Disclaimer: Ansatsu Kyoushitsu / Assassination Classroom is property of Matsui Yuusei.

Like a cat

The doorbell rang twice, making it resound throughout the house and the one who was there snorted with annoyance.

The first Karma's thought when he heard the doorbell, was that he wasn't going to open the door. Because however who that person was, he would have to turn off his game in Mario Kart, go down the stairs and make an effort to turn the knob. And if he was pretty sure of something, was that he wouldn't paus his game of Mario Kart.

So he ignored the doorbell, sat on his bed and smiled as he continued playing.

However, the person who was at the door didn't seem happy to have been ignored, so the bell rang again. And again. And again. It began to ring more times, more continuously, piercing Karma's head and ruining his beloved game in Mario Kart.

When the pounding on the door started, Karma couldn't take it anymore.

Gritting his teeth with anger, he eventually left the game and paused it. He got up from the bed and started going down the stairs aggresively.

"I'm coming." He said as he walked down the stairs quickly. "I'm coming!"

When the person behind the door heard his voice, they immediately stopped ringing the bell and knocking, leaving an unexpected and tense silence behind his actions.

Karma snorted angryly and came to the door feeling in a bad mood. Then he opened it without contemplation an talked coldly.

"What?!" He asked angrily.

His plan was to threaten the person who was there, regardless of who it was. And if he hated that person specifically, he would punch him. The problem was that the person who was there, was the last thing on the earth that he expected to find on his house's door.

Gakushuu's violet eyes stared at him from the entrance so spitefully and coldly, with an serious expression which implied that he wasn't there for problems. On his arms, he seemed to embrace a large, hairy and somewhat bulky towel, which was also rolled up. He held onto that it firmly, strictly keeping it.

Karma was silent and expectant, he didn't know what to say or how to act. He never would have never imagined that Asano would appear at his home so suddenly. They were rivals, that was true, but they didn't hate each other enough to go the the other's house to ruin his day. Because that was what Gakushuu wanted, right?

He tried to open his mouth to ask, wanting to know why he was there. But before doing so, was Gakushuu who spoke quickly.

"Here." He said seriously.

Suddlenly, Gakushuu threw the towel to his chest without letting him react. Surprised because of that, Karma had no choice but to extend his arms and to catch the towel in the air as he let out an exclamation.

He was surprised to realize that the towel weighted in an abnormal way, understanding that there was something wrapped around it, but he didn't know what it was. When he managed to hold the towel properly on his chest, he raised his head to look at Asano and complain to him. But all he saw was his figure walking away quickly.

"Ey!" He drew his attention angrily. "What are you doing? Where are you going? What's this?"

None of those questions was answered.

Gakushuu didn't even turned to look at him, he just walked and left that place. Ignoring him completely and without giving heed to his doubts, as if he hadn't thrown a suspicious towel to his face a few seconds ago.

Karma was willing to follow him, event he took a couple of steps to catch him up so as to demand an explanation. However, a sudden movement from the towel, made him become paralyzed.

Karma stood there, clutching the towel over him and looking down curiously. What was inside of it, it seemed to squirm carefully and seek some relief, because it looked trapped within that place.

When Karma heard a small meow, he feared the worst.

He raised his hand quickly and managed to make a hole in the towel to see what was inside.

He didn't need poke his head, or to sharpen his look. Because the head of a small and adorable kitten, emerged from the folds of the towel, meowing and looking at him with his black eyes pleadingly.

"This can't be possible..." Karma muttered looking at the cat with surprise.

It was very small, with the orange fur coat and a pink noise. His small and shorts legs peeked in the towel and he moved his ears curiosingly. Karma assumed that he had been born a few months ago.

The cat stared meowing again, in an acute and adorable way, as he had done moments before. Karma could only look at him surprised while he tried to assimilate the whole situation.

Apparently, Asano Gakushuu had given him a cat.

~0.0~

"Asano has given you a cat?" Nakamura asked stunned.

