Chapter Text
Shouta's eyes burn as he nears the end of his patrol, one too many incidents for his typical night. He is also out much later than normal, as he ended up taking the patrol of fellow underground hero Fable due to an emergency. Plus he's avoiding his partner due to their earlier fight about getting a cat. He would never tell Hizashi that, especially when the blonde is right about it not being a good idea.
The frigid air bites at the hero's skin through his hero costume as the cold of the winter night reminds him that he should be home in his bed by now. He stops and perches on the edge of the roof he is currently on, breathing the warm air from his lungs into his cupped hands to warm them up. The fact that his hands are shaking likely means that he really should head in for the night, but the sound of a scream sets him into motion.
Shouta's instincts are the only thing that keeps him on the rooftops as he makes his way to the source of the sound. He catches himself barely making the jump a few times but he keeps pushing. The shouting from the alley below makes him freeze; the source of the scream is pleading with her attacker to stop. The raven-haired man drops from the roof onto the figure opposite her.
They collapse to the ground with a groan from the sudden weight. He springs off before they recover, readying for a fight. Doing his best to focus on his opponent, he puts himself between the woman and her attacker. He's ready to activate his quirk once they make their move.
They launch at him with a barrage of blows, quick and clearly trained. The hero takes a few punches as his stamina depletes even more. The burning in his eyes is distracting as he forces himself to overuse his quirk. A migraine is nothing in comparison to how it feels when he loses a victim to a villain. He can't land a knockout hit but he manages to push them back further down the alley.
He backs them into the wall at the end of the alley, where they struggle to continue dodging his attempts to knock them out. Finally, a well-placed strike to the temple makes them fall limp. He somehow still has zip-ties on him, so he uses them to restrain the villain. He leaves them behind to go check on their victim.
He makes his footsteps deliberately loud as he approaches her, but the glaze of her eyes gives away her panic. It deepens at his approach, a cloud of smoke exploding around her. He uses his scarf to cover his mouth and nose as best he can and crouches in front of her. The hero gently takes her hand and brings it to his chest while he exaggerates his breathing. She slowly regains control and the smoke of her quirk dissipates. Her eyes widen as she takes his appearance in.
"Are you okay?" Shouta asks.
She nods. "I think so, I think he really just shook me up. I'm sorry for bothering you."
"It's not a bother. It's my job." He helps her to her feet before he checks her over, just to be safe. He pulls his phone out to dial Tsukauchi.
She smiles, though it's strained.
"Eraserhead? You're still awake?" The detective sounds like he just woke up at his desk, and the sound of papers shuffling in the background just solidifies that idea.
"I picked up that double patrol, remember? Anyway, I need you to come to block 42. I've been hit by a civilian's quirk, and I have a villain for pickup." He paces while he talks, a nervous tic he's picked up from one of his students.
"Block 42, got it." The call ends immediately after the words leave the detective's mouth.
"Let's get you out of the alley, that way you'll be easier to spot when they get here." The hero lets the woman lean on him as he leads her to the mouth of the alley.
Shouta gets her settled before he doubles back to check on the villain, who seems to be coming to. To reduce the risk of being hit by a second quirk, he uses his capture weapon to drag them towards the entrance of the alleyway. He positions the villain where the cops should be able to spot them easily, but their victim shouldn't be able to see them from where she is sitting.
Shouta carefully approaches the victim again. "You activated your quirk earlier, but I don't feel any effects. Is there anything I need to worry about?"
"I am so sorry. I don't know the full extent of my quirk because I'm not supposed to use it. All I can tell you is that, at some point in the next twenty-four hours, you will change into an animal that most matches your personality. I don't know how long it will last. It depends on how much you breathed in," she explains.
He nods. "Thank you. You may have to explain it to the police as well once they get here," he says.
"I think I can do that," she says, her resolution clear in her tone.
"If you're alright with it I'm going to find a place where I can see both you and your attacker. In the event something happens before the police come it will be the fastest way for me to respond,” he says.
