Aizawa settled into the plush chair, taking comfort in the familiar creak of its worn leather frame. Every day, he came to Purrcolatte within a few minutes of opening. Few people, if any, were here at this time of day, and the cats were just alert enough to enjoy a good petting. Just the way he liked it.

As if on cue, a short haired tuxedo cat sauntered up to him, rubbing against his legs a few times before jumping onto his lap. Aizawa winced a little as it kneaded him with its sharp claws, but the pain was of little consequence. Well worth the baritone rumble of its purr and the comforting warmth of its body.

Aizawa chuckled softly."Made yourself at home, have you, Nori?" he said, giving the cat a fond scratch behind the ears that it encouraged with an affectionate rub of its cheek.

Nori was a bit more aloof than the rest, but had apparently sensed a kindred spirit when Aizawa first wandered in several years ago, warming up to the reclusive hero almost immediately. Since then, Nori was always the first to enter and the last to leave. A few minutes later, the other cats emerged from their respective hidey holes. They were a motley bunch: everything from orange tabbies and calicoes to Persians and Maine Coons. Nori spared them a vaguely annoyed glance, but quickly went back to sleep. He was the boss, and they knew better than to question him. They took up their places with the practiced surety of a marching band, some squeezing in around their elder while others plopped down by Aizawa's legs or on nearby perches.

A short older woman wearing a plain brown kimono sauntered out of the back room, her steps every bit as graceful as the animals she cared for. Her steel grey hair was tied back in a bun, held together with polished wooden sticks topped with stylized cat heads. Upon spotting her longtime patron, a warm smile spread across her lips.

"Looks like the gang's all here." she said, reaching down to pat a fat blue russian on the head before turning to bow to Aizawa. "Good to see you as always, Aizawa-sama. Your usual, I trust?"

Aizawa returned the bow, as much as he could without disturbing his furry companions. "That would be lovely, Rumiko-san. Thank you."

With another short bow, Rumiko made her way to a small kitchenette to set a kettle on the stove, then retrieved a clay jar from a nearby shelf and opened the lid. As soon as she did, a pleasant aroma of fruit and flowers swirled about the room. Aizawa sank back with a contented sigh, enjoying the moment. With the combined responsibilities of teacher and hero, he had precious little time to relax. This was the lone sanctuary he afforded himself, a temporary respite in a world that wouldn't shut up. The door opened, and with it came footsteps, but Aizawa ignored it. So intently was he focused on the purring cats, the smell of brewing tea, and the ambient noise of the room itself that he didn't notice the other person's approach until it was too late.

BZZZT!

"Gah!" Aizawa jerked forward with a start, causing Nori to jump down in a huff and some of the other cats to back off slightly or stare curiously at the source of the commotion.

He followed the latter's gaze to see a smiling Emi Fukakado holding up a joy buzzer, nearly doubled over from the force of laughter. "Ahahahahahaha! You should've seen your face, Eraser! It was priceless!"

Aizawa groaned. "What are you doing here, Joke? Besides ruining a perfectly good morning, that is."

Emi giggled at that, slapping Aizawa hard on the back. "Oh, I just love your witty repartee! It's why we're so perfect together!"

"Perfectly mismatched, you mean."

"Hahaha! You're so much fun, Eraser!" she said before flopping into an adjacent chair. "Go out with me?"

"Absolutely not." Aizawa said, looking around the room for Nori. The older cat was sulking on a futon across the room, glaring spitefully. "Now are you going to tell me why you're here, or are you just going to pester me all morning?"

Just then, most of the cats besides Nori approached the newcomer. A few of the bolder ones, a pair of brown and black striped kittens, scaled her legs to take up positions on her lap.

"To bring a little joy into your life!" she gave the kittens an affectionate scratch on their heads before playfully jabbing Aizawa in the ribs. Her efforts were met with a baleful glare from the other hero. "Would you believe it was fate? Like the universe itself called me to your side." she let out a happy sigh, dramatically clasping a hand to her cheek.

A deadpan stare and a raised eyebrow were his only response. Before Emi could attempt to provoke him further, Rumiko came back with a steaming pot of tea and two cups. When she noticed the younger woman, a knowing smile crept across her face.

"Oh ho! So this is the one I've heard so much about. Finally decided to stop lying to yourself, hm?" she cocked her head to one side, setting the tea set down with a chuckle.

Aizawa's cheeks went beet red for a moment, but his expression remained as implacable as ever. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rumiko broke into a full belly laugh at that. "You're not fooling anyone, Aizawa-san, least of all me." she leaned in to whisper to Emi. "Don't give up, dear. He's a stubborn one, but he'll come around."

"Conspiring with the enemy now, Rumiko-san? I'm hurt." Aizawa poured himself a cup of tea, pausing to savor the complex aroma before taking a tentative first sip.

"A comrade in comedy, you mean!" Emi beamed at Rumiko, who responded in kind. "I'm glad someone around here knows how to laugh!" she said, pinching Aizawa's cheeks. "You could learn a thing or two from her, Eraser!"

Aizawa snorted. "I've learned plenty, thank you." he said before tightly crossing his arms and turning away.

Rumiko just shook her head, bowed once to each hero, then retreated to the back room amidst intermittent bursts of laughter.

