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Chapter Text

The first thing he noticed was that he was laying on the ground.  The second and third things that he noticed were that his tail was squashed under his body at an uncomfortable angle and that there was a paramedic shining a painfully bright light in his eye.  Wait...tail?

"Sir, can you please tell me your name?" The paramedic asked, thankfully no longer aiming the light at his eyes.

It only took a few seconds for Shouta to realize that yes, he was currently in the recovery position, and yes , that does mean that he needs to seriously answer that question.

"Pro hero, Eraserhead, underground."

When he saw the paramedic open their mouth again, he quickly stated the date as well.

"Alright," they continued unperturbed, as if they were used to grumpy pro heroes answering the standard status checking questions without being prompted, "What is the last thing you remember?"

That...was a good question. Judging by it still being dusk, not much time could have passed since what he last remembered.

"I had just started my patrol for the night when I heard an altercation in a nearby alleyway.  After getting closer and assessing the situation, I intervened.  There were three assailants, just some low-level thugs, and one victim, a preteen girl. I erased the quirks of the thugs and restrained them. One of them had a knife and managed to slash my uniform but did not cause injury.  The girl did not seem to be injured, but following protocol, I called in for an ambulance in as well as the police to arrest and transport the assailants.  The police arrived quickly and once the thugs were gone, the girl latched onto me."  Shouta frowned as he tried to recall anything else that might have happened, "There might have been a flash of light, but that's the last concrete thing that I remember before waking up on the ground."

"Well the good news is that what you remember matches up with the reports of the police on scene and you don't seem to have a concussion from collapsing.  You can sit up.  Slowly though." The paramedic kept his hands at the ready in case Shouta had trouble supporting himself.  "You may be noticing some...unusual sensations right now, but bear with me until I've finished checking you over."

'Unusual sensations, no kidding .'  It's not like waking up from an unplanned concrete nap with what feels like a tail was exactly normal for him.  Possibly not the weirdest thing to happen to him yet while out on patrol, but definitely a new record for how quickly things went off the wall.

Once Shouta was sitting up and resolutely ignoring the flicking of the tail that seemed to be attached to him, the paramedic continued explaining.

"So what seems to have happened is that Kazama Sachiko, that would be the girl you saved, had an accidental quirk activation when she hugged you. She's fine by the way.  Her quirk is called Spirit Animal and temporarily gives the affected person features of the animal that most represents their personality.  From what we have gathered, it activated when her hands touched your skin through the rips in your suit.

When her quirk activated you passed out. You were only out for about five minutes in which you gained what appear to be cat ears and a tail.  You may notice other effects appearing over the next twelve hours as it settles."

Judging by the sympathetic expression on the paramedic's face, Shouta was not going to like what they were about to say next. Probably something about the duration or effects.  Maybe a reminder about the policies for incidents where heroes were hit by quirks that altered them in some way. Possibly even a lighthearted comment about treating this like an unexpected vacation.

"Kazama was able to tell us that normally her quirk will last for up to a week, however, due to her heightened emotions at the time, it activated much more powerfully than she has ever experienced before.  We're estimating at least two weeks for it to wear off and you may gain a few cat instincts on top of the physical characteristics.

Since you were hit by an altering quirk you will be prohibited from any hero duties until cleared by certified medical personnel. Because this happened while on patrol, your absence and any medical expenses will be completely covered by your agency."

'Two for Three... ' Shouta felt his ears twist back to match his mildly aggravated expression at the infodump the paramedic was so happily giving him.  Why did he always get the chatty ones when something happened?

Oblivious, the paramedic continued, "You can probably think of it as a paid vacation! Not many people get to experience this kind of quirk where you can get in better touch with your inner self.  Maybe you'll even learn something new about yourself!"

'Yep, there it is.  All of the above. Joy.'

Now that Shouta was well informed of the situation, he smoothly stood up, tail automatically flicking out for extra balance as he rose. 'Hm, that's actually not too bad.' He thought, ignoring the paramedic, who was still talking , for the moment as he took stock.

No injuries, barely even a scrape on his palms from the pavement.  He finally looked down at his new tail that was flicking testily. He couldn't even bring himself to be too annoyed at how emotive it was.  Having a tail was pretty cool and actually fulfilled a quiet wish younger Shouta had through most of his childhood into his teenage years. Of course he ended up being fluffy. If any of his friends headaches see that he's part fluffy cat right now, the squealing would probably deafen his no doubt sensitive ears.

He wasn't even upset by the kid activating her quirk on him.  Accidents happen and she was young enough that absolute control wasn't to be expected even in normal situations, much less ones where she was being attacked by adults for whatever pocket change she had.  Most adults had trouble controlling their quirks in that type of situation.  Dealing with unexpected quirk effects was just another aspect of being a pro hero.

Shouta finally tuned back in to the verbose paramedic when he heard something about emergency contacts.

"So do you need me to call your emergency contact for you or will you be fine to do so yourself?"

They must have finally noticed Shouta's grumpy expression, because they were waving their hands and adding, "I know you probably feel more than capable of getting yourself home on your own, but it's policy and really, best practice for you to have someone you trust come pick you up.  We aren't sure what the full effects of the quirk will be on you yet and I could get in a lot of trouble if I just let you walk out of here by yourself!"

That was...fair.  Shouta had heard a few stories of people who had walked off on their own after being hit by altering quirks and running amok.  No doubt the paramedic wanted to cover their own ass and no doubt Hizashi would be thrilled that Shouta was actually asking for help, even if it was mandated.

"I can contact them myself." He finally said as he pulled out his phone. He turned away as he pulled up his text messages.  He tapped Hizashi's and paused to let out a near silent sigh.  Hizashi was going to have a field day with this.

Shouta: Hey. I was hit by an altering quirk on patrol and they won't let me leave unescorted. Can you come?

He could see the typing indicator next to Hizashi's name and after reading over his own message again, quickly added more information.

Shouta: I'm fine. Accidental quirk activation by the kid I saved.  I just have cat ears and a tail.  NO big deal.  Do NOT freak out.

The typing indicator went away for a few seconds before coming back.  Less than a minute and he had a reply, or rather, replies.

Hizashi: !!!

Hizashi: Of course I'll be right there Shou!

Hizashi: Oh my gosh I bet ur super cute! I can't wait to see!

Hizashi: Be there in five minutes! :D

Shouta:  >:|

Hizashi: :DDD

It was too much to hope that Hizashi wouldn't freak out.  To be fair, Shouta would probably be just as excited, though more quietly, if one of his friends had gained cat features, especially Hizashi.

He turned back to the paramedic, who wasn't even trying not to stare at him.  Rude.  

"My emergency contact will be here in about five minutes. Is there anything else that I need to know?"

He managed to keep from glaring when they opened their mouth again, but could not quite stop the lashing of his tail or the odd feeling of his ears pinning themselves back in annoyance once more.

"That should be most of it for now!  Though you might want to carry some sunglasses with you if you go out in the daytime, you currently have slit pupils and they may be more sensitive to light than you are used to.  Of course if you notice any problems or have any questions you should call your primary care for assistance!"

Shouta crossed his arms before relaxing into his off duty slouch.  That was mildly useful information and the paramedic may be annoying, but they were just doing their job. He managed to nod and say, "Thank you," before his ears perked up at the sound of light, running footsteps.

His tail perked and his ears relaxed as he took in the sight of Hizashi running toward him in civilian attire.

