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When the Fujiwaras first told him they wanted to take him in, Natsume couldn’t believe it. After the whole ordeal with the youkai that was pestering at the time, he was in the hospital because of his injuries and the nice couple told him "Please come live with us." For the first time someone actually wanted him instead of having the responsibility pushed on them unwillingly. They told him they have an older son, Fujiwara Yuuta, but he was away at college and they felt lonely with only the two of them in the big house, so when they heard about Natsume’s situation they quickly agreed that they wanted him to stay with them. And how could he refuse? It was a dream come true that someone actually wanted to take him in and Natsume could help the tears that came out when he cried and begged them "Please let me live with you. Please.."
When he came to their house, it was indeed quite a big, traditional Japanese style house, but it immediately felt warm and welcoming. The Fujiwaras gave him their son's old room to sleep in, and although they assured him it was fine, he couldn’t help feeling like an intruder. Too many times had he experienced kids of the families he was staying at hating him because they felt like he was taking over and intruding on their space. The room was mostly empty but all around he could see traces of the boy who lived there before. A couple of books still left in the mostly empty bookshelf, some photos of him and his friends left on a board on the wall, a drawing of stick figures on the wall in permanent marker that maybe he did as a child.
“We’re so sorry we didn’t get to clean everything out. Yuuta couldn’t bring everything with him to college and it happened kind of suddenly when we heard about you, but if you want we can put his things in the attic and you can decorate the room however you want, Takashi-kun.” Toukou-san said and Natsume couldn’t believe that she was actually fuzzing over something like this on his behalf.
“No, no! It’s totally fine, I don’t mind it.” He assured her. In a way he liked these remnants of the previous occupant. They were memories imprinted in the warm atmosphere of the room and Natsume wondered what kind of memories this house held for Yuuta.
“Well if you’re sure.” Toukou-san replied, giving him a kind smile.
The Fujiwaras often talked about their older son. Telling stories about his childhood, reminiscing with warm smiles and lighthearted laughter at the amusing stories. Toukou-san often wondered if he was ok, if he was eating enough and dressing warmly while Shigeru-san had a calmer approach, telling his wife that he was just enjoying college, although he missed him as well. They showed him plenty of childhood photos in old albums and talked proudly about his child art or achievements. Natsume enjoyed listening to the stories about what Yuuta was like, but still there was a voice nagging in the back of his mind with insecurities. That he wasn’t good enough, that he’d never live up to their real son. He tried to push these thoughts away but a lifetime of being told he wasn’t good enough was difficult to shake off.
He liked this new town he moved to. It was small and pretty far out on the countryside, but he didn’t mind that at all. The lanscape was beautiful; with hills and forests and rivers and ricefields. Most people were kind here and he was even able to make some friends. He loved hanging out with Nishimura, Kitamoto, Tanuma, Taki and the rest of his class. But especially those four. He often went fishing or other activities with Kitamoto and Nishimura and when he a bit shyly admitted he never learned how to ride a bike, they immediately promised to teach him, urging him to ask the Fujiwaras for a bike.
Natsume always felt bad asking his host family for favors, even though he knew deep down that they didn’t mind. But after his friends had so kindly offered to teach him, he really wanted to learn how to ride a bike, so one day at the dinner table he brought up the topic.
“Um Shigeru-san, Toukou-san.”
They both turned their attention to him.
“The thing is, some friends from my class asked me to go biking with them. So I was wondering if maybe I could have a bike?”
“Oh how nice!” Toukou-san beamed, clapping her hands together. “Of course you should have one.”
“Wait a minute, I think Yuuta’s old bike is still in the garage. You can use that until we can get you your own.” Shigeru-san said thoughtfully.
“Oh, thank you so much.”
After dinner, Shigeru-san took Natsume out to the garage to look at the bike. It was perfect for his size in a bright red colour, a little rusty maybe, but in good shape. And again, Natsume could see traces of memories like scratches here and there and stickers pasted on the frame. What adventures had this bike been on? How far had it travelled?
“It’s might be a bit rusty, but after fixing it up it should be as good as new.” Shigeru-san said, and rolling up his sleeves, he got a toolbox and began to oil the bike, checking the brakes and tightening some screws here and there.
It almost felt like working on a bike together with your dad.
“Thank you so much Shigeru-san.”
