A/N: Hello~ I just really wanted to try out a KaidohOC…it's a bit peculiar, but I tried my best! Gah, I hope he doesn't seem too OOC! Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I do not own PoT.
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Black Cat
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"Ayame! Ayame!"
Satori Ayame swiveled her head to look at her friend, Meino.
"Yes?"
"Aya-chan! C'mon! Over here! Look!" Meino squealed, pointing fanatically out the window, which she stood beside now.
With a sigh, Ayame gently placed the cookie cutter she held in her hand onto the cutting board and carefully wiped her hands on her apron. She took one last look at the batter in the bowl before her before walking over to the window, if only to please her friend.
"Look! The tennis courts can be seen from here! Look at the boy regulars!" Meino cheered.
Almost instantly, half the girls had abandoned their cooking projects to crowd about the windows. Some of them had begun to screech out their favorite player's names--most of them were either 'Tezuka-sama!' or 'Fuji-sama!'. And every now and then, a shy first year would call out 'Echizen Ryoma-sama!' too. Well, there was a particular pig-tailed first year who definitely wasn't shy, and was screaming her head off and looked just about ready to jump out of the window to go cheer for this 'Echizen Ryoma.'
Ayame blinked and looked on. She wasn't really a big fan of the regulars--after all, she wasn't much of a sports fanatic. But, she did think that they looked cooler than most of the boys in school, and knew most of the regulars' names--Meino talked about them all the time. Besides, she was in the same class as two of them: Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru.
One was a bit of an over-eater and the other was a bit scary, Ayame had decided when she first met them. After all, on the very first day, Momoshiro-kun had been caught eating in class, and Kaidoh-kun had caused one of the teachers to drop their books in fright at his hissing! Plus, those two were always getting into fights!
They didn't look much like the renowned tennis players that Meino said they were--apparently, they even won nationals! But, as Ayame looked at each of them (one was mixing something in a beaker, another was flipping backwards, and yet another was smiling serenely at the others), she didn't think that they looked too impressive. The one that Ayame thought looked most like a nationals-winning tennis player was their captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. Ayame observed him, taking in his details.
Silver, sensible spectacles in front of steely eyes and an aura of maturity that surrounded him like a blanket. Crossed arms, firm stance, a charismatic presence… He was able to bring the entire group, that was fooling around, to complete silence with his merely being there. His voice was deeper, more mature than most boys' as well.
And most of all: he looked older than he actually was.
Ayame envied those people most of all. Why? Because she, on the other hand, had below-average height; she was probably as tall as that first year, Ryuzaki Sakuno, she'd come to know from the cooking club. The girl had left to go join the girls' tennis club, if she remembered correctly. Ayame's frame was small, too--no, not skinny, or slender; it was…petite. No, it was worse than that. She was practically a rag-doll!
But that wasn't all.
She had small hands and fingers, unlike the long, slender ones Meino had that Ayame longed for. Her face was too small for her liking, her eyes too big, her neck too skinny. Her chest was practically non-existent, too. The icing on the cake was just how childish her voice sounded--it was soft, and more high-pitched than most girls' voices her age.
In short, she looked like an elementary school student. She was often asked if she was lost when she walked around campus, and there were too many times when a staff member asked her if she wanted them to call her parents to come pick her up to count.
There were still rides she couldn't get on in the amusement park, for Pete's sake!
Ayame could kill for the sense of maturity that Tezuka emitted, really!
-
Ayame hummed happily ass she walked into her classroom after club activities. Cooking always made her feel better.
She knew it made her seem even younger, but she couldn't help it!
Ayame skipped along towards her desk after waving a friendly 'hello' to some of her friends around the classroom. She smiled happily at another one of her friends at the right, not looking in front of her. So it wasn't completely unprecedented when her small body crashed into a much, much larger one--one that felt like solid rock!
With a squeal, she fell backwards and onto her butt on the floor, and she cringed.
