I'M NATSU'S MOM!!!!!!!!

Part Five

When he looked back at me, his onyx eyes were brimming with confusion.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I just threatened you, and you're SMILING?!"

"Ah, but how many people have you threatened in the past two years?" I grinned. "How many people have you blown up at?"

He stopped, his eyes wide. Then his brows pulled together in thought. "I haven't let anyone get close enough to make me mad before..."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, cutting him off. "I got to see something that no one in this town has seen before! YOU angry! And for that reason, I consider myself a lucky Neko!"

He was struck silent, then he shook his head and rubbed his brow. "But, I'm ALWAYS angry.. EVERYBODY has seen that.."

"Noo.. they see your grumpy side, your 'I'm-all-alone-and-I-feel-like-crap-so-I'm-gonna-be-a-jerk-face-to-every-living-soul-around-me' side. I was able to get under your skin and REALLy push your buttons! Seriously, someone should give me a medal!" I smirked as I patted myself on the back and bowed to the imaginary crowd. Then I stopped when I heard a low, gutteral chuckle. It sounded as if it were unfamiliar to it's source, like an old, dust-covered trumpet that was suddenly pulled off the self and blown into with out being cleaned first.

I snapped my head up, my eyes growing wide as I saw Wren, his back to me but slightly turned, just enough for me to see a smile on his face, his fingers draped over his mouth as if trying to stop the un-godly sound from coming out.

He chuckled for a few more seconds before he caught me staring and stopped. I almost begged him to continue, but held myself back from making an utter fool of myself. A small smile creeped onto my face as I kept staring at him, making him squirm under my gaze.

"W-what?"

I shook my head slowly, still in awe at the incredible thing I had just witnessed. "Nothing... I just didn't know you were capable of laughing..." I said softly.

He cleared his throat and turned, facing away from me. "O-of course I am... I-I just don't do it very often..." He stuttered, shoving his hands back in his pockets and hurried away.

I stayed where I was, awe struck at the mezmorizing nature of his laugh, the way it resinated from deep in his chest, the way it sounded, husky and rough. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled.. The way he held himself, relaxed and at ease...

I shook my head, pushing those thoights to the back of my mind as I ran to catch up to him. When I reached him, he was standing in an open room by a large wall of glass and metal beams, creating a giant window. His arm was resting on a beam above his head as he stared out of a tilted panle, his ears were facing the window. When I stepped into the room, one ear twitched but he didn't look up.

I stood a few steps past the door, my hand still holding onto the door frame as I waited for something to happen. He didn't move, so I took the liberty and spoke.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked.

He was silent. I waited.

"Why did you bring me here?" I repeated, my voice rising slightly with irritation. "Tell me!"

"Because..."

"And don't you DARE say it's just because I called you a 'Good boy' even when you told me not to! I know that's not the reason why, so why don't you spare me your stories and explain to me why you brought me here!" I snapped, cutting him off. "Cuz, I'd really like to know!"

My tail swished impatiently behind me. I waited... I waited for an explination... a threat... an attack... ANYTHING! As the seconds ticked by, I could feel my patience slip away. Finally, after five minutes of agonizing silence, I had had enough!

"YOU MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW THAT?! YOU MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN YOU AND YOUR CONSANT SULKING!! YOU NEVER LET ANYONE NEAR YOU, NEVER LET THEM HELP, AND YOU JUST SIT HERE IN THIS PIT OF DISPAIR AND SELF WOE AS YOU DO NOTHING BUT FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF!!!" I fumed. I didn't even know why I was so angry, or why I was screaming at this guy I barely knew. All the anger and misery, the agony and torment all came spilling out, and with a jolt, I realized that I wasn't screaming at him, but at myself...

"Every time someone got close to you, every time you let someone in, they would make their mark and leave you, causing you so much pain, so much misery, that you just decided to shut everybody out!! You were so AFRAID to be hurt, to be broken again right after you had managed to pick up all the shattered pieces that you hid in a corner and let yourself whither away till you were nothing but an empty husk of a person!!!" I sucked in a sharp breath, the tears streaming down my face, refusing to stop for anything. "YOU IDIOT!!! YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO YOURSELF!!! YOU THINK YOU'RE SAVING YOURSELF FROM THE PAIN, THE HEART ACHE, BUT YOU'RE JUST DOOMING YOURSELF TO A LIFE OF ETERNAL LONELINESS AND SORROW!!!! IF YOU DON'T LET THEM IN..." I sniffed, whiping my eyes as more tears flowed down my cheeks. "I-if y-you don't l-let them i-in..."

I felt my knees buckle, suddenly giving out as I crumpled to the floor in a watery heap. Before my head colided with the cold, metal floor, two strong arms caught me and held me against a hard, warm body. I sniffed and took a deep, shaky breath, relaxing into the warm embrace, breathing in the rich scent that enveloped me.

"Then you'll never find the one who can make it all okay..."