Sign up for role playing and creative writing with friends

Natsuo let his eyes fall shut as he heard Mark's voice, soft and careful. He knew what the other male was saying was true, but only in his own mind and his intentions. There was really no way that Mark could prevent things from hurting the raven haired male. Things would always hurt him, just as things would always hurt Mark, and everyone else on the planet. There would never be an escape from hurt, because in order to appreciate happiness you must first feel pain. But he wasn't going to say it, not then. He knew that, since Mark was older and wiser than he, that he probably already knew that. And Natsuo also knew that the brunet was doing his best to try and comfort him. And he appreciated it...it meant so much to him. But he just didn't know how to say it.

Moving slightly closer as Mark pulled him close, Natsuo kept his head on his pillow still, though the distance between the two young men had decreased. The raven haired male sighed deeply, glancing up at the brunet beside him, then letting his eyelids fall back over his glazing eyes. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Probably mentally, too. He didn't know what he was going to do tomorrow; how the day would go. Sean had gotten away, which meant he was still out there somewhere. He might even come back to the apartment. Though Natsuo doubted he'd do so tonight, or even the next few nights. Now that he'd seen Mark as a true threat, and not just a simple barrier between him and his younger brother, Sean would surely recalculate the situation.

But Natsuo knew he wouldn't stay away for long.

Mark smiled a little at him and nodded slightly to make sure the other knew he understood. He took a deep breath to wake up a little more but it only made him slightly more sleepy. It was the middle of the night still. He let his eyes close as he felt the other move up as the bed shifted. All the weight of the other focused on one spot. He looked down as Hunter made himself comfortable there again and curled up after stretching.

Looking back to Nat he hummed a question of what without saying much of anything. He waited for an answer as he adjusted himself on the bed. When the boy admitted he was scared he finished situating himself and then looked at Natsuo. He was going to ask if it was because of today but he wasn’t going to. He sighed a little and reached over to rub the others shoulder. (b “I know.”) He said simply. (b “I’m not going to let anything hurt you anymore.”) Tempted to pull the boy closer to him like he had days before he debated it in his mind as he brushed the boy’s hair out of his face. Mark didn’t like seeing him like that. He eventually did wrap his arms around the boy and just hold him close. (b “I promise Natsuo.”)

[Sorry mine's short too >.<]

Natsuo offered a small smile to Mark when he opened his eyes and greeted him softly. He nodded. (#780ced "I'm okay now.") he said, his voice quiet. (#780ced "Thank you.") he said softly, huddling his knees up closer to his stomach under the blankets. It was comforting to know that nothing would be able to grab his ankles from the end of the bed. Thinking of that, though, made him feel like a little kid. It wasn't possible for anything to reach up and grab him, because there was nothing under the bed. Sean wouldn't be hiding under the bed. He took off hours and hours ago.

But this thought process was making Natsuo feel more and more like a child. Thinking these things, and then trying to convince himself that it wasn't true, even when he (i knew) it wasn't. He closed his eyes and let his hair fall over his face. (#780ced "Mark.") he whispered, tightening his grip on the blankets that draped across his shoulders, and over Mark's. (#780ced "I'm scared.") he admitted. Though he was sure that the brunet laying beside him already knew. How could he not, after everything that had happened that day? He was actually even surprised that he'd slept at all.

[Sorry it's so short D:]

Mark couldn’t exactly sleep easy, he was out cold sleeping with Nat beside him. The dip in the mattress and the warmth radiating from his feet and his side told him that the teen was still there. It made him more relaxed. He didn’t like seeing Natsuo scared like that, he never wanted to see him look like that. The brunet only wanted to protect the boy, and now he was worried to leave him alone. He would look into another apartment... but he wanted to see if Nat actually wanted to move, or if he wanted to just stay here. It was hardly a month till Christmas and everything seemed to not be working as it should, or as much as a good family could.

He couldn’t think that. They weren’t family, and he was sure Nat didn’t want to see him as a brother or a father. That left them as friends. Who looked out for each other and lived together. Made enough sense right? He sighed in his sleep feeling the male beside him move and a soft yelp from his pup. The warmth had gotten closer. He opened his eyes a little after everything had settled and found the male looking up at him. He took another deep breath to wake him up a little more before muttering a soft (b “Hey.”) at the boy. Keeping his head on his arm, which rested on the pillow giving a bit more support to his neck he watched the violet in color eyes look at him. (b “Everything alright?”)

