It was a lovely fall afternoon. Natsume was going to meet Natori at a little café to catch up and talk. Natori had no other motives. There was no demon to slay, no god to impersonate. It was just going to be him and Natsume (and that fat pig-cat, and Hiragii, and Urihime, and Sasago).
Natori had found a small little table outdoors. It was chilly, but not so cold that it was uncomfortable.
"Natsume is quite frail. Perhaps we should sit inside," Hiragii said.
Natori chuckled. If Natsume heard that, he would surely protest. He didn't like to be seen as weak. "We'll sit outside and wait for him. When he comes, we'll go inside. I'll tell him that I'm coming down with something." Natori flashed his award-winning smile, making the girl two tables away swoon. He felt kind of bad. After all, she was on a date and he wasn't interested in stealing anyone's girl.
"How did you meet Natsume?" Hirgaii asked, sitting down across from him. Natori put his phone to his ear. It wouldn't do for a celebrity like himself to be seen talking with thin air. Though he could always say it was for an upcoming role.
"I met him when he tripped over me on set," Natori said smoothly. Hiragii cocked her head to the side.
"No, before that."
Natori was caught off guard. He thought him and Aimiya knew about that. Not even Natsume seemed to recognize Natori. Though that could be expected. He was only eight or so at the time. And he was also facing some other problems in his life. Come to think of it, Natori hadn't punished the Kurosawas in a while. Maybe he should sic Hiragii on them.
Urihime and Sasago took a seat next to Hiragii, obviously expecting Natori to launch into the story.
Natori sighed. "I suppose you three won't leave this alone, will you?" They shook their heads. "Well, then I guess I can tell you before Natsume comes. He'll be here soon, though."
oOoOoOo
Natori stared at the flyer clumsily taped on the telephone pole. It was handmade, and hard to read. He took the flyer off the pole and read it once more, ensuring he understood its contents.
"Wanted, an exercist? Well, exorcist is spelled wrong," Natori mumbled. It looked like a child had written the flyer. The kid had probably seen a scary shadow and was now convinced there was a monster in his or her house.
"Whatcha got there?" Matoba came up from behind Natori. Natori crumbled the paper and stuffed it in his bag.
"Flyer for an upcoming play. I might just go try out," he said, flashing a perfect smile.
"Are you still interested in becoming an actor?" Matoba snorted.
"Well, exorcism doesn't really pay the bills. Besides, it will be fun, playing different people, kissing different girls, having the masses throw themselves at your feet!"
"Alright, alright, I get it."
Natori sighed and began to walk away, Matoba quickly catching up with him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Matoba. Alright, that was a lie. He didn't trust this kid at all. Matoba used to be his partner in crime. He was a connection to a world Natori had almost lost. He had access to information. He had access to materials. He was an excellent partner in this war.
Except, lately, Matoba had been getting much more violent and dangerous. He was starting to rush in without question and slaughter everything in his path. It scared Natori, how much Matoba was willing to kill in order to win. So for the time being, Matoba would not know about this flyer.
Besides, it was probably nothing. Natori would just go, meet the kid, say some gibberish, maybe put up a protection charm or two, and call it a day. There was no reason to get Matoba involved.
Matoba sighed and crossed his arms. "Natori, I don't mean to be a drag, but I need you to be honest with me."
Natori stiffened. "What do you mean? I am honest with you." Even as he said these words, there was something scaring Natori. Matoba was powerful, more powerful than him. It wouldn't do well to get on his bad side.
"You seem distant lately. I don't want anyone I can't rely on fighting with me. Can I rely on you?" Matoba said, stepping in front of Natori. He would be able to see through Natori's smile. So Natori told him the truth, at least, part of it.
"Alright. Look, my parents still don't like the idea of me being an exorcist. And they really don't like the idea of me being an actor. There's just some pressure at home ya know? Especially now that school's winding to a close. I graduate in a month! Just, relax. I'm sure everything will work out."
Matoba stepped back and stared at Natori. Finally, he sighed and walked towards his house. "Fine. You're off the hook, for now. But get your head out of the clouds before something bad happens."
"No problems." Natori waved at Matoba, heading off towards his own house. Once a safe distance away, Natori took back out the flyer. The person was offering money and wanted to meet at a café at one pm on Thursday. Natori supposed he should go. Even if there wasn't a demon, it wouldn't do to have the kid get kidnapped because some creep saw the flyer as well. It did worry Natori that the kid was willing to offer money. Whoever it was must be truly desperate if they were willing to spend what little they had on what could potentially be a fraud.
Natori smirked. Well, he wouldn't say no to a paycheck. He was doing work after all. Even if it was fake work. Natori deserved to be compensated.
With that, he trotted home and awaited his very important Thursday meeting.
oOoOoOo
The next few days were torture for Natori. There were the usual problems at home, of course. His parents didn't appreciate either of his career choices and continually argued with him about choosing something more respectable, such as business. Natori decided to play one of his cards and told them Matoba had offered him a position at his company.