Many of her classmates had surrounded her and the one she'd bumped into, murmuring worriedly. Because of her tiny stature, many of the kids treated her as a younger sister, so she was labeled the 'baby of class 2-A.' When she even bumped her shoulder lightly into the doorway, they were all over her, and trying to send someone to get the nurse!
She hated it.
"Are you alright?" a voice gruffly asked, and Ayame looked up.
She squeaked.
It was Kaidoh Kaoru.
The 'viper,' as Momoshiro had been kind enough to name him. He was always hissing like a snake, and stood slouched over. Ayame was petrified. There were quite a few nasty rumors surrounding the second-year, despite the fact he was a part of the famous Seigaku tennis team. She stared at him in horror. Would she be burned alive for bumping into him?!
He was hissing! He was glaring, she was sure! He was…
He was…offering her a hand? Hesitantly, she took it, and he helped her up.
"I wasn't looking where I was going. Sorry." And then he brushed past her, heading to his seat at the front of the room.
Ayame blinked, ignoring the worried chatter of her friends.
-
"Choco? Choco? Choco!" Ayame called. Her eyes scanned the area for the swish of a black tail, or a pair of green eyes.
No such luck.
"Chocooo," she called again.
Ayame sighed and dropped her hand, which she'd been using to cup her mouth, to the side.
Where was that kitty? How could a kitty get lost in a park? Granted, dogs, she could understand. But cats? They weren't supposed to run off!
"Choco-" Ayame cut off abruptly when she heard a distinct 'mreow' nearby. Choco! Finally! But where?
"Choco!" Ayame called again. He was somewhere around here, she was sure!
"Mreow!" This time, the source of the sound was clearer than before. It was somewhere…above?
Ayame cranked her head back and let her gaze wander around. She couldn't see a sign of her kitty anywhere! There were only leaves and branches and sky and clouds and…Choco?!
There he is!
With a relieved sigh, Ayame ran over to a particular tree. Gingerly, she stepped up on its roots to stare at Choco.
Choco was her cat; well, he was a found cat. She'd found him an year ago, wandering about her house's gates. Ayame just had to take it in! It's stomach had been sunken in, as if it hadn't eaten in weeks! Plus, its scraggly fur and pitiful cry rather than a healthy meow had been unbearable to see.
Alright, so the fact that she was a complete animal lover did have quite a bit to do with it, but…
Choco was a black cat with emerald green eyes and the pinkest nose. Once Ayame had given it a thorough bath and a good meal, Choco had become exquisite--and Ayame loved him. He was the sweetest cat anyone could ask for--he licked away Ayame's tears and pounced on Ayame when she was distracted.
And now he was stuck in a tree.
Choco stared down at her and licked its nose, tail swishing languidly from side to side. Ayame put her hands on her hips, and pouted.
"Choco, please come down!"
Choco seemed to smile at her in return, and gave a loud 'mreow' in return.
Ayame whimpered. She wasn't even half as tall enough to get the cat down, even though he was perched on the lowest branch.
Darn her height!
"Maybe you should go get your mom or dad," someone suggested, and Ayame glared.
"I'm in eighth grade! I don't need to go out with my parents!" She squeaked, and the stranger held up his hands in a harmless way and walked off.
Ayame sighed before turning to shoot a baleful glare towards Choco.
"Chocoooo…" Ayame whined.
"Fshuuuu…"
Ayame whirled around when she heard a hiss. Her heart skipped a beat in surprise when she was met with the sight of a familiar face.
Kaidoh Kaoru.
She stared dumbly at the boy, taking in his appearance. The familiar bandana was on his head. He had a towel slung over his neck and wore light, breezy exercise clothes. He was perspiring mildly, as if he'd been exercising; his longer-than-usual breaths confirmed it.
"A-ah, Kaidoh-kun," Ayame greeted, bowing her head. She inwardly grimaced; why was she bowing to a classmate? But she couldn't help it! He seemed like an elder to her!
"That your cat?" He said rather roughly.
He didn't mean it to come out that way, it was just his voice. He cocked his head slightly to stare at the cat. A warm, bubbly feeling filled his chest at he sight of such a furry creature.