[I'm sorry it took so long!! I'm sorry its so short >.<]

Natsuo woke up slowly. Turning over onto his side, onto his back, onto his stomach, onto his other side…repeating the process. Several times. Surprisingly enough, he'd stayed in a sate of mental unawareness to his surroundings, and even to himself. Almost as if his brain was in a sort of…twilight, like when the sky was caught between night and day. How his brain was caught between sleep and waking. When he finally did open his eyes, it was to a shuffling weight around the mattress, on top of the blankets, pulling them away from him. He cracked his eyelids to find Hunter crawling around, trying to get comfortable with the other two men on the bed with him. As he slide around on top of the covers, Natsuo huddled closer to the sleeping Mark beside him, trying to work his way under the blankets that hadn't been stolen by the sleepy pup.

After a couple more moments like that, Natsuo grumbled to himself and reached over to pull the blankets back toward him. Hunter gave a soft grunt of surprise, obviously having not known the raven haired male was awake, before settling back down on the mattress. Natsuo shook his head, though made no movement away from the sleeping brunet beside him. He looked up into his sleeping face, watching as he breathed softly in sleep. Natsuo could remember the events of the day before, but he still felt sort of…numb. His brain had decided to lock it all out, but the memory couldn't be completely dissolved. The one thing he remembered clearest, was Mark. And the look on his face. The shock and the horror of him finding Sean on top of Natsuo, the despair, worry, and self-loathing after his brother had left the apartment. He could remember very clearly the look on Mark's face. And it was the one he wished to forget the most.

Mark looked over hearing Natsuo move and found the boy burying himself deeper under the covers. He smiled lightly and turned the page reading a book that only made sense if you had complete focus on what was happening in the book itself. He continued to read through it.
(i The forest spoke to the man filled with life and power. “You must go into the deepest part of our trees, bring nothing, leave nothing when you come but in the clearest part to the east.” The traveler seemed not to understand, though his form not human, though his body not fully matured. He spoke back to the old oak who owned the wood. “But how can that be so. I cannot leave something if I do not take something.” He almost seemed to be at a loss, but he refused to give up a fight. “Return here tomorrow at the wake of the sun, begin your journey for the cycles of the moon.”)

Eventually Mark got lost, the book was called Fire Bringer, it was a strange book and he had gotten in thinking it would be... different than it was. But it was about nothing of what he thought. The copy he had gotten was not one with an explanation or summary of the story only something to catch the eye. No wonder. Mark needed something to occupy his mind so this little story would do until Nat woke up. He looked over at that thought, seeing the young man snuggled up close to himself under the covers, he seemed calm and at peace at the moment. He hoped he would wake up and not remember what had happened that morning... if that was possible. He put the book to the side and took off his glasses, turned off the side lamp and laid on top of the covers, deciding to take a nap for now...

Vaguely, Natsuo felt the weight beneath him, as well as his own, being shifted on the couch. He could barely feel Mark moving, lifting him up, but he was still ever so slightly conscious of it. The lack of cushions beneath him, Natsuo cracked his eyes open slightly. He was in the hallway, being carried. He felt weightless, and so comfortable. He nuzzled his cheek into Mark's chest as he let his eyes fall closed again, his fingers lightly gripping at the shirt the brunet was wearing. In a matter of minutes, he felt his weightlessness end as he was placed on the cushiony surface of the mattress. He rolled over onto his side, his back to the other male as the light was turned on, and sleepily pulled the blankets over himself.

In seconds, Natsuo lost his thoughts and sense of reality as he fell back asleep, snuggled comfortably beneath the blankets. He let himself slip away again as he tried to hide his face from the light Mark was using to read, and it wasn't very hard at all. His mind began to cloud over, and reality slipped away from his mind. Everything was gone, as Natsuo found himself in a dreamless sleep. Which was probably for the best, after everything that had happened that day already.

Mark looked down as the other rolled over and faced into his stomach, he watched the other grip onto his shirt and nuzzle into him. He couldn’t help but smile. He positioned his arm balanced on the arm of the couch and leaned his head on it, while with the other he ran his fingers through the soft strands. He watched him carefully as he continued to try and keep the boy calm with the movement through his hair, soon enough it seemed he drifted off.

Soon enough Mark was beginning to feel tired as well. Not wanting to move the boy and change how they were at the moment. It was comfortable, calming. He ran a hand through his hair. Carefully he looked over to the dog on the floor and smiled to the boy. Resting his head again against his hand he kept to himself for the most part this time. Mark smiled to himself, sighing quietly, he looked at how the man sleeping on his lap was curled up comfortably.

