The Purrfect Companion - Chapter Two [Bakugatsu Day 16]

Bakugou woke to a scratching sound in the next room, jumping up in a hurry before he remembered his eventful Friday. He hurried into the bathroom, terrified he might have left the lid up, but to his surprise he found Cat scratching at her litter box, digging a little hole and looking up at him as she peed in it.

“What a good girl!” he praised. “How did you know where to go?!”

As soon as she finished burying her pee, she hopped out to rub on his feet, squeaking at him happily.

“Yeah, good morning,” he laughed, picking her up gently. “I guess I fell asleep last night, huh?”

She clambered up onto his shoulder, purring as she rubbed her face against his cheek, and he struggled to keep from jiggling her as he laughed.

“You're very cute. I bet you're hungry, huh?”

She continued around his neck, crawling into his hood, and settled with her front paws on his shoulder to watch. He reached back to scratch her ears as he hunted down the kitten food from the night prior, scooping out a small handful and letting it rattle into the bowl. 

Cat squeaked again as she watched, and he leaned down to the carpet, letting her crawl down his arm to dig in. She ate like she was starving, just like the night before, and he made a mental note to offer her little snacks every so often until she got used to having food.

“I'll go brush my teeth while you eat.”

He climbed to his feet, stretching lightly, but by the time he reached the sink she was already at his feet again, squeaking at him for attention.

“Okay, okay! I'll watch you eat!”

He walked her back over, sighing as she went back to her bowl happily, and took a seat at his desk to wait. She picked her biscuits up one at a time, barely pausing to chew, her mouth never stopping moving as she emptied the bowl steadily.

“Okay, you done?” he asked, when she looked up at him with those big grey eyes. “Come on then, bathroom.”

He picked her up obediently when she pawed at him, lifting her up to his shoulder, and once again she sat happily in his hood. As he looked in the mirror he saw her little head peeking over his shoulder, and he found himself reaching for his phone, holding it up to take a snap of them both.

“Better tell your Grandma and Grandpa about you, huh?” he mumbled, hunting down their family group message. “They'll wanna know they have a grandkid. Grandcat?”

He sent the photo and returned to brushing his teeth, jumping when his phone buzzed while he was washing his face. He dried off quickly, reaching for the device and hitting the little green icon.

“Hey.”

“When did you get a cat?!” his mother demanded. “What's this all about?!”

“She was a stray, I found her last night. She's pretty cute.”

“You just adopted her on the spot?!”

“Yeah, she was starving and dirty. I took her to the vet and they said she didn't seem to have a home, so I kept her.”

“Do you know anything about taking care of a cat?”

“The internet can teach me anything I need to know. She has food and water, she uses the litterbox, and she likes my hoodie. What else is there to worry about?”

Cat mewed at him, rubbing her face on his hand, and he laughed as he switched ears, scratching her head with the free hand.

“She's very cuddly,” he informed his mother. “And very clingy.”

“And you're... happy?” she asked, disbelieving. “You sound...”

“Yeah, I guess,” he grumbled, cheeks burning. “I like her, okay? Shut up.”

“Well, um... Good for you, then, I guess. I'm glad you're happy.”

“When she gets bigger I'll bring her to meet you or something.”

“Send us photos until then. Your father is still cooing at his phone.”

“I will,” Bakugou laughed, tilting his head slightly when Cat licked at his ear. “I'd better go, I need food and shit.”

“Alright, well have fun with... What's her name?”

“Cat.”

“Have fun with Cat,” she sighed. “We'll talk later.”

“Yeah, later.”

He put his phone away and scooped Cat into his hands, holding her mewing form up in front of his face.

“You happy now? Got me all to yourself again. But I'm starving so I'm gonna go get breakfast.”

He moved to put her down, but she squawked indignantly, nosing at his hands and feet. He watched her for a moment, sighing, then picked her up again, offering her his hoodie pocket.

“You wanna go in here and come with me? You gotta be careful, no jumping out and running off, okay?”

She purred as she snuggled in, comfortable against his stomach, and with a last fond sigh he tucked his key in his pocket, heading downstairs to the kitchen. A few other early risers sat in the common area, getting a start on their homework or relaxing after their morning runs, but Cat didn't stir as he passed their quiet conversations, heading to the kitchen cupboards. He rummaged through the contents, hunting down a box of granola and pouring himself a bowl. Midoriya wandered into the room as he was slicing fruit over it, and they exchanged a quick nod as he squeezed by to wash his plate. 

“Sounded like you guys were having fun last night,” he murmured, sneaking a sideways glance at Bakugou. “Heard a lot of laughter as I walked by. You have fun?”

“Yeah.”

He almost left it at that, but a tiny head poked out of his pocket, sniffing at Midoriya's side.

“Oi, told you to stay put, little shit.”

Midoriya's eyes widened, but he managed to stay composed, holding a hand out toward the furball. She continued to sniff, over and over, but the moment he turned his hand over she darted back in.

