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The living room was a mix of soft blankets, colorful baby toys scattered across the floor, and the faint hum of a lullaby playing on Shinsou’s phone. At the center of it all sat Sakura, her tiny legs spread as she clutched a plush bunny to her chest. She was two now, her dark, curious eyes taking in everything around her with the kind of wonder that made Bakugou’s and Shinsou’s hearts ache.
Her dads stood nearby, exchanging a look that spoke volumes. Today was a big day—one they’d been planning for weeks.
“Ready for this?” Bakugou asked, his arms crossed but his voice softer than usual.
“Been ready,” Shinsou replied, a small, nervous smile tugging at his lips. His violet eyes darted toward the couch, where the empty corner seemed to wait for something—or someone.
Sakura, oblivious to her dads’ quiet exchange, was busy making her bunny “hop” on the carpet. Her little giggles filled the room, a sound so sweet it softened even Bakugou’s sharp edges.
It had been just under a year since Sakura had come into their lives, and every day since had been a whirlwind of learning, love, and adjustment. The decision to adopt her had been immediate and unquestionable, but it hadn’t come without sacrifices.
One of the biggest sacrifices, at least for Shinsou, had been temporarily leaving Marmalade, his orange tabby cat, with Aizawa and Yamada.
It wasn’t a choice he’d made lightly. Marmalade had been his companion for years, a constant in his life through everything. But when they’d brought Sakura home, both he and Bakugou had agreed they needed time to focus solely on her without the added chaos of a cat who had a habit of knocking things over and claiming every soft surface as his own.
Shinsou had visited Marmalade daily, making the short trip to Aizawa and Yamada’s place to check in. Aizawa, ever the quiet and reliable presence, had assured him Marmalade was fine. Yamada, on the other hand, had regularly sent him photo updates of the cat lounging in ridiculous positions or stealing Aizawa’s spot on the couch.
Still, Shinsou had missed him. Every time he walked into their apartment and didn’t hear the soft thud of Marmalade jumping down to greet him, it felt like something was missing.
Now, with Sakura older and more aware of the world around her, it finally felt like the right time to bring Marmalade home.
“You think this is a good idea?” Shinsou asked, his voice low but tinged with amusement. He held a cat treat between his fingers, dangling it just out of Marmalade’s reach.
“She’s gotta meet him sometime,” Bakugou replied, crossing his arms. His tone was casual, but there was a faint edge of worry in his crimson eyes as he watched the two unlikely roommates sizing each other up. “Plus this was your idea.”
“Marmalade’s... not exactly a baby person,” Shinsou pointed out.
Bakugou snorted. “Marmalade’s not exactly a people person.”
From her spot on the floor, Sakura babbled something incomprehensible, waving her bunny in Marmalade’s direction. She didn’t seem nervous—if anything, she looked thrilled. Marmalade's green eyes flicked between Sakura, her dads, and the bunny she waved enthusiastically in his direction.
“Think he’ll go for it?” Shinsou asked, his voice low and tinged with amusement as he crouched beside Bakugou.
Bakugou glanced at Marmalade, then at his daughter, who was practically vibrating with excitement. “He’s been tolerating you for years,” he said, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “I figure he’ll survive her.”
“Generous,” Shinsou muttered, shaking his head.
Sakura’s little voice broke through their banter, filled with the kind of uncontainable joy only a toddler could manage. “Kitty!” she squealed, her tiny hands clapping together.
Marmalade’s tail flicked, and his ears twitched as he turned his full attention to the child. He didn’t look annoyed—just...curious, in his aloof, dignified way.
“Alright, Sakura,” Bakugou said, resting a hand on her shoulder as she squirmed in excitement. “Kitty is called Marmalade. Be nice to him, got it?”
Sakura blinked up at him, then turned her wide eyes back to the cat. “Mar...la!” she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.
“Close enough,” Shinsou said with a grin.
Sakura tilted her head back to look up at him, her eyes big and solemn. “Nice,” she repeated, her voice soft and serious.
Shinsou chuckled, holding out a cat treat to the fluffy orange king. “You hear that, Marm? She’s promising to be nice. That’s more than I usually get.”
Marmalade sniffed the treat cautiously, then took it delicately from Shinsou’s fingers. He chewed with slow precision, as if savoring the attention.
“There,” Shinsou murmured, scratching behind Marmalade’s ears. “Good Kitty.”
Sakura gasped in awe. "Kitty! Eats!” she announced, bouncing in place.
Bakugou bit back a laugh, ruffling her messy hair. “Yeah, he eats, baby. You eat too, don’t you?”
