In This Harsh World [DDLC - Natsuki x Yuri]

Chapter VI

Within seconds, Natsuki easily discovers that Yuri's parents are not exactly supportive of gay rights. To be honest, she doubts Yuri even knew how they felt. This exchange was so vehement. Yuri had tears in her eyes. Had she never yelled at her parents before? Had they never yelled at her?

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT! I LOVE HER!!" Yuri cried.

"OH, NONE OF THIS 'I DON'T UNDERSTAND' BULLSHIT! I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY!! I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT OKAY!!" Her father yelled back.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A THING!! NATSUKI IS MY EVERYTHING!!" Yuri shouts before pulling Natsuki into a brief kiss for emphasis. Her father stares in disbelief.

"How fucking dare you... in my presence..." He says, his tone lowered. "Get the fuck out of my house..."

"D-dad..."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "YOU'RE NOT FUCKING ALLOWED IN MY HOUSEHOLD ANYMORE!"

Yuri is about to burst into tears. She and Natsuki run out of the house. They make it down a couple of blocks before they sit down. As soon as they do, Yuri starts uncontrollably sobbing.

"Y-Yuri... we're going to be okay..." Natsuki says.

"Natsuki... no we're not... we're homeless... I... I don't know what to do..." Yuri manages to get out between sobs.

"Yuri..." Natsuki comforts her by hugging her as she sobs. "We can go stay with Monika... I'm sure she'll understand..."

Yuri stops crying for just a second. "Y-You're right... we... we should go to Monika's house... it's our best bet..."

Yuri had known Monika's address for some time now, she simply considered it normal for friends to have one another's address. Never did she think she would be using it like this though.

Nasuki, despite being the smaller of the two, was responsible for propping up Yuri, whose knees were weak due to her continued weeping. The mess of Yuri's head was filled with terror and dread as she struggled to come to terms with the idea that she was now homeless - the very word made her shudder. Natsuki, however, made an effort to put up a brave face, despite the fact that she herself was an escapee from an abusive household. The tearful face she put on to comfort Yuri was the one that first spotted Monika's house.

"Y-Yuri, we're almost there..." she said, struggling to maintain the calm in her voice. Yuri herself had given up all hopes of being calm, instead continuing to release all her emotions in a fit of sorrowful weeping. But as the couple approached Monika's door, she sniffled and held it in, if for just a moment, to save face in front of she who would become their savior.

Three swift knocks were all Natsuki would place on the front door, and within moments Monika, clad in a casual button-up dress, answered her door.

"Natsuki? Yuri? What on earth happened to the two of you?" She said after one good look at the pair.

"W..." Natsuki began a sentence, but had to swallow to hold in her tears. Speaking of it made it only so much worse.

"W... We've been... We've been kicked out of our homes... I-I ran away from my dad, a-and Yuri's parents didn't approve of our relationship..." She said.

"M-Monika..." Yuri began. "P-P... Please let us s-stay with you..."

"Of course, of course!" Monika said, opening the door wide to let the two in. Yuri stumbled in, and after a few steps, collapsed on the floor.

"Yuri!" Natsuki yelled, rushing down to her love's side. "S-She's unconscious! Y-Yuri, a-are you alright?!"

Yuri faintly turned her head to face Natsuki. "T... Tired..." she said.

"She must be exhausted from all that's happened." Monika interjected. "We should get her to sleep, there's a guest bedroom upstairs."

Going through with this idea, Monika and Natsuki carried Yuri upstairs, placing her in the guest bed. Natsuki, closer now than ever to tears, flopped onto the bed herself, latching on to Yuri and crying lightly into her shoulder. Monika looked at the couple for a few seconds before exiting the room and closing the door. Natsuki gradually fell to sleep, repeating:

"Yuri, Yuri I love you, I want to be with you forever, I love you so much..."