The ideas I get in English class... Thanks to Dunas Priest for the idea.

Enjoy~

"Natsume!"

Said boy's eyes darted between his shopping list and the white, pig-like cat creature waddling alongside him.

"Natsume! Buy some frozen meat buns!" Nyanko insisted again, this time pressed against one of the freezer doors. The cat's puffball of a tail bounced with desire for his favorite treat.

Natsume sighted. He really ought to tell Nyanko to lose some weight; after all, the cat was rapidly expanding into a furry beach ball with all the meat buns, yakisoba, and squid that Natsume reluctantly fed him. And god knows what food Nyanko stole from the fridge in the middle of the night while nobody was watching. But boy was too nice to tell Nyanko "no" outright.

"Alright sensei. If you can get them yourself, then I'll buy them." Natsume ignored the Nyanko's death glare (which, for the record was not the least bit intimidating, coming from an adorable kitty) and strolled down the aisle to the frozen seafood section. Touko wanted him to buy fish balls for the soup tonight.

"Ah! Here they are," he said, and reached towards the handle.

Another hand beat him there, one that belonged to a slender, pale young man with long black hair. A quick glance at the man's right eye patch made the hair on Natsume's neck stand on end.

Matoba!

"What a coincidence," Matoba said, narrow slits meeting Natsume's alarmed, gold irises. Natsume swore that the supermarket just gotten degrees colder.

"You know, Natsume," the ever-so-friendly man continued. His voice was laced with icicles. "I never got the chance to commend you for knocking out my shiki the last time we met. Only took a single punch. Few people show such strength."

What a strange feeling to feel scared and flattered at the same time though, the anxiety was overpowering him. Natsume stayed silent, not quite sure what to say to the man who had kidnapped him on more than one occasion. Making small talk with his mortal enemies wasn't one of his talents.

At the very least, Natsume was thankful that they were in a supermarket; Matoba wouldn't unleash his servants in such a public place. No one would get hurt. The thought gave Natsume a modicum of comfort.

Seeing that Natsume wasn't going to add to the conversation anytime soon, Matoba opened the freezer and grabbed what he had come for.

"Do you want one?" he asked, nonchalantly. For some reason, the innocuous question startled Natsume.

"Pardon?"

"Do you want a bag of these?" he reiterated, indicating the frozen packages of fish balls in the freezer. He grabbed two off the frosty shelves and threw one into a shopping cart behind him.

"Uh… yes please."

"Just one bag?"

"Ah, no. Can you grab another one for me?"

"Sure. Here."

The boy hesitantly accepted the fish balls from his nemesis. "…Thank yo—,"he began, before a familiar white ball of fur suddenly rammed into his face.

"Baka Natsume! Turn on your damn human brain," Nyanko yelled, slapping the poor boy with his pudgy paws. "Do you realize who you're talking to?"

"..Sensei…you're heavy….."

"Shaddup!"

Matoba stared at the two of them curiously. "So, the cat's with you, I see."

Nyanko leaped off Natsume's face, onto the floor. "Oi, exorcist! I wouldn't suggest starting trouble here. You're lucky that I can't transform into my noble form in this puny space. Otherwise, you and your servants would be in trouble."

"I had no such intentions," Matoba replied cooly. "I don't even have my shiki with me today. Just here to get my grocery shopping done." He turned around towards his cart and started walking away.

"I hope we see each other again, Natsume Takashi," Matoba said, back turned. "Get a better body guard than that white pig thing and maybe we can have a nice duel next time."

As Nyanko fumed at the insult, Natsume remained on the floor, dumbfounded.

Natsume had been in a lot of weird situations, but this one made it to the top of the list.