Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kuroko no Basket!

...

...

1st year – Too Academy

"It's almost time for our fourth match in the preliminaries," Harasawa said as he stood in front of the regulars of the basketball team at the morning practice.

Mac stood beside Sakurai and Namamura listening to the coach as he talked about their next match for the preliminaries. They had won their first three matches and she knew that they were on track to win their group and qualify for the Final League before the Inter-High.

"You're all doing great, but I do not want to see you let your victories make you complacent and slack off," Harasawa continued seriously. "Potter-san has adjusted your training menus and you will comply with them and follow her menu for you. She will soon go over it with you."

He continued for a few more minutes to talk about the upcoming match against Adachi High School a team that was quite good, actually. They had a few strong players that Harasawa had tried to get to join Too Academy back when they still were in Middle School.

Mac had gotten used to talking to the team now and didn't feel the same nervousness she used to by being called up to go over the training menus she had worked out and had gotten Harasawa's approval off earlier that week.

After having gone over the training menus they went outside to run and Mac paced herself so she could follow them more easily. She smiled as she noticed that they all had gotten better and had gained more stamina.

"Today we will work on rebounds," Mac said. "Watch what I'm doing."

Mac picked up a ball and started to run toward the hoop and threw the ball against the backboard and jumped up so when the ball came off the backboard she was ready to tip the ball with her left hand back against the backboard.

She caught the ball when it came back and turned to the watching team.

"Get in line and I will pass the ball to you and you will do what I just did," Mac said, "when you have done it I want you to run a lap around the court before getting back and coach will pass the ball to you again and you will use the other hand to tip it back on the backboard before running another lap. When you get back the tenth time I want you to tip the ball through the hoop instead of the backboard."

Mac passed the ball in her hands to Harasawa who nodded before she went back to the others and they lined up behind her. She started to run and Harasawa passed her the ball, catching it she threw it up against the blackboard and jumped up before tipping it against the backboard again. She landed and started to run, she could hear the next one (Imayoshi) start behind her.

She felt her sweat running down her forehead as she caught the ball Harasawa passed her and used some of her last strength to throw the ball against the backboard and this time she tipped the ball down through the hoop before she landed on the ground.

She walked to the side and watched as the rest of the team finished the exercise all looking sweaty and exhausted as it took a lot out of them. She smiled as most of them managed to tip the ball back through the hoop.

...

"She's so annoying," Fujimoto scoffed as she glared at where Mac was seated by the window in the library. School had just ended and Fujimoto had been at the library to return a book she had borrowed together with her two friends, Fukui and Ikeda when she spotted Mac seated at a table by herself.

"She does keep to herself a lot," Fukui commented.

"When she's not draped over Aomine-kun," Fujimoto sneered. "I mean, he has me and she's acting like she's the most important person in his life. Like…seriously?"

Ikeda and Fukui shared a look, but Fujimoto missed it as she shot another glared at Mac's back.

"She's his best friend," Ikeda tried.

"As if!" Fujimoto snapped at her. "She's just someone he feels sorry for and she can't get a hint and realise that he's not really interested in her."

"I don't really…" Fukui elbowed Ikeda stopping her from saying whatever she was about to say.

"I don't know what any of the boys sees in her," Fujimoto continued. "It's not even just Aomine-kun, but the rest of the regulars at the basketball club as well. I've seen Susa-san and Imayoshi-san goes out of their way to talk to her as well!"

"I know," Fukui nodded while Ikeda frowned slightly and glanced over at Mac who still sat leaned over her books. "It's really rather pathetic. I don't think she even has one friend that is a girl. She must think she's above us or something."

"I know…" Fujimoto agreed. "Aomine-kun will be mine and I'm sure I can get him to spend less time with her. He's… just perfect for someone like me, tall and handsome and not to mention the star of the basketball team."

"You do make a cute couple," Fukui giggled, "he's kind of brooding, though."

"It's okay," Fujimoto shrugged.

Ikeda didn't say anything as she looked at them and forced a smile when the two other girls looked at her.

...

Mac fisted her hands as she heard their conversation easily enough and she tried to shut them out. She knew that she shouldn't react and let them see her reaction, but it was hard. She tried to not let what they were saying get to her and told herself that it was nothing, but their comments about Daiki…it hurt.

