Chapter Text
When Morgana came back from his afternoon stroll, he found out that Futaba was already asleep in her bed. It was strange for him to not stay in Leblanc’s attic, but Akira was currently on their school trip with the other Phantom Thieves. So, since he didn’t want to spend those days alone, he was spending his time with the newest and youngest member of the team. When he landed on her desk, jumping through the window, he wondered how Futaba could stay in such a hot bedroom. He had somehow managed to persuade the redhead to keep the window open in order to let him free to come and go according to his will, but it was still summer. Futaba constantly kept her door closed and from the window only came warm air.
Needless to say, it was impossible to breath in that room. How could this girl had lived in those conditions for such a long time?
Apparently, according to Makoto and Akira, those kinds of comments were “inappropriate” and “insensitive” due to her mental state, so he was trying not to say anything. But they had given her a Change of Heart! What was the problem?
Well, at least she went to bed early, unlike that irresponsible leader that was Akira, who kept trying to go out at night even after their strenuous missions in the Metaverse. Not the Morgana actually permitted that, the team could not afford to have an exhausted Joker.
Morgana stared at the girl, curled up under a thick blanket on her bed, and wrinkled his nose.
Maybe it was a little bit too early. There was still light outside, why was she already asleep? Plus, it was terribly hot that day! Covering with a blanket seemed more like a torture with that kind of temperature outside.
The definitely-not-cat shifted from one paw to the other, uncertain about what to do, then he noticed a fan – well covered by a couple of t-shirts – in the corner of the room, and decided that it could be a help against that ungodly weather. He jumped on the pile of boxes near his target and, with a sharp movement, he bit the fabric of the clothes and threw them on the ground, that he pushed the bottom stretching his short leg, turning it on.
When the artificial wind hit him, Morgana sighed happily. And one thing was done.
Then, he turned his head towards the bed, noticing that now Futaba had covered her head with the blanket too. Without thinking, he jumped on the mattress and tried to remove it: how could she breathe like that?
What are you now, a babysitter?
He stopped for a second, the edge of the blanket still between his teeth.
She is just an important part of the team and I’m her senior, it’s my duty to make sure that everyone is healthy while our leader isn’t here!
Nodding to himself, he pulled the fabric, just to realize that Futaba was holding onto it with strength. By the way she was tugging it, she seemed pretty much awake. She was covering herself on purpose?
‘Ohi, Futaba. Aren't you hot like that?’ he tried, letting go of the blanket.
Silence.
She was turning her back to him, probably trying to appear asleep, but Morgana at this point had a mission.
‘Come on, you’re gonna feel bad if you stay under the covers with this heat, this is too heavy!’
‘I can’t hear you. I’m asleep’ she muttered, without moving. Her voice was low and scratchy, it was clear that she hadn’t used it for a while. It was also true that she hadn’t had the occasion to talk to someone that day: Sojiro was at work, Morgana had spent the majority of the time on the roofs of Yongen-Jaya, and their other friends were all far away. Not that he had thought that it could ever be a problem to her.
‘…This doesn’t sound really “asleep” of you’ he retorted, waving his tail, slightly annoyed.
‘Maybe I just work in a different way from you’ she mumbled, still not facing him ‘You can turn into a bus, I can talk when I’m sleeping’
‘I don’t think it works like that…’ Morgana sighed.
He stayed put for what it felt like a couple of minutes, waiting for some kind of retort from the girl. But she was totally still and silent, and he was starting to lose his patience.
A part of him was tempted to go away, maybe call for Sojiro (who certainly knew better than him what to do in cases like that)… but it didn’t seem fair. Akira would be disappointed in him if he just left Futaba like that.
No, wait. Morgana was a Phantom Thief too! Moreover, he was one of the original members! It was his duty to help other people, regardless of what his leader would think of him. The others weren’t there, but he was perfectly capable of doing his job without them. Yes, he was going to do something for her.
He smirked, satisfied, his tail waving proudly.
…but what was he supposed to do if he didn’t know the problem in first place?
Grumpily, he stood up from his seat and circled Futaba’s head, positioning himself in front of her face. Or, at least, where her face was supposed to be under the covers.
‘Ohi… what’s wrong?’ he asked, drawing nearer to her. When it came no answer, he decided to take inspiration from what was surrounding him. Futaba’s room was packed with plushies, figures and any other kind of merchandise from her favorite series and games, so maybe talking about it could distract her.