"Eraser!" Thankfully, he was being conscious of the situation and sticking to his codename for the moment.  Also thankfully, he was keeping to a normal volume right now.

"Zashi." Shouta acknowledged.

He turned to the paramedic, feeling a lot more tolerant now that his designated emotional support human had arrived. "My emergency contact has arrived so we'll be leaving now.  Let the kid know that everything's alright, would you?"

"Of course!" The paramedic cheered, they seemed just as relieved for Eraserhead to leave, maybe they weren't quite as oblivious as he had thought.

Shouta turned back to Hizashi and ignoring how he seemed to be vibrating in place, casually brushed against his arm as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking in the direction of their shared apartment.

"Let's go."

Hopefully Hizashi would be able to hold his questions in for the short walk home.  Shouta glanced over at him through his bangs, judging by the high pitched noises that kept escaping him and the way he was bouncing while they walked, it would take all of his self restraint and a minor miracle for that to happen.

His tail flicked out rhythmically as they walked.  It could be a lot worse in a lot of ways and really, being part cat for a week or two wasn't even that bad.  Shouta felt his minuscule amount of optimism come alive. This would be a good excuse to nap as much as he wanted and at least he didn't have a hero class to babysit this year, maybe everything will be fine and nothing weird will happen.

Chapter Text

Surprisingly enough, Hizashi did last the five minutes it took for them to make it to the apartment. Shouta even managed to dump his boots in the genkan and shove them in line.

Hizashi was currently making a high pitched sound that Shouta was fairly certain he wouldn't normally be able to hear. Given that there hadn't been any actual questions yet, Shouta elected to head straight for the couch and to faceplant into it as soon as he was in range.

"Shouta!"

Ah, there it was.

"Yeah?" He groaned out, muffled by the couch.

"So you're part cat now, right?"

"Mhm."

"How long did they say this would last for?"

"Probably two weeks.  Maybe longer."

Shouta braced himself just in time for the squeal. The pitch didn't bother him as much as usual, but the volume was still a problem.

When he heard Hizashi breathe in, he added, "They also said that it hasn't fully settled yet and more cat traits might appear over the next twelve hours."

Shouta could practically hear the grin in Hizashi's expression as he bounced from the entryway to the kitchen. He would almost be offended that Hizashi was so excited over his situation except he knew that he would be just as excited, if more quietly, in his place.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" Hizashi asked as rummaged in the cookware drawer.

"I ate before I left for patrol."

"Real food Shou?  Your jelly pouches don't count."

"...They're nutritional jelly pouches.  They count." 

The clanging sounds stopped.

"Shouta.  When was the last time you ate solid food?"

That was...huh.  When was the last time he had solid food?

"I had ramen on Friday."

"Last Friday when we went out for ramen?  Shouta, that was over a week ago!"

Shouta felt his ears go back against his head. It really had been over a week, hadn't it? It just felt so pointless trying to cook food for himself.

"You know I'm nowhere near as good of a cook as you."

He heard a couple of steps and just knew that Hizashi was pointing some sort of cooking utensil in his direction.
"Well then, no excuse now! If I have to cook every meal while you're not working for you to eat real food, then I will gladly do so!" Hizashi declared, "Starting tomorrow, your taste buds are gonna be in heaven, because I am a god in the kitchen!"

Shouta felt his face warm, Hizashi really was the best. He was always so upbeat and constantly did little things to make Shouta's day better. Things like texting him funny hero memes and supplying him with cute cat pictures.

He lifted his head enough to make sure his voice would carry clearly and said, "Thanks Zashi." Shouta then buried his no doubt blushing face back into the cushions.

"Aw, you're welcome Shou!" Hizashi chirped as he went back to making his dinner.

His voice is so warm and bright, Shouta just wants to curl up and bask in it. 

'No.  Calm down Shouta. Hizashi is your best friend and that is more than good enough.  He may be the literal light of your life, but things are great as they are and the risks of trying for more currently outweigh the benefits.' 

Maybe if he had some hint that Hizashi felt the same it would be worth it, but he wasn't going to risk ruining the best thing in his life by confessing feelings that may not be returned. 

He resumed his quest to become one with the couch as his ears tracked Hizashi's movements back and forth across the kitchen.  It was really nice to be able to spend time with Hizashi.  It feels like they never get to exist in the same space these days.  If they didn't teach at the same school, they would probably hardly ever see each other.  Their patrol schedules and hero duties very rarely line up. 

Hizashi usually patrolled after school then went straight to the radio station for his show. By time he would get home, Shouta would have to be leaving for his own patrol. He would typically crash for a few hours after getting home before getting up at the last possible moment to get to UA.

'Maybe I should expel my whole class more often. I'm going to miss the extra sleep from not having a homeroom. Knowing my luck, next year's class will be full of potential and I will get absolutely no sleep.' 

He couldn't help relaxing as Hizashi's light humming lulled him into an easy doze.

--

Hizashi delicately placed the clean bowl back in the cupboard and carefully closed the door. And people thought he was incapable of being quiet! He left the clean pan on the drying rack, no amount of stealth would make it possible to put that away without making a racket, and tiptoed to peer over the back of the couch.  Shouta had been making the most adorable snuffling sounds as he napped!

Hizashi had to hold back a laugh when he saw how deeply he had managed to burrow into the cushions, it looked like the couch had eaten the half of Shouta closest to the back.

'He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. This break will be good for him, he never takes vacations or lets himself relax.' Hizashi thought as he studied his best friend.

'It will be nice to help take care of him.  He's so dedicated and such an amazing teacher and hero, pretty easy on the eyes too. He doesn't even realize how attractive he is.  

I could probably cut myself on his jawline.  He does a good job hiding it , but Shouta takes his fitness very seriously and is hiding some serious muscles under that baggy clothing.

Maybe he'll finally pick up on some of the hints I've been dropping that I have feelings for him beyond friendship.  If he hasn't picked up on it by time he's back to normal, I'll have to find some way to actually say it without scaring him off.'

Hizashi nodded to himself before sputtering as he got a mouthful of fluffy tail. The tail whapped him in the face again before he managed to catch it.

"Shou?" Hizashi asked while gently running his fingers down the last several inches of Shouta's new tail, watching as it reflexively curled each time he reached the tip.

"Mmmm?" A sleepy sound with only the slightest hint of a content rumble.

"You know that there's a hole in your pants for your tail?" Hizashi asked, keeping his tone light and decidedly not commenting on the almost purring.

"Mmmhm?" So cute!

"You know that hole wasn't there when you left on patrol?"

Shouta's tail froze mid curl and he turned his head just enough to give Hizashi a single, very impressive, side-eye. His ears laid back against his head and in a very even tone he asked, "Your point?"

"Shoutaaaa, that means that somebody touched your butt! Do I need to be jealous of some lucky emergency responder?" Hizashi asked in a carefully light and joking manner.

Shouta shoved his face back into the couch cushions as his tail flicked in a jerky, irritated movement, it smacked Hizashi in the face twice more before he started petting it again, soothing the lightly bristled hairs back down.

"Regardless of how professional they likely were with the matter, if I meet that chatty annoyance again, someone is getting scratched."

Hizashi could barely make out the grumbles through the cushions, but he had had a lot of practice by now at deciphering Shouta's grumping into their couch.  This type of behavior typically happened several times a week, really anytime he had to deal with people he deemed annoying or wasting his time.  During the first week of classes this was practically a daily occurrence.

