Aizawa sat frozen for a long moment, his hand still resting on my back. His expression was a mix of disbelief, exhaustion, and something else—a kind of raw vulnerability I'd never seen before. I could feel his breathing, uneven and shallow, as if the realization was too much for him to process all at once.

Then, without warning, he scooped me up.

I let out a startled meow as his arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me close to his chest. He buried his face in my fur, his grip firm but trembling, like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.

"You idiot," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "You absolute idiot."

I froze, unsure of what to do. Aizawa was always composed, always the unshakable pillar of logic and control. Seeing him like this—cracked, raw—made my tiny heart ache.

"You were gone," he continued, his voice barely a whisper. "Do you have any idea what that's done to me? To your classmates? To your mother?"

I wanted to tell him I was sorry, that I hadn't meant for this to happen, but all I could do was press my little paws against his chest, trying to convey something—anything.

He pulled me closer, his fingers digging gently into my fur as he took a shaky breath. "And now... Now you're this?"

A single tear fell, landing on my ear and sliding down into my fur. He didn't bother to wipe it away, didn't even try to mask the tears that followed.

"You're supposed to be a hero, you dumb kid," he choked out. "Not a cat. Not... whatever this is."

I pressed my head against him, purring softly despite the weight of his words.

"You have no idea how much I've been blaming myself," he said, his voice breaking. "I thought I'd failed you. I thought—" He stopped, inhaling sharply. "I thought I lost you for good."

The guilt in his voice was palpable, and I wanted nothing more than to tell him it wasn't his fault. That this wasn't anyone's fault. But I couldn't. So I just stayed there, nestled against him, hoping my presence was enough.

For a long time, he didn't say anything. He just held me, his grip loosening slightly but still firm, as if he was grounding himself in the reality of my existence. His breathing eventually evened out, but the occasional tear still slid down his face, dampening my fur.

"I don't know how to fix this," he admitted finally, his voice quiet and strained. "I don't even know if it can be fixed. But... I'm not losing you again. Do you hear me?"

I let out a soft, affirming meow, nuzzling his chest.

He let out a shaky laugh, the sound bittersweet. "God, I must look pathetic," he muttered, though there was no real heat in his words.

To me, he didn't look pathetic at all. He looked human—more human than I'd ever seen him.

After a few more moments, he pulled back just enough to look at me, his hands still cradling me like I was the most precious thing in the world. "We'll figure this out," he said, his tone more resolute now. "I don't care how long it takes or what I have to do. We'll fix this."

I meowed softly, trying to convey my gratitude.

He gave a small, weary smile, brushing a hand through my fur. "In the meantime, I guess you're stuck with me, furball."

I purred, the sound rumbling in my chest as he held me close again. 

Maybe we didn't have all the answers yet. 

Maybe this was going to be harder than either of us could imagine. 

But for now, I had Aizawa. 

And that was enough.