authoraddymarie, Here is the PART TWO of Meow!

Plot: Byakuya gets Makoto a cat. Later they hang out because yes.

This was supposed to be published on Makoto's birthday but that didn't happen so it's a little late.

Idk if you can tell but this doesn't follow irl timelines xD

Pairing: Makoto Naegi x Byakuya Togami

Genre: f l u f f

Warnings: nothing but a mean teacher

Non despair au

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   Third Person POV

The school day dragged on longer than usual for Makoto Naegi, whose thoughts kept turning back to the events of last night. The teacher droned on and on about adverbs and grammar, and while Makoto tried to listen to her, he kept stealing glances at Byakuya, who pretended not to notice.

"Since Makoto seems to be so interested in something, perhaps he would like to help us label the adverbs in this paragraph," the teacher said, jarring Makoto out of his daydreams.

   Normally this wouldn't be an issue for him. Typically he'd have the work in front of him so he could at least brush off the teacher's attempt to embarrass him. But not this time.

   Too bad it wasn't even lunchtime yet.

   "Well, Makoto? The class is waiting," the teacher smirked, sure of her victory.

   You know when you're suddenly asked a question and everything you know about it jumps out of your brain at the last moment?

That's what happened here. Try as Makoto might to come up with an answer, his mind was a blank slate. The teacher's smug grin made her look like a sinister villainess-and Makoto her victim.

   "It's obvious a plebian like you can't tell when to stop," Byakuya huffed. Makoto heaved a huge sigh of relief and gratefully smiled at him. "You clearly don't like him, maybe because his life is more significant than your own."

   The teacher was taken aback for a moment as the class erupted into laughter. Then her features twisted into a scowl. "Makoto, Byakuya, get out! Go to the office. We'll have a chat about respecting your elders and paying attention to your parents."

If the ground opened up and swallowed Makoto whole, he'd gratefully welcome it. But it didn't and he walked out of the classroom just behind Byakuya, whose long legs meant longer strides so he was quickly well ahead of Makoto.

"Hey-hey! Byakuya! Wait up!" He called, jogging to get caught up to the heir.

Byakuya stopped at the end of the hallway and glanced over his shoulder. "Just keep up," he smirked.

Makoto glared at Byakuya, although it probably didn't look very intimidating. However, it did make him sigh and walk back towards Makoto.

"I suppose I shouldn't walk too fast for my boyfriend to keep up with me," he said.

    The boy in question covered his head with his hood, his face a vibrant shade of red. Byakuya let out a small chuckle and put his arm around Makoto's shoulders, pulling him closer.

   "Hey Byakuya, this is nice and all, but shouldn't we have gotten to the principal's office by now?" Makoto asked.

  "And let Ms. Queens humiliate you further? I see no reason to, after all, you were studying something far more lasting and important than adverbs."

   "Wait you knew I was staring at you?"

   "Naegi you sit in front of me."

"Okay, that makes sense..."

The pair did in fact make it to the principal's office before the bell rang to dismiss the rest of the class. However, it seemed like Jin Kirigiri had heard about some of Ms. Queens and her vile deeds (the least of which were her attempts to humiliate Makoto) and assured the boys that no harm was done and she had in fact gone to extreme measures way too early. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about the lesson they had missed.

By the time they had left the office, most of the students had left the building, except for those who had after-school activities.

"That teacher made you lose a valuable day of learning for such a petty matter," Byakuya grumbled after they had left the main building.

Makoto stifled a chuckle at that. Of course, Byakuya probably knew what he needed to know about English grammar-why would he lament about losing a day of learning?

"Yesterday was your birthday, correct?"

"Oh...yeah you're right. I can't believe I didn't think about it."

Byakuya sighed. "Maybe because you were taking care of me as a cat. Speaking of, I think I found a cat you'd like. And you need to remember your birthday next time."

"Oh, um, okay," Makoto replied. "Where are we going?"

"Celestia Ludenburg and her family found the cat, but since her cat doesn't get along with it they can't keep it. That's where you come in."

