Chapter Text
Aizawa
Her first week at UA went surprisingly well, considering. The students were abuzz about the new teacher and a lot of the boys seemed to think she was ‘hot’. Something he didn’t need to hear, but he overheard Mineta commenting on Lyn’s beautiful ‘features’ one day during Homeroom. Something that he had to give the kid detention for.
She was soft and kind during her lessons, from what he’d witnessed and heard from his students. This seemed to help with keeping their attention during class. It all seemed too suspicious, to him. She was always cheerful and smiling, but he could tell that it was a facade. An act. He just couldn’t seem to read what was underneath it all. And it infuriated him.
So Aizawa watched her from the shadows, seeing how the students interacted with her. He scowled as he noticed a few of them fawning over Lyn.
One day, while he was observing her, she ended up heading out of the classroom for lunch and disappearing into the throngs of students. Disappearing and blending in, somehow. Despite the fact that she had vibrant purple hair and cat ears.
He cursed under his breath and searched around for her. What was she doing, now? Hiding? Sneaking around? Even more suspicious.
He narrowed his eyes as he followed the general path that she’d taken.
“Where did she go?” He muttered to himself, his instincts telling him that she was up to something.
Then he saw her. A flash of a purple tail going around the corner toward the stairs. He hurried along through the students and followed her up the stairs toward the rooftop. He stayed far enough behind that he was sure he wasn’t detected. Once he reached the rooftop, he peered around the corner and caught her humming a hauntingly sad tune.
The breeze caused his messy hair to sway, the sky partially cloudy. The sun beamed down atop Lyn as she sat down at a bench near the fence surrounding the roof. She set a bento aside and slowly opened it. All the while facing away from him. He noticed her ears twitch as she spoke up, causing him to jump a little.
“You going to keep staring or come out of the shadows?” She sounded smug. Damn cat.
Aizawa stepped into view, his expression neutral but guarded. “How did you know I was there?” He asked, walking closer to her, “I was being careful.”
“You’ve been watching me all week, how could I not notice?” She turned to look at him with a small smile on her face, “I could hear your footsteps.”
Lyn pointed at her fluffy cat ears. Which twitched slightly as she did so. His eye twitched slightly as he crossed his arms.
“Those ears of yours are quite useful. But don’t think that means you can sneak around without me noticing.” He said in a dry tone.
“But I’m not sneaking around?” She blinked a few times, looking at him oddly.
“Then why are you up here alone during lunch? Most teachers eat in the staff room.” Aizawa’s eyebrow rose skeptically.
“I needed some air.” She turned away and started to eat her salad.
He stood there awkwardly for a moment, debating whether or not to leave or stay. Inevitably he decided to remain, not trusting that she wasn’t up to something.
“Fine.” He finally said, leaning against the fence near her, “But don’t expect me to make conversation.”
“Alright! I’ll make the conversation, then. If you answer you answer. If not then … oh well.” She said cheerily, chuckling as she looked out over the horizon. The city in the distance providing a beautiful sight to see, “Why are you so suspicious of me? Surely you see that I’m doing fine, by now.”
He let out a tired sigh. “Because people who smile too much are usually hiding something.” He replied bluntly, “And your enthusiasm with the students is unsettling.”
There was a beat of silence, before she looked over at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that your constant cheerfulness is suspicious. It’s not natural. Especially for someone who is supposed to be a teacher.” He shifted his weight, his eyes focused on her as she looked at him. Her eyes narrowed, but that infuriating smile remained.
“No. I mean about my enthusiasm with the students being unsettling. What did you mean by that?”
Aizawa hesitated for a moment, thinking on that. He chose his words carefully, “You’re too … invested in them. It’s like you’re trying too hard to be liked. And some of the boys are starting to get attached.”
“So what, should I be cold and aloof like you then?” Her smile faltered for a second as she asked that.
“I’m not cold and aloof.” He let out a quiet but dry laugh, “I’m realistic. Hero work isn’t about making friends. It’s about surviving.”
