STUTTER | KIRISHIMA EIJIROU.

chapter ten.

     You jumped on top of a wooden bench, snow white tail swishing behind you. Your keen eyes surveyed the area, trying to pick up any hint of familiar bright red. When you couldn't find any, you laid your head down, and let out a long sigh.

     In all honesty, you didn't want to live a furry version of Hannah Montana; you wanted to tell Eijirou that you were the cat he had been confining to on a daily basis, but fear was stopping you right in your tracks. You weren't ready to lose another important person from your life, and god damn it, if the reason was because you were a therapeutic cat, you thought that you'd just stop your entire career all together.

     When you felt hands wrap around your thin body, you let out a yowl, prepared to claw the suspect's eyes out, but stopped when you saw flashes of unmistakable crimson. "Chill, chill! It's just me." the face that you grew to care about appeared before you with a panicked expression.

     You instantly let the tension flood out of your body, allowing yourself to hang comfortably from his hands. Eijirou then sat down on the wooden bench that you were previously resting on, and placed you on top of his lap. A soft hum spilled from your lips when he scratched behind your triangular, [h/c] spotted ears.

     "Did you see the recent news? The one about All Might's retirement?" he asked you wistfully. "It was so manly of him to fight that villain..." pain and regret dulled the vermilion shade he wore in his eyes. "...but I feel like the opposite because of what had happened with [Name]. She nearly died because we— I couldn't protect her. I don't want to know what would have happened if Mount Lady didn't catch her before she hit the ground.

     "It makes me feel really conflicted though," he continued. "I don't know the relationship between her and Bakugou except that they used to date and that they aren't exactly friendly with each other. So, if [Name] was willing to sacrifice herself for him, does that mean she still has feelings for him? Or would she do that with me, Todoroki, Midoriya, and whoever else needed help?" Eijirou wondered with a distant look in his faraway stare.

     You pawed at his fingers, bringing his attention back down to you. You didn't want to suddenly start replying with actual words because one, he would recognize the voice, and two, even if you tried to change your voice, he could catch onto the fact that the talking crow during Bakugou's rescue mission was the same person as the cat in his lap. Instead, you shook your head with reassurance swimming in your dilated eyes. Eijirou kept his eyes on yours before closing them with a serene smile spreading across his lips.

     "Yeah, you're right. [Name] would do that for anyone regardless because she's a hero." he claimed after a silent moment while opening his eyes. Yours widened at his statement, heart bursting with surprise and warmth. In response, you nuzzled closer to his stomach and let out a soft meow.

     Tranquility elapsed over you and your best friend. All that was heard was the distant chatter of young children playing heroes, sweet chirps of songbirds, and the soft breathing between the redhead and yourself. Your eyes began to droop downwards, and just when you were inches away from falling asleep, a bubbly and familiar voice cut into the fray.

     "Hey, Kirishima!" your [e/c] hues snapped opened. "O-M-G! That's such a cute cat!" the other person that came from your junior high squealed, running over to you and Eijirou.

     "Oh, hey, Ashido!" the red haired student greeted with a grin. "And I know, right!? She's the absolute cutest." he laughed. You felt his hands pick you up and lift you into the air again. You didn't have any objections since you were still a bit drowsy and confused from seeing your other classmate so suddenly.

     The pink skinned girl stopped in front of you with a bounce. She let out another squeal as she pet you on the head. "What a cutie!" she cooed excitedly. "Are you planning on taking her into the dorms?" she asked, snatching your feline body away from Eijirou's hands. She cradled you in her arms, crooning at everything you did (which was just blinking and your whiskers twitching, really).

     He rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe? I don't know, I haven't gotten confirmation yet," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I'm pretty sure she's a stray, so I don't think I'll be kidnapping— cat napping?— her from her family or anything."

     "Great! That means that everyone else will be able to meet this baby," Ashido cheered while scratching the bottom of your chin. Her obscure orbs then widen, as if she had remembered something. "I forgot why I was here because of this adorable kitty— shit— I gotta go, Kiri, but I'll see you at school!" she gave you a quick peck on your forehead, and then passed you to the mentioned male. "And hopefully you, too." she bopped you on the nose playfully.

     Eijirou bid her goodbye with a wave. "Stay safe, Ashido!" you both watched her form get smaller and smaller before she was no longer visible.

     Your scarlet eyed classmate rocked you in his arms, holding you close to his chest. It was quiet, but was broken by him. "So, because of Bakugou's— he's my friend, even if he won't admit it— kidnapping, U.A. installed a dormitory system to keep us safer, and they allow pets to be kept in our rooms..." he started awkwardly. Eijirou then held you out in front of him so that he could meet your gaze. The nervous boy then asked the long awaited question that you dreaded, "...so do you want to live with me?"

     The longer you stared into his cardinal hues, the more and more you didn't want to shut him down with a shake of your head. Silently cursing at yourself and your weakness towards your best friend, you slowly nodded your head while blinking steadily. The reaction from him was instant. "Woah, really!? That's amazing!" he yelled out happily, lifting you higher into the air. "You can meet all of my friends! Maybe even [Name] if she can get over her allergies! Awesome!"

      Your heart gave a little stutter in its beat when you saw how much light was reflecting from his ruby-like gems. Despite the fact that you could very well possibly be utterly screwed, you thought that it was all worth it if you got to the person you loved the most smile so brightly with such passion and joy.