“Uh-huh,” she said, still staring at the cat. Her voice dropped to a whisper, her expression turning serious. “Pretty.”
Marmalade, now finished with his treat, turned his attention to Sakura. He stared at her for a long moment, his tail flicking in slow, deliberate movements.
Sakura giggled, holding out her bunny as if offering it to him. “Kitty!” she said, her voice high and sweet.
Marmalade seemed to understand the compliment, because he leapt gracefully from the couch and padded closer. To everyones surprise, he stopped a few feet away, sitting down primly and regarding Sakura with his unblinking green eyes.
Sakura’s breath caught. She leaned forward, holding out her bunny as an offering. “Kitty,” she whispered, her voice trembling with awe. “Nice. M-M-Mawmala!”
Bakugou tensed slightly, ready to intervene if Marmalade showed even the slightest hint of annoyance. But the cat surprised them all again by leaning forward and sniffing Sakura’s outstretched fingers. The sight made something in Bakugou’s chest tighten. He exchanged a glance with Shinsou, whose lopsided smile mirrored his own.
“You think he’s gonna take it?” Bakugou murmured.
Shinsou raised a brow. “Marmalade? Absolutely not.”
But Marmalade proved them wrong. The cat leaned forward, sniffing the bunny’s floppy ears before brushing his nose against Sakura’s outstretched fingers.
She giggled, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. “Kitty! Kitty!”
“Damn,” Bakugou muttered under his breath. “He likes her.”
Shinsou arched a brow, sitting back on his heels. “Of course he does. She’s irresistible.”
Bakugou couldn’t stop the soft chuckle that escaped him. Addressing Sakura, “Guess he likes you, Sakura.”
“More than he likes me,” Shinsou added dryly, though the fondness in his tone was unmistakable.
Sakura, emboldened by Marmalade’s apparent approval, set the bunny down and crawled a little closer. She reached out cautiously, her tiny fingers trembling as they hovered near his fur. Sakura let out a delighted giggle as Marmalade brushed his head against her tiny hand. She reached out carefully, her small fingers brushing through his soft fur.
“Gentle,” Shinsou reminded her, his voice low but steady.
She nodded solemnly, her hand moving with careful deliberation as she stroked Marmalade’s back. The cat’s fur was soft and warm, and the sensation made her giggle again, a sound so pure and sweet it made both her dads smile.
“Soft,” she said, her voice filled with wonder.
Marmalade, to everyone’s surprise, didn’t move away. Instead, he stretched out his front paws, lowering himself into a comfortable loaf position beside her. The cat, to everyone’s astonishment, began to purr—a deep, rumbling sound that filled the room.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Shinsou said, his grin widening. “Looks like she’s got the Marmalade seal of approval.”
Bakugou huffed, but his lips curved into a small smile as he watched Sakura giggle and pet the cat. “Guess so. He’s makin’ himself comfortable.”
Shinsou smirked. “You’re jealous.”
“Shut up.”
Sakura turned to look up at her dads, her face glowing with joy. “Kitty!” she declared again, pointing at Marmalade as if they hadn’t noticed him.
“Yeah, he is,” Bakugou said, his voice soft as he crouched beside her. He reached out to scratch behind Marmalade’s ears, earning himself a small headbutt from the cat.
Sakura giggled again, her joy bubbling over as she leaned down to nuzzle her face against Marmalade’s fur. The cat didn’t flinch—he simply blinked, looking at her with an expression that could only be described as resigned affection.
“That’s your kitty now.” Shinsou said, ruffling her hair.
Marmalade, seemingly satisfied with the introduction, curled up beside Sakura, his tail wrapping neatly around his body. The little girl beamed, reaching for her bunny again and setting it beside the cat, as if inviting him to play.
Shinsou leaned into Bakugou’s side, his voice soft. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a family pet.”
“Tch,” Bakugou muttered, though the warmth in his eyes betrayed him. “He was already family. Just needed to make it official.”
“Kitty. Love kitty.,” she whispered, her little voice filled with awe.
Shinsou let out a quiet huff, his chest feeling impossibly full. “Yeah, squirt. He does.”
For the next twenty minutes, Sakura refused to leave Marmalade’s side. She followed him around the room as he stretched, circled, and flopped onto the rug. Every time he settled, she’d gently pat his side or lay her bunny beside him, chattering softly as if they were having a deep conversation.
“I think we’ve been replaced,” Shinsou said, leaning back on his hands as he watched the scene unfold.
Bakugou snorted, crossing his arms. “Yeah? Bet you’re fine with that.”
