hair or bring her small treats, pretending it was no big deal.

Eri's mind wandered as she continued to gaze out the window, the picture cradled protectively in her lap. She thought about the times Accelerator had protected her, how his fierce exterior hid a deep-seated desire to keep her safe. Her heart swelled with a mixture of gratitude and affection, feelings that were still new and a bit overwhelming for her.

"Eri!" Saki's voice broke through her reverie as she entered the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of sliced apples. "Whatcha doin', kid?"

Eri turned her attention towards Saki as she sat down close to the bedside table, where the tasty snack had been placed. "When is Accelerator coming home?" she asked, her voice tinged with anticipation. Saki smiled at her, the warmth of Eri subconsciously considering this place her home making her heart swell with affection.

"He should be back soon," Saki answered before letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Geez! That boy, he's really bad at taking care of himself, so it's no wonder people worry about him," she lamented in a joking tone, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Eri, still having a hard time identifying the difference between a joke and reality, looked at Saki with a serious, worried expression. "He can't?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"No way!" Saki reassured her, shaking her head. "As strong as the brat is, though most can't tell with how scrawny he looks," she said with a smirk, "the kid always forgets to do the most basic things to take care of himself." A mischievous grin started to spread on Saki's face as she leaned in closer, her tone becoming more playful. "Oh, poor Accelerator!" she dramatically gasped in faux sadness, making Eri's innocent red eyes widen in concern.

"If only I had the time! I would spend every second of every minute taking care of him, making sure he eats, sleeps, and doesn't get hurt, but!" Saki placed a hand delicately onto her chest where her heart was meant to be, her expression becoming mockingly sorrowful. "I have work, I have others I need to take care of, and… I'm not close to him at all. I don't live with him."

Eri's worry only deepened, her innocent mind taking Saki's words at face value. She imagined Accelerator struggling alone, forgetting to eat and sleep, and her small heart ached with concern. She didn't see the playful glint in Saki's eyes, nor did she catch the jest in her tone. To Eri, Saki's words were a serious revelation, and she resolved to help Accelerator in any way she could, her young mind already working on ways to care for him when he returned.

Eri, innocent and kind Eri, watched Saki with concern and sympathy. "If only someone could—"

"I CAN!!" Eri blurted out without thinking, her voice ringing through the room. Realizing how loud she'd been, she blushed furiously. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, her cheeks still rosy, "but I can take care of him!"

Saki smiled at her sweetly. "Oh, that's so sweet of you, Eri, but it might be a bit difficult. Accelerator is so... well... him," she said, as if that explained everything. "You would need to be really firm and persistent."

Eri nodded her head eagerly. "I can be firm! And I can be... personint?"

"Persistent!" Saki corrected with a chuckle. "It means you can't give up; you need to keep going on and on for as long as you can."

Eri vigorously nodded her head again. "I can!!" she insisted, her eyes shining with determination. "I... I want to take care of him too!"

The little girl fidgeted in her seat for a moment before taking a deep breath. Accelerator was taking care of her, but he didn't take care of himself. Overhaul didn't take care of her, but he took care of himself. 'It must be hard to take care of others and yourself,' the little girl thought to herself, 'that's why... we need to take care of each other.'

"I want to take care of him," she repeated, her voice steady and sincere.

Saki's gentle smile softened her hard face. "I see... I'm glad," she said, gently patting the younger girl on the head. "I think, even though he'll probably never admit it, that would really make him happy."

And in a flash, her gentle exterior was replaced by her usual cunning one. "Now!" she stated in an excited tone as she stood up straight, looking at Eri with an eager, mischievous expression. "When Accelerator comes home, you know what you've gotta do?"

Eri blinked, momentarily puzzled by Saki's sudden shift in demeanor. "Um... make sure he eats?" she ventured, unsure of the correct answer.

Saki's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, yes, but we need a plan, Eri! A full-proof, Accelerator-proof plan!" She leaned in, lowering her voice as if she was about to reveal a top-secret mission.

"First, you'll greet him at the door with your drawing. That will soften him up."

Eri nodded solemnly, her serious expression making Saki stifle a giggle. "Then what?" Eri asked, hanging on Saki's every word.

"Then," Saki continued, her tone conspiratorial, "you casually mention that you've prepared a snack for him. Use your cute eyes, Eri. No one can resist those."

