Title: Life of a (Domestic) Nekomata
Summary: His history had proven that humans are terrible creatures. And yet, similar to his first human friend, this human girl named after cherry blossoms and tangerine is different. There was also that unknown feeling growing inside him whenever the girl smiled at him. He wondered what it was. Cat Demon!Natsume. Two shot. AU, Unbeta-ed.
Pairing: Summer Tangerine Pairing (NatsuMikan), one-sided, depending on reader interpretation.
Genre: Romance, Supernatural.
Rating: T
A.N. : Neko!Natsume fics are cute, but I personally think that Nekomata!Natsume would be an adorable menace. So, I present to you my attempt at writing a supernatural romance fic. Prepare yourselves for the most cringe-worthy humours to ever grace the Gakuen Alice Fanfiction section, because let's be honest: I suck at writing humour XD
Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice is the brainchild of Higuchi Tachibana. I do not own Gakuen Alice nor am I the mangaka. That clear enough for you?
Warning: It's up to reader interpretation, but I guess some people will see this as slight bestiality, considering that this is about Cat Demon!Natsume and Human!Mikan. If you're squicked about this, you are welcome to leave. Nobody is forcing you to read this fic. Oh, and slight mentions from other anime series, but it's because of Mikan's occupation. Slight sexual fantasies from Natsume's part, but nothing too graphic to warrant an M rating. Enjoy. And FFN is also messing with my stories whenever I've uploaded them, so please ignore any mistakes you may find. I've tried my best fixing things. Damnit FFN! Stop screwing up my fics!
PART I: EUTERPE
When Natsume woke up, there had been change.
Much change.
He explored the lands and found out that Japan's lush greenery does not exist in abundance anymore. Instead, great buildings were formed, often in square or rectangular shapes. There are still buildings which incorporate Japanese architecture, but compared to the sheer number of these sharply defined buildings with straight lines, there isn't much.
He also found that humans now liked to wear clothing which is definitely not yukatas or kimonos. There was quite a variety of it. Some wore short articles of clothing which do not cover their legs, others longer more conservative ones. Some wore tight tops which left almost nothing to the imagination while others wear ones which are slightly loose. There were humans who wore clothes as though those clothes were undeniably made for them. Natsume was also glad to see some humans who still wear kimonos.
There were also strange vehicles with light beaming from the front. In fact, there were lights everywhere. The illumination was so bright, Natsume could no longer see the stars anymore.
Just how many years has it been since he fell asleep? It seems that humanity had progressed quite a bit since his self-imposed slumber.
He figured that it would not be a good idea for him to roam around in his yokai form, so he shifted into his cat form; a black cat with red feline eyes. He wouldn't want to scare the humans and cats are at least alright in their eyes. Hopefully, he wouldn't meet anyone who is into animal cruelty.
As he explored his surroundings, he's realized that humanity really has progressed in terms of inventions. There are so many things that he could not figure out, and fire was nearly non-existent. All there was were bright lights from those glass objects. People moved so much faster now, as though they were all in a hurry, and he heard things that humans kept on saying, "….trains….phones….car…taxi….computer…"
He was so preoccupied he did not notice a speeding motorcycle down the street. By the time he noticed, it was already too late.
The vehicle slammed into his body. All he remembered was the pain his abdomen was feeling before his sight became black.
This year had been a good year for one Mikan Sakura. Landing the role as Rin Tohsaka's voice actor in Fate/Stay Night and Yumi Fukuzawa in Maria-sama ga Miteru really had been a good thing. Ever since she got those roles, her career had taken off. Her pay check is rising almost monthly. She received more roles for voice acting in Anime and Visual Novels.
…of course, she was a bit uncomfortable voicing Rin during Hentai scenes, she had to fake moans and orgasms and had to take several cuts too, because her previous attempts were no good. But you can't really blame her! She's a virgin! She never had sex with anyone before coming to Tokyo. Is it her fault that she can't sound as though she was…having a reeaaally good time? However, this is something that a lot of voice actors do. If they can do it, she can to!
She just had to squash any remaining embarrassment she had left and deal with it.
Yumi's was slightly okay than Rin. Disregarding the fact that the anime is a Shoujo-Ai, it's an okay role. And she can relate with Yumi more than Rin. She was a bit of a shy country girl too. It was only after all those trainings in voice acting and more VA roles she done that she finally became more confident and independent about herself. She no longer called Hotaru whenever something went wrong or whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on.
