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Izuku wasn't sure what’d happened.
One minute he was running, like, bolting away from Katsuki’s old gang, no idea why they still hated him, fucks sake Katsuki’d gotten into UA and Izuku’d dropped out of high school - no one in the neighborhood knew he'd tested out of it all in a fit of temper because he sure as hell didn't tell anyone - but there he was, running like hell, fastest he’d ever run before kind of running, running for his actual life kind of running and then……
He remembered hitting a crowd, slamming into someone, people yelling, running, screaming, oh, villain attack!
Yeah, he remembers now, loads of villains, loads of screaming people, lots of pain, trying to get up he managed it, fell, rolled stiff legged over and got as far as his knees, arms doing something funky, and his face pressed to the ground.
Opening frightened eyes he looked at the ground, the ‘Stainless steel?’
Rubbing his paw across the smooth reflexive surface his muzzy brain tried to figure it out for ages until the glaring problem finally got his attention.
PAW?
His scream was more yowl, his flailing feet took him back into a corner, and he finally realized several things in a row, he was in a vet’s kind of cage, he was trapped, locked in, and he was a fucking cat.
Time after that blurred a bit.
Periods of fighting any hands that came at him, screaming clawing biting even pissing as a lifetimes worth of emotions came roaring out because seemingly cats had fuck all for emotional control.
And part of him thought, if he was simply horrible enough, maybe they’d just put him down.
A tiny shot in the vein of his leg and then…. lights out.
But no, of course not, he was in a no-kill shelter, just his luck.
After a bit the rage faded away, leaving grey ash behind.
*
“Today's the big day, come on, come on, come on Shouta man get a move on!”
“Zashi, if I’m the one doing this why are you the one excited?”
“Cause it's the big day man!”
“Says the one still living on campus.”
“Yeah, the zero pet rule is a bitch, I mean I get it but damn, all I’ve gots is house plants!”
“Aaaaaand you kill those too so why would anyone trust you with an actual animal?”
“Rude, anyone ever told you you are rude as fuck!”
“Hmmmmmm, no.”
“Well you are, as your best friend it is my solemn and sworn duty to let you know you are rude as OH HEEEEEEY There IT IS wheEeeEee come on come on come on gonna get a kitty cat today!”
Watching Zashi bound ahead into the building Shouta admitted himself a bit concerned, not for his being able to take care of a cat, he wrangled teens for a living, as well as the whole hero schtick, but did he have time? He worked a full shift and usually a quite a bit more as well as teaching at UA but Zashi said keeping a pet would break that habit before he got his ass handed to him for doing too many hours.
Nezu was still watching, Nezu was always watching, and got rather.... creative.... if he thought you needed some remedial training in self care and Shouta was dancing in the danger zone rather than around it, and needed something to help remind him that finishing for the day meant one was actually finished.
Because Nezu wasn't just watching, he was now glaring and tail swishing through the air every time he caught sight of Shouta so it was waaaay past time he did something to save himself!
Hence, pet as a survival strategy.
Drifting along behind his idiot friend who was wildly excited, the way he kind of was about anything really, even breathing got Zashi excited some days, so getting a cat was bound to be the awesomest thing ever.
Snorting a laugh Shouta headed to the back of the room, where he’d spotted a hint of red, and in the very back row, the only cage with an occupant, a huge red warning label, Danger, please do not touch.
A green lump of fur, green dull eyes, and totally ignoring Hizashi’s moan of protest, “Awwww man NO, you need a nice kitty, something sweet and nice and lovely and Shouta oh NO do not open that cage fucks sake man!”
Letting his friends voice fade to nothing, Shouta jimmied the door open, reached slowly in, and stroked the unresisting forehead with a single finger.
When it wasn't promptly removed he used both hands to scoop the limp figure up, little feet dragging as he pulled them out, cuddling them to his chest and that's when the shit hit the fan.
Not bad though, not really.