Eri's eyes widened even more, if that were possible. "Like this?" she asked, giving her best impression of a puppy pleading for a treat.

Saki clapped her hands in delight. "Perfect! Now, when he sits down to eat, you stay close and watch him. If he tries to leave without eating, saying he'll just have some coffee, you say, 'Accelerator, you need to take care of yourself!' in your firmest voice."

Eri practiced her firm voice, which came out more adorable than authoritative, but Saki nodded approvingly. "Exactly! And if he argues?"

"I won't let him!" Eri declared with newfound resolve.

Saki grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement and pride. "That's the spirit, Eri! Now, go practice your drawing presentation. We've got a lot of work to do to make sure Accelerator is well taken care of."

Eri scampered off, her heart full of purpose, while Saki watched her go with a smile. The thought of little, sweet Eri earnestly trying to boss the crude, delinquent Accelerator around was both heartwarming and hilarious. She couldn't wait to see how this little plan unfolded.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Accelerator growled.

Asphalt was practically hiding behind a trash can, his body contorted in a bizarre attempt to look inconspicuous. It would have been hilarious if they weren't in the middle of stalking a middle school like a pair of creepy weirdos. Mostly Asphalt.

Bystanders shot them odd looks, mostly aimed at Asphalt, or they hurried away the moment they caught sight of Accelerator's menacing glare. "I thought we were supposed to investigate as inconspicuously as possible," Accelerator grumbled. "This is the complete opposite of inconspicuous. And why the fuck are we stalking a bunch of kids?"

"Shh!!" Asphalt hissed, causing a vein to throb in Accelerator's temple. "Apparently, Jason has been making contact with a student from this school quite often, though we're not sure why," he replied, scanning the area with the intensity of a hawk on the hunt. "We're supposed to find out the connection between the student and our target, and hopefully, we'll be able to locate the target altogether. Maybe even figure out what's with his power that's got even the higher-ups on edge."

Accelerator let out a sigh (seriously, he'd been sighing way too much lately). "And what does this kid look like?" he asked, irritation seeping into his voice.

"A female student with blue hair and white eyes, she's got a quirk called succubus. Basically, her blood can entrance and arouse a certain set of people," Asphalt replied, his head darting from side to side as he kept watch like a paranoid meerkat.

The muttered comments of 'perverts' and 'should we call a hero?' were starting to grate on Accelerator's nerves. "Fine!" he snapped, ready to bail on the lunatic he was stuck with. "Where the heck do you think you're going?" Asphalt asked in annoyance, thinking Accelerator was about to ditch him.

"To look for the kid," Accelerator stated matter-of-factly. "It'll be quicker." Asphalt growled at him under his breath, "Fine! But if you get caught, you're on your own!"

"Works for me."

"Hey!!"

The school's security was a joke, especially considering its foreign interior resembling rich, private American schools. Accelerator was able to sneak in with little to no difficulty whatsoever. Admittedly, there was little that could have been done to stop him, but even at the level of security it was at, even low-grade villains could've snuck in quietly. Girls and boys in uniforms walked through the halls, chattering amongst themselves, only giving brief glances at the albino-haired boy in a hoodie and sweats. Occasionally, comments of 'he's cute' or 'is he sick?' or 'is it his quirk?' floated in his direction.

With a sigh, he continued on, peering discreetly into each classroom he passed. 'If this girl's got any connection to the target, there's a likely chance she'd make a run for it if she thinks of us as an enemy… that depends on whether she actually is working for him.' A group of girls walked past him, their giggles filling the air. "What a loser! She really is pathetic!"

'Bullies,' Accelerator thought to himself in boredom, 'not my concern.' He walked on without any interest, ignoring their cruel and sadistic tone as they continued proudly bragging about their 'accomplishment'. Just as he passed by the girl's bathroom, the door slammed open, shattering into pieces as it made contact with his vector shield. Luckily, he was able to react fast enough to stop the shards of wood from piercing anyone, including the idiot who'd slammed the door open so abruptly.

… the blue-haired… white-eyed… female… idiot.

Accelerator stared at the girl in front of him, she stared straight back at him in surprise. "Who…?" Their eyes locked in a tense silence, each assessing the other, their surroundings momentarily forgotten amidst the unexpected encounter.