Would she be able to get Daiki away from her? She wanted to say that they wouldn't be able to, but a small voice inside of her that sounded just like her uncle Vernon whispered tauntingly that he would pick the other girl because she was prettier and better than her. It was true that Fujimoto was very pretty, her dark hair was not messy and unruly like Mac's hair, they both had glasses and green eyes but Mac's were deeper and darker than Fujimoto's. Perhaps Daiki liked the lighter green?

Mac heard them leave, but her shoulders remained tense and she stared unseeingly at the book in front of her. She really didn't know what to do. She had known that Fujimoto didn't like her. She had known that, but she hadn't really thought that she would try to get her away from Daiki. Not really. She shouldn't feel so surprised, though. It was also getting harder to not say anything, to not respond in some way and Mac didn't honestly know how long she would be able to remain silent when being talked about like that.

Sighing she closed the book and packed up. She wouldn't be able to get anything work done right now.

...

"…Potter-san."

Mac was on her way back into the classroom when she heard her name mentioned making her pause in the doorway partly hidden from view. She saw Fujimoto with her two friends and a group from the class were seated clustered together like they so often did.

"That's….really?"

"I never knew, but I guess it explains a lot…"

"Potter-san is kind of sad…"

Mac frowned to herself as she heard them talk, she could have entered the classroom but she was curious about what they were saying about her and she was tired of the looks she kept getting. This seemed like a good way to learn what they were saying when they thought she couldn't hear them.

"Sad? She's using it!" Fujimoto exclaimed. "It's pathetic! She's using it to make Aomine-kun stay with her!"

There was a moment of awkward silence and some scraping of chairs.

"That's a strong accusation, Fujimoto," Matsushita said.

"So what?" Fujimoto snorted giving him a glare. "Just because you like her doesn't mean that she doesn't use the fact that she's an orphan to get what she wants! I'm sure the others on her team back in Middle School all fawned on her because of it."

Mac barely managed to keep silent as she inhaled sharply. Orphan. They were talking about the fact that she was an orphan and…they thought she…No, she couldn't even… she clenched her hands together as she forced herself to keep listening even as she felt sick.

"I even heard her relatives ran away from her," Fujimoto fake whispered like she was sharing some gossip from the tabloids that were scandalous yet something she could revel in. "It must be because she's so impossible to be around! It proves my point; she's just a freak that doesn't belong here."

Gasps and shocked murmur went around the classroom, but it didn't seem like it went the way Fujimoto wished as most looked pitying and horrified, and was looking at Fujimoto like she was crazy.

"How do you know that?" Matsushita asked frowning. "That's not something you should talk about like that."

"A friend that went to Teiko told me," Fujimoto said proudly. "She told me that it happened back when they were in their second year…"

"It's crazy…" Fukui nodded.

"You know…" Ikeda started with a frown before she gasped and went pale. "Pot-Potter-san…"

The ones that were in the classroom went quiet and quite a few of them paled rapidly as they stared at Mac who had stepped into the classroom. Mac wasn't sure what her face looked like or how she even found the will to move as she set her eyes on Fujimoto who had stilled where she was seated and was looking more and more uncomfortable.

Mac had enough. That was all she could think as she stared at Fujimoto. She didn't care that she was with Daiki, she didn't care that she was someone who cared about Daiki anymore. She had enough of her and it felt like her insides were going to boil over as rage hit her in powerful waves.

"You think you're smart," Mac's voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but everyone could hear it as if she had shouted it. "So smart and good. Don't you, Fujimoto-san?"

Mac stepped closer to her as she glared her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Fujimoto didn't answer.

"I can't understand what Daiki sees in you," Mac said as she got closer and stopped when she was in front of the other girl who looked uncomfortable and looked like she was trying to find an escape. "You're not someone he normally likes, yet you sure have him fooled. Even me. I never liked you, but I didn't think you were this…shallow and petty."

"I'm…" Fujimoto started but Mac glared at her making her trail off with a small whimper.

"You're under the impression that I'm weak, aren't you?" Mac asked. "I'm not weak and I'm not going to let you treat me like you want any more, Fujimoto-san. I think you're under some sort of misinterpretation, Fujimoto-san. You see… the only reason I've not talked back to you before, that I haven't shown just how much I dislike you is because for some reason Daiki liked you. I didn't want to get in his way, you see. He deserves to be happy."

