"Misaki-san... Misaki-san..."
Misaki absentmindedly swatted whoever it was trying to wake her. She just got back from 3 day recovery jail. She was still tired and sleepy.
"Misaki."
"Yo." She moved her head to the side just enough to glance at Akashi before burying her head back in her arms.
She yelped when she felt her chair being dragged back from the desk. Without preamble, Akashi scooped her in his arms and carried her over to the nurse's office.
The students watched in both awe and envy. Awe for the struggling girl who was fearlessly pulling his cheeks. Envy for the girl Akashi was carrying.
"You jerk! How did I deserve that?!" She hissed at her friend when he put her down on the cot.
Her hackles rose when he gave her a look. His seen the same look from a few months ago. Akashi's emperor side was in control.
"Explain."
Misaki bit her tongue to keep herself from complying. She glared up at him. If he thinks he could order her around, he's got another thing coming.
"You wanna run that by me again?"
He took a calming breath. Going in guns blazing was not the way to handle Misaki. She knew how to handle situations like he did.
"What happened to you? I kept calling but it wouldn't connect."
Misaki fished her phone and tried to turn it on. It was dead.
"Sorry. I didn't know my phone was dead. You remember that ambulance I was on? Well... Those were private doctors and nurses. They took me back to the house and I had to recover there. Did you worry? I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to worry. When you didn't call the house or my phone, I thought you didn't worry. I mean, you don't look like the type to worry. I know that's not an excuse. I'm not making excuses. I'm just really sorry."
Akashi sat down beside her. He opened his mouth to ask more questions but there were arms around his neck and he found himself in a hug. He found himself hugging back as she babbled and the tension he has been harboring since she was taken away on that ambulance drained from him. It made him wonder the last time he received a hug.
They let go of each other after a while.
"Don't do that again." He made sure to look stern but she rolled her eyes at him.
"I promise, Oh whiny one." She yawned and stretched.
"You haven't been sleeping well."
"I haven't been sleeping well since I was 10. This is the venom. I'll be fine."
"Sleep then. I'll come and get you after school."
"Okay. Night, Kashi."
She was out like a light. She didn't notice the surprise on his face at the nickname she gave him.
+++++++++++++++++++++
The rest of the Rakuzan team almost had a heart attack when their captain asked the coach to be excused from practice today. He never missed practice.
Since this was the first time he asked for leave, the coach let him.
"Sei-chan, are you sick?"
"Maybe, you should go home Akashi."
"Captain, did you eat something bad?"
"No. It's a personal errand."
As they watched him leave, the players were thankful that the foul mood their captain was in for a few days had dissipated. Dealing with an in control and angry Akashi felt very life threatening.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akashi silently opened the door of the infirmary.
Misaki was sprawled on the bed. A foot sticking out from the covers. A hand was buried in her own hair while the other was dangling off the side of the bed. It wasn't the most elegant position his seen but somehow it suited her.
He walked around the cot and attempted to rearrange her but she almost brained him with a kick so he let her be.
He opened a book and was halfway through the 1st chapter when she bolted upright, gasping for air, looking like she had seen a ghost.
"Misaki?"
She was trembling a bit so he shook her to get her to snap out of it.
She blinked and stared at him as if finally seeing him.
"'Kashi?" She ran her palms down her face, giving a slight tug to the base of her hair.
"Thanks." She accepted the glass of water he offered to her.
"Nightmare?"
"I wish."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"You carry gin tonic with you?" He took that as a no.
"You should sleep some more."
"Sleep is for the weak." A pause. "Why aren't you at practice?"
"I'll take you home." He said.
"No. not yet. I need to be somewhere today. Sorry for troubling you. I can take it from here."
"I'm coming with you."
"No. I can't let you."
"I'm not asking for your permission. And. I have your bag."
++++++++++
Akashi found himself surrounded by children after Misaki introduced him to the children in an orphanage. Children tugged on his arms and he found himself reading a story outloud to the kids. A 2 year old girl was on his lap while the rest sat on the floor, listening to him.
They only stayed there for an hour. They stopped by a fast food chain once she claimed to be starving.
He tried to ask her why they went to the orphanage but as soon as she finished stuffing herself, she fell asleep. He's had to half drag half carry her all the way out of the establishment since she kept waking up and falling asleep mid sentence.
He took her home and her uncle took her upon arriving at her doorstep.
++++++++++++
"Is that your lunch?"
MIsaki jumped at the sudden question that came behind her. She was currently at the rooftop.
"Yes, this is my lunch. And say one word about this and I will throw this jar at you." She threatened as she downed a couple of pills with a drink of water.
"We have a cafeteria, you know."
"I'm not feeling very hungry. I'm usually just eating because I have to." She said as she watched the clouds.
"That's unhealthy."
She rolled her eyes at Akashi who sat beside her.
"You don't look so well." He observed.
"Good. I feel like shit might as well look the part right?"
"Perhaps, you should go home."
"I'm fine." She murmured knuckling at her eyes. "What are you doing up here anyway? Don't tell me Mr. Prefect is up here to smoke a cig?"
He flicked a finger against her forehead.
"I needed to get away for a bit." He said making himself comfortable.
"Ah. Your fans stalking you again?" She grinned unsympathetic.
He rolled his eyes at her.
They fell into a comfortable silence. Each enjoying the company of the other silently.