He shook his head now and carefully lifted the man from the couch into his lap, but he didn’t move much after that, enjoying the warm position of the boy now on his lap. Shaking his head again and then moved to stand with the boy in his arms’ wrapped up in the blankets.

Laying him down on the bed, he’d been tied to before he would feel bad if he just left him there. So sitting on the edge of the bed he watched the boy before getting a book he’d bought from the book store, when he’d gone with the boy. Shaking his head he sat back against the headboard of the bed and opened the book to read.

Natsuo could feel Hunter shifted in his position, probably moving to cover Mark's feet completely. He could hear the pup's panting begin to settle as he relaxed, and his own breathing started to do so as well. Natsuo could also feel Mark relaxing against him, slouching slightly in his seat. The raven haired male turned over and pressed his face into the brunet's stomach. He gripped the end of his shirt softly, nuzzling his face into the male's lower abdomen comfortably. His mind still blurry, he hardly realized what he was doing, only that he was becoming extremely comfortable, and that the action was making him far more relaxed.

As he slowly drifted off, Natsuo's mind began to drift even further away from reality. But, this time, his thoughts weren't searching through the deepest parts of his repressed thoughts. instead, they were straying to things he hadn't thought of before...well, not really. They were things he'd imagined for only mere seconds when they had first originally occurred to him. Things like having close friends, instead of just the superficial kind who he couldn't bring home because, well...he didn't really have one. Things like family Christmas dinners and annual birthday parties with the same people. Things like finding a place to belong, where he fit in perfectly.

With that thought, came in a new one; adoption. Why had it never happened before Sean? Why had none of the families he'd ever stayed with really wanted him? Had it been because of Sean? But what about his foster families after Sean was out of the system, and it was just Natsuo? And then...Mark. What about him? Would he ever want to be a family with him? What about if the brunet ever wanted to adopt Natsuo? What if he decided that they should make it official? But...he didn't like it. The thought of being adopted by Mark...of being his (i son)...it made his stomach turn and his chest tighten. It would be another barrier between them...but why?

Mark noticed a slightly scared look on the others face then it went away. Nodding lightly he watched the other for a moment before he went to his side and laid across his lap. At first the brunet wondered if something was wrong, but then he smiled at the boy’s words. (b “Sure...”) He whispered back and reached on the end of the couch and pulled a blanket over, laying it over Nat as his eyes were closed. His glasses reflecting what little light there was in the room. Hunter laid on the floor over his feet. This was what family was supposed to be like, right?

After a few minutes Mark reached down and ran his fingers through the boy’s hair, silky and soft. If Sean hadn’t come then maybe this wouldn’t be as painful, knowing the boy was scared, knowing he wasn’t comfortable really. Later this might be a little less painful but he wanted the boy, now seemingly tired, laying on his lap, to feel comfortable now, to not be scared and worried about something happening again. But...... this might last a couple days till he was able to completely return to normal. Till he was able to not be worried about anything happening, but with them going to look at a new place tomorrow, maybe moving and not coming back here would be better. They’d be able to have their little Christmas away from anything that went wrong...

Natsuo's brain registered that Mark had returned from outside, that the door had been closed and locked shut, that Hunter was relaxing and the older male was now sitting on the couch beside him. But, he only actually (i realized) when Mark began to speak. At first, after hearing the question, Natsuo thought Mark meant for him to leave. To move out, get his own place, live alone. That he was finally kicking him out. That Sean had been the turning point to his staying with the brunet, and now he needed to be gone. To disappear. And not come back. It struck as a huge relief when Mark said otherwise, and Natsuo realized that his brain was taking over (i too) much, and he really couldn't think straight.

He brought a hand up and pushed against one of his temples as he closed his eyes, before answering, (#780ced "That's fine. We can go.") It was simple, and the words were small, quite, and plain. He couldn't really think of anything to say. After a moment, Natsuo turned and lay down across Mark's lap. He rested his head on his thigh and let his eyes fall shut, his bangs falling across his face. Mark's warmth, his scent...it calmed him down. It made him sleepy. He wanted to sleep...wanted to sleep with Mark. To just soak up his warmth and lay next to him and sleep. Like they always did. (#780ced "Let me stay like this.") he whispered, his voice small in the large room. Hunter's ear twitched, and he glanced over at the male lying down, though didn't do anything. Natsuo kept his eyes closed.

