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Izuku honestly didn’t see this coming.
He had danger sense- why didn’t he see this coming?
Maybe because it was a little girl who just wanted to see if he was okay before he left- he did just save her after all- and maybe she wasn’t seen as a danger. But she had used her quirk. On accident, of course.
And while it wasn’t.. A dangerous quirk…
He was now vulnerable.
Because the little girl’s quirk was called ‘Nyah’, and now he was a cat. A kitten, to be specific. He has no idea how long for, and that scares him.
A lot.
So with the grace of a completely feral cat, he runs off from the girl’s Mom who explained the quirk and tried her hardest to apologize- she didn’t even know how long it would last either. But before she could do anything to help him- he felt the need to go.
Like, get away. Far.
Actually, being in this body was giving him a whole new variety of feelings and instincts he didn’t know what to do with. The biggest thing at the moment however was fear and untrust of everything and everyone around him.
So really, it’s not surprising when his classmates find him and immediately try to do everything wrong when you approach a feral cat- not thinking about the fact that they were searching for him for some reason even before he turned into.. A cat- he was freaking the fuck out. He was small, scared, had no use of his quirks like this- and there were hands constantly trying to snatch him up. How they knew he turned into a cat? He has no clue.
Probably the Mom to the girl- she probably told them.
Fuuuuuuck.
So now he’s underneath a dumpster in a random alleyway, said dumpster surrounded by his classmates, and hissing at the hands trying to pry him from his hiding spot. He was backed into a corner, scared shitless.
His classmates just don't seem to understand that he’s not in the right mindset right now- not that he would’ve gone with them before- he doesn’t want them to get hurt. But maybe he’d be more inclined to accept their help if they would stop trying to grab him. The touches seem to burn a new strike of fear through him- and he hated it.
At least Bakugou tried to get them to stop- he was still actively trying too. Todoroki seemed to be standing back- looking for someone as he stood off to the side while Bakugou tugged Kaminari away then tried to talk some sense into Ochako who suddenly looked sheepish.
So his classmates weren’t completely stupid, just emotionally constipated. Probably.
When they finally back off and give him space, Izuku presses himself to the wall under the dumpster and shakes while keeping a paranoid eye on his surroundings. He was exhausted, hurt, upset, and-
He was a goddamn cat.
Not to mention that there’s still a powerful villain out there waiting to kill him.
Fuck.
Suddenly there’s steps- and they get closer to the dumpster with every one, making Izuku instantly tense up.
Black boots seen from where he is, the other’s shoes disappear from sight.
Then, red eyes staring at him.
Wait, red eyes. Two. Black boots- two.
Black hair, black attire, eyebags, long black hair-
Aizawa.
He was okay.
He had both his legs- and eyes..
Eri?
Something in him momentarily calms at that- and he allows himself just a sliver of happiness. Pride for Eri swells up in his heart.
But then Aizawa is reaching his hand under the dumpster and Izuku immediately hisses, mind going frantic once more.
“I’m not going to grab you, I’m just going to throw you something, okay? And I’m going to lay my hand just right here after.” His sensei speaks in his usual tone- a bit softer maybe- but- it’s oddly nice to hear. Izuku still doesn’t untense, eyes remaining trained on Aizawa even after the man throws something right by his paw.
They seem to have a staring contest, Aizawa’s eyes calm and patient while Izuku’s are untrusting and scared.
He doesn’t want to see what was thrown at him while being watched- and Aizawa seems to realize this- the man letting out a soft sigh and sitting up. He however doesn’t move- which is logical as he doesn’t want Izuku to run off again. But now with no one watching Izuku is able to move his head slowly down and give the thing Aizawa threw a good sniff and- oh.
Oh.
That’s definitely tuna.
Izuku listens to his instincts screaming at him to eat- to fill his empty stomach and eats what was given to him. This prompts Aizawa to lean over again and look at Izuku who hisses on instinct through his chewing. The man doesn’t react, instead just throwing more tuna and sitting up again.
He repeats this until Izuku is full, the human-turned-cat no longer hissing when Aizawa looks down at him and instead just staring with extreme caution.
But then he starts to feel sleepy.
His eyes start to feel heavy-
Oh.
The tuna was drugged, wasn’t it?