This shut them up pretty quickly. As much as they hated Natori going into exorcism and acting, they hated his association with Matoba even more. Natori once asked why they didn't like the Matoba clan at all. They were good at what they did. They were respectable. And they were powerful. Surely his parents would have wanted the Natori and Matoba to join forces. But they refused to tell him anything, instead, spitting out words like "traitor" and "unreliable".
Natori at first pushed against these words, defending his friend and colleague. But lately, he found himself agreeing with his parents. Not that he would ever tell them. But it was true that something wasn't right about the Matoba clan. There was something off about them, and about Matoba. Natori wanted to dig more, but he was afraid of what he would find.
But those problems were normal and happened almost every day. What didn't happen almost every day was him accepting a job. He still tried to convince himself it was nothing more than raccoons in the attic, or an old house settling. But he had been in this world long enough to know that things were rarely what they appeared.
So he brushed up on his spells and charms, gathered some supplies, and prepared for this upcoming battle. As he approached the café at 4:00 PM that Thursday, Natori couldn't help but feel his nerves start to get the better of him.
"It won't do to get cold feet now," Natori said to himself. The streets weren't very crowded. Most people were probably at home, getting ready to turn in for the evening. "Though it would be easier if I had shiki. They could scout out this person for me ahead of time."
Natori took some deep breaths and put on a charming smile. He was closing in on the café. He could do this, without Matoba or shiki. He didn't need anyone's help. It was just going to be a simple job.
Natori pushed open the door, hearing the little bell ring. It was warmer inside than outside. Spring was rather cold this year. Looking around, Natori only saw one other person in the café. The kid's back was turned to him, so Natori couldn't really get a good look at him. But he did look very young. He was wearing a school uniform that was several sizes too big; it was practically falling off of him. He also had short, sandy brown hair. The kid was swinging his legs nervously, his toes scraping the ground.
Natori straightened up and walked to him. At least he hadn't been kidnapped by some creep yet. He tapped the boy's shoulder, making him yelp and fall off the chair. Luckily, Natori was quick enough to catch him. The boy stared up at Natori. His uniform shifted so he could see some bruises on his collar-bone. It looked at though the kid had been grabbed.
"Sorry. You startled me," the boy said is a very quiet voice, almost as if he were afraid Natori would yell at him.
Natori righted the kid and flashed him a charming smile. The boy didn't seem to fall for it. "That's alright. I saw your flyer and thought I could be of some help."
"The flyer?"
Natori pulled out the piece of paper and gave it to the boy. "Yeah. It was on a telephone pole. I just so happen to specialize in this sort of stuff so I thought I could help you out."
The boy read through his flyer again. "I didn't think anyone else would come. I didn't think there were any exorcists left."
Natori laughed nervously and took a seat. He signaled the waitress. "Well, there are. You just have to know where to look. Do you want anything to eat?"
The boy's head snapped up, looking shocked Natori would even suggest something like that. "Um. I don't have any money."
"That's okay. I'll cover it this time." Natori didn't think the kid ate enough. Judging from his face, he didn't get enough at home. It made Natori a little sick. This was a kid. Shouldn't he be given something to eat?
"I'm Natsume. Are you old enough to be an exorcist?"
"Hello, Natsume. Yes, I am. Exorcism knows no age, only ability. I'm pretty powerful so I can be an exorcist." Natori flashed another charming smile, this time adding his sparkle.
Natsume cocked his head to the side and stared. "Why do you smile like that?"
The sparkles and smile went away. "How about we eat and then go over your case."
Natsume nodded enthusiastically. A few minutes later, the waitress came back with their food and drinks. Natsume began digging into his plate.
"You act like you haven't eaten in days," Natori laughed, eating his sandwich with a little more finesse.
Natsume swallowed. "They forget sometimes. It's not their fault. They're not used to me living with them yet. I'm sure it will get better."
Natori choked on his food. In what world does an adult forget to feed their child? Whether or not they were used to him being in their house, you don't forget to feed your child! Once maybe, but enough for Natsume to look this sick?
"Why don't you remind them, then?"
Natsume put down his sandwich and stared at his plate. "Um, well they drink a lot and get angry when I tell them what to do. And because of the demon, they think I lie so I need to be punished."
Natori didn't miss how Natsume's hand fiddled with the collar of his shirt, pulling it up to hide the bruising that no doubt covered his torso.
Natori sighed and decided that he couldn't really do anything about the child abuse. But he could do something about the demon. "What's going on with this demon anyways?"
Natsume's hand dropped and he reached into his bag, pulling out some drawings. Natori looked over them. It looked like a monster, probably the one that had Natsume so scared. Natsume had drawn him gray with a very large head and hands. The hands had long black claws that scraped the floor and the head had one eye but very large fangs, covered in red. Natori assumed that was blood.
"I don't know how long it's been here. I've only been here for a month. But one day, I opened up a closet door and it was in there. It was saying how since I could see it, it had the right to eat me."
Natori shook his head. That sounded about right. Demons were extremely proud and tricky things. They thought that humans with even a little sight were the perfect meals. He was surprised Natsume wasn't eaten yet.
