Chapter Text
Izuku was walking back home from the store. His mom sent him to get groceries for the next week, and he was happy to oblige. Ever since the slime incident, he's been training his body. After what All Might said, he realized that he was just sitting and doing nothing, hoping that he would miraculously become a hero with analysis. So he'd been going to a different store than the one right by the apartments, wanting to walk longer distances and get used to carrying weight. Sure the beach thing has helped a lot, but he wants to be ready, a little extra work never hurt anyone.
He was nearing the train station now, and he adjusted his bags when something hard rammed into his legs. He let out a surprised noise, just barely losing his footing. He looked down to see a little boy, snot and tears running down his face as he looked up at him with scared eyes.
"I lost my mommy!" He wailed, and Izuku bent down, setting his bags down and placing his hands up.
"Okay. Can you tell me your name?" He asked calmly, and the boy nodded, sniffing loudly and wiping his bare arm across his face as he sat up.
"S-saeko, Saeko Rin." He said shakily, and Izuku nodded, standing up and extending his hand. The boy hesitantly grabbed it, and Izuku gathered up his bags.
"Where was the last place you saw them?" He asked, beginning to walk near the station, he's sure they could send out an alert from there. The boy's grip tightened, and he shook his head.
"I-I don't know!"
"Okay, okay, that's okay. We'll go to the adults and they can help you alright?"
Saeko nodded silently, still sniffling as they walked through the station. Izuku felt Saeko's hand warm up, and he looked down, seeing him inch closer, away from the crowd of people.
"We're almost there okay?" Saeko grabbed onto him tighter, and he felt like something cold got injected into his veins, making him clench his jaw in slight pain.
"S-saeko," he said as they neared a worker, Saeko looked up at him, his eyes misty.
"Wh-what's your quirk?" He asked, making Saeko furrow his eyebrows as he looked down.
"Ha-hasnt come in yet. B-but I'm pinky toe negative! It has to come in at some point." Izuku pursed his lips and nodded, he hopes whatever his quirk was wont hurt him in the long run.
"Sir, this boy lost his parents." The worker's eyes widened, and he looked to Saeko.
"Saeko Rin? Your parents have been worried sick! Come on, they're right in the back." He held out a hand, but Saeko hid behind Izuku.
"M-maybe I can go with him? He's pretty scared." Izuku suggested, and the worker nodded seriously, waving them in the direction of the manual ticket booth. They went back through an employee entrance. and the worker who helped them out murmured something to his coworker. They walked through a hall, and Izuku suddenly felt dizzy. His body was buzzing uncomfortably, almost painfully, and he slowed down, trying to blink it away.
"A-are you okay, mister?" Izuku shook his head, taking in a deep breath and smiling down at him.
"Mhm! Let's go get your parents okay?" He said weakly, and Saeko nodded right as the worker opened a door. They were bombarded by scared parents, who shook Izuku's hand and bowed frantically. Izuku smiled to the best of his ability, blood rushing in his ears. His head was hurting massively, and he bowed politely, excusing himself under the pretense of needing to be home.
He stumbled back the way he came from, and just made it out the employee entrance as he tripped, the bags of groceries breaking and his food falling out. He groaned in pain, curling in on himself. He really should've asked that kid's parents what their quirks were. What if he's dying? He whimpered, it felt like his bones were moving. His whole body hurt, and he let out one more whimper before it suddenly stopped. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief, he felt like he could cry from that. He moved to get up, when suddenly, sharp white pain exploded all over his body, and he cried out loudly, tears welling up in his eyes. He felt his arms snap back and forth, like they were rearranging. Izuku could barely breathe, let alone make a sound as he suffered. He let out choked noises as his legs did the same. He looked down through blurry vision to see hair growing rapidly on his bare arms, and then his vision went black.
***
The next time Izuku woke up, it was to something jabbing his stomach. He jerked awake, and heard a shriek.
"It's alive mommy!"
"Get away from that, it could have rabies." A woman's voice said in a hushed voice, and Izuku slowly peeled his eyes open. He must've passed out from all that pain, but why didn't anyone get him to the hospital? He slowly stood up, and he felt all wobbly, disoriented. He looked around and noticed many things at once. His groceries were gone, he was a lot shorter than he remembered, and he has paws.
What the fuck!
He scrambled around the corner, sliding on his feet and running out of the station, almost getting stepped on in the process.
Calm down, Izuku! You just need to get home, everything will be fine after that!
He ran until he saw a small park, with ducks and a pond. He noticed the sun was setting, and that sent a jolt of fear through him. Izuku clearly remembers it almost being dark by the time he made it to the station with that boy, so how long was he out? What is his mother thinking right now? He felt his eyes burning, and tears fell down his face, or snout now. He's not going to think about it! He skidded to the park and ran to the pond. When he saw his reflection, his small eyes widened. He jerked back in surprise. His eyes were just as green as before, and he had fur all down his body, darker in color and almost black. His breathing picked up and he ran in the direction of where he thinks his apartment is. It's not like he can just ride the train, so he just needs to get there by foot.
