Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kuroko no Basket!
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Hm. I guess there's a warning for this chapter. A panic attack. If that triggers you then be aware that it happens in this chapter. Don't really know if I should place a warning here or not, but here it is just in case.
Also; the next chapter will be posted very soon. I have it ready. So just a heads-up. ;)
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1st year – Too Academy
...
The classroom ended up looking quite nice if Mac was going to be honest. The decorating and placement of the tables did make it seem like a different room entirely. It was almost hard to believe that it was the same room they had classes normally. Fabric was placed on the walls and the windows had new curtains making the room softer in a way.
And the sign that read 1-B Classy Café was placed over the door as well as written in chalk on the blackboard. And characteristics of everyone in the class had been drawn and hung up on the walls making it seem more personal. They even had a drawing table in the café for the kids and they could place their drawings up on the wall as well if they wanted. It was something that seemed to be very popular with the kids who came to visit their older siblings at the school, even those who didn't have siblings in their class sat down to draw.
Mac smiled a little as she watched the kids draw. It had been her idea, so she felt pleased that it seemed to be a success. She and Sakurai had responsibility for the drawing station together since they were the two best artists in the class.
"Good call with the drawing table, Potter-san," Ito Kaori said as she passed Mac. "My sister loved it. She said you helped her draw our dog."
Mac rubbed the back of her head feeling as she smiled a little shyly.
"That's good," Mac said.
Ito smiled as she went back to serving the tables again and Mac turned to do the same. She was just walking past the drawing table when a hand reached out and grabbed her sleeve. She paused and turned to see a little boy who looked like he was around four or five years old. He was looking up at her shyly through his brown locks of hair that fell into his eyes and his brown eyes soon flickered down to the floor as his lips trembled like he was about to start crying.
"Hello," Mac said trying to be calm and reassuring. "Is something wrong, little man?"
"I'm lost," he said shakily.
Mac hid a frown as she quickly looked around but didn't see anyone who seemed to be looking for someone. She crunched down so she was more at his level.
"What's your name?" Mac asked.
"Sho," the boy mumbled looking up at her again his eyes now wide and she could see tears in them. She knew it would only be seconds before he started to cry. "I can't find mommy or daddy or Kazou-nii!"
Kazou… that name was familiar, Mac thought before it clicked.
"You're Matsushita's little brother?" Mac asked.
The boy nodded and bit down on his trembling lip as a soft cry escaped him and he tried to keep it in. She felt bad for how he tried to stop himself from crying when he obviously was scared.
"Okay, Sho," Mac said reaching out and ruffled his hair slightly trying to calm him down. "I'm Mac. I know your brother, so let's go and see if we can find him together, yeah?"
Sho blinked and sniffled as he turned searching eyes to her and Mac allowed him to just look at her for a moment. She knew he was trying to see if she really meant it or not. She just smiled patiently as she waited.
Then he nodded and reached out for Mac who blinked as she looked at him confused for a moment. He just stared at her with those wide brown eyes until she slowly bent down and picked him up. She looked at him questioningly to be sure that this was what he had wanted but the smile on his face and the fact that he rested his head on her shoulder told her it was. Not to mention the lack of tears and only soft sniffles.
Okay, she thought, so where is Matsushita?
...
"Who's the kid?" Daiki asked when he came up to her as she looked for the missing Matsushita.
"He's Matsushita's brother," Mac said. "He can't find him. Have you seen him?"
Daiki blinked and she knew he struggled to figure out who Matsushita was and she sighed as she rolled her eyes.
"Ah. No, I haven't," Daiki finally said.
Sho turned his head slightly to look at Daiki and frowned at him. Daiki scowled back.
"Kazou-nii is here somewhere," Sho said.
"I'm sure he is," Mac said calmly. "We'll find him. Daiki will go and look for him too, alright?"
"Eh? Why would I?" Daiki asked.
Mac looked at him and arched a brow.
"Fine," he pouted.
Mac and Sho continued to look and she asked Nakano if she had seen Matsushita but she only said that he had left to see his girlfriend. He was on his break.
