𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬:

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬

✧ Osomatsu - Cool down

✧ Osomatsu - Cherry Boy

✧ Osomatsu - Consequences

✧ Osomatsu - Courage

✧ Osomatsu - Deal

Osomatsu - Monster?

Osomatsu - A Promise I'll Break

Osomatsu - Something Eternal

Osomatsu - 'Hymn for the Missing'

✧ Karamatsu - Ravenous

✧ Karamatsu - Warm

Karamatsu - Prepared?

Karamatsu - Cold!

Karamatsu - Lycoris Radiata

Karamatsu - Dark Forests

Karamatsu - Learn

Karamatsu - My Love For You

Karamatsu - Special Treatment

✧ Choromatsu - By The Pool Side

✧ Choromatsu - Sweet Stimulation

✧ Choromatsu - Surprises

✧ Choromatsu - Slightly Sadistic

✧ Choromatsu - 'Tell Me'

Choromatsu - A Gracious Green

Choromatsu - Attention Seeker

Ichimatsu - Gamble

Ichimatsu - Distant Future

Ichimatsu - A Winter Carnival

Ichimatsu - Patch You Up With Kisses

Ichimatsu - Reaching You, Finally

✧ Jyushimatsu - Our Little Secret

Jyushimatsu - "It's Okay."

Todomatsu - Nice And Simple

Todomatsu - Kill her? Why Would I?

Todomatsu - Malicious Deity

✧ Matsuno - School Grounds

✧ Matsuno - 'Ragdoll'

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll be taking an indefinite hiatus from writing and publishing any new works as a whole. I know I’ve said this many times in the past, and my breaks never really lasted that long, but now I definitely feel as if I won’t be coming back to writing for a while.

I’ve just been feeling very burnt out from writing anything at all, whether it’s the Ososan fandom or anything else I’m interested in. I struggle a lot just writing a few sentences, and even then the writing is very mediocre. I just don’t feel the want to write anymore, despite how much I love to read and write. I haven’t touched any of my published works, nor have I drafted any new chapters for months, and I’m too scared to because I’m worried it won’t be good, and if I force myself to write, I’d just feel bad for putting in no effort into the works I love very much.

I want to thank you all for the support you have given me with all my works over the last couple years, and with just how patient you all have been with me. I would also like to apologise to anyone who was expecting updates or who was been waiting for a while only to see this. I’m so sorry.

I will still be around on the site to read other works and to chat if anyone would want to talk! And if you want to interact with my works and leave comments or votes, then I would be so thankful that there are still people out there who liked what I wrote :3

"Th-That is not true!" Chorosuke growled, his hands clenching into fists.

"Ah, yeah, you're right..." a mischievous grin crossed Ozo's lips which he targeted towards his brothers. "He's also a huge otaku--"

"Shut up!" Chorosuke'a hands moved dangerously close to Ozo's neck, his fingers twitching with the urge to choke him, but the sensible part of his mind managed to stop him from doing so. He took a deep breath and lowered his hands to his sides, taking a large sidestep away from Ozo whilst doing his best to ignore the man's snickers.

You could only watch on idly, unsure of what to do or say. You began picking at the skin around your nails, a bad nervous habit that you had. The sting of your skin being pulled from your body no longer hurt as much as it used to. You ran your thumb over your flaking skin, catching your nail on the small cuts you had reopened.

"So, [Y/N]!" Ozo called for you. You locked eyes with him for a brief moment, then shifted your gaze to his hands that rested on the table instead. "You work here, huh? I never would have guessed! Does that mean you'll be taking care of us tonight?" His grin became sleazy as his voice lowered into what he thought to be a seductive tone, leaning in closer to you.

Chorosuke almost choked on air, his face becoming beet red at his brother's words. You weren't doing any better, with your skin heating up and palms becoming sweaty.

"..Uh, I don't... Well..." You fumbled, your brain working overtime to try and come up with a suitable answer. But what were you supposed to say in a situation like this? How did you do it all that time ago?