He ran for what felt like hours before he had to stop, he was too thirsty and hungry to keep going. He stumbled into an alley, the only light was the moon, but Izuku guesses that that boy's quirk fully turned him into a cat. He could see clearly, and his ears would flicker over to any sound, alerting him of potential danger. He took in a deep breath and climbed up a dumpster, slipping once before he fell inside. He landed on a trash bag, and shook his head, ruffling his fur and trying his best to not gag at the stench of the trash. Will he really be able to eat any of this? He clawed at the bag until a hole formed, and he sniffed around, trying to smell something familiar, praying that he won't have to eat anything rotten. He caught a whiff of what he recognizes as chicken, and he dug frantically until he found it. He used his mouth to dig it out, it was fried chicken, and he jumped onto the side of the dumpster before jumping back onto the wet, gross concrete. He ate it like his life depended on it, Izuku didn't call it quits until there was no meat left on the bone, and he was full. Izuku sat down, staring at the now bare bone, wrapping his tail around his legs protectively, and letting his ears flatten against his head. Is this what his life is going to be now? No, he can't do this forever, he needs to find his mom, she can make everything better. They're going to go to a quirk specialist, and find that boy, Izuku knows his name, they just need to find him and he can fix it . He heard what he thought were footsteps slowly walking towards him, and his ear perked up, his hair standing on end as he bolted out of the alley. He's in Musutafu, he recognizes this place, he just needs to get home.
Just get home.
Izuku trudged along a street, he was almost there, he knows it. He recognizes this neighborhood as Kacchan's, he just needs to get a little further..Â
The problem is, his legs feel like jelly, and the last time he ate was that chicken drum, and it's way past sunrise now. He hasn't gotten any sleep, and he keeps having to run from dogs that keep chasing him. One of them nipped his leg, and he can feel a small pulsing in it, making him limp slightly.
He turned down Kacchans street, Kacchan may not want to help him, but Aunty Mitsuki will, and so will Uncle Masaru. If he can just-
He saw a tuft of blonde hair walking towards him, sporting a black Aldera uniform and a deep frown was Kacchan. Izuku felt like crying as he limped up to him, wailing loudly to get his attention. Kacchan looked at him, and now that Izuku was close, he looked really tired, and almost sad. He pawed at his leg, staring up with pleading eyes. Kacchan just clicked his tongue, gently moving him out of the way with his foot, and continued walking. Izuku cried loudly again, racing up to him and batting his leg with his claws out.
It's me! Please Kacchan, don't You recognize me!
Of course, Izuku knows he won't, but he can only hope.
"Fuck off rat! I'm not in the mood!" Kacchan shoved him back roughly, and Izuku let out a yelp as he fell on his back, hitting his head on the sidewalk. Izuku lay on the concrete, trying to get up but failing. He let out a pitiful whimper. This is how he dies isn't it? He's too weak to even get up, now that he's lying down all he wants to do is sleep forever.
"Shit- I'm sorry." Izuku opened his eyes to see Kacchan squatting down, his hand reaching for him. Izuku flinched back, half expecting an explosion, but his ears were gently scratched instead. He let his small shoulders relax, and he felt himself getting scooped up. He blinked to see Kacchan holding him at arm's length, his head turning in the direction of his house before back to Izuku.
"I have to go to school- just, stay here and wait for me. Okay?" He said quietly, setting him down gently and petting him one last time before getting back up, and walking away. Izuku stared at his back with wide eyes. He's coming back for him? He's never seen Kacchan look so sad and act so gentle- ever. He slowly limped down the street, towards the Bakugou residence. It'll just be easier to wait there, he'll have cover on their porch too. He made it to the house, and it felt weird how big it was to him now. It was the same as he remembered it being, and it sent a wave of nostalgia through him. The driveway was empty, so Izuku guesses Mitsuki and Masaru are at work.
The day was spent with him sleeping curled up in the corner of the Bakugou's porch, waiting as patiently as one could when they were desperately trying to be human again. He would wake up when he heard birds chirping, the sudden urge to chase it down bu bling to the surface before he shook himself of the thought.
It was cloudy today, and they were moving fast along the sky, casting shadows on the brick walkway. Izuku felt his eyes drift shut under the comforting warmth of the sunlight.
Izuku woke up to the sounds of small explosions. He jerked awake, seeing Kacchan storming up the yard with an angry scowl on his face as he glared at the grass. Izuku slowly got up, now that he slept, he did feel a little bit better, but he was still starving. He meowed loudly, and Kacchan stopped, his eyes wide as he looked at him on the porch. He quickly walked up and stared down at him, looking around and then back to Izuku again.
"How'd you know where I live?"Â
Because it's me!
All that came out of his mouth was a frantic meow, and Kacchan huffed, carefully picking him up and holding him against his chest. Izuku relaxed into the hold, all he wants is to be held by his mom right now, but any form of comfort is appreciated at this point. He heard keys being jingled, and then the sound of the door opening before closing again.
"Parents arent home, I'll make sure we keep you."
No! I need mom! Mom!
Izuku let out a pitiful sound, and he was pet soothingly.
"Sh, it's okay. Are you hungry? What do cats even eat?" Kacchan grumbled, still petting him as they walked up the stairs. He set him down on the bed, and Izuku looked away as he shed his clothes. Even though he doesn't know it's Izuku, Kacchan probably won't appreciate being watched. Izuku took this time to look around the room. He hasn't been here since he was a child, it was definitely something Kacchan would like. Black sheets on the bed, and posters of bands all along the room, a T.V. and tan walls that had LED lights along the top. Izuku felt the bed dip, making him lose his balance and he fell on his ass. Kacchan chuckled, and he looked at him, his big green eyes blinking up at him. Kacchan looked at him for a second, his lips in a thin line before he raised his hand up to pet him again. Izuku closed his eyes and felt himself relax. No wonder cats like it so much, it feels really good.