Sho frowned.
"Were you here with him or with your parents, Sho?" Mac asked.
"Mummy and Daddy," Sho said. "But then I started to draw and I didn't see where mummy went and then daddy was gone too… Kazou-nii wasn't here yet."
"Then maybe they went to find him while you were drawing?" Mac suggested. "I don't think we should leave the classroom because if they come back here and you're not here then they might be scared."
Sho looked like he was thinking hard before he nodded.
"Okay," he agreed. "But will you stay with me until they come?"
Mac smiled at the boy and nodded, "sure I will."
...
Daiki scowled at nothing as he walked through the crowded halls and looked into the classrooms he passed trying to see if Matsushita was in there or not. He felt annoyed.
That kid was clinging on Mac like he owned her or something. She was already tired from all the work she had been doing and now she had to look after a kid? And the kid had the nerve to look at him like he hadn't a right to be close to his own girlfriend.
Daiki didn't know how long it took before he spotted Matsushita with an older couple that he guessed where his parents and a girl who looked to be around the same age as him and Matsushita.
"Oi! Matsushita!" Daiki called.
Matsushita blinked as he looked at Daiki surprised. Daiki guessed he could understand the surprise since he hadn't really sought the other boy out before.
"Eh? Aomine?" Matsushita asked. "What's up?"
"You're missing something," Daiki huffed.
"What?"
"Your brother is looking for you," Daiki said.
"Sho should be in the classroom drawing," the woman said. "He said he wanted to wait there."
"Well, he seems to have forgotten that and started to look for you," Daiki shrugged.
"Is he okay?" Matsushita asked while his parents looked a little guilty and worried.
"Yeah, Kenzie is looking after him," Daiki said a little uncomfortable. "She sent me to find you."
"Oh," Matsushita said. "Okay. We're on our way back now."
Daiki nodded as he turned to head back to the classroom as well and somehow ended up walking back with them. He listened to the parents argue slightly over their decision to let the boy alone as they went to look for their oldest son. He tried to tune them out.
"Is Potter-san okay with looking after him?" Matsushita asked making Daiki glance over at him.
"Yeah," Daiki nodded.
"I hope it wasn't a bother for her," Matsushita worried.
"She's good with kids," Daiki said awkwardly. "She doesn't mind looking after him."
"Thanks, Aomine," Matsushita said making Daiki blink.
"Whatever," he muttered looking away.
...
They reached the classroom and Daiki stepped back as Matsushita and his parents looked around for Sho. They found him back at the drawing table with Mac who was distracting him with a drawing. Sho was smiling now and looked happier as he pointed at something as Mac drew.
"Looks like he's calm," Matsushita's mother said relieved.
They walked over and Daiki followed slowly behind them and saw when Mac noticed them and nudged Sho and nodded toward Matsushita.
"Kazou-nii!" Sho smiled and waved. "Mac-nee drew me!"
Mac-nee? Daiki thought incredulously. That was fast.
Matsushita blinked and looked at Mac for a moment before he focused back on his brother. He smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair.
"That's nice," he said. "Can I see?"
Sho nodded and Mac pushed the drawing over to him and Sho held it up for all of them to see. Daiki wasn't surprised to see a detailed and accurate drawing of the little boy. But he noticed Matsushita and his parents' surprised but pleased look.
"Wow, Potter-san," Matsushita said. "That's amazing."
Mac just shrugged looking a little embarrassed.
"Thank you for looking after Sho, Potter-san," Matsushita said. "I'm sorry for having bothered you."
"No problem," Mac said as she got up and ruffled Sho's brown locks. "He is a sweet kid."
"Thank you," Matsushita's mother said reaching out to grab Mac's hand. "I'm sorry for what happened."
"It's fine," Mac said a little shyly. "I'm glad I could help."
"Ah, Potter-san, this is my parents," Matsushita introduced. "Mum, dad this is my classmate Potter Mackenzie."
