Cat in a bag

"What?" Aizawa blinked owlishly down at the yellow, purring lump on the floor beside his desk. "What the <i>hell</i> do you think you're doing, Cheshire? Get out of my sleeping bag!"

He shook his head, scratching the stubble on his chin and frowning. That she would do such a thing - was it a dare? The other staff members were notorious at ribbing him, especially with newer colleagues. The counselor had been at U.A. for more than a year, but she was still their newest staff recruit.

"I'll get Mic in here to scream you awake," he threatened, but the snoozing thief still didn't react to his voice. Scowling, he edged one boot over and shoved her over.

Elly opened one eye a sliver at the poking. "Quit," she mumbled.

"Hey! Don't you go back to sleep on me! I wanted a nap, and that's <i>my</i> bag."

She mewled faintly with discomfort and his frown deepened.

"Are you ill?"

"Nn."

Aizawa knelt down, grimacing as his knees popped. "You look like shit warmed over," he observed with a chuckle. "I can tell. It's my natural state, after all."

"'Zawa..."

He drew in a quick breath, his ears suddenly burning hot. Her fuzzy, sleepy voice was far too cute. "Okay then, you leave me no choice..! I'm... I'm going to nap right here in my chair," he sighed, defeated. He got up and slumped into the desk chair, rolling it out a ways so he could see her.

"That said, I'm going to keep an eye on you. You can't be working yourself too hard. It's not logical - you'll end up being a waste of - of a valuable resource we need. You're, ah, shit." He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes and sighed again, deeper this time. "You're valuable. To the school, to the community... to me." His baritone deepened on the last word, rolling out of him and causing her to purr in her sleep.

"Lucky you can't really hear me, huh?" He rolled his head back, staring up at the school's pocked ceiling and fluorescent lighting. The lights crackled once, and he closed his eyes. "Maybe I should tell you, then. While you're asleep and it's safe. But, no. Too much risk."

She flicked her ears and he watched her for awhile, her slow, steady breathing making the fabric rise and fall. Her light snoring made him smile.

"So <i>much</i> reward, though, if you felt the same." His hand reached out and he squinted, tracing the curve of her face from where he sat in mid-air. Aizawa snorted at himself, sitting here pining after her while she dozed.

<i>What if she was so tired all she could see was my bag in a sunny spot, warm, and...</i> smelling like me. <i>She is part cat, after all.</i>

He sighed yet again, the air escaping him weaker than ever.

<i>I'm an idiot.</i>

"I'm not going to get any sleep, am I? I guess that's all right, though. As long as you wake rested."






(p 2)



Elly woke to a gentle brushing sensation on her cheek. It was scratchy below and soft above, followed by a low call of her name.

She purred, not quite functional yet and relishing the warmth and smell all around her. She didn't remember how she got here but understood where she was - there was no question. The puffy fabric surrounding her held a strong scent of Aizawa Shota, homeroom 1-A's teacher and Pro Hero Eraserhead.

<i>Eraserhead</i>!

She jerked awake all at once, heart nearly kicking out of her chest at the thought that she had commandeered <i>his sleeping bag</i>.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh -" Her ears caught the sound of low laughter and she looked up at his desk.

<i>Just how stupid am I</i>?!

Aizawa was slumped over in his chair, one leg crossed over the other and an amused smile on his face.

"You have a good nap ...kitten?" This last was spoken so low she wasn't sure she heard properly.

Her throat went dry all at once at the thought of him calling her that, however, and she swallowed with an audible clicking sound. "I ...wh - what did you? What?"

"I didn't really want to wake you, but it's five minutes until class." Aizawa's fingertips reached up to linger on his smirking mouth for a moment. "It wouldn't be good to let my class see you like that. They'd get more, ah, <i>ideas</i> about us."

"More?" She fumbled for the zipper and he laughed again and bent down to help.

"There you go." The metal strips snickered down slowly, parting the cloth enough for her yo sit up. "Yes, more ideas. You know how they talk about us, right?"

She yawned and stood slowly, wondering just what had woken her earlier. His voice was different - lower, almost suggestive. Her gaze settled on his mouth and she licked her lips. Below that, his scratchy, rough stubble, dark and scraggly on his lower cheeks and chin...

<i>Nope. No way. I was dreaming.</i>

"I do, yeah. They're teenagers, they like to gossip."

He raised an eyebrow. "...and what about the staff? They've been just as chatty."

Elly spluttered, her ears laying back. "Common workplace problems. What are you getting at, <i>Eraser</i>? What would you have me do about it?" She paused, then sighed and ran a hand through her hair with a light grimace. "I'm sorry for using your bag without permission..."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, no. It's quite all right. You have to be able to function, and you clearly needed a good rest."

She nodded, relieved. "Thanks." On her way out, however, he stopped her with a soft clearing of his throat just as she reached for the doorknob.

"In fact, you can use my bag anytime you want." Aizawa stood so closely behind her she could feel his body heat. She could see him standing there in the semi-frosted glass, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He bent down and spoke directly into one furry ear, his voice a low growl. "...<i>kitten</i>."

Elly fled, her cheeks flaming and her heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe. He chuckled and sat back down to wait for his kids to pour in for their afternoon lessons.



Bonus:


The students filed in, casting apprehensive glances at their scruffy teacher.

"Yikes! Mr. Aizawa's got that creepy grin on his face again."

"D'ya think we're getting a pop quiz or something?"

"Ugh, he only does that when he thinks he's figured us out. Or like, won or something. I bet it's gonna be bad."

"Then why is he - is he <i>blushing</i>?"