Calling Hotaru when she was drunk out of her wits do not count.
But Mikan had to admit, her increasingly busy schedule doesn't allow her from meeting with her friends as much as she liked. Whenever she does have free time, she spends it by practicing voice acting several different characters with different personalities. She was new in the VA Industry, and if she wanted to be successful, she had to work hard for it.
It was slightly sad. She finally managed to achieve one of her greatest childhood dreams, but she had to sacrifice some bonding time with her friends. Even though she knew that they would not have much free time (Hotaru had been almost impossible to contact when she became one of the highest ranking executives in her father's company, Sumire was too busy with her new fashion line, Nonoko had been preoccupied with her job as a perfumer and Anna was happily dealing with customers in her very popular sweets shop), she still wanted to be with them at times. She missed the past sometimes, when they were young and free of adult worries.
She was pretty lonely too. Wasn't it sad that at the age of 21, she still never had a boyfriend? She went on a few dates, but they were never serious. She wanted romance in her life too. She wanted a boyfriend who can stay with her, who can comfort her when she needed, who can encourage her at times when she was feeling down and who can make her feel as though she was the most beautiful woman in the world! But most importantly, a man who can buy her howalons every day is the best man ever! After all, all work and no play make a boring life, if she had anything to say about it!
…that sounded a lot more lewd than she thought it would.
Thinking back on her life and career right now, it's pretty difficult to find a boyfriend. The only other male that she can be close with are other VAs, and the people at the voice acting management agencies she's affiliated with. They are nice people, but she felt nothing from them. Besides, it's totally unprofessional to be having a relationship with somebody in the same industry as her! It would blur the lines between private life and work. She didn't want that. That would be a mess to deal with it.
But she really didn't want to be alone. Maybe she'll take in a cat in her home. Yeah, that'll do the trick! She may not have a handsome, gorgeous boyfriend greeting her when she gets back home, but at least a cat will make things bearable. It wouldn't be so lonely anymore.
Hopefully, this is not a sign that she's turning into a forever alone crazy cat lady.
Walking back to her apartment, lightly swinging the grocery bag held in her hands and humming Rin's theme song, it was only after she was a few blocks near her apartment that she realized, the red camellias that usually bloomed near the streets were slightly ruined.
Curiosity won her over, and she closely peered through the flowers. Lo and behold, hidden near the flowers was a black cat. Its body was shivering, the fur slightly matted and the front paws were bent at a painful angle.
She gasped in horror. Poor thing is injured! She can't just leave it here; that would be inhuman.
She carefully scooped the cat in her arms and checked to see if there's any form of identification. There were no tags and no cat collar. So it was a stray then. What a shame. Even though it's night and the cat's body is bruised, even Mikan could see that this is a really handsome cat. With such a soft fur, how couldn't it be?
"Don't worry," she cooed. "Mama Mikan's going to take care of you."
Once again, when Natsume woke up, there was change.
Much change. Only this time, he didn't know where he was.
It was a room, with pink pastel walls, a bed with white sheets and red polka dot designs, a simple wooden table with a matching chair, a bookshelf filled with books of all sorts and a soft yellow rug was in the middle of the room.
Obviously, he was in somebody else's house. But why was he here?
He tried moving from his spot, (he was loathe to move, and it was a very comfortable spot, because he was in the middle of a very fluffy pillow), but white hot pain shot through his body and he let out a loud agonizing noise.
What the hell? What happened to him? He looked down at his body, and it was wrapped in bandages. His front paws too.
Then he remembered. A speeding vehicle ran through him. That explained why he was in pain.
He couldn't help but let out a growl. Stupid humans. They never really change even after time passes. They will always be the most foolish, incomprehensible creatures Natsume had the fortune of knowing. Although he knew that not all of them are like that, he still regarded humans in a negative light.
Things never end well when humans are involved. His own past was proof of that.
Shortly after he made that sound, he could feel vibrations through the floor, accompanied with quick footsteps. Then the door opened, and enter a cute human woman in a short dress.
When she laid her eyes on him, her eyes brightened. "Oh good, you're awake! I was starting to worry about you!"
