Nice to Meet You!
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Character(s): Mayuzumi Chihiro, Kuroko Tetsuya, Akashi Seijuurou
Pairings: Mayuzumi/Kuroko
Notes: This story is set in an AU where the Mayuzumis and the Kurokos are next door neighbors.
Entry for BPS Rarepair Battle 2015. Special thanks to Rika Tone for being a patient beta with me.
Chihiro attempted to slip away but his mother's long and warm hand had a firm grip around his own. His father spouted things he didn't bother understanding. Games and mangas were waiting for him at home but here he was, being dragged away to a house next door.
When his mother knocked on the door twice, he counted off the numbers in his hand, and at five, the door opened.
An old lady stood before them, her smile gentle and kind. Her graying hair was tied in a bun. She gave the impression of someone always sitting on a zabuton with a cup of warm tea on her hand, the smell of freshly baked goods wafting in the air.
"Oh, good morning." Her voice was soft. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes," his father spoke. "We're actually here—"
Everything that came after was lost to Chihiro. His impatience grew when the adults talked about things that didn't seem interesting, his eyes darting everything to find something that could distract him for a moment.
Then gray eyes caught black.
A black cat stood next to the old lady, its blue eyes staring back at him.
"Meow." Around its neck was a bright red ribbon, a small bell attached to it, ringing as it walked away.
The black fur seemed soft to the touch and it compelled Chihiro to chase after it. His mother's grip had loosened and took that opportunity to slide his hand away and squeeze his way at the crowded entrance.
The ringing of the bell was his only way to find the cat as he strained his ears to hear it. He walked carefully through the quiet house.
A black tail disappeared behind an ajar door and he followed. Pushing the door, he came across a colorful room—stuffed toys everywhere, picture books placed on the shelves, and soft music playing in the background.
In the middle was a baby, lying on a mat and sleeping, hands up and closed into fists. White rabbit prints were all over the cotton blue suit. The cat stood close, its eyes never leaving him. Its tail swished back and forth, daring to step inside the room.
But Chihiro came so far. He stepped inside, keeping his eyes on the cat. So unless he touched the baby or waked him up, everything would be fine. He just wanted to know what the cat's fur was like.
Making light steps, one foot at a time, he made his way across the room. Then he carefully dropped to his knees and crawled until he was inches away from the baby and cat. His hand hovered over the baby as he reached out for the cat. His fingertips almost touched.
The baby stirred in his sleep, causing the cat to hiss at him. He yelped and pulled away to save himself from getting scratched but something soft and warm caught him.
Chihiro looked down and saw the bluest blue he ever saw. He could his reflection on those big eyes.
The baby giggled, squeezing his finger. Chihiro grimaced when he felt that the baby's hand was sticky with saliva. He wiggled to get away from the grip but the baby was too strong. With one last effort, he got his finger free.
When the baby realized this, tears starting falling and he let out a wail.
The cat was already in front of him hissing with its tail up.
Chihiro could only sit there in fear, afraid that the cat might scratch him. Before he knew it, an unfamiliar lady came in and shushed the cat.
"Mamo-chan, bad cat!" she said, sweeping it away from Chihiro with her feet. "Don't scare the child."
At the scolding of its owner, its ears dropped and mewled.
The lady immediately held her child and started to rock him gently in her arms. The crying stopped for a moment but a frown was still evident on his face.
Chihiro realized that she was the mother, seeing how similar they looked.
"You must be Chicchan right?" she asked, surprising him at the use of his nickname he only heard from his mother. "Your parents have been looking for you."
Ah. He would be scolded later.
The baby suddenly gurgled, his hand reaching out to Chihiro, surprising the mother. With a smile, she turned back to the boy. "It seems like he wants you to hold him."
"Um," Chihiro panicked, "I don't know how." Maybe that was enough excuse so he could get away from those sticky hands.
"It's easy." The lady misunderstood the distress in him. "Here, I'll show you."
She kneeled, carrying the baby towards him. "Put your one arm under his legs and your one hand on his back."
Chihiro was nervous but he did as he was told. He held the baby who started giggling at him. Thinking that he did his job, he was ready to give him back to the mother but stopped when a small hand pat his cheek.
His eyes widened in horror because he could now also feel the sticky saliva on his face.
The lady watched in amusement. "His name is Tetsuya and he said, it's nice to meet you."
Chihiro thought otherwise, wincing as the other hand pulled his hair.
End.