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Some days were harder than others. Sakura out of everyone, knew that the most. From being an outcast of a child, that even his father didn't want, or perhaps his mother died giving birth to him so she didn't have to see the disgrace of a child she made. Fighting became an essential in this cursed life he got himself into. Every corner could hold an enemy. Every step made a sound, every breath made a movement in the air. This all created the effect that everything he did, could cause somebody to go after him. He had to learn every movement created a chain of reactions, and he knew exactly how every one would land.
And today, was one of those harder than usual days. Sakura stared at his scarily blank wall. Thoughts racing through his head. He had been wearing the same clothes for days... He hadn't gotten up to change. The most he's done was grab a bottle of water or eat a slice of stale bread, or occasionally get up to use the bathroom. He was basically, rotting away.
His phone had been on silent, or maybe it was dead. Who knows. He didn't check it often anyway. He had not been to school in... Maybe a week or so. Who knows. Nobody stopped by to check up on him, not that he was complaining. He didn't want people babying him. He didn't need their help. He was fine on his own. Friends or no friends. They'd all leave in the end. Just like 𝘩𝘦 did.
Suo, one of the first five people he met at this stupid, cursed town. One if his... He wouldn't call them friends. Something less, something he hated to admit now. Something he wished he never indulged in. Considering clearly the other secretive boy never returned the care. Suo was like every other person he had met in this world. Careless and threw Sakura down into a ravine of sorrow and agony. Just like his dad did, just like everyone did. It didn't matter how 'close' somebody was, they threw you out just as easily.
Sure, Nirei was there. Umemiya, Kotoha... Kiryu, everyone from his class. But they'd eventually leave him too, would they not? They would see the cracks in his bite, the scared, hurt child in the corner of a room. Curled up in himself, barking and biting to protect himself from the fear of being left again. The version of him that scavenged for food as a kid, digging in dumpsters or stealing from markets. Or even maybe the version of him that trusted a stupid, useless, maroon haired boy that left without a trace. He hated that version the most out of himself.
Which led him to this, existing. Not living, not actually using his life as he could. Existing. He was tired, exhausted even. Not bothering to take care of himself. His hair was matted, the usually glistening, white hair was now a muggy grey. Flat and uncared for on his head. He was clearly skinner, from the last time anybody saw him. The boy hadn't gotten food in weeks. He ate whatever stale food was in his run down apartment.
Maybe it would be a gift from whatever god was up there if he didn't wake up from his twelve hour long naps. Maybe it was a sign he could rest eternally. If he was being thrown down, over and over again. Maybe he could be thrown down into a six foot hole, buried and covered up by the people who would leave him along this way. with that, his eyes fell shut.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
"..Sakura!" A loud, boisterous tone roused him from his dreamless sleep. Lovely.
"...Sakura-! Are you asleep?" It called again. Sakura sat up, rubbing his red itchy eyes with the heel of his wrist. His hair tousled and even more matted than before he fell asleep. He reached upwards, tugging on a strand of black, knotted hair and ripped it out. Horrible timing as Nirei walked right in after. Trying to hide the look of utter shock while gazing at the tuft of black hair between the others fingers.
"Sakura! Don't do that-! Why? I- okay!" Nirei squealed out again. Quickly moving and dropping the bags he had. Why were there so many bags? Sakura didn't have time to question before his hands were tugged out of his hair. Stupid Nirei. Pretending he cared, Sakura knew it was a ploy. It always was. Suo did the same thing when Sakura got agitated, he grabbed the black and white haired boy's wrist, and dragged it down from his hair. He always did that. Now nobody was there to make sure he didn't. Except Nirei, but Sakura refused to get attached. He'd leave soon. He just wished he would do it faster so it hurt less.
"...why are you even here." Sakura asked, his voice harsh and rough. As if trying to get Nirei to leave and back up. He quickly snatched his wrist pack. Watching the featherlight fall of the hair fall to his floor. The growl in his tone was very prominent. It almost made the other boy flinch. Almost. He was close to leaving, Sakura knew it. He just had to really bark and bite and Nirei would leave. Simple. Easy even.