Aizawa swore under his breath. And here he'd believed Rumiko was one of the sensible ones. He glowered back at Emi. "I hope you're happy."

Emi flashed him an impish grin as she took a sip from her own cup. "Why, whatever do you mean, Eraser?" she leaned in close, just millimeters away. "Unless you have something to tell me, that is."

"Yes. Goodbye." Aizawa put down a bill on the table and prepared to leave, but was stopped by an indignant meow at his feet. Nori had returned and was gazing up at him expectantly. A defeated sigh escaped Aizawa's lips as he slumped back in his chair. "Et tu, Nori?"

The tuxedo cat simply resumed his place on Aizawa's lap, giving the man a self-satisfied look before settling in once more.

"You know what they say, Eraser." Emi ruffled his hair playfully. "You can't fight destiny."

"Hmph. Destiny is illogical." Aizawa huffed.

"Not everything has to be so cut and dry, Eraser." Emi chided. "Lighten up a little. After all," she pointed at Nori's slumbering form. "It's not like you're going anywhere for awhile."

"Fine. Talk." he said, petting Nori with long, gentle strokes.

An exaggerated pout formed on Emi's lips. "Oh come on, don't be like that. This really was a happy accident, you know. Honest."

"If you say so." Aizawa said, taking another sip of tea.

"I know so, silly." she bopped Aizawa on the nose, earning an annoyed grunt from her fellow hero. "Tell me, what's new with your class? Sounds like they've had their hands full lately. And so have you, by the looks of it."

Aizawa shrugged. "Just a false alarm at the cultural festival. Otherwise it's been business as usual." he scratched Nori's chin, eliciting a powerful purr in response. "I'm sure you've heard all about the incident with Endeavor as well."

Emi's expression turned grave. "Yeah… Never much liked the guy, but that nomu was scary stuff."

Aizawa nodded. "The fact that it was capable of speech was...troubling to say the least. We'll have to be on high alert from now on. Who knows what else the League might be cooking up."

"Speaking of cooking…" a spark of mirth returned to Emi's face, growing more pronounced by the moment. "How bout a night in? I make a mean katsudon."

"Not a-," Aizawa looked over to see that, apart from Nori and the rest of the old guard, most of the cats had congregated around Emi. The younger ones in particular seemed to love her rambunctious demeanor, gleefully batting at or play biting her wiggling fingers. When she noticed his gaze, a genuine smile crossed her face. Not the usual prankster's smirk, but something deeper and more intimate. Aizawa almost smiled back in spite of himself, but was saved-or perhaps betrayed-by his loudly growling stomach.

Shit, that does sound good…

Aizawa took a deep swig of his tea, delaying his response for as long as possible. A quiet dinner in was a surprisingly sensible offer from someone like Emi, and he hadn't had a good meal in weeks. With a heavy sigh and a roll of his eyes, Aizawa answered. "You know what, Joke? You're on."

Emi jerked back in surprise, but quickly recovered, "Hahaha! Good one! You're such a card, Eraser!"

"Emi, I'm serious." he put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her laughter dead in its tracks and turning her cheeks a bright shade of crimson. He'd never called her by her real name before. She sat perfectly still, absentmindedly petting the kittens on her lap as she waited for him to continue. "I mean, it's a logical suggestion after all. So…"

"Well… if you're really serious…" she put a hand on his, leaned in close, and poked him in the forehead with the other. "You've really gotta learn to relax."

The barest hint of a smile stole across his face. "I'll bring the sake."

She smiled broadly, body shaking with laughter. "That's the spirit! Er… a spirit." she winked mischievously.

"Don't push it." he said.

"Oh, I'll save the best for later. You'll see." she replied. Just then, a faint beeping sound drew her attention. She rummaged around in a waist pocket for her cell phone. After quickly scanning the screen, she let out a disappointed groan. "Drat! Where does the time go? Out a window, perhaps?"

Aizawa arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess… late again?"

"Late is a matter of perspective. But…" she grinned sheepishly. "Yes. Duty calls."

"Better get going then." Aizawa said. "I'll cover your bill. Just this once."

"Such a gentleman." Emi made as if to swoon. She carefully sat the kittens down, at which point they immediately took off on a wild zigzag course around the room. As she made her way out, she paused by Aizawa's side, leaning in to give him a short peck on the cheek. "Till later, Shota."

Aizawa watched her leave, almost forgetting where he was until a peal of Rumiko's laughter brought him back to reality.

"Was that really so hard?" she said while collecting the used dishes. "Honestly, Aizawa-san. That girl will be good for you."

"Perhaps." Aizawa checked his own phone with a grimace. "Damn. I'd better get to campus. Those kids have promise, but the thought of leaving them to their own devices makes me nervous." He picked up Nori and carried him over to his favorite perch, petting him all the while. "Sorry, old friend. I'll be back again soon." Nori just yawned in reply, then curled up for a long nap. Aizawa left a few bills on the table, enough to cover everything plus a generous tip. "Thanks as always, Rumiko-san."

Rumiko bowed. "I look forward to your next visit, Aizawa-sama." she began to walk away, but turned back for a moment. "Oh, and… you'd better not break that girl's heart. If you do, I'll know."

"Yeah, yeah. You have my word." Aizawa waved dismissively. "See you tomorrow."

As he walked out the door and into the crisp morning air, a nagging thought tugged at his mind.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?