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5. Me or the Damn Cat

On a frosty Tuesday afternoon you stepped out of your apartment intent on a much needed grocery run. You stuffed your hands in your pockets to keep them from the icy air. You locked the door behind you.

"Hello." You said into the air. You turned around to see Shigaraki, looking very "caught in the act" even though he was just standing.

"...hi." He mumbled.

"Need anything?" You asked pointedly.

"Uh, I think." He stumbled over his words.

"Think what?" You tried to meet his eyes but they were almost covered by the black hood of his long coat. You could see enough that he was avoiding your gaze like it burned him.

"Hmm?" You questioned.

"I think the damn cat misses you." He spat.

"Is that so?" You quietly giggled to yourself.

"Yes," he said firmly. "She won't shut up, so maybe you can come over now and calm her down."

He turned away and started walking.

"You coming or what?" He said.

"Nope, not right now." You said starting off in the opposite direction.

"What? Why not?" He immediately turned around and started walking after you.

"Groceries won't buy themselves."

"You shouldn't be going places by yourself, it's dangerous." He started walking quicker to keep up with you.

"Well if you feel so strongly about it then you can tag along."

He grumbled to himself behind you.

"Fine, but after that you come with me."

"Okay,"

———

"Just pick one." He said exasperatedly.

"But they are both so good!" You whined.

"Ugh, should I just pick for you? This is taking too long." He groaned.

"No no, I'll pick... this one!" You grabbed the left box of ramen noodles and put it in your basket.

"Finally." He sighed.

"Hmm, wait no." You went back for the other box.

"No! To the check out! Now!" He ordered.

"But it's so good!" You looked longingly at the other box of ramen you were considering.

"NOW." He pointed in the direction of the checkout.

"Okay, okay, calm down."

"I'm never calm." He hissed.

"That, I can believe." You trotted off to the checkout to purchase your groceries. Your grumpy shadow shuffled behind you grumbling to himself all the while. All the way back to your apartment he was silent. You unlocked the door to your apartment and dragged in the grocery bags. Shigaraki reluctantly stood outside the door.

"You can come in if you want." You told him.

Cautiously he stepped through the door and stood awkwardly against the wall. Cold air drafted into the simple apartment.

"Close the door please, all the cold air is getting in." He closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall. You busied yourself putting away the food. How ironic, you thought, you had invited your stalker into your own home. He still wasn't saying anything which was making you a little nervous. You caught him staring at you and he turned his head quickly. He certainly had an unnerving appearance, the red eyes combined with his dry and scarred skin gave him an unusually evil look. Even with his cracked lips and everything you didn't find him ugly. Something about him drew your attention. But who was he? Really?

"What?" He broke the silence. "Stop staring, you're creeping me out."

You had been staring? You hadn't realized it.

"Nothing, just thinking." You said quickly.

"About?"

"Uh.. just..." you hesitated.

"Spit it out."

"Who are you? Really?"

He sighed and stepped closer to you.

"Do you really want to know that?" His face was only inches from yours now.

"Only If you want to tell me." Your heart hammering in your chest. Why weren't you backing away?

"You wouldn't want to be anywhere near me if I told you'' for a moment he looked so sad. Like he had live through a hundred years of trauma in his young life. 

"Shigaraki.." you started.

"Tomura." He broke in. "I don't want you to call me Shigaraki."

"Okay, Tomura."

He turned away quickly and leaned against the wall again. You hurriedly started putting away the last of the groceries.

What was that about?

"Are you still coming over?" He said hesitantly.

"Do you want me to?" You couldn't see his face, he had pulled his hood lower over his face. He scratched his neck harshly, making a horrid raspy noise.

"Tomura?" He stopped when you said his name. "Do you?"

"...yeah." 

———

Of course the room you had woken up in had been his. The trash from your previous visit was still on the floor. Did he ever clean? The one difference from before was the obvious presence of a fluffy gray cat. Tomura had actually gotten anything the new inhabitant of the room might need. The kitty was hopping happily up the new cat tower in the corner of the room.

"Cat! Get over here."

Meow

"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice. Come say hello!" He scooped her up, carefully keeping a few fingers away from her body.

"Cat? Did you not name her?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"I mean.. it's up to you." He handed her to you and you cuddled the tiny thing. She had already grown so much.

A thundering of footsteps was heard running down the stairs. The door to the room flew open making the kitten you were holding jump out of your grip.

"Y/N!" A girl with blonde buns bounded into the room and wrapped you in a bone crushing hug.

"Umm... do I know you?" You said with what little breath you had.

"Toga, don't scare her off." Dabi mossied through the door. "Hey, Y/n!"

"heyy." You managed to say. The girl finally released you.

"No we haven't met yet but I feel like I already know you. I mean I've already heard so much about you I bet we are gonna be best friends!" The girl rambled without even taking a breath.

"Heard a lot about me huh?" You glanced at the boy standing in the corner trying to calm his cat and avoid your gaze.

"You're popular around here don't ya know y/n." Dabi said, putting his muscular arm around your shoulder. The sudden touch made you jump. Toga began listing all the things she had heard and all the reasons you should be friends. Dabi winked at you, causing a blush to creep across your cheeks. Tomura looked like he was about to pop a vein in his forehead from glaring too hard.

"Get out of my room you idiots." Shigaraki hissed.

"Good idea, Toga, y/n,  come on. Let's go get Kurogiri to make us some drinks." Dabi pulled the other girl under his free arm and guided us out of the room leaving a furious shigaraki behind.

"Dabiii hold on." You extracted yourself from his grasp and peeked back inside the room. He was sitting on the floor, looking stonily at the kitten playing at his feet.

"Tomura?" You said softly. He looked up quickly and met your gaze.

"What." He said gruffly.

"You coming?" You gave him a small smile. His expression softened.

"...okay."