Traces of Yuuta were everywhere in the town, signaling that he’d had an eventful childhood. Sometimes when Natsume went biking with his friends, he recognised some of the spots from the pictures in his room. Yuuta posing with this very bike in front of a nice view of the town, or splashing water at his friends by the river. All his teacher knew he was staying with the Fujiwaras and when he first started school some of them would shake their heads and ask how the troublemaker Yuuta was doing. Natsume simply smiled and said he thinks he’s doing fine, but he couldn’t help wondering what kind of trouble Yuuta got into. It couldn’t have been worse than Natsume’s trouble.
Some of the seniors went to school with Yuuta and also asked how he was doing. Most of them were first or second years while he was a third year, but everyone had only good things to say about him. They said that although he got in trouble with teachers because of pranks or slacking, he was a good guy, always nice to people. Some of the students were in the soccer club with him and apparently he was a great soccer player as well.
Nishimura one time asked with a slightly worried look on his face if it bothered Natsume to live in his shadow, but this time Natsume could actually truthfully say that it didn’t. Because although everyone talked about him, no one compared him to Natsume, not even the Fujiwaras. It made him feel like he belonged, like he was part of something. And secretly, privately, it felt like having a cool older brother.
The first time Yuuta was coming home to visit for the holidays, Natsume was extremely nervous to meet him. Worries like what if he’ll hate me, what if yet again their son feels like he is intruding and demands his room back kept gnawing at the back of his mind. The Fujiwaras were of course very excited, Toukou-san making a big meal to celebrate his homecoming.
Shigeru-san was picking up Yuuta at the bus station and Natsume waited anxiously in the livingroom. What should I say? How polite should I act? Should I bow? When they heard the car pull up both him and Toukou-san jumped up and went to meet him in the hallway.
“Tadaima!”
As soon as the door opened and he stepped inside, Natsume could clearly see that this was their son. He was taller than all of them and had a bright smile, with Shigeru’s features and Toukou’s kind eyes. He clearly resembled both of them and despite his height, didn't really look intimidating at all. He hugged his mother first, asking how she had been and Toukou-san started fuzzing over him like she always did with Natsume. Was he eating right, was he taking care of himself? But after a moment, she turned to Natsume with a smile.
“Yuuta, this is Takashi-kun.”
Here it comes. Natsume thought, but then, unexpectedly, Yuuta pulled him into a crushing hug, almost lifting him off his feet.
“It’s so good to finally meet you Takashi-kun!”
Natsume was speechless, his eyes widening in surprise and both Toukou and Shigeru-san laughed at the exchange.
“I’ve heard so much about you! They never shut up about you whenever I talk to them on the phone.” Yuuta laughed and Natsume had seen that bright smile in photos so many times that seeing it in real life for the first time was almost surreal.
“I-It’s nice to meet you too.” He replied somewhat shyly, not knowing what else to say.
They all ate together, enjoying the huge meal Toukou-san had prepared and the chatter and laughter around the table felt so lively and warm.
“I’ve heard a lot about you too.” Natsume admitted when Yuuta asked how he was doing and he turned to his mother.
“Mom! What embarrassing things did you tell him?”
Toukou merely chuckled and told him of course he had to tell Takashi about him and show him pictures.
Yuuta was sleeping in the guest room that night, even though Natsume offered to give him his old room back. But before they went to bed, Yuuta was hanging out in his room, talking about everything and asking a hundred question about Natsume, how he felt about the Fujiwaras and how he was adjusting to the town. Natsume could do nothing but answer humbly, but truthfully, because he honestly loved this town and the Fujiwaras. It was the best place he had ever stayed at and for the first time in his life, they were feeling more like family than strangers.
Yuuta was cool and funny and charming. Telling chatting non-stop about funny stories from college or his childhood or his family until Toukou-san knocked on the door and scolded him for keeping Natsume up too late. The whole time Natsume was worried that some youkai would try to come into his room, but Nyanko-sensei was sitting in the windowsill, looking out and Natsume understood that he was guarding the house. Although he could be annoyed at Nyanko-sensei sometimes, apparently he understood the situation and Natsume was silently grateful, reminding himself to reward him with some steamed buns.
But, however careful Natsume tried to be it was impossible to avoid youkai altogether and he wasn’t aware that Yuuta noticed. He saw how Natsume seemed to be fighting with someone, or something apparently invisible on his way to the store. Or how he talked to himself while looking up to a tree, or how he got bruises or scratches out of nowhere. He had heard the rumors of how his other family members called him crazy or delusional, but Yuuta didn’t think he was crazy. Talking to him, Natsume seemed perfectly normal, if not maybe a little shy at first.
