The Phoenix and the Cat

Chapter 2

Note: I don't own Haikyuu and stuff.

The next day, Yaku makes sure he's okay while helping redress Fukunaga's injuries before doing his own things. Fuku's like an ugly rainbow, sighing sadly at his own reflection after using the restroom, brushing his teeth, and checking his morning sugar levels. He's a bit low for his goal while still being in proper parameter, but that's expected for having just woken up. It's always like that in the morning.

All the injuries seem okay so he gets dressed in his track pants, fully intent to play today. Even his bruised wrist feels like only surface damage, but it definitely doesn't look pretty. The side of his face and that eye are sporting dark coloring as well as part of that ear, his side and stomach have several large matching tender areas too. His wrist and part of that hand are downright purple, there's random little cuts and scrapes here and there. His elbows are a mixture of pulled up skin and burns from skidding across the waxed floor. His tailbone's a dull ache now so it's mostly just awkward when moving to stand or sit too fast, but he's getting used to it. His tail's really bruised like the rest of him, around the joint where it meets his back and a couple inches on the limb near the middle thanks to that one hit.

Great, he looks gross. Thank god he heals pretty fast.

None of it's too bad for what it easily could have been, but it looks absolutely horrid thanks to his extremely pale skin making the dark colors pop even more vibrantly than they would on other people. Sometimes he wishes he could get a tan, sadly it never matters how much time he spends in the sun. He can burn, but not tan no matter what he tries. Thanks, Mom.

Other times it's one of the few things he really likes about his appearance, the girls in class even get jealous over the smooth and unblemished porcelain and he doesn't have to do some crazy skin care regimen like they do.

He doesn't dislike it per se, but he knows he's already different than others (like his feline traits, lack of body hair, too big eyes, or being so tall for an omega which are usually on the smaller side though that's just an average) than is definitely normal so this is just another thing to make him stand out when he rather not.

Some people give him weird looks, but he doesn't usually care too much. It just gets to him once in a while, a random surge of insecurity that isn't normally anywhere in his head and gone pretty quickly too. He gets jealous of omegas like Yaku a lot in those moments, ones built as their breed is supposed to be. Besides, he's got bigger problems than what people think of him like their goal of nationals and keeping his health in order and eventually finding a mate. He works out enough to have a decent amount of muscle while still being slim and he takes care of himself so he's at least certain that if he mates, they'll like that much of his appearance.

He pulls a black t-shirt on carefully, zips his duffel bag closed and spots the big pink cat stuffed animal with huge cyan eyes and a long skinny tail with a bulb on the end. It's adorable and well worn, he almost doesn't want to give it back.

He woke up with it, but it's definitely Satori's. He doesn't even need to ask; it has his addictive scent all over it. He must touch it a lot, maybe sleeps with it himself.

He grabs his phone and cocks his head at the folded piece of paper hiding underneath, a surprised smile gracing his face as he sees 'Kitten' written on it. It's got a cute design of cat ears over either end of the word and whiskers just under the ends, a pleasant churn of emotion rising at the simple sight.

Opening it gives him a sweet good morning and rambling taking up most of the page with a brief explanation of what happened mixed in that he manages to decipher.