Izuku makes a pitiful attempt to escape, standing and immediately stumbling- barely even exiting from underneath the dumpster. He lets out a scared ‘mew’ when Aizawa’s hand catches him before he falls- and the man just mumbles ‘it’s okay,’ softly as he properly grabs the kitten into his arms.
And he doesn’t exactly fall asleep, he doesn’t think the drugs were strong enough for that- he just kinda of relaxes against his will as he’s tucked into the tired man’s’ capture weapon.
“Okay…” Aizawa mumbles, voice kept low as to not startle the baby in his capture scarf, really- that was an appropriate way to describe the kitten. A small baby with tiny paws.
It was also Izuku, so Aizawa will not be saying that out loud.
“All of you back to UA.” The tired man orders his students who just stare at Izuku who weakly hisses once before settling down with a little kitten pout when Aizawa lays a gentle hand on his little head. For some reason though, the man proceeds to start petting him lightly- and it makes Izuku freeze up before basically melting from the touch and purring into a puddle.
Aizawa’s lips twitch, threatening a smile but not getting there quite yet.
“I know you all want to see him, but now is not the time. Bakugou, I will allow for you to stay. The rest of you will have to wait. And don’t give me that look, just go. I’ll come and get you when the time comes.” Aizawa promises, gesturing for Bakugou to follow him towards a car parked on the side of the road. The rest of the class looks dejected as they hesitantly go towards the bus around the corner.
And Izuku has no idea why Bakugou got special privileges, but he doesn’t think about it too hard because he’s already caught and he’s still getting pet.
The human-turned-kitty loses consciousness after just shutting his eyes, and he doesn’t wake up again until a day later. It’s only Bakugou there when he wakes up- which kinda makes him freak out but the explosive blonde doesn’t look angry. Izuku still manages to almost stumble off the.. Hospital bed in his attempt to get away, still as scared and untrusting as a feral cat- but he gets caught by the boy who should be yelling at him by now.
“Shit-” Bakugou curses as soon as he catches the kitten, frowning as he brings Izuku to his chest in order to cradle him. “Dek- Izuku, it’s fine. I’m not going to hurt you.” He reassures as Izuku stops his struggling to look up at Bakugou with a horrified look.
This was weird.
This was so weird.
And his instincts were screaming at him to get out get out- but he just can’t. He’s frozen still by the pure relaxed expression the blonde carries.
“How’s he doing?” Aizawa’s voice cuts through- and wow Izuku didn’t even hear the door open.
“Not good? I don’t know.” Bakugou sighs, and he goes to try and pet the kitten but-
Oh hell no.
Izuku bites the hand that tries to pet his head and the blonde doesn’t even react, he just sends Izuku a deadpan look as the kitten bites as hard as he can.
Both Aizawa and Bakugou stare as the kitten slowly realizes his only defense mechanism isn’t working, and he lets go.
...Then proceeds to have a full breakdown.
The kitten thrashes his body in the blonde’s grip, letting out distressed mews and whines- his little tummie going up and down with each rapid panicked breath.
Bakugou puts Izuku down on the hospital bed quickly when this happens, looking up at Aizawa with a pleading look that sets the tired man into action. Aizawa picks Izuku up very gently, cradling him in his arms and leaning down to rub his scruffy chin against Izuku’s little head.
Izuku stops everything and blinks slowly at the affection.
Then, he lets out a small ‘mew’ and another- then a few. His mind goes hazy as he’s comforted, purrs quickly interrupting his mews as he essentially melts into a puddle in Aizawa’s arms.
“...How.” Bakugou questions, “How the fuck?”
“Language,” Aizawa mumbles, lifting his head from the kitten and replacing it with a hand that soothes a distressed mew that comes from the baby at the loss of contact- it didn’t even last for a second, poor kid. He needed this. “While he’s technically still ‘Izuku’, he’s also in a body he doesn’t understand. In this case, a feral kitten.” His sensei explains, then sighs at Bakugou’s still confused look. “Feral kittens are a lot more.. Easier, to tame over Feral adult cats. They simply need affection every day until they’re domesticated. It doesn’t seem to be that different for Izuku, petting has.. Proven to be an effective way to calm him down. Especially since he can’t do.. Er, ‘breathing exercises’ like this very well. Or I should just say he can’t listen that well to even do those exercises in the first place.”