"Nice to meet you, Potter-san," Matsushita's dad said with a small smile. "And thank you for your help."
Mac just smiled and nodded before she looked down at Sho.
"Looks like your parents are here, little man," she said. "I need to get back to my tasks, but you take care now, okay?"
"Okay!" Sho smiled and startling Mac a little he reached out to hug her around her waist. "I'm going to marry you when I grow up."
Mac blinked and scratched her head while Matsushita looked a cross between amused and embarrassed while his parents just looked amused.
...
"Little brat," Daiki muttered making Mac chuckle as she glanced at him.
"What?" She asked. "You jealous?"
"No way," Daiki scowled. "He's a little kid!"
"Exactly," Mac said. "So, no need to scowl like that, Daiki."
Daiki pouted as they walked through the classroom. She went to take over for Mori Juro who had been a server for a while now and needed a break. Mac turned to Daiki and smiled as she tiptoed so she could press a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth.
"Now, go back to work," she smiled.
"Yeah, yeah," Daiki mumbled but he smiled slightly as he watched her walk away from him. The way she made him want to do what she said was still something he marvelled over. She could just look at him and he would melt.
"Ah, sorry," Sakurai said as he bumped into him.
"Ryo," Daiki said. "What's up?"
"I'm just finishing my break," Sakurai said. "Sorry."
Daiki rolled his eyes but didn't comment on the apologizing. He was used to it.
"Um. Ishikawa-san asked us to go and find some more drinks to bring back," Sakurai said. "I'm sorry!"
"Ishikawa?" Daiki frowned.
"The boy over there," Sakurai nodded toward a tall boy with grey hair. "He's in our class, Aomine."
Daiki shrugged.
"Never talked to him before," Daiki said simply. How was he supposed to remember all their names? "Well, come on."
Sakurai nodded and followed Daiki out of the classroom.
...
"I want to see Mac-cchi!" Ryota whined.
"We're on our way, Kise," Kasamatsu growled. "So stop whining!"
"But we're walking too slowly!" Ryota complained. "Moriyama-sempai is stopping to flirt with girls all the time and you insist we wait for him!"
Kasamatsu let out a tired sigh. Why had he agreed to be dragged along with Ryota to his friend's school festival? It was really more fuss than it was worth.
"We'll be there soon enough, Kise," Moriyama smiled. "Don't worry; you'll see the pretty flower soon!"
Ryota frowned at him.
"I don't think I like the way you talk about Mac-cchi, Moriyama-sempai," Ryota frowned.
"But she is a beautiful flower," Moriyama said.
"Shut up!" Kasamatsu snapped. "You're making my head hurt!"
Ryota and Moriyama gave him an apologetic look making him sigh. Why had he agreed again?
Well, he was curious and it wasn't like he didn't like Mac. She was a good girl and he actually felt comfortable enough to talk with her. And it was always interesting to watch her handle Ryota. Maybe she even had some tips for him on how to make him do his work.
"Oh, it's you guys," someone said and Kasamatsu looked to see Seirin coming up to them.
"Kuroko-cchi!" Ryota beamed and immediately attached himself around Tetsuya's neck hugging him tightly. Tetsuya looked completely unbothered by this while his team shouted out protests.
"Kise-kun, I can't breathe," Tetsuya deadpanned.
"Oh, sorry," Ryota said as he let go smiling sheepishly. "Are you here to see Mac-cchi as well?"
"No, we're here to see Santa Clause," Hyuga said moodily as he eyed Ryota.
Kasamatsu felt his lips twitch even if he also felt his headache worsen. This was really promising to become chaos. He just knew it.
He looked to find Kiyoshi next to him and saw the other boy smile amused as he watched the scene going on in front of them. Taiga had pulled Tetsuya away from Ryota who was now crying dramatic tears trying to reach Tetsuya again.
"Lively bunch," Kiyoshi said.
"Hn," Kasamatsu grunted. "All of you came?"
Kiyoshi smiled as he shrugged, "Kagami told us about it and we all wanted to see Mac."