She neared him and Natsume couldn't help but feel slightly threatened. He could transform into his yokai form and scare this woman away, but with the way he is now that is not possible. Transforming requires energy he didn't have right now. The human souls he devoured before were plenty, but they were only usable as fuel when he's in his yokai form. Right now, he's in his cat form.
He's helpless as a new-born kitten.
That doesn't mean he wouldn't try biting this woman. His claws may no longer be available with his front paws bandaged, but his teeth are perfectly sharp. That would do the trick.
He hissed menacingly at the woman. That would usually scare most humans. He may be a cat, but his aura is threatening enough to be effective even towards humans in his cat form.
Strangely, the woman only smiled. She did not come any closer, but she did slowly sat down. "I know you're scared," she said, her voice soothing. "You've woken up in a place you don't know with your body bandaged like an Egyptian mummy. You can't move and you feel helpless. But I won't hurt you. I promise. If I want to hurt you, I would've left at you at the side of the road instead of taking you to the vet have you treated."
Then she frowned, but it felt like a playful one. "You should feel grateful, you know. Good veterinarians aren't easy to find in Tokyo, and you're so injured even the vet had a hard time stitching you up. Treatment cost wasn't cheap either. So be a good cat and rest."
Be a good cat? Like hell. He would be the one to decide his own actions, thank you very much. But the woman did have a point, he was injured and he could hardly move. He needed to rest and to recuperate.
Natsume wouldn't calm down in this woman's presence though. He still didn't know who she is and what kind of human she is. Until he could determine that, he won't let his guard down.
Seeing him quiet, the woman started to talk again. "You're hungry, right? I'll get you something to eat." With that, the woman stood up and went outside the room. She returned a few moments later with a plate and a saucer. She gently sat it down in front of him and Natsume could see what she had brought, clean water and something that looked and smelled like Tuna. He unconsciously licked his lips.
But he wouldn't eat that. Not when that woman is still here.
She yawned, evident that she was sleepy. "Well, I'll be going to sleep now. Make sure you eat it! It'll make you healthy and strong again." She turned off the switch and the room became dark, the only light available was the dim lamp on her table. She then slipped into the bed and covered herself in blankets.
"Good night," she muttered.
It wasn't long before her breathing slowed down and evened. Only then did Natsume gave in and started eating slowly.
The tuna was good. And the water was alright.
Mikan was glad to see the cat had woken up. The poor thing had been unconscious for three days straight. She was starting to wonder if the cat would ever wake up. Good thing it did.
Mikan had to admit, the cat's eyes were beautiful. They were red, and they looked wild. Not like a vampire or anything, but it reminded Mikan of rubies, and camellias and jujubes. It really was a striking colour.
Predictably, the cat did not behave well when she entered. But that's common for stray cats, they never trust humans. They only trust themselves. Mikan knew that a long time ago.
But Mikan wondered if the cat would ever let her get close to him. Yes, the cat is male. The vet confirmed it. And it would be rude to call the cat 'it' all the time. It sounded so… cold.
She really needed to give the cat a name. Maybe something like 'Tsubaki' or 'Tanebi' or maybe even 'Natsume'. Yeah, Mikan knew that the cat isn't probably going to be sweet like jujubes, but the colour of his feline irises really are striking. It gave a very good impression on her. Mikan had a hard time suppressing a squeal. She didn't want to scare him anymore than she should.
It would take immense patience and persistence. Mikan realized that the moment he started hissing and growling at her. But that's okay. And it would make things more lively around here.
Mikan really was tired of the silence. And the loneliness. At least, with him around, it wouldn't be so lonesome anymore.
The next morning, Mikan woke up to find the cat sleeping soundly on the pillow. The saucer and the plate were empty.
Mikan smiled triumphantly. It was a good sign.
It took Mikan exactly 64 days to finally get the cat to trust her.
She'll say this much, it was not an easy battle.
She fought tooth and nail trying to bring the cat to the vet for regular medical check-ups. The cat made one thing very clear to her; he hates vets. Mikan had bite marks that lasted for a week on her arm to prove that.
He also liked fish and chicken, especially cooked ones, but definitely would not even touch cat food, dry ones and the wet ones. Mikan had to cook fish to get him to eat.
The cat was also one stubborn feline. He absolutely refused to be carried around, even though it was obvious that he can't move without some help. Mikan just saved herself the grief and remembered to wrap extra thick bandages around her arms whenever she had to carry him, because the cat had the tendency to bite her whenever he threw a hissy fit, and he's starting to scratch her with his nails too when his paws finally healed.
