Chapter 6 – Waking up
"Are you okay?" asked the voice.
The young sandy-haired boy nodded as he was helped to his feet. He felt sore all over. His whole body was in pain after suffering blows from humans and ayakashi alike. Hastily, he tried to wipe the tears from his face, a bit embarrassed that someone else had to see them.
The figure in front of him took out something white. "Here, let me." The figure gently wiped away his tears with the white handkerchief. Natsume closed his eyes and pouted. His body went stiff as he was not used to this type of affection. The figure gently smiled.
The tears stains were still on his cheek, he was sure of that. His cheeks felt sticky from his wet tears and it felt very weird. He tried to move his arms and legs, but they still hurt badly. He had to run away from a very scary ayakashi with sunken eye sockets just now and was beaten by other kids at the park. They called him a liar. But they were the ones who were ignorant.
Sensing his discomfort and pain, the figure took his arm and examined it. Natsume tried to wrench his arm away from the figure. He didn't want to beaten again. But something, maybe it was the look the figure gave him, that made Natsume trust him. When he lightly traced his finger over the blue black marks, Natsume winced from the stinging pain.
"Does it hurt that much?" Natsume nodded. The figure paused. "Close your eyes, please." Natsume wondered why he was asked to do that. As if the figure could read his mind, he spoke up. "Just trust me." Natsume was skeptical. After all, this was coming from a total stranger he just met. He could be taken away, kidnapped. Or he could get raped. But no one would care if he was gone from this world anyway. "Please, trust me." It was just so easy to leave himself in someone else's hands for once.
He shut his eyes tight. As soon as he did, he could feel a soft warmth wash over him, soothing his bruises. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." said the figure. Natsume was shocked at what he saw. His bruises which covered most of his arms and legs, had miraculously disappeared. He gaped at the figure before him. Was he a magician? A powerful wizard like those he had read about in the storybooks at school? The figure put a finger to his upturned lips, clearly bemused at Natsume's expression. "Don't tell anyone, okay?" Too surprised to even think, Natsume just nodded at his every word.
Still smiling, the figure reached out to ruffle Natsume's messy mop of hair. "Cute." he said which made Natsume blush. He had never been called that before. All he had ever been called was a liar, a pitiful child, an omen of bad luck, a piece of trash, someone who should be gone from this world. Being called that for the first time in his life, made him very happy. "Th-Thank you very much, mister..." His voice trailed off as he lost track of what else he wanted to say. How could he convey his thanks to this person through words alone? It did not seem to matter to the figure though.
"Ne, your name is Natsume right?" The little boy widened his eyes. How did he know that? He couldn't possibly know. "I overheard some other kids calling you that."
Natsume cast his eyes downward. "Y-yes, my name is Natsume Takashi."
"Nice to meet you, Natsume-kun." The figure smiled again, encouraging him.
"Y-you're not from around here,... are you mister?" He knew he was being rude. He was being very rude, but he did not wish to see the people beside him get hurt. Those scary ayakashi might be back anytime to get him, so he can't make anyone else suffer. Yes, it was better to be known as a bad child if that meant he could protect others.
The figure shook his head. "I came from Kyoto. I'm just visiting Hamura for some business." The figure was enclosing all this information very casually. Was he not afraid of others knowing about him? "I never would have thought, that I would meet someone as interesting as you, Natsume-kun."
Natsume quickly and violently shook his head. "No! It's better if you're not involved with me, mister!" He retreated a few steps back, wanting to stay away from the figure. "You'll get in big trouble!" He could feel the tears prickling at the edges of his eyes again. His body shook, not with fear, but with effort. It took everything just to stop himself from crying again, because it hurt. It hurt when he had to push others away.
He felt long limbs wrap around his small body and instinctively flinched. "Natsume-kun, it's alright." The figure hugged him tightly. "You don't need to be afraid."
He did not know what to say. "But... you'll get in trouble..." he muttered.
The figure pulled away slightly, his hands on Natsume's frail shoulders. "I'm magic, remember?"
At the same instant, Natsume could not help but smile his brightest smile. This figure was the figure of a stranger. Yet, he was treated so kindly by the other. So much that it made al his insides flutter.
"It's getting late." mentioned the figure. True, the sun was almost setting. The sky was darkening and their shadows on the ground were getting longer. Birds few around, catching their last meal before retiring to their nests. "Climb on, Natsume. I'll carry you home."