"I can make him happy!" Fujimoto cried getting some fight back. "More than some orphan can!"

Mac narrowed her eyes as she stared at Fujimoto.

"Or are you saying that I've misunderstood that as well?" Fujimoto challenged.

Mac was aware of their audience and the uncomfortable looks she got from the rest of the classmates. She pretended she didn't see them though as she focused on Fujimoto and arched a brow at her.

"Hm? Oh, no," Mac said calmly like she was talking about the weather. "I'm an orphan. What is it to you?"

"I knew it!" Fujimoto exclaimed like she had won something and looked around before shrinking back slightly when seeing the incredulous looks she got from the others.

"Oh…and what else did you say…" Mac drawled like she was pretending to think about it, "oh, yeah! My relatives ran away from me, wasn't it?"

Again uncomfortable looks were shot her way and she felt her face go impossibly colder as she glared at Fujimoto and Fukui that tried to interfere.

"Well, yeah – they did," Mac said. "I got abandoned and wow, wasn't that just rotten luck? I wonder… how would you react if the ones supposed to love you threw you away like yesterday's rubbish? And have people, who know nothing about it, talk about it like its gossip?"

Mac shot the glare to the rest of the audience as well since she was upset and angry at them all, and she wasn't going to hide it. Not anymore. She turned her eyes back to Fujimoto who had paled even more and wasn't looking at her.

A last glare and Mac turned around and walked over to her desk and grabbed her bag throwing it over her shoulders and walked out of the classroom, barely noticing that she passed a very shocked teacher who had stopped in the doorway (like Mac had before), and a teary Sakurai right behind the teacher.

Mac made it to the empty gym before she broke down and slid down onto the floors with her back pressed against the wall. Her bag slipped off her shoulders and fell open making it possible for Nao to get out and immediately curl up around her using his tale to comfort her.

Her hands were shaking heavily and her breath was getting harder, she cried out into the empty gym and felt…what did she feel? Betrayed? Empty? Sad? Angry? Embarrassed? All of it and so much more.

...

Harasawa frowned when he left his office in search of the sounds of crying. It wasn't something he usually heard and he thought it came from the gym. He stopped abruptly when he spotted the source of the crying and he could honestly say it shocked him and worried him in equal force as he saw Mac sitting curled up on the floors with her legs curled up to her chest and her fox protectively curled around her obviously trying to comfort her.

What had happened? He wished he knew what to do because crying girls…that were not something he normally dealt with. He was a coach for the boys' basketball team for a reason; well besides the fact that he was a former basketball player, and that was because he didn't know how to deal with emotions.

Yet, one of his players were crying like her heart was breaking and he couldn't pretend that he didn't see her. She obviously was hurt in some way and he was worried.

He moved closer and stopped when her fox growled in warning, his brown eyes staring at him. And where did the fox come from? Had she brought him with her to school? He pushed the thought away because right now it wasn't important.

He held up his hands in a sign that he didn't mean any harm, and the fox seemed to stop growling but still, Harasawa remained where he was.

"Potter-san?" he carefully called.

There was no response and she was still sobbing hugging her legs tighter and he could see her hands shaking. He honestly felt completely lost on what to do.

"Potter-san?" he tried again. "Mac?"

A small hitch in her crying was the only sign of her having heard him and he felt frustrated and lost on what to do. He eyed the fox who was looking worriedly up at Mac (was that normal fox behaviour?) before he reached out and put a hand on Mac's shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

Just then the door was opened and Harasawa looked up to find his Vice-Captain standing there looking worried and relieved when he spotted Mac. Harasawa felt a moment of relief at the sight of Susa, because of all of the boys on his team he would be the best in helping with this situation. Well, Daiki would probably be the best but he wasn't at school at all today. Mac had said he had a slight cold and was home today because of it.

"Mac," Susa said relieved and after a quick look at Harasawa came closer and paused at the same distance as Harasawa and crunched down to be on her level. "Has she said anything?"

"No, just cried," Harasawa said. "I heard her from my office. What happened?"

Susa sighed and pulled a hand over his face.

