uhm meow?

A small change but a big surprise

Takemichi wakes on his bed, the house is quiet save for some gentle snoring and the sound of shifting bodies in the living room and floor of his room.

He yawns and notices it sounds distinctly less cat-like than before and his head snaps down only to be disappointed by fluffy legs and claw tipped paws.

Hanagaki slowly stands and stretches his lanky feline body before hopping off the bed and landing silently on the floor between Mikey and Chifuyu's sleeping forms. He quietly creeps to the cracked open door and bats it ajar enough to slip through before wandering towards the rest of the group.

He finds a rare sight there, it seems like everyone was asleep this time. That's good some have been skipping sleep too often due to his current predicament so they deserve some rest.

He makes his way to the kitchen and hops onto the counter and then the window sill to look outside. The window was open and letting in a cool breeze, the quiet sounds of the city filtering in calmingly and Takemichi sighs as he looks out at the lights not far off.

As much as he likes relaxing like this he hopes whatever it is wears off, he desperately prays it's not just a dream his brain has let him stay in for far too long after the stress of time leaping.

That would explain the inconsistencies and things he doesn't remember doing or people alive he had not saved...

He had thought of the possibility of this being a dream before, back when it was more a nightmare in his mind, then he had hoped that he would awaken to find himself back in his human body and with everyone safe.

Now? Now he had everyone here and safe, even those he couldn't save before due to the limits on his time leaping like Baji and Shinichiro. Even if he wasn't human and couldn't speak with them this was the best timeline so far and it was just too good to be true.

He had thought about those previously unable to be saved suddenly being here and just as protective of him as those he was actively trying to keep safe or save, but it wasn't in detail due to being more preoccupied with informing everyone he wasn't dead or kidnapped and then trying to figure out what was happening and how to become human again.

He just wanted everyone to be alive; he didn't care if that meant he had to be a cat or be dead now so long as they were happy and healthy. Though he would definitely prefer his old body back and to be with them for as long as possible while happy and healthy but beggars can't be choosers so he will take what he can get.

Takemichi was broken from his depressing spiral of thought as footsteps sluggishly stumbled into the kitchen, followed soon after by a yawn from the person entering.

He looked over with wide eyes and perked ears to see a very tired Mitsuya staring back.

"Mitsuya you're awake already?" He said mostly out of reflex though expecting it to come out as a series of cat noises. However both of them jumped at the horse and scratchy Japanese that filtered from his mouth.

Mitsuya seemed to be snapped awake and Takemichi's fur stood on end as he sat on the window sill still as a statue.

"I- wha- I can- you-" He stuttered out looking towards the stunned purple haired teen before him.

"Takemichi, you can talk again?!" The other whisper yelled just loud enough that it wouldn't wake the others but got the point across to his ,currently feline, friend.

"I- I guess I can now???" He murmured voice breaking and cracking with disuse.

The other quickly padded over on quiet feet, a thing he picked up from having younger siblings, and scooped Takemichi up looking him over with thinly veiled concern.

Takemichi let himself be poked, prodded, and manhandled to the others' content so he would calm down as he tried to figure out what was going on himself.

"I- m-maybe whatever turned you into a cat is fading away?" The other muttered gently as he looked down at the yellow and black cat in his arms.

Takemichi, taking a slow breath, gave a slow nod. "Maybe... I hope so..." He breathed out as his ears shifted backwards a bit in slight apprehension for what exactly that meant.