cats don't always land on their feet (soraru and mafumafu story)

26

days went on. mafu and i communicated roughly every couple days. he didn't seem like he wanted to talk much tho, and it was quite difficult to communicate the way we were..

as for the friend group, we've started seeing each other multiple times a week now. we are all taking the steps we need to start heading in the right direction.

mafu told me not to tell anyone about the cat plush or that we were communicating, and although it's hard, i respect his wishes. sometimes i do feel like it's all in my mind, tho.. since no one else has witnessed the cat's sudden appearance and movements, i have no one to back up my claims of it being true...

today we planned to all meet at amatsuki's house. eve is gonna swing by and pick me up on his way there, even though it's kinda out of the way.

***

i put on my shoes and i wait for eve to arrive. he pulls into the driveway and i open the door. as i exit, i look behind me and see the cat plush far down the hallway looking at me.
i smile slightly, "i'll be back soon," i say before closing and locking the door.

sou is in the car with eve, as eve is still staying with sou. during the drive, the three of us talk about what to expect at the meet up today. we assume it would be much like the past few we've had: we all talk for a bit, get emotional and cry, hug it out, leave. as repetitive as the meetups were, they were still very beneficial and important for us all.

***

we arrive, and enter amatsuki's house. everyone was already there. usss, araki, meychan, nqrse, 96neko, luz, everyone. we hadn't had all gathered as a whole group recently. in fact, we haven't all been together since mafu was still around.

we all sat on the couch and pulled up some chairs in amatsuki's living room. it's so awkward.. no one wants to say the first words, i think to myself.

"ahem," i clear my throat, about to speak.
"yeah, soraru's right, lets all just start by saying how we feel," eve says, somehow reading my mind and body language. he was always very smart with reading people. he must've known right away that i did not want to be the one to start the conversation, so he took the main lead.
he looks at me and i nod and mouth a 'thank you' to him to which he smiles and nods in return.

no one really answers the question.
that's strange.. usually people are a bit more energetic..? sigh, this is gonna be a long day.. i think to myself, slouching in my chair.

***