“You’re wrong. Networking and making friends can be useful in a hero profession. But you wouldn’t know that, would you? Being an underground hero, and all. Right?” Lyn’s smile widened slightly, eyes gleaming like she knew something he didn’t. He felt his expression darken at the comment, irritation flashing through him for a second.
Of course, right. She knew about his hero status. He didn’t know how much she knew, but something in his gut told him it was more than she let on. The very thought caused his hackles to rise.
“Being an underground hero means I know the value of keeping my distance. You’re just a civilian turned teacher, you wouldn’t understand the risks.”
“That’s unusually judgmental and shallow, coming from you.” Her smile widened as she plopped a cherry tomato into her mouth, “You have no idea what my background is, do you? Because I asked Nezu to keep my file off record. Doesn’t that just … irritate you?”
She got that sly smile on her face, again. Like she just knew. Damn cat. She was trying to get under his skin and he knew it. Aizawa’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his jaw clenching as she confirmed his suspicions. She was hiding something.
“You’re hiding something big, then. And I will find out what it is.” He stepped closer to her, his voice low and threatening, “You’re not as innocent as you pretend to be, Lyn.”
What irritated him even more was the fact she didn’t seem intimidated by him, in the slightest. Despite being a civilian. It made him wonder if she truly was a civilian at all. Lyn set her bento aside and stood up, brushing off her dress as she did so.
“Your protectiveness of the kids is endearing. But I must ask you to stop stalking me while we are in school. It’s unprofessional.” She said with a soft and polite smile.
He scoffed, towering over her, “I’m not stalking you. I’m observing a potential threat. And don’t try to lecture me about professionalism.”
“I am not a threat. I don’t intend to be, anyway … Nezu asked me to behave, afterall.” Her golden eyes twinkled with delight as she dangled that morsel of information in front of him. His eyes widen slightly at the mention of Nezu, then they narrow suspiciously.
“So Nezu knows what you are? And he’s letting you stay here anyway?” He stated coldly.
“He knows who I am, yes. I owed him a favor, so I’m here. I’d even go as far as to say we are friends.” She smiled and chuckled slightly.
Aizawa ran a hand through his hair in frustration, clearly struggling to maintain his composure at this point. Talking to this woman was infuriating, “What kind of favor could someone like you possibly do for Nezu?”
“Someone like me.” She said, her ears twitching slightly, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He gestured vaguely at her, trying to convey his confusion, “You’re young. You’re a civilian. Your cat features … you don’t fit the profile of someone who can help Nezu.”
“Looks aren’t everything, I thought you of all people would know that.”
“Stop playing games. Just tell me what your quirk is, already.” He glared, annoyed with her evasive answers.
“Cat. Obviously.” Lyn pointed at her cat ears like it was obvious. His eye twitched.
“That explains your ears and tail, but how strong is it?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Nezu is sending me to the USJ with you for training next week … wait he didn’t tell you yet, did he?” Lyn blinked, likely noticing his growing irritation.
His face darkened considerably, a mix of anger and disbelief crossing his features, “No, he didn’t. Why would he send you to the USJ with me?”
“Rescue training. I can help with it.” She shrugged, “And my insight on close quarters combat can help, just in case.”
Aizawa crossed his arms again, his expression skeptical, “Close quarters combat? With what training? You’re not a hero.”
She smirked, almost like she knew something and wasn’t telling him again. “Nope. Not a hero.”
“Then what exactly are you? Because I refuse to believe Nezu would trust a civilian with training the students.”
“You might fall off your rocker if you knew.” She snickered behind her hand. This caused his patience to snap.
“Enough with the riddles. Tell me what you’re hiding. Now.” He said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“...Do you know who The Spectre is?” Her golden eyes gleamed with mischief. Aizawa’s eyes widened with realization.
The Spectre was a dangerous vigilante that was known for taking out numerous underground slave operations within the last 5 years. Someone that even he, during his patrols, couldn’t catch. The Spectre was usually seen in black body armor and a full helmet, concealing their features. Spectre being a play on the word ‘Specter’, a ghost. Which was what they were. They came and left like a ghost. Leaving no trail. Nothing.
“You mean to say … you’re the Spectre?” This was bad, then. Really bad.
“Yes.”