"I don't know everything," he said. "Sakurai came and found me when she left the classroom looking upset. He said that some of the girls in her class had…revealed some not so pleasant things from her past that was rather painful and that she…well, had taken them to task for it. Like she should! Honestly. Well, she left and ignored the teacher who tried to stop her to calm her down because she was clearly upset."

Harasawa frowned worriedly and looked back at Mac who had calmed some so she obviously was aware of them being there as she tried to stop her crying. She wasn't looking at them, though.

"Shoichi and Sakurai went to find the rest of the team to try to look for her," Susa continued as he too looked at Mac. "Hey, Mac… You're okay; it's just me and the coach here."

...

Mac tried her best to get control of her crying and for the most part, she managed as just a soft sob was heard before she inhaled and reached up to try to dry her tears. Susa got up and quickly found some tissues and handed them to her so she could clean up. Her eyes were red from the crying and her face too was red from the exhaustion that followed a cry like that. Her hair felt even messier and tangled together.

Susa reached out and took a hand in his large one and squeezed it reassuringly. Mac glanced up and met his eyes before looking back embarrassed. She glanced up again to see Harasawa next to Susa looking worried as well.

"How are you feeling Mac?" Susa asked.

Mac shrugged.

"Can you…" Harasawa started just as the door flew open again and the rest of the regulars (minus Daiki) entered the gym.

"Mac!"

"There she is!"

"Oh, I'm so relieved!"

Mac winced and looked down letting her hair fall down to hid her face from them and hide her embarrassment. She wished she could just disappear from view.

"I'm fine," Mac whispered but even she could hear that her voice sounded croaked and dry. She blinked when a bottle of water was held in front of her face and saw Imayoshi right there with the others and she thought she saw some worry on his face as well.

"Thank you," she whispered accepting the bottle.

"You're welcome," he said with a surprisingly gentle voice.

Mac took a deep sip of the water and her throat felt better after drinking the cold water. Her head felt a little lighter, but still throbbing from crying. Why? Why did she have to have cried here? She hated this. They must think she was soft or something. Weak. Weak… like they everyone thought she was. Maybe she was weak. Maybe…

"What happened?" Imayoshi asked breaking the silence. "All Sakurai said was that you had left because someone in your class upset you…and that you looked really upset."

Mac glanced at Sakurai who looked pale and worried. He even had tears in his eyes as he stared at her. She quickly looked away.

"It's…nothing," Mac said pulling Nao into her lap and cuddled him in search of comfort.

"Potter-san," Harasawa said making Mac look at him. "Can you tell me what happened? I'm your coach and I want to help you. If you rather have the others leave they can and you can only tell me, but I would like you to tell me what happened. I can't ignore this."

Mac looked at him for a long moment as she tried to figure out what to do or how much to reveal, not that much was a secret right now anyway. She winced as she remembered. She glanced over at her team and thought that they would hear the rumours that would start now and it probably would be better for them to hear it from her. Besides… she trusted them, right?

"They can stay," she said with a deep breath and gathered herself once more. She could do this. She wasn't weak and she wasn't going to let this stop her. She had her breakdown and that was that. She couldn't let this stop her every time…

"Okay," Harasawa nodded and they all sat down on the floor around her and she was slightly touched that they would do that for her. "What happened, Potter-san?"

Mac inhaled once more before she started to talk.

"I overheard them talking about me," Mac said, "I'm used to being talked about, but I wanted to know what they were saying so I stayed hidden… They were talking about something that happened when I was younger and something that's rather painful to remember. They acted like it was nothing and that I used it to get Daiki to pity me. To stay with me because he felt bad for me."

Mac clenched her hands again as she stared down at Nao refusing to look at anyone.

"What was she saying?" Imayoshi asked and Mac could hear the anger in his voice. It surprised her enough to have her look up and stare at him for a moment before looking back down again.

"I'm an orphan," Mac said. "She said I used it to get my way in life or something like that. She also talked about… about how my aunt and uncle abandoned me back when I was in second year at Teiko."

She heard the soft gasps from her teammates and glanced up at Harasawa who looked sterner than normal and tense, but he didn't seem angry.

"It's okay," Mac said to reassure them.

"How can you say that it's okay?" Wakamatsu exclaimed looking angry.