"You look like Deku, you know?" Kacchan murmured, his voice sounding sad. Izuku's eyes shot open, and he shook his head out of the grip, jumping onto Kacchans lap and pawing at his chest.
"The fuck? Is that your name?" A small smile twitched at his lips before it faded, and he grabbed Izuku, placing him back onto the bed. Izuku let out a frustrated growl, and cried loudly.
It's me!
"Sh! Stop bein' so fucking loud. If you keep doing that we can't keep you, my parents work late hours." He sighed tiredly, getting up and walking towards the door, pointing at him.
"Stay there, I'll be back." He grunted, and then opened the door. Izuku could hear him running down the stairs, and then the sound of rummaging was heard. He heard loud quick steps and then Kacchan opened the door quickly. He looked at Izuku and seemed surprised he actually stayed there, but he walked back to the bed with a small smile.
"Here, I looked it up, cats can have it." Izuku looked down on the bed to see bread. Izuku's not exactly sure what site he saw that on, but if he could, he would shrug. He watched as Kacchan broke it into small pieces, and then shoved some towards Izuku.
"Hag," Izuku looked up to see Kacchan with his phone to his ear, and he made eye contact. Kacchan waved a hand to the bread, and Izuku peeled his eyes away from the blonde to eat it. It was harder than eating the chicken, because his spit made it stick to his teeth, but he made it work.
"I found a cat- yes I brought it in! He's hurt!" He paused, seeming to listen to what Mitsuki was saying. Izuku could hear parts of what she was saying, but didn't really understand it.
" Please , mom." Izuku looked up to see Kacchans eyes glassy, he was staring at Izuku with pained eyes, and he reached a hand up to pet him. The other end of the phone went silent, before a long sigh could be heard.
"Yes, I'll clean the litter box every day, I'll take care of him- of course I'm responsible!" He bit out, and then sighed in relief.
I'm not a pet!
This might not end well for Izuku if they want to keep him as a pet.
"No, fuck off, this isn't about him." He choked out, and then swallowed.
"Can you just get the stuff on the way home? And I think he needs a vet."
***
The rest of the day was spent with Izuku sleeping on Kacchan's bed, only waking up when the bed would dip.
Izuku woke up, stretching and yawning before he went limp. He felt gentle hands running along his torso, and blinked up to see Kacchan doing homework, petting him without looking. He made a small noise, trying to get his attention, and red eyes zeroed in on him immediately.
"Hi," he grunted, turning back to his work and still scratching him soothingly.
"Hag'll be here soon, you know how to use a litter box right? You don't act like an outdoor cat." He ruffled his stomach playfully, and Izuku let out a weird annoyed chirping noise that he had no idea he was capable of making. Kacchan's lips twitched upwards, and he went back to what he was doing.
What could be making him so sad? Izuku got up and pawed at his paper, earning a soft shove in return. He huffed. He wants to know how long he's been gone, it couldn't have been that long right? Two or three days is Izuku's best guess, could that be why Kacchan looks so sad? But he's giving him what he wants by being gone isn't he?
Izuku felt his ears flatten against his head at that, his tail swishing behind him. Kacchan's only treating him like this because he doesn't know he's not just some random cat, he's Izuku. Izuku stared at the bed sheets as he walked away, sliding off the bed and landing with a thump. He crawled under the bed and curled up towards the middle, he might as well just wait down here. He heard the door slam open, and he jerked up, hitting his head on the bed frame. He let out a small yelp and scrambled out from under the bed, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut through the pain.
"What'd you do?" Kacchan asked, and Izuku looked up at him, his eyes watering. Kacchan went to grab him, but Izuku moved out of the way, batting the hand away. Kacchan growled in frustration.
"C'mon Deku, my parents want to see you, don't be difficult." Izuku hissed angrily at him.
You don't get to tell me what to do anymore! I'm tired!
Kacchan tried to grab him again, and Izuku scrambled under the bed, just out of arm's reach.
"KATSUKI!"
Kacchan tapped his hand on the floor, feeling around for Izuku.
"Yeah!" He grunted out.
"C'mon Deku," he clicked his tongue in quick succession, and Izuku rolled his eyes, he's not an actual cat. Izuku settled down, watching Kacchans fingers wiggle around playfully. His eyes followed as Kacchan's hand jerked around, and Izuku found himself tensing, preparing himself to attack. Kacchan's hand would stop every so often, and Izuku found the pattern, so he lunged for it, landing on his hand and playfully biting it.
Got you bitch!
"Got ya." Izuku didn't have a second to react as another hand shot to him, and grabbed him by the scruff. Izuku squeaked, but his body tensed up as he was dragged out from under the bed, his limbs drawn up to his body. He felt so vulnerable like this, he couldn't move and his tail swished angrily. Kacchan held him out and smirked at him before bringing him to his chest and holding him firmly. He didn't let go of his scruff as he walked down the stairs, probably thinking he would claw at him. Izuku was really considering it at this point, all he wanted to do was scratch that smug look off his face earlier.
"What took you so long?" He heard Mitsuki grumble, and he meowed weakly, feeling his scruff being released. He jerked around in the hold, extending his claws and jumping down.
"Fuck! That's why! The little shit decided he's in a bad mood now!" Izuku backed up under the kitchen table, hissing angrily.