'Really,' Hizashi mused as Shouta finally relaxed enough to start almost purring once more, 'I wonder how much more cat-like Shou can get when he's already basically a cat in human form normally.'

Taking note of the time, he leaned closer and rested his hand on Shouta's shoulder blade to shake him back awake.

"Shouta.  Hey.  You need to go sleep in a proper bed or you'll regret it in the morning."

Shouta grumbled and rubbed his face against the couch cushions.

"C'mon sleepy. Do I need to carry you?"

Whether it was the semi-serious offer, or talking right next to the sensitive cat ears finally made a difference, Shouta cracked an eye open and definitely did not pout at him.

"Fine...fine." He sighed.

Hizashi backed away a few steps as Shouta slowly got to his feet and trudged into his bedroom.  He didn't even bother with the lights, changing his clothes, or closing his door.  Instead, he just shuffled forward until his shins hit the bed, then flopped onto it and immediately passed out.

After Shouta was safely in his bed, Hizashi clenched his hands to his chest.  It was inaudible, but Shouta was definitely purring when he touched his shoulder! He spun around and practically danced his way across the apartment as he turned off lights and made sure everything was locked up for the night.

Once he was in his own room, Hizashi shot off a few rapid-fire emails and texts to their various bosses to inform them that he would be taking the next couple of days off due to a hero related incident he needed to deal with.  More details were sent to Nedzu so he would know that Shouta shouldn't be in charge of anything too important until he adjusts to the current situation.

He manages not to be surprised when the principal responds less than two minutes later approving the two days off for himself and a week for Shouta.  There was also a footnote reminding them both that there would be a mandatory staff meeting the following week and to try not to get hit by any more quirks in the meantime.  It's only the years of interacting with Nedzu that allow him to easily brush off the slightly ominous winking smiley face that accompanied the note.

Hizashi let out a content sigh as he finally relaxed into his bed, everything important had been dealt with and he can now look forward to dealing with an even cuter than normal Shouta in the morning. He scrolled a few cat behavior articles on his phone as a refresher before succumbing to sleep.

Chapter Text

Shouta woke slowly, feeling warm and content. His fingers flexed and tail arched as he extended into a lazy stretch. That's right, quirk accident last night... he has cat attributes now. He rolled to his feet, yawning as he cracked his shoulder and back and finished his stretches, marveling at how limber and rested he felt. 

He absently scratched an itch at his lower back before pausing as he noticed that a few more things were different from what he remembered. Shouta patted at his back, feeling a strip of fuzzy fur growing along his spine and following it from his tail all the way up to the nape of his neck.  He absently ran his fingers through it for a moment before shrugging and examining his fingertips with mild interest.  His nails had thickened and sharpened over night and gained a definite curve to their shape.  They could only really be called claws, as short as they were.

Shouta made a quick stop in the bathroom to relieve himself and had to pause after washing his hands when he caught his reflection.  He gingerly traced the the now cat ears sticking out of his tangled mess of hair, shivering slightly when he felt how sensitive they were.  He felt his eyes droop as he carefully rubbed them.  They were so soft. He zoned out for what must have been a few minutes before he realized his throat and chest were vibrating with a quiet purr. He immediately stopped and grimaced at his reflection, doing his best to ignore the red tint to his cheeks. 

He leaned in closer when he noticed his teeth were also different.  He poked the tip of one of his incisors with a finger.  Not sharp enough to break the skin like that, but definitely sharper than normal. He tilted his head back and forth while watching his mouth.  They were longer too.  He tried one of this feral grins and was pleased to see that it was even more deranged looking with the dental changes. He smoothed his expression back to neutral before he could start purring again at the thought.

He felt one of his ears twist back and his tail flicked out.  He definitely did not pout at the lack of control over his new features. He crossed his arms and gave himself one more glance over. Cat ears instead of human, currently pointed backwards, check. Sharp, pointy teeth, check. Fluffy tail that he couldn't quite control yet, currently swishing, check. Short claws, check.  Shouta eyed his reflection, contemplating if his stubble was thicker and less patchy today... inconclusive.

He shook his head and uncrossed his arms, slinking out of the bathroom and towards the kitchen. Hizashi had promised to cook for him and something in the kitchen smelled amazing.

Shouta followed his nose to the kitchen and slouched his way into one of the chairs, content to just watch Hizashi as he moved back and forth from the cupboards to the fridge.  He seemed to be gathering up ingredients, utensils, and dishware. 

'Wait...Hizashi hasn't started cooking yet. What could I have smelled if he hasn't started cooking yet?'

Hizashi unloaded his armload of ingredients before whirling around to face Shouta.

"Morning Shou!" He cheered with a sunny smile.

Shouta ducked his head slightly as he mumbled, "Morning Zashi." He kept his face down in case he was blushing and almost missed Hizashi pouncing on him and hugging him.

'Oh God.  It's Hizashi. He smells amazing.' Shouta felt his face burning. Oh no. Definitely blushing. Hizashi squeezed him tighter in the hug and rocked them back and forth as he babbled about how happy he was to cook for Shouta, and was a traditional breakfast OK? 

Shouta was drowning.  He was drowning, but he will die happy as long as Hizashi doesn't let go.  Up close the scent was almost overpowering.  He had to fight to keep himself from rubbing against the other man. He desperately wanted that scent on him.  He also, just as desperately, wanted his own scent on Hizashi.  He did his best to restrain his impulses, settling for rubbing his cheek against Hizashi's side as discreetly as possible. 

When Shouta finally managed to get his arms around Hizashi's waist to reciprocate the hug, the scent spiked again. Utter bliss. He was happy and Hizashi smelled like happiness, and this was the most at ease he had felt in as long as he could remember. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend that this wasn't just a long hug between best friends. He could almost pretend that this was more than simple affection from Hizashi.

After another moment or two of rambling, Hizashi pulled back slightly. Shouta had to consciously loosen his grip, he didn't want to let go yet.

"So does the mackerel sound good then? I picked it up yesterday on the way home so it's really fresh!"

"Sure.  Anything you want to make will be fine." 

Shouta quietly let out a sigh of relief when his voice came out evenly.  Now he just has to make sure Hizashi doesn't see his face when he lets go.  His ears couldn't currently betray him by turning red, but it still felt like the rest of his face was on fire.

"Alright then," Hizashi said as he finally let go, "Just you wait, your taste buds are going to be saying 'wow' in no time at all!" He ruffled Shouta's hair lightly and pivoted in the same movement as he let go and bounced back towards the counter.

Shouta kept his face tilted away and watched Hizashi.  He felt his tail curl reflexively around Hizashi's leg and had to focus to make it let go quickly enough. 

Once he was sure that Hizashi's attention was occupied with making breakfast, he relaxed a bit. Shouta propped his head up on his hand, and his elbow on the table as he watched Hizashi's energetic but somehow still graceful movements.

He was definitely not going to think about that hug right now.

--

Hizashi can't stop thinking about the hug. It was slightly risky to linger in it for so long, but he was so happy to finally be allowed to take care of Shouta a little that he couldn't really stop himself. It certainly doesn't help that Shouta looks adorable with cat ears. It made him feel so warm inside that he barely hesitated before returning the hug.

While he was setting up the rice cooker, Hizashi took the opportunity to glance up at Shouta.  He had his head propped up and was watching Hizashi with half-closed eyes. When they made eye contact, Hizashi grinned and carefully slow blinked at Shouta. He had to fight to contain himself when Shouta immediately slow blinked back at him.