Strangely enough, the litter box that Mikan bought was always clean, as though they had never been used. Her apartment wasn't a mess and it didn't reek either. Mikan wondered where the cat…does his business.
Somehow, Mikan had the feeling that the cat deliberately made things difficult for her because he was testing her. But she wasn't going to give in, oh no. She was going to show the cat who's boss!
The charade continued until the time came when the cat was fully healed. It was at day 36. After the vet declared that the cat was fully healed, Mikan took the cat home. When they arrived though, Mikan set the cat down on the floor and told him, "You're healthy enough to go. If that's what you want, you can leave. Just know that if you want to find a place to stay and free food, you can always come here."
During the entire time the cat was with her, he never showed that he liked being here. Always clawing, always biting, forever hissing and growling. Mikan was the type to never give up, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't starting to lose hope. Maybe this wasn't the cat meant for her after all. If the cat hates her, she's not going to keep him.
Mikan left the windows and the balcony open. If there is one thing cats are famous for, it's their intelligence when it comes to escaping. Mikan knew the cat could leave the apartment and still be fine, even if she's on the sixth floor.
The cat didn't leave though. The cat just stayed in the apartment. He never left. Mikan admit, that gave her a bit of hope even though the cat still doesn't like her petting him. Or perhaps he's just staying because of the free food she gave him. She did spoil him rotten after all, never actually scolding the cat whenever he did anything wrong.
One thing is for sure though, the cat liked to stare at her whenever she was trying to practice voice acting a script. When she was practicing for her new role as Korona in Kannazuki no Miko, the cat would stare unblinkingly at her as though he was interested at the change in her tone and voice. When she started method acting as Yuiko Hawatari in Loveless, the cat became unmoving and would watch until she finally stopped. When she changed her tone to suit the character of Honami Takase Ambler in Rental Magica and Sayori Wakaba from Vampire Knight, the cat's eyes would bore into her, she swore she could feel holes through her body because of the intense stare the cat was giving her.
(There was one time she was trying to practice voice acting the hentai scene in Fate/Stay Night, she was so focused in trying to sound aroused she didn't the cat staring at her. It was only after she finished that she finally noticed him. Ohhhh….the humiliation… even though he was a cat, it never made her feel comfortable to have any living being hear her sound like that. But it was a part of her job so she can't exactly do anything about it. She told that to the cat. She wouldn't know if that ever mattered though.)
Maybe the cat likes listening to her voice? If that's the case, maybe she should talk to the cat more.
And so, at the start of day 41, Mikan started telling the cat everything she could. Her likes, her dislikes, her hopes, her dreams…. She wasn't sure if the cat understands Japanese, or even human language but she just continued to talk.
In a way, doing this felt like therapy. Mikan somehow always felt calm after spilling her guts to the cat. Mikan's starting to understand why people kept pets. They really are calming. He also never ran away from her, never left her alone when she started talking.
But the real success was at the end of the 64th day.
Mikan was growing more popular lately. She had been given roles after roles of voice acting it was starting to wear her down, even if most of the characters are Tsundere characters, something that she had gotten quite used to voice acting. Even seeing the cat sashaying around her apartment like a boss didn't make her feel anything. She just gave him a tired greeting and a smile, and went straight to prepare dinner.
For the first time in weeks, the apartment was almost devoid of Mikan's voice. The only sounds that filled the rooms were sounds of water running, chopsticks occasionally scraping the rice bowl, quiet munching and footsteps. After Mikan took a bath, she immediately went to bed and fell asleep almost right after she was nestled perfectly on her welcoming, comfortable bed.
Imagine her shock the next day when she woke up, feeling strangely refreshed to find the cat curled up near her. Her squeal of delight woke the cat up and Mikan gathered the cat in her arms and gave him a kiss on his furry forehead. The cat didn't harm her, didn't try to claw her, and didn't try to bite her. Instead, the cat snuggled further in her chest and she cooed at the precious, precious creature.
She really was glad she never gave up on him. This acceptance was worth all the effort.
