wow, it's kinda long


Akashi's Emergency Contact


Akashi Seijuurou was everywhere and nowhere all at once.

No one seemed to know that better than Mayuzumi.

That day on the rooftop was very… very weird, and outright strange. Maybe it was better to write it off as a very vivid dream, but the way Akashi had seriously told him that, yes, he had a cat that talked, and no, no one was about to die (what a weird thing to say)—

("Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously."

"Will the two of you talk as if I'm here?"

"Mayuzumi, this is Nyanko-sensei. He's… my guardian, in a sense."

"How the hell is that ugly cat your guardian?"

"I'm right here!")

Well, Mayuzumi was inclined to believe him. So, what if Akashi had a talking cat? Nothing big. Just a cat. That talked (yeah, like that's definitely believable). It was so simple to put it that way - a hundred times easier to process, really.

Besides, it wasn't like he was going to be around for this type of weird supernatural thing Akashi seemed to have going, so it didn't matter.

But.

Oh, he hated how wrong he was.

Even though he already graduated from Rakuzan, and attended to the closest university, Mayuzumi found himself running into the second year captain more often than not.

Like that one time where he spotted Akashi running down a street with that talking abomination of a cat beside him.

Or that one time when Akashi fell out a tree with the excuse of looking for something.

Or that other time where Akashi had casually climbed out of a bush as if he didn't just dive into one. Mayuzumi had half the mind to cross the street to ask if his former captain was crazy.

Or this time with Akashi napping on a bench a couple blocks away from Mayuzumi's apartment — a place he really shouldn't be.

It was close to the edge of Kyoto— what the hell was Akashi doing all the way here?

Mayuzumi stared at Akashi's damn cat (who sat in the crook of his arm) for a second, then at the sleeping (or was he knocked out completely?) teen on the bench. He still wore his school uniform, so obviously he didn't make it back to the dorms. If he didn't wake up now, then Akashi wouldn't be able to make it back before curfew without a taxi. It honestly looked like someone had dumped him there, not caring if he was comfortable or not. It did raise a few alarms in Mayuzumi's head.

He looked around the area, trying to find the culprit that was more than likely to be lone gone already, but he only had Akashi's damn cat.

Nyan… Nyanyoro? No, Nyanroro? Or was it Nyankosen?

Well, whatever the name of the cat was, it stared up at him as if he fully expected to do something for Akashi.

"Oi, Nyanoro," Mayuzumi addressed, not caring if he got the name right (even if the cat bristled at it), "What the hell happened?"

"It's Nyanko-sensei, you brat!" Nyanoro hissed. As if he'd call the cat "sensei".

Mayuzumi ignored the insult as he reached over to check if Akashi was generally okay. The teen didn't even twitch when he checked for a temperature. In fact, it did seem like Akashi had a fever, but the lack of reaction got him a bit concerned. Should he take him to a hospital?

"He'll be fine," the cat huffed, "Just let him rest and we'll be on our way."

Mayuzumi could help but glare at it. Akashi was not fine by any standard.

"Bullshit," he stated, ignoring the spluttering from the cat, "I'm taking him home."

With that said, Mayuzumi shoved the cat out of the way, and hauled Akashi on to his back. Damn, he was a tad heavier than he thought. At least, he knew that Akashi was eating right… Or was it his lack of playing a sport for months finally catching up with him?

It took some maneuvering to hold his suitcase and Akashi's school satchel, but he managed. Nyanoro attempted to climb up his leg, but Mayuzumi gave him a good glare, "Don't you dare."

"I won't! I don't trust you with him," Nyanoro snapped. Mayuzumi paused.

It made sense why the cat wouldn't trust him. After all, he didn't exactly give off the impression that he cared when they initially met on the rooftop (not that he should blame the shock of a cat that shouldn't be talking at the time. That wasn't trauma, was it?). Nor did he put any trust in a cat to take care of Akashi.

"Trust me or don't," he huffed as he began to trudge his way back home, "but I'm not that careless to leave Akashi defenseless."

They were damn lucky that no one did anything to him. Actually, how long had Akashi been out here?