One day, Yuuta’s bag had ended up on the ground outside his window, looking like someone had thrown it. Natsume panicked, scared that he would get angry. That damn youkai, why couldn’t they just keep out of his life for a few days? No, they had to cause trouble. He apologised profusely. Bowing deeply and saying it was his fault and that he didn’t mean to, but Yuuta had an understanding smile and placed a gentle hand on Natsume’s shoulder.
“It’s ok, I don’t blame you. You can see something others can’t, right?”
Natsume’s eyes widened in panic, trying to dismiss his suspicion like “What are you talking about?”
But Yuuta looked so calm and understanding. “It’s ok if you don’t want to tell me, but I don’t think you’re a freak. I believe you Takashi-kun.”
Natsume didn’t know what to say. Was it really ok to tell him? He didn’t want to put Yuuta in danger or to worry him, but if he already guessed on his own, maybe it was better that he was aware of the danger? Natsume was always weary of trusting people, but this kind person who already felt like an older brother to him.. it felt like he could trust him.
Yuuta had always been interested in ghosts and although he didn’t know a whole lot about mythology and the supernatural, this kind of thing fascinated him. He one hundred percent believed some people could see and talk to ghosts, and he wasn’t sure if what Natsume could see was ghosts or something else, but he knew it was something. He also had a sneaking suspicion that his parents knew. They weren’t stupid, his mom had always been quite intuitive and they had been living with Natsume for much longer. If he realized something in just a few days, then they must have too. His theory was that they didn’t want to pressure Natsume, because that’s how they always were. They were open to talk about anything, but they always let him come to them first.
Natsume had neither confirmed nor denied his suspicion that day, which was fine. He could never force Natsume to tell him. A few days later though, he had his theory confirmed. Yuuta was going out to buy some groceries Toukou had forgotten, when he heard some strange noises. Following the noise of the road, he paved his way through a thicket of bushes until he came to an open grass field where he saw his adoptive brother.
“Takashi-kun..?” He murmured quietly to himself.
Natsume was kneeling in the grass, with a piece of paper in his mouth and that fat cat next to him. Yuuta could hear him murmur something.. What was it? It sounded almost like an incantation. Then he clapped his hands together, blew and suddenly there was a blinding light, causing Yuuta to shield his eyes. It was only for a second, but in the next moment he saw Natsume fall backwards as if having fainted.
“Takashi-kun!” Yuuta rushed forward, propping him up to see if he was okay.
“Tch. That idiot used too much of his energy again.”
“Huh?” Did someone speak? Yuuta looked up, glancing around to see if anyone else was there, but he saw no one.
“It was me, you brat.” His eyes followed the voice, but the only thing he saw was the cat..
“Yes, I can speak.”
“Woah!” Startled, he jumped slightly, staring at the cat with wide eyes. Did it just talk?? His attention was brought back to Natsume though, when he groaned and seemed to be waking up.
“What.. Yuuta-san?” He mumled confused.
“He saw you return the name.” The cat (if it was even a cat??) explained.
After the shocking experience Natsume had no choice but to explain everything to him. He told him about his ability to see youkai and that this Nyanko-sensei as he called him was actually a youkai in disguise. He also told him that he had the ability to return youkai their names, if they had been bound in some way, which sometimes drained his energy. The whole time Natsume seemed quite regretful and kept apologising, but Yuuta assured him it was nothing to worry about. Although he was shocked at first, he really didn’t blame Natsume at all. If anything, it was kind of cool.
After that, he became quite protective of Natsume. He demanded to know where he got his injuries everytime a new scratch or bruise appeared, even though he knew there wasn’t much he could do since he couldn’t see youkai himself. But he made Natsume promise to tell him if he ever needed help with something.
When it was time for him to go back to college, Yuuta was quite emotional. It had only been a couple of weeks, but he grew so close to Takashi. He really felt like his younger brother that he wanted to protect and take care of. The kid had been through so much that he really deserved to have a good life, and when his family was seeing him off at the door, he almost cried.
Natsume actually cried. Because he was so happy and so thankful. He wondered if he deserved it. Did he really deserve such a kind and good family? He often wished he had siblings growing up ( real siblings) that he could share experiences with and bond with and now he finally had a cool, kind and wonderful older brother. He was so grateful that Yuuta believe him and he never blamed him for anything that happened with youkai. He was never angry at him. When he saw Natsume crying when seeing him off, Yuuta smiled and ruffled his hair.
“Don’t be sad. I’ll be back next break. Don’t get into too much trouble without me, ok?”
Natsume then smiled with tears still in his eyes and said, “Okay.”