Hizashi felt affection surge every time Shouta brushed up against him while "getting more water", or walking to the kitchen window to look outside, or "just taking a look" and peering into the pan where he was grilling the fish for their meal. It was more than Shouta would typically make contact. It was a small change, but it was definitely noticeable that he was being a lot more tactile since gaining the cat features.

-

Shouta deposited his empty water glass by the sink and absently brushed shoulders with Hizashi as he shuffled back to the table.  As with every other time he passed him while he was cooking, the wonderful, happy scent spikes again.

When he reached his seat, Shouta paused before sitting and looked up at Hizashi. When he accidentally made eye contact, Hizashi blinked before grinning widely at him and turning back to where he was portioning out the food. He felt a strong surge of affection and happiness to have Hizashi smile at him like that. 

It was as the scent continued to spike every time they made contact, that Shouta finally realized what he was smelling. 'Oh. I guess sensing emotional changes through scent is a cat trait as well.'

He oozed into the chair to bask, content, in Hizashi's presence.  It was comforting to know that they were both happy to be spending time together and that it wasn't just an obligation or pity.

'Maybe there really is something more to look forward to. There is no way that I am imagining all of this. He might actually feel the same way.' Shouta felt hope blooming in him like a flower with Hizashi as his sun.

Feeling something else in his chest, Shouta discretely touched his sternum and to his consternation, he was vibrating-purring.  Again. 

-

Hizashi hummed happily as he caught Shouta in yet another slow blink. He still hadn't caught on that he was doing it whenever they sustained eye contact for more than a few seconds. He could see that Shouta finally realized that he was purring again when he touched his chest and had such an affronted and betrayed expression pass across his face for a moment. Hizashi had to duck his head and watch Shouta's reflection in a handy nearby appliance to hide his own blush.

The quiet "thanks, Zashi" that he received when he placed the dishes on the table and took his own seat was more than enough repayment for the amount of effort it took to cook.  The small acts that showed appreciation were worth just as much as they actual words to him. With Shouta, actions have always said more than words. 

After he had dished up his food and shuffled through the items on the table like he was looking for something, Shouta looked up at him and plaintively asked, "Coffee?"

Hizashi winced slightly and and looked away from the highly effective kitty eyes that were being pointed his direction to answer, "Do you think it's safe to have coffee? Since caffeine is bad for cats and you are physically much more cat than normal?"

When he didn't get an answer, he chanced a look at Shouta and saw that he was literally dumbstruck. After a few minutes had passed and Shouta was still staring at him in horror, Hizashi tried again, "Shou?"

Growing more concerned as Shouta continued to stare at him wild-eyed, he made a suggestion.

"Maybe try asking Sansa if it would be OK, since he has an actual cat mutation?"

Shouta wasted no time in whipping out his phone and pulling up Sansa's contact. He clutched at the phone desperately as it rang and as soon as it connected he asked, "Sansa.  You heard what happened last night, right?" His tone was slightly impatient but did not seem to give away his emotional state. Once he had confirmed that Sansa was in fact aware of his situation, he continued, "Is coffee safe? Please tell me coffee is still OK. Stop laughing, this is life or death here."

A few more minutes passed before Shouta switched the call to speaker mode so that Hizashi could hear the answer as well.

"Personally, I can have coffee in small amounts with no ill effects since I have built up a bit of a tolerance over the years. It would be best to try to keep it to a minimum, but as long as you take it slow and stop if you feel sick or nauseous, it should probably be fine. Your body is still mostly human, and is used to caffeine even if your tolerance is likely much lower than normal. Also, you should probably be cautious about chocolate and things with high sugar content or alcohol until you know more."

After thanking the officer and hanging up, Shouta sent him a hopeful look.

"Alright, alright, I'll let you have a small cup of coffee."

Hizashi quickly prepared what he knew Shouta was thinking of as a pitifully small cup of coffee and managed to stay strong against the sad pouting kitty eyes.  

"If there are no adverse effects, then you can have a little more tomorrow, but I would never forgive myself if I allowed you to come to harm through my own actions."

Shouta's gaze softened as he continued to pout for a moment more while pretending he wasn't, before accepting defeat mostly gracefully and thanking him again. 

When they finally were able to eat, Hizashi did let out a gasp and cooed over how cute Shouta's "little baby fangs" were. That blush lasted through the rest of the meal and only started to fade when Shouta started to gather up the dirty dishes to wash, stating that "It's only logical that I help clean the dishes since you made the food. Also, it was delicious and tasted amazing."

"I'm sure that was partly because it had been so long since you had eaten normal food, but I still accept the compliment!" Hizashi beamed and dumped his dirty dishes by the sink.  He made quick work of putting away the leftovers and joined Shouta in drying the cleaned dishes. 

Even with how quickly they got through the pile of dishes, Hizashi lost count of how many times Shouta brushed up against him between all of the little excuses while he was cooking and the constant swaying touches and elbow bumps as they stood side by side at the sink. He also had to keep his reactions inside when he felt Shouta's tail curl around his leg. Once he had dried the last bowl and put it back in its place, and Shouta had thanked him yet again, he swooped him into another hug. 

"You are so welcome!"

Shouta started slightly at the unexpected hug before leaning into it and hiding his face in Hizashi's shirt. This one did not last anywhere near as long before Shouta pulled away and fled to the couch, turned on the TV, and started rapidly flipping through the channels.

Hizashi wilted a bit, feeling bad that he had pushed too hard and scared Shouta off. Just because he so easily accepted the hugs doesn't mean he was comfortable with so much prolonged physical affection. Shouta was facing away from him on the couch with his tail flicking and his ears pinned back. As he went through with wiping down the counters finishing the clean up process, he noticed that Shouta's ears were tracking his movement, and the icy feeling in his chest started to thaw. Shouta was probably just feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything. It was only last night that he was hit by the quirk and it was a lot to get used to.

-

Shouta continued to mindlessly channel surf while working at calming himself down and willing the red out of his face. Hizashi was so warm and the hug felt so nice. Two hugs in one day.  If he didn't know better he would think that Hizashi was trying to send him a message, but it was more likely that he was being extra supportive with everything that was happening.  His thoughts derailed when he smelled a sour scent that burnt like shame.  

He turned his head a little so he could see Hizashi without making it obvious that he was looking. His expression was slightly pinched. He looked sad and a little hurt. Shouta frowned.  He hadn't meant to hurt Hizashi's feelings when he escaped the affection. Before he could think of anything to say to try to make it better, Hizashi's scent became more neutral and he bounced over to the couch. Shouta quickly set his own expression back to normal and busied himself with actually paying attention to the shows he was flicking past as Hizashi hopped onto the opposite side of the couch.

He ended up on an old classic that they had both seen at least a dozen times each. As the movie played and nothing was said, Shouta began to relax and make himself more comfortable. He lounged across half of the couch as Hizashi sat cross-legged against the armrest. After some time had passed, Hizashi started petting Shouta's hair. 

Shouta leaned back enough to look up and gave him a befuddled look. When Hizashi realized what he had been doing, he yanked his hand back as if burned and started frantically apologizing.

"I am so sorry Shou! I don't know why I did that. I shouldn't have invaded your space like that."

Shouta was a little upset at all of the apologies and it was compounded by how upset and nervous and sad Hizashi was now smelling. He turned his head away and watched from the corner of his eye as he admitted, "It actually felt nice. I liked it." Hizashi slowly stopped apologizing and the relief in his scent was heady after the stress of the negative emotions.