He didn't look like it, but he did love animals; really. He himself had a pet cat; not a black one, like the one he was looking at, but a grey and black tabby. He just didn't show it; what would it do to his reputation as a tough man? Men didn't fall in love with animals, Kaidoh was sure.
Besides, how much fun would that peach-head make of him?
But he wasn't particularly hiding it, either.
He'd been on his regular jogging route when he heard a strikingly familiar voice--albeit, it sounded as if it belonged to a child--calling out 'Choco, Choco.' He'd paused only to find his classmate, Sayori Ayame. She was like a child. when he'd first seen her in his classroom, he'd idly wondered if she was lost. Her height, her build, her personality, her face, her voice--everything about her screamed 'little kid'!
Ayame snapped out of her stupor to swallow uneasily. "Y-yes…" Would Kaidoh-kun eat her cat? Ahh, he was so scary, Ayame silently cried when she peaked at him staring up at her Choco. Was he judging how much meat was on Choco's bones?
"No!" she cried, when Kaidoh reached up to gently lift the cat off the branch.
Kaidoh froze, turning his head to direct a light glare at Ayame. "You want your cat up there?"
Ayame blinked, before shaking her head furiously.
Kaidoh contained a hiss. This girl was weird. He took picked up the cat off the branch again, and set it to the floor. He'd only had to stand on his tip-toes to reach the creature--then again, his classmate was what most would call 'vertically-challenged.'
Ayame let out a gratifying sigh before swooping down to gather the cat in her arms. She rubbed her cheek against Choco's soft fur, breathing in the scent. Ayame choked a bit from inhaling fur, before she smiled at the cat again. "Ah, Choco, don't do that ever again!" She berated, lightly tapping its pink nose.
Suddenly, she transferred Choco to one arm before reaching over to shake Kaidoh's hand with the free one. "Thank you so much! I don't know how to repay my gratitude! Would you like a drink?" Ayame pointed towards one of the vending machines not too far away.
Kaidoh fought back a blush at the overly-grateful actions his classmate was displaying, and shook his head. "It's fine. Then," Kaidoh gave a curt nod and resumed jogging.
Ayame, meanwhile, smiled happily at Kaidoh's retreating back. Kaidoh-kun was so nice! At least, a lot nicer than he seemed!
"Choco! You troublemaker!"
-
The next day, Ayame mixed her cake batter with more enthusiasm than usual. She took extra caution in measuring out her ingredients and was more wary of how thinly she cut the fruits that would decorate the top of the small cake, and paid more attention to the exact shade of the icing.
It had to be perfect.
Meino, her friend, leaned over and gave a whistle. "Woah, Aya-chan…what's going on? You're on fire!"
Ayame merely smiled before resuming her project. This strawberry shortcake had to be flawless.
Would painting a 'thank-you' in the center make it a bit corny? It would, she decided. Instead, she took out a small, thin, rectangular -sized piece of dark chocolate; it was roughly the same size as a business card. Painstakingly, she imprinted a delicate 'Thank-You' in cursive letters with shimmering icing.
That would do.
The 'ting!' of the oven rang, and Ayame eagerly took out the bread. Setting it down on the counter before her, she took out the soft pink icing she'd prepared earlier on.
With exaggerated care, she began to cover the cake with the fluffy treat.
-
Momoshiro Takeshi had never been quite so bewildered in his fourteen years of life, when he found his classmate, Sayori Ayame waiting outside the clubhouse after after-school practice that day. More specifically, holding a neat white cake-box and asking for Kaidoh Kaoru.
Kaidoh. That dang Viper!
He'd attracted the attention of a girl before he had?! More specifically, the 'baby' of the class?! That pedophile!
How could that slumping, hissing, glaring mamushi (1) attract a sweet-smiling, giggling, petite girl?!
Soft, wavy-brown hair that reached her waist, bright hazel eyes, a tender smile…that girl was much too sugary for the viper, Momo decided. Besides, she was like the baby sister of everyone in the class; how could she have been taken by the angry ex-convict of the class?