She nods. "I should be fine knowing a hero is watching over me. Thank you," she says.
He pulls himself up onto the roof so that he can keep an eye on them both while they wait for the police to arrive. He pulls out his bottle of eye drops and squeezes a few in with practiced ease. He notices that the bottle feels empty once he's is done, and he adds it to the mental list of things to restock in his utility belt once things return to normal. He rubs his eyes with a yawn, but does his best to remain alert. Might not be how I imagined my night ending, but hopefully I will make it home before I transform.
The sound of sirens is welcome, and he can already spot Tsukauchi's car down the road. He feels relieved that his night is almost over as he descends back into the alley. He is honestly glad that he expelled his entire class this year - it means he doesn't have to worry about explaining why he's out to anyone but Nedzu, who he's sure will be notified once the police have the details of the quirk. He's more than ready to wrap this up.
The cars pull to a stop. Tsukauchi and Sansa step out of the one in front of the convoy. The pair approach Shouta first as other officers collect the villain and check on the civilian.
"Eraser, can you please give your verbal report?" the detective asks.
The raven-haired man recounts the events of the fight and the quirk accident that followed. "And that's when I called you. Nothing happened since other than your arrival. If that's all, I'm going to wrap up my patrol and head home."
"I don't believe we'll need anything else, other than your written report. That can be turned in once you are clear of the quirk's effect. Mic should be able to monitor your situation and report anything immediate, should that become necessary." Tsukauchi click his pen. "Good luck Eraser, you'll need it."
Shouta gives a curt nod before he scales to the roof. He has one last stop before his patrol finishes. There's a tall building on this side of town where he's talked down a few kids, so he checks it every patrol for any would-be jumpers. It's not much further now, and he had been on his way when he heard the scream. He feels a second wind of stamina at the thought of checking that off his list, then going home to see his husband.
The hero lands on the empty roof. It seems that there is nothing to worry about tonight. He relaxes due to this knowledge. That's when the migraine that typically signifies quirk overuse latches onto his skull. His heartbeat pounds behind his eyes, which light up like he's watching fireworks. He doubles over from the pain.
This isn't from me overusing my quirk. Shit, I'd hoped to make it home before her quirk took effect.
Shouta does his best to lay down in a comfortable position, but it does nothing for the searing pain in his head. A wave of exhaustion washes over him, and he lets himself fall into it.
It's dark when he wakes, at least he thinks it is, but then he catches the smell of his sweat. He wriggles out of his hero costume, where he catches a glimpse at his paws. The warmth of the sun shining down on the roof makes him want to curl up and go back to sleep, however he has a mission. He does his best to fold his costume into a neat pile, and surprisingly his capture weapon and goggles are missing, but his boots are still here. He does his best to determine if anyone has been on the roof since last night, as he tries to tamp down his rising panic at the prospect of someone having his capture weapon. Not finding the scent of anyone but himself, he allows himself to relax a little.
Shouta drags the items behind the air conditioning unit to hide them from thieves. Something flits in his peripheral, distracting him, and he cranes his neck to see it. That's a tail. I have a tail. I'm a cat? Of course I'm a cat.
The hero's tail flicks in annoyance as he remembers that he is stuck on the roof of the tallest building this side of Musutafu. He looks up to gauge the sun's position, and he would say that it is some time past midday. He's just about to try yelling at the door, which would likely just be yowling or meowing to human ears, when something lands with a thud on the roof. He turns.
All Might and a small boy stand opposite each other.
All Might walks towards the edge of the roof and is about to jump off. "If you knock loud enough, I'm sure they'll let you down." He pauses before jumping and looks back at the boy standing near the door. "I seriously am outta time, so I really must go."
"Wait," the boy calls out. "Um…"
"No! I will not wait," All Might shouts, cutting the boy off before he can even get part of his sentence out.
"But-," the boy cuts himself off this time, clearly lost in thought for a moment.