He steps back, as though burned, “That’s impossible. The Spectre is ruthless. Dangerous. Not some cat eared teacher.”
Lyn took a predatory step forward, the look in her eyes telling him that she was toying with him now. Her grin widened, “I’m not just some civilian woman you can push around, Aizawa. Though I commend you on your attempt. It was quite cute.”
He clenched his fists, “You’re telling me that the person who’s been causing chaos in the underground world is teaching at UA? That’s ridiculous.”
He almost couldn’t believe it.
Her smile was too smug for someone hiding murder charges. Nezu’s playing some twisted game, here.
“You act like I’m some sort of disease, with the way you’re stepping away from me. Why is that, I wonder?” She tilted her head and took another step closer. He backed up and his back hit the wall, his stoic expression cracking slightly.
“Because you’re a wanted criminal. You’ve killed people. You’re a threat to the students.”
“I am no threat to kids, Aizawa. Nezu knows this. And even you’ve killed people, being a hero and all. Or is it only okay if you have a hero license?” She tilted her head again, her smile turning dangerous. Her eyes held a glint in them.
He growled lowly, his eyes narrowing dangerously at her comparison, “I kill when necessary. You kill for sport. There’s a difference.”
“That’s another ignorant comment.” Lyn frowned. She frowned. Her eyes shifted and started to glow slightly with barely contained rage. “You have no idea who I am. What I have done or why I’ve done the things I’ve done. So you don’t get to judge me.”
Aizawa’s capture weapon began to float around him defensively, his quirk activating in response to Lyn’s glowing eyes. “Then enlighten me. Why should I trust you? Why should I let you near my students?”
“I’m not asking you to trust me. I just want you to know you’re wrong about all your ‘assessments’. I am not a danger to the kids. I would never hurt a child.” Her expression softened a little, “A lot of the people I saved were kids.”
He studied her face intently, searching for signs of deception. But found none.
“And the adults you killed? What about them?”
“They were in the way.” Lyn waved it off, looking nonchalant about it. But the look in her eyes told him that she was hiding her true feelings on the matter. Pretending it didn’t matter.
Even still, his eyes darkened with anger at her dismissive attitude. “They were people. They had families, dreams, lives. You took them away because they were in the way?”
“And what, the people you killed didn’t have families, dreams or lives?” She sneered at him. Sneered. Aizawa could see her true self flickering through her mask, now.
“I didn’t kill them for pleasure. I did it to protect others. There’s a difference between self-defense and murder.” He stepped forward, his voice low and intense.
“I have never once killed for pleasure.” Lyn snarled, her sharpened fangs showing as her lip curled in disgust, “Stop making assumptions about me, it’s getting really fucking old.”
He held his ground, unfazed by her display of aggression. “Then what do you call what you’ve been doing? You’re a vigilante, a criminal. You operate outside the law and that makes you dangerous.”
Her eyes glowed like live wires. Dangerous but captivating all the same. Aizawa’s pulse raced. He couldn’t let her know. Nezu better have a damn good explanation for this.
“Laws are meant to be bent, from time to time.” She shrugged and turned to walk away, waving her hand dismissively, “This conversation is getting old. I’m heading back to my classroom.”
He grabbed her arm forcefully, stopping her from leaving, “You’re not going anywhere until we’re done talking.”
Lyn paused, then slowly turned to look at his hand on her arm. “Did you just … touch me without my permission?”
Her tone held a dangerous edge, despite her smile. He quickly let go, realizing his mistake. But he wasn’t about to back down.
“You’re not in control, here. You’re in my territory now.”
“No. This isn’t your territory. It’s Nezu’s and his word is above yours. If he says I can be here, then I can be here. Simple as that.” Lyn said in a cold tone, her smile widening. Aizawa’s jaw clenched, visibly frustrated by her logic. She had a point.