"Asano has given me a cat." Karma said with conviction.

The blonde laid her lunch aside as she looked at him overwhelmed, trying to find a ration explanation for what he was telling her, or even trying to believe him.

"If it's a joke, it's not funny." She ended up saying angrily.

"It's not a joke." Karma replied with conviction. "It really happened. He gave me a cat, he's at my house right now."

Nakamura only raised an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously, doubting his words.

With this reaction, Karma could only leave his lunch box on the table and put his hands into his pocket to take his mobile phone. When he did so, he turned on the device and immediately reached into his gallery, where he found one of the photos he had taken of the cat and showed it to Nakamura as evidence.

She leaned forward with curiosity to look at the photo. After doing that, her eyes widened when she realized that, indeed, the animal was at his home. She smiled as she watched the photo.

"How cute!" She exclaimed. "It's so small and adorable! What's his name?"

Karmad stared at her, showing boredom and shook his head. He expected that reaction after all.

"I know that he's cute. And no, he doesn't have name." He replied indifferent. "What I want to know is why Gakushuu gave it to me."

Nakamura nooded as she took the phone and continued to stare at the picture carefully, pretending to pay attention.

"He didn't say anything to you?" She asked.

"No, he had the cap wrapped in a towel, he threw it in my face and the he left." He explained. "What does he want me to do with him?"

Karma was at a crossroad. He didn't know whether to adopt the cat or not. Although no matter how much he thought about it, he would probably end up having him as a pet.

Because he lived alone, his parents were never home, so it was always empty. The presence of a cat wouldn't be bad, really. And even if his parents returned and didn't accept the presence of the animal, it disd't matter. Because the would again go in a couple of days. Moreover, this cat was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

The problema was in Gakushuu and why he had given the caat, it was very confusing.

"Maybe he just wanted you to take care of him?" Nakamura asked in a attempt to find an answer.

"Yes, taking care of a cat." He answered being sarcastic. "Like a babysitter. Me."

Nakamura stared at him with annoyance and snorted while she turned her head away. That had been a stupid assumptiom, really.

The two were silent, trying to think on another answer without having to discuss. Until the voice of one of his companions distracted them and made them look at him with hope in their eyes.

"I know that cat." Chiba said timidly at his side.

The other two turned their heads and watched him curiously, asking with their eyes and giving him permission to talk.

"And I think Asano... Loved him?" He said somewhat dubious.

"Loved him?" Karma asked surprisingly.

Gakushuu having positive feelings toward an animal in this world? What was happening?

"Explain yourself." Nakamura said impatiently.

Chiba approach to them calmly and took a chair to sit beside Nakamura, being in front of Karma.

"Close to the station, on the way to my house and in a somewhat secluded street, was always a box." The boy explained kind of sadly. "I think that someone abandoned a litter of cats and their mother there."

Karma and Nakamura frowned and closed their fist helplessly.

"Abandoned..." She said angrily. "Who dares doing that?"

"The case is that..." Chiba explained. "Every time I or some of the neighbors passed by that place, there always a bowl of food and water in front of the box. And the cats appeared to be healthier than ever."

"You can't be saying..." Karma reasoned aloud.

Chiba nooded and continued talking quietly.

"I always thought it was one of the neighbors who took care of them. But one night, after Karasuma's practice classes, when I came back... I saw Asano."

The other two stayed silent and tried to visualize what he had said in their minds.

"Really?" Nakamura asked confused.

"Yes, I saw it all." Chiba affirmed. "He gave them water and food. And all of the cats seemed towards him, they had some affection to him. So certainly, he was who cared for them.

"I can't believe that." Karma murmured.

"You have to do it, he has given you one of them." Chiba said pointing to the photo on his phone. "The box wasn't there last night, that means that something has happened."

Karma regained his phone and looked the photo. What Chiba had said had some sense, even though he had never heard anything about Asano and cats. And the serious way in which the orange-haired looked at him on his house's door, with the way he was embracing the towel in which the cat was wrapped, implied that that was serious.

