Lev, Natsu had to admit, was a bit silly. He made an intimidating figure until you realized that all he wanted to do was play. Like a big, destructive, hyper kitten. One might even liken him to some sort of royalty with the arrogance that was steeped in his bones, or well. A cat in it's element. He swung Natsu's arm around like a ragdoll as they walked, practically cooing at how tiny she was. Their red string fluttered in the wind, loosely connecting them together. It was sickening, how it made her want to trust him.

"Lev?" He stopped swinging her, bringing her close to his chest. His eyes focused solely on her even as he navigated the slowly thickening streets. These were roads she was less familiar with- good streets, with warm people, able to drift in thoughts without the fear of pickpockets or worse. Lev smelled like the breakfast he'd bought them both, eggs and cheese and ham and biscuits... Things she had almost forgotten.

"Yeah, Natsu?"

"How'd you know I was a girl?"

"Well." He seemed puzzled before taking in a sharp, long breath. "You smell like one, really. I mean, I'm pretty new at this whole... you know, but I can tell that."

"But lotsa people don't think I'm a girl just 'cause'a..." She couldn't say it. Lev seemed to understand though- that was nice. He smirked at her and lifted her to his shoulders, keeping a firm grip on her legs while she settled in. "And I bet I don't smell like it."

"That's not how it works? That's what my pack says anyway." A lady several paces in front of them eyed them sharply, and Natsu waved. Her eyes had the same beastly look as Lev's did. Her eyes softened at the string dangling from Natsu's finger and she gave a small wave back before entering a shop. "Yaku always says that smells are the truth which is a little weird, but I get it. I can tell a lot more from a smell than some words. There are people that smell like boys, or girls, or neither, or both, or more. It's fun! It's a little trickier to tell after puberty though." He snorted. "You'd think it'd be easier, but whatever. You're a girl 'cause you smell like one, and you say so too. Right?"

"Yeah." Her words were soft in her own ears. "Yeah, I am."

"Right! And that's how it is. Oh hey, it's the school!" Nekoma wasn't that impressive, technically, but it was a high school. Something about that made her stare in awe. "So, we have two ways to do this. I sneak ya in and we skip all the red tape, or we can get you a name tag and be boring."

"I bet you get detention if you sneak me in don't you?" Lev was suspiciously silent. "Hmph. Well, I can wait for a silly name tag. I can just peel it off later." And so they marched into the office.

"Why is all the stuff you study so... so...!" Her hands flailed as she dropped the phone on Lev's desk. It was lunch time now, or so she'd assumed since most of the students had left and allowed her to sit backwards in the desk in front of Lev. Her stomach was still distended with her breakfast. Lev didn't seem to have a bento, but he wasn't buying bread either, which made her wonder if he was waiting on her.

"Complicated? Awful? Boring?" Lev moaned, head on his desk in surrender.

"No! It's actually kind of cool, if you could read more than the text book. Your phone had so much stuff that the teacher just glossed over! Like, have you heard about that one war the Australians had with the Emu's? Or that one time Lichtenstein came back with an extra soldier? History is cool. I hope your Science class is cool too." Natsu had been allowed to play on Lev's phone, the curriculum being deemed 'above her level'. Please. At least he'd brought the charger though- that Candy Crush thing was addicting.

"Uh-huh, if you like it, Natsu." Lev muttered, hands slowly carding through her hair. Living on the streets had made her keep it shorter than she'd like, but well. Maybe she'd have a chance to grow it now.

"Is this this little lady you're strung with?" The voice came from behind her, and the low rumble of it made her sit up straight. Normally she didn't put much stock in just voices, but this one just had the undertones of power woven through enough to make her wary. Lev on the other hand brightened, smiling widely. "Quite the head of hair..."

"Kuroo! Yeah, this is Natsu!" Well, Lev seemed to like him, so she relaxed marginally and turned to meet Kuroo.

His hair.

His hair was like. Stuck up on one side. Completely?! How did it do that. Was it some new hairstyle she'd yet to see? It looked so silly though- her lips quivered and she held back a laugh.

"Do I have rice on my face?"

"N-no... Your hair, it's uh..." A small giggle finally leaked out. Kuroo had a wry grin, and observant eyes. Maybe he was the captain? He certainly had a sports jacket on. His eyes were like Lev's but- more refined somehow...

"Yeah, I can't seem to get it to lay flat. It's a curse!" He sighed dramatically, pretending to fall into the seat next to her. "But this isn't about me; it's about you! So how do you like Lev so far? Please tell me he didn't fart. He's so rude like that, just-"

"Kuroo!" Lev whined, wriggling in his seat. "I do not just fart everywhere!"

"I didn't say you did~ Digging yourself deeper already, huh?" Lev just pouted. After cackling (which is the only way she could think to describe his stupid laugh) Kuroo inhaled, paused, and then inhaled again. "Hmm?"

"What's it?" Natsu asked, leaning closer. Kuroo leaned closer to her and gave another huge sniff before narrowing his eyes.

"Do you have a sibling Natsu?" When she gave him a sharp look, he raised his hands defensively, "I've never met the guy that's got his smell all over you, but I think I know who he's strung to. So..." Natsu eyed him before turning to Lev. He shrugged at her- so her call then.

"Well, yes. But how would you know who he's connected to?"

"Yeah, you never told me we could do that either," Lev said, eyeing him curiously.

"Because they've been around me since childhood. Strings have certain ah... notes to them that match or contrast in certain ways. Like perfumes I guess. If you've known someone a long time, you can smell their string just as easily as your own. I've already found mine of course," Here he flashed a dark red string she'd missed, "So you don't have to worry that I'm stealing your brother."

"No, just someone I've never met."

"When you put it that way..." But Kuroo still had that smirk on his face. She could tell it pissed a lot of people off.

"Shouyou does what he pleases. I'll tell him when I see him, but if he doesn't want to meet them he won't." The warning bell rung and Kuroo had a very brief sour look. "If it means anything, I think he will. Now scoot! Tell your buddy before you're late."

Kuroo left quietly, just as if he'd never been there.

"Pretty sure he was talking about Kenma," Lev commented idly, fingers buried in her hair once again. "He hasn't mentioned any other childhood friends anyway. Kenma's our setter!" Before he could divulge anything else, the teacher had walked in and Natsu had to move back to the window sill. She spent the rest of the class quiet, thinking about what type of person would tie themselves to her big brother... If they deserved him... If he'd want them...