Chapter Text
Izuku purred as Tomura scratched behind his ear in just the right spot. His tail curled up as he nuzzled further into his sweatshirt. Izuku had been living with Shigaraki and Kurogiri for about two years now, and he had gotten used to the strange clients that came into the bar on occasion. His least favorite was Girian, who constantly smelled like smoke. It hurt his tiny sensitive kitten nose, so Kurogiri enforced a ‘no smoking’ rule in the bar.
This particular client was particularly nasty. He had six fingers on both hands, each tipped with a sharp claw-like nail. His grin was way too relaxed for someone striking a deal with an unknown provider, and it ticked Tomura off. He walked around like he owned the place, with his dirty boots kicked up onto the table and smudging the polished wood. Shigaraki didn’t like it one bit. He scratched his neck in irritation.
“I’ll go grab the equipment,” Tomura growled, gently pushing Izuku off of his lap to grab the gear from the back that the man was interested in. Kurogiri was out running errands, so he had to do everything himself. Pushing aside the curtain to return to the main room, he dropped everything he was holding and narrowed his eyes.
“What. Are you doing. With my cat?” He snarled, tugging the glove off of his right hand. The man was holding Izuku’s scruff in his greasy palm, eyeing him curiously and poking him with a sharp nail. The poor boy squirmed and mewled, trying to get away. His tufted ears laid flat against his head.
The man just laughed, low and raspy. “He seemed pretty fun to play with, am I right? Figured I’d keep myself entertained while you grabbed the stuff I wanted!” Even his voice was low and sleazy. Everything about this man disgusted Tomura.
“Sensei told me that I can destroy anything that pisses me off,” he hissed, storming towards the man with a dangerous aura. “And nobody messes with MY Izuku.” His hand shot out, grabbing the man’s throat and decaying him in a matter of seconds. He didn’t even have time to scream before his entire body was turned to dust.
Shigaraki caught the trembling Izuku in his left arm, careful not to touch him with his hand. The teen sneered at the pile on the ground, walking to the bathroom and setting Izuku on the counter. He very quickly washed his hands, not enjoying the feeling of the man’s greasy skin and dust on his hand. Drying them off while still being mindful of his fingertips, he slipped both gloves back on and ran soothing fingers through his fur.
Tomura pet Izuku, trying to calm the poor shaking boy. Though Izuku’s eyes were still wide, he was purring and leaning into the positive attention. Years of abuse left him hanging onto every scrap of affection; something Tomura hardly showed to anyone except for him.
He cupped his little brother’s fluffy cheeks between his hands, looking him in the eyes. “Okay kid, do you wanna take a shower?” Izuku nodded, and Shigaraki set the brush back where it was. “Alright. I don’t blame you, to be honest. Bring me the brush when you’re done and I’ll comb your fur. How’s that sound?”
Izuku shifted into his human form and gave him his signature blinding smile. “That sounds awesome! Thank you Tomura-nii!” The painfully small child hopped off of the counter and started the water, pulling off his clothes as Tomura shut the door. He slumped against it with a sigh. He couldn’t stand seeing how small and scarred the boy is, even though he himself is scarred too. For some reason, it hurt more seeing Izuku’s scars than his own.
He trudged back into the main part of the bar where he found Kurogiri sweeping up the remains of the man. Groceries were on the countertop, bagged neatly and waiting to be put away. He simply mumbled out a greeting and began to put away the food in the fridge and pantry.
“Leave out the stuff for katsudon,” the mist man said, dumping the dust into the trash and putting away the broom and dustpan. “I’m not going to ask how the meeting went, Tomura Shigaraki, but I assume it did not go well.”
“Damn greasy sack of nothing grabbed Izu by his scruff while I went to the back for two minutes,” he snarled, temper flaring just thinking about it. “Came back and he had the audacity to say he was just ‘entertaining himself’! What an entitled self-righteous son of a..” he cut himself off when he saw Izuku come into the room, wearing a t-shirt that hung down to his thighs and likely a pair of boxers underneath.
“Tomura-nii..?” He yawned softly, sharp fangs glinting in the dull light. “Will you brush me now..?” His round face and large eyes were already impossible to deny, but the smattering of freckles across his face and shoulders made any of his requests irresistible.
“Of course fluffball,” he replied, closing the pantry door. They sat on the couch where the tiny boy shifted back to a maine coon, perching himself between Tomura’s legs and waiting patiently to be brushed.
Shigaraki brushed his fur with utmost precision, making sure to get out every knot or tangle and smoothing out every inch of his little brother’s silky soft fur. Eventually, he couldn’t hold his cat form anymore, and suddenly Tomura found himself stuck on the couch with a lap full of sleeping kitten boy. Kurogiri chuckled lowly as he set two bowls of katsudon in front of them.
They watched in amusement as Izuku’s nose twitched once, twice, and then his eyes were open and he purring. Pushing himself up, he gasped when he saw his favorite food on the table. Grabbing the bowl, he quickly uttered a quiet ‘itadakimasu’ before hungrily digging into his food.
Tomura smiled and ate his food too. Kurogiri always made the best food. When Izuku was done, he took Shigaraki’s bowl with him and set them on the counter. He was unable to reach the sink yet, but he would’ve washed the bowls if he could’ve.
“Tomu-nii?” Izuku mrrowed; speech sounding half cat and half human in his sleepy daze. “Bedtime..?”
The pale haired teen smiled, washing the bowls himself. “Yeah, just go brush your teeth and I’ll be right there.” Izuku nodded and padded to the back, tail dragging along the ground as he went.
Tomura finished up and dried his hands, trodding to the young boy’s room to find him already tucked in and eyes drooping heavily. He smiled and sat on the end of his bed, carding fingers through fluffy, impossibly curly hair as he fell asleep.
“G’night, Tomu-nii..” he half purred, slipping into the warmth of his bed.
“Goodnight, Izuku.” Tomura replied fondly. He got up and entered his own room, just down the hall. He didn’t bother with changing before he fell sound asleep.
...
And if Izuku climbed in his bed at three in the morning, crying and whimpering about a nightmare of fire and ash and smoke, well, there was no one to witness him hold his shaking little brother close until he fell asleep.