"...well Sakura, you y'know... Haven't shown up in awhile... Not- like anything against it! Don't take it that way! But we all got worried... and so.. I came after school to show up, I got you some groceries and..-"
"...I can get my own damn groceries!" Sakura cut him off, snapping his teeth right in front of Nirei. Swatting the boy's hand out of his face. Why was this idiot acting as if he was impaired? He was fine for gods sake. He just didn't want to do anything. He was eating, he wasn't starving he was fine. Nirei was always digging into peoples business. It pissed Sakura off to no end after a while. His pupils were basically slits, glaring Nirei down like a cornered dog. Teeth bared and ready to bite.
"..no Sakura that's.. That's not what I meant! I know you 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥... we just wanted to 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱. Do something so you don't have to do it yourself...! Don't take it the wrong way... You know we don't underestimate you," the boy practically pouted. Although the amount of bags he saw next to Nirei was way more than just groceries. But he didn't ask it. He didn't care enough. He just glared and moved back, laying back down against his futon.
"So," The other boy continued. Unpacking some of the bags, not all of them. There was about... 4 bags tucked at Sakura's doorway Nirei left there. "When was the last time you actually ate? And I mean actual food, Sakura. Not a snack or two." The boy scolded. He sounded like a harsh parent. Something Sakura was very used to. It made him think Nirei was leaving sooner. Good.
When sakura didn't respond, Nirei's gaze just softened. Not visably, but it was obviously there. Just... Without words.
"...Sakura, you can't run off of nothing. Here's a bottle of juice, I don't know what flavor you'd prefer... So I just got melon, it can help your blood sugar as by the way you're so... Lethargic... Your's must be pretty low," Nirei chided, cracking the plastic seal of the bottle before putting the cap back on leaving it in front of Sakura so he knew he saw it.
"...alright Sakura I'm gonna make you omurice or something, try to stay awake, yeah? and plug your phone in, we all tried messaging you multiple times, we care, y'know?" Sure he did.
Nirei quickly grabbed the other bags, including the one at the doorway, and scampered off to Sakura's run down kitchen. He'd have to work with what he had here as... He definitely wasn't leaving Sakura in this scenario. Nirei was trying to hide his worry, try to stay tough and outwards so Sakura didn't freak out, but it seemed Sakura freaked out over Nirei not freaking out. And Nirei was definitely not trained for stuff like this.
Quickly, the boy grabbed a pan and turned the gas stove on with a quiet '𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬!' As the fire lit. He grabbed a carton of eggs he bought, a tomato from Umemiya, (he knew Sakura hated vegetables... But nirei wasnt against sneaking them in Sakura's food, the guy needed vitamins.) And a bag of rice. He figured Sakura wouldn't have a rice cooker, so he'd have to make do with what he could. Quickly lighting another burner and putting a pot of water over it. Letting that begin to boil before plopping the rice in.
As Nirei cut up the tomato on a paper towel, because Sakura had no cutting boards.. And he didnt just want to use the counter. He made sure to gaze over at the pot, making sure it didn't overboil. After the tomato was effectively cut small enough so hopefully Sakura wouldn't notice them. He set that aside before washing his hands off and grabbing two eggs from the carton and cracked them in the pan. Quickly moving to throw the shells away and yet again, rinse his hands off. (He hated the texture of egg whites.).
He whisked the eggs so they mixed, stirring in the small chunks of a tomato and occasionally gazed at the rice. He hasn't made omurice before... And he was scared he'd mess it up but... Here we are. He quickly flopped one side of the egg over the other. And suprisingly? He did it! He was kinda proud of himself for that. He quickly grabbed a plate, thank god Sakura had plates... And he grabbed a decent slab of rice before flipping the egg mix on top of it. It didn't look... Pretty to be exact; however it was better than no food in Nirei's eyes. Snagging a pair of chopsticks before moving on.
Nirei quickly picked up the plate, grabbing the edges as the bottom was hot. Carefully taking it back to Sakura's room. Knocking on the door with the side of his arm before walking in. (The door wasnt even shut. He just had a habit of knocking on every door.)
"Sakura? I made you omurice... Its not... exactly the best, but... Its better than nothing, and from how I can see you under that blanket you look... Really skinny..." The yellow haired boy pouted. He glanced down at the juice and saw it wasn't touched, not moved at all.