“Fine. But I’ll be watching you. Every step you take.” He said lowly. This caused her to roll her eyes and walk away, tail swaying slightly as she entered through the rooftop door. He sighed and looked at the door where she left, running a hand through his hair in frustration, “This is going to be a nightmare…”
Lyn
For the next few days, I spent my lunch breaks on the rooftop away from the other teachers. Trying to avoid Aizawa. He had irritated me with his judgmental and shallow comments about my situation. He had no right. No idea. And it infuriated me. Then again, how could he know? I was purposely irritating him, afterall. I couldn’t stay mad at him. But it was still awkward with how he always seemed to watch me with those dark eyes of his.
I sighed.
Then there was today. Today was a very special day. The day weighed heavily on my heart. It had been the day I found out about my sister’s death. A death that I tried and tried to prevent, with everything that I had. But it didn’t matter, in the end. Finding her had been the sole reason why I’d become a vigilante to begin with.
But with her gone, I had nothing. No one.
I stood on the rooftop, hands clutching the chain-link fence that surrounded the whole roof. It was overcast today and gloomy, which didn’t help my mood. I was stuck in my own head, thinking about my sister. She was gone now, because of my inadequacies. I didn’t deserve to be here. The world would be a better place with her in it, than me.
My thoughts spiraled as I stood there, my eyes filling with tears as I felt the hollowness in my chest because of her absence.
I began to sing a song that resonated with me, in that moment. ‘Like You’ by Evanescence. The same sad tune I had been humming all week. The lyrics depicted me wanting to die with her as she was lowered into the ground. Longing to be with her, even today. I just stood there, next to the fence. My half eaten bento sitting behind me on the bench. Forgotten.
I was still grieving. That much was clear.
What I didn’t expect was to be interrupted.
“Lyn…” Aizawa’s voice cut through the silence after I finished the song. My ears flattened as I turned to look at him. A tear fell, my smile persisting despite my feelings. I didn’t even say anything as I watched him step forward, his expression conflicted. “I heard you singing. Those … weren’t happy words.”
Great. Just what I needed.
I wiped at my face to remove the tears from my eyes, looking away, “Yeah.”
“Who were you singing about?” He asked, walking to stand beside me. The distance between us felt heavy with unspoken emotions.
“Why should I tell you?” I said quietly, “You’ll just scoff and tell me I’m a liar or something.”
He shook his head, his voice surprisingly gentle in this moment, “I won’t. I promise.”
I stared at him for a second, my eyes meeting his. I detected a hint of concern in his gaze. Confusing.
“My sister. I was singing about my sister.” I said quietly, tears forming in my eyes again as I turned and looked out at the horizon, “After everything I did … she still died, in the end.”
He leaned against the fence beside me, clearly observing my expression. “I’m sorry for your loss. But what do you mean by ‘everything you did’?”
“Her name was Anna. Anna Takimura.” My voice sounded hollow, even to me. I chuckled mirthlessly, “I don’t feel like talking about it. But if you’re curious … just look up the name.”
I turned and left, walking down the stairs and away from him as I left him alone on that rooftop. I stopped at the landing of the stairs and sat down, tears falling. Today was an especially hard day. After everything…
Aizawa
He watched as she walked away, his mind racing with questions. He pulled out his phone and searched for ‘Anna Takimura’. From the looks of it, she was a girl that went missing some odd years ago. Around 10 years ago. She was found dead in an underground slave operation about a year ago.
His eyes widened as he read the article, the pieces starting to fall into place. He looked back at the door where she had left, “...She’s her sister…”
Now that he remembered, the Spectre had taken down that particular sector of slave operations. The Spectre was even mentioned in the article as a ‘dangerous criminal at large’ after they’d killed the villain responsible for killing Anna. He read about the Spectre’s involvement, noting the connection between Lyn and the vigilante. He felt a mix of anger and sympathy.
“So you’re not just some random vigilante… you were just trying to find your sister…” He muttered as he looked at the article. He felt guilty, then. For saying the things he did. He ran his hand through his hair, conflicted about his previous assumptions. He spoke to himself atop that empty roof, “Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?”
Aizawa could hear the silent sobs on the stairwell as he approached the door. He stood there awkwardly for some time, before hearing the sounds stop. He waited around 10 minutes before entering, seeing that Lyn was now gone. Likely back to her classroom to teach, as lunch was almost over.