Thankfully, Nyanoro kept silent through the entire walk, but he could feel the stare at the back of his head.

The second Mayuzumi managed to enter his apartment, he dumped their bags near the entrance and made it to the living room. He gently laid the still passed out teen on the couch, double checking that fever. Akashi was still warm.

When he got up, he didn't miss the way Nyanoro clawed up the couch and settle himself in the crook of Akashi's neck. Mayuzumi couldn't help the smile on his face, turning away from the scene. He stood in his tiny kitchen, pulled out his cell phone, and searched through his contacts. He was glad he decided to at least keep a few numbers from high school.

It didn't take long for Mibuchi to answer.

"Mayu! It's so unusual for you to contact me, especially with a phone call."

"Mibuchi," he greeted, "It's been a while. How is everyone?"

There was a minute pause before Mibuchi's tone changed to worry, "Is something wrong?"

Mayuzumi blinked at the question. Maybe asking the wellbeing of others was a bit out of character. He supposed he must've sounded like he was in a dire situation. He spared a moment to double check if anything happened while he was away. The odd pair on his couch didn't move, but damn that cat's stare was unnerving.

"Actually, yes," he said. He could tell that he had Mibuchi's full attention now, "I found Akashi."

There was a pause. Mayuzumi had to double check if the call was still on, "Mibuchi?"

"You what? You found Sei-chan?"

Mayuzumi held the phone away from his ear for a second.

"Where is he? We haven't seen him since practice. It's almost curfew!"

"He's fine," he assured, "He's at my place."

All of a sudden, Hayama's voice butted in, "Isn't that the other side of Kyoto?"

Vaguely, Mayuzumi could hear Nebuya loudly wondering how the hell Akashi ended up there. Honestly, he had the same question, too. Unfortunately, the only one capable of giving a proper answer was knocked out and running a fever.

"Listen, I'll keep him here with me," he started, then quickly added when he heard the beginning of protests on their tongues, "Like you said, it's almost curfew. I'll call the dorm and get a pass for Akashi."

He glanced at the calendar stabbed on the wall by the fridge, "Besides, tomorrow is the weekend. He'll be fine, I think. I'll take him back to Rakuzan Monday."

"But we have practice tomorrow," said a vaguely familiar voice. Maybe another member of the basketball team…?

"He's skipping," he stated, then added as an after thought, "he probably got sick from sleeping on a bench or something."

It was funny to hear the utter disbelief in the background. Surely, they were in the common room of the dormitories. He wouldn't be surprised if Mibuchi had it on speaker phone. Actually, what the hell happened after he graduated that warranted this type of reaction?

"If you're done getting over your shock, I need to deal with an ugly cat and a possibly sick Akashi," he said, ignoring the exclamations, "I'll see you Monday."

"Wai—"

He hung up.

Mayuzumi ignored his phone ringing in his hand, only proceeding to silence the damn thing. He disappeared into his own room to grab a blanket, and stopped in the kitchen again to pick up a glass of water and some cold medicine. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was a bit doubtful that the medicine would help, but it was better than nothing.

He neatly laid the blanket over the sleeping teen, then gave his flattest, demanding glare at the cat.

"So," he started, "Mind telling me what the hell happened?"

Nyanoro actually seemed to look conflicted for a second, then half heatedly glared right back.

"Like you said," the damn cat huffed (a very unconvincing one actually), "he got sick from sleeping on a bench."

Mayuzumi decided that he hated this cat, and flicked the furry ear as he got up, "Fine. Keep your secrets."

He paused in front of the kitchen, "Learn how to use his cell phone. So, the next time Akashi happens to pass out somewhere, you can call someone."

"What? Call? With these paws?"

"Figure it out yourself. If you can talk, then you can call, Nyanoro."

"It's Nyanko-sensei!" the cat yowled.

Mayuzumi pretended he didn't hear the cat, "I wonder if I still remember how to make chicken soup."

He did.


I don't know, but some odd reason, Mayuzumi gave off the impression of someone who cares, just in his own way.

Midorima may or may not be next. It might just be a classmate of Akashi's.