Just, the cat twisted his head, opened wide, and clamped down on Shouta’s arm.
Cats had incredible bite strength but Shouta was a hero, so easily twisted his actual flesh out of danger, letting the cat bite his jumpsuit all he wanted.
Nano tech, he’d not hurt it.
He?
Yep, checking the card again as the cat wrapped front paws around his arm and held on, body wire tight and shaking.
“It's okay, you hold on tight, I’ll tell the person doing adoptions you’re who I want.”
“And Zashi, mine!”
“Of course it is, like, why did I even bother?”
*
They tried to argue with him, he finally had to flash his hero license to get them to shut the fuck up about how dangerous the kitten was, poor thing, every word made it shake harder and he finally growled, “MINE! This one, give me the damned paperwork or I’m walking out and taking him anyway!”
That did it, and he finally got the fuck out, holding his new cat as Zashi carried the supplies, and they headed back to his place.
*
Izuku couldn't let go.
The man had picked him up and he’d thought, if I bite a customer they have to put me down but then he missed and the man -
Cuddled him.
Held him close and told him it was alright and then demanded he be given to him, paid double even cause of legal shittery and some one had actually adopted him.
Bought him.
Owned him.
He, Midoriya Izuku, was officially a pet.
It kinda felt nice, held in warm arms, heart beat drubbing away under his ear, breathing deep and relaxing as the blond whittered and fussed around them both, Izuku felt himself relaxing for the first time in ages.
Maybe in years.
But this, this could be good, his mama would be better off without him, Bakugou would get his hero story, everyone at school who lived local to him would be thrilled when he never showed back up again, and he’d help someone be happy.
Save one person, his owner.
Finally spitting the roll of fabric out of his mouth he pressed instead with his forehead against the man's forearm and simply breathed.
*
“He let go yet?”
“Yeah, ‘bout half hour ago.”
“You gonna put him down any time soon?”
“Nope, call me in, say I got hurt on the way home, I’ll take some of my leave time, be in hmmmmm, how about a week, I can for sure get away with a week.”
“Done and done man, I was wrong, this is already good for you!”
*
A smell hit his nose, steamy and rich and maddening and Izuku struck out for it, lashing claws as he tried to catch it but he wasn't -
Blinking he didn't have the food or -
“No, I know it smells good but you can control yourself.”
Flattening his ears, he was a cat, not a dog, Izuku didn't have to behave and he lunged for the fried chicken, spitting mad and half way to desperate but -
He just as quick found himself on the far side of the table, damn, the man was fast.
But he’d not hurt Izuku, not smacked him or yelled but CHICKEN!
Lunging again as the blond one made a protesting noise that vibrated Izuku’s bones, he once again was caught and deposited on the far side of the table and his new person just said, “No.”
“Umm, Shouta man, cats don't usually sit on the table either.”
“Mine does.”
Almost snarling in rage Izuku tried again and again and again but each attempt just had him put back on the same spot and he finally collapsed, paws outstretched, mewing desperately for the insanely good smell and got instead, “Sit up, be polite, do not take my fingers off and you may have one piece.”
Rolling onto his back Izuku looked at the situation from another direction, dogs did tricks, but cats were dignified, he knew this, so if it got him a bite then, okay.
Eares still flat with disapproval of any kind of manners being forced upon him, he dragged himself up and huffed, but the piece was approaching, his entire body wanted to lash out, strike the incoming prey, kill it and ‘Oh, it's the quirk, my body had a mind of its own!’
Fighting himself hard enough to not notice the moment the chicken was put on the table he kept control, long enough for the hand to retreat, and then pounced upon it, mumbling around the mouthful because it tasted even better than it smelled.
And then, he was offered another one, “Same deal, be nice and get more.”
By the end he was very nice indeed, and now he was so full of chicken he might die but unlike the shelter, this time he’d die happy!
*
“Um, are cats supposed to have fried chicken?”
“Seemed to like it.”
