"Izuku!" Inko called out, peeking out from the back room. "Make sure you get that order out on time!"
"Of course, mom!" Izuku called out, grabbing the bundle of flowers and rushing out the door.
Inko ran behind him, shuffling trying to keep up. "Izuku! Hold up!" As she approached Izuku at his bicycle, she had a sprig of flowers she was shoving into the bunch. "Oh dear, oh dear! We almost forgot the most important part!" The spring of Lily of the Valley shoved into the bundle then Inko was spreading them around the bundle. "Now hurry!"
Kissing her cheek, Izuku set off on his bike across town. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't all up hill, but this was something Izuku was use too. Pushing his pedals as hard as he could, he knew he had a time limit and he knew this order couldn't be late.
About halfway up the hill, Izuku saw something that looked fuzzy and black laying on the sidewalk up ahead. The closer he got, the more he could see what looked like to be a puppy. Stopping his bike, he quickly looked at his watch and back at the sad creature laying on the sidewalk.
"Oh you poor thing," he said, hopping off his bike, and propping it to the lamp post. Moving closer to the puppy, someone called out to him.
"Don't touch that damn mut! It growls and bites! We got the dog catcher coming!" the man yelled.
"The dog catcher? It's just a puppy!" Izuku squeaked out, moving closer to the puppy.
A small whine and the puppy raised it's head. Fiery red eyes glared at him- but not growling. There was even a slight wag to its tail. Reaching his hand out, the puppy sniffed his hand, its tail wagging more.
"Now why would they call the dog catcher on a sweety like you?" Izuku asked, petting its head.
Izuku knew what happen when the dog catcher came- the dogs were never seen again. What he was looking at was a little dog that had been neglected too long. It was dirty and a little skinny. Carefully, he picked the dog up, and rearrange the flower bundle in the basket of his bike and set the puppy in next to the flowers. "Stay there and I'll save you from that mean dog catcher!" The puppy sniffed the flower and continued to sniff at the Lily of the Valley. The fragrance of the flower had always been Izuku's favorite- and one he only got to enjoy this time of year. "You have good taste!" Izuku chirped as he petted the puppy's head one more.
Looking back at his watch, he yelped as he had lost precious minutes. Hopping back on his bike, he hoped the puppy would stay still as he took off.
The puppy put his paws on the front of the basket, its tail wagging more as Izuku sped up the large hill. Once he got to going faster, the puppy barked and wagged his tail more- as if encouraging Izuku to hurry up. This made him laugh as they made their way to their destination.
"Now stay right here!" Izuku said, as he grabbed the flower bundle and rushed to the door. He could hear the puppy barking as he handed over the delivery- even receiving a tip! Skipping back to his bike, some other kids had moved over where his bike and the puppy where.
"Oh look! A puppy!" a girl squealed.
"Looks dirty and stupid," some boy said, moving his hand to the basket to flick the puppy's ear.
A bark then the kid was screaming out. When Izuku made his way back to his bike, he saw that his puppy had bitten the kids hand.
"It bit me!" the boy cried out.
"Serves you right for touching my dog!" Izuku cried out, jumping on his bike and taking off.
The ride back was a lot faster as it was all downhill. The bike soaring and the puppy was back to wagging its tail and barking the entire trip back.
Making it back to the flower shop, Izuku chained his bike and grabbed for his puppy. He knew his mom had never allowed him to have a pet- but he really wanted to keep this puppy. Cradling the pup in his arms, he hesitantly walked into the shop.
"Izuku! We got another shipment in the back! More Lily of the Valleys!" Inko called out.
"Ok! I'll get them!" he said, rushing to the back and setting the puppy in an empty box. The puppy glared at him and Izuku just smiled. "Gimme a minute," he said before rushing to get the flowers and putting them in storage. His mom would use them in her arrangements the next few days.
But the puppy started to bark and chew at the box.
"Hush!" Izuku hissed.
A fierce glare and the puppy barked again. It was if the puppy was not content with what Izuku was trying to do. A quick sigh and he grabbed the puppy from the box, setting him down and praying his mother didn't hear.
Racing to grab the flowers, the puppy followed him- wagging its tail and staying one step ahead of him. Izuku found the puppy did not like being behind him and would run to stay ahead.
"Izuku!" Inko called as she came into the back room. "Did I hear a dog?"