Alright, so no one called him that, it was just him. But still.
"Um, so…is he here?" The soft voice snapped him back to his senses, and Momo forced out a grin.
"Uhhh…yeah. He's still getting dressed."
Momo scratched the back of his head.
"Are you sure you want to see a guy like him, Aya-cha-"
"Hoiiii! Momo-chin! Is that your girlfriend?!" And right after, strong arms were locked around his neck as Eiji practically jumped onto Momo's back.
Momo choked out a few coughs before shaking his head. "No, Eiji-senpai! It's not like that--she's-"
"Um!" Ayame piped up. She was a bit scared, talking to an upperclassman, especially one that was so popular from the tennis club, but she really wanted to get her point across. "Is Kaidoh-kun going to come out soon?"
Eiji froze.
This child-like girl, who reminded him of a daisy, was looking for that Kaidoh? Sure, he liked Kaidoh since he was respectful and kinder than he looked, but… Kaidoh? Even he had to admit, Kaidoh didn't seem like the type of guy to be asked for by this kind of girl, right?
"K-Kaidoh, nya? Kaidoh Kaoru?"
Ayame nodded and smiled. "Yes!"
Eiji felt a part of him reach out to the small person in front of him. He wanted to cry for the girl; her smile was just so sweet! To think that she was going to have that cheerful demeanor destroyed by Kaidoh, nya!
"Eiji, we better get going soon if you want to stop at that new store…" Oishi trailed off when he saw his doubles partner and Momo talking to a short--very short--girl, who was holding a white box.
She looked like an elementary school student! Oishi panicked. Was she lost? Oh, no! He'd better get over there and help her; Oishi and Momo obviously wouldn't be much help--oh?
Oishi paused when she saw the uniform on the girl, as well as the second-year badge fastened on it.
So she attended Seigaku?
Well. That had to be one of the most child-like middle schoolers he'd ever seen!
"Hello," he greeted nicely. "Are you looking for something?"
Ayame perked up. Finally! Someone who wasn't so intimidating!
"Yes! Is Kaidoh-kun going to come out any time soon?"
Oishi smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course, he's still getting dressed--Kaidoh?!" His eyes snapped open in surprise when he realized just who the girl was asking for.
Was Kaidoh bullying kids or something now? No, no, that wasn't possible--Kaidoh was very nice. But why would such a girl be looking for their resident player labeled 'viper'?
Ayame drew back. Why was everyone so surprised she was looking for Kaidoh-kun?
Oishi mentally scolded himself for scaring the girl. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was just a bit surprised. He should be coming out soon-"
A "Fshuuuu" punctuated his comment, and Oishi motioned towards the door.
"Ah, Kaidoh-kun!" Ayame bounded over to the much taller second-year, and smiled.
Momo blanched. "Eiji-senpai…"
Eiji nodded dumbly. "I know, nya!"
Oishi swallowed nervously. "I'm sure its going to be okay, guys…"
Kaidoh, meanwhile, blinked at the girl. Wasn't she the one who's cat got stuck up in a tree?
Why was she here?
"Yes?" He responded, and this time, Ayame didn't flinch at the tough sound of his voice.
She'd learned yesterday that it was just how his voice was--now that she wasn't scared of how he talked any more, he seemed a lot less intimidating!
"Um…this is…" Ayame blushed. She hadn't really thought that it would be so embarrassing to hand Kaidoh-kun the cake when she was making it!
Kaidoh stared at the white box the girl was offering. It looked vaguely like a cake box. He raised a brow. What did the girl want him to do? Take it?
"Its, um," Ayame stammered. Ah, she was blushing! Oh, gosh, how humiliating… She must look so much like an elementary school student now!
"What?" Kaidoh demanded, eyes narrowing.
Ayame flinched. "It'sathankyougift!" she blurted out before shoving the box into his arms and fleeing.
Gah, she really messed it up!
(1): Mamushi -- Viper