"And then it started breaking things in the house. And it would come into my room at night and just stare at me. And it's making my new parents mean as well. I think they can sense it in the house, and are afraid. So the monster possessed them and is making them hurt me and forget me."
Natori was startled by this. He had never heard of a demon who made people violent towards children unless the people themselves were possessed. But it didn't sound like they were.
"So, I was thinking, if and exorcist got rid of the monster, then my foster parents would be happier and won't be so mean," Natsume finished, brightening up considerably. "Oh, and I sold some of my things to pay for getting rid of it. You're like an exterminator, right? So I have to pay you." Natsume dumped some coins and crumpled bills onto the table. Natori stared at it. It couldn't be more than 1000 yen. Surely Natsume didn't think this was enough for an exorcist? Natori looked at Natsume, who was staring at him expectantly. He couldn't take this kid's money.
"Well, normally, yes, I do charge for my services. But once a year I decide to take on a case for free. I don't really need money and I get to practice my skills. Your problem seems easy enough to handle. So I'll do it, no charge."
Natsume's jaw dropped. "Really? You'll really help me for free."
Before Natori could react Natsume had launched himself across the table to hug Natori. Natori patted the boy awkwardly.
"Yep. I promise you, Natsume, by the end of this month, there won't be a demon left in your house."
Natsume beamed and sat back. "Thank you so much. Oh, I don't know your name."
"Well, you can just call me sempai. After all, discretion is key in this field. I'll do some research and meet you back here same time next week. How does that sound?"
Natsume nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. I will be here. Thank you so much for helping me, sempai. People don't normally believe me when I tell them about the monsters. Can you see them too?"
"Of course," Natori scoffed. "What kind of exorcist would I be if I couldn't see the demons?"
They stayed in the café a little longer so Natsume could finish eating. Natori walked him to his street before parting ways. He couldn't help but worry. As much as Natsume was blaming the demon for his foster parents' behavior, Natori didn't know of any demon that could affect people's moods so violently. He would have to ask around, and be cautious so as not to draw attention to himself. But he would help Natsume, one way or another.
Of course, it wasn't easy asking people without actually letting them know what Natori was up to. Matoba was extremely suspicious of any questions thrown his way so he wasn't the best option to gather information. Finally, Natori settled on Aimiya.
He walked to the man's house, not telling his parents where he was. They never asked anyways. When they found out about what Natori wanted to do, they basically disowned him. They only treated Natori as a burden now, something they could be rid of in a few months. They could have technically disowned him sooner since he had been eighteen for a while. But for some reason they had decided to get him through high school before fully withdrawing from his life.
Still, Natori couldn't complain. Natsume seemed to be in a much worse situation than him. He prayed that getting rid of the demon would change the people's demeanor. But even as he prayed, he knew that that was not the case. He was faced with a horrible choice. He could either tell Natsume that getting rid of the demon wasn't going to make things better. Or get rid of the demon like he promised and then disappear so as not to face Natsume once he realized the truth. Natori shook his head. He still had to research. He still had to figure out what was going on. There was still a chance. And he knew that he couldn't just leave Natsume. His conscious would eat him alive.
Natori arrived at Aimiya's house and knocked on the door.
"Natori? What are you doing here?" Aimiya stumbled to the door, looking as if he had just woken up.
"I need to ask you some questions about demons."
"Wouldn't Matoba be better suited for it." Aimiya waved him in but paused. "Wait, is this something you don't want Matoba to know about?"
Natori said nothing. The less Aimiya was involved, the less he would have to worry about getting on Matoba's bad side.
"You know how dangerous it is to skitter around the Matoba clan. They'll find out everything eventually. Just tell Matoba," Aimiya said.
Natori shrugged. "I don't want him to know about this. At least, not yet."
Aimiya groaned. "You're trying to perform and exorcism all on your own? Jealousy will be the death of you."
"You don't think I'm powerful enough to do it?" Natori hated when he was compared to Matoba. Sure he didn't have the same level of spiritual power, but that didn't mean that he couldn't do his job.
"No, you're probably powerful enough. The problem isn't the demon. The problem is the Matoba clan. If you get on their bad side, you're not going to be alive for much longer."
Natori shook his head. He knew all of this. He had known all of this for awhile. Maybe him being so persistent with killing this demon by himself wasn't jealousy, it was an attempt to break free. Matoba had captured Natori and there was no easy way out. It wasn't like a normal friendship where you could just stop seeing each other. Matoba had power, he could literally make Natori's life hell. And what's worse, there would be very little evidence since most people wouldn't be able to see anything.
"Look, I just want to know if demons can change how people act without possessing them. I'm not going behind Matoba's back. If he really wanted to know about my life, he could ask and I would gladly tell him." Natori crossed his arms and stared at Aimiya.
"Fine, fine. I'll tell you." Aimya sighed and walked through the hallway, leading Natori to his sitting room.
They sat in silence for a couple seconds before Aimiya started speaking. "As far as I know, there's never been a case where a demon has made a person violent without possessing them. The people are probably just jerks. Does that answer your questions?"
Natori slumped lower into the chair. He was afraid that was the answer. "Yeah, thanks," he muttered. Now he would have to tell Natsume that his hypothesis wasn't correct. Getting rid of the demon would not be enough to make his foster parents nice. So what could Natori do?