"What do you mean, 'us?!' Don't drag me into your bullshit, Ozo!" Chorosuke yelled over the music, reluctantly stepping closer to Ozo again to make sure he had heard what he said. He turned to you with a nervous grimace, brows scrunched up tight as his eyes avoided yours. "I am s-so sorry about this!"

You wanted to say it was fine, but when you could feel your fingers begin to shake a little as you pressed your palm together, you just couldn't bring yourself to say it. Instead, you shook your head, giving them another awkward smile. Ozo was peering up at you with a little too much curiosity, and you threw your gaze over the top of his head, only to freeze at the sight of four other faces staring at you.

Noticing your blanched expression, the two men also looked back over their shoulders, producing two polar opposite reactions; Ozo smirked, prompting the four figures to slowly stand up one by one and head towards you, whilst Chorosuke immediately began to shake his head, as if it would ward off the demons creeping towards your small group, but it did nothing.

The both of you watched helplessly as they were now within earshot, and one man wearing large aviator sunglasses smirked your way with a wink, causing Chorosuke to turn around and run a hand down his face with a groan.

"God, please help me..." you thought you heard him mumble, however you weren't given a chance to mull over it as someone else spoke to you, garnering your attention.

"Burazzas!" You barely managed to withhold the confused expression from working its way onto your face upon hearing the man use the English word with so much confidence, even though it was pronounced entirely wrong. "I hope you are not intending to keep such a beautiful lady away from us the whole night, hmm?"

You couldn't stop the sudden new wave of heat that rolled over your face upon being called 'beautiful.' Although, your heart clenched painfully, as your mind told you it wasn't true.

"Well, there goes my plans," Ozo chuckled, shuffling over slightly to make room for the new faces (Technically, you thought, they weren't new faces, seeing as they all somehow looked eerily similar to one another).

"I've never seen you around before!" Another with large sparkling eyes cooed, earning a 'that's what I said!' from Ozo, which ultimately went ignored. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

The pet name throws you off, your wide eyes blinking quickly as you spluttered. Another voice cuts you off before you can answer, a boisterous laugh somehow sounding louder than the music still ongoing in the background.

"Ahaha! You're really pretty, miss!" A wide smile seemed to be permanently etched onto this man's face, his plump cheeks a soft pink under the dim light of the bar as he stared at you unabashedly. The final figure beside him, slouched over with his shoulders hunched up near his chin, elbowed the smiler roughly, his low murmuring voice lost in the music.

"I... Th-Thank you, uh..." you trailed off nervously, briefly clearing your throat, "My name is—"

"[L/N] [Y/N]!" Ozo cut in with the smuggest smirk you've ever seen. The others seemed to be glaring at him, the quiet one on the end even baring his teeth slightly. "I've been telling you, I met a cutie yesterday! Not my fault you guys never believe me!"

"Why would we? You constantly used to tell us you had a new girlfriend every week, but it turns out that they're just actresses from all those pornos you buy," the one with large eyes snidely remarked, crossing his arms over his chest in triumph as he shoved Ozo out of the way with a nudge of his hip.

"[Y/N]..." sunglasses man was talking again, grabbing your attention by taking a gentle hold of your hand (he looked ridiculous since he was leaning so far over the counter to reach it). "What an exquisite name! Suitably fitting for a gorgeous damsel such as yourself..." His words may be very over exaggerated in your mind, but you couldn't deny the small shiver that ran up your spine as his already smooth baritone voice dipped even lower.

"O-Oh, thank you, mr... uh..?" You trailed off, hoping he would catch the hint for him to finally give his name. You didn't want to have to keep referring to him as 'sunglasses man' in your mind for the rest of his visit.