Natsume was about to protest wildly, but was stopped by the figure. "We're friends now, right? So you don't need to hesitate." said the figure. "Besides, it's dangerous for you to go home alone."
The young boy wanted to tell the figure that he was used to going home alone, but decided against it. He somehow felt very tired. Silently, he climbed on to the figure's back and wrapped his small arms around a thin neck. It felt so warm and comfortable.
"Sleep if you want to."
~.~.~.~
He heard a rustling sound at first. Something was moving. Opening his eyes, Natsume came face to face with darkness. Everything was a pitch black. When he shoved his hand in front of his face, he could not even see his fingers. Natsume blinked rapidly, making his eyes adjust to the thick darkness.
After a while, he could see much more clearly. He could make out his fingers and the weird shape of the ceiling. He must be in a cave. That's right! Sitting up, Natsume scanned the area. Matoba was the one who carried him here to the cave. But while he was being carried, he fell asleep.
Searching in the darkness, his golden eyes darted around like a cat's, frantic. Where could have that exorcist gone? He was not in the small cave at all. Had he left Natsume? That would be logical. In this situation, Natsume was just extra baggage.
Getting on all fours, the sandy-haired youth felt his way around the cave carefully. There had not seemed to be many sharp rocks or slopes. No ayakashi or animals lurked in the darkness either. It was just a normal cave. Crawling, he made his way to the mouth of the cave. As he got closer, he could see the moonlight flow into some dark corners of the cave, bringing forth light. Dust particles from the cave danced in the pale moonlight, dancing to a dance they only knew.
Natsume huffed with effort as he made his way out. His body still felt heavy and tired, but the stuffy air in the cave was going to make him pass out. Clean and fresh air came at him on full blast. The night air was cold and piercing, the trees rustled ominously with the wind. All that was illuminated by the pale moonlight, cold and distant.
"Came out for a breather?"
Natsume almost jumped out of his skin. The new voice scared him as he was too absorbed in the night view.
A low chuckle came from the person. "Didn't know you were such a coward, Natsume-kun." he taunted.
The said boy spun on his heels to face his assailant, wanting to spit back a nasty comment. But he was too entranced.
Sitting on a rock in the moonlight was Matoba. However, he did not look like the same Matoba he always saw. Maybe it was the angle of light that was giving off an illusion, but Matoba's features did not look so apprehensive. He looked kinder. Instead of that cocky smirk, he now wore a cheeky smile on his face. Instead of cold and icy eyes, his eyes had now taken on a playful spark. Was this the Matoba that he knew?
"Cat got your tongue?" asked the exorcist who was standing guard.
Natsume shook his head lightly as he buried his hands in his pockets. "You look different."
The said man cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
The boy put a hand to his chin as he thought for a few moments. "I don't know how to explain it." He took a few steps closer to the man. "You just look different."
"I see." he said, losing interest. "Should you not be going back to sleep? I'm sure you have not fully recovered yet."
"I intend to." said Natsume.
Matoba could sense his hesitation. "But?"
The youth gave a soft sigh. "There are too many things running through my head right now." He looked up to the distant moon. "Can't fall asleep."
"Well, if you want to stay out here to view the moon," Natsume felt something warm being placed on his shoulders. "then it would be best that you do not catch a cold." He fingered the black haori which belonged to Matoba.
"Ah,... thank you Matoba-san." It was weird for him to be thanking his enemy. It was even weirder that Matoba could be so caring in the first place. "Won't you get cold though?"
The exorcist smirked at Natsume's innocent question. "This kind of wind is nothing." He sat back on the rock and checked his arrows, testing each tip with his finger. "Well, sit." he said.
Obediently, Natsume sat next to him, watching him and his arrows for a while. When he got bored, he turned to look up at the pale moon above them. It was almost surreal how he was sitting with Matoba now, in a deep forest. He would have never have thought this to happen.
He could feel his eyelids closing again. The spell was taking effect on his body, healing him, but making him feel sleepy all the time. Someone's arms wrapped around him and he was pulled to Matoba's lap. "Sleep, Natsume. Rest and be ready for tomorrow." The boy nodded to the words as he fell asleep in an enveloping warmth. A warmth he had not felt since he was a child.
Thank you for reading everyone! I hope this chapter has been to your tastes.
Anyway, please wait for the next chapter too!