“Yeah, your psycho beast did indeed like it, oh hey, have you given him a name yet?”
“Yep.”
Popping the P Shouta waited in smugness and sure enough, “Whaaaaat is it maaaan, shit Shou, come on, tell meeeeeee!”
“Damn, cats got better manners than you do.”
A flat glare and an added, “Please.” finally got him to say the name aloud and just as he’d betted himself, Hizashi stared in disbelief and then asked again, just to be sure he’d heard correctly.
“Clamp?”
“Yeah, ssss’a good name.”
“Clamp?”
“Yeah, cause he clamped onto me and didn't let go.”
A dead level glare and even more toneless words, “You never get to name another pet as long as you live, you know that, right?”
Going boneless on the couch, kicking his feet up onto Zashi’s lap, hearing the news turning on softly, Shouta muttered, “Sss’a good name, perfect.”
*
Izuku loved his new name.
A full week spent with his new person, fighting and winning over his new body's need to be in control, to take over his brain in this new form, and he was loving it.
NOT loving the idea of Shouta being back at work and leaving him with oceans of alone time, not that he’d had any of that yet, he’d even gained a harness and leash, gone on walks, although the first few times when things got too much his entire body would go stiff, he’d rock a bit and then roll right over, just a full right the way round and it loosened him up enough to walk a bit more and then do it again.
But Izuku was so much better now, could walk over a hundred feet before it happened so he was taking the bloody win.
Now though, yeah, he loved his new name, because it gave him the excuse to clamp onto Shou’s leg and not let go until the man said, “Harness, leash, you stay with me all day long and behave, bite no one, hiss at anyone you like yet don't scratch either.”
“Deal?”
*
Things were fine really, Izuku’d managed to walk most of the way, his person didn't live far, and the school was practically empty. It was Katsuki’s second year but everyone was home for the summer, so it was nice and quiet.
Teachers were weird, and heroes were weirder, and Nezu made every hair on Izuku’s new body stand on end, causing Hizashi to guffaw yet he’d gotten the brush he carried all the time and helped Clamp get it back into place.
Izuku liked Hizashi a lot, but everyone liked Present mic, like some kind of universal law or something.
And slowly, a few days at a time, Izuku’d been let off the leash, at least in the staff room and Shou’s office, and even let run down the halls a few times, getting some speed up and then flopping onto his belly to slide, spinning slowly as he made tiny wheeee sounds.
Embarrassing it might be but the fun out weighted that, so he did it anyway and be damned to the world.
He was a cat now, what the hell would anyone do to him for acting like it other than toss him another of the awesome liver treats Shouta carried all the time.
*
Noise and life came back to the school as summer ended, and Izuku clamped onto Shouta’s jumpsuit and held on, burying his head between the man's arm and ribs, shaking.
It was stupid, but the blast of sound as the door opened was too much and now it was dead silent, and Izuku’s favorite person in the world said, "Frighten my cat again and you are all dead to me.”
Silence remained as attendance was taken, and soft voices began to return after morning notices were given, and bit by bit Izuku relaxed, let go, and sat up.
Throughout the day he watched, because he knew no one here but Katsuki, and he’d hissed like a steam kettle blowing its lid when the blond approached, and a kid in the back whispered, “Awesome taste.”
Another one blushed and covered his mouth with a tiny whimper of “Language!”
Oh, he was swearing in cat, that was new.
But it was fun as well, and slowly across the days he created a game, how close to a student could he get before they tried to touch, and he’d swear at them, hissing and bapping at them with a velvet paw cause he didn't want to hurt them.
Just, well, vent a bit of stress really, and it worked.
Worked really well, by day ten of the new school year he was feeling mellow, relaxed and calm.
Prancing alongside Shouta as he led the kids through a real world exercise, assessing situations before trouble hit, spotting what might become trouble, calmly assessing people and places and Izuku meowed for a lift, he could see better that way, and he’d suddenly felt something, a danger of some kind, needed to see!