"Aogo Karatsugu, though Karatsugu is just fine, my dear. Unless you would like to call me, 'your hon—"

"I'm Momose Takashi! My friends call me Taka-kun, though, so I wouldn't mind if you called me that, too!" Takashi giggled cutely, snatching your hand from Karatsugu and delicately holding it in his instead. Not a moment later, however, it was taken into another's hands, these ones much warmer and vigorously shaking your palm.

"I'm Jyushimatsu! Hello, pretty lady!" His enthusiasm never seemed to end, you noted as he began shaking your arm up and down in greeting, making you wince. Chorosuke swooped in, finally snapping out of his internal meltdown long enough to pull you free from Jyushimatsu's grasp with a heavy sigh. He then leaned in to you, albeit reluctantly, and began to murmur:

"His real name is Ogami Toshio. He's the mayor's son, and very unpredictable, so I highly suggest you keep your guard up around him."

"What was that, otaku?" An arm snakes around Chorosuke's shoulder, causing the man to jolt with a (pathetic) squeak. The quiet man, who was now smiling so menacingly you actually got cold chills, tugged Chorosuke away from you.

"H-H-Hajime! We were just, I-I mean I was just—"

"We'll get six glasses of the most expensive liqueurs you have, and a couple of beers for our shitty eldest over there, too. And give the bill to this guy," Hajime's grin grew wider as Chorosuke whined quietly in protest, though ultimately did nothing to stop this exchange. Hajime turned to you, then, as if seeming to snap out of some dark spell he was under, dropped his expression into one of sheepish terror, his cheeks tinged red as he averted his gaze away from your bewildered eyes.

"...please..." he added to the end of his sentence mutedly, before promptly shuffling back to his table with his hands shoved deep inside his pockets. Jyushimatsu — Toshio? — immediately followed after him with a loud laugh, leaving the other four to take their own leave, too.

"Well, someone has to go keep those two idiots in check," Takashi sighed dramatically before shooting you a cute cat-like smile. "I'll see you later, [Y/N]! Maybe we can exchange details, too, if I'm feeling up to it," he shrugged nonchalantly.

You slightly raised a brow at this, watching silently as he turned and headed back to his table.

"This first meeting of ours is only the beginning of our journey!" Karatsugu was quick to take your hand again, clasping it firmly in his large and calloused hands as he stared into your eyes (a little too intense, if you were being honest). "I look forward to your company tonight, my dove! Until we meet again..." he slowly began to leave your hand, letting his fingers trail to your own fingertips in a movie-like exit before turning on his heel.

Ozo and Chorosuke watched him retreat with put-out expressions, grimacing at his weird farewell before turning back to you. Ozo clapped Chorosuke's back roughly with a boyish and playful chuckle.

"I'd say good luck to paying the bill, but you're loaded, so it won't be a problem at all!" Chorosuke only groaned in response, sharp eyes looking dull and tired. "See you later, [Y/N]! And remember, if you get bored, you know where to find us. We'll show you a good time." He rubbed a finger under the bridge of his nose with a wink before finally leaving.

Heaving out a sigh, you gently rubbed the pads of your fingers against your temple, already feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. This group was a lot to handle, it seemed. Maybe you had your work cut out for you tonight, but it's not like you could do anything about that.

"...Sorry about them."

You jumped slightly having completely forgotten that Chorosuke was still there, slouched over onto the countertop with his chin pressing against the surface. He looked so glum and pouty as he peered up at with apologetic eyes... The pang in your heart had nothing to do with him at all.

"Don't worry about it. I'm the one who's just not used to so many customers," you shook your head, turning your back to him so that you could pick out the liquids you were going to mix.

"Are you... really picking out the most expensive ones?" Chorosuke gulped, sitting up a little bit straighter as his fingers tapped against the table top. You chuckled softly, returning back to the table with a a couple of bottles and a large silver glass.

"No, don't worry. The drinks here are relatively cheap, anyway. I'm just picking out the more high quality ones..." you trailed off as you began to focus on your task at hand. Your hands moved with expertise as you poured and mixed your chosen liqueurs, twirling the cup in your hand with a certain finesse that caught Chorosuke's eyes, who continued to watch in awe.