"Since you're probably going to stay here, we should give you a name! I don't like calling you 'the cat' in my head all the time. Hmmm…let's see… What about 'Tsubaki'? Your eyes are like red camellias and I did found you near them, it suits you since you're so beautif- ah! Ow, ow, ow! Okay, okay don't bite me! You don't like 'Tsubaki'. Alright then, something else, something else…Uhhh… what else… Oh yeah! 'Tanebi' is nice too. It means 'embers' and your eyes are glowing sometimes like a freaking genie or a vampi-Ahhhh! Don't do that! It hurts, okay?! Geez, alright. 'Tanebi' is also out. Oh for goodness sake, really why do you like to make things so hard for me? Hmmm, 'Natsume' then? What about 'Natsume'? It means jujubes, and they have tons of uses and benefits! Since you're kinda like jujubes to me, y'know, because you make me feel all happy and warm inside I swear it makes me healthy. So how about that?"
"…mreow."
"Natsume it is, then."
Natsume honestly thought that there would be no other human who can be as kind as his first human friend. There probably are, but Natsume honestly doubted that he would ever find one.
But this woman named after cherry blossoms and tangerine continued to prove him wrong. Not once had she ever abused him and she'd never done anything to inconvenience him. She was always there, patiently bearing all his antics. She kept on giving him delicious fish and chicken, never doing anything that he didn't like. And he kept on trying to push her buttons, but she never once gave in to anger. There was definitely irritation, but anger? No, Natsume had not seen that expression yet.
It was starting to make Natsume feel a bit guilty, not that he would ever admit it.
He started to give her a bit more credit when she told him that he could leave after the final check-up with the man in the white coat. Natsume honestly thought she would try to chain him, never letting him leave. If she did do that, Natsume would just kill her; he had accumulated enough strength to do just that. But she didn't and she told him he was free to go. She even said that if he ever visited her, her doors would always be open and she would give him food.
It shocked Natsume, and it intrigued him a bit. So he stayed, because this talkative human woman named Mikan Sakura is an interesting human. He doubted he would ever find one who was both kind and interesting. She's definitely going to be his source of entertainment for the entire duration of his stay.
Her occupation also caught Natsume's interest. She said she is a voice actor, a person who voices fictional characters in games, aniradios, drama cds and shows called Anime. Natsume didn't know what that meant at first. Voice actor? A person who acts using voices? How is that possible?
He quickly found out what it was. Mikan would hold a book in her hand, presumably the script, and then read it in a voice and tone completely different than what he used to hear from her. Sometimes her voice would become calm, almost in an eerie way and then it would switch with a cheerful one, in a slightly unhinged way, one that rubbed him wrongly. Then, it would turn to a more normal tone, but with a strong Kansai dialect. Then it changed again, in a confident tone that would change into a more awkward one, in tune with the script. It would continue like that whenever she started practicing voice acting.
It definitely interested him to see her change to become a completely different person, especially when she started method acting. It felt very real. Natsume had an urge to see more of those sides of her, sides that came out when she's immersed in her role and practice.
The biggest shock for him came when he caught her on her bed, trying to method act for a hentai scene. She wasn't masturbating, she definitely wasn't touching herself, but the voices, the pleading, the gasps that came out…it sounded so real.
Natsume kept on staring until she finally stopped. When Mikan realised she was not alone, she blushed so hard, he could have sworn her neck and shoulders were turning red too. She gave out an apologetic look and an awkward giggle.
Ever since then, Mikan tried not to practice or voice out hentai or ecchi scenes whenever he's around. That doesn't mean he wouldn't catch her sometimes.
Those performances and voices really enraptured Natsume. But it angered him too.
So voice actors do this kind of scenes as well? And they were recorded and heard by other people? There was a slight twinge in his chest, and a long forgotten feeling of protectiveness surging through him.
Mikan made it clear to him that although those scenes made her feel uncomfortable but since it's a part of her job, she just had to swallow her embarrassment and deal with it professionally. Well, as professionally as it could go anyway, this is about faking sex sounds after all. Natsume knew Mikan loved her job and so he could never really judge her for it. In a sense, she's only selling her voice, not her body. He just hoped it wouldn't bother her too much.
Mikan also started divulging things about her life to Natsume. Everything that came to mind, she told him. Natsume could not help but feel flattered. He pretty much made her life difficult during the first few weeks he was under her care, and yet here she was opening herself up to him. It made Natsume feel as though he's special, because he knew that some of the things she told him are things that not even her other human friends have known. It made him closer to her than anyone else.