Fuck you! You deserve it.
"Awe, come here baby. Is the brat being mean to you? He is, isn't he?" Mitsuki cooed, and Izuku scurried to her, jumping into her arms. She let out a surprised laugh, hugging him to her chest as she pet him.
"Awe, let's keep him babe." Izuku looked over to see Masaru sitting at the table. He looked at Izuku with soft eyes and shrugged.
"As long as Katsuki takes care of him dear." He said quietly.
"Alright," Mitsuki sighed, turning around and handing Izuku to Katsuki. Izuku looked up at him, and felt his ears being scratched.
"Katsuki, I know you're stressed about Izuku, but it's only been four days, they'll find him."
"Where's the stuff." Katsuki said through gritted teeth, Izuku opened his eyes, looking at Mitsuki and Masaru. They were both looking at Katsuki with saddened eyes, and Izuku felt like wincing. It's almost already been a week? They'll give up, everyone in the room knows that no one cares enough about a quirkless teenager to spend longer than a week. Izuku shoved his face in the crook of Kacchans elbow. They'll never know that he's right here, that he's not dead or kidnapped.
"I'll help you get it to your room." Masaru said softly after a moment.
Izuku watched as Kacchan and Masaru set up his litter box, water and food bowl. His tail flickered in annoyance and disgust. There was no way in hell he was eating that. And shitting in a litter box? Fuck that, that's the most embarrassing thing he'll ever have to do in his life. Maybe he can go outside? But even that makes him shudder, out in the open for anyone to see like that makes him embarrassed just thinking about it. After they finished, Masaru hesitantly left, standing by the doorway with pursed lips before he softly shut the door. Katsukis hands were clenched by his sides, shaking from the strain, and his jaw was clenched as he stared at the floor. He walked over to Izuku wordlessly and picked him up, setting him in front of everything.
"This is where you shit and piss, if you do it on the carpet, you'll regret it." Izuku hunched his shoulders at the glare he got, his ears going back.
"This is your food and water, you're probably starvin', here." He scooted Izuku closer, but he just stared at it in disgust. He looked back up to Kacchan with pleading eyes.
Please don't make me.
But he could feel his stomach growling, and when he got a whiff of the food, it didn't smell as bad as he thought it would. Maybe he's just that hungry. He hesitantly took a bite, crunching on it slowly and dramatically. He didn't want his tongue to touch the food, but it did anyway, and he was fully expecting to gag and spit it out. But it wasn't as bad as he expected it to be. Sure it was still gross, it was cat food, but he ate it quickly after that, drinking water like his life depended on it. After he was full and satisfied, he felt quite tired, and walked over to the bed, jumping on it and laying on a pillow. Kacchan was doing homework, and he didn't want to bother him, so he curled up, feeling his eyes drift shut.
Izuku woke up to the sound of cussing, and he slowly opened his eyes, stretching and yawning wide. He looked over to Kacchan, seeing him using hand held weights. He had on a black tank top, his muscles showing as sweat rolled down his body. Kacchans brows were furrowed like he was trying to not have an outburst, and he had earbuds in. He set down the weights, letting out a strained breath, and puffing out his cheeks with the motion. He walked over to the bed and plopped down on it, and Izuku walked over to him, setting his front paws on his chest. Kacchan looked over to him with a raised eyebrow, like he was asking why he was bothering him. But Izuku can't say he's even sure, for some reason he just wants attention right now. He got onto his chest fully, his paws together as he stared at him expectantly.
Kacchan still hasn't figured it out?
Izuku clenched his paws, his claws extending some and he flexed and unflexed them. This calmed him for some reason, and he pawed deeper when Kacchan started petting him, his claws sinking into the fabric of his tank top before retracting again. Izuku remembers reading about it, it's called kneading? It's not like he really cares, this is the one time he's felt calm in the past few days. He slowly lay down on his stomach, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, feeling a happy vibration from deep in his chest. At first he was a little scared, but then he realized it was just purring, and he wasn't dying from a motorcycle driving around in his small body. Izuku was about to fall asleep when he was gently lifted up, and set down on the bed. He fell asleep like that.
***
Izuku woke up to scratching behind his ear, he blinked and lifted his head up, seeing Kacchan staring at him.
"I'm sorry bud, you gotta go to the vet today." Izuku's eyes widened, and he sat up. He walked over to Kacchan and got onto his lap, putting his paws on his chest so he was standing up and meowed.
Please don't make me go, I'm not a cat!
Kacchan huffed out a breath, petting his back.
"Sometimes I think you can understand me." He said quietly, and his lips twitched downward. He was about to move him out of the way, but Izuku nuzzled into his neck. He could tell that Kacchan was upset, and he hates seeing him like that. It's not right. Kacchan didn't push him away, he ran his hands through his fur and pet him, and Izuku purred loudly. Maybe that will help him calm down? It helps Izuku calm down. He heard Kacchan sigh shakily, and he was brought closer, like he was being hugged like a stuffed animal, except it was gentle.
"I'm sorry, Deku." Kacchan whispered hoarsely, and Izuku let out a quiet noise.
I forgive you.
Izuku was put inside a small animal carrier, he wanted to put up a fight, but they were already dealing with enough right now. He knows it's the weekend because Kacchan came with them. It was Masaru and Kacchan, Mitsuki was at work, and the air was tense. Kacchan unzipped part of the carrier to pet Izuku, most likely to calm him down, which he appreciated. The drive seemed to take forever, with the painful silence other than the occasional noise of the blinker being turned on. It made Izuku's head hurt.