After pouring the drink into six glasses, you topped it off with a small shot of wine. The deep blue of the bottle glinted under the lights, capturing the man's gaze as he curiously stared at the scratched off label. He had no time to ponder, however, as you placed the bottle back under the counter and left to fill up large glasses with beer, returning to place all the drinks onto a round platter and carefully picking it up into your hands.

You gently gestured towards the table, carefully manoeuvring around the other empty chairs with Chorosuke on your heels. You felt a bubble of nerves settle in the pit of your stomach as you approached the others once more, but you pushed it down in favour of leaning between Karatsugu and Takashi to place the tray on the table.

"Damn it, I knew I should've sat there..." Ozo grumbled to himself, then yelped as Hajime kicked his shin from under the table.

"I hope you enjoy your drinks," you politely said, bowing briefly before moving away. There was a chorus of 'thank you's and compliments thrown your way as you made your way back over to the bar.

You brought a hand up to massage the back of your neck, wanting to rub away the stress before it got too heavy on your shoulders. As you did so, you caught the eye of the lead singer up on stage, Totoko, who was preparing herself for the next song as the heavy bass intro began. You saw her raise a brow, her eyes flitting between you and the group, and you blushed.

'This isn't what it looks like!' You screamed internally, mortified by what she could be thinking of you, and you were sure you wouldn't get a response back as she just continued performing.

Hugging the flowers to your chest, you attempted (quite poorly, if you were being honest) to hide your flushed cheeks and pouty lips from the man before you, stuffing the lower half of your face into the petals and taking a deep breath. You couldn't deny the heavenly smell of the blossoms, your vision now slightly obscured by a mesh of various blue hues, the colour that you could only now associate with one person.

Karamatsu couldn't help but to watch you in silence, his dark eyes admiring the way your petite hands clasped themselves around the cut stems, your shoulders and clavicle exposed to the soft light filtering into the small space your dress, though now they were covered in dainty petals as you pressed the bouquet closer to yourself. His mind began to fill with all sorts of ways to describe your elegance and beauty, wanting to remove the white cloth covering his fingers so that he could run his bare fingers over your skin and tresses.

Clearing his throat quietly, he rid his mind of these thoughts as best as he could and licked his slightly dried lips, preparing himself to speak.

"Princess--"

"You--"

The both of you froze, Karamatsu's cheeks darkening at the sound of your voice chiming in alongside his, as did yours, though you were grateful you had the flowers so that he couldn't see this. With a small gesture of his hand, the prince urged you to speak first, to which you shifted uncomfortably in your place, eyes stuck on the flowers bunched in your hands.

"...You didn't need to bring a gift to speak with me, you know," you began quietly, the usual bite behind your words gone as you avoided your original sentence for the time being. "We're not the kind of royals who demand items in exchange for words."

"I am aware," Karamatsu smiled softly, hoping it would encourage you to keep talking with him the way you were doing so now. "Even so, I felt it was necessary if I am to convey these words to you."

"Which are...?" Oddly, your heart began to thud against your chest in anticipation, watching the way his hand moved to run lightly over his coloured streaks of hair before settling it over his chest, looking into your eyes with his rich brown orbs.

"I would like to become closer with you."

The words tumbling from his lips left you in surprise, eyes widening as he continued.

"The same way we did that day we travelled through the forest on horseback, I wish to do that again with you. I must admit, it felt nice to be able to bond with someone after facing so much rejection from other royals I have briefly acquainted..." A quiet huff of laughter left him at that.

"However, I understand that you do not wish to go through with this engagement, and I do not want to force you into yet another unfortunate circumstance," His words became softer, the smile on his lips becoming solemn at its corners as he lowered his gaze, hand pressing firmer against his chest. "So, even if we do not become close as husband and wife, then at the very least, having you as a friend would still warm my heart nonetheless."