It was clear that that was one of the cats who he had been taking care of. And he cared enough to come to his home, which made it all more confusing.

"If that cat is that important for him, Why did he give it to me?" He asked confused.

Nakamura and Chiba were silent, still in place and watching him carefully. The both of them turned their heads and exchanged a look and a nod, as if they knew something that the redhead didn't know.

"What?" Karma asked angrily.

"You... Haven't you thought on it?" Chiba asked.

"Haven't you ever noticed? Nakamura said. "Really?"

Karma bowed his head in confusion while he trying to understand that.

"Notice what?" He ended up asking embarrassed.

"The reason why Asano gave you that cat." Chiba answered.

"That's what I've been wondering all morning." The redhead said with frustation.

He heard how Nakamura sighed heavily and watched him as she rested her elbows on the table to talk seriously, like a mother talking to her child.

"Karma, we don't really know what kind of relationship you have. Moreover, even you seem to be confused about that." Nakamura explained paciently. "But... Haven't you thought that Gakushuu have you that cat because he trusts you more than anyone else?

Karma seriously looked at her, then he looked at Chiba, then the photo on his mobile phone and then he stared at nothing in particular silently while he assimilate everything.

At least it made sense. And that made his heart leap with joy. He aldo had to suppress a smile on his face.

~0.0~

"Have you come to see the cat?" Karma asked dully.

Gakushuu startled and gave a small jump, unconsciously clinging to the lamppost in which he was supported because of the scare. Then he turned and looked at him stunned.

Karma wasn't surprised to see him there, really. Moreover, he had been all day looking out the window and waiting to see Gakushuu's head faround his street.

And it was precisely when he went to take the rubbish out, when he found him hidden behind a lamppost and watching his house like a stalker. Any neighbor would have been afraid, but he saw it as a normal thing and ended up approaching him to speak.

Now, Gakushuu was in front of him, trying to appear normal and looking sideways to make sure no one had witnessed that deplorable scene.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The boy replied quickly. "Goodbye."

The student council president was about to turn around and leave, pretending that he didn't know anything about it when he was actually looking forward to seeing his beloved cat.

Karma sighed wearily and grabbed his arm to start walking towards his house as he dragged him. Gakushuu obviously complained and tried to push him, but they only had to take two steps and is not as if he really wanted to leave.

"Let me go. Now." Gakushuu demanded angrily as they walked to the door.

Karma ignored him and took his keys with the other hand to open the door. It was a little difficult with Asano thrashing and trying to punch him, but he finally made it.

He pulled Asano inside his home, looking at him with a frown and not knowing what to say. Nakamura's and Chiba's words still swirled inside his mind, making him feel rather hesitant about the situation.

"It's okay." He snapped while he crossing his arms. "It wasn't so difficult, right? Now you can see your beloved cat."

"I don't know about which cat you're talking about." Gakushuu answered coldly.

It was curious to see how the boy was trying to deny the undeniable. Despite both knowing he was lying, he acted convincingly. Somehow, Karma admired that inherent ability he had to lie without a hint of doubt, it was something worth seeing.

"You can stop pretending, I know averything." He said with a smirk. "I know that that was one of the abandoned cats which you used to take care of."

"I'm telling you that I don't know what you're saying." Gakushuu continued to deny.

"Come on, someone saw you giving them food and water." Karma answered.

"I've never fed cats in the street"

Karma sighed and looked at him somewhat pleadingly. His insistence on maintaining his image as perfect guy was getting him tired. It was clear that he didn't want to admit that he felt weakness towards stray cats, but as much as he denied it, he knew it.

"You only make things more difficult, you know, right?"

Gakushuu crossed his arms and shook his head again, raising his head proudly and trying to hide his obvious concern for that cat.

"I don't know any of those cats." He affirmed.

That statement could have been more credible if a small meow hadn't caught their attention from the hallway.