He sighed. Things just got more complicated.
The rest of the day passed without issue, though the times he did check in on her she seemed subdued. Guilt gnawed at his gut as he noticed this. Did he contribute? Why should he care?
Eventually the last class ended for the day and he made his way to her classroom as the students were filing out, debating whether or not to approach her again or give her some space. Then he heard that haunting tune again, being hummed by her as she cleaned up her desk. Her ears twitched in his direction.
“You aren’t exactly subtle, you know.”
He stepped into the room, seeing that it was now empty of students, “I wasn’t trying to be. You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I wonder why.” She said with a bitter laugh. He moved closer, standing in front of her desk.
“Because you’re scared of what I’ll say now that I know the truth?”
“And the fact that you’ve had it out for me since the beginning.” She said, still sitting at her desk. She looked so small, in that moment. Her usual playful and mischievous look gone. Replaced by a placid smile trying to hide the broken woman underneath. He could see it, now.
“I didn’t have it out for you because I thought you were a killer. I had it out for you because you’re reckless, and I didn’t trust you with my students.”
“Didn’t?” Lyn glanced up at him, then. Her eyes meeting his own. She looked confused and a little … hopeful? His expression was less hostile than before.
“I still don’t fully trust you. But after what I learned today … I understand you better, now.”
“Understanding helps, I guess.” She smiled.
“But I still want to know why you became a vigilante. What drove you to that path?” He asked, looking down at her.
“When I freed myself from my Master, I tried to become a hero but I was too old for hero school and too broke for a hero license.” She sounded like she was being honest. He frowned at the mention of a ‘Master’, catching onto it.
“You were a slave, too?”
“Yeah, for awhile. He mostly used me for pit fighting. It’s why I’m so good at fighting.”
His eyes narrowed with concern and anger, “And what about your sister? Did she … did she suffer the same fate?”
Lyn’s ears flattened and she clenched her jaw. It was clearly a sore subject, but she answered anyway with a sigh, “She was a slave, yes. But she wasn’t lucky, like me. Her master … he … he really liked cat hybrids.”
Her eyes darkened as she said that.
Aizawa’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. He knew what she was alluding to and it sickened him, “I see. That’s why you became a vigilante … to protect others from what happened to her.”
“I couldn’t stand by and just watch it happen. I couldn’t be helpless. Not again. And…. I needed to find my sister, most of all.” She nodded.
He took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. “You’ve been through Hell, haven’t you?”
Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling as she fidgeted with them atop her desk. Aizawa should have noticed these things, the small tics. The avoidant behavior when it came to physical touch. The scar on her collarbone.
“That’s one way to put it.” She chuckled quietly, despite the situation. He looked at her with a mix of respect and sorrow.
“You’re stronger than most people I know. But strength alone won’t save you forever.”
“I don’t intend to self-destruct just yet.” She said softly.
Yet.
He caught onto that and it caused a flash of concern to course through him.
“Good, because if you keep pushing yourself like this… you will.”
“I don’t have many friends. In fact, Nezu is the only friend I have. But he and I don’t have that kind of close friendship where I tell him about my problems.” She shrugged and stood up, wiping away her notes on the whiteboard and cleaning it. Busying her hands as she spoke, “So tough luck for me, I guess.”
He watched her clean, his heart heavy with newfound understanding. “I’m not your friend, but I’m also not your enemy anymore.”
This caused her to pause, “I never considered you an enemy, I hope you know.”
“Then what am I, to you? Just another obstacle in your path?” He asked as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
Lyn’s lips twitched and she chuckled, “No. Just another concerned guy trying to keep the kids safe. I could respect that. It’s why I … never got really that upset about it.”
That surprised him as he rose his eyebrow, “You respect my job as a teacher, yet you continue to do what you do. Why not just retire from being a vigilante.”
“I did. It was Nezu’s condition. Stop being a vigilante and become a teacher. So here I am.” She turned to him and smiled.
“That rat is always full of surprises, but why did he choose you specifically?”
