The Right Balance
Me: Another chapter cranked out. Just a warning that this chapter pushes the T-rating of this fic (for sexual innuendo). Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Yeah, still don't own Doki Doki Literature Club.
Chapter 2: Natsuki
Yawning cutely, Natsuki sat up in bed and stretched her limbs. Rubbing the sleep away from her eyes, the pink-haired young lady glanced at the digital alarm clock on her nightstand. Flashing '3:00 AM' in bright green pixels, she pushed back against her own body's complaints of awakening at such an ungodly hour, forcing herself to remove the warm and comfy bright pink blankets from her small body and swing her legs over the edge of the mattress. Her feet frantically searched for her pair of light blue and pink slippers, finding solace in their protection from the cold carpet and standing on shaky, half-asleep legs.
Despite her adamant protests toward anyone who dared to comment, Natsuki was insanely adorable and cute. Her small stature, a tender 4'11", immediately imparted to strangers the notion that she was most certainly in her early to mid teens. Many would be shocked to find out one so young was already eighteen, an adult by most countries' standards, or the fact this pretty young lady was already living at home by herself. While she held sensitivity toward her adorably short demeanor, her night clothes would suggest an embracing of the common belief, consisting of a bright pink shirt with a teddy bear's face dominating the front and a pair of baggy magenta-colored sweats which appeared comically over-sized for her legs. Indeed, if not for the slippers, the ends of the pants would drag underneath her bare feet, trailing along the carpeted ground and serving a hindrance for the young woman.
However, without her red ribbons, her pink locks were free to spread around her cute face, affording her a more mature look than her typical twin-tails normally applied. With the absence of her hair clip added into the equation, pink bangs wildly cradled the sides of her face and descended over her features, serving as a makeshift halo of pink locks that gave the young woman an angelic visage. As she descended down the stairs, yawning cutely and tossing her hair all over her face and head, one might note Natsuki's innocent beauty, taking a step above the normal 'cute' and 'adorable' compliments which so irritated her. Intense pink eyes, delicate facial features, and plump, kissable lips would draw any male's appreciative gaze.
Flipping the light switch upon entering the kitchen, the groggy young woman grabbed her pink mug (notice a theme here?) and poured herself a cup of coffee. Adding plenty of cream and sugar to the caffeine goodness, which ended up constituting more than 90% of the normally bitter drink, the pink-haired beauty impatiently placed the cup to her lips and downed half of the drink in one go. Within seconds, she felt her body respond accordingly. The sleep left her eyes, the tiredness of her limbs disappeared, and her demeanor noticeably perked up. The miracle of coffee never ceased to amaze her, and she found herself humming a very happy tune as she danced around the kitchen with newfound energy.
She rummaged through cabinets and drawers, pulling out ingredients and equipment alike while continuing to take appreciative sips of her coffee. Placing a pink apron over her torso, the pink-haired readied herself to start another morning of baking wonderful sweets, but a three soft knocks on her front door made her pause.
Smiling, Natsuki skipped out of the kitchen and into the hallway, excitement palpable in the air around her as she approached the wooden door. Coming to a rest several feet away from the door, she forced herself to calm down. Fruitlessly attempting to tame her wild locks with a few frantic rakes of her hand and settling her facial features into the epitome of fake apathy, she reservedly turned the doorknob and opened the door, fighting to hide her excitement and glee as the man who captured her heart came into view.
"Good morning, Natsuki! Lovely morning, huh?" Anon, cheerful despite the early hour, greeted exuberantly, giving her a wide smile which made her heart soar and dusted her cheeks lightly with a blush.
"Morning," she muttered, placing her hands on her hips and shooting him an annoyed look as her eyes danced over his body. She barely stifled a giggle. "What...What are you wearing?"
Anon blinked.
"Oh. This?" He glanced at himself. "I bought this yesterday. I wanted to be prepared." He chuckled sheepishly. "Too much?"
"We're baking cookies and cupcakes," she informed him dryly. "Not appearing on a cooking show."
Wearing a stereotypical white chef's hat and clad in a black apron with 'Kiss the Cook' written across the front in red lettering, Anon certainly cut a humorous sight. "Sayori thought I looked nice," he said self-consciously.
"Hmpf. She would say you looked 'nice' even if you wore tattered rags."
"Hehe...Probably." While Sayori may have been the certified airhead of the group, she was by far the single nicest person in the entire school. There wasn't an evil bone in the cheerful girl's body. "But what do you think, Natsuki?" He asked, a grin tugging at his lips.
"Well…" She blushed slightly. "I guess...I guess you look sorta...cute," she whispered the last part, averting her gaze stubbornly.
"What was that, Natsuki? Did you say I was-Ow!" Anon rubbed his now sore shoulder. "That hurt, Natsuki," he whined.
Smirking, the pink-haired girl nodded in satisfaction.
"That'll teach you to tease me, dummy." She grabbed his hand, blushing at the contact and dragging him into the house. "C'mon. We're gonna run behind at this rate."