Izuku felt himself being carried again, and his nerves shot up. He started meowing loudly. What if he has to get shots? Or what if they fix him?! Fuck that!
"Sh, it's okay. Just a checkup." Kacchan said, but it didn't do much to ease his nerves. Checkups always lead to something else.
Izuku curled up as they waited, enjoying the soothing pets he got during that time. But it ended all too soon.
"Bakugou?" Someone called, making Izuku cry out. They started moving once the carrier was zipped up, and Izuku felt like he was going to be sick.
"Let's see what we have here." A female voice said, and then he was set down on something hard.
"Is he violent? Okay, does he have a favorite? I heard him making noises of protests, and someone familiar might be helpful."
"Uh, yeah- me I guess." Kacchan said gruffly, and Izuku watched from the inside as he unzipped it.
"C'mere." He clicked his tongue, and Izuku squeezed his eyes shut as he came out. His heart was beating frantically, and he was really scared, but the Bakugou's are already going through enough. So he went straight to his arms, shoving his nose into his elbow and shaking. Kacchan pet him soothingly.
"Is- is that normal? He didn't act like this the other day." Kacchan asked, Izuku could hear the worry in his voice. It was weird for him.
"Hmm, his stress levels are pretty high. He might have some level of intelligence to know what's going on." Kacchan shifted his hold.
"Yeah, he- I know this sounds weird but he listens to me. For the most part." He grumbled that last sentence, earning a chuckle from the woman. Izuku relaxed into Kacchan's hold, maybe they forgot about him?
"Okay, let me see him. Does he have a name?" Kacchan went to set him down, but Izuku grabbed onto his shirt with his claws, making Kacchan pull him away harder. His face was flushing and his brows were furrowed.
"Let go." He gritted out, he seemed embarrassed, but Izuku could care less, he meowed loudly again.
"Here, my quirk can help, if that's okay." Izuku looked at the woman, his eyes wide.
"That's fine." Masaru said, standing up and walking over to them. Kacchan looked like he wasn't sure, but he didn't say anything. He felt a gentle touch to his head, right behind his ears, and he felt his body relax. Suddenly he wasn't scared anymore, and his claws retracted as he was set down on the cold metal table.
"What- is he okay?" Kacchan asked, petting him, Izuku started purring immediately.
"Yes, my quirk can calm animals down, I can also get a read on the stress levels to see how much of my quirk to use, it's almost like pheromones in a way."
The woman started petting him, and checking him over.
"Hm, he seems pretty healthy, I see his leg has some dried blood on it. I'll clean that up and well take some blood, and do immunizations for him. Sound good?" She got a grunt from Kacchan, and a hum from Masaru.
He got his wound cleaned, thankfully it wasn't too bad, but they would need to keep an eye on it. He got his blood drawn, which spiked fear in him, but the woman's quirk helped calm him down. The part he was the most nervous for was the shots, because what will it do to him? He's human , he doesn't know the specifics of that boy's quirk, so what if it kills him?
"Deku, calm down." Kacchan grunted when Izuku sunk his claws into him, hissing.
"He seems to know exactly what's going on, here." He tried to inch away from the touch, but he had nowhere to go, and he let out a whimper when she touched him. She furrowed her brows, biting her bottom lip as he felt her quirk take control.
"This'll be quick, okay?" She said softly, and Izuku closed his eyes as his scruff was grabbed, and he felt a sharp pain inside.
He got a few shots, and then something for fleas.
"Do you want to chip him?" The woman asked, and Izuku was too out of it to understand what she meant by that.
"He'll be an inside cat." Kacchan said, and Masaru hummed.
"Just in case, Katsuki." Kacchan grumbled something, and then he was gently grabbed again. The pain was sharper that the first time, and he let out a small surprised noise.
"You did so good- what did you say his name was?"
"Uh, Deku." Kacchan replied, pacing a limp Izuku in the carrier.
"Katsuki, I thought you liked him?" Masaru said as he zipped it up.
"Tch, I do. It's just his name." He grumbled. The woman started saying something again, but Izuku felt his eyes slipping shut. Today was so exhausting, now he knows why animals hate the vet.
***
The next time Izuku woke up, he was being pet gently, and the carrier was being shaken slightly.Â
"Wake up." Kacchan said, and Izuku slowly got out, slumping on the bed right as he did. Kacchan got on the bed too, and Izuku closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep again when Kacchan tapped the bed, clicking his tongue.
"C'mere, Deku." He said softly, and Izuku got up, walking over and plopping down right next to him. Kacchan put his arm around him and brought him close, Izuku felt warm and safe. But despite that, he wanted to cry and scream. He wants his mom, he wants to go to school and finish cleaning the beach. He was so close to finishing it too, but now he can't do any of that. His life is so fucked right now.
Izuku looked up, Kacchans eyes were closed, and his breathing was evening out. It's weird to see this side of Kacchan, Izuku never would've thought he was an animal person, and if he was, he wouldn't expect him to talk so much, and be so comforting. Izuku is glad for that though, he doesn't know what he would do if he never decided to go down Kacchan's street.