Kasamatsu looked at Kiyoshi pensively for a moment. He knew that the other boy had been in a relationship with Mac before, he remembered Ryota talking about it when they broke up. He had whined that Mac had told them to leave Kiyoshi alone.
"Oi! Stop being an idiot!" Kasamatsu snapped and kicked Ryota making him cry out.
"Mean!" Ryota whined.
"Then stop bothering people!" Kasamatsu said.
Ryota pouted.
...
Mac had just served another table and ignored Fujimoto who was working behind her. She could feel the glare on her back as she worked but knew better than to encourage her by responding in any way.
She smiled when the boy at the table thanked her and turned to go over to the next table when she heard someone call her name.
"Mac-cchi!"
"Mac!"
Mac turned and the first thing she saw was blond hair coming toward her and suddenly she was enfolded in a hug.
"Air!" Mac gasped out.
Ryota pulled back and beamed at her.
"We came to see you, Mac-cchi!" he said.
"I see that," Mac said smiling slightly as she rubbed her neck. "But you don't have to try to crush me every time you do."
"Kasamatsu-sempai and Moriyama-sempai also came," Ryota said.
Mac looked and saw the two other Kaijo players standing behind Ryota and then she saw Seirin behind them again. She blinked surprised.
"Oh. Hey," she said and waved. "Nice to see you all, thanks for coming."
She was very aware that the classroom was suspiciously quiet now and knew that she was being stared at. She wanted to tell them to mind their own business, but she did her best to ignore them.
"Hey, Mac," Taiga smiled coming up to her and ruffled her hair. "You look busy."
"Kind of," Mac said swatting his hand away with an annoyed glare before she turned to Tetsuya. "Hey, Tetsu."
"Hey Mac," Tetsuya smiled and accepted the hug Mac gave him. "Nice drawings."
Mac smiled and scratched her cheek as she looked around. "Thanks."
She greeted everyone and looked around to find most of her classmates have gone back to their tasks but some (like Fujimoto) were still staring at her and the large group. She sighed as she rolled her eyes a little.
"You did these?" Riko asked shocked catching on to why Tetsuya would comment on the drawings hanging up on the walls to her like that.
Mac blushed lightly as she shifted on her feet.
"Um. Yeah," she said. "Or, not all of them. Sakurai also did a few."
"Wow," Izuki said. "They're really good. I didn't know you could draw like that, Mac."
Mac shrugged and looked away.
"Mac-cchi is the best," Ryota bragged. "She always was!"
"Well. I'll get you a table," she said changing the subject as she turned to lead them to a table that was free. She pushed a couple of tables together so they could get all fit around the same table.
"You okay, Mac?" Kiyoshi asked.
Mac realised that he had come up beside her as the others sat down and she smiled as his calm voice calmed her down like it always did.
"I'm fine," she smiled up at him.
"I didn't think you would show off your drawings like this," Kiyoshi admitted.
"I didn't want to," Mac sighed. "Not really, but…well, someone learned that I could draw and suddenly everyone asked me to do it…"
Kiyoshi looked at her and frowned slightly.
"If you didn't want to then you could have said no," Kiyoshi said.
"I know, but…" Mac sighed. "I guess I should open up a little…it's not that big of a deal."
Mac looked at Kiyoshi and saw the proud smile on his face making her smile back. He reached out and ruffled her hair with that goofy smile of his as he laughed.
"Good girl," he said.
Mac swatted at his hand as she mock glared at him.
"I'm not a dog," she said.
"Oi!" Daiki interrupted and pushed Kiyoshi's hand away making Mac blink as she hadn't realised that Daiki had arrived.
"Hello, Aomine," Kiyoshi smiled.
"What are you doing touching Kenzie?" Daiki scowled.
"Daiki!" Mac frowned at him. "Be nice."
"But…"
"No," Mac said. "Be nice."
"Fine," Daiki muttered but glared at Kiyoshi who just smiled.
...