‘I’m bored, do you want to watch something together?’ he tried.
Futaba sighed deeply, and after a couple of seconds she uncovered half of her face. From this position Morgana could see only one of her eyes, but it was red and puffy: ‘…I’ve already caught up with everything I was watching… and Featherman new episode will come out on Saturday. I have nothing to watch’
He crouched down in front of her face, tilting his head in order to face her correctly: ‘Why don’t you do a rewatch? Not that I think that these two may be a good example but… Akira and Ryuji always watch together the same stupid anime when one of them is upset’
The girl eyes darkened a little at the mention of the two guys, and she lowered her gaze.
Oh. So that’s the problem.
‘…my laptop is too far, I don’t wanna grab it’ she mumbled after a while, without watching Morgana in his eyes.
They stayed like that a few more minutes, the silence between them a bit uncomfortable. Morgana had never been a master of feelings or how to express them. If he was able to express them correctly, he would have already talked to Akira about his current doubts and torments.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to add anything else, because apparently Futaba seemed to be ready to actually say something. Maybe being more willing to talk was part of her Change of Heart?
‘I think that’s stupid…’ she started, her face still half-hidden ‘Promise that you won’t laugh at me?’
Morgana nodded, not knowing what to say.
‘I know that you’re here and I’m not alone, and you’ll find it super dumb because I’m obviously used to be alone…’ she was avoiding eye-contact and her voice was low, but Morgana was still taking it as a win ‘but I kinda already miss the others’
‘You miss them?’ he asked, confused.
‘Don’t you?’
‘That bunch of noisy teenagers? Of course not!’
‘…you’re such a tsundere’ she huffed, pouting.
Morgana hissed: ‘Hey, don’t use with me your nerdy terms!’
She chuckled a little, uncovering the rest of her face, and patted his head: ‘Be honest, you miss them too!’
‘I do not!’ he turned his head to the side, trying to sound offended, beating noisily his tail against the mattress.
Silence fell once again in the room, this time less awkward. Morgana could feel Futaba’s gaze on him, her eyes wide and still a little watery. When he returned to face her, he found out that tears were starting slide on her cheeks, and the girl covered her nose with the hem of the blanket.
‘Hey, don’t cry!’ he meowed, panicking and standing up.
‘It’s just that…’ she sniffed ‘I don’t… I don’t know…’
She was shivering a little, holding onto the cover like her life depended on it. Curled up like this, she appeared even smaller than she already was. Morgana observed how her bangs were sticking on her forehead, sweaty for the heat, but she clearly didn’t care about it.
‘We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to’ he tried, tilting his head. If he had to be honest, he didn’t have the slightest idea of how to support her right now. He was good at encouraging his companions on the battlefield, but not at dealing with that kind of situation.
At least, Futaba was nodding in agreement.
‘Don’t you want to take off this blanket?’ he tried again, but the girl shook her head.
He tilted his head to the side, thinking. When Akira was having a bad day, they liked to have Morgana pressed against their side while they slept. Of course, it was too hot to do that, but maybe the simple company could bring her a sort of solace. He then resolved himself in curling up near her chest, lying his head in front on hers.
Futaba widened her eyes, surprised, then she closed them, sighing deeply.
‘…what if I mess up? I don’t know how to act with so many…’ she interrupted herself, gulping, as she was trying to gain the confidence ‘…so many friends. I like you guys, you know? But I’m terrified that you’ll get tired of me and… you know…’
Morgana stared at her, feeling his heart pounding heavily in his small chest. Of course he understood how she was feeling right now. But how? She was so talented and useful to the team. Akira had immediately started to act like an older sibling to her, the girls found Futaba adorable, Ryuji was already overprotective with her and Yusuke… well, Yusuke was Yusuke, and it was impossible to understand what he was thinking, but it was clear that the boy was fascinated by her capacities.
Unlike you.
Morgana shook his head. It wasn’t the time for self-pity, he had a friend to help.
He scooted closer and gently rubbed Futaba’s nose with his, and the girl chucked a little, immediately distracted from her spiral of thoughts.
‘We all like you, Futaba’ he stated, trying to sound assertive ‘You’re… you’re our precious companion now’
She smiled softly, and one of her hands emerged from her blanket-cocoon to pat him on the head, stroking with care his fur.
‘…Thank you, Morgana’ Futaba whispered, then she closed again her eyes, her expression way more relaxed.