Setting Suga back into the tub, Daichi got the sprayer once more and used one hand to grip the still trembling cat beneath his chest. Looking up at his friend, the setter spoke wearily.

"Please don't drown me…"

"I won't, promise. Just stay still, I don't know if I'll have enough bandages to cover anymore scratches." He murmured, causing Suga to huff unsympathetically.

"Serves you right, letting your little sister bathe me!" He snapped, but then ducked his head a little.

"I didn't mean to make you bleed though… Sorry."

Daichi chuckled softly as he began to rinse the soap from his fur with care.

"No, you're right. I deserved it."

"Yeah… You kinda did."

Managing to finish Suga's bath without further traumatizing either of them, Daichi left his friend in the tub as he fetched a large white towel from the bathroom shelf and carried it over.

"Alright, come here."

Wading through the shoulder high water as if it were a mud filled bog, Suga gingerly stepped to the side of the tub and propped his front feet up on the edge where Daichi reached down with the towel and scooped him up. Swaddling him nice and snug, the captain used the edge of the cloth to carefully rub at Suga's head, drying his ears and dabbing water droplets out of his eyes. Smiling as he did his best to dry the rest of his friend, Daichi snickered.

"You look like a drowned rat."

"I feel like one too." Suga said, baleful.

"Don't let anyone else take me, Daichi. I feel like a creep hearing conversation I shouldn't, your sister is sweet, she doesn't deserve that."

Nodding his head, the brunette set the bundle of shivering cat on the closed toilet lid so that he could get ready for his own shower. Turning to pull the plug in the drain and rinse out the tub, Daichi looked back over his shoulder with an apologetic expression.

"Again, sorry about that… I didn't expect her to just grab you, but I'll be more careful. Are you okay to sit there while I shower? Warm enough?" He asked, tugging his shirt off as he stood and then grimacing at the claw marks that ran the length of his body, stretching from his left shoulder to his navel.

Hunching down in his towel, Suga looked on extraordinarily guilty.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I did that to you, I'm so sorry!"

Daichi waved off his fretting as he examined the damage in the mirror. With the long crimson scratches standing out against his tan skin, it looked like he'd been attacked by a baby tiger.

"It's fine Suga, I'm sure it won't look so bad after I rinse off. I'll shower and then we can get something to eat, sound good?"

Still feeling horrible, Suga nodded his head and buried himself up to his nose in the towel.

"That's fine… I'm sorry…" He mumbled again, making Daichi laugh softly as he continued to undress.

"Stop apologizing, I'm not mad."

"Sorry…" He muttered again.

Exhausted from the horrible day he'd been having coupled with a cat's excessive need to sleep, Suga's eyes fell shut. Listening to the sound of the shower turning on, the third-year setter quickly drifted to sleep as his friend disappeared behind the bath curtain, not even noticing as Daichi hissed at the sting of water hitting his scratched up chest.

Being careful to not irritate his wounds, the captain Soaped up his body, washed his hair, and rinsed off. In no time at all, he was stepping out of the tub and grabbing a towel to dry his hair before wrapping it securely around his waist and turning to Suga.

"All done, ready?"

Not even an ear twitched at Daichi's question, the cat completely gone to the world and making the captain smile softly. Not bothering to wake him, Daichi carefully picked up the warm bundle and cradled it against him as he made his way to the door and let himself out. As he was crossing the hall to his bedroom, his Mother appeared out of Yasu's room and smiled.

"I see you're both clean. Kokoro said you got scratched, are you alright?"

Smiling an easy smile back at her, he nodded.

"I'll be fine, is lunch ready? I'm starving." He admitted, stomach growling as if to make his point as Suga stirred in his arms.

Laughing as she shook her head in affection, she placed her hands on her hips.

"Nearly, it should be finished soon. I can see poor Button shivering from here, why don't I loan you my blow dryer and by the time he's dry, the food should be done too."

Looking down at the cat who huddled down in the towel he was wrapped in, Daichi made a contemplative noise and then nodded.

"Sure, we'll give it a try. Thanks Mom."

Giving him a smile that looked very similar to the soft one he always wore, his mother gently placed a hand on his damp hair to kiss his forehead as she walked by, disappearing into her own room as Daichi then went to his.

Setting his friend on the bed carefully, the brunette disappeared into his closet and looked for something cool to wear. He hadn't the slightest clue how Suga could be cold considering his house didn't have air conditioning, and the entire home felt like an oven until the sun went down and the fan in his window drug in the cool night breeze. Settling on a red work out tank and a pair of black shorts, Daichi grabbed boxer briefs and emerged from his closet as his Mother came in with the hair dryer.

Setting it on the bed beside Suga, she reached down to rub his head with her index finger.

"Koshi didn't bring you a litter box or food? That doesn't seem like him, he's usually so organized. Where was he going in such a rush?"

Thinking on his feet, the captain said the first thing that came to mind.

"Oh uh- He completely forgot he volunteered to help tutor some elementary kids at a summer camp, and his parents don't like looking after Button… He's an indoor-outdoor cat, so uh… I guess he does his business outside." Daichi said, feeling a little guilty for lying to his Mom, but not knowing what else he could do.

Humming to herself, she nodded.

"What a sweet boy, no wonder you talk about him so much, he's got a good head on his shoulders and a wonderful personality."

Daichi flushed, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"I don't talk about him that much, he's one of my best friends, so of course he comes up in conversation."

Daichi's Mom snickered.

"Oh yes you do. Mom, Suga gave me the perfect set today. Hey, I'm going to school early to meet up with Suga. Suga and I are going to talk strategies after practice today, don't wait up. Mom you should have seen Suga, he fell asleep on the bus ride home today, I swear he's the only guy who can still look good with drool dripping from his chin-"

"I did not say that last one!" Daichi interrupted, face aflame and eyes darting to the sleeping cat to see if he'd heard. An ear twitched, and the brunette was sure he had.

Letting out a lighthearted laugh, his Mother walked by and patted him on the shoulder.

"Maybe it wasn't those exact words, but I'm sure I was close. I'll I'm saying is Asahi is one of your close friends too, and I don't hear nearly as much about him."

Lips screwed up in discontentment, Daichi just glared halfhearted at his Mom.

"…Not true." He muttered, making her laugh again as she made her way to the door.

"Alright, whatever you say. Lunch will be done in ten."

Pulling the door closed behind her, the room was quiet for a full minute before an amused voice spoke up behind him.

"Have a crush on me, do you, Sawamura?"

Groaning as he grabbed his tank and pulled it roughly down over his head, Daichi answered without turning.

"You wish."