Another moment passed with them maintaining their positions before Hizashi lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers while he said, "Then would you like to benefit from Present Mic's magical head massaging service?"

As soon as the words had left his mouth, Shouta shoved his head into Hizashi's hand and demanded very firmly, "Yes. Yes I would."

Another beat passed before Hizashi huffed out a laugh and complied. He started gently scratching at Shouta's scalp and running his fingers along the base of his ears. It felt amazing.

'...and I thought it felt nice when I was rubbing my ears.  That has nothing on this. Even if it takes longer for this to wear off than they predicted, as long as Hizashi is willing to give me head massages, I think everything will be fine."

-

Hizashi was amazed at how quickly Shouta blissed out from having his head and ears rubbed. In less than two minutes he had his eyes closed and was purring audibly, completely zoned out. 

Ignoring the movie, Hizashi rubbed his thumb against the base of one of Shouta's ears, marveling at how soft and delicate they were. He stroked down from there and along his jaw, feeling the fuzz of the bristles against his hand as Shouta actually nuzzled into his hand! 

Hizashi had to use his free hand to cover his mouth so as to not let out an audible reaction and ruin the moment. He kept the one hand gently tracing over Shouta's cheek and around his ear as he worked to get his breathing back under control.  Shouta is so cute. Absolutely adorable. The fact that he was trusting Hizashi so much made his chest feel tight with so much emotion.

Shouta was a serious person and when he committed himself to something, he did so completely.  It made him an amazing hero and teacher, but it also made him prickly and he tended to keep distance from people to keep himself from caring too much. It made Hizashi feel so lucky that he got to befriend such a good person. 

Once he managed to calm himself down a bit, Hizashi started using both hands to massage Shouta's scalp and ears. He felt a gentle smile form as Shouta continued to push closer to him as he alternated between rubbing the soft ears and gently de-tangling the thick and fluffy hair surrounding them. After a while, his fingers were able to smoothly flow through Shouta's hair all the way to the ends. Hizashi started to massage the tension out of his shoulders next, feeling Shouta's head lightly thump against his chest as he continued to lean into him. At this point he was purring very loudly, and still kept inching closer to Hizashi whenever his hands changed targets.

'Oh? What's this?' Hizashi wondered as his fingers brushed against some fuzz at Shouta's nape. He carefully scritched his way down a few inches before he was stopped by the collar of his shirt. 'I wonder how far down that goes...' He ran his nails lightly down Shouta's spine, noting the thickness that meant the fur likely went all the way down and felt his face go incredibly warm when Shouta arched into the touch and mewled. 

'Oh fuck. I didn't know he could even make sounds like that. This quirk is amazing and might end up being the death of me.  Death by cuteness overload. It definitely is a lot easier to read his reactions with the extra body language and the literal purring to tell me that I'm doing something right.'

-

When Shouta came back to himself he felt boneless.  He had somehow ended up straddling Hizashi's lap and was pressed close against him, chest to chest. His face was tucked under Hizashi's chin and there were two hands in his hair, gently stroking his ears. Shouta had his tail tightly around Hizashi's thigh and his arms around him in a loose embrace as he lazily kneaded at his back. He felt so safe and cared for, so content and...happy. One of the hands left his ear and stroked down his neck and back.  Bliss. 

At this point, Shouta didn't even care that he was purring so hard that it vibrated through both of them.  What's the point of hiding it when evidence pointed to him having already been caught? What's even the harm in letting Hizashi know that he was enjoying himself and appreciated the touch? He knew that Hizashi was feeling good and happy too, with where his nose was right now, he definitely couldn't mistake the positive emotions for anything else. 

Being so close to Hizashi's scent was almost making him feel giddy, and he didn't do giddy. He pushed down the urge to lick or nibble at the warm skin under his face and instead rubbed his cheek into the juncture of Hizashi's neck. He felt the hands in his hair still.

"Shou? You awake down there?" 

He pouted and nodded before butting his head up and knocking lightly against Hizashi's chin. He then tilted his head so it rested in Hizashi's hands.

Hizashi took the hint and resumed his petting, though not without teasing.

"You know you are absolutely adorable, right? I don't think I've met a cat that's cuter than you are right now."

Shouta hid his face in Hizashi's neck again, past the point of embarrassment about the purring, but still unable to stop the blush that was spreading across his face as he purred louder at both the comments and their positions. His tail curled tighter at the same time as his arms and he decided to just enjoy himself. He was happy, Hizashi smelled happy, that's all that actually mattered.

He pushed his nose closer as he detected another layer to the emotion he was picking up. It took more concentration than he would care to admit to focus past the almost electric tingling that Hizashi's touches were causing him. Just trying to decipher whatever feeling Hizashi had mingling with the cheerful joy and warm affection that he had already noticed. It was definitely something that he himself had been feeling but Shouta was having trouble pinpointing which feeling it was. It was warmer than the affection and almost spicy.  It wasn't simple contentment, though that was present too.  He tried to ignore the little voice at the back of his mind whispering that it might be love.  

Even if Hizashi did feel the same way, it didn't mean he was ready to just ask him.

'Hey Zashi, so it turns out that cats can sense emotions through scent and that's one of the things I gained.  So I've been able to analyze a few of your emotions and figure out what most of them are, but I'm not so sure about one in particular. See, it smells very similar to affection but more intense. Do you maybe love me?'  Yeah. No. That would be way too blunt...and weird.  He should probably tell Hizashi that he can scent emotional changes now, but he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable and try to suppress his emotions to hide his scent.   He didn't want to confront Hizashi...but maybe he could ease into it somehow and feel him out a bit?  

Shouta also ignored the little voice that whispered about wanting to feel Hizashi up a bit. If Hizashi was receptive, maybe he could confess his feelings.  He was sure that he wouldn't be hurtful even if he didn't return them, and doing so while he had the ability to sense how truthful the response is would be most logical.

He felt his thoughts trail off as Hizashi started humming a counterpoint to his purring.  Shouta could think more about this later when he wasn't being pampered in such a way. For now, he was just going to bask and enjoy Hizashi cuddles.

-

Hizashi definitely didn't coo when Shouta snuggled closer to him when he started humming. And if he did, it's not like Shouta would have noticed over the sound of his own motorboat purring right now. It's probably a good thing that Shouta wasn't quite coherent for the cuddles. If he was, he might have noticed Hizashi's physical reaction to the moans and mewls that he kept letting out after Hizashi switched to two hands. He was definitely feeling more confident about telling Shouta how he felt after this morning. He didn't think Shouta had even noticed how much casual scenting and almost easy affection he had been showing in his body language and reactions. 

Hizashi continued to stroke down Shouta's back as he tried to think of what other things he could do to hint his feelings. Maybe he could try singing love songs in the shower? He didn't want to be too vague, he was tired of hiding how strongly he felt about Shouta. He hoped that Shouta was catching on.  It's only been a matter of hours, but being able to hold him so close and actually cuddle with him had absolutely ruined Hizashi for how things had been before.

Chapter Text

When Hizashi finally convinced Shouta to let him up so he could use the bathroom, Shouta didn't even bother trying to hide his pout. Instead, he embraced this new power that had he had been granted and turned the saddest kitty eyes he could produce in Hizashi's direction. The involuntary coo that Hizashi let out felt like victory. 

Hizashi's voice was strained when he said, "I promise I'll be right back Shou! It'll only be a few minutes."

