Smoking cats - shinsero

A Cat and a Cigarette

Sero Hanta sat slumped against the back of the old, weathered bench near the edge of town, smoke curling lazily from the joint hanging between his fingers. The air was crisp, tinged with the quiet hum of the city in the distance, but in this small pocket of space, everything felt still.

Too still.

He took a slow drag, the familiar haze dulling the constant hum of anxiety in his chest. This helps. It always did, at least for a little while. When he was like this - lost in his head, the world feeling too heavy - cannabis was his way out. Better than the bad trips he'd had when he went to far with LSD. Those left him trapped instead of free. But the weed? It gave him something he could manage.

His eyes drifted down to the street, where something small and black caught his attention. A cat. Slipping out from the shadows, its dark fur nearly blending into the night. It padded toward him cautiously, its green eyes watching him with a curious glint.

Sero blinked.
"Hey there," he muttered, reaching into his pocket. The cat sniffed the air, moving closer as he unwrapped an old granola bar he'd forgotten about.
"You hungry?"

He tossed a piece toward the cat, and to his surprise, it didn't hesitate to gobble it up. The cat sat down right beside him afterward, tail flicking lazily as if they'd been friends forever. Sero couldn't help but smile, the first real smile in days.

He gave the cat another piece, then reached out to stroke its fur. The cat purred, leaning into his touch.

"Guess we're both just looking for company, huh?" He murmured. He hadn't realized how long it'd been since he'd had anyone around. Not since being kicked out of home... Not since the fight with his parents started. The dorms were supposed to be full of people, but somehow he still felt alone.

The cat nuzzled against his hand, its warmth grounding him. This isn't so bad.

———
Weeks Later
———

It had become a routine. Every night, Sero would sneak out to the same bench and wait. Without fail, the black cat would appear, its soft purring almost as comforting as the joint in his hand. He's named the cat in his head - Midnight, because she always showed up when the sky was dark. He'd read somewhere that female cats were drawn to male humans, and vice versa, which was his main reason for assuming her gender. Feeding her became a habit too. She'd nuzzle into his side, her sleek body pressing into his leg as he gave her bits of whatever snack he could scrounge up.

But recently, Sero had noticed something odd. Midnight - Tipi, he would later learn - was getting a little... rounder. Not that he minded.
"Guess I'm spoiling you, huh?" He muttered one night as he tossed her another piece of jerky.

He didn't think much of it, not until tonight.

Sero was halfway through his usual smoke session, leaning back against the bench, when he felt a presence nearby. A shiver ran  down his spine, and before he could react, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Hey, you!"

———

Shinsou had followed his cat for three blocks, his suspicion growing with every step. Something wasn't right. His cat was getting rounder, and now disappearing at night? His mind whirled with possibilities, none of them good.

When he finally saw her sitting next to some guy on a bench, his stomach twisted. The guy was smoking, a hazy cloud of smoke circling him. A dealer. He had to be.

Without really thinking, Shinsou's blood rushed hot.
"Hey, you!"

Before Sero could respond, everything happened in a blur - Shinsou's shout, his mind hazy with the sudden surge of power, and then Tipi... eating his cigarette. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, and the next thing he knew, Shinsou was dragging him toward the vet.

———

After what felt like an eternity of pacing and silent worry, the vet finally came back with Tipi in their arms, their expression calm.

"She's going to be fine. It looks like she ingested a small amount of the smoke, but nothing too serious. Just keep an eye on her for the next day or two, make sure she's resting."

Shinsou slumped against the wall, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.
"Thank you," he mumbled, his voice tight with emotion.

Sero, who had been awkwardly hovering in the background, shifted on his feet. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Shinsou let out a heavy sigh.

"So you're the one giving my cat diabetes, huh?" He said, half-joking, half-accusatory.

Sero scratched the back of his neck, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Uh... yeah, guess I might've gone a little overboard with the snacks. Sorry."

Shinsou folded his arms, still eyeing the black haired boy with suspicion.
"And what about the smoking?"

Sero's smile faltered a little, his gaze dropping.
"It's... just something I do to deal with stuff. I didn't mean for her to get hurt."

There was something in his voice that made Shinsou pause. The defensiveness he'd expected wasn't there. Instead, it was something raw - vulnerability wrapped in nonchalance.

Shinsou's expression softened, his irritation fading. He looked at the other a little closer now, noticing the way his shoulders slumped, the shadows under his eyes. Maybe he wasn't just some careless guy.

They fell into a quiet, heavy silence as they sat waiting for Tipi to finish her treatment.

"So... you go to UA, right?" Shinsou finally asked, breaking the silence.

Sero nodded.
"Yeah, I'm in the hero course."

Shinsou raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Didn't expect that."

Sero chuckled, the sound bitter.
"Yeah, most people don't."

The purple haired boy glanced at him sideways, curiosity starting to override his earlier frustration.
"I'm in general studies," he said after a moment.
"Not that anyone notices me there either."

They shared a quiet understanding in that moment - two guys who, despite their differences, seemed to exist on the fringes of the hero world.

Sero hesitated before speaking again, his voice quieter this time.
"Look... I'm really sorry about your cat. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Shinsou shook his head, his heart softening.
"It's fine. She's okay, and that's what matters." He paused, glancing at the other again.
"But maybe next time... skip the snacks."

Sero grinned, his expression lightening.
"Deal."

As they walked out of the vet's office together, Tipi curled up in Shinsou's arms, there was a tentative connection between them - an understanding that maybe neither of them had realized they needed.

———

Hope you're as excited as I am because I'm literally writing this the same day I finished Bound by Scars😭👍
Have a nice day ig<3

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