Granted, he didn't really know the kid that well, but he still felt fiercely protective over him. He was drawn to Natsume. He didn't understand how anyone could be so horrible to a child. His parents weren't the nicest people, especially after the whole exorcist thing, but Natori could never picture them forgetting to feed him, or hitting him.
"Why? What's this about, Natori?" Aimiya's voice pulled Natori out of his thoughts.
Natori shook his head and stood up. "Nothing. I'm sorry, I have to go. Thank you for your help." Natori walked out of the house as quickly as he could. He had to meet with Natsume soon and couldn't afford to be late. He kept his head down, trying to think of a solution to his problem.
Finally, he landed on one. Natori would just have to "take care" of the foster parents after he took care of the demon. He wouldn't kill them. But he could do something to get Natsume out of the house. But what? Natori would have to start thinking of things soon. He wouldn't allow Natsume to stay in that house any longer than necessary.
Approaching the café, Natori saw a familiar head of sandy hair. Well, at least Natsume was still alive. Natori didn't even think worrying this much about another human being was possible. But seeing Natsume again had made him realize just how stressful this week had been. Natori worried constantly that He would find out Natsume had been put in the hospital, or worse, killed by his foster parents. He worried that he might be too late in helping Natsume. He worried that he wasn't doing enough. Or that he would do too much and be pushed away by Natsume. He hated these feelings and just wanted him to go away. Natori felt trapped. He didn't know what he could and couldn't do. He didn't know what he should and shouldn't do. Perhaps he could talk to his school counselor, see what she suggested. But did Natsume even want Natori being this present in his life?
"Sempai! I thought you wouldn't come." Natsume bounded up to Natori with a big smile on his face.
Natori's eyes widened as he realized there were claw marks running down Natsume's arm. He grabbed it, causing Natsume to cry out. "What happened? Who did this to you?" Natori growled. Natsume whimpered, bringing Natori back to reality. He was talking with a boy who was regularly beaten at home. Grabbing injured appendages probably scared Natsume more than any demon could.
"I thought maybe the monster was lonely. So I tried talking to it," Natsume whimpered.
Natori dropped Natsume's arm and wrapped his hand around the boy's shoulder's, guiding him to a table. "Sorry, I startled you. I'll clean it up so it doesn't get infected." Natori smiled, trying to calm Natsume down.
"Are you angry?"
"No. But you shouldn't try to be friends with yokai. They're dangerous."
Natsume shrugged and held out his arm. Natori didn't comment on the bruise that was on the wrist and most certainly not formed by any yokai.
"I just thought that maybe it was lonely. I guess it wasn't." Natsume stared off into the distance. "And that girl over there scares me too."
Natori whipped around to see another yokai standing at the edge of the sidewalk. She wasn't moving or really doing anything menacing, but it still made Natori's skin crawl. Seriously, did Natsume have a pheromone or something that attracted these things?
"Why don't you go order something for use to eat." Natori smiled at Natsume, handing him some money. The boy nodded and bounded inside. Quick as a flash, Natori whipped out a paper doll, wrapped it around the yokai, and dragged her off the sidewalk. She didn't make a sound, Natori made sure of it.
"Sempai, I got you a sandwich, oh, where did she go?" Natsume stopped and stared at the spot the yokai had previously inhabited.
Natori shrugged. "I guess she had better things to do than follow us around."
"Oh, I hope nothing's happened." Natsume sat down and began eating his sandwich with great enthusiasm.
"What do you mean? It's just a yokai," Natori scoffed. Natsume stopped eating and stared at Natori.
"But it wasn't doing anything to hurt me. Maybe she wanted help with something but couldn't communicate because she can't speak," Natsume stated.
Natori was so taken aback, he couldn't tell Natsume about how Yokai were only looking out for themselves. He had never heard anyone who talked like this. Even yokai didn't seem to care about other yokai. Natori had helped one, once, but he was naïve and had to learn the hard way that working with these monsters would never end in happiness. The pair continued to eat silently. Natori wasn't sure what Natsume was thinking about, but he knew what he was thinking about.
Surely Natsume, who had had a terrible experience with a yokai, wouldn't just accept them as being the same as humans? They weren't. They were unfeeling, uncaring monsters.
But Natsume had been attacked by one, probably more, and still worried about them. It made Natori want to shake some sense into him. And it made him worry about Natsume even more. Natori couldn't be there to protect him from every little yokai that came Natsume's way. There would be one that Natsume wouldn't be able to run from. And then what would happen? Would Natori one day open the newspaper to read about the mysterious death of a small child? He would have to teach Natsume some ways to defend himself. Even if Natsume didn't become an exorcist, he could still learn basic protection charms to ensure nothing bad would happen.
"Sempai?" Natsume's voice broke Natori from his thoughts. "Did you figure out how to get rid of the monster?"
Natori looked at Natsume and smiled. "I think I did. After we finish, we'll go and try to get rid of it. Are your parents home."