"Are you just dumping the full responsibility of cat ownership on me?"

Byakuya shrugged and began walking towards a park, leaving Makoto with the choice of being left behind or running a marathon to catch up.

Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic-

"Byakuya, wait up!" Makoto exclaimed. "My legs are shorter than yours!"

    Soon enough, the pair met up with Celeste, who sat on a park bench, Grand Bois Chèri Ludenburg purring on her lap.

   "Greetings Byakuya," she said, as calm as ever. "I have the cat you requested."

   That's when Makoto saw the kitten for the first time. It couldn't have been more than a few months old, and it mewed pathetically as it attempted to curl into Celeste's skirt. Instantly, he felt an overpowering urge to scoop up the kitten and coddle it until it fell asleep.

    "Thank you for meeting Makoto and me here," Byakuya said. "He'll take the kitten off your hands."

"Again, are you just throwing the full respond of the cat onto me?" Makoto frowned.

"You did say you would be lonely."

   Celeste giggled lightly as she watched their banter. "I'll let you two gather the necessities. Good day to you both."

   With that, the ultimate gambler picked up Grand Chèri and walked out of the park, leaving the tiny kitten desperately pleading for warmth.

   "So this is my cat now?" Makoto asked, gingerly sitting next to it.

    "I thought that would be obvious," Byakuya chuckled. "What are you going to name it?"

Makoto watched as the kitten cautiously sniffed his leg before curling up beside it.

"Something that isn't very extravagant, but also isn't like, Mittens or something," he said thoughtfully.

   Byakuya sat down next to Makoto, watching as the cat started to paw at Makoto's thigh.

   "It is a striking black color," Byakuya said thoughtfully.

   "What about Umbra for a name then?" Makoto asked.

    Byakuya nodded. "That's fine with me, Umbra is your cat after all."

   Umbra looked at the two giants who were paying her so much attention and yawned. This made Makoto chuckle.

    "Are we sure that Hope's Peak will let her in the dorms?" Makoto asked. "I don't want her to get her hopes up only to have to go to a new home."

   "Kyoko talked to the principal about it, it appears that when I was turned into a cat she went to the principal to make sure it was okay to keep me on the campus. They'll be okay with her."

    Makoto picked up Umbra and held her against his chest. "You hear that little Umbra? You're gonna have a home now!"

   "Okay, that's enough of that. Come on Naegi," Byakuya said, standing up.

   "Where are we going Byakuya?" Makoto asked, following Byakuya out of the park.

    "We're going to get a cup of coffee, is that okay with you?"

    Makoto eagerly nodded, and the pair got themselves some coffee from a food truck because as much as Byakuya detested the idea, they couldn't go into a coffee shop because of Umbra.

   As the sun began to dip beyond the horizon, the two boys made it back to the dormitory.

   "Thanks for today Byakuya," Makoto hummed, leaning against his arm.

    "It was nothing, Makoto. It's a shame it started rough," Byakuya replied. "We're at your dorm now, goodnight Makoto."

   Sure enough, they had stopped in front of Makoto's dorm. Makoto had had a lot of fun, but he didn't want to part just yet. "Wait...uh before you go can I have an um....uh..."

   Byakuya didn't hear what Makoto finished, but he could tell that whatever it was, it made him super embarrassed and an adorable shade of red. So he leaned down next to Makoto's ear and whispered, "What is it that you want?"

  "A-a goodnight kiss!" Makoto exclaimed, immediately covering his face with his hands.

   "Well, why didn't you just say so?" Byakuya chuckled, lifting Makoto's head towards him.

    Makoto was at a serious loss for words, but thankfully he didn't have to reply as Byakuya honored his request.

    "Well," Makoto whispered when he finally pulled away. "Goodnight Byakuya."

    "Goodnight Makoto," Byakuya replied. "Happy belated birthday."

       Inside the dorm, Umbra called for her new friend to come inside.

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Word Count:
1,453

1. Byakuya's one to talk about remembering your own birthday exCUSE ME

2. Art at top is mine