"...y'know you have to eat and drink something... C'mon, just a few bites?" The boy prompted, moving the food closer to Sakura. Nirei sat down and just... Stared at the other boy. Watching his lack of doing... well. Everything.
"..well... I'll leave you to it... I'm gonna, clean up, yeah?" He offered before standing up and walking out back to the kitchen... Umemiya you better hope this idea worked.
Nirei cleaned the pans and pots he used to make the others food. And while he was at it, he grabbed the other bags and sighed, he wasn't so sure on the idea of getting Sakura a cat, even if Umemiya was so sure. But... He trusted Umemiya's judgment. He grabbed the bags, metal cans clinking as he pulled out the catfood. Everyone pitched in and helped buy the basics. Cat food: wet and dry. Two bowls, one for food and the other for water. A collar, which somebody threw in a few bucks for a tag. A litter box, as well as litter.
There was a few other miscellaneous things, a pair of nail trimmers for the cat. A brush, and a few different bags of treats.
Umemiya thought it would be a good idea to get Sakura a pet, not only for the fact of a companion, but it gave him a reason to do something. Umemiya said, quote on quote 'I was in a similar time, and gardening helped me!' But... realized sakura didn't like anything regarding vegatables, and somehow found the idea to get him a cat. A.... Different. Cat at that.
Different as in... Disabled. Umemiya said it would get Sakura to like the feline more. They were both... Different in their own ways. One was born hated, the other was born with an offset balance. It would even things out apparently.
After Nirei cleaned up, he put the dishes away and sighed. Leaning against the counter before grabbing his phone from his pocket.
-Nirei ⚞^•.•^⚟ > Umemiya!
When are you stopping by? [4:22pm]
I managed to get him to eat something, he's just nibbling on it but, better yeah?
I also already set up all the things, everyone else pitched in [4:23]
He's still not looking well, it's hitting him hard
I'm hoping you're right about this cat thing
He still waited, staring at the 'delivered' under his messages. He didn't expect Umemiya to respond really, he was the one who was getting the feline after all. Nirei didn't know much about it, all he knew was it was a female, and it had some disability that made it wobbly. He knew Umemiya was getting the cat, paying for its adoption fees and everything else. Nirei was 80% sure the cat already had her shots, and was spayed. He wasn't sure in general.
Nirei occasionally peaked back in on Sakura. Trying to make it seem like he wasn't hovering, (he was.) Occasionally trying to pick up a bit of the mess everywhere, wipe down countertops, and just overall try to help Sakura out before Umemiya showed up. He set down a litter box and filled it with litter (as best and as quiet as he could, he hasn't taken care of a cat, Nirei was more of a dog person.) Set down both bowls, the food bowl was significantly longer than the water so there was less of a mess.
He was just sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall before his phone pinged with a message.
-Umemiya! < Nirei ⚞^•.•^⚟
Just got her back from the vet!! She's such a cutie!!
[Photo] [4:53pm]
I think she's really gonna brighten Sakura's mood! She's such a sweetheart! Hiragi didn't like her but... Hiragi isn't a fan of anything. Buzzkill!!😔
Nirei silently laughed at the photo of the cat. She was about like... 2 years by now? As nobody adopted her. The photo was Umemiya holding a cat carrier, the critters orange fur a bright contrast to the black carrier. Her yellow eyes clearly full of playful glint, Hiragi was behind the two, popping the anti-acids in his mouth as if already stressed. He probably was.
-Nirei ⚞^•.•^⚟ > Umemiya!
Aw! She is a cutie, are you on your way back now?
Sakura's still eating, but I don't think he's even gonna finish it to be honest... [4:55pm]
He watched as Umemiya sent a quick 'yep! On My Way! (Thanks to autocorrect, he's sure.) and he set his phone back down. He was full of Anxieties, what if Sakura hated the cat? What if it made everything worse? God so much could go wrong. But... Maybe it would go well.
It was about 6:30 when there was a knock on the door. Oh boy, here goes nothing. Sakura fell back asleep at about 5:10ish, Nirei didn't have the heart to wake him. He stood up and sighed, shaking his arms as if trying to shake his worries off. Skittering over to the door and opening it, to show a very excited Umemiya at the door. Seems Hiragi didn't want to be here for it. Valid.