Natsume lowered his head and shook it. "No. They're not home. They're also not my parents. My mom died when I was very little. And my dad died not long ago either." Natsume sniffed, his shoulders began to shake.
Natori realized he was crying and began to panic. What did you do in this situation? Do you hug? What do you say? He whipped his head around, searching for something that could help him. Natsume seemed to decide what he wanted Natori to do as he stood up, walked over, and slipped his arms around Natori's neck.
Natori awkwardly patted Natsume's head. "There, there. I'm sure everything will work out."
"Is it bad that I can't really remember them? Someone said that was mean of me to forget my mother and father."
Natori's shirt was going to be stained with tears and snot after this, he just knew it.
"Uh, well, they died when you were really young, right?"
Natsume nodded against Natori's neck, smearing more bodily fluids on his skin.
"Then I don't think it's that strange. I mean, very few people remember what happened to them when they were little, only very important events. So, you forgetting probably isn't that strange or mean. The person who said this to you was probably just being mean."
Natsume pulled back. His face was all red and splotchy and streaked with tears. "Are you sure?"
"Yep. I am very sure. Besides, you're not alone anymore. You've got me, right?"
Natsume nodded, smiling brighter than Natori had seen him smile. It made Natori smile too. He was surprised how naturally smiling came to him now. Before it was always so fake and forced. He had perfected a charming smile that could melt anyone into a puddle of goo. Even Matoba wasn't always able to combat against it. But it was so hollow. Natori rarely felt happy when he slapped that stage smile on his face.
But every time he was with Natsume, it was different. It came naturally. It came from a place of true emotion, not just the need to get people to leave him alone. He smiled because when he smiled, it seemed to put Natsume at ease. And Natori liked being able to support Natsume in more ways than one. He liked being able to give Natsume the comfort he needed. It made Natori feel stronger as well. Yes, Natori decided that after he got rid of this monster and the monsters who were Natsume's foster parents, he could help take care of Natsume.
Natsume wiped the tears from his face, looking like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest.
"Shall we go get rid of the monster?" Natori said, standing up and offering his hand to Natsume.
Natsume nodded and took Natori's hand, practically dragging him out of the café and onto the sidewalk.
"Thank you so much for helping me, sempai! Maybe after the monster's gone, we can go to your house! Do you live in a house or an apartment? Is it nice?" Natsume turned his head towards Natori, looking expectantly at him. Natori gently steered Natsume out of the way of an upcoming telephone pole.
"I guess we could. I'll be graduating high school soon so I'll need to start looking into places of my own. I can't live with my parents forever," Natori said.
"Are your parents nice?"
The question took Natori by surprise. He wouldn't say his parents were the nicest people in the world. They barely acknowledged him anymore. But did that mean they were on the same level as Natsume's foster parents?
"I guess they're pretty nice," Natori said. Natsume beamed and continued leading them down the street.
As they went further along, Natori began to notice the houses getting more and more run down. So Natsume lived in the poor part of town. He didn't fancy Natsume walking all alone down here. He could easily be taken advantage of. He could be hurt.
Natsume led them to a building that looked about ready to collapse. Natsume jiggled the handle and the door sprung open. Natori cringed. He really didn't like the thought of Natsume living in a building that didn't even have a lock. They walked in. The stench was like someone didn't bathe or flush the toilet, and chain-smoked. The paint was peeling off the walls and a thick layer of smoke filled the hall. Natori could hear babies crying and couples shouting at each other. Natsume didn't even flinch when a glass bottle came sailing out one of the apartments. He led Natori to some stairs that looked ready to cave in. Natori followed him hesitantly. Was Natsume sure he was living with a yokai and not just some homeless man who stumbled in and refused to leave?
"Here we are," Natsume said, wiggling open a door with peeling letters on it. The name read Kurosawa. He led them inside. If Natori thought the outside was bad, the inside was so much worse.
The place was littered with trash and empty bottles. Natori bent down to take off his shoes.
"Oh, don't do that. You might step on glass and cut your foot," Natsume said. He bent down and moved a few bottles out of the way. There was a stained mattress on one side of the room.
"Where do you sleep?" Natori asked.
"Over there." Natsume pointed to a cleared spot on the floor.
Natori wrinkled his nose. "Do you have like a futon or something?"
"Nope. Just the floor and my jacket." Natsume continued to wind his way through the pathetic excuse for a living space. How was child services not called on these people yet? And did Natsume realize that this wasn't the yokai's doing? He seemed like a smart kid. But he also seemed to be in denial about some things. There had to be something that Natori could do to help him, even if it was buying a proper bed.
"Over here, sempai," Natsume whispered, motioning Natori towards a rickety old closet door. The wood had rotted through. Mold was gathering around the corners. Natori wasn't used to this. His house was always immaculately clean. You could literally eat off the floors. This was disgusting. This was worse than anything Natori could have imagined.
Of course, then he saw the various claw marks lining the doors and walls surrounding the closet.
"Natsume," Natori said, "get behind me. I don't need you accidently getting hit."
Natsume nodded and quickly scampered behind Natori. "No matter what happens, do not get any closer to this door. I don't need the monster grabbing you."