"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted, following along dutifully. Tiny the girl may have been, but no one could deny her seemingly unsurpassed strength. His sore shoulder, probably already sporting a bruise, was testament to the power hiding beneath her lithe muscles. "Same as last week?" He inquired.
Both of them entering the kitchen, she shook her head.
"Nope. Three dozen more on cookies, five dozen more on cupcakes."
Anon let out a low whistle.
"Dang. Guess the last batch sold out?"
"Within the first day," she replied, a bit of pride leaking into her words. "Let's get started. Hand me the pans."
One might ask why two young adults were baking cookies and cupcakes at such an early hour on a Monday. Simple. With Natsuki currently living on her own, the responsibility of paying all the bills rested solely on her shoulders. Electricity, gas, water, rent...It all added up. She absolutely refused to accept money from her friends, even if Monika came from a wealthy family, reasoning that her friends had already done plenty to help her. To make money, she turned to her passion.
Baking. Cupcakes, cookies, even brownies...Natsuki possessed an uncanny ability to create delicious treats. Her friends would wholeheartedly confirm her prowess in baking. Several local grocery and general stores in the city also believed in her talents, which led to them purchasing her concoctions to spread to a wider market.
Almost immediately, her treats became immensely popular, flying off the shelves and bringing in healthy profits. Soon, more and more stores wished to sell Natsuki's wonderful sweets, forcing her to start baking very early in the morning in order to fill quotas. Eventually, the operation became a little too demanding for her alone, so her very dumb, very knuckle-headish, and infuriatingly handsome and charming friend decided to help her. During the more demanding days, such as Mondays, Fridays, and the weekend, Anon arrived at her house early in the morning to assist her.
She protested his presence numerous times, but he was having none of it. He helped her, waking up at such an early hour and never complaining. He was somewhat clumsy in the kitchen, but he was a quick learner, and she wouldn't be surprised if his own creations would eventually rival her own through sheer determination and practice. His help allowed her to make bake more, allowing her to easily pay all the bills with plenty leftover to spend on novelties.
Why was she the one paying the bills? Where was her poor excuse for a father, the one who used to pay the bills when he lived at the house with her?
Anon figured out her situation within one week of joining the Literature Club. Her distressed expressions whenever her home life was brought up, the bruises on her arms and neck she so desperately tried to cover up, and her far-too-skinny frame and starving appetite...He pieced it together masterfully. And when he did, he would not stay quiet.
She begged him to let it go, pleaded with him that she could handle it. He would not be deterred. He marched to her home, confronted her father, and proceeded to beat the living hell out of the older man.
It was the most beautiful sight she had ever witnessed, seeing the man who made her life so difficult beaten into a bloody pulp. After the beating ended, Anon gave her dad an ultimatum: leave and never come back or be destroyed. The man wisely chose the former, limping into his car and driving off, never to be heard from again.
When the reality of the situation finally hit her, she was filled with so much happiness and joy she cried. Every ounce of pent-up emotions erupted from her core, leading into an endless flow of tears and sobs. Anon held her throughout the entire episode, whispering comforting words into her ears and keeping her company for a solid day. When the last tear was finally shed, she was a new person. The darkness she carried from an abusive childhood faded away, all because this wonderful man decided to intervene and bring brightness to her life.
Six months had passed since that fateful day. She had never been happier. Although still small, her body filled out into a more healthy balance, leaving her rib cage not so prominent and her energy levels higher than ever before due to a far healthier diet. Add in her friends and her crush, along with being able to pursue her passion, and Natsuki's life was perfect.
"All done...Phew." Anon wiped away some sweat from his brow. "What is it? Six?" He glanced at the clock. "Wow. We got a lot done."
Nodding in agreement, Natsuki glanced at her companion. She blushed. The way the light from the rising sun was filtering through the window above the sink, bathing Anon in an ethereal glow and enhancing his already handsome face, truly took her breath away. His honey-colored eyes shimmered in the sparkling light, making her heartbeat quicken as her eyes descended to his lips.
She admitted to herself they looked rather tempting. If she stood on her tiptoes and leaned against them, she could just barely place a quick kiss on them. The thought alone made her blush profusely. She would die before ever telling him, but all she thought about was kissing him. She rationalized it was his fault for being so caring and handsome. How else would a eighteen-year-old girl react when faced with such perfection?
But then she saw it, clinging stubbornly to his chin and glistening in the light, a little bit of blue icing…
"Anon?"
"Yeah?"
"You got...A little something…" She gestured to her own chin.
"Oh." He wiped at his chin. "There?"
"No...More to the left…" She fought back giggles as he defied the odds and still missed the icing. "No, dummy...Right…" Gently, she lifted her index finger up to his chin. She gathered up the blue icing, pressing herself against him and gazing up at his adorably clueless expression. A blush threatening to overwhelm her pale cheeks, Natsuki brought the coated finger up to her finger and licked it clean. Moaning as the icing's sweetness covered her taste buds, she happily noted the knucklehead blushed from her action and close proximity. "...here," she whispered.
"..." She felt his strong arms encircle her waist. She let out a cute 'eep!' as he hugged her close, resting his chin atop her head. Blushing, Natsuki wrapped her arms around his waist, confused but very much welcoming the affectionate hug. "A...Anon?" She asked weakly, feeling her legs grow weak from his warmth and touch.