“Sorry, did I scare you?” he asked, bending down to see her little face. “I didn't mean to.”

He offered her his hand again, but this time he held still, letting her sniff to her heart's content.

“Oi Cat, I want to eat, you done smelling the nerd?”

She mewed indignantly, and Midoriya laughed, taking a step back.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.”

“It's fine, she does this shit. She bit Pikachu and scratched Shitty-hair, so you're doing pretty good so far.”

He took a seat at the table, surprised when Cat crawled out of his pocket and up to his shoulder, mewing at Midoriya behind him. With a little giggle the nerd sat down beside him, letting Cat return to her sniffing, and he grumbled as she moved closer to him.

“Do I smell bad?” he asked. “I don't think I touched anything weird.”

Her little tongue poked out to lick him, and Midoriya giggled in response. 

“Or maybe I smell nice?”

It wasn't until Bakugou got back to his room that he understood, when he saw the old All Might hoodie draped over the end of his bed, waiting to be returned to its owner. He sent Midoriya a text to come fetch it, letting Cat roam the room while they waited, but when the door opened she ran to him immediately, sniffing at his feet.

“This was on the bed,” Bakugou explained, holding it out to him. “I guess she recognised your smell.”

“Oh! Thanks, Kacchan! I wondered where I'd left it!”

“Been here since I let you come study.”

“That makes sense! Sorry for burdening you with it!”

“Whatever.”

Cat whined at him when he went to leave, batting at the dangling hoodie sleeve, and Midoriya smiled awkwardly. 

“I'm sorry kitty, this one is special, I can't leave it.”

Still she complained, and Midoriya dithered, pained by the disappointed mewls directed at him.

“Here, try this,” he offered, stripping off his old t-shirt. “Do you like this one?”

He held it out and she gave it one single sniff before she bit down on it, tugging it away. He let it go with a laugh, letting her struggle across the room with it, pulling his hoodie on instead for decency. Cat managed to drag the shirt over to the bed, struggling to climb up with it still in her mouth, but Bakugou took pity and gave her a boost. She meowed happily and snuggled on top of it, closing her eyes for a nap, and Bakugou smiled at her faintly.

“I guess she's decided she likes you.”

“I guess so,” Midoriya giggled. “Are you keeping her?”

“Yeah.”

“I'm glad, animals always like you.”

“She was super dirty and skinny, eating trash or some shit. She wasn't sick or anything though, thankfully, just starving.”

“She's so sweet,” Midoriya bravely took a few steps into the room, reaching to pet her fluffy head. “Awww! Listen to her purr!”

“She's got a big mouth on her,” Bakugou agreed. “Always purring and yelling.”

“Just like her Dad.”

“Shut up.”

Midoriya sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting to be yelled at, but nothing came. Instead they sat side by side, watching the kitten sleep, and Midoriya fought for conversation.

“So where did you find her?”

“Between two buildings. I walked out after class and she was scrabbling around in an alley.”

“And she just came to you?”

“I fed her a sandwich.”

Midoriya laughed, and Bakugou cracked a smile of his own, reaching over to stroke her ears lightly. 

“I took her to the vet,” he explained, softening a little, but refusing to look his way. “They cleaned her up, vaccinated her, all that kind of stuff. I sent the shitheads out to buy me stuff.”

“Your friends?”

“Yeah. They went out and got all this stuff for me.”

He waved toward the bowls and bed and toys, and Midoriya smiled, nodding faintly.

“They're good friends.”

“Ugh. Yeah.”

Cat mewed when Bakugou stopped petting her, and he huffed as he returned to the scratches. 

“She got attached to me pretty quick. Makes sense I guess, she'd never had someone feed her before. Now she won't leave me alone. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when I have to go to class, maybe she'll have settled in by then.”

“You'll just have to leave her a shirt or something.”

“And yours, apparently.”

“I liked that shirt.”

Bakugou snorted, and Midoriya couldn't help but laugh at him, covering his mouth to stifle the noise.

“She's really cute, Kacchan. Thanks for letting me visit.”

“It's fine. She likes how you smell, apparently.”

“I'll come back and visit again!”

“Yeah, okay.”

With a last little smile and a kiss planted on Cat's ears, he showed himself out, only pausing in the doorway.

“What's her name, by the way?”

“Cat.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. It was English class I found her after.”

“Okay,” he laughed. “I'm heading home to visit Mom, so bye Kacchan, bye Catchan.”

Bakugou grumbled wordlessly as Midoriya closed the door behind him, still giggling to himself. With a sigh he climbed off the bed, hunting down his homework books before he sat back down. Cat followed, dragging the t-shirt with her, draping herself across Bakugou's thigh before she drifted off again.

“You really like being on me, huh?” he asked quietly, stroking her fluffy back. “Alright, you can nap here for now, but you really need to start sleeping in your own bed. What if I roll over and squash you?”

Her only response was a contented purr, and Bakugou sighed.

“Dumb little thing, you have no idea.”