“He told me my unique outlook on life and my combat abilities would prove useful to the school.” She sighed, “Something to that effect, anyway…”
Aizawa nodded slowly, considering her words, “He’s not wrong. Your experience gives you a perspective that many heroes lack. But it also means you’re walking a fine line between being a hero and a villain.”
“I know.” She huffed, “It’s why I got upset when you told me that I killed for sport. For pleasure. I’m not like that. I’ve only ever killed villains or criminals who were trying to kill me, first.”
“I understand that, now.” He held up his hands defensively, “I was too quick to judge based on the rumors and assumptions. But you have to admit your methods are … extreme.”
“They were.” She agreed, a guilty look entering her golden eyes.
He took a step closer to her, his voice softer than usual, “Just be careful, Lyn. The path you’re on is dangerous, and I don’t want to see you fall.”
“I won’t fall. And if I do, I sincerely doubt I’ll hurt anyone when I do finally self-destruct. I won’t be missed, in this world. Maybe by Nezu, but… he’ll be fine.” She stated with a hollow sounding tone, her eyes showing the despair she was clearly feeling in that moment. His expression darkened at her words, his concern growing even more as she spoke.
“Don’t talk like that. You’re not going to die anytime soon. You need to take care of yourself, first.”
Her smile took on a sad tinge, her eyes shifting to show just how broken she was on the inside. It made his chest tighten. She looked so vulnerable in that moment as she looked up at him, “Don’t act like you care, all of a sudden. Just because I don’t believe I’ll make it to 30.”
“I may not have shown it before, but I do care. You’re part of this school, now. And I take care of my own, even the ones who drive me crazy.” His voice was firm but gentle.
“I’m not even one of your students, what do you mean?” She chuckled dryly, “But I … I get what you mean.”
He smirked slightly at her chuckle, relieved to see a lighter side of her, “You’re still a problem child, in my book.”
Her eyes still scream trauma, but there’s a spark when she’s teasing. Why does Nezu’s chaotic decisions suddenly make sense, now? Better keep her busy grading papers, tomorrow. Anything to keep her mind off of what was gnawing at her on the inside. She was very clearly tipping over the edge and he wasn’t about to watch someone die.
“I’m 22.” She crossed her arms and pouted, “You can’t be that much older than me.”
His eyebrow rose, amused by her pout. “I’m 30. So yes, I am that much older than you.”
Lyn blinked, looking at him closely now. “Huh, well you must have some good genes then because I couldn’t tell. I thought you were closer to my age, just … hidden under all that scruff.”
He ran a hand over his stubble, a hint of pride in his voice, “Thanks, I guess. Though I don’t usually get compliments on my age.”
“Now I suddenly feel like an ass, treating my elder like crap.” She snickered, putting a hand over her mouth as a flicker of amusement entered her empty gaze. Good. She was returning. Aizawa chuckled, a rare genuine smile appearing on his face.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse things than ‘ass’ by you.” He said in his usual dry tone. Lyn’s smile was brighter than he expected. He didn’t think he’d care that much about some reckless vigilante … damn, he needed coffee after this.
She laughed, her eyes brightening up as she did, “I suppose so.” She set down the eraser for the whiteboard, grabbing her bag, “I’m heading out. I’ll see you around tomorrow morning for … rescue training. I guess.”
“Be on time and try no to cause any trouble on your way home.”
“I’m retired, remember?” She smirked as she walked past him, leaving through the door.
Then he was alone in her classroom. Aizawa sighed, staring at the closed door. He muttered to himself, “Retired or not, she’s still a handful.”
(Later That Evening)
He had stopped at the convenience store, like clockwork. He had grabbed a few things, namely the cans of cat food that he normally got for the colony of strays that made their home in the alleyway near his apartment complex.
His feet made little noise as he walked around the corner into the darkened alleyway. He heard her before he saw her. A chirruping noise followed by a few meows. Then Aizawa spotted a flash of a fluffy purple tail, crouched near the dumpster. He tilted his head and watched.
Lyn was crouched there, in front of three scraggly looking cats. Her ears and tail moved as she made noises, and the cats responded in kind. Also making small noises. Almost like they were having a damn conversation. Next to her was a cat he didn’t recognize, clearly well groomed. The cat had a long black coat and vibrant green eyes, wearing a cat harness of some kind attached to a small leash. So that must have been her cat.