Natsume pressed himself against Natori's back, shaking like a leaf. Natori would comfort him later. Now it was time to expel a yokai.
Natori inched forward, paper dolls at the ready. He put his hand on the doorknob and yanked the door open. Inside, the monster wasn't anything like what Natsume had drawn. It was much, much worse. It was an ugly tan color, slowly fading to black on the hands and feet. The hands were probably the largest part of the monster, the claws scraped the ground, and looked sharp enough to slice Natori into ribbons. And then there was the head. It was almost entirely taken up by the large mouth the monster had. There were no eyes, just a mouth wide enough to swallow Natori whole. The yokai smiled, showing off all of its sharp, pointy teeth.
"My, my. Did you bring someone else to play with me, Natsume?" The yokai swayed in the closet, raising his arms, ready to grab Natori and drag him in.
Natsume whimpered against Natori's back, the shaking getting so much more pronounced. The wind started to whip through the house, knocking over bottles and scattering the dust. Natori's eyes stung as he fought to keep control. His paper dolls shot out from his hand, wrapping around the demon, ready to drag it out and kill it.
"My, my, Natsume. He certainly will be fun to play with. And when I'm done, I'll eat him," the yokai said.
Before Natori could comprehend what was happening, the paper doll chain was being yanked towards the closet.
"No! Don't hurt him," Natsume screamed over the wind. He threw himself onto Natori's back, struggling to keep him out of the closet. Natori felt Natsume let go and it only took him a second to comprehend what was happening. Natsume was now in front of him and being pulled towards the demon instead of Natori.
Natori didn't even have time to think about the best course of action. He let go of the paper dolls and grabbed onto Natsume, just as the yokai's claws swatted them to the side as if they were annoying flies. The force of the monster's claws snapped Natori's head back, making his vision darken and his jaw shatter. He heard a crash of glass and felt some sharp objects digging into his back. It felt like he was floating, and falling. It felt like his stomach was in his mouth. Natori instinctively wrapped his hands around Natsume's torso even tighter than before, willing his body to shield Natsume from anything and everything. One more smack to the back of the head and everything went dark.
oOoOoOo
"-pai!"
Natori groaned and tried to ignore the voice that was calling out to him.
"Sempai!" It sounded distant, but also like it was right next to him. God, Natori's head was killing him.
"Sempai! Wake up!" Oh good, now Natori was being roughly pushed back and forth. Didn't this person know not to wake a sleeping man up?
"Sempai! Please wake up. Please open your eyes." The desperation in the voice, this time, caught Natori's attention. It was Natsume. He and Natsume were expelling the demon when…
Natori shot up; his eyes wide open. "Natsume, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Natori said upon seeing the kid. Natsume had seemed to get several shades paler than normal. His eyes were wide with fear and his body was shaking so much. It was then that Natori realized they weren't in the apartment anymore. They were in the alley. He looked up to see the broken window. He must have fallen out of it when the yokai smacked him across the room.
"Sempai? Are you alright?" Natsume had crawled towards Natori and was picking the glass out of his hair. Natori smiled at the kid and grabbed his hand.
"I'll be alright Natsume. It's just a scratch. It'll heal."
This did not have the desired effect. No sooner had Natori uttered those words only to have Natsume burst into tears.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Natori said, unsure of how to calm the kid.
"You got hurt because I didn't listen! And if I hadn't put up the poster, then you wouldn't have come to help and you wouldn't be lying in the street bleeding!" Natsume wailed.
"Well, we're technically in an alley."
Natsume wailed harder. If he kept this up, people were going to call the police and how was Natori supposed to explain to his parents that he was in this part of town with a kid at eight o'clock, looking as if he was thrown out a window? Well, he was technically thrown out a window, but that was beside the point.
Natori flashed another one of his signature smiles, and stood up, trying to ignore the ache he was feeling in his body. God, that yokai had an arm on him.
"Well then, Natsume, that did not go as well as I thought it would."
Natsume was still shaking like a leaf, but some of the color had returned to his face and he no longer looked as if he was about to pass out.
"Don't worry, I'll think of another way to get rid of this thing. I did promise you, didn't I?" Natori said. He hated to admit it, but he really might be over his head. He might have to call in some help for this one. This yokai was nasty. He would try once more on his own to get rid of it and then if that still didn't work, he would have to call in Aimya or Matoba. He shuddered to think how Matoba would react to Natori sneaking behind his back but decided to deal with that when the time came. Right now, he had to put Natsume at ease.
"Are you going to kill it?" the young child asked.
Natori was startled by the question. "Do you want me to kill it?" he asked. He had never known anyone who could be so battered and bruised and yet still care for others. If it was Natori, he would be ruthless. He remembered the yokai who had been following Natsume around, and how Natsume had thought it might have needed some help, or wanted to be friends. Natori didn't know if he could be so forgiving towards yokai. They were, after all, a nuisance who tended to bring nothing but pain and suffering for those associated with them. But looking at Natsume, and where he lived, Natori supposed the same could be said about humans.
"I might have to," he answered truthfully.