“That… Makes sense, sure.” Bakugou huffs, standing from his seat and leaning over the bed to look closer at the kitten who’s a purring mess in Aizawa’s arms.
But then Izuku’s eyes open and immediately when seeing the explosive blonde he hisses through his purrs. Which makes it even LESS threatening than it already was.
“Seriously?” Bakugou grumbles out, and Aizawa just lets out a snort.
“He’ll get used to you and the rest of the class. He just needs time, and with that girl’s quirk…” Aizawa frowns, looking down to Izuku who shut his eyes again and slumped against the tired man’s chest. “..He may be like this, for a little while.”
“I doubt he’ll get used to me, but sure. Whatever.”
…
Bakugou regrets saying that purely based on the knowing look that Aizawa was giving him not even a day later as he waves a feather in front of Izuku’s face- the boy turned kitten trying to smack the feather and gently biting it when it gets close to his mouth.
Izuku meows loudly at the explosive blonde when he stops waving the feather, head tilting curiously and adorably when the boy just stares with a weird-angry expression on his face.
Then, the blonde brings his hand down and places it on the kitten’s small tummie.
The reaction is immediate, Izuku letting out a ‘mew’ and biting Bakugou’s hand as it tickles his tummie- the kitten’s bottom paws kick rapidly at the hand in an attempt to get the hand to stop. But it’s never aggressive- his biting, that is. It’s gentle and playful- unlike yesterday. Something definitely calmed him significantly down these last few hours- and Bakugou can take an easy guess on what that something was.
But the blonde doesn’t look at Aizawa at the moment, his focus is on Izuku who he’s now playing a game of tickle tummie with, raise hand in the air quickly- then tickle again. The kitten raises his paws in surprise every time the hand is randomly taken away and giving the cutest confused look in the world.
“Adorable brat.” Bakugou grumbles under his breath, stopping his game and instead moving his hand to start scratching behind the kitten’s ear. Izuku immediately starts purring deeply, leaning his head up into Bakugou’s hand and trying to grab the blonde’s hand with his teenie paws to bring it closer. “...Spoiled brat.”
“Mhm.” Aizawa sighs a little exasperated, “I don’t blame him for not being able to fight his instincts to.. Just be a cat, but he certainly knows what he’s doing.” The tired man brings his own hand down to scratch the kitten’s tummie and earning an even louder purr.
Izuku mews up at both of them when they remove their hands, staying on his back as he stares up at them with wide eyes- tail swooshing slowly back and forward.
“You’re a little menace, you know that- right?” Aizawa questions, bapping the kitten’s nose with his finger once and making Izuku just squeak- then mew innocently up at him.
“I’m guessing that’s a ‘yeah, i know.’” Bakugou smirks, “When should we let the rest of the class see him?” The blonde questions, “I know they’re close to barging in here with or without permission. Impatient nerds.”
“Hmf. Not today. He may be feeling better but he’s still nervous around large crowds, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm him.” Aizawa mumbles, picking up the green kitten and holding him in front of himself. Izuku just mews at his teacher, little paws twitching in the air.
Aizawa sighs tiredly.
“..Er, what’s up with you?” Bakugou asks bluntly, eying the especially big eyebags on his teacher. Not that he blames his teacher for even having them, there’s been… A lot happening. These last few months.
“Bad night.” Is all Aizawa says, and Bakugou just keeps staring suspiciously which makes the teacher just shake his head. He’ll talk about it later- not right now. “Izuku however, slept soundly. He also decided to wake me up by covering my eyes with his paws.”
The blonde snorts at that, and watches his teacher cradle Izuku to his chest. “You’re spoiling him.” He comments, pointing at Izuku who swipes playfully at the finger.
“Mm.. He needs the spoiling.” The tired man replies back with his own blunt tone, once again petting the kitten’s head and turning him into a purring mess.
“He’s going to be embarrassed when he turns back.”
“I don’t think embarrassment will be the first thing on his mind.”
“Then what will be?”
Aizawa looks down at Izuku, stopping his petting and making the kitten look up at the tired man with wide, confused eyes. The room falls silent for a minute.
“Aizawa-sensei?”
“Despair.”
Izuku was caught.
But at least he was home.