Chapter Text
“Excuse me Mydeimos. I need the classwork.” Phainon reaches his hands out to collect the notebook from the new transfer student.
But instead he stands up, lets out a “hmmph” and walks to the front desk and drops off the notebook.
And he never spared Phainon a single glance.
Phainon watches with disappointment as Mydeimos leaves, and ignores his 5th attempt at trying to befriend him.
“Wow, I've never seen anyone ignore our puppy boy.” Cipher snickers. She waves her hands and plops her work in his hands. “You don’t have to be everyone's friend.”
Phainon huffs and places everyone’s collected work at the front with a plop.
“I just want to be friends.” Phainon grumbles as they walk out the classroom. “He seems so lonely since he got here.”
It's been a week since he got here. I mean surely you would have at least one friend in your first week right? (Maybe that’s just Phainon though)
Cipher rolls her eyes. “Ya got other things to worry about. Like how it's raining. Ugh you gotta umbrella yeah?”
She opens her eyes wider in what Phainon could only guess was her ‘begging’ face.
“Hey hey, you won’t let big sis Ciphy alone in the rain would you?”
“Cipher, you're not taking mine! Cas says she’ll share with you.” He knocks Cipher’s hand away from his umbrella as he pulls it from his locker.
“But hers is so small! We couldn’t fit comfortably under there!” Cipher reaches her grubby hands towards his umbrella. “I’d get wet and you know I hate being wet! She’s so rich and yet her umbrella is so small!”
Down the halls, Castorice emerges from her class greeting both Phainon and Cipher.
They talk about how Professor Anaxa almost removed Phainon’s points for calling him “Anaxa”
“Hah!” Cipher cackles, elbowing Phainon, “That never happened to me when I called him Anaxa!”
Phainon rolled his eyes as dramatically as he could. “You don’t have any points for him to take off! You always skip!”
She places her hands over her chest. “You wound me so! I show up!” She places a hand to her forehead, peeking out of one eye. “Sometimes.”
They walk along reaching the entrance of the school.
Cas checks her phone as she opens her umbrella and starts to hurry up.
She turns back and flicks her head in a ‘hurry up’ gesture.
“Cipher, we'll be late to our campaign. Come on before Cerydra yells at us for missing the introduction”
At that Cipher darts off to Castorice and they walk off into the sunset…Or.. err pouring rain.
It would be romantic if they easily fit under the singular umbrella together.
Did Mydeimos bring an umbrella? He must be drenched.
So now Phainon is left to walk home alone. But hey! At least he didn’t get his umbrella stolen!
And you know what, now that Phainon thinks about it Cyrene wanted that new magical girl manga from the library.
Since he’s out already, he'll be a good brother and get it for her!
(Also why do most of his friends’ names start with ‘C’? If he was friends with Mydeimos there would be more variety)
Phainon makes his way splashing through the soaken city. The cars are still arguing in beeps, rain belting down, signs flicker and buzzing. The combination of everything makes his head spin.
Nothing like Aedes Elysiae, the soothing breeze brushing past the wheat, the rolling ocean folding over itself in each wave. A dazzling sun blanketing your body as you slowly drift asleep.
But amidst all that sound, a small hiss catches his ears.
A small orange kitten hissing against bigger cats near an alleyway. All of them were drenched. And wait…the kitty is also covered in red! Is it bleeding?
“Hey! Leave that little guy alone!” Phainon shouts, shooing the cats away. They give them a loud hiss and swipe with their sharp nails. “Go, go, shoo!”
The bigger cats scatter, and they give off that “We’ll be back! Just you wait” vibe.
“What bullies,” Phainon mutters before turning to the still startled kitten. Crouching down he gives it his best smile. “Hey little guy, the bullies are gone now.”
Actually…this kitten isn’t that small. Is it an adult cat? Teen maybe?
Maybe he should take it home with him! Cyrene loves all animals. He’s sure she won’t mind. Slowly reaching out his hand in front of him.
“Ouch! Hey im helping you” Phainon recoils back looking at the scratch on his hand.
He’s not a scared cat! He’s an angry cat! “Were you the reason they were attacking you?” Phainon mutters under his breath.
The cat hisses at him as a response. (Maybe it was this cats fault)
On second thought….maybe taking a stray cat home is not the greatest idea.
As the cat glares at him, Phainon runs a hand through his hair.
Still, even though this cat is ungrateful, it's still hurt.
Phainon places his umbrella down, shielding the cat from the rain.
“Stay here, I'll be back.” As he runs to the nearest convenience store.
And guess what? It's right next to him! (How convenient!) So when he emerged with a bag of materials he quickly began treating the cat.
He wipes the blood away from the cat, and wraps its paws with the bandages.
The cat seemed to calm down and is now just glaring at him. As Phainon finishes the treatment. The cat tilts its head in confusion. (Cute!) But the cat is still red. Is the fur stained?
“I have to go now. My sister is waiting for me.” Phainon points his finger along the street. “If you turn left the Library is there. Ms. Hyacine works there and can help you.”
Phainon leaves to go back home, leaving the cat under his forgotten umbrella.
And in the end, he also forgot the whole reason he went this way.
~~~
The cat watches the white haired boy disappear through the heavy rainfall, using his arms to shield him as best as he can. It shakes off excess water from its fur.
The cat licks at its bandaged paw. Sparing the direction where the boy hurried off a glance. And after pausing for a minute, it scurries off.