It had been a quiet night all throughout the Kurosaki house. Everyone except Kazui had peacefully fell asleep. But to Kazui, he had a feeling something deep down was wrong. He tossed and turned in his bed, shifting positions, trying to get comfortable. He sighed heavily and kicks off his cover. Maybe it's too hot? He thought to himself.
No. It was something more than that. He was getting a bad feeling and for what reason, he didn't know. He sat up, grabbing his journal. Maybe sketching would do the job.
He leaned over to the lamp near his bed, turning the light on. He tried to sketch for a few minutes but Kazui still couldn't shake this bad feeling!
Maybe a glass of milk and cookies would do the job? Definitely. Kazui got up from his bed, heading out his room and walking to the kitchen. Orihime had baked some chocolate chip cookies earlier and put some that were leftover in the fridge. He opened the fridge, getting the carton of milk and the plate of cookies. Grabbing a glass cup from the cupboard, pouring the milk into the cup and placing the carton back into the fridge. He grabs a plate from the dishrack and takes a few cookies, putting them on the plate. Once done, he puts the remaining cookies into the fridge. He takes the milk and cookies in hand and heads back to his room.
Kazui sets the cookies and milk on his end table, plopping on his bed. Only to feel a body under him. His eyes widen in surprise, jumping up and looking at the body. He hears a squeal under his covers. Pulling them off the body, he sees the familiar person.
"Nemu? What are you doing here?" Kazui questioned, walking over to his door and closing it. He waited for Nemu's reply. She was laying in his bed with her head in her arms, she was in a curled up position.
"I-I went for a walk." Nemu answered, her voice was muffled, but Kazui managed to understand. Though he was quite confused by what she meant.
"You went for a walk?" Kazui sat down on his bed, usually no one ever sat in his bed, but he could make an exception for once. Kazui took a cookie from the plate and dipped it into the milk, counting in his head how much dips will it take for the cookie to get soft.
"Yes." Nemu sat up, her eyes were red, puffy, and swollen. She sighed, taking a cookie from Kazui's plate and biting into it roughly.
"A walk? At this time of night? What happened? Why were you crying? Tell me what happened." Kazui asked, passing the cup of milk to her so she could dip the cookie in.
It took her a while to reply because she was numbing down on the cookie.
"Father. He hits me. It happens everytime I'm at home. He always insults me. He treats me like I'm some type of project." A lump formed in Nemu's throat as her voice began to crack. Tears began to stream down her cheek. She gave a sniffling cry, she shut her eyes. He's never seen her this way before.
Kazui's face saddened, seeing any of his friends in pain made him hurt aswell. He took the glass of milk from her and he sets it on his end table.
Kazui pulls her into his chest. He wraps his arms around her tightly, resting his chin on her head. He strokes her hair softly as he hears her cry.
He didn't know what to do besides hold her, perhaps it was best to say nothing at all. He held her for a while, once she calmed down, he pulled away.
"How come you didn't go to Ichika's house?" Kazui asked, he sat in his bed.
"I-I don't know.. I wasn't thinking. This was the first place I could think of. I actually meant to go for a walk around the seireitei but I came here instead." Her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were even puffier from before and this time they were red.
Kazui nodded, he stood up from his bed, heading to his closet and picking a random hoodie, throwing it to her. "Wear that!" He suggested.
Nemu's eyes widened, she looked at him with a rather confused face.
"Why?" She questioned, taking the hoodie.
"You're spending the night, aren't you? I'll go and get you water, so you can change in here." Kazui smiled softly. He takes the cookies and milk from his end table, heading to the door, opening it, and walks to the kitchen.
Nemu stares at the hoodie for a minute, then proceeds to strip off her shihakusho, and slips on the hoodie. It's definitely too big on her, the sleeves were drifting from her hands and the hoodie had come up to her thighs.
It felt a warm and it smelled like sweet vanilla, just like Kazui. Nemu picks up her shihakusho, putting it on Kazui's end table, she then sits on his bed. She wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking back and forth slowly drifting into her own thoughts.
Once Kazui came back with a glass of cold water, he sat down on the bed next to Nemu, handing the water to her.
"Thanks," She says, sipping the water. Kazui decided to lay down in his bed, staring at Nemu.
"You know, My parents could always take you in? Or maybe Uncle Kisuke! You don't have to go through this-" Kazui suggested but he came to a halt in his words when Nemu laid right beside him, interrupting him.
"I can't. It's hard. I can't just up and leave? He's my father. I just wish he would stop doing what he does." Nemu says, turning to lay on her side that faces Kazui.
Once again, Kazui didn't know what to say. He could see that she was about to cry again, so he pulled her into his chest. Say something, Kazui. He battled to himself with this thought.
She said something while her face was buried in his chest. He couldn't hear because it was muffled. He let her loose, letting her say what she had to say.
"Maybe if I just stayed quiet and be obedient, it would be better? It's been like this since the last Nemu was alive. I guess things will never chang-" She had been interrupted by a now angry Kazui.
"Don't say that Nemu! Things will change! Me, you, and Ichika will change them together! This just can't keep happening. You don't have to leave him if you don't want to, but things will change even if he doesn't like it or not. Even if he does try to hurt you again, I'll protect you. My mom and dad will protect you. Ichika will protect you. Uncle Renji and Auntie Rukia will protect you. We'll all protect you. Got it?" Kazui tilts Nemu's face towards him, he gives her a reassuring look.
Nemu looks at him in shock, her eyes wide, she's never seen him like this before. Kazui wasn't the serious type. She stares at him, smiling softly and nods.
"Well, I'm gonna sleep now, so night night!" Kazui ruffles Nemu's hair, and turns over.
"Sweet dreams, Kazui." Nemu says in a sing song voice. He definitely cheered her up. She turns over, the opposite side from him and drifts into her own thoughts.
They'll protect me? Really? But- I don't want them to get hurt either. I don't want anyone getting hurt.
She felt a hand carress hers. "We won't get hurt, if that's what you're wondering." Kazui says, he takes his hand in hers hers and squeezes it softly.
A tear falls from Nemu's eye. She wipes it away, smiling. "O-Okay." She says. She closes her eyes, drifting off to sleep.
Kazui smiles, knowing that he finally cheered her up. She went to sleep knowing that she would be safe. That bad feeling Kazui once had earlier, is now gone. He finally closes his eyes and slowly falls asleep.