Though his heart ached, he knew it would be for the best. Cutting things off earlier into whatever relationship the two of you had begun to form would be much easier, even if it was still painful for Karamatsu to do such a thing. Truthfully, he didn't want to leave, he didn't want to have to give up on you, but if it was something you wanted, he couldn't force anything. Love and friendship are delicate things, preciously moulded by the hands of those who are willing to move forward, and you...

"I don't want you to leave."

Karamatsu's head snapped up, mouth slightly agape as he questioned whether he had heard you correctly, or if he had imagined your words. The crimson staining the tips of your ears and dusting your shoulders told him otherwise. You couldn't meet his eyes, pointing them down towards the few books still laying open and your eyes catching onto the delicately coloured sketch of a baby pink larkspur, the layers bunching together like the skirt of a ball gown.

"I don't... want you to leave," you breathed, squeezing your eyes shut in hopes that it would help you concentrate on what you were saying and not on Karamatsu's twinkling eyes. "I'm sure you've realised this by now, but I'm not used to having such conversations anyone, not even my own parents... Vulnerability has made me weak in the past, and now I believe that becoming hostile towards others is just second nature to me."

A small lull in your voice came and went, ears sensitive to his quiet breaths, and you wondered if he was even breathing at all as he hung onto your every word.

"I know I can't hide away like this forever. I look like more of a coward than anything else, at this point," you sighed. "I know I don't deserve it, but if... if you could..."

This feeling inside of you was so foreign to you. It made you hesitant, made you scared, made you want to back out at the last possible moment, but you knew if you did such a thing you wouldn't get a chance like this ever again - and that thought hurt you more than you thought it would. Swallowing your shallow pride, you forced the words out of your mouth, ignoring that snide voice in the back of your mind telling you to give up already.

"If you could find it in yourself to forgive me for my actions... for what I've said to you... then maybe we could start this over. I want to be patient with you, the same way you have been patient with me."

"... As friends?"

Karamatsu may have been too hopeful, but he wanted to hear it from you nonetheless.

"... Wherever it goes, I don't think I would mind as much." You tried to stay nonchalant about it, though the sudden flush of heat over your skin at the sight of Karamatsu's broad and genuine smile made you fumble, and once you locked eyes, neither of you could bring yourselves to look away. Feeling bold, the prince raised both of his hands and placed them around your own, surrounding them with warmth, the sensation of his gloves brushing against your skin sending a shiver up your spine.

"Thank you, princess." He breathed quietly, the soothing baritone of his voice low for your ears only.

"F-For what?" you responded just the same, the fragrance of hydrangeas now surrounding you both, intoxicatingly sweet.

Your thoughts were cut short as you felt a sharp knock reverberate through the wooden table your arms were resting upon. With a slight jolt, you looked over to your left, seeing the familiar figure from your thoughts. It was your older brother, standing there with a knowing smile. Your face immediately lit up, eyeing him briefly before settling on the item in his hand.

"Chocolate and vanilla swirl sundae," he spoke, quickly signing along with his hands as you practically snatched the dessert from his palm. "With extra whipped cream to top it all off!"

A small hum of delight wormed it's way past your lips as you took a large mouthful from the top of the glass. You gave him an exaggerated thumbs up before delving back into your food, your feet swinging slightly under the table.

It had been so long since you had last got together with your brother like this, at your favourite location with your favourite sweet delicacy. He hadn't been able to get a break from work for a while, but now that he had finally come back to you for the weekend, even if it was a short while, you were determined to spend the long hours of the summer weekend as catch up as much as you could.

A gentle tap to your knuckles brought your attention away from your sundae and to your brother, who had settled into the seat across from you. With a warm but hesitant smile, he began moving his hands along with his lips clearly for you to see.

"So... It's been a little hectic around Akatsuka lately, hasn't it?"

You suckled on your spoon as you thought for a moment, staring at him, before placing it back into the glass and shaking your head with a hard stare.