The moment the puppy saw Inko, his fur sat up and he started to growl. Yelping, Izuku reach and grabbed the puppy.
"Oh, Izuku," Inko said, "You know how I feel about animals… they are a lot of work."
"But mom! I make tip money and I promise I'll take care of him!"
Moving closer, Inko started at the dirty puppy and her son. His eyes pleading with her as the puppy continued to growl.
"It doesn't seem all that nice… and what are you even going to call it?" she asked.
Lifting the puppy, Izuku stared into its red eyes. "Maybe… um… Katsuki?"
The dog growl and snapped his teeth at him.
"Fine fine… how about Bakugou?" he asked.
A louder growl and more snarling.
"Kacchan?" Izuku asked.
A bark and the puppy was wagging its tail again. Giggling, Izuku held Kacchan and smiled at his mother.
"Fine," Inko sighed. "Go to the pet store and give that thing a bath! No dirty pups allowed in the house!"
Izuku squealed as Kacchan barked. Rushing over, he kissed her cheek and left out to get his bike. Placing Kacchan in the basket, he took off to the pet store. The entire trip Kacchan stayed perched so he could see out the basket and would bark happily the faster Izuku rode.
Once at the pet store, Izuku saw his friend was working and rushed in.
"Ochako!" Izuku called out. "I got a puppy!"
"Oh let me see!" she called out, rushing towards him and seeing the dirty pup in his arms. "Oh! This is the puppy that was biting everyone!"
"It is?" he asked.
"Yes!" Ochako said. "They called the dog catcher but once he showed up, the puppy was gone!"
"Yeah, I found him on a delivery trip for mom! She said I can keep him, but I can't have him dirty in the house."
Ochako went to reach out, only to have Kacchan growl and snap his teeth at her. Shaking her head, she sighed. "Well, you can use the tub in the back. There is some shampoo too, but you'll need a collar and leash. Oh! Food too!"
"Perfect! I have my tip money!" Izuku said, turning to head towards the back. "Can you gather what I need while I bathe him?"
"Of course!"
Once in the back, Izuku found the tub and set Kacchan in it. "Now stay!" he said, watching as Kacchan tilted his head as if he understood. "Mom won't let you in the house all dirty!"
Getting the water warm, he ran it over Kacchan- watching as the all the dirty and mud started to come off of him. Getting the shampoo he lathered the pup up, watching as more dirty and mud washed away.
When he was done, he saw Kacchan did not have dark fur- he was blond. Smiling, he fluffed the towel more around Kacchan.
"Well aren't you just full of surprised!" Izuku said.
Having mostly dried off Kacchan, he scooped him back in his arms and headed back into the store.
"Oh my goodness!" Ochako squealed, "He is so fluffy and light! I just knew he would have dark fur!"
"He was that filthy!"
"Well I dunno… I had picked out a blaze orange collar cause it would look against dark fur," she said.
Seeing the pile of stuff she had, Izuku sat Kacchan on the counter and reached for the collar. A bark and Kacchan was nuzzling his hand that held the collar. "I think he likes it!"
Placing the collar on, Izuku like it. The orange did suit him.
"Make sure he has a name tag too! We have the machine that makes them over there too!" Ochako said, reaching out again to Kacchan, only to have him growl and snap at her. "He really does only like you, doesn't he?"
"It seems so!" Izuku said, scooping Kacchan back in his arms and going to make a name tag. Kacchan wagged his tail as he entered in his name and the phone number- not that if he ever lost Kacchan that anyone would see it before the dog bit them.
"Well just make sure he isn't running around biting people!" Ochako said. "We do sell muzzles."
At that, Kacchan growled.
Back at home, Izuku set Kacchan down and went to set up a food and water bowl. He heard barking and turned to see Kacchan jumping up and down at the kitchen table. There was a vase his mom brought home with flowers, and saw the Lily of the Valley that Kacchan had been sniffing in the basket on their delivery. Taking a small sprig, he scooped Kacchan back up and watched as his tail wagged- happily sniffing the flower.
"These are my favorite too!" Izuku said, petting Kacchan before setting him back down.
When his mother got home, Kacchan stayed by Izuku's side, growling every time his mother got near him. She would laugh and ruffles Izuku's hair, just shaking her head.
"You're lucky he is cute and likes you so much," Inko said.
"He really liked your flowers too!" Izuku said, showing her the sprig. Kacchan barked happily and jumped around his feet- prompting him to pick up the pup and show his mom.
