Problematic kitten

Chapter 28

Usagi couldn't sleep. She turn around, trying to find a good position but nothing felt right. She sigh and decided to give up. She has slept enough during her blackout and current tiredness is nothing that caffeine and sugar can't fix. She slide to her feet and tiptoe to the door. She carefully open it and peek in hallway. It is empty and she cannot hear or sense anyone. She slip on hallway and push the door almost close, she left little space for Kuro to come out if she wish so. She sneak downstairs and feel her way through the house. She didn't dare to switch lights on. 

She managed to get in kitchen without accidents or causing too much noise. She start to look through cabinets and soon find necessary ingredients to her monster coffee. She pull out everything she need and start to make it. She pour herself huge cup of coffee and decide to put sugar in it too, two birds with one stone. She smile and blow at the coffee while turning around. She almost drop the cup when she see figure leaning against wall behind her. 

Usagi freeze like deer in headlights and pale. Aizawa sigh and push himself on move. "Is there enough for me too?" She nod, put her cup on kitchen island and quickly pour new cup and reach it to him. He nod as thanks and take it. She step aside when he reach for sugar and stop next to her cup, she didn't dare to take it yet, waiting for lecture and punishment for being up when they told her to go to sleep.

Aizawa lean on counter and sip the coffee. He sigh satisfied when Usagi's monster coffee hit his tongue. She still stare at him with fearful eyes, he can see it even when she try to hide it. "Couldn't sleep?" She hesitantly shake her head a little. "Hmm." He huff and take a sip. 

Usagi wait for another moment until slowly take her cup in her hand and take a sip too. Aizawa enjoy the taste and smell of the coffee while looking at the jumpy girl next to him. She slowly start to relax and drink her coffee properly. Soon she has finished her cup and glance at the coffee pot. "You can drink the rest, I doubt Hizashi will wake up anytime soon." He encourage her. She jump a little when he start to talk but nod and empty the pot. She didn't put any sugar this time and finish her drink in record time. 

Usagi reach to take the coffee pot and things she took out when Aizawa start to talk again. "You can leave them. I clean up, you made the coffee so I clean up." She stop her hand in midair and turn to look at him in shock. "It isn't a problem. I can clean after myself." She say with quiet voice and take the pot in her hand. He sigh and grab her wrist gently. She freeze and her breath hitch in her throat while she immediately let go of the pot. "Just leave it. I take care of it this time." He say and let go of her hand. She nod and pull her hand in her chest. 

Usagi isn't sure how to act or what to do after that. Leaving the mess behind her war against everything she know. She raise her eyes to look at Aizawa front of her, who still drink his coffee. "Umm... Eraserhead, sir?" "You can call me Shota or Aizawa when we are at home if you want." She swallow. "A-Aizawa?" "Yes kid?" "What you expect me to do around here?" He frown and turn to look at her properly. She wait anxiously his answer, playing with the hem of her tank top. 

Aizawa think for a moment what to answer. "Like housework?" Usagi nod. "Keep your room clean and help if we ask you." She frown. "That's it?" She ask confuse. He nod and finish his coffee. "But... Who will clean around here then?" That question freeze his hand that has moved to put cup on counter in midair. She see how he stop and pale. "I'm sorry. I should have realized that me of course. Stupid question. Stupid, idiotic me." She apologize quickly and try to take a step back. Her back hit the kitchen island, she has nowhere to escape.

Usagi raise her hands to cover her head automatically while she close her eyes, waiting for impact. Aizawa has turn to look at horrified girl and his heart squeeze at the sight. She hear how he put the cup down and hold her breath. She flinch when his hand land softly on top of her head. "Usagi." She slowly lower her hands to look at him. "No one is going to hit you in this house, no one, ever." She put her hands completely down in shock. "Bu-" "No one, ever." She close her mouth and didn't dare to say anything or move. 

Aizawa feel how stiff Usagi stand and huff, not sure how to go from there. "As your previous question. Either we all clean or housekeeper clean. You don't have to clean or if you have, then you don't have to clean alone." He explain carefully. She nibble on her lower lip, confuse as why to pay for housekeeper when she is there. He see that she want to ask something but is too scared to do so. "You can ask anything you want from me and Hizashi, no one is going to punish you in anyway." He encourage her. 

Usagi open her mouth couple times until she has enough courage to voice it out. "Why housekeeper? I can clean. I don't have any other way to pay you." She ask and wait for answer, little scared. Aizawa stare at her for a moment and she sense anger wave from him. She shrink down a little and he felt it as well as see it. He close his eyes and pinch bridge of his nose for a moment, forcing his emotions back under control. 

Usagi start to tremble of the sight. Aizawa's hand never left her head and she know that he can feel her trembling too but she couldn't help it. Angering someone has never been a good option. He drop his hand from his face and look at her. "Now you listen to me, carefully." She nod. "You don't have ever pay us for taking you in. We invited you, we want you here. Hell, we want to adopt you so of course you don't have to pay us. We don't expect anything else from you that you feel safe and sound in here, that this is your home if you choose so. You aren't obligated to clean, cook or do anything else around here. Do you understand me?" He ask with serious tone at the end.

Usagi blink. "Y-you want t-to ad-adopt m-me?" She stutter in shock. Aizawa's eyes widen. "Hizashi will kill me." He sigh before he nod. "Yes, yes we want." Her lower lip start to tremble again and tears come in her eyes. He frown worried. Then she ram against his chest and hide her face in his shirt while her hands squeeze tightly at the fabric. "No one has ever wanted me." She admit quietly. He wrap his arms around her trembling body. "We want." He whisper with gentle voice.