Shouta knew that using the bathroom was a basic necessity, but that didn't mean he was going to go easy on Hizashi.  He felt his mouth turn down further and his ears twisted back. 

True to his word, Hizashi was only gone for a few minutes, but in the short time he was gone, Shouta had migrated to his vacated spot and was sitting with his chin on his knees and his tail wrapped around his own ankles. The change in position made the pout even more effective. Hizashi squeaked and clutched his chest.

"Shouta!" he cried as he threw his arms around him. 

Shouta maintained the devastating pout for another moment before he melted into the embrace and nuzzled against Hizashi's chin. Yeah, fuck it.  He's not going back to missing out on Hizashi cuddles, he needs more of this in his life. Once he's confirmed that he can detect lies, he's going to go for it.  Hizashi is worth it, and now that he's had a taste, just the thought of continuing as he had been makes his chest ache. Though he still wasn't going to outright say how much he liked the gentle rocking that most of Hizashi's hugs included.

He also wasn't going to bring up the fact that this hug had lasted even longer than the first one of the morning.  Three hugs. Three hugs in one day has to be a sign. After all, there's the saying, 'Once is chance, twice is coincidence, the third time is a pattern.' Or something like that.  Shouta isn't the best with English sayings, but it's impossible to not pick up a few things when you're living with someone who teaches it.

Shouta would have thought he imagined that Hizashi pressed a kiss to the top of his head except for the way that Hizashi stiffened slightly afterwards. He processed the affectionate action a lot faster this time and purposefully tightened his hold on Hizashi. He had received his signs and there was no way he was letting this opportunity pass.

"Hizashi." He stated much more calmly than he was feeling. "I need you to do something for me, don't ask why yet."

"Sure, Shou, what do you need?"

There was no hesitation in Hizashi's voice.

"I need you to tell me a lie right now. Anything at all, just something that is definitely a lie."

The confusion wafting off of Hizashi made Shouta's nose itch a bit.

"Um, hm, a lie?" Hizashi lightly drummed his fingers against Shouta's back while he thought. "My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate."

Shouta thought he could detect a sour note and a slight sense of wrong but he needed more to know that he could trust this ability with something as important as his feelings.

"Another please, something you feel more strongly about?"

"Ah, I love wasabi!"

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Even if Shouta didn't know that Hizashi could barely tolerate the taste of wasabi before, the sour-bitter tang of wrong in the air would have clued him in. So this proves it. He could detect lies, and fairly accurately for big ones. That means he's doing this. He's really going to do this and confess his feelings to his best friend of almost twelve years.

He pulled back just enough to make eye contact.  This is important and he needs to make sure he does it right.

Hizashi's expression was soft as their eyes met.

"Did you figure out whatever you needed to?" he asked.

Shouta smiled, "I did." he said as he moved his hands to cradle Hizashi's face.

They were only a few inches apart. Now that Shouta was committed to saying how he felt, he didn't feel nervous anymore. This moment had been a long time coming.  He stroked his thumb over Hizashi's cheek, took a deep breath, and said, "Hizashi. I love you. Just seeing you can brighten up my day. I know this might seem sudden, but I have had feelings for you for longer than I can even define."

Hizashi's eyes widened before he squeezed them shut as they teared up.  Normally, if Shouta had received this reaction to a love confession, he would probably be feeling discouraged. Right now, however, he was very in tune to Hizashi's emotions and Hizashi's joy was nearly overpowering him.

He continued while he still had some control over himself. He was going to try his best to make his feelings crystal clear. "Every time you laugh it lights up the room you're in. You're far too kind for the world we live in, and you make a difference every day with how much of yourself you give to help others. I want to be there to catch you when you stumble, I want to be the one to hold you at night, I want to follow you wherever you go. With how close we've been since just last night...just the thought of being apart from you makes my heart ache. I am so thoroughly addicted to you, I need your smile like I need air. So yeah," he finished with a blush creeping over his face at having laid his emotions bare under Hizashi's intent gaze, "Hizashi, I love you."

"I don't think you know how much it means to me to hear you say that." Hizashi whispered.

He closed the short distance between them and kissed Shouta.

As far as first kisses went, this one was pretty amazing. It was gentle and full of emotion. Shouta used his thumbs to wipe away the happy tears that Hizashi was still shedding as he pressed up into the kiss.

When they drew back for breath Shouta said, "I think I've got a bit of an idea."

Hizashi let out a soft huff laugh before he mirrored Shouta's hold.

"Shouta," he said while looking at him with the softest expression he could ever remember receiving, "I love you too.  I have for years now. Not only are you incredibly attractive under those baggy clothes, you are an incredible person. You think I'm kind?" He huffed again, "You are kind. You act so tough, but I've seen that soft and gentle heart you try to hide. I've seen you comfort scared children, I've seen you protect people and animals from villains, I've seen you cry over sappy movies. There is so much more to you than what you let people see."

Hizashi leaned forward so that he was touching their foreheads together and closed his eyes. "The way you look at me makes me feel so special and important. I have never felt happier than when I'm taking care of you. Never felt more loved than when you look at me.  I have never felt like I mattered more than when I have your attention on me. I don't want you to follow me, I want you to walk beside me wherever we might want to go, hand in hand. Shouta, I love you so much that sometimes the intensity of it will take my breath away, and with a quirk like mine," he smirked and opened his eyes, "I have well above average lung capacity."

Shouta felt like his heart might explode with how much intense emotion he was feeling right now. He couldn't regret waiting so long to say something, if only because it led to them here, in this moment. Would a confession have meant so much if they hadn't held their feelings for so long? Would they have felt so strongly without the years to learn each other so well? He didn't let himself worry about it right now, he had much more important things to ponder. Things like if Hizashi's lips were really that soft? Or, how long they could kiss before they absolutely had to breathe.

He slid his hands from Hizashi's face, down his shoulders, and rested them lightly on his back. Shouta paused a little longer to savour the tender moment before gleefully yanking Hizashi down onto himself.  By the time that the startled flailing had stopped, he had managed to get them horizontal on the couch with Hizashi hovering over him.

Shouta smirked up at Hizashi as he lightly kneaded along his shoulders and back.

"Not gonna wait?" Hizashi asked.

Shouta shook his head smugly while continuing to maintain eye contact, "I think we've waited long enough, don't you?"

Hizashi grinned and made a noise of agreement. He leaned in closer so he could whisper directly into Shouta's ear, "Boyfriends?"

Shouta shivered slightly as Hizashi's voice seemed to caress his sensitive ear.

"Absolutely."

-

After they had managed to separate from each other long enough to become presentable again, Hizashi abruptly spun to point his finger an inch from Shouta's nose and exclaimed, "We missed lunch!"

Shouta looked at him placidly for a moment before licking the finger in front of his face.

"Shouta!" Hizashi yelped as he snatched his hand back before anything else could be done to it.

Shouta's innocent expression melted into a smug grin, "I'm not too worried about us missing lunch," he raised an eyebrow, "we haven't exactly been using a lot of energy today."

Hizashi crossed his arms and pouted before conceding defeat.

"Regardless! We are definitely not skipping dinner!"

Hizashi stalked into the kitchen and after a few beats, Shouta followed him. 

When he saw that Hizashi was halfway into the cupboard, Shouta took the opportunity presented to him and draped himself over Hizashi's back and shoulders like a particularly affectionate blanket.

