I desperately wanted Aizawa to let this slide.

He did not let this slide.

His stare was unrelenting, like he could force the truth out of me with sheer willpower. And honestly? With how close I was to a mental breakdown, it might've worked.

Unfortunately, I had bigger problems.

Like the fact that Aizawa's so-called cat was still clinging to me for dear life and making no move to go back to him.

I glanced down at the tiny traitor snuggling into my chest. "...I think your cat is broken."

Aizawa's eye twitched. "Give him back."

I tried. I really did.

I moved to hand the cat over, but the second it sensed what I was doing, it dug its claws into my uniform and let out a devastated meow, refusing to let go.

"Dude." I looked down at the cat. "You have an owner."

The cat meowed again, rubbing its head against my chin.

"No." I scowled. "Don't try to be cute."

It purred louder.

I glared. The cat blinked up at me innocently like it wasn't currently making my life ten times worse.

"Midoriya." Aizawa's patience was wearing thin.

I quickly looked up. "Where'd you even get this cat?"

That made him pause.

For a second, he just stared at me, probably wondering if this was some weird attempt at a distraction—which, to be fair, it kind of was.

But then he sighed, rubbing his temples. "I didn't get him. He chose me."

I blinked. "What?"

Aizawa crossed his arms. "One day, I came home, and he was just sitting in front of my door. Wouldn't leave. Just sat there staring at me like he was judging my entire existence."

I had never related to a cat more in my life.

"So," Aizawa continued, sighing again, "I let him in. He hasn't left since."

Todoroki hummed. "Sounds like a curse."

Aizawa gave him a flat look. "It's a cat."

I did not agree with that statement. At all.

This was not just a cat. This was a magic menace, a chaos gremlin, a furry little liar that had dragged me into a magical girl nightmare.

And now it was refusing to go back to Aizawa.

I forced a smile. "Well! That's adorable. Great bonding story. So, I'll just put him down, and—"

I tried. I really did.

But the second I attempted to set him on the ground, he latched onto my sleeve and wouldn't let go.

I stared at him. He stared back.

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose. "Midoriya."

"No, yeah, I got this." I shook my arm gently. The cat didn't budge. I shook a little harder. He clung tighter.

"Dude," I hissed. "I am not adopting you."

The cat ignored me.

I turned back to Aizawa, smiling like I wasn't about to lose my mind. "So, haha, uh, I think he likes me?"

Aizawa's eye twitched. "Give him back."

I had never been more trapped in my life.

I tried. I really did.

But this cat? This absolute drama queen of a furball? Had other plans.

The second I attempted to pry him off, he let out the most soul-crushing, heart-shattering, Oscar-worthy wail I had ever heard in my life.

It was so loud, I was sure the entire school heard it.

Even Aizawa flinched.

"Midoriya." His voice was a dangerous warning.

"I'M TRYING!" I hissed, frantically trying to shake the cat off my sleeve.

The cat—the traitor, the menace, the professional drama artist—flopped in my arms like I was trying to rip his soul out, his little body going completely limp as he made a high-pitched, mournful whine that sounded like I had personally betrayed him.

I tried again.

He curled tighter, whimpering.

I tried one more time.

He let out a noise that sounded like he was dying and proceeded to go completely limp, flopping over my arm like a fainting Victorian woman.

"OH MY GOD." I grabbed my head. "HE'S FAKING IT."

Todoroki, ever the emotional support, hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe he really likes you."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKED."

Aizawa's eyebrow twitched. "Midoriya. Give. Me. The cat."

I frantically grabbed the little fur gremlin and held him out, determined to force him back into his rightful owner's arms.

The cat hissed.

Then, with the most exaggerated, theatrical whimper possible, he threw himself backwards, flailing dramatically, as if I was throwing him into the pits of hell.

He twisted, letting out one final scream, and then—

Clung to my face.

I staggered.

Todoroki made a soft noise. "Huh."

I was being suffocated. By fur and betrayal.

"Midoriya," Aizawa deadpanned, unimpressed.

I tried to pry the cat off my face. He refused.

"This isn't me," I wheezed. "He's—he's doing this on his own!"

The cat whined dramatically.

Aizawa's stare was so done.

"Are you cursed?" Todoroki asked.

"I THINK SO."

I finally managed to pull the cat off my face.

He looked up at me, his wide eyes glistening, his tiny body trembling, like I was about to throw him into the void itself.

Then, as a final touch, he let out the saddest, tiniest little mew I had ever heard.

I froze.

Todoroki blinked. "I think he's manipulating you."

"I KNOW."

I turned to Aizawa, pleading. "Can you just—can you just take him?"

Aizawa took a step forward, extending his hands.

The cat arched his back like Aizawa was the physical embodiment of pure evil and let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a scream.

I jumped. "OH MY GOD—WHY DID HE JUST SCREAM?!"

Aizawa's face was so blank, so dead inside, I was sure he was reconsidering every life choice that led him here.

I tried again.

The cat let out a noise so tragic, so devastatingly painful, you would think I had just told him Santa Claus wasn't real.

"I CAN'T—" I threw my hands up. "I CAN'T DO THIS."

The cat instantly latched back onto my shirt, rubbing his head against me like he hadn't just been performing a Broadway tragedy.

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Keep him."

"WAIT, WHAT?"

Todoroki nodded. "That seems fair."

"FAIR?! NO, IT DOESN'T—"

The cat purred, snuggling closer.

I screamed internally.