Archive of Our Own ^beta

Eri’s bare feet hit the floor in beat with her racing heart. She could feel two chilly hands gripping hers, pulling her along as she ran with them, but if someone were to look, they wouldn’t see them. There was a tug on her right hand, and she turned the corner, almost skidding into someone she didn’t recognize. They were shoved to the side, and Eri picked up her pace. She stopped once she reached the end of the hallway, her breath coming in short gasps. The doorknob turned, seemingly by itself (Eri knew better), and the door opened to freedom.
Behind her, sharp footsteps echoed through the hallway.
“Eri…” A voice called out warningly from behind. Eri went to look back, but there was another tug on her hands. She bolted out the open door.
It was colder outside, and her thin dress did little to keep her warm as she ran, but she didn’t care- she preferred the cold, anyway.
The room where Kai took her blood and used her power was always warm. The blood dripping from her cuts was warm. Warmth was dangerous. It meant pain.
But the cold…
The hugs she got from her siblings after a day with Kai were cold. When she curled up in bed, their cold hands stroked her hair as they sang her to sleep. Their cold hands guided her now, to freedom.
Cold was safe. Cold was home.
There had been another feeling of home she knew, years ago, but she couldn’t remember it, exactly.
There were flashes- kind red eyes, a warm smile framed by white hair, gloved hands- not Kai’s, but before- a name that went with him.Tenko.
And Momo and Izuku, before they were cold, when they were happy- not always, but they were lighter, with less sadness in their eyes.
Then something happened.
Just before her quirk came in.
Pale, pale faces- it was Izuku and Momo, but- blood, so much blood, blood trails from their open eyes, noses, mouths, bloodstained teeth-
And she had so much, so much blood in her memories, but this wasn’t the messy splatters from Kai, but puddles, slow drips to the floor-
And she was shoved behind someone- no, Tenko- behind Tenko, and someone was yelling, angry but scared, and she was so scared- there was a woman (mother?) and a man (father?) and someone said something, but she couldn’t hear it over the buzzing in her ears-
Mother walked to her, grabbed her- blood rushed in her head, it was so painful, the pure power flowing through her, and she screamed; the hands were gone, but- she couldn’t remember.
“Eri…” Kai called again, closer this time.
Her siblings tugged her hands again- (she stopped? When had she stopped?) and she let them, running towards the light at the end of the alleyway.
She was free, so close, so close-
She hit something, bouncing backwards and falling to the ground.