Nirei didn't know exactly what to say, he was worried any wrong move would wake Sakura up before he was ment to be.
"...is that her? She's awfully quiet..." Nirei asked, dumb question but he didn't know what else to say. Rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at the crate, the cat was clearly wobbling around as she tried to find a way to get out of her little prison.
"The one and only! Isn't she precious? She's really energetic! And she's sweet!" The elder responded with a voice way to enegertic for the scenario. Setting the crate down as it wobbled and shook from the movement Inside of it. Thankfully it was a fabric crate so the poor girl wouldn't hurt her head on it.
Nirei bent down, gazing through the mesh of the bag before standing back up. Stretching his arms out before talking again.
"...Do you want me to go wake Sakura up? He's... Not the brightest right now, I wouldn't take anything he says personally..." Nirei warned, his voice wavering slightly. Poor boy was scared, Nirei wasnt good with conflict between his friends. Which is why he hated doing this so much.
Umemiya was too busy cooing at the feline to respond immediately. But when Umemiya did look back up at Nirei, he had an expression diffrent than his regular, happy one. It was something more of a ' believe in me'. So, Nirei trusted him.
Nirei huffed out a breath of air, and rubbed his eyes again before turning around and walking towards Sakura's room. Knocking on the door before walking in.
"Sakura? Can you get up for a second?" He called. Bending over to grab the plate of half eaten omurice left on the plate before standing back up. Looking down at the groggy Sakura waking up.
"...why're you 'till 'ere." The tired boy asked, a snarl in his tone somehow, Nirei didn't bother asking.
"...well Sakura, can you get up and come out here with me? Umemiya dropped somethin' off and he wants to show you it! Please sakura?" Nirei begged, gazing down at Sakura who just glared up at Nirei. A staring contest of their own, and Nirei really... 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 wanted to back down.
After a few moments, Sakura growled and sat up with a complaining hiss. Nirei let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Nirei walked out of the room, throwing the omurice away as he knew Sakura wasn't going to eat it before putting the plate in the sink, he'd deal with that later. If Sakura didn't kill one of them first..
Umemiya and Nirei were sitting on the floor waiting for Sakura to waddle out of his room. Umemiya playing with the cat through the mesh of the kennel, he was clearly very entertained by her.
"...what 's that." Sakura cut out. Glaring down the black crate across the room from him. Dual colored eyes locked onto the mesh and the moving orange inside of it. His pupils would've been slits if it was possible.
Before Nirei could start panicking, Umemiya put a hand on his shoulder and stood up. Still having that unshakeable smile.
"...this... Is 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 new partner! Shes a cutie I swear! And we already got you eeevvverryything you could use!" He introduced excitingly, pointing to the container the cat was housed in as if she was a sacred treasure. (She was.)
"...my what." Sakura responded back, a snap in his response. Nirei was definitely starting to freak... Oh boy. Sakura continued to just stand there in the doorway, a look of... Disgust almost on his face.
"Your new cat! C'mon Sakura, give her a chance! You haven't even looked at her yet! I promise you'll adore her, pleaaaseee?" Umemiya begged almost. Pleading towards Sakura to at least look at the feline.
Umemiya looked like he was always joking around, but he knew exactly what Sakura felt. He had been there too. And he picked up a hobby, gardening. It wasn't much, but it kept his mind busy, and kept the bad thoughts out. He figured maybe something to replace a companion Sakura lost, one that could bond with him, would help him out. And luckily for Sakura, Umemiya found a very outsider of a cat that would have to bond with him. There was no way he wouldn't.
"...why the hell would you get me a cat?!" The dual haired boy yowled. Twisting and tugging at his hair. Nirei moved to get up and stop him, Umemiya pushed his shoulder down.
Umemiya's voice was one more... Serious. His expression was replaced with a thin line.
"Sakura, you're acting like we're trying to lure you into something. We want to help you, we understand your hurt, understand the fact that 𝘸𝘦 can 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 you." Umemiya responded, moving from where he was to walk towards sakura. His hands reaching out to grab the youngers shoulders. Shaking the boy slightly as if trying to get him to make sense. "Sakura, somebody helped all of us, ask anybody at Bofurin. Now us, and her, help you."
