The Purrfect Companion - Chapter 7

Catch up here 

Bakugou woke up with his fingers laced through soft fur, smiling faintly before he'd even opened his eyes. He curled his fingers lightly, making light little scratches at the fluff, hearing a contented little noise in response that assured him Cat was enjoying it.

It was the best way to wake up, he thought. Cozy and warm, with soft pillows and fluffy blankets, a contented little Cat tucked under his hand. Despite only being a week ago, he couldn't even remember waking up without her, or coming home to his room and not being greeted by a cheerful little meep and a loud purr.

“Meep!”

Speak of the devil.

Fluff brushed across his face, getting in his mouth and nose, and he groaned a little as he pulled back. As cute as it was for her to rub on him for attention, the fluff up his nose was not fun.

It took him a minute too long to realise his hand was still stroking fur, his eyes cracking open to see a freckled face only inches away from his, Cat shoving herself indignantly between them.

“Sorry,” he whispered, tearing his hand away from Midoriya in favour of petting Cat. “No wonder you're being clingy.”

With her cuddles returned, she settled in against his chest, purring so loud that it drowned out his heartbeat. He waited until she dozed off again before he peeked up, slowly coming to terms with the most embarrassing moment of his life so far.

He'd been patting the damn nerd.

Cheeks burning, he squeezed his eyes shut again. He wasn't even sure what time it was, had no idea how long the three of them had been napping together, but he didn't dare open them to check – especially when he heard a little yawn, and felt Midoriya shifting beside him.

“Aww, look at you,” Midoriya whispered, reaching out his hand to scratch Cat's ears, the warmth of his hand radiating out to Bakugou's beside it. “Aren't you two the cutest pair?”

Cat purred louder, but Bakugou kept his eyes firmly shut, praying his face wasn't giving him away.

“Thanks for looking after our Kacchan,” Midoriya whispered, leaning in to give Cat a little kiss. “If you give him lots of cuddles, maybe he'll sleep a little better.”

Bakugou twitched a little, cursing himself for it, but then that same warm hand was reaching out, wrapping around him to rub his back lightly.

“It's okay, Kacchan,” he whispered. “We've got you, you're safe.”

Bakugou's stomach sank, like he'd just swallowed a jug of lead and it was suddenly weighing him down, but Midoriya still didn't seem to notice him move.

“I've got you,” he said again, a little softer. “Sweet dreams, Kacchan.”

He knew he should have opened his eyes, should have ended the facade, but there was something so warm and reassuring about the voice, about the big hand that rubbed slowly up and down his back, about the fluffy kitten who still purred against his chest. When he felt the arm drape loosely over his waist, he couldn't help but curl up a little tighter, letting the touch comfort him.

Cat mewed pitifully, and Midoriya struggled to stifle his laugh, moving his other hand to pat her obediently.

“Shh Catchan, you'll wake him up,” he whispered. “Let Daddy Kacchan have his sleep, he needs to rest.”

She seemed to be satisfied when Midoriya wiggled closer, pausing for a second before his hand drifted up to Bakugou's head, fingers combing lazily through his hair.

“Doesn't he look so sweet when he sleeps?” Midoriya said fondly, getting the quietest of mews back. “Yeah, alright, I guess I can nap a little longer.”

He gently pulled Bakugou's head into his chest, back to where he'd started out so comfortable and warm, back to where he'd fallen asleep with a comforting heartbeat drumming out a rhythm beneath him.

Bakugou knew he should probably pull away, should get up and do something productive, should act like nothing ever happened and like napping with his childhood friend and his cat was something he did every day.

There were a lot of things he should have done.

“Get some good rest, Kacchan,” Midoriya whispered. “You deserve a break.”

He went back to sleep.

─────

When Bakugou woke up, he was alone on the bed.

Admittedly, he could hear the scratching of kitty litter in the next room, but it still felt so weird to not have her on top of him when his eyes opened. Then again, he usually wasn't waking up at – he checked the clock – eight thirty at night. Damn it.

“Morning Kacchan,” Midoriya teased, making Bakugou nearly jump out of his skin. “Sorry, did I scare you?”

“Thought you left,” Bakugou groaned, rolling onto his back. “I've screwed up my sleep schedule now.”

“You have a few days to fix it,” Midoriya pointed out. “You needed the rest, it's okay to take naps sometimes.”

“Is it still a nap if you sleep for like six hours?” he grumbled.

“Was it that long?”

“I dunno. More than four.”

“Then you must have really needed it. Good boy Kacchan!”

He ruffled Bakugou's hair fondly, and Bakugou shoved him off with a pout, finally levering himself up to sit.

“There she is!” Midoriya grinned, when Cat padded back into the room. “What a good girl, using her litter box. You wanna come give Daddy a good morning kiss?”

He scooped her up in his hands, putting her right in Bakugou's face with a big mwah sound effect that made Bakugou snort. He wasn't sure why the dork managed to make him laugh so easily.

“Morning Cat,” he conceded, kissing her nose lightly. “You have a good nap too?”

