Smoking cats - shinsero

Warmth in the Rain

It had been a few weeks since that morning, and the two boys had fallen into a comfortable routine - late-night walks, morning spent at Shinsou's apartment with Tipi, and hours of quiet conversation that flowed as naturally as the rain that often pattered against the window. There was a softness in their interactions now, an unspoken understanding that neither of them had to put up walls when they were together.

One particularly rainy afternoon, Shinsou found himself staring out the window, watching the downpour outside. Tipi was curled up in her usual spot by the radiator, purring contentedly. The room was warm, the soft light from the lamps casting a golden glow across the apartment, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Shinsou felt at peace.

The knock at the door was almost expected now.

He smiled to himself as he stood up, already knowing who it was. Sure enough, when he opened the door, there was Sero, standing under the awning with an umbrella in one hand and a mischievous grin on his face.

"Guess who brought snacks?" He announced, holding up a bag of pastries.

Shinsou stepped aside, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"You're going to spoil me at this rate."

The other shrugged, stepping inside and shaking off the rain from his jacket.
"Hey, you deserve it."

There was something in his voice - something soft and sincere - that made Shinsou's heart flutter, though he tried to ignore it. He's just being nice, he told himself, though the warmth spreading through his chest said otherwise.

They sat down at the table, sipping coffee and sharing the pastries Sero had brought. Tipi eventually stirred from her nap, sauntering over to the black haired boy and meowing until he gave her a piece of his croissant. Shinsou watched with amusement, his heart light as he listened to Sero's laugh.

"You spoil her more than I do," he commented, raising an eyebrow as Sero fed Tipi yet another piece.

Sero grinned, unashamed.
"She deserves it too. She's the queen, after all."

Shinsou rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.
"You're hopeless."

"Maybe," the other said, leaning back in his chair with a lazy smile.
"But you don't seem to mind."

Shinsou felt his cheeks warm slightly under Sero's gaze. He didn't mind. In fact, he liked it - liked how easy it was to be around the boy, how comfortable he felt in his presence. It was something he hadn't realized he needed until it was right in front of him.

After they finished eating, Sero stood up and stretched, his arms reaching above his head as he yawned.
"You know, it's still raining pretty hard out there," he said, glancing toward the window.
"Mind if I crash here for a bit? I don't feel like getting soaked on the way back, even though I have an umbrella."

Shinsou hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"Yeah, sure. Stay as long as you want."

The boy smiled, his eyes softening as he sat back down on the couch. Shinsou joined him, their shoulders brushing as they settled into the cushions. The rain outside created a soft, rhythmic backdrop to their quiet conversation, and after a while, the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.

Tipi, having finished her snacks, hopped onto the couch and curled up between them, her small body a warm, purring presence. Sero absentmindedly scratched behind her ears, his fingers brushing against Shinsou's arm as he did.

"You're really good with her," he said quietly, watching as his cat's purring grew louder under Sero's gentle touch.

The other boy chuckled softly.
"Cats are easy. They just want food and attention."

Shinsou glanced at him, his expression thoughtful.
"And what about people?"

The black haired boy paused for a moment, his gaze flickering to the other's face.
"I think... people want the same thing. We just make it more complicated."

Shinsou blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of his words. He hadn't thought about it like that before, but maybe Sero was right. Maybe all people really wanted was to feel cared for, to be seen and loved, even if they didn't always know how to ask for it.

Without really thinking about it, Shinsou shifted closer to the other boy, the warmth of their bodies pressing together in the quiet room. He could feel the steady rise and fall of Sero's breathing, the soft thrum of his heartbeat through the fabric of his shirt.

Sero didn't say anything, but his arm moved slightly, wrapping around the other's shoulders in a way that felt natural. Shinsou leaned into him, letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

For a long moment, they just sat there, the rain outside and Tipi's purring the only sounds in the room. The closeness between them wasn't overwhelming; it was gentle, comforting, and it made something deep inside Shinsou's chest loosen.

"You ever think about the future?" Shinsou asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

The other tilted his head, looking down at him with a curious expression.
"The future? Like... what kind of future?"

He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to say what was really on his mind. But with Sero, it felt okay to be a little vulnerable.
"Like... where we're going. What we're doing. Who we'll be with."

The black haired boy was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he stared out the window. Then, slowly, he looked back at the boy, his eyes soft.
"I don't know. I used to think about it a lot - what I'd be doing after UA, what kind of hero I'd be. But lately..."

"Lately?"

"Lately, I've been thinking more about now," Sero said, his voice low.
"About what I have in front of me, and how much I want to hold onto it."

Shinsou's breath caught in his throat as the other's words sank in. The warmth between them felt different now, heavier but in a good way, like something unspoken had finally made itself known.

"And what's in front of you?" He asked, his voice barely audible.

Sero didn't answer right away. Instead, he shifted slightly, his hand coming to rest on the side of Shinsou's face, his thumb brushing lightly across his cheek.

"You are," he said softly, his voice filled with a kind of tenderness that made Shinsou's heart ache.

His chest tightened, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts as he felt Sero's hand against his skin, the warmth of his touch grounding him in a way that nothing else ever had. He could feel the closeness between them now - how much they meant to each other, how much they had come to rely on this quiet, steady presence in their lives.

For a moment, neither of them moved, the tension between them thick with unspoken feelings. Then, slowly, Sero leaned in, his forehead now resting gently against the other's.

Shinsou closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to put into words the emotions swirling inside him. But he didn't need to. Sero's presence was enough - the warmth of his hand, the steady beat of his heart, the way their breaths mingled in the quiet space between them.

"I'm glad I met you," the boy whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of the rain.

Shinsou opened his eyes, meeting the other's gaze.
"Me too."

The words hung in the air between them, soft but heavy with meaning. And in that moment, Shinsou realized that maybe - just maybe - he had found something worth holding onto, something that made him feel less alone in the world.

———

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