The smaller and younger tuxedo cat caught sight of him and jumped off of the box near Lyn and trotted up to him eagerly. Lyn turned and her golden eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of him. She was about to say something, when the small cat at his feet made it well known that he was very hungry.
“Buddy, you aren’t starving. I just fed you.” Lyn said flatly, giving the small cat a look. The cat next to her meowed loudly and hopped off the box to approach Aizawa, too. Followed by the other one, leaving Lyn crouched there next to the unknown black cat. “Ah. I see, you’re the Giver.”
Aizawa knelt down, opening the can of cat food with practiced ease and scooping some onto the pavement in front of the eager tuxedo—Buddy. His voice was flat, but not unkind as he spoke.
“Guilty.” He glanced up at Lyn before his attention shifted back to the cats now swarming him for treats. “They’re spoiled. They’ll be fat if we both keep feeding them like this.”
One particularly bold grey tabby climbed right into his lap, purring loudly as she kneaded his capture scarf. Aizawa sighed through his nose but didn’t push her away—his telltale sign of surrender.
“Didn’t take you for a stray whisperer.” He remarked dryly.
“I can talk to cats. It’s part of what my quirk allows me.” Lyn huffed and stood up straight, “The cats call you the Giver, because you give them food. The older ones know you by name.”
Aizawa made an acknowledging sound in the back of his throat as he continued to pet the tabby as it rubbed against him, still purring contentedly in his lap. He raised an eyebrow at her last comment, an almost hint of amusement in his flat tone.
“Oh? And how many of them talk about me?” He asked, clearly expecting a sarcastic answer of some kind.
“The older one, that tabby, she says you are kind. She likes you a lot.” Lyn smiled and tilted her head with a chuckle. Then, the black cat with the harness came out from behind her leg and trotted up to Aizawa. The cat started to rub against his leg affectionately.
“Raven, you traitor!” Lyn looked mildly offended that her own cat seemed to prefer him in that moment.
Aizawa’s stoic facade cracked a fraction, just barely, as he felt a faint smile tug at the corner of his mouth. He chuckled softly, his expression softening just a fraction as he looked down at Raven who was now rubbing against his leg. His hand moved to scratch under her chin without thinking, the motion almost automatic. He spared a glance at Lyn, unable to hide the amusement in his tone as he spoke.
“Looks like I have a fan.” He said, the corners of his eyes crinkling faintly. This caused Raven to chitter up at him and didn’t seem at all interested in the food he just put down. Mainly focused on getting his attention. He could see Lyn’s eyes narrow a fraction with barely veiled jealousy.
“Yeah, she’s a slut for attention.” Lyn said with a sigh, slowly approaching and standing nearby to watch, “Do you feed them often? Because if so, they’ve been getting fed double for the last few weeks. Since I moved in.”
Aizawa couldn’t help the snort that escaped at her comment about the cat’s attention-seeking behavior, his usually bored expression cracking into a small smirk. He continued to pet the tabby in his lap before glancing up at Lyn, his gaze sharp and observant.
“I come here a few times a week, usually at night when I can’t sleep.” He admitted, his hand idly running down the tabby’s spine. “So I guess they’ve been getting fed double, then.”
“I usually stop by a few times a week after work. Or whenever Raven needs socialization. She gets restless if she stays in the apartment too long.” Lyn crossed her arms and leaned against the wall next to where he was in that alleyway.
He gave a slow nod in understanding, his fingers still absently scratching behind the tabbys ears as it purred contentedly in his lap. His eyes flicked to Raven for a moment, before returning to Lyn.
“Guess we’ll have to coordinate schedules so they don’t get fat.” He deadpanned, though there was an undertone of dry amusement in his voice. The tabby in his lap blinked and meowed loudly when he said that.
“Lila, that tabby, seems to disagree. She thinks we should keep feeding them double. I agree with you, we should definitely come up with a schedule. We can’t have them getting fat and having heart problems.” She smirked.
