Care Day

Hizashi/Els
_

"Yeahhh... uh huh. Uh huh. I know it's both of us, but this is important. Sure. Thanks." Hizashi hung up and placed his phone on the nightstand. "Babe? Hey, I called the school for us."

Elly's tear-streaked face popped up in terror from the sheets. "Oh no! I need to, no, we have to go in, we can't just not go because I'm feeling -"

"It's okay, princess." He slipped under the sheets with her and pulled her to him in a warm hug. "We can and we just did. I'll stay with you. Now... you wanna shower?"

Her ears drooped and she rubbed at her tired eyes wearily. "Not really."

"Then I'll help. Up!" He lifted her in one swift movement, jumping to his feet and heading to the bathroom. She didn't resist, choosing instead to lay limply in his arms and stare blankly at the walls. "You know it always makes you feel better."

"Yeah."

He ran the water and made sure it was the right temperature, not too cool or hot. "Want me with you?"

She looked up at him in confusion. He was almost fully transformed into his hero persona. He had already showered and half his hair was slicked up at an odd angle, evidence that he had dropped everything when he saw she wasn't quite right today. The hair dryer and tub of wax were still on the counter.

"But you're already dressed."

He smiled softly and tipped his tinted glasses to stare eye to eye with her as he repeated the question patiently. "Do you want me with you?"

Elly choked, holding back the sobs that wanted to break free. "Yes," she whimpered.

"All right, then." He tugged her nightshirt. "I'm'a peel off this leather. You take this off, too."

"Okay."

Hizashi bit his lip as he undressed, his heart sinking. He would probably never know why she woke up like this today and she might not, either. But seeing her this down was terrible. He could guess that it was her childhood again, mostly because of the way she was behaving around him. He was taking charge and she was slipping into a frightened child with a tiny voice and single word answers. She had an abusive childhood and the trauma surfaced sometimes, though not as bad as it was right now. He squared his shoulders as he pulled his white shirt over his head. He would cater to her and shower her with love and affection like he always did when she had a rough time. He sensed he might have to step things up a bit, however.

"Good girl," he praised cheerfully when he saw she was naked and sitting on the edge of the tub. "I'm ready, too. Let's get in and out so we can get breakfast."

"Okay." She moved when he told her to and washed slowly when he handed her the soap. Hizashi rinsed out the product he had gotten worked into his hair and turned his full attention on her.

"Need your back scrubbed?" She nodded, so he took care of it, massaging until she purred despite herself. Once fully clean she clung to him, pressing her face on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. "Aw, sweetie. You're so cute." He stroked her damp hair. "Wouldn't it be nicer to cuddle when we're dry?"

Again, a single nod.

Hizashi swallowed past the lump in his throat. Now she was talking even less. He guided her out and dried her with a fluffy towel, then let her finish while he took care of himself. He wrapped one loosely around his head and gently suggested they get dressed in some comfy clothes. This time Elly moved on her own, yet very slowly, as if every action was slogging through quicksand. He sighed and pulled on sweatpants and a shirt, then dashed off to see what they had in the fridge.

"I'm gonna order out," he said as he walked into the bedroom again. "Whaddaya wa - hey, hey. What's up?" He rushed over when he heard her crying.

Her tail fell onto the floor as she looked up at him with a weak, teary smile. "My mother texted me last night." He sat next to her and leaned close. "So she ah, she basically said she was excited I had found someone that could put up with me."

His green eyes widened and he flung his arms around her. "Holy shit, princess. That's - that's not right. I love you. I'm lucky you want to be with me!"

"I'm sorry, I think she meant well. I always feel that it's just me, I'm so sensitive..." She tugged at her sweatpants, picking bits of fuzz off of them.

"No." He held her tighter.

"I know. But I still feel that way."

"No, babe. You've got every right to be upset. That was a mean thing to say, and not true."

She sniffed. "Yeah. I'm sad. I feel worthless, and then everything started flooding my mind. All the bad memories until I couldn't take it anymore."

"My poor baby." Hizashi's voice thrummed as his emotion overruled his usual strict control of his quirk.

"You know the worst part? The fact that I have to convince myself that they were bad to me, that they are. They've still got me so brainwashed that the implied 'you're worthless' comments always have me agreeing with them. Like, oh, yeah, I do things like th - this..." Her breath hitched in a series of small sobs.

"This isn't because of you," he murmured in her ear as he gathered her into his lap. "It's them. You're not the one at fault. You're my beautiful babygirl and I love you."

"I kn - know you do, but I still get so afraid!" She hiccupped, shivering. "I'm so afraid of this wonderful life being taken from me somehow."

"I won't let it." He rocked her soothingly in his arms, humming to calm her jagged nerves. "I promise I'll always do everything I can for you. You deserve to be happy." Hizashi paused, then kissed the top of her head. "I'm'a tell you all day: you deserve to be happy, and I love you."