Fujimoto frowned as she looked at Mac talking with a large group of people who had just arrived. It was clear that they all knew her and she even allowed some of them to hug her. It didn't seem to bother her that she already had a boyfriend.
"I can't believe she's that touchy with boys that aren't her boyfriend," Fukui whispered to Fujimoto.
"I know, right?" Fujimoto whispered back. "Look, that tall one is clearly too close to her… and look at the way they're smiling at each other…oh, now he's even touching her!"
"Aomine looks mad," Fukui commented as she spotted Daiki arriving and immediately breaking up Mac and the other boy.
Fujimoto got a pensive look on her face as she watched them. She wondered if this was something she could use. Mac was clearly close with that tall brown-haired boy, and Daiki didn't like it.
"What are you thinking?" Fukui asked noticing the look on Fujimoto's face.
"Nothing," Fujimoto lied.
Fukui shrugged as she walked back to her assignment and left Fujimoto to herself. Fujimoto was curious about this mystery boy and his relationship with Mac. There was that blond boy as well, but Fujimoto thought he looked familiar.
"Eh, Kise Ryota is here!" Fujimoto heard a girl gush.
Kise Ryota? Oh, right. The model. Did Mac know him too? Another wave of anger and resentment flashed through her.
"I wonder why he's here," a girl said.
"You think he would give us his autograph?"
Fujimoto huffed as she was forced to focus on her tasks. But she would find out more about this.
It wasn't only Fujimoto who noticed the visitors Mac got. It was most of the class, but most of them only reacted with curiosity and mild astonishment because they rarely saw Mac interacting with anyone other than Daiki or Sakurai.
They noticed the older couple coming in with two twins and it became clear that it was Daiki's parents but they gave Mac equal amount of attention and the woman hugged Mac before the twin boy attacked himself to Mac chatting a mile a minute.
...
Mac waved at Seirin and Ryota (and his two sidekicks for the day) as they left the classroom to take a look around. She knew they would be back before they left to say bye so she turned her attention back to Shiro who had attached himself to her side.
"I'm happy you came to see us, Shiro," Mac smiled at him and pushed his hair out of his face. "Your hair is getting long."
"I know," Shiro grinned. "Mum said I have to cut it soon."
"I see," Mac said. "So, how are you?"
"I'm fine," Shiro said. "Sayuri is helping me with my homework and I'm doing well with my soccer practice."
"Good," Mac nodded.
"Can you come and watch my match soon?" Shiro asked.
"I'll try," Mac promised.
"Great!" Shiro beamed.
Daiki sighed next to her and she nudged his arm making him frown, but he soon smiled and nodded.
"We'll both try," he promised.
Shiro beamed at them.
"You've all done great work here, Mac, Daiki," Ayano said.
"I like your drawings, Mac," Takehiro added.
"Thanks," Mac said with a small smile feeling pleased.
She was feeling happy that Daiki's parents had come and had brought the twins, she really felt like they were there to see her as well as Daiki. She had wished that her uncle would be there, but he had left of the States last week because of work, but she knew he had hoped to be here.
...
"Mac," a voice she didn't expect to hear said and she spun around.
"Seijuro," she gasped and stood still for a moment before she moved and hugged him. "I…What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to see you, of course," Seijuro said when he pulled back and gave the smile he rarely showed anyone but her. "I had a business meeting with my father and had some time to stop by to say hey before I have to leave."
"So you're not staying long?" Mac asked her smile falling slightly.
"I'm afraid not," Seijuro said. "But I have some time right now."
"Ok, that's good," Mac said smiling again. "I'm just happy I got to see you at all."
Seijuro got a strange look on his face but he smiled again and nodded. Mac looked around and saw a free table so she led him to it and told him to sit while she found something to drink.
"I'm taking a small break," Mac told Kimura Akira.
"Okay, who's that?" Mac saw the other girl look curiously over at Seijuro.
"A friend from Teiko," Mac said.
"Oh," Kimura said and Mac took the tray with tea from her and went back to Seijuro.
She sat down as she placed the tray in front of him and he arched a brow.