The elder demanded, not taking no for an answer before shaking the other one last time before letting go. Giving the boy a sympathetic glare before pointing back towards the carrier.
"At least look at her? She's similar to you in a way, you both know you're different, c'mon, seriously," Umemiya informed, moving back while nodding his head to the side at Nirei, who quickly got the idea to open the carrier. He quickly unzipped the bag with a loud 'zrpp!' Before the top tell off. Revealing the cat inside.
Sakura just stared at it. Watching it wobble out of the container. What the fuck was wrong with it? Did they get him a dying cat? He just... Stared. A mix of shock and confusion engraved in his expression. "Did you get me a cat that's fucking 𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨?" He hissed out. Clearly obvious to the cat.
Nirei made a quiet intake of air at the accusation. "...what?? No Sakura! She just has cerebellar hypoplasia! She just.. Has a really bad balance!" Nirei quickly informed before Sakura could hate the cat before he even saw her. "Give her a chance Sakura? Please?" Nirei pleaded. Patting the ground next to him.
Sakura just made a scuff, but he sat down anyway. Watching as the cat wobbled her way over. Sakura instinctively flinched as she wobbled and fell on him, he shifted back and away. The cat just got back up and wobbled around, looking around the house as if she owned it now. Occasionally tripping over and stumbling over her paws.
"Sakura! How about you get a can of wet food amd feed her, yeah? She's probably hungry," Nirei suggested. Nudging the other boy forward towards the cabinets. "I put them In the second drawer on the top, please?" Nirei pleaded again, watching as the other boy begrudgingly got up and sluggishly walked to the cabinet, grabbing a can of cat food and looking at it. Trying to open it before eventually clicking the can open and looking for the bowl. After finding it, (with minimal help from Umemiya) he plopped the food in the bowl. Throwing the empty cat food container away. Grumbling and scoffing the entire time. He was... Not excited about this.
"Hey Nirei! Mind if I have a word with just Sakura?" Umemiya called from the living room. Which Sakura heard the muffled 'o-oh! Yeah of course!' Before Nirei scampered out of the apartment. Sakura, who was watching the feline make a mess of her food, quickly was snapped out of his zoning out by a hand on his shoulder, which he flinched at again.
"Sakura, you do know we're trying to help, right?" Umemiya cut off. His tone oddly comforting compared to the usual upbeat one he normally had. The hand on Sakura's shoulder stayed firm, not hurting, just... Firm. "Which means, for us to help, you have to let us in," Umemiya informed wearily. His tone dropping to something a bit more worried than comforting.
"And I know you're just going to bark and bite or whatever weird things you do when you feel cornered, but I mean this when I say it, we just want to help. We as in everyone at Bofurin, I meant it when I said we're brothers now, Sakura. Blood related or not, alright? Let us help once in a while." Umemiya offered, tilting his head to look at the younger boy from a different angle, looking at the way the multicolored hair fell over Sakura's eyes, as if hiding himself from something.
By how Sakura moved it looked like he was about to swat Umemiyas hand away, curl up and hide away like an abused dog, bark and bite until his throat bled; however, Umemiya caught the other shoulder and quickly pulled the younger boy into an extremely tight hug. A quiet yowl of protest was made before Sakura tensed up.
"I'm serious, Sakura. Learn how to ask for help," Umemiya repeated, pulling Sakura out of the hug to look at him. Ruffling the boys hair before letting him go. Sakura only looked at the wobbly feline and then back at Umemiya.
And unexpected as it all, Sakura lunged back into the hug. It even startled Umemiya a tad before he returned it. He wasn't expecting the boy to comply so easily. He looked down at the tufts of matted, dual colored hair on his shoulder before sighing and trying to change the subject.
"....do you have a name for her? The cat, I mean," he asked, yet he didn't push Sakura off. He let the boy choose when to get off. Umemiya literally had all day.
"....sun, maybe," Sakura murmured out. Voice rough and clearly restrained. Y'know, maybe living wasn't so bad when you let people in.
Maybe everything would turn out fine, and maybe he did have actual... Friends that cared. Or as Umemiya called them, brothers.