"Because I'm happy now," Mac said, "I got to stay in Tokyo with my friends and it was discovered that I had another aunt and uncle, my aunt was already dead but my uncle agreed to take me in anyway. He was Japanese and so is my cousin. They accepted me into their family."

She looked up at them and tried her best to smile and she somewhat succeeded.

"I just… I was taken aback by their talk as I hadn't realised that they knew," Mac admitted. "And I don't like to be reminded of it. While I'm happy with my situation now, it doesn't mean that…that it's easy to hear them talk about it like it wasn't something that almost ruined my life in a way they can't understand."

...

"Hey! Aomine!"

Daiki sighed as he turned to see Imayoshi and Susa coming up behind him just as he was on his way to the school for a new day of school.

"Yes?" Daiki grumbled.

"How's Mac?" Susa asked looking worried.

Daiki frowned confused, "Kenzie? Why are you asking about her?"

Both of the older boys arched a brow at him making Daiki wonder what he was missing. Imayoshi had a look on his face that promised pain (even Daiki recognised that) and he was now looking at Daiki with something more than just creepy amusement. No, he was genuinely angry.

Daiki listened to them tell him about what had happened the day before and he felt hot rage fill him as he did, he couldn't believe that Fujimoto would do that! He spun around and started to stalk toward his classroom ignoring the calls behind him as he did.

He pushed the door opened violently making it slam against the wall with a loud bang and causing the people already inside to jump and some paled when they saw Daiki. A very angry Daiki who quickly noticed that Mac wasn't there and turned his attention to Fujimoto who looked like she was trying to become as small as she possibly could.

"What did you say about Kenzie?!" Daiki growled stepping closer to the other girl.

Fujimoto didn't say anything only shaking her head.

"I won't tolerate you talking about Kenzie at all," Daiki glared at her. "You don't know anything about Kenzie and you're talking about it like it's nothing! I didn't think you were this sort of person! Obviously, I was mistaken about you! I thought you were kind and funny, but I see I was very wrong!"

A look of horror came to Fujimoto's face as she stared up at him, but he didn't let her talk.

"What's worse is that it affected Kenzie," Daiki continued. "And that is something I never will forgive you for! Don't talk to me anymore. I don't know you!"

He wanted to hit something, but she was a girl and he would never hit a girl so he glared at her one more time and turned to leave only to find the teacher there.

"Aomine-san," the teacher said sternly. "Good of you to finally join us."

…and he realised that they had been in the middle of class. Ops. Well, he didn't really care.

"Take a seat," the teacher ordered and Daiki was forced to go to his seat and sit down. He itched to run out and find Mac, and he would. Soon. He stared at her empty desk and he felt bad and guilty and worried. He should have known, he should have been there yesterday to be there for her. She must have been so upset.

The time moved slowly and Daiki glanced at the clock every few minutes getting more and more frustrated over the slowness of time. He needed to find Mac… Mac, who was upset and hadn't come to him. Maybe she couldn't come to him and that had him more upset than anything else. He didn't want to picture her sitting by herself in the apartment she shared with her uncle and cousin.

He couldn't understand how things had turned out like this. Right now he couldn't even say why he had found Fujimoto interesting enough to actually date. Just why had she caught his attention? She kind of reminded him of Mac, at first at least, pretty and smart (or so he had thought). She had liked him, clung to him and kissed him. He had liked it, but lately, it had felt…wrong.

She wasn't Mac.

Daiki paused at the last thought. Fujimoto wasn't Mac. Well, that was obvious, but why did it sound so…honest and meaningful in his mind? The frustration of not understanding his own thoughts and feelings hit him again and he wondered just how long he would be this confused. Why couldn't it be simple like when they were kids? Then it was him and Mac against everyone and he never questioned anything about Mac. She was just there and she was his best friend and he never got these traitorous thoughts or his eyes didn't linger on parts of her he really shouldn't linger.

He got to his feet as fast as the bell chimed and he was halfway out the door when suddenly his path was blocked by Imayoshi, Susa and Wakamatsu. He growled and glared, but Imayoshi only arched a brow at him.

"Mac?" Susa asked looking over Daiki's shoulder.

"She's not here," Daiki snapped.

"Oh," Susa sighed. "Coach did say she could stay home today. He talked with your teacher as well, I think."

Daiki grumbled something and pushed at them to get past them wanting to leave school to find Mac.