'No, Haru. We are not having this conversation. Again.'

"No, no, wait! Just this once, please? It's serious!" Haru pleaded, clasping his hands in front of him as he leaned in slightly closer. When you didn't respond, he reached into his back pocket to take out his phone. He scrolled through it for a moment before pausing, turning the screen towards you.

You squinted your eyes slightly as a long article popped onto the screen. The title was in large bold and black lettering, saying:

'PHANTOM THIEVES STRIKE AGAIN!'

There was a picture beside it, although it was very blurry. You could barely make out the humanoid figure running off into a dark and shady alley, a brief streak of purple followed by a cat covered by darkness darting behind it.

Skimming over the articles paragraphs, you slumped back into your seat with a roll of your eyes.

'Haru, these articles are just full of crap and you know it.'

"No, they aren't!" Haru's brows creased with worry as he placed his phone back down. "There are six of these guys that have been spotted all over Akatsuka, and one of them showed up only a few miles away from where you live!"

You only shrugged again, going back to eating your sundae.

"You don't honestly think that they are good people, do you?" Haru pushed, moving into your line of sight. "They've stolen so many valuable items already! What if they do something to you, and I'm not there?"

'As if I have anything valuable in my tiny apartment,' you shook your head. 'I bet they'd take one look through the window and then leave. I've got nothing to worry about.'

"That's not the point," Haru ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "I don't live here in Akatsuka anymore, neither do mom and dad. No one is here to protect you while you're alone like this."

'I'm not alone...'

"The stray cats that follow you around don't count in this conversation." Haru paused as he watched a ginger cat walk up the window and sit patiently by it, watching you with its large eyes marked with greyish fur as it waited for you to come outside. With a rub to his forehead, Haru continued.

"Look, just... come live with me, okay? You know I have my own house, and even with Ei moving in, we still have a spare bedroom for you. It'll be safer for you over there."

'First of all,' you glared at your brother. 'I can't do that to you and Ei, your fiancé.' You emphasised the word with the harsh tapping of your fingers against your skin. Haru opened his mouth to retort, his hands following close behind, but you continued.

'Second of all, I don't want to leave! I know you guys are all far away from me now, but I'm not completely alone. And I'm not talking about the cats. I do have real friends, but I don't want to just up and leave this place. I like it here far better than where you're living.'

Haru paused, a look of guilt on his face as his shoulders fell.

"I..."

'Trust me, Haru. I'll be fine! I promise. And you know I don't break those.' With your final input, you signed for him to just drop the topic, wanting to enjoy your scrumptious dessert without the sugar tasting bitter on your tongue. Your brother allowed you to do so with a small nod, resting his chin on his palm as he watched you. Slowly but surely, your food disappeared from the large glass, leaving only streaks of cream running up and down the inner surface.

The two of you stood up from your seats, Haru leading you out of the cafe with his hands stuffed into his jean pockets, although you could still see a faint outline of his hands twitching against the fabric, knowing he was still anxiously thinking of your previous conversation.

You felt a sudden brush against your left leg, and you glanced down with a small jolt to see the ginger cat had come to greet you. You huffed, a smile on your lips as you briefly bent down to scratch behind the feline's ears before standing upright. You caught Haru's eyes, grinning wider as he pouted in jealousy at the attention you were given from the stray.

'You can pet them, you know.' You told him as you walked past, you now taking the lead as you strolled back to your apartment.

"As if. My allergies would kill me..." Haru grumbled under his breath, making sure to walk on the other side of you so as to keep a distance between him and the cat, who was still following at your heels, briefly nudging against your ankles every now and then with a chirp.

When you finally reached your home, you decided to wait outside as Haru went in, taking the elevator up to your floor, taking your keys with him. After a few moments, he re-emerged with a suitcase and duffle bag in hand, tossing you your keys as he rummaged through his own pockets for a different set. Your smile that had appeared whilst you pet the stray ginger cat gradually disappeared as you watched your older brother place his bags into the back of his car, closing the trunk with a shove.

