"Your apartment?" I asked.
He nodded unlocking his apartment door with his keys. I hesitantly followed him inside. "Why?"
"I need you to look after Azusa and Tsubaki." He responded. "I have to go to a late meeting unfortunately and I don't have time to feed them, or to take you home. The brothers shouldn't mind."
I crossed my arms. "Are you sure?"
He smirked at my movements and moved further into a room with green couches. "Nah. Not really. But they can definitely go without a fresh drink for one night. Unless they have become drunken beast, again."
I made a mental note to ask about the drunken beast comment. But at the moment I was dwelling on the fact that, after all this time I had been a quiet and giving person. Yet somehow, today with him I was myself. I made jokes, I wasn't afraid to speak my mind either. I had a feeling he could tell this as well.
But he said he needed me to look after..."Azusa and Tsubaki?" I voiced aloud.
Suddenly two cats came around the corner at the names and wrapped themselves around Natsume's legs. He stumbled clumsily trying to shake the cats off. "N-no Tsubaki no playing now. Azusa let go!" He gritted. Finally he picked up the two into his arms. "Sorry about them. And don't ask why I named them after my brothers. It's...a long story."
I followed him into the room with the green couch which I assumed was his bed most of the time. On the other wall was a desk with a TV placed on it, a computer nearly half the size of the computer. A balcony was on the other side of the screen door behind the coffee table. He placed his cats along side a scratch post by the door.
"Ema, I don't suppose I could leave you here to take care of these two? I have some food in the fridge that you could probably help yourself to as well. I wont mind. I mostly eat ramen noodles on most days anyways-"
I cut him off from his ramblings. " Natsume it will be fine. I thought you had to attend a meeting?" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
He sighed. "I do...I'll be back within an hour at the latest hopefully. When I get back, I'd like to talk to you about what you can do at how to lessen your own load for yourself, alright? I just feel bad about leaving you here like this."
"It's fine! Now go! I don't want to make you late for your appointments." I now merely took to turning him around and shoving him out the door at this point. His cats watched us in amusement from their higher podiums.
He was heavier than me without a doubt. But he allowed me to push him. He stopped at the hall though. Turning around to face me, he put on a serious face. "Don't forget, you're the sacrificial bride. I tell you what to do, not the other way around."
I nodded quickly wondering if I had overstepped my boundaries. He chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Just joking, calm down."
He left shortly after. Despite him telling me how he was just joking, I couldn't help but remember I was the sacrificial bride. There really was no getting around that. I belonged to the brothers now. What else was I suppose to do?
My thoughts drifted back to that notebook once again. And the odd dreams I had been having. Visions of the brothers when they were children. I hadn't dared speak about them anymore after the incident with Ukyo. Something told me that fury was no match in comparison to some of the other brothers. And that woman from my first night here. Who was she?
I supposed I could talk to Natsume about them when he got back. I had no clue why I felt like I could trust him.
I looked down at the two cats purring at my feet. No doubt wanting to be spoiled now that their owner was away. I never really had pets as a kid, but I always wanted some. I watched the neighbors pets often.
Moving to the cabinets, I poured Azusa and Tsubaki bowls of the food. The white and orange felines immediately dug in and nibbled at their food. Stepping out onto the patio, I stared at the city life. I don't know how long I sat there watching, listening but it must have been ages. I heard the door slam to Natusme's apartment.
Without turning around I absentmindedly said, "Welcome back." The next thing I knew were hands at the back of my neck yanking me back in. The screen door shot shut cracking the glass. Subaru knocked me onto the floor next to the couch. He was fuming. His knuckles were clenched white and he was breathing heavily. "Subaru?"
He jumped on me in a second, strangling me with one hand. "Suba-ru.."
"What are you doing here?"
"Wha-"
"What are you doing here!" He shouted. His hold tightened threateningly. "Shut up. Just shut up. You know what? I don't care why you are here. I just care that you are depriving me of my drink." He moved his hand and replaced it with his teeth. I didn't try to fight it. I was pinned regardless.
My vision started to blur and I felt myself slowly getting weaker and weaker. "Subaru...Why are you doing this?"
"Shut up! You don't know me! You should have never entered our lives!"
"Subaru. I'm no longer participating in any sports. Its no longer my major."
"But why? Who just quits half way into something? You're just going to give up?"
A young Natsume sighed. "I am not giving up. I merely have no use for sports anymore."
"No use eh?" A furious Subaru asked. "You decide after years of playing to just not do it anymore? Some rolemodel you are."
"How many times must we go over this? Playing games will not help me go anywhere in life. And it wont get you anywhere in life either."
"How do you know?" He shouted. "You'll never find out if you don't try!"
"And I wouldn't be willing to take the risk."
Hi. I am to tired to edit this. I know this is rather fast written probably. For that I am sorry. I know that Natsume and Ema now seem rather 'll see~
I don't know why but Subaru was so hard for me to write so please just take this random ending that makes almost zero sense. Thanks for sticking with this madness!