Smelled the danger too in a wash of wet clay stink, a shivering across his fur as it raised and he growled, causing his entire party to pause, Shouta saying, "Clamp?”
Wishing suddenly he’d actually tried to learn to speak, surely cats could, they had a huge range of vocalications, instead he struggled higher, head swiveling, then snarled at a trio, running their way, heroes dropping down from behind, yelling for them to halt, and the world split asunder with a crash!
*
Buildings were designed to withstand most quirks, most weather, most everything really but not a focused explosion quirk right at the base, shearing through reinforced supports, Shouta had his kids running even as the building came down, crushing the villains and heroes alike, only his grabbing the five students with his capture weapon, pulling as he sprinted…
In the dust and coughing choking confusion he'd saved his kids but Clamp was gone.
Heart spasming in terror for his little friend Shouta made sure his five were okay, minor injuries only, communications disrupted, he couldn't call it in, he sent Ida at full speed to get out of the blast radius, to call it in, get help!
Bakugou, Shouto, Hitoshi, and Kirishima still with him, he’d picked boys today, was going to treat himself to the girls tomorrow, give himself a break because they were so much calmer than his excitable males.
“Right, stay alert, Kirishima and Hitoshi, you’re together, Bakugou and Shouto, you work together, team work, we need to start getting people out - ”
“Sensei, where’s Clamp?”
“Don’t know, everyone keep your eyes open, let's get started.”
*
Pinned, but he was a cat, able to turn almost in his own skin, he got out, climbing up, and up again, finally wriggling to see the world, hazed with dust, coughing, how many people were stuck, how many dead.
His harness had snapped free, it was designed to to that, and frantically Izuku tried to sniff out Shouta.
Instead he found a dead person.
The shock of it had him panting but he sat up, used his nose to be sure of the location and then yowled loudly, getting the attention of someone nearby, got them lifting the slab of cement, turning quickly so he didn't have to see any more.
Running now, using nose and ears, because Shouta might be under there, the students might be trapped as well, three minutes later he found a live one, screaming now, a hero tried to lift him, slashing and snarling, the first person yelling, “NO LISTEN TO HIM HE’S FOUND SOMEONE!!!”
From that point on someone had an eye on him all the time as he frantically tried to find Shouta, find the students, but instead of them he kept finding others!
So many others, alive and dead, he could smell deep into the now settling mountain of masonry, could slip in between the great blocks to crawl to the ones he smelt, had nodded when a hero told him, “Only the living, we need to find the live ones Little Nose, go on, you’re doing great!”
*
Shouta found him in the end, and it turned out Izuku had been working the east side of the disaster, Shouta and the kids the west, but he’d gotten word of a cat searching, had to let him keep going, but finally Cementos and his team got through, began deconstructing the pile, Shouta got the students back to UA via Nezu’s bus and finally, finally, got his hands on his cat!
His cat that gave a strangled scream and bit into his jumpsuit, right over his shoulder from where Shouta’d grabbed him, holding as they both shook, Clamp mumbling weird ass noises and for a long time indeed they just stood as the chaos of controlled destruction went on around them.
*
“Heeeey ‘raser, if you ever need a home for your kitty, I bet every hero here and most of the EMTs‘ll fight to the death to get him onside.”
“Yeah, over my dead body!”
But Clamp's reaction to those words told Shouta all he needed to know, and he wrapped his fluffy little friend in his very dirty capture weapon and headed home.
He needed to think about this, really really hard.
*
“Oh Shouta, why does this shit always happen to you?”
Gripping his mug, watching Clamp sleep the sleep of the almost-dead-from-exhaustion sleep, he shook his head, "I really do not know.”
“Right, well, do we have any leads at least?”
“Yep, time, place, date, name, villain attack, they are in custody, already talked to them.”
Looking at his expression Hizashi muttered, “Oh great, more bad news, yeah?”