***
It's been a month since Izukus been living with the Bakugou's, and life has a routine now. The school year is almost done, and Izuku is trying his best to not be sad. But it's not working, he's been trying to distract himself, sometimes he'll hunt down bugs around the house when Kacchan wont play with him. And the Bakugou house has been getting even more gloomy. One time, Izuku listened in on Aunt Mitsuki talking to his mom on the phone. There were a lot of tears, and Izuku didn't come out from under Kacchan's bed for a whole day after that. The blonde has two months until the entrance exam,and Izuku's had to calm him down when he starts getting agitated, sometimes he even sets off his quirk, and Izuku has the urge to run and hide.
Kacchan was at school, and Izuku was laying in a sun spot on the carpet, his eyes closed and enjoying the heat when the front door opened. Izuku's ears twitched, and his heart picked up speed. No ones supposed to be home yet. He quickly got up, his body tense and on high alert as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The door opened, and Izuku relaxed when he saw it was just Mitsuki.
"Hi baby!" She said happily, and Izuku ran up to her, purring loudly when he was picked up and pet.
"Today we're going somewhere. Do you want to be a support animal?" She asked, nuzzling her nose on his. Izuku perked up, rubbing his face over hers. That sounds like a good idea, then he could go with Kacchan wherever he goes, and he wont be so fucking bored all the time.
Mitsuki placed him in the carrier, and they went off.
"You'll do a bunch of tests, but I think you'll pass, you're so smart. Aren't you?" She cooed, and Izuku would laugh if he could. The whole ride was spent with Mitsuki talking to him. Izuku likes that both Kacchan and Mitsuki talk to him, he doesn't know what he would do if he was treated like an actual cat. Technically, he is an actual cat, and they do treat him like one, but after the doctor's visit, they talk to him like they expect him to speak back. Only Masaru really treats him like a cat, but that's mostly because he doesn't have much to say.Â
When they made it to the destination, Izuku was kind of nervous, but he wanted this to work. Mitsuki was asked a bunch of questions, and then she had to fill out paperwork, most likely about his medical history and such. By the time that was done, Izuku was ready to get out and move around.
"Bakugou." Someone called, and then he was being carried around.
"Right this way, ma'am. We'll be doing a few tests to see how he reacts in stressful situations, like how he'll deal with panic attacks and such. If we deem him safe, we'll have him come here every weekend to go to classes. We have trainers that are the best here, and by three weeks time, he should have his certificate." A make voice said, and Izuku nodded. It sounds like a good plan.
"Wow, okay. That sounds great, he's a sweetheart, and he already helps my son so much. Ever since we got him, Katsuki's calmed down a bunch. His- his friend went missing right around the same time, and I don't know how he would have reacted if it weren't for Deku." The man hummed.
"I'm sorry." He said gloomily, and then they were brought into a big room. He was set onto the ground, and then let out. He was immediately picked up by a child, and he jerked in surprise, but didn't move away. Is this the high stress situation? Hopefully he won't get his tail pulled off. He played with some young children, maybe eight or nine years old, as Mitsuki and a few other adults sat at tables. There were other cats too, and Izuku found himself playing with them. Izuku tried talking to them, but they weren't interested. He didn't take it to heart though, he's not sure if cats even actually talk to each other. Then, when that was over, he was brought into a different room, where they examined him, and gave him commands. They said it was, "just for the hell of it", but when Izuku followed them easily, everyone was pretty shocked.
Izuku went home with the go ahead to do the lessons, and he'd never been more excited. He was dropped off, because Mitsuki had to go back to work, so he got to walk around the house and think. He hasn't seen his mom in forever, and he's worried about her. He misses her more than anything, and Izuku doesn't want her to think that he left willingly, or that he was kidnapped and murdered. His mom already had enough to worry about, it's not fair on her. Izuku sat in the middle of the living room. What if he never sees her again? He shook his head, he can't think like that. His mom is best friends with Mitsuki, she has to come over at some point right? Right.
***
Izuku was supposed to go to his final class to become a certified service animal today, he'll be graduating so to speak. This whole thing was supposed to be a surprise for Kacchan, and Izuku's not sure how he'll react. A part of Izuku thinks he won't really care, but another part of him thinks he'll be insulted by it. Kacchan never wants to accept help from anyone, so why would he accept it from him?
This whole service animal thing is easy to Izuku, but he also has a human intelligence, so he's not sure if it's fair to the other cats. Izuku's been learning how to comfort his "owner", as the trainers like to say. Comforting consists of placing his paws on Kacchans chest and gently pawing at his face. It also consists of licking his jawline or anywhere he can reach for comfort. He's tried it a couple of times, it actually seemed to work, and other ones like climbing into his lap and giving him a grounding weight, nudging him roughly with his nose and head, and purring loudly, though Izuku came up with that one on his own. He does this when, as the trainer said and acted out because Izuku's not supposed to understand what he's saying, Kacchan starts to breathe irregularly, his voice raises in volume, he's crying, or if he just seems off. Another part of being a service animal is alerting someone close by. Izuku practically becomes a siren, or he'll run to someone and hopefully they're smart enough to understand what a cat with a service vest on chasing after them and pawing at their leg means.
So here he is, sitting in the car inside his carrier. They went under the pretense of a vet checkup, and Kacchan got really pissed off about it, saying he didn't understand why he couldn't go with them. Izuku could tell that he was worried, that he probably thought something was wrong, and Izuku wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but he'll have to wait.