Starting to walk quickly and meowing, the kitten was out of the living room with a lively air while he raised his head to sniff everything around him. Moving his ears and looking at them with joy, the animal went to Gakushuu so friendly, approaching to his feet while meowing and calling him, as if he knew him for a long time and had missed him.

Obviously, the cat's behavior scuppered all Gakushuu's denials. They were witnessing with their own eyes that the animal knew him. Although Gakushuu wasn't willing to lose so quickly.

"It's because I ate salmon today." He justified as he watched the kitten on the floor, who was still calling him insistently.

The kitten got tired of calling him and finally stood up to grab his ankle, trying to climb his leg, to make Gakushuu listen to him and hold him.

Karma smiled at that and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't fool anyone." He said. "Hold him, please. I'll bring to him something to eat.

Gakushuu stared at him suspiciously as he turned around to go to the kitchen. However, the way Gakushuu stooped to hold up the kitten and stroke his head, that wasn't an unnoticed gesture, as it made him smile unconsciously.

Karma sensed that this was on of the few times that Gakushuu acted genuinely, without thinking of the image that he should show or the mask of perfect student he would have to keep. He just acted without thinking, as he really wanted, without obeying the orders of his father or his duties.

Probably, taking care of those cats, it was one of the few things which gave him freedom, which he could keep a genuine smile on his face, without lying, without having to manipulate. Being himself without giving any explanation.

Karma sighed as he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out some of the driest fish that overran the other day leftovers and heading back into the hallway.

When he returned to the entrance, the vision of Gakushuu smiling kindly and tenderly stroking the cat, made his heart jump and his breath snagged.

If he has already looked amazing when he was acting, he didn't know what he should think whenever he saw his natural side.

And apparentaly, that facet of his which apparently made him help abandoned cats, collecting them, taking care of them and then giving them the love whose masters couldn't gave to them. All with a bright smile and his eyes shining with affection.

He walked towards him silently, approaching them with the dried fish in his hand and with the intention to give it to the cat.

When the animal sniffed the food, immediately turned back and walked towards him while Gakushuu, when he notice his presence, stiffened and changed his gentle expression for a serious and stoic face.

The kitten ended up snatching the fish from his hands and eating it with energy on the floor, while Karma looked at Asano with disinterest.

"Where are their mother and siblings?" He asked curiosly. "I think that there were more."

Gakushuu didn't look into his eyes as he was only focused on the cat with a saddening air was over him.

"I don't know." He replied simply. "When I arrived, the box was gone and he was alone. He had hidden behind a dustbin and I had to hold him."

"And then you gave it to me." Karma affirmed.

Asano looked away and didn't answer.

The story itself was simple and not difficult to understand. Asano loved those cats, but for a good amount of reasons it was obvious he couldn't keep them. The chairman was so strict. So, he had to give one to Karma, and that was the most curious of all.

"You trust me?" Karma asked suddenly.

Gakushuu lifted his head amazed and looked at him intently, his lips parted.

That question wasn't as out of place as it looked. Nakamura and Chiba were completely convinced of it and Karma needed to know. Because otherwise, he couldn't explain why that cat was eating in his hallway.

"What?" The other said confused.

Admitting that they trusted in each other, was something very delicate. And even much more if they had in mind how complicated their relationship was and how proud and stubborn they were. Nakamura had said it, even though they couldn't understand. They mostly declared themselves as rivals, but this unexpected confidence that they were showing at that time, implied something quite different.

"If you care so much for this cat..." Karma started to said. "Why did you give it to me? You trust me so much for this?"

Gakushuu looked at him vehemently and for a moment he seemed to ruminate in thought. However, he frowned and replied in a somewhat aggressive way:

"Well, I needed someone who was alone most of the time. You're not special." He snapped puffing his cheeks angrily. "In addition, your house was the closest on."

Assimilating what he had heard, Karma couldn't help but smil at him with encouragement.

Yes, Gakushuu trusted him.

