Nozomu Sohma's Story

Nozomu Sohma

Nozomu frowned at the parade of giggling teenage girls and glared at one that happened to look his way. 3 o'clock was definitely not his favorite time of day; crowds of relieved students would overwhelm the streets, filling them with loud and unnecessary shrieks and shrills of laughter. If there was anything he needed most, it was most definitely not that. He reminded himself for the thousandth time that day that yes, others were as bad as he thought they were. He had spent the majority of his day up until now, taking a nap, or entertaining himself with the stray cat that visited him every once in a while. His hair was still a sloppy mess from when he woke up from his nap before going out to buy some cat food just thirty minutes ago, and in those thirty minutes that had gone by so far, he was already thoroughly disgusted by the world.

---

Nozomu swore to himself, the new shortcut he thought he had found had led him to a dead end. He impatiently combed a hand through his tangled hair, and swung the plastic grocery bag over his shoulder before proceeding back towards home.

It was a semi-sunny day; the it wasn't extremely cold nor warm, and it wasn't completely cloudy or sunny. They weather was simply neutral, and it wasn't exactly lifting Nozomu's spirits much. Then again, it would have made no difference to him if the sun had been shining or if the weather was dark and dreary. A genuine smile was a rare occurrence - so rare in fact, that he wasn't even sure if he knew how to make one anymore. He couldn't remember the last time he actually smiled. Was it ten, thirteen years ago? He wasn't sure.

He had been lost in his thoughts, and set the plastic grocery bag down for a quick stretch when he heard a familiar squeal coming from behind him. Turning just at the last minute, Nozomu hurriedly caught the airborne cat that had come flying at him. Completely caught by surprise, he let out an awkward mix between a cough and a laugh, giving the small cat a quick peck on it's head. "And where did you come flying from," he questioned.

Suki Angevine

Suki woke up, curled up in a ball, to the bitter scent of alcohol. Her spring green eyes fluttered open, and flicked over to her shoulder, where her cat laid. Chuckling softly, she gently moved the cat to her bed and stood up quickly- wincing when pain shot through her. She had gotten home late last night, to find her father drunk as always. He screamed at her, and beat her. It wasn't too bad this time. If she wore long sleeves, she could cover most of it up.
She took a quick shower, having to scrub her achy body until every hint of alcohol was erased, and replaced with gentle lavender. She had slept in late- it was already noon. She had already missed her only morning class for today, so there was no reason to rush. Careful not to cause any unnessesary pain, she slipped on her clothes, collected her cat, and hurried out.

Suki paused for a moment when she passed by her father. He was on the couch, a beer bottle still clutched in his hand as he slept. The love and respect she felt for him was gone, and yet she still felt obligated to take care of him. With a heavy sigh, she took the beer bottle, emptying the rest of its contents. She then shifted him into a more comfortable position, and covered him with a blanket.

---

Aimè, her cat, was an odd looking thing. He was black with a spattering of white, like he had been splashed with paint. Not only that, but he was abnormally small and only had one ear. Suki loved him though- she had never been one to find her affections with the most normal of things.
With Aimè on her shoulder, Suki made her way through town and avoided catching anyone's gaze. Her shift covered most of the bruises, but it was loose enough that if she lifted her arm the sleeve could roll up and reveal the purple marks.

Out of nowhere, her little cat suddenly jumped off her shoulder and dashed down an alleyway. "Aimè!" She called, chasing after the little thing. When she caught up to him, she saw that a red haired boy was holding him. "And where did you come flying from," He asked, looking over the cat.
"I'm so sorry! That's Aimè. He just jumped right out of my arms and came running down here. I'm Suki, by the way. Thank you for not being terrified- he can be a little exuberant." Suki shyly stood a few feet away from the male, smiling softly.

Suki reached for her cat, accidentally making her sleeve slide up her arm. Dark hand prints and a few untreated shallow wounds covered her thin arm, and it would be impossible to say it was from some sort of accident like falling down the stairs. She quickly jerked back, but knew he had already had a perfect view of the damage done to her. If one were to look closely, they could see that a few other dark bruises were peeking out from under her shirt.
She took a quick step back, stepping in a puddle and causing murky water to splash all over her and a little on him. "I'm sorry." She quickly apologized again, biting her lip.

Nozomu Sohma

Nozomu confronted the stranger with a cold stare, tightening his grip on the cat newly identified as Aimè. Cats he had no problem with, people on the other hand were an entirely different topic. He hated the complexity of humans. A smile, a frown, a laugh, a cough, a gasp. They all had over a hundred meanings. A cat on the other hand, was simple. Purring equaled happiness, hissing equaled aggression. There wasn't much to it. People were deceptive - cunning and skilled liars by nature. There was no denying it.

"Ugly," he murmered to himself, noticing the smile that had formed on Suki's lips.

Nozomu flinched as the girl advanced her arms towards him, her sleeve rising, revealing a gallery of injuries and spots of blue and purple. "Are you--," he began. The girl glanced up at him and threw herself backwards into a puddle, her sweater and pants soaked. The girl apologized over and over again, her face flushed and nervous. As if to consult her, Aimè sprung herself (was it male or female?) out of his arms and padded over to the flustered female.

The sky was empty and motionless, other than the several gradually moving clouds and several birds. In all truthfulness, Nozomu was lost as to how he should react. This was the most time he had ever spent with someone else, nevertheless a girl. The silence was awkward, and he proceeded to fill the emptiness in the only way he knew how to.

"Got a drunk living with you?" Nozomu smirked, unaware of how close he was to the truth. "Awww, poor baby. Mommy and daddy don't love you, do they? But then again, who would love an ugly worm like you?" He laughed, and waited in anticipation for the girl to break out into tears and pathetically run away.