When Izuku and Mitsuki got to the classes he was ready, he's been putting all the stuff he's learning into practice with Kacchan, and he knows he's going to get certified. Even all the trainers and workers knew he was going to, all the classes are just mandatory.Â
The class went as usual, with Izuku getting more treats than usual, and going through a mock situation. And an hour later, he's getting his vest put on, and Mitsuki's getting the proper paperwork and the license for proof. If Izuku could smile, he would.Â
The ride home was spent with Izuku fidgeting nervously. He hopes Kacchan likes it, he put all this work into memorizing everything, and Mitsuki spent all that money. Izuku's just not sure, Katsuki has gotten better these past two months, and he'll be going to U.A. for sure, but he still has a temper that scares him. Sometimes, when Kacchan gets really angry, it reminds him of middle school, of how he used to hurt him. Kacchan always reserved the worst of his anger for him, so what if he decides that Izuku was looking down on him somehow? What if he just gets rid of him, or explodes him? Izuku shuddered at the thought, his tail swishing back and forth and he waited in anticipation.
When they got home, Izuku thought he was going to be sick, and he watched through the mesh of the carrier as Mitsuki opened the door, painstakingly slow.
"Hag! What's wrong with him?!" Kacchan yelled, walking up to them and practically snatching Izuku away. He heard Mitsuki chuckle, and then Kacchan growl as he was set down.
"C'mon Deku." Kacchan said, unzipping the carrier. Izuku didn't move, he was on the fence of actually listening, or just staying in the cat carrier forever.Â
"We have a surprise for you Kat." He heard Masaru say, and Kacchan furrowed his eyebrows, turning his head away and looking up. It was silent for a moment.
"Well?! Spit it out dammit!" There was a fond sigh.
"Go on, get Deku out." Kacchan looked at him again, his face pinched in confusion, and Izuku slowly got out without any more prompting, his tail almost in between his legs as he kept his head down. He went straight into Kacchans arms, shoving his face into his shirt and trying to hide.
"What the fucks wrong with him?" Kacchan asked, and then Izuku felt his harness getting played with before he was picked up under his armpits. He stared into Kacchan's somewhat worried eyes before he gently put his paws on his mouth, earning a snort from all the Bakugou's.Â
"We got him certified as a support animal, he's been going for the past two months. You can legally take him wherever you go, that means school too." Mitsuki said excitedly, Izuku could see the gears turning in Kacchan's head, and he was surprised that he hadn't seen anger yet.
"So that's why he acts like a mother." He said, rolling his eyes as he brought him to his chest and stood up.
"Thanks." He mumbled, and when Mitsuki gasped dramatically, he growled and stomped up the stairs. He placed Izuku on his bed and carefully took his harness off, petting him as he sat down. Izuku watched as he stared at him, biting his lip with a contemplative look on his face.
"I won't be taking you to school- at least not Aldera. I don't need to be seen as weak." He said, a slight scowl forming on his face, making Izuku shrink.
"When we get into U.A., I'll take you, though. Deku always wanted to go there too." He said quietly, and Izuku had a feeling that was only meant for Kacchan, not Izuku. He stood up and crawled onto his lap, nudging his neck with his cold nose and licking him. Kacchan chuckled, wrapping his arms around him.
"They teach you that at the place you went to?" Izuku ignored him, sinking his claws into his collarbone and earning a small hiss in pain. Serves him right.
Izuku was sleeping in a sunspot on the bed, waiting for Kacchan to come back from school. Or he should say U.A.. Kacchan was nervous even though he didn't want to admit it, so Izuku worked his magic, he wanted to go with Kacchan, but he's guessing it would be too crazy to do that. Plus, Izuku never really liked big crowds. He's totally not upset about missing his only chance at being a hero, he can't, and he never will be able to be a hero. Sometimes he wonders why he even tried in the first place. He rejected All Might's offer for a quirk, so maybe this was the universe's sick way of telling him he couldn't be a hero, making him watch the person who hates him the most in the world become everything he wanted to be. And the really funny part? Izuku's helping him do it, he's helping his bully become the greatest hero the world will ever see, and he can't find it in himself to be mad about it. Frustrated? Yes, he's more frustrated than he's been in his entire life. Sad? Depressed? He's been depressed his whole life, this just added the sprinkles on top. But he's not mad, about helping him, he's forgiving Kacchan everyday, he has to. Even though he said he forgave him, there are moments when he wonders why he's even here, he could leave if he wanted to, but he loves Kacchan. Izukus seeing a side of him that he's never seen before, the side that he's always wanted to see. It makes his stomach sink when he thinks about how Kacchan would never act this way if he knew it were really Izuku, but he doesn't, and Izuku's selfish. So he'll enjoy every bit of love and affection he gets from him.Â
Izuku blinked when he heard the front door slamming open, but no footsteps on the staircase. Izuku stretched, yawning wide and jumping off the bed, trotting out the room and sitting at the top of the stairs. He heard murmurs, and his ears twitched as he tried to listen.
"Inko-" Izuku didn't need to listen anymore as he barreled down the stairs, but what he saw gave him a pause. Mitsuki and Masaru were sitting on the couch, with Mitsuki in her husband's arms as he wiped her face with a tissue.
"The fucks going on? What about Inko?" Katsuki asked angrily, Izuku creeped behind the couch unnoticed, listening.
"Honey, she- she-" Mitsuki let out a sob, and it was deathly quiet, Izukus ears went back, trying to piece together what Aunty means. He knows it can't be good, and it's scaring him. Someone took a deep breath, and then Masaru spoke.