Hizashi paused to lean his head back and nuzzle Shouta's face. After he had retrieved his items from the cupboard, he dragged himself and his living backpack to the counter. It took a few more trips between the various counters and appliances before Hizashi sighed and said, "Shou, I love being this close to you, but I gotta work in here." He kept his eyes closed as he turned around so that he wouldn't break under a kitty pout and patted the counter by the fridge.

"Hop up here if you need to be in here while I'm cooking." 

He waited until he felt Shouta's arms leave him before he opened his eyes to watch him perch on the counter and sulk.

"Don't be like that, love." Hizashi leaned in to caress a fluffy ear and snatch a quick kiss, then continued on his quest to make dinner.

Shouta slumped against the fridge as Hizashi resumed his kitchen dance.  His pout faded away quickly as he was content to watch Hizashi working. It also didn't hurt that every time he had to pass by, he would snag a quick kiss. Having Shouta in the kitchen while he worked proved to still be a distraction, but neither of them were going to complain if dinner took a little longer than normal to make.

-

Shouta barely paid attention to the food, as delicious as it was, instead he spent most of his time and attention during dinner watching Hizashi.  Now that they were together, he felt no need to be subtle and was blatantly staring at him from across the table. Since he barely spoke during the meal he was able to shove his empty plate aside and rest his chin on his hands as he did so. His ears perked up when he realized that while he couldn't hold Hizashi's hand as he ate without prolonging their time separated by the table, his feet were not occupied.

When Hizashi paused in his storytelling to take another bite of food, Shouta casually slipped one of his feet between Hizashi's and entwined their legs under the table. The sappy grin that he received made up for the slight embarrassment of not being as subtle as he would like.

When it came time to do the dishes yet again, Shouta found he didn't mind having to clean and dry dishes so often since it was another opportunity to spend time next to Hizashi. They finished the clean up faster than the breakfast dishes and were soon back on the couch for post-dinner cuddles. After meal cuddles with Hizashi were quickly becoming one of Shouta's favorite pastimes.

He wiggled a little from where he was lounged against Hizashi, trying to maneuver his tail into a more comfortable position instead of being half pinned against the back of the couch.

"You good, Shou?" 

He made a grumpy sound of frustration before reaching back with his hand to free his tail from its confinement.

"I like the tail, but I would like it more if I didn't have to worry about sitting in a way that is uncomfortable."

Hizashi hummed in thought before sitting up straighter as he said, "Oh! You could try wearing a skirt, I bet that would be more comfortable with your tail! I have a few in my closet that you could try out tomorrow."

Shouta narrowed his eyes slightly at Hizashi and said, "That probably would be more comfortable for around the apartment, but are you sure that you don't just want to see me in a skirt?"

Hizashi smirked as he said, "It would be more logical to wear something comfortable, right?"

Shouta once again demonstrated his fine muscle control by raising a single eyebrow as he said, "You didn't deny that you want to see me in a skirt."

Hizashi chuckled and said, "Well you won't need one for sleeping, and pants are also optional."

Shouta let himself slide off the couch and gestured towards their bedrooms, "Well then, it is only logical to get ready for bed now if it means that I can be more comfortable.  The question is, yours or mine?"

Hizashi stretched his arms high over his head as he stood from the couch. He idly watched Shouta's attention snap to the sliver of stomach that showed when his shirt lifted. "Definitely mine, it's cleaner and the bed is bigger and more comfortable."

He dropped his arms and took Shouta's hand to gently tug him in the direction of his room. "C'mon, we can get comfy and cuddle just as well on the bed as we can on the couch."

Shouta let himself be led into the other room.  He was already looking forward to the promised cuddles and being able to curl up against Hizashi as closely as possible.

-

Hizashi woke to the feeling of hot breath on his face. When he opened his eyes, Shouta was less than two inches away and staring intently at him. Hizashi huffed in amusement before asking, "Like what you see?"

Shouta's expression softened and he nuzzled his cheek against Hizashi's and quietly answered, "I love what I see."

Hizashi turned his face to bring their lips together in a tender kiss. Shouta quickly reciprocated, pressing down against him, demonstrating how much more awake he was feeling as Hizashi stroked the fuzzy strip of fur running down his spine.

When they had stopped to regain their breath, Hizashi wrinkled his nose slightly and gently pushed Shouta away.

"Shou. I love you, but you stink. Please go take a shower before you try on any of my clothes."

Shouta pouted and averted his eyes, not moving from his position of pinning Hizashi to the bed.

"C'mon Shou. It's just a quick shower, you haven't bathed since before your patrol, have you? You can't go over two weeks without bathing, that would be unhygienic!"

Shouta deepened his pout, cat ears twisting backwards, "Don't want to." he admitted.

Hizashi managed to hold in his sigh of exasperation.  Barely. "Shouta, you're very sweet, but you don't smell like it. Do I need to make you shower?"

Seeing the hopeful expression starting to spread across Shouta's face, Hizashi quickly backpedaled, "Actually, no.  That would take way too long." Ignoring the pout that was trying to change his mind from close range, he offered, "I can blow dry your hair for you when you're done if you'd like."

Shouta let out a long sigh and said, "I suppose that would be nice."

Hizashi knew that he was actually very pleased with the offer by the way his ears had pointed forward and his tail was perked. Shouta rolled off of him and quietly grunted as his bare feet met the floor, before padding off in the direction of the bathroom.

Hizashi watched him go, glad that he didn't have to hide the smitten expression on his face anymore. When he heard the water start up, he groaned and sat up in bed.  He rubbed his eyes before putting on his glasses, letting the room come into focus. He stretched for a moment, enjoying the slow start to the morning, before getting up and heading to his closet to pull out his skirt collection. He grinned at the thought of Shouta trying on the glitzy ones that are covered in rhinestones or other shiny bits and pieces. He knew Shouta wouldn't go for them, but even the thought of his affronted face when he sees them brings Hizashi some small amount of amusement.

Sooner than he would have been done himself, the water cuts out and it only takes another minute or two for Shouta to return. He was just wearing black briefs and had a towel draped across his shoulders to keep his hair from dripping everywhere.

Hizashi's mouth goes dry.  

It's not like he's a stranger to seeing Shouta shirtless, or even dripping wet from the shower or with sweat after a hard workout. But now he's allowed to look. His boyfriend is incredibly attractive.

Shouta noticed his staring and quirked an eyebrow as he parroted Hizashi's earlier question, "Like what you see?"

Hizashi closed the distance between them to pull Shouta in close and said, "You are the hottest person I know." He held him close, ignoring the wet hair, and kissed Shouta on the nose, then his cheeks, and finally a longer kiss on the mouth. "I think you can tell how much I like what I see."

Shouta's blush was visible all the way down his chest and Hizashi was delighted at how easily flustered he was.

"Come sit over here." He drew away from Shouta and patted the chair he had set facing away from the full length mirror that hung on his closet door. He had Shouta sit backwards in the chair, facing the mirror and leaning on the backrest.  He had a feeling that Shouta would melt out of the chair once he got started and that he would need that additional support.

Once Shouta was situated, arms folded across the back of the chair and chin resting on his arms, Hizashi got to work.  First he used the towel to gently squeeze as much water out of the thick hair as he could before he returned it to Shouta's shoulders. Next, he took a wide-toothed comb and carefully brushed out the tangles.  By the time Hizashi had finished de-tangling his hair, Shouta was in a similar state to the day before.  He had his eyes closed and was as relaxed as he could get without actually being asleep, and he was purring loudly.

