One Cupcake Can Go a Long Way~ A Natsuki x Yuri Fanfiction

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Being with Yuri was magical. The next week passed in a blur of poems, cupcakes, and two more dates with Yuri; one at the park and another at Natsuki's house, just cuddling and watching TV. That night, Natsuki had made a small batch of cupcakes for them to munch on, and when she'd brought them out to the living room, she'd realized that Yuri had fallen asleep. Natsuki had set down the cupcakes and gently wrapped a fluffy blanket around Yuri, who stirred slightly. After about five minutes of Natsuki just sitting there, watching her, Yuri's eyes had fluttered open. She smiled.

"Morning already~?" she sighed, stretching. When Yuri's eyes were fully open. she'd blinked once, then twice. "Oh," she said, looking around. Her eyes rested on Natsuki, and she laughed. "You were watching me sleep? I hope I wasn't drooling."

Natsuki had immediately stood up, shaking her head wildly. "No, no! Baka--why would I watch you sleep?! That's creepy!" Natsuki insisted. "I just . . . I made cupcakes, a-and I . . ."

She wasn't able to continue, as Yuri had gotten up and was kissing her passionately. Sighing, Natsuki had fallen into her embrace.

As she thought of that moment, Natsuki smiled. She was packing up her things after the Literature Club, and everybody else had already left. Or so she thought.

She felt somebody tap her from behind, and, jumping, Natsuki turned around to find Monika standing there, a genuinely concerned expression plastered on her face. "Hey," Monika said, and despite her expression, she sounded calm, as usual.

"Hey," Natsuki responded suspiciously. Was Monika here to tease her some more about Yuri? Natsuki narrowed her eyes at the club leader.

"So," Monika said, taking a deep breath and clearing her throat. "Ahem. Yuri told me about your dad. And he's coming back tonight. Right?"

Natsuki blinked. She felt as if she'd just shrunk, being swallowed up into the ground. In fact, she almost wished she had been in order to skip this conversation. Why does Monika want to talk about my d-dad . . . ?

"Yeah," Natsuki finally said in a small voice. "W-why?"

It took a minute for Monika to continue. "Well . . . I'm sure you aren't happy living with him, at all. And . . . my house is empty except for me. Yuri just wants you to be happy. We all do. So . . ." Monika looked straight at Natsuki and cocked her head at her. "would you want to move in with me?"

Moving in . . .

with Monika?

Home. Natsuki had a complicated relationship with that word. For all of her life, home had meant one place. She had a bedroom. She had a bathroom. She had a living room. But she also had an abusive father, and he was the one who made home so full of pain and misery that Natsuki didn't know what to think of the word. There had never been anyone there to save her from him--until now.

Home.

Could she get a second chance with that word?

Natsuki realized that she'd sunk onto the ground. "I . . . I don't know," she said, sounding scared. And she was. What'll happen when I don't come home? Will Papa be mad? Will he even care? What if he starts looking for me? What if he reports to the police that I'm missing?

She refused to let herself cry in Monika, but when she looked back up at her, she realized that her eyes were full of tears that were streaming down her face. Monika looked both very awkward and uncomfortable, but she gently lay a hand on Natsuki's back. "I promise you won't have to see your father again," she said quietly. "There's no way he'll think to look for you at my house. And, I've been thinking . . . you should report him to the police."

Natsuki shook her head. Monika sighed.

"Will you at least move in with me? You'll still have your own bedroom." Monika hesitantly cracked a smile. "My house is actually rather nice, if that's what you're worried about."

Natsuki stared at her for another moment. I don't know . . .

Finally, she sighed, closed her eyes,, and opened them again. "I'll need to . . . p-pack and all . . ."

Monika looked relieved, and she smiled. "Good. I'll text the girls and tell them to meet at your house to help." Before Natsuki could start to protest, she typed something on her phone and then slipped it back into the pocket of her blazer. "Done. Let's get going."

In a daze, Natsuki was led by Monika out of the school and towards the house that she'd both lived in and feared her whole life, which she'd be seeing for the final time.

Sorry this chapter is so short. I promise the next update'll be longer!

<3 Ayla