Natsume gasped. "Please don't. It's alive just like us. I don't want it to die because of me." Tears sprung up in his eyes and he started crying. Natori was stuck, trying to figure out what to do. Natsume, the boy who had been terrorized and injured by this thing, was begging Natori not to kill it. Why? What could possibly be running through Natsume's head to actually fear for this creature's life?
"I'll try my best to get rid of it without killing it. But Natsume, sometimes it's just better for everyone if they're gone for good," Natori answered.
Natsume gave a shaky nod and wiped his face, smearing the tears and snot. "Okay. Thank you for helping me." He stood up and walked over to the door of the building.
"Are you going to be okay in here?" Natori asked. He didn't want to admit it, but there was something eating away at his stomach, like if he left Natsume here, he would never see him again. Natsume nodded.
"Yeah. I need to clean up anyways. Will you let me know as soon as you find something, sempai?"
Natori smiled and ruffled Natsume's hair. "Of course. I'll come by as soon as I figure something out." It was then that Natori remembered something. "Oh, Natsume," he said, digging into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. "This is a seal. Just put it on the door and it should keep the yokai in there. It's not permanent but it should last a week or so." Natori said. Natsume took the seal and smiled.
"Thank you so much, sempai! I'll make sure to put it on. But, won't my parents wonder what it is?"
Natori shook his head. "No, they won't be able to see it. It's kind of like the monsters you see, not everyone can see them."
"Oh, okay! I'll make sure to put it on then." Natsume walked through the door, waving at Natori before scampering up and back to his apartment. Once Natsume was out of sight, Natori massaged his shoulder. He had hit the ground kind of hard. He wondered why nothing else was broken. He jumped as a garbage can was knocked over. Natori looked closer to see an unmistakable shape of a yokai skittering away. Had the yokai caught Natori and Natsume? Why? Natori shook his head. Ever since he had met Natsume, he was starting to question everything he knew, everything he had been taught. It wasn't a nice feeling. Natori liked it better when things were simple. But Natsume just made everything more complicated.
oOoOoOo
It took about a week of just pouring over the books Natori had access to in order to find a solution. He hadn't had contact with Natsume in any of those weeks either. He was too busy studying for his exams and studying for his future career as an exorcist. Matoba, of course, caught on and asked Natori why the sudden interest. Natori lied through his teeth, spinning a tale of wanting to be more useful to the Matoba clan and less likely to be the weak link. Matoba seemed to eat this up. Playing up his strengths and Natori's weaknesses was a sure-fire way to get Matoba to leave him alone.
Aimya also noticed something strange with Natori's behavior and started questioning him more severely. At the end of each of these question sessions was a warning not to get on the wrong side of Matoba.
But Natori paid him no mind. He had to figure out how to get rid of this thing before it hurt Natsume. Well, hurt him more than it already had. Finally, after what felt like the thousandth book Natori had flipped through, he found his solution.
It was so simple it was actually a little brilliant. Natori would simply find an earthenware pot, and seal the yokai up inside of it. It would take some spiritual power and Natori would probably be drained after performing the procedure, but it would be completely worth it to finally be able to help Natsume sleep at night.
Natori rushed to Natsume's apartment. He was going to help him. He was going to be able to help him without the help of anyone else. He could prove himself to Matoba, to his parents, to everyone. But most importantly, he was going to be able to help Natsume. If he pulled this off, he and Natsume could be together for good. They could get Natsume out of this house and into someplace warm where he could eat actual food. Natori didn't know much about taking care of children, but he was drawn to Natsume. He wanted to protect him.
Natori ran up the stairs and composed himself before knocking on the door. What lie was he going to tell the foster parent? Would he being here put Natsume in more danger? Well, that didn't matter since Natori wasn't going to let Natsume go back with them once this was all over anyways.
Natori knocked again, this time, a little louder. He had the right apartment, right? But why was no one answering the door? He was about to knock again when the door two rooms down opened.
"Are you looking for the Kurosawas?" She asked, her voice was gruff from smoking too many cigarettes. Natori nodded.
"Yes. I'm looking for Natsume."
The woman huffed out a laugh. "That boy's in the hospital. You want to talk to him, go there."
Natori felt the pit of his stomach drop. Natsume was in the hospital? Why? What happened in the past few weeks?
"What happened?" Natori managed to choke out. He had made a promise to protect Natsume and he was failing that promise spectacularly. The woman shrugged and snuffed out the cigarette, using the wall.
"Don't know. There was a lot of shouting and stuff. A few broken bottles it sounded like. I don't really care. It ain't my problem." And with that, she slipped back into her room and slammed the door. Natori sat there, dumbstruck. Natsume was in the hospital. Natsume was hurt. Forget the demon, Natori wanted to kill the parents. They didn't deserve a kid like Natsume. They deserved to be punished. Natori turned on his heels and stalked out of the house. There was only one hospital near this building so Natsume was probably at that one. Natori was going to see the damage and then punish these people accordingly.
oOoOoOo
When Natori got to the hospital, he had to try hard not to throw up. Natsume was sitting in a bed with his face battered and bruised. One eye was swollen shut and his arm was in a cast. Natori was going to kill his foster parents. Natori calmed himself and pushed the door open. There was no need to scare the kid.
