Nobody Owns a Cat

Playing Cat and Mouse

Nao slowly picks up the strange looking brown jumper. It had to be Kanato's doing as he seemed to like cute stuff like this. Isn't it a little strange to put a male in it though? It would suit Yui better. He sighs as he has no choice but to put it on. The boy gratefully slips out of the heavy dress and decides to ditch the women's underwear, even though the little monster didn't give him any replacement. The thought of wearing that uncomfortable thing anymore was unbearable.

He steps into the puffy short part of the outfit and pulls it over his hips before slipping on the long sleeve white shirt. It was too big, so he rolled the sleeves up. Then he took the overall part of the jumper and slipped into it. Finally, something that fits well, he thinks as he looks down at the little bear face that was on the chest of the overall. All that was left to do was pull the hood over his head, noticing the round bear ears attached to it.

Honestly, the poor boy was a bit uncomfortable. The sleeve of the shirt and one strap kept slipping off his shoulder, and the shorts were too short. Nao stares at his bare legs with a glare, he still has grown little hair on his body. As a man who has hit puberty, it was quite troubling.

Not to mention he would probably hit adulthood soon. There is another sigh as he heads out, following the smell of food. His stomach growls and he licks his lips, going quick as he can to the dining room.

Everyone is already there when he arrive. The small male walked as quietly and quickly as he could to the available seat. It happened to be between Subaru and Shuu. He just barely gets seated before he is shoving food into his mouth.

"You are late! And such terrible table manners. One should not gorge themselves in such an unsightly manner." Reiji glares.

Nao snorted at him with a cheeky grin. "You're one to talk. Were you not doing just the same the other day?"

That seems to shut the vampire up as he seems surprised and embarrassed.

Shuu stands suddenly and leaves with a glare at Reiji. "This is a waste of time."

Reiji grunts and glares back, mumbling insults about his older brother.

The boy just continued eating, gaining a whistle. "My, my. The kitten sure does have an appetite.~"

This earns Laito a glare. "You would be too if you had to watch everyone fill themselves up with your blood and not be fed yourself." Nao growled out, eyes scanning over everyone as he ate leaning over his food protectively.

"Tch. Don't be so annoying. No ones going to steal it." Subaru says beside him, annoyed as seems to be his usual mood.

He is ignored by the boy in favor of staring at Yuri, who was looking down without touching her food. Nao resisted the urge to ask her for it. "You should eat Yui. Even if you don't like the food, you will die without it." She seems too startled at just the mention of death, shaking. The small male gives a sigh and reluctantly pushes over his desert to her, having to lean near all of his body over the table to do it. "At least eat this, girls like sweet things right?"

She smiles and gives out a small thanks, starting to eat her own food till a commotion on the other side of the table scares her stiff.

"Why would you give it to her?! I am the one that likes sweets! Me! I deserve it!" Kanato was standing and screaming as he stabbed at his plate with his fork. Nao had seen children act this way before but never someone the vampire's age. The yelling really hurt his ears, so he was glad for Reiji slamming on the table. Though he did jump.

Kanato had broken the plate in his fit of rage, and Reiji was not happy. "Enough! You are all dismissed!! Except for you Kanato." The look he gave his brother sent chills down Nao's spine. Kanato just looks normal.

They start arguing, but the cat boy doesn't stay long enough to hear any of it really. Now that he was full, it was time to explore properly.

He leaves without a word to anyone, slipping out the front door. The cool wind of the winter night hits him and makes him wish he was wearing something warmer. It was calming and refreshing though. Inside the mansion the air was heavy and felt constricting. A feeling Nao hated the most.

The front gate is locked up tight and would not be climbable. He didn't think it would be that easy anyway. Though really the problem lies with the vampires and escaping without them stopping him.

As he walked back and kept exploring, he came up and into the rose garden. The tall tower is surrounded by white roses. . ."Looks like it is right out of a sad fairytale." Nao said softly to himself, gently touching a soft white rose. He vaguely recalls a picture book being held by hands white and soft like the flowers before him. The boy don't notice the few small tears that escape his eyes till a rustle on the other side of the bush startles him out of the memory.

Nao looked up to see Subaru staring at him, seeming to not be annoyed for once. He almost looks. . .surprised the small male thinks. Quickly, he wiped his tears away. "What?" He snapped at him defensively.

Subaru's face turns pink, and he looks away with a grunt. "You disturbed me. So loud."

"Humph. I wasn't being loud at all. And just what were you doing anyway." This brother really annoyed Nao, possibly because of his loudness and their first meeting. Not that he was very fond of any of them. He really wasn't. Some of them made him feel strange but that doesn't mean anything. They are unlikable and crazy, more so than the boy. Nao walks around the bush, catching the albino holding a gardening tool in his gloved hands just before he hides them behind his back.

"S-stay away!" He yells with a now red face, making the cat boy flinch slightly from his sensitive hearing.

A cheeky grin appears on Nao's face and he moves closer, surprised and amused. "Is that a stutter? Someone is shy." This personality is weird but much easier to read than his other brothers.

The albino frowns deeply and actually steps back. "No! I am just warning you."

"Hmm? About what?" The vampire almost seems like an innocent and harmless child this way.

"That if you get closer, I will only want to destroy you more."

"It doesn't seem like you want to destroy me." Subaru's face looks like he is in pain. Nao steps forward more, probably being too curious. How could he worry about one of them? "Are you alright? You look hurt." His fingers just barely brush the albino's cheek before I find himself pinned to the ground. The roses seem to have been shaken up by the violent movement, their petals slowly falling around them.

Nao stares up at him wide eyed with surprise. His wrists hurt from the strong grip. "Why? So suddenly. . ."

His brows are furrowed and it looks as if he might cry. "Try to make sense of it as you fall apart." Subaru leans down quickly to an exposed shoulder and bites down hard.

"Ah?!" The boy cried out softly in surprise and pain. He didn't show any interest in drinking earlier and his mood changed so fast, it confused Nao.

He drinks for a while before moving his lips just above Nao's human ear, panting heavily. "I'm no different than my brothers, I'm worse. I only know how to destroy, and I don't want to learn anything else. I am a wasted life, plagued by a fever and uncontrollable frustration. Until my thirst is quenched. Remember that." He licks at the bite he made for a while before pulling away.

Sitting up, Nao gets his breathing in order and tries to make sense of the words. A wasted life? Is that why he looked so pained?

Subaru sits a good distance away from him, not looking him in the eye. "You will die if you stay here and you will die if you try to leave."

There is a bitter laugh. "Then what am I supposed to do?" Nao feels a little sick. The albino doesn't stay anything. Sighing heavily, the smaller male picks up a soft petal. ". . .What do you think will quench your thirst?"

"What?" Nao can feel the vampire's gaze turn to him and he just keeps staring at the petal. Even after touching the ground, it was still pure white.

"Call it curiosity. From another wasted life looking for answers." He waited for Subaru to get mad.

Yet he doesn't, standing. ". . .Yui has something that can help you escape. I told her what to do with it." Nao watches as he walks away, dropping the petal and standing.

To Yui's room it is.