And perhaps, he was starting to feel a slight attraction towards her too. While she's definitely not the most beautiful human woman Natsume had ever seen, that doesn't mean she wasn't attractive in his eyes; warm brown eyes and long soft auburn hair that cascaded down to the small of her back whenever she didn't tie it up, clear and healthy rosy skin, a petite frame with enough curves to heat a man's blood and a beguiling smile. Her voice which had been the main source of her income wasn't bad too; it was one of the factors that charmed him to no end.
Alright, he would admit, the initial interest he felt for her is rapidly turning into something more than just slight attraction, but there's nothing he could do about it. Besides, Mikan sees him as nothing more than her close feline companion, and if he wanted to stay with her, he would have to remain a cat. He's frustrated at this situation, but at the same time contented because although he could not have her in the way he would have wanted, he was still able to stay by her side. And that alone makes him grateful.
He really was glad to be proven wrong for once. There was a human aside from his first friend that could be true and kind. The human race is still worth salvation, even if most of them are worthless puppets made to be wood that lets the flames of hell burn continuously.
Natsume wanted to be close to her, wanted her to touch him, but he doubted it would be a good idea for her to start stroking him and petting him. He wouldn't want to lose control of himself and transform into his yokai form in front of her. So whenever she reached out for him, he would usually just jump away from her and she would understand.
But like all humans, her job was starting to take its toll on her. Natsume could see that she was exhausted, both mentally and physically from all the voice acting she had to do. It had reached to the point when one night, she returned and greeted him with less of her normal enthusiasm. She didn't talk to him that night. She merely stayed silent and cooked for him. After dinner, she bathed, changed into her sleepwear and slept before saying 'Goodnight' to him.
This is what he was worried about. He was worried that she would overwork herself. But there's likely nothing she could do about it.
That did not mean that Natsume wouldn't help her though.
When Natsume was sure she was deeply asleep, he willed his body to change. His small, four legged body grew larger and started to take a humanoid shape, his black fur gradually disappeared and covering his body instead was a black yukata. His head and face became that of a human's and his tail split into two. A pair of cat ears nestled in his hair.
His yokai form, it had been a while since he had last been in it. And considering the situation he chose to stay in, it was probably not going to occur as often as he'd liked. He would not regret his decision though, he was at peace with it.
His hands reached out towards the sleeping woman, fingers gently caressing her hair and face. Seeing her like this, open and unguarded, the memory of that first time he saw her voice acting for a hentai scene rose up. He couldn't help but wonder: how would she truly sound like when she wasn't voice acting?
That particular question made his body feel uncomfortably warm.
Pushing aside all thoughts, he slowly lowered his face towards her and softly pressed his lips to hers. As he carefully deepened the kiss, he transferred some of his yokai energy to Mikan's body. The amount he gave her wouldn't be enough to turn her into a yokai/human hybrid, but it would be enough to dispel her mental and physical exhaustion.
And kissing her was something he had wanted to do for quite some time now, ever since Mikan opened herself up to him. At least, this kiss could keep his desire at bay for a while.
When he had transferred enough, he broke the kiss and stared at her. Her complexion looked healthier now, and she looked less tired.
Satisfied with the result, Natsume turned himself back into a cat again and curled himself up near her. After this, he doubted he could stand being away from her for long periods of time. Might as well take as much contact he could get from her.
As his eyelids closed down, he wondered what Mikan would think when she saw him next to her in the morning. She would probably start screaming in joy seeing him next to her.
The idea of a happy Mikan greeting him in the morning might not be such a bad idea after all.
When Mikan first started listing down names for him, he felt slightly nostalgic. He remembered, before he became a nekomata, that his first human friend had also started listing names for him. He remembered scratching the man in retaliation for giving him such cutesy names. Just because he love Mikan doesn't mean she's an exception to this.
Yes, yes, he loves Mikan. It's undeniable. He may be good at denial, but he's terrible at lying to himself. He can no longer tell himself that he's staying with Mikan simply because she's an interesting human. It doesn't even sound like a valid excuse anymore.
"-what about 'Natsume'? It means jujubes, and they have tons of uses and benefits!"
At that, Natsume went still. Natsume, jujubes. His first friend named him that because the colour of his eyes reminded him of the red fruit. It was the name he accepted, the name that finally gave him an identity. His real name, Natsume.
"So how about that?"