"Sempai?" Natsume sounded amazed that anyone would visit him.
"Natsume, what happened? Did your foster parents do this to you?" Natori was trying not to sound too angry, but his voice was shaking.
Natsume's eyes darted down to the cast. "No, I just fell down the stairs. It's fine."
"Don't lie to me."
Natsume flinched, making Natori feel a little guilty. It wasn't Natsume's fault. Natori had to remind himself that.
"It's really okay, Sempai. I'll heal." But Natsume wasn't looking at him. He was still staring at his hands. Natori shook his head and sat down next to Natsume, wrapping his arms around the tiny boy.
"I'm going to get rid of the monster tonight. I found a box I can put him in." Natsume's shoulders shook and it was a minute before Natori realized the boy was crying.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I've asked you to do so much." Natsume choked out. Natori hugged the boy closer.
"You haven't asked me for much at all," he whispered. They stayed like that for awhile, Natori providing the only comfort he could manage. Natsume was leaving that place tonight if Natori could manage it. He would even ask Matoba for help if he had to. Natori was aware that Natsume slumped against his shoulders, fast asleep. Natori gently set him down and patted his head. He slipped out of the hospital room and headed back to Natsume's apartment with a new fire.
The demon wasn't all the hard to suck into the box. Something about Natori's harsh attitude caused the thing the get sucked in like a piece of dirt getting sucked into a vacuum. Natori wanted to release his wrath on this place, destroy it for all it was worth. Except there was a hand on his shoulder. Natori turned to see Aimiya standing next to Natori. He plucked the box from his hands.
"I thought you were up to something." He put the box in a bag and walked out of the apartment, Natori following him.
"I'm guessing this is why you've been asking so many questions?"
Natori didn't say anything, electing to stay as quiet as possible.
"I'll have the boy removed from his home. Don't worry. He's got other relatives. I'm sure someone will give him a good home."
Natori nodded.
"I'm guessing Matoba doesn't know about this?"
"No. I wanted to do this on my own."
Aimiya shook his head. "That's the thing about exorcists, you can never truly do anything on your own. You have to rely on another exorcist, or a shiki, or even a professor who specializes in demons. Don't forget that, Natori."
oOoOoOo
Natori went to visit Natsume the next day and tell him the good news. Except, Natsume wasn't there. Aimiya worked fast.
"So you were really doing something behind my back." Matoba was leaning against the hospital building nonchalantly.
Natori stuffed his hands in his pockets and stormed off. "So, I didn't think you'd want to be involved in such a small operation."
"Word on the street is you took down a pretty nasty yokai." Matoba matched his pace easily.
"It couldn't even get out of a closet. It was really not worth your time." Natori sped up, though he knew it was useless.
"I also heard you made a new friend."
Natori stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Matoba. "What is it to you?"
"Well, I am always looking for exorcists, and he has had some frightening experiences with yokai already. Maybe he'll be good—"
"Not on your life," Natori growled. Natsume didn't deserve to be pushed into such a dangerous and dirty world.
Matoba seemed taken aback by Natori's sudden change in demeanor. "Alright. I don't know anything about the kid anyways. No need to get so defensive."
Natori wasn't quite satisfied with that answer.
"But, Natori, don't lie to me again. I don't want to have to question my friends." Matoba smiled and slinked away. Sometimes Natori wondered if he were really a yokai in disguised. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities. Natori shook his head and headed off. He was sure that Natsume would grow up to be a fine, normal person.
oOoOoOo
"And that's the story of how I met Natsume." Natori smiled at his three shiki.
"Does Natsume know about it?" Sasago asked.
Natori shook his head. "He didn't seem to recognize me when we met again."
"Are you ever going to tell him?"
Natori looked out towards the street to see Natsume walking towards him. "No. It was a long time ago and Natsume's moved on. Besides, it's no use dwelling on the past."
"I'm surprised you didn't build yourself up more as some demon slaying god," Hiragii said. Natori's smile dropped slightly.
"Yes, well, I am a very humble person, I'll have you know."
His three shiki snorted at this, trying to contain their laughter.
"What's so funny?" Natsume asked, coming up with the pig-cat in his arms.
"My assistants seem to think that I am not humble." Natori snapped the phone closed.
Natsume laughed. "I don't think you're humble either. But that's okay. Sometimes it's good to know your own accomplishments." Natsume went to sit down on the chair.
"Actually, let's eat inside. It's getting cold out and my manager doesn't want me getting any more sun exposure." Natori stood up and ushered Natsume inside.
They had been eating and talking for about half an hour now when Natsume grew a little quiet.
"Is everything alright?" Natori asked.
Natsume turned to him and smile. "Natori, did you grow up here?"
"Yes, I graduated from high school here."
Natsume hummed. "I used to live here. It wasn't for very long but I met a high school student. I don't know. Every time I think of him he reminds me of you."
Natori smiled and sipped his drink. "Well, I'm sure he'd be happy to know that you're living a good life now."
Natsume turned and smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm sure he would."