"Aomine-san!" The teacher called out making Daiki pause once more. "Where are you going?"

Daiki frowned at him and crossed his arms over his chest.

"To find Kenzie," Daiki said.

"I understand you want to find your friend," the teacher said. "But she's not at school today and I can't allow you to leave school early. That would be unfair."

"I'm sure Mac would love it if you skipped school because of her and got into trouble," Imayoshi drawled making Daiki glare at him.

Daiki knew Imayoshi was right. Mac wouldn't like it if he skipped school and got into trouble over her, even if it wasn't her fault. He sighed. It would be a very long day.

...

Mac sighed as she closed her Defence Against the Dark Arts book having just finished her reading homework for the lesson the next day and felt tiredness sink over her as she rolled her shoulders trying to loosen them up.

Harasawa had told her to stay home and try to relax, but her mind was spinning with everything that had happened and she worried. Had Daiki found out what happened? She should have told him, she thought. She had almost gone to find him the day before but something held her back. She wasn't going to force him to choose. At least not right now. She ignored the voice in her head that said she was a coward and that she feared he would choose Fujimoto.

She paced the floors in her room with Nao watching her every move. Her fox had been extra vigilant since the day before and refused to be in a different room than her. She paused to scratch his ear fondly before continuing to pace feeling restless and her mind wandering.

Finally, she sighed and sat down by the desk pulling out her notebook with the next game plan and opened it staring at the data she had gathered about Adachi High School, their next opponent, in the preliminaries.

The sound of the doorbell had her look up. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was just about the time school was over for the day. She had a feeling she knew who it was and her stomach did some strange flips as nerves and apprehension threatened to take over. She got up and walked to the door before hesitating for a moment before she opened the door.

"Daiki?"

Daiki stared at her with his deep blue eyes and before she could say anything more and without saying a word he reached over and pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She stiffened as his warm, strong arms surrounded her making her heart beat so fast that it felt like it would beat out of her chest.

She hesitantly put her arms around his back and hugged him back as she was very conscious of his warmth and feel of muscles against her. She could feel the tension in his body and the way he hugged her tighter and burrowed his face into her neck.

She could feel some of her own tension fall away as he hugged her, reassured that he had chosen her and still would be there for her. She felt silly for even thinking otherwise. Yet, she was worried about him. She knew he must feel hurt right now and that wasn't what she had wished for him.

"Daiki?" she whispered after a while not really wanting to pull away, but her worry had her do it anyway and tried to get a look at him. His face was closed off to anyone who wasn't her, but she saw the hurt and pain on his face and she felt her heart clench painfully. "Come inside, ok?"

He nodded and allowed her to pull him into the apartment and to the sofa where he sat down when he pushed against his shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me, Kenzie?" Daiki asked looking up at her. "Why…"

Mac looked down before looking back at him and he could see the confusion and hurt on her face, and he noticed that she was pale and had dark shadows under her eyes like she hadn't been sleeping.

"I didn't want to force you to choose, Daiki," Mac whispered.

"It wouldn't have been a choice!" Daiki exclaimed. "You're my best friend and she's….she's… not!"

Mac stared at him for a moment before a small, relieved smile crossed her lips.

"I know," she said.

Daiki gave her one of those looks he used when he seemed to see straight through her in the way only he could. He huffed and reached over to ruffle her hair smiling at her.

"You're more important," he said and she felt her breath catch. She pushed down the small hope that flared because it could mean something else, but she didn't dare to hope it was more than friendship for him.

His smile fell again and she felt worried again. She could see he was upset, even with his angry scowl and most would think he was just angry (some would say it was his default expression), but Mac knew better.

"Are you okay, Daiki?" Mac asked gently.

He shrugged and Mac waited. She knew he would talk if she let him have some time to think and not to press him too fast.

"I didn't think she would do something like that," Daiki said. "I thought…"

Mac nodded in understanding. She knew Daiki would not expect something like this, even she hadn't expected it and she knew Fujimoto didn't like her.

"She's jealous and let it take over," Mac said hating that she was making excuses for the other girl, but she hated seeing the defeated and hurt look on Daiki's face. "I think she felt the need to try and gain some ground and thought that I was the weak link."

"That's ridiculous!" Daiki snapped.