All Might is about to leave, when the boy blurts out his questions. "Even if I don't have a quirk, can I become a Hero? Can even someone born quirkless be like you?"
The blonde turns to face the black?-haired boy. "Without a quirk?" The hero asks, dragging it out.
Oh no, Shouta thinks. Holy shit, goddammit, why did the kid have to be quirkless.
The boy seems to notice the frown on the number one's face. "It might've been because I don't have a quirk, but I'm always made fun of," the boy words slow down as if he is trying to avoid stuttering. "Maybe that's why...I don't know...But I think saving people is super cool." Shouta can practically see the stars in the kids eyes at the thought of helping others. "Saving people with a fearless smile. I want to be the greatest hero, like you," the boy proclaims. Shouta recognizes the steam billowing off All Might from the last U.A. staff meeting, when All Might showed his new colleagues how he transforms. The cat can already pick out the skinny form of Yagi in the lingering fog. "Y-Y-You're deflating," the boy shouts. "Wait, up until now…," the boy trails off again until the fog clears. "Huh?! A fa- A fake?! You're so skinny!"
"I am All Might," Yagi says, oh so helpfully, as blood spurts out of his mouth. If Shouta was a human he would scoff at this ridiculous showing.
"No way!" The boy's arms flail around like he's trying to make the blonde disappear.
"You know how the guys at the pool are constantly flexing and posing?" Yagi asks. "It's like that."
"No way," the kid repeats the denial. "I-It can't be, All Might is big, and strong, and fearless. He saves everyone with a smile, he's the greatest…"
"A fearless smile, huh?" All Might asks, his frown deepening. "Now that you've seen me like this, young man, make sure you don't write about it online, even accidentally." The blonde's voice turns somber. "It's an injury I got from an enemy's attack five years ago. Half of my respiratory organs were destroyed and I lost my whole stomach. I've become emaciated from repeated surgeries and the aftereffects. Right now, I can only work as a hero for about three hours a day."
Now he is spilling National Level secrets to a child! Shouta has to repress a growl from his throat. His tail lashes back and forth in anger.
"That can't be, five years ago? Was that when you fought Toxic Chainsaw?" The boy asks after rubbing the back of his neck for a moment.
For a second it's like Yagi remembers what a real smile is, but it quickly fades to a grimace. "You're well-informed, young man, but a punk like that couldn't defeat me. No, this fight was not made public to the world. I asked that it not be made public. I will save people with a smile, just as you say! The Symbol of Peace cannot be daunted by evil. I smile to show the public that villains are nothing to fear when heroes are around and to trick the fear inside of me. Pros are always risking their lives, so no. I cannot simply say, 'You can become a hero even without a power.'"
The boy's shoulders slump like that was the last blow he could take. His face falls to one of defeat, and Shouta feels his fur bristle, which is a weird sensation. "I see," the boy mutters quietly, so quietly that Shouta's cat ears almost fail to pick it up.
All Might steps towards the rooftop access door. "If you want to help others, then you could also become a police officer. They're often teased because they get villains delivered to their doorstep, but that is also a fine occupation. It's not bad to dream, but you also have to consider what's realistic, young man. Now, I need to quickly get this guy…" All Might pats his pant leg and trails off, quickly heading down the flight of stairs. The door frame splintered inwards from the force of Yagi shoving the door open without turning the handle to test if the door was unlocked to begin with.
"Don't tell me," the boy mutters. "Did something happen to the villain?" The boy shakes his head, "It doesn't matter."
Shouta watches as the boy starts to take his red sneakers off. So much for there being no jumpers, eh? Before the kid can take off the second shoe, the cat launches himself to the very clearly green-haired boy. "Not a chance," the black cat shouts, which comes out in a gnarled yowl.
The boy freezes his hands twitching to continue his task. "Where'd you come from?" The question is simple, but the shake in his voice compels the cat to take further action.
Shouta puts his paws on the kid's other, already-removed, shoe. "Put it back on," he meows, it comes out as a couple of pleading mews.