He hadn't said it directly, but he didn't need to do that. He knew how to understand him in many ways and the simple fact that he had been the first person he thought of was enough.

It was hard to admit it, but he knew, that somehow, he also trusted in Asano. Because that kind of rivalry that they had always maintained, had made them seen that the other would be there, beside him, no matter what.

As much as Karma's parents didn't call and also ignored him, Asano would be there. As much as Gakuhou treated his son as just an other student more, leaving behind him an empty house and a disappointed child, Karma would be there. As much as the grades went down or up, they would be there. As much as the Asano's crazy fans stalked him or street gangs wanted revenge on Karma, they would be there for each other.

With their well-feigned loneliness, problems at home and complicated personalities, they had finished considering the contrary as a quietly confident. Someone to think of when they felt bored, someone to see when they needed a challenge or someone to talk to when they need to forget their problems. Although they didn't say it, although they didn't let it be seeing by anyone, it was like that and they knew it.

And it was at that time, with the two of them crouching in the hallway and looking at the small cat eating dried fich in the floor, where they realized that unexpected and growing confidence that had developed over time.

Karma smiled and looked at Asano with a grin.

"You're like a cat." He said mischievously.

Gakushuu only snorted and shook his head.

Karma didn't lie, it was true.

For him, Gakushuu was like a cat: Elegant in his movements, independent in everything he did, something alone at day and demeaning to anyone who came near him. However, like cats, if you ear his trust little by little and show some love, they would soften. They would stop looked at you like a supposed threat, then they would approach to you slowly, they would start loving you and just show you that mutual respect with small gestures and unfinished sentences.

It had been like that from the beginning. Because when he approached him the first time, he tensed like a cat, he snorted, he refused him and tried to remove him to have his space. But gradually, patiently, Gakushuu ended up accepting him as an equal, he stopped to snort in the same way, he began to search him through the crowd and to share his precious space with him.

Now he was beside him, watching him with those violet eyes and tilting his head curiously while he thought of an answer. And with that, Karma had to restrain himself in order not to approach him and touch his head, because he knew kin that way that if he did that, the other would scratch him like a cat.

"Don't say nonsense." He finished saying with annoyance.

Karma smiled at him and then looked down to see his new cat. He was definitely going to stay with him. Anyway if he didn't, Gakushuu would kill him.

"Tomorrow I'll take him to the vet." He announced looking into his eyes. "You can come with me, if you want.

Asano seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, but a meow of the cheerful kitten made him decide immediately.

"Okay." He accepted. "He need a name. Have you thought of any?"

"Peepo." He answered instantly.

"Peepo?" The other asked curiously. "What kind of name is that for a cat?"

"Well, if it's so bad, what do you want to name him?" Karma asked offended by his words.

"Beanie."

Karma couldn't help but laugh.

"Really? You want to name him like a hat?" He said a as he laughing.

Gakushuu stared angrily as he tensed ans clenched his fists, as a cat would do.

"It's better than yours." He exclaimed convinced.

"All right, all right." The redhead finished answering while he laughing. "We we'll decide it on our date."

Gakushuu looked him intrigued, with his eyes wide with surprise, overwhelmed by the last thing he had said.

"Our date?" He asked confused.

"Yes." Karma responded with a smile.

"Which date?"

"The one we have tomorrow."

"But... Weren't we going to the vet?" Gakushuu asked.

"Yes."

"And what kind of date is that?"

"One in which we'll end up surrounded by animals and our beloved cat." Karma said with pride. "Sounds good, right?"

Gakushuu turend silent, looked at him seriously and then sighed heavily as he rubbed his head.

"Karma." He said decisively.

"Yes?"

"Next time, invite me to the cinema."

Hi~

Okay, it's the fourth day of the Karushuu Week and it's so late and here and I have a lot of things to translate yet so :') I don't have many things to explain for this one-shot... Gakushuu likes cats and Karma had to take care of one them, it's all xD

So, I hope someone liked it and until the next one-shot ~

See you (~*-*)~ ~(*-*~)