"Well he sure does!" Inko laughed.
"I bet he is going to love my All Might videos!" Izuku squealed, running back to his room- Kacchan chasing after him, barking happily at his feet.
Jumping up on his bed, Izuku started up the videos with Kacchan curled in his lap. As the videos went on- Izuku would cheer and Kacchan would bark. At times Kacchan even hopped from his lap, running a happy circle on the bed before jumping back in his lap. It was almost as if Kacchan understood what was going on on the video. Izuku laughed more and patted his head all through watching videos.
"Now don't stay up too late," Inko said at his doorway. "I know it is Spring break for you, but this is one of our busiest times of year!"
"Mom!" Izuku exclaimed. "Kacchan loves All Might too!"
Inko smiled and came to kiss Izuku on his forehead.
That night as Izuku went to bed, Kacchan at his chest. Sighing happily, Izuku reached out, petting Kacchan til he fell asleep. Both of them hugging Izuku's All Might figure.
Izuku woke that morning to Kacchan barking in his face and licking his cheek. Giggling, he sat up and hugged Kacchan to his chest. More tail wagging and barking- but he knew he had to go walk Kacchan.
"We have a lot of orders to get out today!" Inko called as he headed out with Kacchan.
"Ok! Lemme go walk Kacchan and we will head down to the shop!"
"You can leave Kacchan here if you want today," Inko said.
"He liked riding in the basket!" Izuku said, smiling as he petted Kacchan more- feeling his tail beat against him.
"Well then, how can I say no to that!" Inko said, coming forward and rubbing Kacchan's head, even though he growled at her, but didn't bite.
"He must know the flowers come from you!" Izuku laughed before heading out.
Kacchan was a really bad walker on the leash. Pulling and tugging in every direction- refusing to go in the direction Izuku wanted him too. No matter how hard he yanked or pulled, as small as Kacchan was, Izuku found himself following Kacchan.
It was when Kacchan stopped, his fur standing on end and his teeth flared back- growling. A man stepped around the corner with a much larger dog.
"Little boys shouldn't be out walking on their own," the man said, stepping towards Izuku.
Yelping, Izuku turned to run, but the man grabbed his wrist. Squealing out, he heard Kacchan bark then his teeth were sunk into that man's wrist. The man hollered and his dog went to jump a them.
It was all a blur to Izuku. Blond fur racing in front of him, biting and snarling at the large dog til it whimpered back. There Izuku was, on the ground, his eyes wide as he watched his tiny dog stand in front of him- growling.
The man took off running from them and Izuku finally took a deep breath.
"Kacchan! Are you ok?" Izuku called.
Kacchan turned and had a limp as he made his way back over to Izuku. Scooping him up, Izuku cried and buried his face in the blond fur.
"You saved me, Kacchan!" Izuku cried, not caring he was wetting Kacchan's fur with his tear. A small whine and Izuku lifted his head away. Fierce red eyes just stared at him, then his face was being covered in puppy licks. It tickled and made Izuku laugh- hugging Kacchan tighter to him.
"Such a stupid dog!" Izuku giggled. "That dog was easily ten times bigger than you!"
Kacchan barked- almost as if he disagreed with Izuku. Shaking his head, Izuku hugged him a bit longer, then carried him home. Telling his mom what happen, Inko freaked out and checked Izuku over- all while Kacchan growled at her. Explaining how Kacchan was limping, his mother shook her head and clicked her teeth.
"Maybe it was destiny you found that dog," Inko said, "bring him to the counter and I'll wrap his leg. Oh! Grab a sprig of the Lily of the valley too!"
As Inko wrapped Kacchan's leg, Izuku held up the flower and let Kacchan sniff it. He still growled at Inko, but he was too busy sniffing at the fragrance.
"The Lily of the Valley stand for happiness," Inko said, finishing wrapping Kacchan's foot and then lighting petting his head. "Maybe that is what little Kacchan is for you!"
"But I've always been happy, mom," Izuku said.
Inko leaned over, kissing his cheek, only to have Kacchan growl and leap into Izuku's arms, making him giggle and laugh.
"I know son, but I've never seen you this happy ," she said, "now let's get down to the shop! We have orders to fill!"
Izuku smiled, hugging his puppy tighter to him- thinking how much fun the day would bring with Kacchan barking into the wind as the raced the bike all around town.