Midoriya set her down on the covers, and she turned to rub against Bakugou's chest, already purring her damn lungs out again. He blinked in surprise, though, when Midoriya held out a bowl, sitting up a little taller to take a look.

“I got hungry, so I figured you would be too,” he explained, grinning when Bakugou's stomach growled. “I gave Catchan dinner too!”

Cat mewed at him indignantly, and Bakugou couldn't contain his laugh this time.

“What, were you gonna try and scam a second dinner?” he asked fondly. “Greedy little shit.”

She nosed at his bowl, sniffing out the contents, and Bakugou peeled back the tinfoil to take a look for himself. It was no restaurant-quality masterpiece, nothing he'd write home about or proclaim Midoriya a wizard for, but the rice was hot and plentiful, the mix of chicken, eggs and onions just as generously heaped on, and he knew the exact intention without either of them having to say a word – this was Midoriya's comfort food, the kind of simple, hearty meal that he could eat in bed after a long day, feeling warm and satisfied at the end of it. That was where his love of katsudon had come from, after all, but frankly he loved any kind of meat-and-rice-bowl dish.

“Thank you,” he choked out, as he scooped up a mouthful of rice. “It uh, it looks really good.”

“Any time, Kacchan!”

He sat back down on the bed as Bakugou got stuck in, making himself at home on the blankets and reaching to give Cat scratches while Bakugou's hands were occupied. She had certainly adopted Midoriya as part of her family, as evidenced by the way she leaned into his snuggles with no hesitation, no need for Bakugou to be close and keep her safe. Bakugou was still a little bitter about it, but he supposed if she was going to choose anyone, Midoriya was probably an okay choice.

“Drink,” Midoriya instructed, nudging a water bottle into Bakugou's hand. “You haven't had water in hours.”

“What are you, my mother?”

“No, she'd probably yell more,” he laughed. “Please, Kacchan?”

“Whatever.”

He caved, taking a long sip, and then a few more when he realised exactly how good it tasted – he hadn't even noticed he was thirsty, but the water was suddenly the best thing he'd ever tasted.

“Good boy,” Midoriya praised, patting his spikes and giggling when they popped right back up. “There's another bottle here, beside the bed, so you can just stay in bed and get some more rest tonight.”

“I'm fine, I should do shit.”

“Nope!” Midoriya shook his head, curls bouncing around his face, and Bakugou felt his cheeks warm up when he remembered the feel of them under his hand. “We can watch a movie again if you want?”

“Fine,” Bakugou huffed. “Pick one.”

He reached for Bakugou's laptop, balancing it easily with one hand while he continued to cuddle Cat with the other, and by the time Bakugou got even halfway through his dinner, they were watching an old hero movie. It came from well before their time, old even when they were children, but that had been one of the biggest things they had in common as kids – while everyone else was watching new, modern shows and movies, they had shared a love for the old classics that Masaru introduced them to.

“Can I lean on you?” Bakugou blurted out, cursing himself for it immediately – where did that even come from?

“Yeah! You don't have to ask!”

Midoriya wrapped an arm around his waist like it happened every day – then again, it probably did, in his life. Midoriya was an affectionate guy, it wasn't like Bakugou had never found him curled up in the common area with one or other of his friends. Even Kirishima had snuggled up with him once, after a long day at their internships.

It had never been Bakugou before, though.

Tentatively, Bakugou leaned in, quietly pleased when Midoriya held him tighter in return. He'd heard the words touch-starved before, but he'd always thought it was nonsense; he didn't even like being touched, why would he be starved for it? In that moment, though, it seemed to make a little more sense. Maybe being prickly and pushing people away all the time wasn't exactly the best way to live his life.

That was why he had Cat though, right?

“I like this side of you,” Midoriya admitted boldly, making Bakugou blush. “I know you're gonna punch me or something, but it's nice to be with you like this. It's been a long time since you last let me hug you.”

“I don't like hugs,” Bakugou grumbled, resting his head on Midoriya's shoulder all the same. “I'm just... Cold.”

“Okay,” Midoriya humoured him. “Let me keep you warm, then.”

“Yeah.”

When his bowl was empty, and Cat was satisfied that she'd licked it enough, she curled up atop their thighs – pressed together, side by side, to give her a perfect little platform to sit on. She flopped back against their bodies, equally stuck together, and once again that enormous purr came out of her tiny body.

“You know I don't mind if you call me,” Midoriya said hesitantly. “Any time you're... cold.”

“Yeah.”

“So next time you're cold, just... Talk to me, okay? I'm happy to listen. To you. Talking about being cold.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay,” he giggled. “Sorry. But I mean it!”

“I know you do,” Bakugou nodded, sighing contentedly. “Don't go blabbering to other people about me being cold.”

“I would never.”

“Mm,” Bakugou hummed, eyes sinking closed again for a moment. “I know.”

“Goodnight, Kacchan.”

“M'not tired yet.”

“Okay.”

He stroked his strong hand up and down Bakugou's ribs, spreading his warmth through Bakugou's body, a particularly big well of it swirling in his chest.

Bakugou never saw the end of the movie.