"You're too adorable for your own good, Natsuki," he muttered. She felt him kiss the top of her head. Her face was aflame with a blush. "It makes me want to hug you and never let go."
Despite the blush, she let out a huff.
"I'm not adorable," she insisted. "Or cute. I'm a grown woman, dammit!"
Pulling away, Anon kept a grip on her waist and smiled devilishly at her. Delicately, he brushed a stray bang from her face, gazing fondly into her pink eyes. "You know what? You're right, Natsuki. You're not adorable or cute." Her eyes widened when he picked her up, placing her flush against his chest and leaving her facing him eye-to-eye. She nearly fainted from the accompanying blush. They had never been eye level with each other. She was always forced to crane her head upwards, struggling to meet his gaze. He was nearly an entire foot taller than her. She was always frustrated with the height difference, feeling like a child compared to her clearly adult-looking friend/crush/assistant/knucklehead. Now? Her breath was taken away. There faces were so close, their noses were touching, and she didn't think another man in the world could possibly rival his good looks or personality. He was perfect. Still a dummy, but a perfect dummy nonetheless. "You're not adorable, Natsuki." He leaned closer. She could feel his breath on her lips. "You're beautiful."
When he kissed her, it was amazing. Electricity coursed through her body, Fireworks appeared to go off all around them. It wasn't the first kiss they shared together, but there was a whole new level of affection coursing through their veins and senses. "Hmmm...Anon?"
"Yes?" He murmured, tenderly suckling on her bottom lip.
She eyed the kitchen counter, conveniently devoid of any equipment, treats, or ingredients.
"I want more," she demanded, tugging on his shirt. "Now."
"Anything for you, Natsuki."
How much more did she want? Well, in order to keep the T-rated nature of this story safe and sound, just fill in the blanks with your mind, okay?
"Natsuki?"
Natsuki glanced up from her manga.
"Yes, Monika?"
The pretty brunette smiled coyly.
"Any particular reason you and Anon were both late this morning for school?"
Natsuki blushed deeply.
"H-how? I mean…" How did Monika always seem to know everything? It was scary how much the President seemed to know. Yes, they were both late for school, but Monika should have been in an entirely different section of the school. Had the gossip mill already been talking? "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me." Monika sat down next to her, winking. "So...How was it?"
"I...I…" She buried her nose in her manga. "I don't know what you mean. All we did was bake."
"I'm sure he gave you plenty of icing-" Natsuki's hands shot to her mouth, preventing Monika from finishing her statement.
"M-MONIKA!" Natsuki's face resembled a tomato.
"Does Anon have special icing?" Sayori, having eavesdropped, chimed in, joining her two friends on the floor. "Is it good, Natsuki? Tell me!" She shook the pink-haired girl's shoulders, practically salivating at the thought of such delicious icing. "Do you think he would share it with me? He can cover my sweets with his icing any day." Sayori blinked curiously. "Does he have some now? Anon!"
Anon, having been sharing his latest poem with Yuri, perked up and glanced at the gathering of girls.
"Yes, Sayori?"
"Can you please give me your special icing?" She shot him an adorable pout complete with the powerful puppy eyes. "You gave Natsuki some this morning. Can you please give me some? I'll do anything~!"
Natsuki was dying from embarrassment. Monika, still muffled by Natsuki's hands, was giggling madly. Yuri looked about ready to faint from the suggested innuendo. Sayori's innocent mind kept her from fully processing the suggestiveness of her request. Anon...Well, he grinned widely.
"Sure thing, Sayori!" Bounding over to her, the young man swiftly picked up the blue-eyed beauty and held her bridal-style. "You can have my icing anytime you want, Sayori. Let's go home and get some, shall we?"
Giddy with excitement, Sayori snuggled into his arms and gazed at him with big blue eyes.
"I can have all I want?"
"Definitely!"
"I can even eat it straight from the source?"
"Most certainly!"
"What if it gets on my clothes?" Distressingly, Sayori glanced at her clean uniform. She had just done laundry yesterday! Well, Anon had helped, but she still folded her clothes! It was a lot of work! "Icing is hard to get out!"
"Well…" Smirking, he carried her out of the club room. "You'll just have to wear none, right?"
"Oh, good idea!" She said brightly. "Bye, girls! See you tomorrow! Anon's going to give me some of his icing! Don't worry! I'll make sure to save some for you!"
They watched them leave with mixed expressions.
"I…" Natsuki removed her hands from Monika's mouth. She glared at her president. "You are evil," she hissed.
Monika laughed.
"Perhaps, but Sayori's obliviousness is so endearing, right? What do you think, Yuri? Yuri?"
"Oh, great," Natsuki remarked dryly, gazing at their friend's unconscious form. A prominent blush covered the purple-haired girl's face, along with a perverted smile. "Yuri fainted. Are you happy?"
"Maybe…" Monika chuckled nervously. "Things went a little too far?"
"I can never think of icing the same way again because of you."
Me: Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter features Yuri!