The kid just stares at the cat for a moment. "Are you trying to stop me?" he asks. "It's better for everyone if I just die."
"Kid I don't even know you, but I do know that someone like you shouldn't give up," the cat mews, climbing into the kid's lap.
The kid burst into tears and cries for a few minutes. Once he's worn himself out, he shifts carefully away from the edge of the roof. Shouta realizes that, despite his own pain, the boy is trying hard no to jostle or displace him.
"Okay, you're right. My death would hurt people more than me continuing to live. At least one more day." The boy tentatively reaches out a hand and waits to see the cat's reaction.
Shouta lets out an amused chirp that would have been a laugh, and presses his head into the boy's palm. The feeling is surreal, like when Hizashi plays with his hair but even better. A purr spills past his lips and vibrates his whole chest. Well, if the bumbling idiot who is All Might told this kid a secret, what's one more. Eraser gets up and takes a step towards the air conditioner unit. He looks over his shoulder gives a questioning meow.
The kid tilts his head, gears clearly spinning, before he asks, "Do you want me to follow you?"
Shouta makes a gesture that could be interpreted as a nod. "Now hurry up, please," he mews.
"Okay, just please don't show me kittens, because I'm not really allowed pets. But if you had kittens, I'd have to take you home with me so that they're taken care of," the kid says before putting his shoe back on.
Shouta can't help but blink in confusion at the kid before he turns and leads the kid to the place he stashed his gear. He pulls his suit out and uses his claws to catch on the leather of his wallet. Fishing it out of his pocket he meows in triumph. He carefully picks it up in his mouth and turns towards the kid.
The boy's eyes widen in surprise. "Where did you get that?" The boy blanches.
The cat drops it at the kids feet and paws it open. He carefully pulls out his hero license and taps it with his paw. Shouta turns back to his costume and pulls out his phone, which he unlocks by putting in the code. It's a bit tricky when his paws or nose only register half the time. He calls Tsukauchi from his saved contacts, and then puts it on speaker.
The call rings twice before the detective answers. "Eraserhead?" Tsukauchi asks, surprise and worry evident in his voice.
The kid scrambles to pick up the phone. "Uh, I don't know how to explain this, but a cat called you from a phone it found on a roof."
"Well, that's Pro Hero Eraserhead's phone, and there is no way a cat or a kid guessed his password. Can you hold the phone out for the cat?" The detective asks.
The boy nods, before correcting himself to speaking. "Uh, yes sir, I can do that."
"Eraser?" The voice echoes from the phone.
"Yes," he mews.
"Okay, one meow for yes, two for no. Do you understand?" The man is clearly trying to set up a way for them to communicate.
Eraser meows once.
"Are you safe?" Tsukauchi asks.
Relatively. Shouta mews once.
"Is the kid safe?" The question makes the kid fret.
"I'm fine," the kid blurts out.
Even though Tsukauchi's quirk can work over the phone it's less reliable, so Shouta mews twice.
"But really, I'm fine," the boy tries to dissuade. "A little shaken up but mostly fine."
"Hm. Do you want us to tell Nedzu?"
This question trips him up. Does Shouta want his pseudo-dad to know what is happening? He meows once. Better safe than sorry.
"Can you or the kid send a ping of your location?" The man asks.
Shouta mews once and does his best to direct the kid to send the location ping to the contact labeled Tsukauchi.
"Great, I see it. Just stay there, and we'll come pick you both up," Tsukauchi says before hanging up.
The kid walks away from the phone. He tucks the hero license back into Shouta's wallet with care. After he slips the wallet back into the pocket it came from, the boy folds the costume into a neat stack. The boots are placed next to it.
An explosion rings out from somewhere a few blocks away and the kid pales. He shoves Shouta's phone into his pocket and heads for the stairs, with the cat hot on his heels. The kid's speed and reaction time are amazing for someone his age. The excitement of finding a student with potential is washed away at Shouta's realization Tsukauchi would arrive at an empty spot.
At least the kid still has his phone?