Mark blinked and then asked a couple questions, everything matched up. (blue “Call off the missing person’s case too. The woman called again and we actually got an apartment out of her, it was Sean’s so I’m guessing whoever was stuck there was killed already or he ran away out of fear. Either way we have people going there now for clues.”) Mark nodded slowly.

(b “Thanks. I have to get back inside.”)

(blue “Alright, see you tomorrow afternoon then, or do you want to go look at the apartment.”)

(b “We’ll see. I’ll call you tomorrow.”) the man nodded and drove away.

Going back inside he shook his head of the new snow fallen in his hair, Hunter whined to his owner and he smiled at the boy and the pup walking over after taking his coat of and then sitting beside him putting a hand on the dog’s head.

He leaned back into the couch and looked at Nat. (b “How do you feel about moving?”) he asked quietly waiting for a minute to let it set in. (b “My boss drove by and gave me an apartment to look at, its bigger so you’d have your own room and its more security.”) He said smiling lightly, trying to get both their minds off Nat’s brother. But when it didn’t seem to work he sighed and stared at the television before them. (b “They caught him...”) He said. (b “He’s in one of the cells at the police station.”) He added on his eyes solid, there was no waver, he just told how it was.

He didn’t need to worry about Sean anymore. He didn’t have to be scared of that…

Natsuo didn't move as he heard the male in front of the door speak again. He listened as Mark's footsteps left the bathroom door, padding down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen. Natsuo could smell the scent of dough and melted butter, and it made his stomach growl. Still, he didn't move. He felt like if he ate something - anything, no matter how heavy or light, small or large - that he'd end up throwing it up within minutes of eating it. With a sigh, he leaned his forehead against his knee caps again. It wasn't like he was dealing with it alone, or even like he was dealing with it at all. He was trying his best (i not) to deal with it, actually. Trying to push everything that had happened over the last few hours into the very back of his mind, into one of those boxes that he would forget about and never open again. He didn't want to deal with this; didn't want to think about it.

After a while, Natsuo did eventually emerge from the bathroom. He walked into the living room, bare feet padding softly across the hardwood. Mark was clearly not in the apartment, but his mind felt to foggy to notice. Sitting down on the couch, Natsuo pulled his knees up to his chest again as he sank into the plush cushions. Hunter trotted over to him, his tail paused from wagging as he checked over the raven haired male. The pup didn't bark, didn't whine...he just sat beside the male, at attention, facing the door. Waiting for Mark to return, but ready if Sean did instead. Still, Natsuo barely noticed as he stared out the window across the room, watching as a new sheet of snow began to take to the ground.

Mark sighed and shook his head as Hunter trotted over to him. (b “You need to eat something.”) He said quietly trying to get him to come out. (b “And it won’t help you sitting in there. You don’t have to deal with this alone.”) He said before turning away from the door and walking down the hallway, eating quickly, only taking a couple minutes to finish his own, then he took the mug and leaned against the wall, he didn’t feel like sitting, he needed to act as quickly as possible.

Reaching up with one hand warmed by the mug, he ran it through his own hair. (i Nothing ever ends like a fairy tail.) A voice said in his head, an old voice one he no longer heard. (i Nothing ever goes as planned, yet in the end, we all die the same way, with some kind of regret...) He sighed and watched the dog laying in front of the door to the apartment, staring at the door. He couldn’t take his eyes off the pup. His eyes started hurting after a while and he set the mug down and went to get his glasses. Sliding open the drawer they were in he pulled them out and put them on and everything cleared up. It made everything seem simpler but this was not simple at all.

His phone buzzed and his boss was outside the apartment. He quickly grabbed his jacket and headed outside. (blue “Mark, good to see you’re here still.”) Mark nodded. (b “Our agency thinks you should move from this apartment. Now that you have someone else staying here you should get a bigger place.”) He said

Mark raised a brow. (b “Alright. Where do you have in mind?”)

(blue “Its not far but it’s a lot more security so this wouldn’t happen again.”) Mark nodded again slowly and opened his mouth only to be cut off. (blue “Yes they allow dogs.”) Mark closed his mouth and nodded.

(b “Well... that question is no longer an issue.”)

His boss chuckled. (blue “Here’s the place, we don’t need our top detective in danger of being robbed of the cases.”) Mark nodded taking the folder. (blue “Also...”) Mark looked up. (blue “We found him.”)