"I know," she smiled. "But it is a café so what else would you expect other than tea and cookies?"
Seijuro shook his head.
"You tired?" Mac asked. "You look tired."
"I'm fine, Mac," Seijuro said. "It's nothing I can't handle."
Mac nodded but still felt worried. She knew his father expected a lot from Seijuro and Seijuro always did everything his father said. Most believed that Seijuro didn't listen to anyone other than himself, that no one could tell him what to do. He might even encourage others to think that too, but Mac knew better. Seijuro still wanted to impress his father; he still wanted to prove that he could handle everything his father threw his way. He was after all still a son.
That's why she worried about him. She worried that he pushed himself too hard, that he would exhaust himself and not take care of himself as he should.
"Stop it," Seijuro said interrupting her thoughts with a knowing look.
"What?"
"You're worried about me," Seijuro said.
"Am not," she denied.
"Sure," Seijuro arched a brow. "You forget that I know you, Mac."
Mac huffed and shook her head.
"Well, I can't help it," she said.
Seijuro blinked at her before he smiled slightly and changed the subject.
...
Mac had stayed talking with Seijuro for a while before she had to get back to work. Ryota and Tetsuya had arrived back to the classroom by then and joined Seijuro at the table he had.
"We need more paper for the drawing table, Potter-san," Maki said.
"Okay," Mac said. "I'll get it."
Mac looked toward her friends and saw Daiki standing by their table now and talking with them. It made her smile thinking that it almost looked like old times.
She walked to the supply closet down the hall and opened the door. She frowned when the light didn't work and she couldn't really see much only the light from the hallway allowed her to see as she stepped in to look for more paper. She looked around and spotted the paper at the top shelf.
Suddenly she heard the door slam closed behind her and a scraping sound before everything went quiet.
It was like she was momentarily paralyzed and her mind went blank as the darkness surrounded her and it felt like the walls were closing in on her from all sides making it harder to breathe. She felt her heart beat faster in her chest as she somehow managed to reach out and grabbed the doorknob. She pushed. The door didn't open. Getting more frantic now she rattled the door violently but it still remained closed, nothing she did helped.
"Hello?" She called out. "Anyone?"
There was no answer.
Her blood pounded in her ears, sounding loud in the silence. Thump-thump-thump…
Calm down, Mac…She had to get out of here….think….she had to get out…out….out…
She felt her heart beat frantically in her chest like it was trying to escape her very body. It hurt. She tried to push at the door again but her hands shook so much that they kept missing the doorknob and she ended up banging on the door without any response.
Was she dying? What was happening to her?
Her body felt out of control and she was vaguely aware that her cheeks were getting wet. Her vision blurred and even in the darkness, she felt like it was strange and blurred in some way.
Breathe…Air…need…air…
She tried to breathe in but her breath only came out in sharp shallow gasps. It scared her as she couldn't control it. Her legs wavered and she sank down onto the floor and pushed against the shelf behind her trying to get away from the walls that were closing in on her… they were closing in…
Go to your cupboard!
Noo…no…
No meals. Cupboard now!
She wasn't there now…
Freak. Your fault. Cupboard now!
She gasped as the voices filler her mind. She needed to get out…but she was unable to move, her arms and legs shook too much and she was starting to feel like her arms and legs were being pricked by pins and needles.
The darkness was getting going to swallow her up and she was helpless. Weak.
...
Daiki was worried. Mac hadn't come back yet and it worried him. He had already looked around the classroom and Maki had said that she had sent Mac to find more paper but that she still hadn't come back yet.
Why hadn't she told him and he would have gone with her? Daiki frowned to himself as he felt like something was really wrong. It wasn't like Mac to not come back when she was given a task.
"Found her yet?" Seijuro asked despite knowing better. He too had a worried look in his eyes, he had even postponed leaving as he should in order to get to his train in time.
"No," Daiki said impatiently. "Where can she be?"
"I saw her," Fujimoto's voice made Daiki spin around and look at his ex-girlfriend. She looked smug even if she tried to look sympathetic or something.
