Tics and Scratches

Chapter 22

"Why are you evilly laughing?" Hitoshi asked, looking extremely disconcerted at the maniac cackles coming from just next to him. It had been a pretty standard Sunday of relaxing, with both adults out picking up the cats a day early, until Bakugo had begun practically shrieking. "Dude, what is it? You're starting to scare me and I can't hear the TV. What's happening? Are you possessed?" He continued whining when Bakugo just laughed harder, ignoring him. Anything that could make the perpetually cynical blonde laugh this hard was worth seeing.

The cycle of complaints and cackling continued for a while, poor Hitoshi's whining only fuelling Katsuki's joy, until a particular sharp intake of breath sent the hysterical boy into a new fit of coughing. It was a well known fact throughout the house that Bakugo had developed a breathing tic a couple of days ago, it happened at the most inopportune times, frequently causing him to choke on quite literally anything. They all knew it bothered the poor boy, it was pretty obvious he had problems surrounding his neck in general and choking clearly brought back a few too many unpleasant memories. It was a tic they all were secretly hoping disappeared soon, no matter how many times Bakugo insisted it didn't matter.

Leaning over to rub the others' back, Hitoshi was quickly swatted away. "Fuck off, grapes! Jelly is mine!" Katsuki grumbled, voice raspy as he finally began to pull himself back together while simultaneously shielding Jelly from outward gazes. That was another universal fact accepted by the family. Jelly was now Katsuki's.

"I wasn't-"

"I was laughing at Pikachu who hasn't done any of his fucking holiday work." He continued, obviously trying to suppress the laughter that was pushing at his throat again. "Look at the crying cat meme he sent." Thrusting his phone into Shinsous' face he muffled his next chuckle with a stunted cough and a muttered "fucking idiot."

"Shouldn't you, like, help him with that?" The purple haired boy was already turning back to look at the TV, a grin tugging at his lips, knowing exactly how this conversation was going to go already.

"Fuck no! He dug himself into the hole, he can climb his way out." Bakugo snarled back, tapping angrily at his phone. Shinsou leaned over, smiling even wider when the boy shielded the screen from him.

"I can literally see you sending him the answers!" He teased, instantly going to protect his head as Bakugo launched at him, swear words flying from his mouth with Jelly somehow securely in his arms.

"We're back, kiddos!" Came a voice from the door way forcing Bakugo to pause in his attack. Leaning back into his corner of the sofa he watched as Shinsou grinned wickedly at him. Of course the idiot had been saved by convenient timing. He was safe. For now.

Unfortunately, before he could even begin to plot his revenge, he spotted a black mass hurtling towards his face. Instantly, every single one of his survival instincts kicked in. Throwing his arms across his face and pushing himself as far back into his seat as possible was second nature thanks to Mitsuki's love of throwing shit with perfect aim. Luckily the panic didn't last long, his heart rate already calming from the split second reaction. He very quickly noticed Shinsou's eyes staring into his soul as he lowered his arms again, heart pounding as he looked down at the new cat in his lap. The little black balls' nose was snuffling up and down his arm, cold and completely undeterred by the still tensed muscle that pulled across his forearm.

"You alright, bud? That was quite the flinch." Katsuki was semi-convinced that Aizawa had eyes everywhere, he always seemed to notice every single tiny detail that occurred in the area around him. Aizawa's comment brought attention to the fact that everybody was staring at him now, cautious and calculating, clearly waiting for him to break down crying like he had so many times already. But something in him refused to break this time. They had told him to speak up whenever something made him uncomfortable and he momentarily felt brave enough to voice his insignificant problem.