Disclaimer: I don't own Natsume series.
Summary: Taki was used to talk. Natsume was used to talk. Tanuma, however, was not.
Warnings:... can't really think of anything. Fluff?
...
Tanuma wasn't used to having others talk about him.
Taki was. That year with little contact with humans put a huge damper on her social prowess. Even after the fact, she wasn't very popular.
Natsume definitely was. Years spent being thrown house to house with no friendly faces around made him used to it. Their was just something about him that entices others- human and yokai both- to talk about him.
Tanuma wasn't used to it. Most of his childhood had been spent on a futon, sick as a dog. Days spent in school were usually in separate rooms with tutors. People didn't know him well enough to talk.
But then they came out, and everyone started talking.
Tanuma's father had been... surprised. The thought of his son growing to date a man and a woman had never occurred to hm. Thankfully, once the shock passed, he gave his graces. After all, they were good people.
Taki's family weren't surprised. Her childhood spent with her 'eccentric' grandfather had put a certain family view on her that they were more surprised to find out the men were around he age than their was two of them. After all, she'd always been strange.
Natsume's family disowned him. Not, he'd added, not even a bit bitter, that they'd ever had owned him. It as bad enough they'd raised a crazy, bullied, lying, freak, but one involved in a relationship with two people? Not many ever wanted him around again, only Touko-san, Shigure-san, and a niece they'd yet to met. And he was fine with it, after all, he'd never really belonged.
Taki was used to it. Natsume was used to it. Tanuma was not.
They'd both been rather unnerved, however, by the sudden popularity. Everyone in town was talking about them, which meant everyone knew them. Natsume politely refused to go into the main part of town for a week, while Taki had been edgy wherever they went.
Tanuma wasn't sure if yokai talked. Natsume had always been frustratingly vague on the subject. All he knew was that yokai were used to strange things, so it wasn't strange for them anymore. Ponta didn't have any answers, he was to busy throwing insults.
He rolled over. Taki was on the was left, he on the way right, Natsume tucked firmly between them (protective nurturing urges, they always got them around Natsume)
Natsume opened his eyes, propping himself on one arm to get a better look. "Is something wrong?" He asked, polite as always.
He tried to come up with a good lie, he really did, but Natsume's golden-brown eyes, so gentle and caring, staring at him made it practically impossible. Natsume got lied to enough as a child, it wouldn't be right if he started lying to him too. "I'm not used to it." He admitted.
Natsume didn't ask. He didn't have to. Instead, he timidly snuggled closer, wrapping an ever hesitant arm around his waist. He nudged Taki up to him, the girl quick to spoon against the warm body in front of her. Ponta stood up, stretched, the joined the pile, curling up into the crook of Natsume's neck and shoulder. Tanuma chuckled.
"S' somethin' funny?" Taki mumbled.
"Not really."
"Then go to sleep."
Taki was used to talk. Natume was used to talk. And, Tanuma figured, curling up, if it was necessary for them to stay a thing, he'd get used to talk too.
Review! No flames! Don't like don't read!