"Where?" Daiki asked while Seijuro narrowed his eyes at her.
Ryota and Tetsuya came back then, having been looking for Mac as well. They frowned when they saw Fujimoto.
"I saw her with that boy from before," Fujimoto said and gave Daiki a fake sad look. "The tall one with brown hair, the one who was touching her when you entered the classroom…"
Kiyoshi? Daiki narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"They were talking and laughing together," Fujimoto said. "They looked really close; she was hanging off his arm and was giggling and blushing…She left with him..."
Daiki fisted his hands, "what are you playing at, Fujimoto?!"
"Eh? There's no need to be so mean to me, Aomine," Fujimoto protested wounded. "I'm just telling you what I saw."
"Bullshit!" Daiki growled. "You…"
"Why don't we ask him?" Seijuro interrupted making Fujimoto glance over at him and gulp when the cold heterochromatic eyes stared back at her. "Since Kiyoshi and her cousin are coming toward us right now. It will be easy to find out if they have seen Mac or not."
Fujimoto's eyes flickered and she pales slightly.
"Oh…um…"
"What's going on?" Taiga asked.
Tetsuya explained quickly what had happened and Taiga instantly looked worried and angry as he glared at Fujimoto.
"I haven't seen Mac since I was at the café in your class;" Kiyoshi said with a frown.
Daiki stepped closer to Fujimoto as he felt his anger build up and threaten to burst. He was really worried now.
"Where is she, Fujimoto?" Daiki growled. "What did you do?!"
"Nothing!" Fujimoto cried before she stormed away after throwing a wounded look at Daiki like he had betrayed her or something.
...
Suddenly Nao came out of the classroom and immediately latched onto the end of the leg of Daiki's pants. He was pulling at it like he wanted Daiki to follow him and was growling slightly but it was more desperate than menacing.
"Nao," Daiki murmured.
"How did he get out?" Ryota asked.
"He has done it before," Daiki said absentmindedly as he was already moving and Nao let go when he noticed that Daiki would follow him. "When Kenzie was upset."
Daiki knew he needed to think more about the whole scene with Fujimoto, but right now he needed to find Mac. Mac was more important and he had to find her. That urge inside of him was only getting stronger.
They followed Nao up the stairs and down a hallway on the floor above their classroom and as they ran they all noticed that they were leaving the crowd of people (who had been given them strange looks) and soon found themselves down an empty corridor.
Nao was already by a door scraping at it and whining softly and desperately. Daiki didn't need any other indication that Mac was inside of that room, but the chair that pushed so the back was underneath the doorknob making it impossible to open from the inside was another very telling sign that something was happening there.
He cursed harshly as he rushed over to the door with the others right behind him. He was vaguely aware of Ryota cursing and worrying at once, Taiga was also letting out a curse but the others were quiet.
He pushed the chair away not caring that it fell over as he did and that it scraped against the floor as it slid away. He reached out to open the door and unknowingly held his breath as he got it open and looked inside. Nao ran in right away and his soft whining and purring sounded in the silence. The darkness made it impossible to see anything at first before he got used to it and the light from the hallway filled the room softly, but it only offered a little light. His eyes looked frantically around until he spotted Mac seated on the floor with her legs pushed up to her chest and even from where he was standing he could tell that she was having trouble.
Her body was shaking and her breathing was strange, it sounded shallow and sharp. She wasn't breathing properly; Daiki realised and felt another wave of fear hit him.
Daiki glanced at Seijuro who was also looking at Mac with open concern on his face, when Daiki looked at him he nodded and stepped back and pushed Ryota away who was frowning and complaining about being pushed away.
Daiki turned back to Mac knowing that Seijuro had the others handled. Right now he knew that Mac didn't need to be crowded.
He stepped into the room and toward Mac feeling adrenaline pumping through him as he focused on his girlfriend. She was not looking at him, he wasn't even sure she was aware that he was there.
Nao whined and pushed toward her legs but she didn't move, making the fox whine again and it was the saddest thing Daiki thought he had ever heard. He swallowed.