The tabby in his lap—Lila—meowed again and looked up at Lyn. She scoffed, “Don’t give me that.” The cat chittered and then looked back at Aizawa with big pleading eyes, “And now she’s trying to beg. Great.”
Aizawa chuckled softly at the tabby’s loud meow, a rare flash of warmth in his otherwise tired eyes. He continued to scratch her head, his expression almost amused as he listened to Lyn and Lila’s ‘discussion’.
“Looks like Lila knows what she wants.” He commented, his gaze flicking between the cat and Lyn. The corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly as he watched the tabby’s pleading facial expression, “And she’s not afraid to make her feelings known.”
Lyn rolled her eyes playfully, “Oh yeah, the older cats tend to understand better than the younger ones. So she probably knows what we are saying right now and wants to influence you into continuing to feed double. Don’t fall for her charms! That’s just what she wants.”
Aizawa let out a soft huff at Lyn’s comment, his hand idly running over Lila’s back as the cat continued to purr in his lap. He shot Lyn a dry look, his expression almost bordering on teasing. “Oh, I’m well aware she’s trying to manipulate me.” He said, a touch of amusement in his tone. He shifted his gaze back to the cat, his eyes softening a fraction as he scratched under her chin, “But it’s hard to resist those big, pleading eyes.”
“That’s exactly what she wants…” Lyn sighed and stepped a little closer. She crouched next to the cats, but stayed a respectable distance from Aizawa. She began to pet Buddy, the little tuxedo cat. “Do you know if they are fixed?”
He nodded in response to her question, his hand still petting Lila on autopilot as he spoke, “They’re all fixed. I made sure of it when I first started feeding them. There are enough strays already on the streets, so I figured it was the responsible thing to do.” He paused a moment before adding in a dry tone, “I didn’t need them multiplying and creating a small army of hungry cats demanding food.”
He sensed a look of approval in Lyn’s gaze, then. She smiled softly and looked up at Aizawa, golden eyes twinkling brightly, “You’re one of the good ones. Thank you for taking care of them.” She said and Lila made a noise as she was being petted by him, “Lila is grateful, too. I can see why she loves you, so much.”
She chuckled quietly as the tabby began aggressively rubbing her face into his hand.
Aizawa’s stoic expression softened momentarily at her words, though he quickly masked it with a small scoff and an air of nonchalance. The praise took him off guard, though he tried his best to hide it from showing on his face.
“It’s just common sense.” He said gruffly, trying to downplay the importance of his actions. In an undertone, he mumbled, “She just likes me because I feed her.”
Lila made a noise in his lap and chittered, causing Lyn to laugh. “He does take himself for granted, doesn’t he?” The tabby turned and made a noise again, ears flicking, “Oh he’s just acting aloof? I see. She knows your secrets, Aizawa.” Lyn said playfully, eyes twinkling with amusement.
Aizawa let out a long-suffering sigh, though there was no real annoyance behind it. He gave Lila a flat look as if silently scolding the cat for betraying him. “Traitor.” He muttered under his breath before glancing up at Lyn with a slightly exasperated expression, “I’m not acting, I am aloof.”
But even as he said this, the tiniest upward twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him—just barely noticeable if one was looking for it. Which, it seemed, Lyn did. Her eyes seemed to flick to his tiny smirk with a small one of her own.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. We can talk later about coordinating schedules.” She said as she stood up, smiling like she usually does. As she left, she made a chittering noise, causing Raven to make a noise and follow along as she walked around the corner and into the apartment complex that they shared.
Lyn
“Just so you know, I still think you’re a traitor.” I said as Raven and I stood in the elevator. The little black cat looked up at me with her vibrant green eyes and seemed almost … smug.
“You’re just jealous I’m a natural with you humans. They all love me.” Raven chirruped, tail swishing as she turned up her head and looked away sassily, “He’s the Giver, huh? You should mate with him.”
I choked on my own spit and looked down at her incredulously, “Don’t—what?! Don’t just say those things!”
If a cat could laugh, she certainly did. Once the elevator doors opened, she darted through and up to the door to the apartment …
Damn cat.
Lyn and Raven. A colored sketch by me.