Natsume meowed in agreement.
Mikan nodded in approval, her eyes shining brightly. "Natsume it is, then."
It had been a whole year now since Natsume have stayed with Mikan. Throughout that year, Mikan had matured to become one of the most celebrated VAs of the year. Natsume was happy for her. She deserved it.
Mikan still treats Natsume as though he's a cat. And Natsume sometimes stole kisses from her in the middle of the night, all under the guise of giving her much needed strength. It was not exactly a good romance, but yokais like himself were never one for conventional romance either.
He decided he was going to stay as her cat for the rest of his life as much as Mikan's mortality allows him to. One downside of being human, is that they are not blessed with the longevity the yokais have. Compared to him, time with Mikan will seem very short, but it would be a happy memory for him.
For now, he wouldn't think of the future and will just savour as much of Mikan's company as he could. One thing he learned when living with humans, is that every moment is special and should not be wasted. And he plans to do just that.
END OF PART I
A.N.: So we've reached the end of this fic. This was supposed to be my attempt at humour but things kept on becoming darker. I guess I'm just not meant for light fics. Maybe I need a beta-reader after all.
Nah, I can't have one. My updates have absolutely shitty schedules. Even the most patient beta-reader would be pissed off at it.
And yes, this is the END of the fic. Part II is only about Natsume's past, how he became from a cute kitten to a powerful nekomata. The first part can be a standalone, but if you're curious of his past life, then you'll find your questions answered at Part II.
Here's a glossary for you guys:
Nekomata – Literally meant 'forked cat' or 'again cat', a term referred to cat demons. Only used for cat demons with split tails, or two tails. Known to live in the mountains, had a small reputation of eating and killing humans. Often associated with death and strange fire occurrences. It was said that the more badly treated the cat was, the more powerful it would be when it became a nekomata. Not to be confused with bakeneko, also a cat demon but this demon is known to be a shape shifter, a prankster and with lesser dark origins and associations.
Yokai/Bakemono – Goblin, apparition, monster, ghost, phantom or spectre.
FUN FACT: Mikan's voice actor, Kana Ueda, really did do the voices for Rin Tohsaka from the Fate/Stay Night series, Yumi Fukuzawa in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Korona in Kannazuki no Miko, Yuiko Hawatari in Loveless, Honami Takase Ambler in Rental Magica and Sayori Wakaba from Vampire Knight. I wonder how the she does it, all of them are such different characters with different personalities, it's amazing how she managed to pull it off. The same can be said for other VAs.
And please, kindly leave some review and criticism. I cannot be better at writing if people don't give me more criticism for self-refection later. There was one reviewer who stated that my style of writing, along with the use of formal language, feels a bit too much like 20th century fiction. Thank you very much for that reviewer, at least she (or he?) was kind enough to leave something for me to work on.
Frankly, I have of habit speaking formally with people, especially in English. It doesn't help that I've also read a lot of documents which use formal language in my studies. Fiction is almost non-existent in my world (augh, the horror!) To make matters worse, I love the way L from Death Note speak. So formal and cutesy, it's actually kind of funny.
But in my defence, I don't like to use curse words when writing dialogues for Japanese characters. One of my main problems in reading fanfiction is when a character who has Japanese origins and was raised in Japan started to speak like he came straight out of an American chic-flick. Don't be offended, there's nothing wrong with the way Americans speak, but when Japanese people, who are generally known to emphasize good manners and politeness, says so much curse words it becomes a habit, the character doesn't feel Japanese anymore. Unless, they are really like that in Canon or was raised in someplace other than Asia or the UK; that I can accept. Not that I'm saying that other countries don't emphasize good habits and politeness, it's just that us Asians are very strict when it comes to these things. I remember my mother caned me once simply because I said the word 'Fuck' in front of her and I remember my father not talking to me at all for a whole week because I threw a mild (in my opinion) temper tantrum in public, thus humiliating them both. Case in point, don't expect me to use a lot of curse words, unless I'm trying to be in line with Canon.
Phew, long rant. For those who managed to read this until the end, congratulations. You are definitely one patient person. So if you feel offended, you can flame me all you want. It just shows that you are bothered enough to leave something for me to work on.
Once again, thank you for reading this long chapter and the equally unwarranted rant I gave. Reviews are welcomed and criticisms are most appreciated.
Until next time.