Feeding the Lion

Natsuki's POV

BANG

I shot down another enemy before me. His blood exploded in a heavy cloud and rained down before me. I passed through, my empty bullet shells pattering against the floor. Screams echoed towards me through the hall and I reloaded quickly before I started firing into the darkness ahead…

"Natsuki, you've been playing that game for hours."

"Huh? I have?"

Shizuru sighed and picked at the edge of the bed covers subconsciously. Clearly she was growing impatient, but I had only just brought this new game and I was not about to give up my leisure time to entertain her.

She whined again, close to my ear this time. "Natsukiiiiiiii."

A well aimed bullet hit me from above and I fell to the ground, my fading eye sight catching the whereabouts of the sniper before the screen flashed red and cried out 'Game over'.

"Damn it!" I growled, throwing the Playstation controller to the ground.

"See, games are no good for you Natsuki. They only make your temper worse."

I clutched at the covers tightly. "It's not just the game that is making me angry," I said in a deadly whisper.

The woman only laughed. She lay back in the pillows and stared at me thoughtfully, a great smile of triumph spreading across her face.

I sighed and turned away. "Shizuru, why do you do that?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"Stare at me, and smile like that… Why?"

She pulled herself up and sat beside me, her hand quivering next to mine. "Natsuki, how many times have I told you the reasons for my behaviour?"

"Oh… I should have known," I admitted, beginning to feel uncomfortable as I thought of her love for me. The passion she held was unbelievable, and sometimes she couldn't help herself. She had tried to kiss me numerous times since the first, and I had only kissed her back some of the time. There was no use in telling her that I could never share her feelings with her. All I could do was deal with it, and try.

The alarm in the kitchen suddenly blared and Shizuru was straight on her feet, announcing that dinner was ready.

"What is it?" I asked as she began dishing it up, but she shook her head.

"No, no, it's a secret."

I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, sniffing at the aroma of the food as it wafted over to me. I tried to find the ingredients in the smell, and successfully realised that it was her favourite of peppered fish drowned in a number of sauces with a side of salad and cheese noodled.

She was that predictable.

"Here it is!" she declared proudly. "Come and eat. All of that blood and gore must have made you hungry."

I smiled. "You know what, you're right."

Her food always tasted great. She cooked it just right and added her own herbs and spices to bring the flavours to life… but my appetite didn't last long. Sometimes my stomach refused to be filled, so I stopped after a few bites and leaned back on my hands.

"That was really good Shizuru, as always."

She looked happy with the response she got from me, but she eyes my half filled plate suspiciously. "You're not hungry anymore?"

I shook my head. "No, sorry. You know it's not the food."

She sighed and put her own fork down. "Maybe it's the way you need to be fed," she said with a shrug. "Sometimes people need to eat a certain way."

"What do you mean?" I asked, eyeing her carefully. I had never heard of such a thing, that was for sure.

"Well, some people eat more with a spoon," she said, "and others may only eat enough if they have a certain plate, but then…"

I stared at her, fear beginning to creep up. "Then what?"

She laughed and spoke quietly, her hands beginning to crawl forward. "Then… some people need to be 'fork fed' by others."

Before I could make a single move the woman had lunged for me with my fork in her grasp now loaded with food. She shoved it towards my mouth, but I ducked and tried to get to my feet.

"Not so fast, Natsuki!" she growled, her free hand gripping me around the ankle and forcing me to the floor roughly. "If you don't eat, you won't get any of those good nutrients you need to grow up strong and healthy!"

I struggled to break free, my fingers clawing the carpet. "I am already strong and healthy!" I replied heatedly.

Shizuru pulled herself closer to me and flipped me onto my back. I stared up at her, her face only inches from mine as she stared into my eyes. For a moment I thought she was going to kiss me again, and I found myself frozen, unable to decide what to do… then she shoved the fork into my mouth.

"There, now for the next load," she said as I struggled to chew the fish. She pulled herself off of me and I was straight on my feet, leaving a good amount of distance between us.

"Shizuru, I am not a baby!" I growled. "I don't feel like eating, so I'm not going to!"

"Now, now, there is no need for a tantrum," Shizuru said playfully as she held up the reloaded fork.

"Shizuru!"

She ran at me with the fork held out life a knife. I dove to the floor and rolled towards the beds, but she jumped in front of me and held me still by the shirt. I tried to break off her grip, but she kicked my hand back. It connected with the bedside table and the vase fell beside my head, breaking into shards of glass.

"Oh dear," Shizuru said, pulling me away from the mess.

I stared towards the door as I heard footsteps next door to us. "They heard us!" I cried. "They'll-"

The forkful of fish was thrust into my mouth and I fell to me knees, gasping for air. I started to choke as it stuck fast in my throat, and Shizuru immediately realised how deranged her idea had been.

"Are you okay Natsuki?" she asked, falling to her knees beside me. She started to thump me on the back, trying to release the food from me, but it was making no difference. I felt her hands wrap around my stomach as she began trying to heave the food up. My ribs cried out in protest, but she continued, yelling, "Don't die on me Natsuki!"

The door flung open and there stood Nao, Mai, Mikoto, and at the head of the group, Haruka.

"What is going… on…" She trailed off as she saw what was happening, then her eyes glazed over and she fainted dead away into Mai's arms.

Nao burst into laughter at the sight of us. "So this is what happens behind the scenes, huh?" she asked, beginning to close the door. "Sorry to interrupt."

I stared at the door as it closed, then the food finally dislodges itself and came out onto the floor.

"Oh, thank goodness," Shizuru said, panting and huffing. She turned towards the door and simply shrugged, asking, "What was it they wanted? I missed it."

I couldn't reply. All I could do was stare as I realised what the odd flash was that I saw before the door shut.

The next day I realised that the flash had been that of a camera, and I could not had been more humiliated.

Staring back at me on a well designed flyer was a ridiculous position between a pair of girls. One was on all fours on the floor, her eyes pleading as she stared out of the page, and behind her was an older girl, her arms wrapped around her and her face torn between rage and fear.

"Well," Shizuru said as she sat beside me casually. "Next time maybe you'll eat you're food."