'...Do you have to go so early?' You tugged his shirt sleeve. 'At least stay for dinner?'

"You know I've got work tomorrow," He smiled apologetically, "If I want to sleep before then, I should get going now instead of later. Besides, Ei's waiting for me. You know how she gets when I change plans on her so suddenly."

You lowered your head in defeat. The wind rustled past as you felt a pair of warm arms wrap around you, pulling you into his chest, and you gladly returned the hug, holding him for as long and as tight as you could. You felt a deep rumble travel across his chest and you reluctantly moved back to see what he said.

"My offer still stands... But I know you're not going to say 'yes' right now," Haru chuckled at you souring expression. "Our door is open for you, always. Just say the word and I'll come get you, okay?" You nodded, releasing him and already missing his warmth as he clambered into the driver's seat. You saw the car vibrate the slightest bit as the engine came on, and a window lowered so Haru could pop his head out. His bright smile reached his eyes, twinkling as he held a hand out for you.

With a roll of your eyes, you stepped forward, a grin crossing back onto your face as you performed a series of handshakes before ending it with a quick rock-paper-scissors match, laughing quietly as you easily won. Haru threw his head back as he laughed along, sending a goodbye your way before he set off, sticking his arm out the window to continue waving, you doing the same until he disappeared around the corner, the bright yellow of his car no longer in sight.

You stood there for a moment longer, staring at the corner he had hidden behind, the smile on your lips slipping away the longer you stood there. You only snapped out of it when you felt the familiar brush of fur on your ankles, and with a heavy sigh, you turned to head back to your apartment, keeping your eyes pointed to the floor as the elevator doors closed.

Standing in your small home, you could already feel the heavy emotion of missing your sibling as you looked around, finding small reminders of him being there once again by the simple shift in placement of the cushions on your couch, or the crumbs of bread by the toaster which he had used for breakfast that morning. He had visited countless times, stayed many nights, and yet him leaving was always just as painful as the first time.

You shook your head, running a hand through your hair as you straightened the cushions before sitting on the couch yourself, switching the TV on. You knew he hadn't actually said goodbye. It was always a 'see you later', and you always did see him again eventually. You knew you didn't have to get upset over it, you knew it was a childish thing to do. You could even text or call him right there and then, and he would answer straight away. There was nothing to worry about, and yet, the worry stayed all the same.

You could feel your food from earlier churn and twist in your stomach uncomfortably, a sick feeling crawling up your throat as you fidgeted in your seat. Now was not the time, you angrily told yourself, and you desperately began distracting yourself with random YouTube videos, trying to get yourself comfy by changing into your pyjamas. You startled as you felt a heavy pressure suddenly fall onto your lap, looking down to find the stray cat had followed you inside. You allowed it to get comfortable, running your fingers through its fur gently, finding its fur to be surprisingly clean.

The day steadily turned to night as you spent the rest of your day indoors, ordering takeout when you got hungry and only getting up to feed the stray some cat food that you had kept in your home out of habit, now. A bright light flashed in your living room, startling you briefly as you paused your movie and went to the door, cash in hand. Bowing politely to the delivery guy, you brought your food inside after making sure your door was locked, sighing with content as you took a bite out of the warm food.

You allowed the cat to steal a few bites before shooing it away playfully, huffs of laughter leaving you as it stared up at you with wide and pleading eyes. A sudden buzz from your thigh caught your attention, and you quickly wiped your fingers with a tissue before taking your phone out of your pocket, finding that it was Haru who had texted you.

---

[20:44] cat allergy

heyy, just got home. did u eat yet?

---

You tapped away at your screen, catching the cat out of the corner of your eyes begin to slink away towards the door.

---

[20:44]

yup, just finished. took u that long to get home this time?