Shinsou grinned, nudging him with his elbow. “Maybe. But only because it’s cute as hell.”
Bakugou didn’t respond—he was too busy watching Sakura press a sloppy kiss to Marmalade’s fur. The cat let out a low purr, his tail flicking lazily as he tolerated the affection.
“Kitty,” Sakura whispered again, her little voice trembling with love as she leaned down to press her cheek against Marmalade’s soft fur. Her tiny hand rested on his side, her fingers gently curling into his orange coat. “Love Kitty! Love Daddy! Love Papa!”
The words hit like a tidal wave, small and simple but carrying so much weight. Bakugou’s throat tightened, the warmth in his chest threatening to overwhelm him. He looked at Shinsou, who was already watching him, his violet eyes soft and full of something Bakugou couldn’t quite name but felt down to his bones.
“She’s somethin’ else,” Bakugou murmured, his voice rough around the edges.
“She’s perfect,” Shinsou replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Marmalade let out a low, rumbling purr, stretching his paws forward as if to punctuate the moment. Sakura giggled, lifting her head to look between the cat and her dads. Her wide, dark eyes sparkled with pure, unfiltered joy.
“Papa, kitty 'appy!” she exclaimed, pointing at Marmalade like it was the most groundbreaking discovery in the world.
“Yeah, flower,” Bakugou said, his lips twitching into a rare, soft smile. “Guess he is.”
Sakura’s little face scrunched with determination as she turned back to Marmalade, leaning close enough that her nose almost touched his. “Kitty,” she whispered again, her voice reverent, “I love you.”
Shinsou chuckled, his heart swelling at the sight of their daughter pouring her affection into the world. “She’s got a big heart, huh?”
“Takes after me,” Bakugou muttered, though his ears were tinged pink.
Shinsou smirked but didn’t argue. Instead, he shifted closer, his shoulder brushing against Bakugou’s as they watched Sakura stroke Marmalade’s side with her tiny hands. The cat, ever the aloof monarch, seemed completely at ease, his tail flicking lazily as he soaked up the attention.
Sakura turned back to her dads, her expression suddenly serious. “Papa, Daddy, Kitty now eats.”
Bakugou blinked, then let out a bark of laughter. “Oh, does he?”
“Uh-huh,” she said with a firm nod. “Kitty eats now!”
Shinsou raised a brow, his lips quirking upward. “Looks like someone’s already learned how to advocate for her furry best friend.”
Bakugou stood, ruffling her hair as he passed. “Alright, sweetheart. I’ll get his food. You stay here and keep him happy.”
“Otay!” Sakura chirped, turning back to Marmalade. She picked up her stuffed bunny, holding it out to the cat as if sharing a grand treasure.
Shinsou watched her with quiet awe, his chest so full it was hard to breathe. When Bakugou returned with a small dish of Marmalade’s favorite food, he handed it off to Shinsou, who placed it carefully on the floor.
“Here, pumpkin,” Shinsou said, guiding Sakura’s hands toward the dish. “You can give it to him.”
Sakura’s face lit up as she placed the dish in front of Marmalade, clapping her hands in delight when the cat began to eat. “Likes! Kitty likes! 'appy!”
Bakugou crouched beside her, his large, calloused hand resting gently on her back. “Good job, Sakura. You’re takin’ care of him already.”
Sakura beamed, turning to wrap her little arms around Bakugou’s neck in a sudden hug. “Love 'ou, Papa,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his sweater.
Bakugou paused for a moment, his crimson eyes wide. Then he exhaled, his arms wrapping around her tiny frame as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Yeah,” he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “Love you too, baby girl.”
Not to be left out, Sakura wriggled free and crawled over to Shinsou, throwing herself into his lap. “Love 'ou, Daddy!” she said, her tiny hands clutching at his hoodie.
Shinsou’s breath caught, his arms closing around her as he pressed his forehead gently to hers. “Love you too, baby,” he murmured, his voice barely steady.
Sakura giggled, leaning back to point at Marmalade, who was still eating with regal indifference. “Love 'uo, Kitty!”
The two men exchanged a look, their hearts overflowing. They didn’t say anything—words weren’t necessary. The love filling the room, from Sakura’s tiny giggles to Marmalade’s contented purring, was more than enough.
As the evening settled into a comfortable quiet, Sakura curled up between her dads, her tiny hands clutching Marmalade’s tail gently as he sprawled across her lap. The cat didn’t protest—in fact, he seemed almost protective, his green eyes flicking up occasionally as if to make sure everything was as it should be.
And in that warm, quiet room, their little family felt whole.