"Kenzie," Daiki said. "Kenzie…shh…it's alright…"
All he wanted was to scoop her up into his arms but he somehow knew that he shouldn't do that. He needed to get her to respond to him first.
"It's okay…You're okay, Kenzie… Just breathe for me, okay?" Daiki urged trying to keep his voice calm but the fear he felt filtered through it more than he liked and he swallowed again and took a deep breath trying to calm down. "Kenzie, can you hear me?"
Mac still gasped for breath but her head lifted slightly from her knees and her eyes turned toward him. He took that as a good sign and smiled slightly at her even if the dullness in her eyes made his heart hurt.
"That's it," Daiki said. "You're safe, Kenzie… it's okay… you're safe…"
He had no idea what to say but it felt like the right thing to say so he continued to repeat it over and over as he tried to get her to calm her breathing down. He tried to remember if they had ever learned about what to do in situations like this, but his mind wouldn't come up with anything.
"I'm here, Kenzie," Daiki continued. "I'm here and so are Akashi and Kise…and Tetsu and your cousin and even Kiyoshi… Everyone is worried about you and care about you. We need you to breathe…"
Mac started to calm down some and Daiki smiled.
"That's it, Kenzie," he said proudly. "You're doing good…"
She closed her eyes briefly as she inhaled and shakenly let the breath out again before repeating it. He let out a relieved sigh when she lowered her legs so that Nao could jump up on her lap and snuggle into her as he made soft reassuring noises and Daiki blinked because suddenly he had more tails…and was he glowing?
Pushing it away he focused on Mac again and saw one hand had gone to Nao and the other was lying useless on the floor next to her. He reached out and grabbed the hand and squeezed it. He felt relieved when she squeezed back even if it was weak.
"That's it," he said again. "You're so good, Kenzie."
...
Mac felt her breathing settle some and it became a little easier as she focused on Daiki's voice. His words sort of filtered through and made sense but at the same time didn't really mean anything at once. She just focused on the familiar voice and let it soothe her.
She had no idea how long she had been sitting there in the dark on her own before Daiki found her, or how long he had tried to reach her. All she knew was that her breathing was coming a little easier as the seconds ticked by and she could feel herself stop struggling as much.
She felt Nao also calming her down and his soft fur felt good against her hand and the warmth coming from him reached somewhere deep inside of her helping to soothe her and give her better control over her breathing again.
"Daiki," she whispered looking at him and saw the worry in his blue eyes and the relief. She hated that she had worried him… "I…"
"It's okay," he said when she trailed off. "Just focus on your breathing, okay?"
Mac nodded and closed her eyes as she tried to do as he said. She grimaced slightly as she felt her hands, arms and legs (everything really) prickle uncomfortably on top of a numb feeling that had her limbs feeling odd.
"My hands feel tingly," Mac whispered hoarsely. "Like their being pricked by thousands of needles…"
"It's alright," he said. "We'll figure it out."
Mac nodded weakly. She felt really tired now. It was like she had been going through ten harsh basketball practices at once without taking a break. Her whole body felt trashed and she really wasn't sure how she was supposed to get up.
"Should we get out of here?" Daiki asked like he had been reading her mind.
"I…can't," she whispered.
"Why?"
"Can't…move," she whispered opening her eyes even though it hurt.
"I'll carry you," Daiki promised.
Mac nodded.
...
...
AN: I just want to say that I don't know very much about panic attacks, but I researched it and read a lot of accounts of people having experienced it. So, I tried to get it as realistically as I possibly could. I don't want to make it seem light or dismiss it because it's a serious topic.
Okay, so this chapter turned out to be way too long and actually turned out to be as long as two chapters so I ended up splitting them. Just because I didn't want to suddenly have a chapter that was over 12 000 words when the chapters usually are around 6-7000 words a chapter. Good news though; the next chapter is ready so I'll post it as soon as I can and you'll have the whole thing right away anyway. :)
Thanks for reading! :)