"Dear, she passed away." He said shakily, and he heard a sharp intake of breath, Izuku's own heart dropping to the depths of his stomach as he stared at the floor with wide eyes.
"And- and the police have been investigating, and they say Izuku most likely committed suicide. Katsuki, did- did he seem depressed to you?" It was silent, save for heavy frantic breathing, and Izuku's ears were flat against his head now as he cowered, slowly turning back towards the stairs. He cant listen to this right now, he can't listen to this ever . This is some sick nightmare he's having, he's going to wake up, and he's going to forget it ever happened. He trudged to the room, and sank to the floor right by the bed, his body shaking as he let out small whimpers.
Why would she die? How could she die? His mom was in perfect health last he checked, and he doesn't want to think of the alternative ways someone could die. He could feel his eyes burning with tears before they fell, and then he heard screaming downstairs, causing him to jolt upright. He stared at the open door as he heard stomping up the stairs, and then Kacchan came barreling in, slamming his door loudly, the sound reverberating throughout the whole house. He was breathing heavy, and he brought his hands up to his head, yanking at his hair. Izuku took in a deep breath, about to try and calm him down when he let out a loud sob, and then he started throwing things. Kacchan tore down his bookshelf, causing Izuku to flinch, his eyes wide. He threw and broke anything he could get his hands on, and one thing almost hit Izuku, causing him to let out a yelp as he scurried under the bed.
"Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" Kacchan screamed. And Izuku squeezed his eyes shut as his ears flattened on his head, his whole body shaking as he lay down as flat and as small as he could. He's not sure how long it lasted, but by the time he heard a heavy thump, and then heavy laboured breathing, he wet his lips as he crawled out from under the bed. His room was a wreck, torn up books and his posters shredded off his walls, the small trash can he had in his room was on the floor with it's contents littered about.Â
Kacchan was sitting at the edge of his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest as he cried silently. Izuku timidly walked up to him, his tail in between his legs as he gently pawed at Kacchans thigh. The blonde didn't acknowledge him, and he nudged his side roughly with his nose. He purred as loud as he could at that moment, fighting his own sadness for Kacchan.
"Go away." Kacchan said weakly, giving Izuku a pause. He stared up at Kacchan, whose face was still hidden from his view. His breathing slowed to almost normal now, but Izuku wasn't fooled, he was hurting. He meowed quietly, pawing at his thigh again, and Kacchan pushed him away gently, sniffing. Izuku was getting frustrated, can't he see he's just trying to help? He meowed louder this time, nudging his nose into his thigh harder, and Kacchan growled angrily.
"I said get away!" He yelled breathlessly, shoving Izuku back hard enough to make him fall. He let out a surprised squeak, scrambling to get up. Kacchan looked guilty, and Izuku meowed sadly at him, staying where he was and laying down. Can't he see he's just as sad, if not more? Izuku feels like he's drowning, like there's a black hole where his heart should be.
***
Izuku spent a week moping around and comforting Kacchan. Apparently they were supposed to go to the funeral soon, it was a joint one, which just made it worse. Izuku is literally going to go to his own funeral, he's been trying his best to support Kacchan, but everyday it just gets harder and harder. He's never going to see his mom again, that thought enters his mind as soon as he wakes up, and it haunts his dreams. He knows Kacchan isn't supposed to know this, but he and Izuku were eavesdropping on a conversation between Mitsuki and Masaru one night, and found out that his mom killed herself. As soon as they heard it, they immediately regretted listening in. It wasn't fair. What if she just waited a little longer? He was right here the whole time! Izuku's been moving to sleep under the bed after Kacchan falls asleep. He likes how dark it is, he doesnt feel so exposed like that, he feels like he's alone for once.
The next week, they had the funeral. It was quick and painful, Izuku didn't pay attention when they went up and talked about the happy memories with her. He stuck with Kacchan the whole time, who refused to go up to the caskets, even when his parents told him it would be a good idea. For closure they said, what a load of bullshit.Â
Izuku was carried out of the church room, and he nudged Kacchans neck with his damp nose, hearing his breathing pick up. Kacchan walked quickly down the hall, and they soon found themselves outside, in a small courtyard with concrete benches and a garden. It really was beautiful. It was sunny, with white fluffy clouds adorning the sky, and there was a breeze in the air, sending leaves and flower petals from the trees flying in the air.
" Fuck ." Kacchan whispered hoarsely, sitting down on a bench, facing the garden as he held Izuku closer. Izuku did his best to comfort him, he tried to purr, but he just couldn't, he hasn't been able to purr in a while. He stuck to licking Kacchans jaw, nuzzling into his neck when he heard his breath hitch.
"This is my fault." He said shakily. "They're both dead because of me, I told him- told him to die, to kill himself. I'm so stupid. " Izuku nudged him harder.
That's not true! I'm not dead!
"Deku's dead, he's never coming back and I'm never going to see him again. I'm never going to apologize for how shitty I treated him. For no fucking reason. What was the point? Why? Why can't I just talk through my feelings instead of ruining everything?" Kacchans whole body was shaking now, his shoulders shaking as Izuku felt his fur getting wet with tears. Izuku meowed loudly, it's not his fault, it never was. And Izuku's not dead, he not fucking dead and nobody will ever fucking know. He didn't kill himself, he wouldn't kill himself. There might've been a time when he thought about it, but now he hates himself for letting the thought even cross his mind.Â
What is he going to do now?