Hizashi couldn't stop the gentle grin if he wanted to as he switched on the hair dryer to a low heat setting and used a combination of the comb and a few brushes to work through the layers of Shouta's hair. Once he had clicked the dryer off and returned it to its place, he continued to brush through Shouta's hair for a few minutes.  He was especially glad for the mirror as it let him see Shouta's face as he worked.

Hizashi carefully set the brush down so as to not make noise before returning to stroking through Shouta's hair with his hands. He transitioned from scratching his scalp to rubbing his shoulders and back, enjoying the happy groans that interrupted the purrs as he worked out the stiffness. Hizashi stooped forward to plant a lingering kiss over a red mark on Shouta's shoulder, meeting his half-lidded gaze reflected through the mirror.

Hizashi leaned a little further forward to swipe another proper kiss before he gave Shouta's shoulders a brief squeeze. "I'm going to go get my own shower now.  Feel free to pick out anything you want to try on or wear."

He waited for the grunt of agreement before he made his way to the bathroom. Once he had closed the door, Hizashi leaned against it for a moment and clutched at his chest lightly. How could one man both be so adorable and hot at the same time? He fanned himself briefly before starting the shower up and resolving to get through his routine faster than usual so he wouldn't miss out on Shouta trying on his clothing.

-

Shouta held one of the promised skirts against himself in front of the mirror and tried to decide if it was something he would feel comfortable wearing around the apartment. The small pile of rejected skirts mostly included glittery multicolored monstrosities. He turned slightly as he studied his reflection.  The current skirt was a dark grey and would be long enough to cover to his knees. After another moment of contemplation, he decided to just go with it and slipped it on. It was a lot more comfortable than the last time he had had to wear a skirt.  The undercover mission where he had to cross-dress for a week and wear skirts and dresses the entire time and they couldn't seem to give him anything that wasn't a scratchy or stiff material. 

Still not the weirdest thing he had to do for hero work or had happen to him. The important thing was that the skirt was low enough on his hips to allow his tail to be free, but high enough to give him a little bit of modesty. It didn't hurt that he would probably be able to wind Hizashi up by lounging around in a skirt.

As if summoned by the thought, Hizashi came over and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on Shouta's shoulder and meeting his eyes in the mirror. 

"You look stunning.  Is this the one that you want to wear today?"

Shouta nodded and answered, "Yes, it's comfortable and shouldn't get in the way."

He leaned back into Hizashi and took a moment to savour the soft look on his face. He reached up a hand to Hizashi's cheek and turned in his embrace to face him. Hizashi's hands settled at his hips as they took a few minutes to exchange more kisses. Shouta wrapped his arms around Hizashi's back and nuzzled against his chest, rubbing his cheeks against the soft material of his boyfriend's shirt. After a few minutes they were disturbed by a loud rumbling that came not from Shouta's chest, but from his stomach. 

"Hungry?" Hizashi asked with a gentle smirk.

"It would appear so.  It's almost like someone has been feeding me meals at semi-regular times."

"Almost." Hizashi agreed before tugging him in the direction of the bedroom door.

It was only a short time later before they were both seated at the table and enjoying breakfast together again. Shouta, if asked, would probably admit that having home cooked food was superior to the jelly pouches as long as he was not the one doing the cooking. If Hizashi was planning on giving them more reasons to spend time together by getting him used to normal mealtimes...then it was working, and he found that he didn't mind.

"Hey Shou?" Hizashi asked, interrupting Shouta's idle musing.

"Hm?"

"I ordered some tail-friendly pants for you yesterday.  They should arrive later today.  Perks of being a pro when it comes to rush orders."

"What do I need those for? I can wear my hero costume when I'm out and the skirts work well enough if I need to wear something at home.  Also, how did you get my pants size?"

"Well," Hizashi began while propping his chin on his hand, "You can't just wear the same outfit for two weeks, and it would be illogical to cut holes in more of your clothing, you don't exactly have an expansive wardrobe to start with. Your hero costume will work at the school and for official hero related things, but it would be useful to have something nicer that you can wear outside, something that was actually designed to accommodate a tail." He grinned, "As for your size, Shou, I do almost all the laundry.  I know what all of your sizes are."

Shouta felt a blush spread across his face at the comment. "I suppose that is logical.  Thank you for thinking of my needs."

"Of course Shou!" Hizashi chirped.  He reached out to ruffle Shouta's hair before getting up and taking the empty dishes to be cleaned.

Shouta was quick to follow after him with his own dishes and they fell into the easy rhythm of washing and drying dishes that was quickly becoming routine. He was definitely getting used to this.

-

Once they had settled onto the couch together and Shouta was curled up in his lap, Hizashi brought up something he knew they needed to talk about.

"Hey Shouta."

"Hm?" Shouta tilted his head back against Hizashi's chest to look at him.

Hizashi squeezed him into a tighter hug at the adorable response before he continued, "I have to go back to teaching tomorrow, but Nedzu gave you the rest of the week off of teacher duties. I don't think you should stay here alone. I would prefer if you came in with me to the school and the radio station."

"Ok."

"I just would feel better if you were near people and not alone if something happened. And you can grade papers or nap anywhere!" Hizashi quickly said before realizing, "Oh, I wasn't expecting you to agree so easily..."

Shouta huffed and added, "Your points are reasonable. The whole reason why I wasn't allowed to get myself home after the quirk is because things have happened to heroes in the past and it's a valid concern. It's true that I can finish my grading or nap at the school as easily as here, and I do want to spend as much time as possible around you." He ducked his head down after admitting that and rubbed his cheek against Hizashi's shirt.

Hizashi wasn't sure if he was making a noise or not with how cute Shouta was being, but judging by the twitchy ear flicks against his neck, he probably was. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, smiling once he had calmed himself a bit, "You know, you could probably use some of the free time to mess with Vlad King."

Shouta managed to meet his eyes again at that statement and said, "The thought may have crossed my mind," with a feral grin spreading across his face.

Hizashi decided in that moment, that he would keep his nose out of whatever shenanigans Shouta got up to in regards to Vlad King. Nedzu would be more than enough to handle whatever happened. Well, Nedzu would probably revel in the chaos too much, at least Recovery Girl would probably stop them if they went too far. Probably.

"We also should set some general guidelines for how we interact in public.  I know we aren't going to want to advertise our relationship to the media for one."

Shouta nodded and added wryly, "Yeah, I don't exactly want to get torn apart by your rabid fans. I'm pretty attached to my limbs."

Hizashi snorted. "Fair enough. Plus the whole 'It's safer if people can't connect our hero personas to our civilian identities' thing. Keep the PDA to our civilian lives and safe places like the teacher's lounge?"

"Yeah, that's acceptable. We can still be friendly in costume, as we always have been, and just leave anyone who suspects more guessing. Teacher's lounge and anywhere where students can't see is fair game."

"I'm down with that." Hizashi said before asking, "So, what should we do with the rest of our day?"

Shouta smirked up at him, "Cuddling, making out. I don't care as long as it doesn't involve leaving this couch. The only way you're getting me off of it is if you carry me."

Hizashi hummed and moved so they were lying on the couch. "You're insatiable."

Shouta entwined their legs and kissed him. "We've got about a decade to make up for." He tugged a clawed hand through Hizashi's hair, massaging lightly, "And you aren't exactly complaining."

Hizashi leaned closer, loving the feeling of Shouta's hands in his hair. "I'm definitely not complaining."

-