“Yeah. Deactivation is emotional, the victim has to make a deep emotional connection with a stranger, at that point the quirk breaks and the one so hit returns to human, but only if they want to change back, so far all but one of the people hit with it turned back just fine, and the final one is now a service animal, working in a children's hospital, and absolutely refuses to change back.”
"The animal they turn into says much about their nature, dogs are outgoing and social, flocking birds, solitary mustelids, you know the thing.”
“So, cat, introverted yet intensely social, needs a tight friend group, trusted….”
“Adults, yeah.”
“How old is he really?”
“Sixteen, and he’s been a cat for twelve weeks, twelve weeks Zashi!”
“Ah maaan, so, going by the clues, he’s the quirkless kid that went missing?”
“Yeah, Midoriya Izuku, his mother seems to be dealing with it a lot better than I’d be, if it was my kid missing, and you know how Katsuki’s been strung tight as a hausier? Yeah, they were friends once, he told me about the school, how much of a fuck up he’d been, that god complex we broke him of first year ties right back to this kid.”
Reaching out to stroke green ears, “Fucks sake, Katsuki said if he didn't know any better Clamp would be his guess as to where Izuku’d wound up, if it wasn't for the attitude, cause he said kid was a pushover, gave up his dreams of being a hero, just, quite school and Katsuki moved on, got in the hero course and….”
“He’s been in therapy with Hound Dogs office from week six, first year, asked for it himself, figured he wasn't the bee’s knees by that point, he’s doing good, regrets what he did, thinks it's too late, said Izuku’s probably dead now, hate crime.”
“Yet here he is, dead asleep after personally saving nineteen victims of a building collapse.”
“Sounds pretty heroic to me.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“So what do we do?”
Looking again at his heroic little fluff ball, Shouta said carefully, “I think, we make him part of the class, give him access to all the teachers in case he can form a quirk breaking bond with one of them, and until he does that, he stays with me.”
“I can’t make it any worse, he's comfortable around me, and he can even join a few exercises with the class, build on what he did today.”
“If everyone talks to him as if he understands, tell him we know, that’s gonna be a fuck fest but we’ll get past it, but if we all treat him as human, as a kid stuck in his quirk, tell him emotional connections are the deactivation, not specifically trusting one person deeply and properly because that would put too much pressure on any friendships he makes."
Scrubbing his face with both hands Shouta mumbled a bit as he kept going, We make sure he knows he’ll turn back eventually, make sure he understands he's fulfilled one of the hero course entrance requirements of heroic real world actions and that as soon as he changes he’ll stay in the class, that he's part of it already, but at that point he'll have to pick up his course work.”
“Might even be able to do some now, Higari’ll sort something….”
“For now he’ll stay with me and then he’ll get a new family, a proper one, and until then I’ll love him, the way I did right when I first met him.”
A bing from his phone stopped Hizashi from breaking down in sobs at his Shou finally getting a cat only to lose it like this, although the words forming made him laugh.
Indeed, your plan is a good one, in addition he will spend time with myself and Ryou, and we will indeed get him started back on course work, although his testing out of high school means he’ll be my exclusive toy when it comes to tutoring, you both can teach him practical heroics even now, he and I’ll just play mind games.
Nezu
“Mind games huh? On us or with each other?”
“No idea Shouta, but I dread to find out.”
Leaning back with a sigh they dozed off, relieved at least that they had a plan in place.
_____________________________________
It took Izuku six weeks further to change back to human, he did indeed agree to join the Hell Class, Nezu still made his hair stand on end even though he loved the frightening fur ball, and was officially adopted by a couple of heroes, even if Shouta had to move back to campus to make it easier, as did the partnership contract they finally, to the relief of all their friends, signed at last.
Shouta and Hizashi, his new parents, because as Iuzku said it, “I fell in love with you both in the shelter too, so this is good.”
Held in a safe hug in his human form at last, Izuku repeated, “This is good.”