[20:46] cat allergy

nah, soon as I got home I had to go run a lot of errands, and there was loads of traffic. apparently some kind of traffic accident happened so the roads were blocked, but its all cleared up now.

u btter not have gotten more takeout! >:(

[20:47]

;)

---

You chuckled cheekily as you switched your phone off, ending the conversation there. Standing up, you noticed the cat was now pawing quite cutely at the door, its mouth opening and closing in what you assumed to be a 'meow', and you got the message. You slipped on a pair of black sandals and threw on your jacket over your pyjama top, grabbing your keys and unlocking your door. The cat immediately exited your apartment, and you locked your door again before leading it towards the elevator and pressing the button for the ground floor.

Upon reaching it, the cat practically dashed for the exit, and you had to jog just to reach the doors quicker and push it open. It passed the threshold, the light illuminating from the lobby of the building making the fur of the cat glow. It turned to stare at you, tail high in the air, as if expecting something. Curiously raising a brow, you took a step forward, and to your surprise, the cat took a few more steps before stopping, turning to look at you again.

You repeated this motion until you were standing completely out on the empty street. Looking up and down the sidewalk, you stared up at your apartment complex before turning back to the cat, who was still waiting for you. It obviously wanted you to follow it, that much you gathered, but why? And to where, this late at night? It would be dangerous and - as your brother would say - incredibly stupid of you if you started following a stray cat to who-knows-where.

But what was life without a little mystery?

With a grin, you followed behind the cat, who led you down twisting roads and pathways, between bushes and over small fences, your grin growing wider as excitement fluttered through your system. Eventually, it led you to a dark alleyway. You paused at the entrance, eyeing the cat who had once again turned to you, its mouth opening and waving one of its paws as if it were beckoning you.

'This is crazy...' you thought to yourself as you inched down the alleyway, barely able to see the cat, and it was then that you realised how useful the flashlight on your phone would have been if you had brought it with you. Nevertheless, you were still grinning like a child, your nerves turning into adrenaline and pushing you onward.

Deeper and deeper you went into the steadily thinning space, to the point where you had to start side-stepping down the corridor, pressing your back against the wall that you prayed was at least decently clean, eyes trained on the moving blob in front of you. You glanced up from the ground and, to your pleasant surprise, there seemed to be a light at the end of the cramped space, which wasn't too far away. You could also feel a breeze begin to pick up, steadily becoming stronger as you reached the opening. There was a hum in the air, vibrating against the ground and traversing through your body, goose bumps prickling your skin.

The light blinded you momentarily when you finally reached the end, the wind now harsh and whipping your hair and clothes around. You raised your arms up to shield your face, but when you opened your eyes, you were not prepared for what was in front of you.

It was... some kind of flying contraption. Not a helicopter, nor a hot air balloon. This was more steampunk, with its mechanical gears and tubes exposed and a giant fan attached to the back, whirring away and being the source of the wind that was wafting violently around you. All of it was built around a single seat with a light on the front acting as a headlight, and in that seat sat a figure dressed in a black suit and cape, a top hat over his dark hair and half of a golden cat mask over his left eye.

You stared at him, and he stared at you, wide eyed and mouth slightly agape, and if it wasn't so dark, you would have been able to see the deep blush on his cheeks, and he would have been able to see yours.

Staring into his eyes, in that moment, if only for a moment, it felt... magical. There was a feeling within you that you couldn't describe, only feel. You could feel it buzz in your chest and fill you with warmth. You could feel your heart begin to thump faster against your skin. You could feel everything.

However, just as quickly as that moment started, it was over when the ginger cat who had led you there in the first place jumped into the man's lap, snapping him out of his daze. He sent you one last look before lowering his top hat over his eyes and pulling a lever to his left, and the machine lifted off into the sky, leaving you to stand in the small clearing as you watched in awe as they literally flew away into the night.

You placed a hand over your heart, feeling it thrumming faster now.

The stars above you seemed to twinkle brighter than they ever have before.