"Perhaps," Mac agreed.

His hands were clenched together so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. She reached out and grabbed a hand in hers and squeezed it gently. She was pleased to notice that he relaxed slightly and stared at their connected hands like it was something fascinating.

"She's not who I thought she was," Daiki said glancing up and she saw the hurt and disappointment in his eyes.

Mac knew he wouldn't say anything else and she let it go, she wasn't going to press him to say more because she knew enough. And right now, she didn't really feel like talking either. It was enough that he was there and that he had come to see her. For now, that was enough.

"Alright," Mac said, "then, let's watch a movie."

Daiki blinked before he smiled and she was smiled in response seeing his genuine smile for the first time in what felt like forever. She found a movie and put it on before she went to get something to drink for them.

She hesitated for a moment suddenly unsure about where to sit. Should she sit beside him or should she go to the chair? What did he want? She worried her lower lip as she eyed the chair that seemed to be far away from Daiki.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Daiki suddenly asked looking at her confused before he reached out and grabbed her hand pulling her down beside him. She inhaled sharply at the sudden move but smiled a little.

She curled up and allowed herself to lean against him, but unlike the other times she had done this she was now more aware of him and his presence and warmth. Her stomach felt giddy and her side that was pressed against him felt extra hot.

...

Taiga entered the apartment and frowned when he saw the extra pair of shoes standing by the door and he wasn't lost on the fact that it was a male pair of shoes. Who was here? He made his way into the living room still scowling and paused when he took in the scene in front of him.

The sounds from the movie were playing in the background, but what he was staring at was his cousin curled up against her friend, Daiki, who had an arm around her shoulder holding her close (much to close in Taiga's opinion). What was more was the fact that Mac was sleeping, while Daiki was glancing down at her more than he was watching the movie.

Taiga opened his mouth to say something when blue eyes suddenly snapped up and locked with his. Daiki showed a second of surprised before he scowled and put a finger to his mouth to keep Taiga silent (like the sounds from the movie weren't there at all).

He frowned because he didn't think Mac had a new boyfriend, but the way Daiki was holding her was more than what he thought a friend would do. It just was different, though Taiga couldn't really say how.

Taiga hesitated before he walked to the kitchen and started to prepare some food, he did keep an eye on the living room though and on Daiki with his cousin. He didn't want to see Mac hurt again, and he didn't want to let Daiki get a chance at hurting her.

He wondered if he should ask Tetsuya about Daiki, but he wasn't sure he should. He hadn't really seen Mac and Daiki interact that much and maybe they always were like that? Maybe he was reading too much into the situation…

...

Mac blinked awake and realised that she was pressed against someone warm and she pulled away and looked up to meet Daiki's eyes. He smiled at her and she felt herself blush and looked down cursing her blush as she felt exposed in a way she never had before. She pulled further away.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"It's fine, Kenzie," Daiki reassured her and she could hear the smile in his voice. "You probably needed it. You work too hard."

Mac looked up and met his blue eyes and was suddenly unable to look away as she stared up at him. She swallowed and forced herself to focus.

"I'm fine," she said.

He chuckled and nodded, "I know."

She relaxed slightly as he released her from his look and she hoped that he hadn't noticed. She wasn't sure what was going on or what was happening, but she didn't dare to hope that he was feeling anything for her that went above friendship. If she knew something it was that she couldn't lose his friendship or her place by his side as his best friend.

"I should get home," he sighed and she nodded.

"I know," she sighed.

She followed him to the door and watched as he slipped on his shoes again, she noticed that Taiga's shoes were back and glanced down the hallway.

"Is Taiga back?" she asked.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, he got back a little while ago," Daiki grunted. "Don't know from where, though."

Mac looked at him and snorted.

"He was probably out playing basketball with Tetsu," Mac said and noticed how Daiki tensed slightly.

"Hmph," Daiki grunted displeased. "He's supposed to be Tetsu's new light?"

Mac rolled her eyes and refrained from commenting because she knew better than to get into that argument right now. She wondered when Daiki would wise up and realise that he missed Tetsuya and his friendship. She was very much aware that Tetsuya was Daiki's best friend beside her.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Daiki," Mac smiled up at him.

"Yeah," he nodded.

...

...

AN: Thank you for reading! :)